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!
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!!
PLEASE buy lotto tickets!!!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!!
Not only do I "need" a verandah, I must have one with the plexiglass (not a Navigator's verandah). I'm very nervous about having had to book a Cat4 GTY this time because we've always had a mid-ship cabin. I don't think I could cruise without a verandah... but if it came down to a choice between sailing without a verandah or not sailing at all, I think I'd choose sailing. It sure beats staying at home! 
I just hope I never have to make that choice because we love, love, LOVE having a verandah. 
Just like for our '07 Med cruise, DH doesn't even want to know how much it's going to cost us. We took both our adult kids on the Med cruise which really added to our expense. We've booked them on this cruise, too, but DS probably isn't going to be able to join us (he graduates from law school and will take the bar that summer) and DD is still undecided. If one or both of them don't come, then we'll feel like we've hit the lottery in the amount we'll "save"! 
) Well there goes my timer. gotta go deglaze!!!
If it were just the two of us, we could do without a verandah if it made the difference between going or not going. And I'm trying to win enough $$ via contests / sweepstakes this year to pay for it (wish me luck - LOL).
We were talking last week that it won't be too long before the boys are big enough that we'll want to look at two rooms - I was telling Gary about how many families do one with a verandah and one across the hall without... I certainly won't pay for two verandah rooms
So we're working hard and saving our money for the Baltic trip so we can enjoy what we want
Anybody out there with little boys? Somebody put a bullet in my head.
