JULY 19 Cruisers- Less than 3 WEEKS now Yipee!

[Captain Wildcat]

tezb,

We are trying to book our flight right now. Looks like the best bet might be flying out Thursday midday, arriving late Thursday, with R/T $1100.00 for all four. We already have reservations at the Hyatt for the night before, just guessing we will add a night. In the long end, will save us money and we might be more "adjusted" (ie in a better mood) on Friday. I'll let you know.

bothofus,

Wow, the "Ritz" hotel, lucky you. You are right on the cliff above the beach and behind the golf course, about a mile south of Half Moon Bay on Highway 1. Three great restaurants: Cetrella for the two of you, Main Street, Half Moon Bay 650-726-4090, jazz bar. Mezza Luna, on the pier in El Granada/Princeton 650-728-8108, and Cafe Gibraltar, recently relocated to Avenue Alhambra, El Granada 650-728-9030. Also newly opened on Highway 1, south of Half Moon Bay, is the Ono Grill (follow your nose, the smell is outrageous). The Ritz has a nice restaurant, but pricey. Make sure you take your children downtown HMB, lots of surf shops. Drive up Highway 1, hugs the Pacific, for some great surf action and the Marine Reserve in Moss Beach, great tide pools. Anymore ?'s, let me know.

Debbie

 

[Captain Wildcat]

mmouse37, I see you are the expert at dining rotations! What do you recommend for our upcoming cruise (LAP, LPA, PAL, LLL, PPP, oops sorry got carried away!) We have the second seating. Thanks!

Debbie

 

[mmouse37]

Captain Wildcat.....well, the rotation I prefer on the Western is APL. This is my favorite rotation because it puts you in Lumiere's on both Formal and Semi-Formal nights, and Parrot Cay on Tropical nights. It really doesn't matter in the whole scheme of things, but I like being dressed up in the fancier restaurant, and I like being in my tropical wear in the tropical rest.

The problem is you really cannot request a dining rotation, I have tried three times on different DCL cruises and twice I got the rotation I requested and this last time on the 1/4 Magic I did not. So, I think I just lucked out the other two times. As I said, it really did not matter all that much this past cruise that we did not have the rotation we wanted, but I still prefer APL for the Western.

For some reason the APL rotation seems to be for families with smaller children, why I am not sure.

MJ

 

[bothofus]

Captain Wildcat- Thanks for the tips on our Calif trip,I'm sure I will have a few more guestions when we get our travel packet from the company which will give us options to choose day-trips, excursions in the area, We have 6 days at Half Moon Bay then to Maui for 9 days,kids and I have never been to Hawaii either,so it should be a great trip,and one heck of a way to pass the time waiting for our Disney cruise!The cruise is the trip I'm looking most forward to as I hate to fly,so all trips with flying(Hawaii) cause me a great deal of anxiety,I could just kick myself for being such a wuss!oh well
Now I have rambled on long enough but I do have one more question,can you tell us about your screen name Captain Wildcat?

 

[tezb]

Debbie....Wow, sounds like a good deal, 1100. roundtrip out of SFO?? Which airlines. Is it direct? The only airlines I can find to take ONE direct flight a day to Orlando is United and it's expensive. We flew them last time but this time it was just too expensive. Your paying about what we are paying for family of 5 but we booked in Nov because the price was so good then....We are already booked at the Radisson...we stayed there last time and it worked out well for us.

I keep reading about all these stomach illnesses still happening on the ship. YOu know, if you read or hear about it enough, you start to feel ill yourself. I really hope it quiets down by summer!

bothofus....you are quite the traveler...from SF area to Hawaii! How nice. We've been to Hawaii about 3 times now...you will love it! very relaxing too....Have a good trip!

 

[mmouse37]

tezb......guess what....after thinking it through for the 100th time we had to cancel, boo hoo. With everything going on right now with two kids going to college and hubby's overtime cut, and our son's car needing $2,000 worth of work...there are just no funds left for a big vacation this summer.

Allie is really upset because she was so looking forward to it. So, all you 7/19 cruisers....have a few tropical drinks for me by the pool....will ya!!!

MJ

 

[tezb]

Oh MJ I;m sorry to hear that...are you sure you have to cancel now? We never got the chance to meet!! Can't you wait til the last minute before final balance due? See, it was all those cruises you took in between the 2 year span..should have waited (just kidding)...well at least you did experience the Western already and had a good time. Sometimes I feel like others on this board w/ all the illnesses lately. We travel so far..from West Coast that I hope the flu has calmed down by summer...you just never know. I can't always read the sickness threads as it puts a damper on my excitement and then I don't want to go anymore...

