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

[Deb T.]

We're back from a fabulous holiday cruise on the Magic. She sure looked great! We had a wonderful week...so wonderful in fact that we've decided to bag our Royal Caribbean that we had booked for next Christmas and just put that $$$ toward the Baltic cruise and have a bigger cushion for excursions. We just figure we can't top a DCL cruise for Christmas.

Anyway, I posted a trip report - see the link in my sig if you're interested. I'll be adding a few more pictures in the next day or so.

It was great to see Tinkerbell_29 (Lissa, Matt, and Nancy) and also to meet NJMom23Grls (Lisa and family).

And we still have a whole week before we have to be back to work!

So glad to hear you had such a wonderful time! I really enjoyed your TR (...and the shout-out to me! ). Hey - instead of saving your RC cruise money, why don't ya book the April 9th cruise that my "invisible DH" and I are going on. Really - he WILL be on that cruise!!

 

[kiddisney]

thanks for the kayak mention - i will try them also -

 

[Keggy]

news here - we decided a few weeks ago to cancel this cruise!

I hope you all have a wonderful trip and I am sorry that we will be missing it!

Kelly

 

[scottishwee35]

news here - we decided a few weeks ago to cancel this cruise!

I hope you all have a wonderful trip and I am sorry that we will be missing it!

Kelly

Oh Keggy

I am so sorry to heard it...

Hope you all are keeping well....

Scottishwee35

 

[denise]

So sorry to hear that you cancelled....
you will be missed...
...you did such a good job on the web site, thanks for that...maybe there is someone out there who knows about these things and can take it over??? If that is at all possible?
do keep in touch with our group and take care....

 

[Deb T.]

news here - we decided a few weeks ago to cancel this cruise!

I hope you all have a wonderful trip and I am sorry that we will be missing it!

Kelly

We're also very sorry to hear that you've had to cancel this cruise. Have the others who you were traveling with cancelled, too? The current economy and recession has us holding our breath on whether or not we'll be able to cruise, too. DH would be one of the first to go if his company had to start making cuts. If things start to look grim, our strategy will be to hang on to this reservation right up until the final payment is due. That's the eternal optimist in me!!!

I agree with Denise that your website was great. Unfortunately, I don't have a clue how to set something like that up. I try to keep track of everything and everyone in plain old Word documents.

Good luck, Kelly. We'll miss you!

 

[OurDogCisco]

hi everyone - merry christmas - happy new year -

now that i have some down time i was debating on our flights for the cruise - what airline is everyone going to use - we generally take continental from newark - but this is only for domestic - are there better airlines to london - better seats - amenities - cheaper flights - does everyone already have flights - or when is everyone going to make these reservation - i had to take a business trip to amsterdam and the flight was horrible - crowded seats - seat mate snored - i had ear plugs - head phones - my coat over my head and it was still so noisy - and uncomfortable - anyone have suggestions -

thanks

We took Air France on our Med. Cruise and it was AWESOME. I never had better airline food in my life. They even passed out bread rolls from a basket. The Yogurt was amazing. But flying coach does suck. On the way home we were tired and exhausted and wanted to sleep the whole way home, I was in the last row. There was some dead space behind me and people kept using it as a place to talk and lean on my seat. It was very annoying. While I understand that these people weren't tired but the rest of us were. We did have luggage issues as well. So, as result this time I'm making sure our connecting flight is in the U.S. and that we have long layover at the connecting city. So, I'm hoping to use an airline that connects either in the mid-west or the East Coast. I live in California but I'm not willing to fly out SFO as it is over 2 hours from my house. So, we'll probably fly KLM to Minneapolis St Paul to London. Also, KLM had the latest flight departure for the final day. We aren't interested in staying over night on the final night. We did that in Barcelona and my girls were way too tired to enjoy anything in Barcelona (in fact they fell asleep during our bus tour). We want to fly home the day the cruise ends. We'll probably spend a few days in London prior to the cruise though. So, I'll mainly be picking air flights that work into our schedule. Hopefully, KLM is flying the same schedule in 2010 if not it will be back to the drawing board. I think, the economy will get worst and that we'll be paying more than $1000 per person to fly. JMHO...

 

[OurDogCisco]

news here - we decided a few weeks ago to cancel this cruise!

I hope you all have a wonderful trip and I am sorry that we will be missing it!

Kelly

Bummer... I'm sorry you had to cancel...

 

[DW2DH&DS]

news here - we decided a few weeks ago to cancel this cruise!

I hope you all have a wonderful trip and I am sorry that we will be missing it!

Kelly

That's a bummer!!

 

[nzdisneymom]

So glad to hear you had such a wonderful time! I really enjoyed your TR (...and the shout-out to me! ). Hey - instead of saving your RC cruise money, why don't ya book the April 9th cruise that my "invisible DH" and I are going on. Really - he WILL be on that cruise!!

Unfortunately that's the week after spring break for us

thanks for the kayak mention - i will try them also -

I use kayak all the time.

news here - we decided a few weeks ago to cancel this cruise!

