July 28, 2007 - "Rome-ancing the Mouse Cruisers" -11 days! Part 2

[lynncullen]

..bridegirl 8532, 8534, 8080, 8078 Marseille 8/5....

I saw this on one of the lists. Are these your rooms for this cruise?
We have stayed in room #8534 for every cruise we have taken. Except this one. Now I know who will be in "our" room.
If you hear someone late at night fighting with your stateroom door, trying to get in....it's just me out of habit. Not remembering where 'home' is. Wait, is that me or Robert Downey Jr?
We are just down the hall in room #8546
Stop by and say hi.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Hi everyone...

Okay, I'm desperately trying to catch up -- but you all know how that goes. In the meantime, I am also trying to add our new cruise friends to the Excel list, and the cabin map on powerpoint. I have indicated which cabins are participating in the Fish Extenders by making those red, while the other ones occupied by DISers are in lime green (what else). You can get to these lists on Page 1, post 1.

Okay, here is our passport story - It is long, so those who want to bypass the drama can skip to the next post.

On Thursday last week I checked online again to see my ds, Nick's passport status. It had been mailed out, but then was undeliverable to his dad's house. It turns out that whoever keyed in the address at the Passport agency transposed the numbers so the address showed 5309 instead of 9305. The agent told me to go to the LA Federal Bldg. at 1100 Wilshire Blvd, and that they would be open from 8am-3pm. We could then pick up the passport.

So, Friday morning, Nick & I took off at 6:30 and went to 1100 Wilshire Blvd. Now call me clueless (yes you can), but it didn't occur to me that the lack of American flags probably signified something. We went inside & I asked the security guard for directions to Suite 1000 -- um -- we were at a Condo in Downtown Los Angeles! and had to go 17 miles WEST to the Wilshire District to 11000 Wilshire Blvd.

Well, it took 40 minutes but we got there, and I think the several American flags outside of the 17-story white building was a good indication that we were really at the Fed bldg this time.

We were directed to a man at a podium outside the building, and he asked for our confirmation number (confirmation #?), so when I said we were told to go to the building, he gave me a slip of paper & said to call that number & get an appointment. So I called, and the agent I got this time listened to my story, and verified that the address they had to deliver the passport was wrong, and that we would have to go to the agency & have them issue a new passport. He gave us a 9am appointment - great!

So, when the 9am appointments were called up to stand in line to get ready to go in the building, we got in line, too. When the line was called forward to get into another line to get in the building, the guard at the front (the same one who had given me the slip of paper & told me to get an appointment) asked if I had a confirmation #. I said, no, but the agent emailed my name to the agency for a 9am appointment. He told me to join the long line of people sitting on the stone benches also waiting for their names to be called.

And so we sat.

And sat.

Names were called.

Ours weren't.

And we sat.

Finally after noon, I tried to make an automated appointment -- none available -- this took over 40 minutes.

And we sat.

So, I called the passport agency again - did they even submit our names? I wanted to know if the agency could hold on to our passports when the post office returned them, and if we could pick them up at Will Call. It turned out that the Washington DC office processed the passports. Well, now, that makes a lot of sense that the office in Washington DC would process them instead of sending them to Los Angeles or San Francisco offices (both California based Federal passport agencies). So, there was no way for us to pick them up. I explained that we had spoken with two agents, and that they had us wait at the LA agency -- she then explained that the Los Angeles agency will only take appointments 48 hours in advance.

Um, so waiting in the sun (oh, did I mention it was a beautiful hot sunny day in CA? Really - about 90 degrees, but I digress) from 8:30am to after 2pm was supposed to be a good exercise in patience, I guess, because there was no way that we were going to get our passport that day. I did get a farmer sunburn.

She told me that we will have to wait to see if the passport shows up in San Diego (about a 2-hour drive from Los Angeles) on Saturday, the 21st, and if it doesn't, call again, and they will give us a confirmation number. Our flight leaves at 6:30am on Tuesday, so Nick will have to go to the passport agency again on Monday, hopefully with confirmation number in hand, to have one re-issued. oh, and she told me no cost. I surely believe that after all of this. I thanked her for her advice/help & hung up.

As a last ditch effort, I went up to the guy who gave me the slip that morning - the one who had been standing there about 10 feet away from us -- wait, 20 feet because he was now in the shade, and we weren't, and asked him if there was any chance that he would call any more names. He responded that no, there was no chance. The last names he called was at 11:25, and usually if there were no names by noon, then they wouldn't be calling any more. So, I learned that yes, it is too much to ask of someone in that position to take a little heart for the people waiting for their names to be called. And now that I think of it, he had asked us all to move down the bench some after 12 o'clock because the will call line was getting longer.