 

[Captain Wildcat]

tezb,

The $1100.00 is on Southwest online, but not direct. They have not "opened" up flights past June 3. We found quite a few around $1200.00 to $1300.00, again not direct. When we went to WDW in August of 2001, we used Delta for about $1050.00, booked in March of that same year online. So we'll see...I wish I was going to be in Hawaii first like our friend...

bothofus,

Ask away when you get your travel plans. As for the Captain Wildcat, it is my husband's "name." He went to St. Ignatius High School, and they were the Wildcats. The Captain is for his rank in the Police Department. So it really has very little to do with me.

Can't wait to meet you guys!

Debbie

 

[tezb]

Capt Wildcat....My husband went to SI also...but oldest son got accepted there a few years ago but chose St. Francis in Mt. View...he's currently a junior now. What year did your husband graduate...we both graduated high school in 1978, 25 years this year! We also know quite a few who went to SI...years ago, when it wasn't coed!..small world.

 

[Captain Wildcat]

tezb,

Very, very small world. We both graduated in '78, I went to Mercy San Francisco. My DD is a sophomore at Mercy Burlingame and my niece is a freshman at St. Francis.

Your turn, what high school did you go to?

Next, LAST NAMES (and then we dig out those old yearbooks!).

Debbie

P.S. Did your boys go to the different "clubs" available to them on the last cruise?

 

[tezb]

Debbie...are you kidding? you graduated in 78 also...how bout your husband for SI? I went to Star of the Sea Academy in SF, not the grammar school. Grammar was St. Thomas Apostle. I also have a son who is a freshmen at St. Francis now. My oldest is a junior there, and my youngest is in 6th grade at Bowditch Middle School in Foster city. We first cruised DCL in 2000 for the 4 day and they started out at the clubs but preferred more time w/ friends..esp the 2 older ones. This last cruise in 2001, my teens were in Common Grounds or out w/ friends the whole time and my youngest did both, the clubs and friends. We had the walkie talkies so were able to check in w/ him and it worked well. They loved the cruise! What is your neices name at St. Francis?

 

[Captain Wildcat]

tezb,

Yes, Chris was '78 at SI. I went to St. Thomas More, and Chris went to Mission Dolores. My niece's name is Ashton Nielson. I met a big family from St. Thomas Apostle camping when I was younger, lots of girls but just one boy, can't remember the last name.

Glad to here about the boys having a good time. Should be fun!

Debbie

 

[tezb]

Debbie,....how strange. somehow I thought you would say you guys were also 1978..weird.

My son says he thinks he knows of your neice...he doesn't really know her though...so many to meet. His name is Brandon. If you want you can go to my profile and email me directly...It's easier to communicate that way. Then I can find out of my husband knows yours...., etc. Did you know anyone from Star. The only family I know at St. Thomas Apostle w/ one boy was a friend in my class..the Holloways. There were so many families..could have been anyone.

 

[bothofus]

Okay, I had to bump our thread up once again because now we are down to 5 months before we will be pulling out of Port Canaveral into warm sunny skies and the beautiful calm sea for 7 days of paradise.Can't wait

 

[mmouse37]

bumping up because I saw a few new threads for 7/19 recently.

TEZB.....I just sent you a PM.


MJ

 

[bothofus]

We are now at LESS than 100 days til we cruise!! Only about a month til our final payments are due But then we can book our excursions The excitement is building around our house ,how about everyone else??

 

[Doctor P]

DSD is getting into reading the Passporter DCL guide and preparing an excursion wish list.

 

[tezb]

bothofus...yes we are thinking about it too. Me more than anyone else. But my 3 sons haven't cruised since 2001 so they are ready again! This will be our 3rd since 2000. By the time school ends (finals), they will be ready for this cruise!

 

[minnieandgrumpy1]

We will also be on the July 19th cruise. It will be our second disney cruise. We have a DS10 and DS3 1/2. We are also traveling with three other couples. The kids ages are DS12; DS10; DS9; DD10; DS10. I have a feeling the girls are being out numbered. We can't wait.

 

[Michellepooh]

I just went to AAA today to make our final payment. Does that mean I can book any excursions now? If so, do I call DCL directly? It's getting closer!!!!