I hope you all have a wonderful trip and I am sorry that we will be missing it!

Kelly

I'm sorry you won't be able to join us.

 

[Keggy]

Everyone else that we were sailing with including my in-laws are still sailing so far! My father in law has been lurking, hopefully he will come out and post!

If someone would like to take over the website, please let me know! It is very easy - I knew nothing about it - but the freewebs site is very point and click. I was paying $5 per month to not have banners but I have reverted it to the free website for now, so there is a banner at the top.

We just decided that there are so many trips that we would like to take and with the economy the way it is we feel like it isn't a smart decision for us to take this trip at this point. Maybe if DCL decides to to offer a discount we will be back!! Right now we are thinking Italy for 2010, but we aren't making any plans right now.

 

[DW2DH&DS]

You have to do what is right for you!!!!! Oh, and Italy rocks!!!!

 

[DW2DH&DS]

Vicki, quit lurking and post already will ya???? I know you want to.

 

[DisneyRN1]

Okay Beth, you drug me out of my "lurkdom".

Hi everyone,
I have posted once or twice a l-o-n-g time ago, and have kept up with most of the boards. I am Vicki, and my DH Greg and I are booked on this cruise. We met DW2DH&DS/ family on the Westbound Panama Canal cruise, and immediately hit it off, even became tablemates. Their help was immeasurable to us "old far**" from the time we were lined up to get on the ship. MY DH had gone to take the car back, so I was alone, and as soon as the porters had taken the big luggage, and we could go to the terminal--I started doing a very good "Lucy Ricardo" impression----dropping carry-ons, having trouble rolling the ones I could, and generally being a clutz. Stacey even had to help me decide what cruise we were going on when we filled out the forms before we got in the Castaway Club line. I obviously was having a major senior moment!!!!! One of my excuses was that our day had started by having power go out in the hotel DH and I were staying in before the cruise. We were on the 5th floor and had to carry our luggage down a dark stairwell. You wouldn't believe how much luggage we had--remember we were going on a 15 night cruise!!!! Fortunately we found some hotel workers who helped us. Beth and Stacey also were so good and helpful when I fell in Acapulco and fracture/dislocated my left wrist.
After writing all this -- I am not sure we are going on the cruise. We really do want to, especially to visit Russia. We have been to the Scandinavia countries and also the Alpine Countries before. Like some of the others, I feel that even though we LOVE Disney, this cruise is way too expensive. By the time we pay for the cruise, a few pre/post nights in London, airfare to and from London, tips, excursions and the other travel expenses associated with the cruise, not to mention boarding our dogs for approx. 3 weeks, etc. that this one cruise would cost my husband and I between 20-25k. We are Cat. 5, and I know we could cut expenses there, but I like having a balcony. But it basically would cost us $1000.00 per night to sleep and eat there.
We aren't going to cancel yet, will wait and see if prices go down(Although I doubt that happening).
So---That was w-a-y more about us than anyone wanted to know. But .......Hello finally!!!!!!!!!! Vicki

 

[Deb T.]

Okay Beth, you drug me out of my "lurkdom".

Hi everyone,
I have posted once or twice a l-o-n-g time ago, and have kept up with most of the boards. I am Vicki, and my DH Greg and I are booked on this cruise. We met DW2DH&DS/ family on the Westbound Panama Canal cruise, and immediately hit it off, even became tablemates. Their help was immeasurable to us "old far**" from the time we were lined up to get on the ship. MY DH had gone to take the car back, so I was alone, and as soon as the porters had taken the big luggage, and we could go to the terminal--I started doing a very good "Lucy Ricardo" impression----dropping carry-ons, having trouble rolling the ones I could, and generally being a clutz. Stacey even had to help me decide what cruise we were going on when we filled out the forms before we got in the Castaway Club line. I obviously was having a major senior moment!!!!! One of my excuses was that our day had started by having power go out in the hotel DH and I were staying in before the cruise. We were on the 5th floor and had to carry our luggage down a dark stairwell. You wouldn't believe how much luggage we had--remember we were going on a 15 night cruise!!!! Fortunately we found some hotel workers who helped us. Beth and Stacey also were so good and helpful when I fell in Acapulco and fracture/dislocated my left wrist.
After writing all this -- I am not sure we are going on the cruise. We really do want to, especially to visit Russia. We have been to the Scandinavia countries and also the Alpine Countries before. Like some of the others, I feel that even though we LOVE Disney, this cruise is way too expensive. By the time we pay for the cruise, a few pre/post nights in London, airfare to and from London, tips, excursions and the other travel expenses associated with the cruise, not to mention boarding our dogs for approx. 3 weeks, etc. that this one cruise would cost my husband and I between 20-25k. We are Cat. 5, and I know we could cut expenses there, but I like having a balcony. But it basically would cost us $1000.00 per night to sleep and eat there.
We aren't going to cancel yet, will wait and see if prices go down(Although I doubt that happening).
So---That was w-a-y more about us than anyone wanted to know. But .......Hello finally!!!!!!!!!! Vicki

Welcome out of Lurkdom, Vicki! I'm glad you posted! Now maybe Keggy's FIL will join us by posting???

