July 18, 2007 07-18-07 Med Cruise

[ariel39]

Hi Kathie,
We are flying from Phoenix to London and then to Barcelona. My Mom lives in Henderson during the winter months, so I am familiar with Las Vegas. Hope to see you on the ship...
Deb

Really Henderson? So did we! Thats too funny!!

See you on the MAGIC!!

 

[sharper_fin]

if you want see my one, come along 6014 to see my door signs

Scottishwee35

Perhaps we could get them to add our door signs to the Art of the Ship tour! How cool would that be? Or maybe we could create our own. But it would have to be recurring. I for one plan to change the signs quite regularly...

I know many of you are still asleep as I write this, but I just wanted to say....

I'm starting my last day of work right now!!!



Shaun (remaining defiantly unwaxed - though I might have a shave Sunday night before we fly)

 

[scottishwee35]

Perhaps we could get them to add our door signs to the Art of the Ship tour! How cool would that be? Or maybe we could create our own. But it would have to be recurring. I for one plan to change the signs quite regularly...mmm

I know many of you are still asleep as I write this, but I just wanted to say....

I'm starting my last day of work right now!!!



Shaun (remaining defiantly unwaxed - though I might have a shave Sunday night before we fly)

lol


Oh I cannot believe that I still busy again

My husband finished working yesterday

I still have one more working, yes tonight huh

Tomorrow start holiday

Packing is a nightmare!!

Scottishwee35

 

[Judah722]

Its 5:40am Friday am - I am dressed and ready to head out in just a few - I won't be done until about midnight....then I can breath a sigh and really focus on the tasks of packing....we leave Detriot - Amsterdam - Barcelona on Tues night
In the mean time we pack 4 kids who are going to my brothers house and we finish our packing....one day at a time...but its getting exciting!
Blessings
Ben
Fort Wayne - Indiana

 

[nzdisneymom]

Perhaps we could get them to add our door signs to the Art of the Ship tour! How cool would that be? Or maybe we could create our own. But it would have to be recurring. I for one plan to change the signs quite regularly...

Shaun - I love the idea of a door-sign tour! We are actually planning to leave ours up and just add to them (nearly) each day. I have one for the first day and then one for each of the port days. So by the end of the journey, our door will be full. Perhaps we should do a door-sign tour on Friday (Sea Day). I, for one, know that I'll be on the look-out for door signs anyway as they make the long hallways much more fun! Our cabin is near the aft elevators, so we'll get a bit of traffic.

I've started my last work-day, too - I won't go into the office until after lunch but my main responsibility has been launched and takes about two hours to complete, so I've got odds and ends that I'm taking care of now -- including reading the DIS (hee hee). Gotta get my Out of Office message set and re-do my voice-mail message. And cross my fingers that when I finish this one other assignment that they won't ask me for "just one more thing..." before I leave. Because when I come home tonight, I'm planning to finish the packing and then that's it!!!!

Have a MAGICal day, y'all.

 

[BarcelonaTiems]

the Art of the Ship tour was mentioned ..

Is this a real tour ?
Are there any other tours on the ship ? Like "behind the scenes" or something?

Only 1 day left, then we're off !!

Greetings,

Hans

 

[nzdisneymom]

Hans - yep, it's a real tour. There are several tours that are offered (free!) on the ship -- after you board, go to guest relations and ask them about the various tours - some you have to get tickets for and some behind-the-scenes things you just show up for. The Galley Tour is very interesting and I highly recommend it (you have to get tickets for it as they only let so many people at a time go through). We really enjoyed it - it's amazing to see where our wonderful dinners are prepared each day. Oh, that reminds me, if you're walking on the promenade around Deck 4 (where the walking track is), at one point there is a small round window that you can look in and see the Galley for Animator's Palate!

When we sailed in Dec. 05 I did a lot of the ship activities like the behind the scenes tour for the Walt Disney Theater - you get to do q/a with the CMs who stage and produce the shows and even get to go up on the stage itself. Then there are the Cooking demonstrations that they typically offer in Studio Sea - I think that is the Art of Entertainment series. They might do an appetizer one day (fond memories of crab cakes - mmmm) or a dessert or a main course.

