July 6, 2010 - 7/6/2010 ~ Pounds to Rubles ~ Mickey invades the Baltic Sea

[Keggy]

Ok - we have the bare bones of a website up!

If you would like to e-mail me with the following information we can add all of the cruisers to the site and then I can post the link.

My e-mail is: kweirick @ cfl dot rr dot com

I am thinking we should include:

DIS Name
First names and ages (optional)
Hometown
Stateroom #
Early or Late Dining
Photo (optional)
Any onboard celebrations
Diser's birthday (so we can celebrate with you over the next year and 8 months!!


Thanks,
Kelly

 

[OurDogCisco]

I'm in the same boat (literally and figuratively)!! DH really wanted to do this cruise, but when I saw the pricing, I said someone's smoking something and unless we start smoking it too, we're not going. DH came home from work yesterday and when I started complaining about insane cost of our 2010 Spring Break cruise, DH said "why didn't you just book the Baltic." So, to make a long story short, we're now booked on RCI for Spring Break and doing DCL on the 7/6 Baltic. I'm honestly excited and really want to go, but its going to take me a long time to get past the naseau that comes from knowing its costing over $10k to squeeze my family of 4 into a Cat 11.

So how often does it happen that a Diser's "not-so-Disney-crazy" spouse is the one who pushes the Disney trip?? This is a first at my house!

Anyway, for now, we're booked- cabin 5509. It will be me, DH, and my 2 DDs. One will be 7 and the other will be turning 9 onboard. So far, we've taken 4 Disney cruises, but we have 2 more planned between now and July 2010 (although if I'm going to be able to afford this, one of them is probably going to have to go).

I'm in the same boat and I've been researching quickly as I want to buy trip insurance within the 2 week booking window to cover pre-exisiting conditions clause...

I'm finding all different reasons as to why I like things and why I don't. Anything from the itinerary, kids' programmings, shows, size of the room, etc... I'm finding some of the ports that Disney is at I wish there were there longer especially in Denmark. Celebrity stays over night in Denmark but the kids' programming isn't that great.

So, in conclusion I find every line has its pros and cons you just have to decide what is important to you. So, far I'm leaning towards DCL even thought I don't love the port times.

 

[scottishwee35]

Ok you Brits out there.....what is the website that someone in England would use to book the cruise. Our friends might join us and I want to send them the correct site to book on from the UK....
thanks

Hi

I am from Scottish and I booked with Dreams Unlimited, I won't book in UK becuase it is ripped off prices!!! I booked with DU 4 times as they are brilliant.

They can use Dreams Unlimited Travel! I have used them to book DCL and had a great experience.

Ok - we have the bare bones of a website up!

If you would like to e-mail me with the following information we can add all of the cruisers to the site and then I can post the link.

My e-mail is: kweirick @ cfl dot rr dot com

I am thinking we should include:

DIS Name
First names and ages (optional)
Hometown
Stateroom #
Early or Late Dining
Photo (optional)
Any onboard celebrations
Diser's birthday (so we can celebrate with you over the next year and 8 months!!


Thanks,
Kelly

Okay Kelly

I am off to Tenerife (spain) tomorrow morning for a week with my family. I will response you when I get back

Scottishwee35

 

[DW2DH&DS]

I am off to Tenerife (spain) tomorrow morning for a week with my family. I will response you when I get back

Scottishwee35

Have a great trip!!!!!!

 

[njmom23grls]

This is from the US Department of State:

International Cruise Ship Passengers: International cruise ship passengers are permitted to visit Russian ports without a visa for a period of up to 72 hours. Passengers who wish to go ashore during port calls may do so without visas provided that they are with an organized tour at all times, accompanied by a tour operator who has been duly licensed by Russian authorities. These special entry/exit requirements do not apply to river boat cruise passengers and travelers coming to Russia on package tours. These travelers will need to apply for visas prior to entry, and should follow the general guidelines for entry/exit requirements.