I totally understand your cost concerns for this cruise. It is terribly expensive, and we could all probably do the same itinerary on a different cruise line for a whole lot less. A lot of friends question me as to why in the world would we cruise on Disney ships when it's usually just DH and me. Our kids are grown (24 & 25) so, even if they do come with us, we're still all adults. But, I'm very comfortable with the DCL ships: I know where everything is, I have a routine, I enjoy the shows, I like the cabins, and the food is good. But, the wallet is definitely straining to keep up!

I did want to offer one little piece of advice if you're thinking about switching cabin categories to... do it now if you're wanting to save money. Unless the recession really does knock the majority of cruisers out, the cruise prices will probably continue to rise. When we went on the Med cruise in '07, we decided to switch from a Cat4 to a Cat 6 to try to save some money but, by the time we called, we were told that we'd already actually paid less for the Cat4 than what the Cat6's were selling for at the time!

 

[DW2DH&DS]

Okay Beth, you drug me out of my "lurkdom".

Hi everyone,
I have posted once or twice a l-o-n-g time ago, and have kept up with most of the boards. I am Vicki, and my DH Greg and I are booked on this cruise. We met DW2DH&DS/ family on the Westbound Panama Canal cruise, and immediately hit it off, even became tablemates. Their help was immeasurable to us "old far**" from the time we were lined up to get on the ship. MY DH had gone to take the car back, so I was alone, and as soon as the porters had taken the big luggage, and we could go to the terminal--I started doing a very good "Lucy Ricardo" impression----dropping carry-ons, having trouble rolling the ones I could, and generally being a clutz. Stacey even had to help me decide what cruise we were going on when we filled out the forms before we got in the Castaway Club line. I obviously was having a major senior moment!!!!! One of my excuses was that our day had started by having power go out in the hotel DH and I were staying in before the cruise. We were on the 5th floor and had to carry our luggage down a dark stairwell. You wouldn't believe how much luggage we had--remember we were going on a 15 night cruise!!!! Fortunately we found some hotel workers who helped us. Beth and Stacey also were so good and helpful when I fell in Acapulco and fracture/dislocated my left wrist.
After writing all this -- I am not sure we are going on the cruise. We really do want to, especially to visit Russia. We have been to the Scandinavia countries and also the Alpine Countries before. Like some of the others, I feel that even though we LOVE Disney, this cruise is way too expensive. By the time we pay for the cruise, a few pre/post nights in London, airfare to and from London, tips, excursions and the other travel expenses associated with the cruise, not to mention boarding our dogs for approx. 3 weeks, etc. that this one cruise would cost my husband and I between 20-25k. We are Cat. 5, and I know we could cut expenses there, but I like having a balcony. But it basically would cost us $1000.00 per night to sleep and eat there.
We aren't going to cancel yet, will wait and see if prices go down(Although I doubt that happening).
So---That was w-a-y more about us than anyone wanted to know. But .......Hello finally!!!!!!!!!! Vicki

Thanks for last night. I am going to see about "it" on Monday!!! Taking Jack to Disneyland AGAIN on Friday and Stacey will meet up with us on Saturday.

The sticker shock is really starting to get to me too. I am going to do a little work on Stacey to see about some alternatives. Maybe dropping from a cat 5 to an Cat 8...we can use the difference for the Moscow excursion. Sometimes just because you can afford it, doesn't mean you should spend it. We could do our loft expansion (we have a loft that looks out over into our dining room below) for 15 grand and increase the square footage of our home by almost 200ft. maybe the wonder will be based in Europe after the new ships arrive. then those trips won't be so limited and cost less. but as for now we are in. Vicki, if we win lotto, I am so paying for you and Greg to go on this trip. Oh and of course join you in tortola!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!!

 

[Deb T.]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

[CarolAnnC]

Happy New Year Everyone!

Welcome Vicki!

I have to agree with DebT on lowering the cabin category. We have always sailed on our cruises in a category 6 with a category 11 across the hall for our DD's. Even on the Med Cruise we were able to do this. This time, however, the points were just way too high - we use our DVC points to cruise.

Anyway, we mulled it over and decided that we would go for two category 11 cabins this time. We were giving up our verandah, but we will be on the cruise and we will see all those fantastic ports of call. Not to mention all the other amenties which remain the same.

So we will see how this one goes. If it means giving up the cruise totally, then definitely check out the lower categories. We have the two category 11's on deck 7 midship and are very happy with the location too.

 

[nzdisneymom]

So will I be the first to say that we're cruising the Baltic NEXT YEAR?! Now we don't have to say 2010 - we can just say "next year."

How cool is that?!

 

[Deb T.]

So will I be the first to say that we're cruising the Baltic NEXT YEAR?! Now we don't have to say 2010 - we can just say "next year."

How cool is that?!

It's TOTALLY AWESOME!!!