So, that was how Nick & I spent our Friday.

I was supposed to go to San Antonio to visit some cousins, and was no longer in the mood, but Nick convinced me to go.

I had a great time, despite the long flight due to thunderstorms in El Paso that grounded the plane for two additional hours on the tarmac. So, I got there at 1am instead of 11pm. Oh yeah, it WAS Friday the 13th, huh.

We went shopping - I got cruise clothes - so really made out , but had no internet time, really, until I came home last night. However, it was already after midnight, so had to go to sleep & get ready for work today.

So here I am. Grateful to all of you for your thoughts. They really warm me.

Oh, and Sallie -- I DID think of you while on the airplane. As we were leaving from LAX (to go to El Paso & then San Antonio), I saw a family board the plane, and the son was wearing a DL propeller cap -- surely to help keep his mother cool.

 

[jlawall]

Hi everyone...

Okay, I'm desperately trying to catch up -- but you all know how that goes. In the meantime, I am also trying to add our new cruise friends to the Excel list, and the cabin map on powerpoint. I have indicated which cabins are participating in the Fish Extenders by making those red, while the other ones occupied by DISers are in lime green (what else). You can get to these lists on Page 1, post 1.

Okay, here is our passport story - It is long, so those who want to bypass the drama can skip to the next post.

On Thursday last week I checked online again to see my ds, Nick's passport status. It had been mailed out, but then was undeliverable to his dad's house. It turns out that whoever keyed in the address at the Passport agency transposed the numbers so the address showed 5309 instead of 9305. The agent told me to go to the LA Federal Bldg. at 1100 Wilshire Blvd, and that they would be open from 8am-3pm. We could then pick up the passport.

So, Friday morning, Nick & I took off at 6:30 and went to 1100 Wilshire Blvd. Now call me clueless (yes you can), but it didn't occur to me that the lack of American flags probably signified something. We went inside & I asked the security guard for directions to Suite 1000 -- um -- we were at a Condo in Downtown Los Angeles! and had to go 17 miles WEST to the Wilshire District to 11000 Wilshire Blvd.

Well, it took 40 minutes but we got there, and I think the several American flags outside of the 17-story white building was a good indication that we were really at the Fed bldg this time.

We were directed to a man at a podium outside the building, and he asked for our confirmation number (confirmation #?), so when I said we were told to go to the building, he gave me a slip of paper & said to call that number & get an appointment. So I called, and the agent I got this time listened to my story, and verified that the address they had to deliver the passport was wrong, and that we would have to go to the agency & have them issue a new passport. He gave us a 9am appointment - great!

So, when the 9am appointments were called up to stand in line to get ready to go in the building, we got in line, too. When the line was called forward to get into another line to get in the building, the guard at the front (the same one who had given me the slip of paper & told me to get an appointment) asked if I had a confirmation #. I said, no, but the agent emailed my name to the agency for a 9am appointment. He told me to join the long line of people sitting on the stone benches also waiting for their names to be called.

And so we sat.

And sat.

Names were called.

Ours weren't.

And we sat.

Finally after noon, I tried to make an automated appointment -- none available -- this took over 40 minutes.

And we sat.

So, I called the passport agency again - did they even submit our names? I wanted to know if the agency could hold on to our passports when the post office returned them, and if we could pick them up at Will Call. It turned out that the Washington DC office processed the passports. Well, now, that makes a lot of sense that the office in Washington DC would process them instead of sending them to Los Angeles or San Francisco offices (both California based Federal passport agencies). So, there was no way for us to pick them up. I explained that we had spoken with two agents, and that they had us wait at the LA agency -- she then explained that the Los Angeles agency will only take appointments 48 hours in advance.

Um, so waiting in the sun (oh, did I mention it was a beautiful hot sunny day in CA? Really - about 90 degrees, but I digress) from 8:30am to after 2pm was supposed to be a good exercise in patience, I guess, because there was no way that we were going to get our passport that day. I did get a farmer sunburn.

She told me that we will have to wait to see if the passport shows up in San Diego (about a 2-hour drive from Los Angeles) on Saturday, the 21st, and if it doesn't, call again, and they will give us a confirmation number. Our flight leaves at 6:30am on Tuesday, so Nick will have to go to the passport agency again on Monday, hopefully with confirmation number in hand, to have one re-issued. oh, and she told me no cost. I surely believe that after all of this. I thanked her for her advice/help & hung up.