See http://http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1006.html

 

[njmom23grls]

I am off to Tenerife (spain) tomorrow morning for a week with my family. I will response you when I get back
Scottishwee35

Have a wonderful trip - Tenerife is on my "bucket list" of travel places to get to "someday"

Thank you Kelly for the website - I'll be sure to check it out

I 2nd or 3rd the DU recommendation. They were great to work with

 

[goingsouth]

Hi


Okay Kelly

I am off to Tenerife (spain) tomorrow morning for a week with my family. I will response you when I get back

Scottishwee35

Have a wonderful time in Tenerife- We stopped there on the transatlantic cruise in 2007- it was spectacular!

 

[goingsouth]

Ok - we have the bare bones of a website up!

If you would like to e-mail me with the following information we can add all of the cruisers to the site and then I can post the link.

My e-mail is: kweirick @ cfl dot rr dot com

I am thinking we should include:

DIS Name
First names and ages (optional)
Hometown
Stateroom #
Early or Late Dining
Photo (optional)
Any onboard celebrations
Diser's birthday (so we can celebrate with you over the next year and 8 months!!


Thanks,
Kelly

Sent you a email already--thanks again!!

joanne

 

[denise]

sent mine off too!
thanks for doing this.....our trip would be over if I had to figure it out

 

[justhat]

Kelly, just sent you an email. Thanksso much for getting a website together!

 

[DMMarla07860]

I'll send my info when I get a chance and I am not busy, I'm headed to some party near me in morristown, so getting ready

 

[justhat]

I'll send my info when I get a chance and I am not busy, I'm headed to some party near me in morristown, so getting ready

Okay, so I just saw you say Morristown and looked at your location and see you're from Andover, NJ. Wow! I am from Montville, which is about 15 minutes east of Morristown. I went to high school in Morristown. Neat to have someone else from the area on the ship!

 

[sshaw10060]

Thanks for setting up the website, I was getting jealous of the other cruise. I'll e-mail you my info in a little while.

We are planning to visit friends just north of London for 4 or 5 days prior to the cruise. I had planned on flying right home, but maybe we will take a day to regroup.

We will be bringing a 3 year old. Anyone else out there crazy enough to haul a toddler around Europe.

- Scott

 

[justhat]

We'll have a 3yo too! My son will be 3yo (he'll turn 4yo August 4, 2010), my daughter will be 6yo, and if all goes according to plan we'll have another one before then too. So if you think you're crazy, just remind yourself of me!

FWIW, we took my kids on the 7/18 Med last year and it was fine. My daughter was 3yo and my son was 11 months. And my husband was working so it was just me and my mom with them and we managed pretty well and had a great trip!

 

[sshaw10060]

I am glad to here that it is possible to take a 3yo to Europe. We just got back from 4 nights on the Wonder, but we had my in-laws, so the little one was clearly outnumbered.

 

[MN Dis Fans]

We booked this morning!

Members of our group: Me (the DH) DW, and 2x DS's, they will be 15x & 12x when we sail. The youngest will be 1x month shy of 13x if I've done my math correctly!

I started out by doing tons of research, and based upon input by the boss, aka She who must be obeyed! was told that we wanted to book this cruise as the most favorable sailing to our liking!

So, I did some practice dial ins to see actual opening times, and thought I had it down to the milli-second! I had the atomic clock website pulled up so I would dial in exactly when I needed to, to get what we wanted! Yes, adjoining SPH's fpr this cruise!

I dialed in, exactly as per schedule. I used the Castaway Cay line. Imagine my dismay when the phone just rang, and rang, and rang, and rang....... Oh well: you get the picture.

I did not panic, I let the phone ring. , and behold, after a mere 10 minutes!, I was prompted to enter our Castaway Cay number: I was shaking by this time, but managed to punch the requisite number in without screwing up.

And then? heard a nothingness? Still not panicking, I remained with nothingness! for another 15x minutes: when all of a sudden, I heard a click , and then the line went dead!

I then started speed dialing every DCL number I had in my arsenal! Nothing but busy signals

I phoned "she who must be obeyed" and explained our dilema. (I am currently in North Africa, with a less than stellar internet connection, more on that later!)