Then there is napkin folding and towel folding (I napped through it even though I had wanted to go). They do occasional arts and crafts - I made a small mosaic picture frame that I have sitting on my shelf at work - and it was a FREE souvenir!

So definitely make sure to study the Navigator each night because even though this particular trip will find most passengers exploring the ports rather than skipping one to stay on ship, there will be plenty of activities for those who do stay on board to relax. I know we'll have some days where our excursions are in the morning, so I'll be looking for some afternoon activities.

 

[sharper_fin]

It's Friday lunchtime, and I've just spoken to Jill, who's dismayed again at STILL not being to fit everything that we want to take into the cases! Normally we have no problem packing lightly but this time... well this time we have normal (ultra-casual) day-wear - the stuff we'll be comfortable in on the excursions and in Barca, evening and formal wear, and of course those all-important pirate costumes!!! So that's much more than we would normally take for (say) two weeks in Florida. How do you regular cruisers do it?

Shaun

 

[shortkathleen]

Shaun,

Can't say we are packin light this time. For the four of us we have 2 big suitcases, 2 hanging bags and 2 carry on size bags plus each of us will be carrying back packs with stuff for the kids to do on the flight. Our suitcases aren't totally full but it seems when you pack to go home it never all fits in as well as did before. So having a little extra room to spare will be nice.
Plus, I DO NOT want to spend my vacation doing laundry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I do it all the time at home. I am planning on maybe doing one or two loads, but that is where I draw the line. HEE!!

Glad you are coming unwaxed!

Kathleen

 

[sharper_fin]

Hans, I'd highly recommend the galley tour. I thought that we'd have much more time to do more of the tours than we have on previous FLA-based cruises, but this one seems to have many more shore excursions. I'm not sure how much time we'll have to be honest. I might however make a little time available for the martini-mixing lessons...

And I'm not sure what we've started here, but my natural manly furriness will remain intact until cruise-time!

 

[RJMOMSusan]

Hello,

I am sooooooooo excited to be in the home stretch, of preperation week. I can't wait to get going because I don't think my family can stand me talking about the trip anymore..

I was thinking last night wondering which part of the trip is more exciting... Although I've been to Europe a few times, I have never been to ROME. I'll be the chubby woman crying as I take it all in. Life long dream....

I'm also all jazzed up about the yummy spa treatments I have planned for myself.

But the best part is "hands on " family time, that is until DS leaves me for the CLUB over and over. I'm going to list my mini list of tips I wrote up after our first DCL cruise April 2006 ..

Top Ten List – Disney Cruise

1. Get to the terminal early, the people at the airport tried to delay us, but we went early anyway.. It was very exciting, to walk around terminal and we even ran into Goofy and Pluto. We were on board by 12:00…

2. Buy an autograph book for your children at terminal. My six year old son became a star struck autograph hound. He waited in line, mingled with other kids and loved the interaction with the characters.

3. Visit the Vista Spa. I had a great massage, and my DH and I signed up for the Rainforest Spa, which is an incredible steam room, sauna, and hot rock lounge chairs. For $70.00 we got a 3 day pass, and snuck in there several times. Usually we had the place to ourselves.

4. Have dinner at Palo, order the Chocolate Souffle.

5. Have Coffee at the Quiet Cove …yum..

6. Buy a photo package at Shutters, it makes it lots of fun to pose and collect photos.

7. Order Cookies and Milk at bedtime, from room service at no extra charge.


8. Don’t miss the shows… My son and I loved them.. DH had time to himself

9. Use the Kids Club- my son loved it… he spent 3 hours a day doing all sorts of one –of a kind activities… The Graduation Ceremony was adorable

10. Enjoy the perfect vacation for family time, couple time. And Me time..



See you soon

Susan

 

[sharper_fin]

Susan, Rome's the place I'm most looking forwards to as well. And on my birthday too. What more could a boy want (except for the cookies & milk at bedtime, I like that idea....)