As a last ditch effort, I went up to the guy who gave me the slip that morning - the one who had been standing there about 10 feet away from us -- wait, 20 feet because he was now in the shade, and we weren't, and asked him if there was any chance that he would call any more names. He responded that no, there was no chance. The last names he called was at 11:25, and usually if there were no names by noon, then they wouldn't be calling any more. So, I learned that yes, it is too much to ask of someone in that position to take a little heart for the people waiting for their names to be called. And now that I think of it, he had asked us all to move down the bench some after 12 o'clock because the will call line was getting longer.

So, that was how Nick & I spent our Friday.

I was supposed to go to San Antonio to visit some cousins, and was no longer in the mood, but Nick convinced me to go.

I had a great time, despite the long flight due to thunderstorms in El Paso that grounded the plane for two additional hours on the tarmac. So, I got there at 1am instead of 11pm. Oh yeah, it WAS Friday the 13th, huh.

We went shopping - I got cruise clothes - so really made out , but had no internet time, really, until I came home last night. However, it was already after midnight, so had to go to sleep & get ready for work today.

So here I am. Grateful to all of you for your thoughts. They really warm me.

Oh, and Sallie -- I DID think of you while on the airplane. As we were leaving from LAX (to go to El Paso & then San Antonio), I saw a family board the plane, and the son was wearing a DL propeller cap -- surely to help keep his mother cool.

Thx for sharing......please tell us ASAP you here that u have your son's passport..............

 

[jlawall]

So 3 1/2 hours later I caught up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jlawall]

We were away this w/e and so we didn't do much for our upcoming trip.......we can't officially pack until late next week...........

 

[alexcturner]

Mary Jo!! What a story.....I am sorry you are having to go through all of this. I am sending you a pm also.

 

[jlawall]

Mary Jo!! What a story.....I am sorry you are having to go through all of this. I am sending you a pm also.

Agreed!!!!!!!!!

 

[bmukpatel]

Hi Bhinesh I'm from near you in the UK Mitcham Lane
WE are staying at thr Grand marina. You can get a Disney Transfer or take a taxi, not sure about the kids club stuff



Hi Lynn from Lynn

Hi and thank you Lynn and everyone else who kindly replied . This really is a great group of people. Wish i had found you earlier . We want to wish you all a great time and hope to meet you all during the trip.

 

[jlawall]

Hi and thank you Lynn and everyone else who kindly replied . This really is a great group of people. Wish i had found you earlier . We want to wish you all a great time and hope to meet you all during the trip.

No doubt, this is a wonderful bunch!!!!!!

 

[jlawall]

User Name Posts
Andrew DEREK UK 2,389
jlawall 1,439
MrsJobba1 1,303
eeyorelvr10 961
kyla 804
MrsG 592
bellelinus 579
Disneynutinlondon 521
AnnaS 508
Sandaneli 499
salliep 492
disneylover5 460
kidcoos3 447
Mary Jo 400
Pixie Dust II 375
LynnTarrant 369


950 posts to go..........

 

[jlawall]

If I post 50-80 posts a day, I have it all!!!!!!!!!

 

[jlawall]

But who's counting................

 

[jlawall]

 

[jlawall]

Ello..............

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I am remiss.

Welcome to everyone who has joined us recently. Please jump right in and let us get to know you a bit before the cruise. As others have said, there is a lot of information on the first page. If something sounds confusing, just ask. Someone is bound to answer with this group.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Wow. I coulda had that

Congrats, JoAnn! And I've made 400 on this thread. That's a record for me.

 

[bridegirl]

I know alot of you already have plans to eat brunch in the private room -

Does anyone want to join us in the private dining room at Palo for dinner?

July 31 (the Naples day)
8:45 pm

Please PM me asap if you are interested.

Pixie dust,

Susy

 

[bridegirl]

Congrats on the pirate!

Just about as fluffy as mine!

Susy

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

hello all 7/28 cruisers
I have a special request. My sister, my brother in law and my nephew were all going to be traveling with you on the crusie. In May my sister was found to have a brain tumor and she had to cancel her trip. She is home recuperating but unfortunately she will not be able to do the cruise. She reads the threads all the time and I thought it would be great if anyone and everyone can give her a trip report and maybe some pictures. I know she would love that, I am so sorry you all will not be able to meet her she is an incredible person, but maybe next time. Her name is Miriam


Thank You
Clara Oza

Hi Clara,

Thank you for letting us know about Miriam. We will definitely be thinking of her and her family, and wishing for the best for them.

mj

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I hope everything has worked out now with the passport


( I hear that Dan has some spare under his pillow!!)

Playing ketchup.