She tried to book something (from MN), and was locked out! Later, I read on the boards, that there were issues with 12-night northern capital bookings.

Well: I needed to get back to work, so sent a panic note and called our normal AAA agent who deals with all of our ressies! Truth be said, I book them all, and normally transfer them to her at a later date! Anyway, I said HELP!

I gave her what we were after; our ideal dates: this one being at the top of the list (July 6, 12x night). The fact we wanted connecting SPH's as 1st choice, 2nd choice Cat. 3. (I had done research, and very little difference in price from 1x Cat. 3 to 2x Cat. 10's) <-which is very unusual!, and as a final need, 2x connecting Cat. 9's.

Well, several hours later, I get a note from her: no SPH's, no Cat. 3's, and the best she could do, was 2x Connecting Cat. 9's on our 3rd choice cruise!

Well, I told her to keep the ressie, and get us waitlisted for a Cat. 3

Today: I am surfing the net at lunch, and what do I see? Rooms 5022 & 5024 are available for this cruise!
I absolutely can not believe this and start trying to get this bookings that what we wanted booked done, before the rooms disappear. I get 5024 on the way, and go back to grab 5022, and guess what: it's gone! Well, we have a satellite link for internet, and this is archaecically slow!

Well, I manage to complete the booking with half our party, and back to work I go, in the hopes that 5522 would open back up later. That someone would be playing around, and decide this is not what they wanted. I kept checking, and lo / behold, it's not currently meant to be. I phoned DCL tonight my time, to at least get the 4x of us on the cruise.

Anyway, We'll be joining you folks! and I am beginning to think us not getting 5522 is a blessing in disguise! as this has just saved us about 8k in the overall booking price! Which should hopefully pay for all if our excursions?, and maybe our wine bill for a 12-nt. cruise?

So, if one of you fellow Diser's got 5022, I think I thank you!
Mind you, I am still being wishy / washy about the whole deal, and should you want to get rid of it: I would certainly make it worth your while? (Am I allowed to say that on the disboards?)

Anyway, you can add us to the "Cruise" list.

Thanks,
Paul

P.S. Looking forward to meeting you all, a mere (almost 2x years from now!)

 

[scottishwee35]

We'll have a 3yo too! My son will be 3yo (he'll turn 4yo August 4, 2010), my daughter will be 6yo, and if all goes according to plan we'll have another one before then too. So if you think you're crazy, just remind yourself of me!

FWIW, we took my kids on the 7/18 Med last year and it was fine. My daughter was 3yo and my son was 11 months. And my husband was working so it was just me and my mom with them and we managed pretty well and had a great trip!

I thought so I remember your name and I dislike to ask you if you and the family were on Med last year. I remember you got Cat 3 and available to booking the excusions before us.

Welcome back

So, if one of you fellow Diser's got 5022, I think I thank you!
Mind you, I am still being wishy / washy about the whole deal, and should you want to get rid of it: I would certainly make it worth your while? (Am I allowed to say that on the disboards?)

Anyway, you can add us to the "Cruise" list.

Thanks,
Paul

P.S. Looking forward to meeting you all, a mere (almost 2x years from now!)

Hello and Welcome

Erm not me I didn't got 5022

Scottishwee35

 

[scottishwee35]

Hello Everybody

Oh thank you for your nice words as I just finish the packing phew.

We just going away for a week as school holiday too.

Second times at Tenerife.

Hope I don't forgot something.

I will take the photos and show you some.

I will be back on around 24/25 October.

Scottishwee35

 

[denise]

We'll have a 3yo too! My son will be 3yo (he'll turn 4yo August 4, 2010), my daughter will be 6yo, and if all goes according to plan we'll have another one before then too. So if you think you're crazy, just remind yourself of me!



this is denise"s dd. me and my dd bff justine love kids we'll watch them on the ship if you want a day away from them!!

 

[DW2DH&DS]

Welcome Aboard Paul!