Shaun

 

[ariel39]

Good Morning All,

Getting ready for work, 2nd to last day!!! I have today and Monday.

Paid bills last night for the rest of the month!!

Since I have been working so many hours, I scheduled my nail appt for 2pm today and my boss was cool with it.

Just started packing a few things, but this weekend will be the bulk of it. I have a trip into Vegas planned and hope to get some gifts or buy what I need from my original idea.

For anyone leaving today, Have a safe trip and see you at the Meet N Greet!!

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Good morning everibody! Welcome to everybody new! Woo-Hoooo 3 more days till we leave. I think mom amd matt are ready to strangle me 'cause all I've talked about is this trip. They are even threating to lock the computer. As for packing light not possible in the family. We have 6 checked bags one of which is a hanging bag and 6 carry ons plus my medical supply bag and cooler for insulin. 14 bags for three adults heaven help. If ya'll want to see my door signs you will have to come by 5646 'cause I tried to post them and can't figure it out. Everybody whose leaving today or tomorrw have a safe trip. Cindy ya'll be careful driving to Atlanta it is supposed to be raining see you at the gate Monday.

Lissa

 

[sharper_fin]

That's it, almost made it. Just ten minutes to go then it's 4pm - I've finished work!!! Time to go home & continue the door magnets. Packing is done now, so we're just about ready. Just a nice relaxing weekend before the monday morning flight. Take care all, safe journey to those of you heading off soon.

Shaun

 

[nzdisneymom]

Shaun - you lucky duck... I still have a few more hours to go, but every hour I work today is one less hour of vacation-leave I have to use, so I guess that's the bright side! I"m about to take the kids to meet DH for lunch at our favorite mexican place as it will be 2 1/2 weeks until we go back - plus it's super cheap - lunches for $4.xx and enough to fill us up so we won't have to look for crumbs in the cabinet tonight because that's all there is

Safe travels everyone! Good luck getting all the packing done. Think we'll make it to page 100 on our thread???? We're in the 90s now.

 

[DisTeach]

Welcome to all the new posters!

The plan for today is go to the Y and then come home and start my packing! My list is enormous and everything is purchased, so it is just a matter of putting it in the suitcases, checking it off, and praying that my bags aren't overweight!

 

[seaulater]

Welcome! There is an all natural product called "No Jet Lag" You can get it at "Wild Oats" or probably other whole foods type stores. Some people have found it at travel stores. They are little pills that you chew every couple of hours. I have heard people swear by them.

Kathleen

Thanks for mentioning this earlier too. I went to Wild Oats earlier this week and bought a package of 24 tablets. It says to take your first one 2 hours before your flight and then ever couple of hours while flying (but had a note, that you didn't need to wake yourself up to take them!) Nice of them to mention that. I think I paid less than $10 for them. Hope they work. I'll let you know when I get to the ship on Wed!

ONLY 6 HOURS AND 11 MINUTES TILL I'M OFFICIALLY ON VACACTION! (not that I'm counting or anything!)

 

[BarcelonaTiems]

Ok, we're finally packed.
Yesterday and today final packing. Eveything in 3 suitcases for 2 adults and 2 children. Maybe we are to easy ?
Thinking though that I let do Disney do some laundry.
And don't expect us looking very very sharp all of the time, ok ?
hey : it is a holiday !

So we are ready to go, fly tomorrow to Barcelona 12:20 local time = in 15 hours from now.

Hey, hope to see everybody !

Greetings, Hans and fam.

By the way : thanks for all the info and tips I got here !! Really great !!

 

[ButterbearUK]

We are kids at heart. Retha 57 Josie 55 Jim 55 Oliver 23 Logan 19
We arrive Sunday about 1:30 and are staying at a bed and breakfast.

Welcome to all the new families! I'm so excited now that we only have 5 days to go...

Retha- My sis was very excited to hear that there would be other people her age on the cruise, she is 18 so too old for the clubs and was a bit worried that she'd have no one to talk to

Milia x