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

[aurorafan65]

Officially less than a week till we leave!

Yesterday was a blessing & a curse - we had wicked storms in the area which knocked out our cable/internet/phone service. Luckily though our power stayed on. The blessing part was a couldn't go on-line so I got stuff done instead of reading trip reports! Curse - no Wipeout last night!

We have euros & gbp's, I've printed all my docs & dh is working on the phone thing.

I think the only big thing left is packing

I got my door decorations pirnted & magentized

Dh & I were discussing the camera situation. I was going to bring my mini to download - he wants to bring his & our terabyte harddrive (I told him I thought it was a little overkill ) so he's agreed to his laptop & a smaller hd backup.

From Netflix we got the Samantha Brown England dvd, so we watched that last night. So Jimmy (my 12yo) has a whole new plan of stuff he wants to do in London

 

[Rora]

I guess I'm pretty late but my mother and father and I will be on the cruise and we're so excited! Nice to see there's a whole thread devoted. Now, to read 231 pages.

See you guys there!

 

[Stimpy]

Welcome Rory!

Does anyone have experience with moving a kid up to the next level of club? My son has done the Oceaneer lab a few times already and is bored with it. He's going to be 10 3/4 yrs old when we sail. He really wants to do Ocean Quest instead this time. This is the first time I've really considered trying to move either of my children up a level.

We still haven't even begun to pack! Actually, I still have to get to the store and get some clothes for all of us too! School just got out today so I've been slacking big time.

 

[fabumouse]

Welcome Rory!

Does anyone have experience with moving a kid up to the next level of club? .

Yes. We moved my daughter up to the Lab because we were traveling with a kid who is slightly older than her. Disney was great about it. I think she had to change her wrist band to a different color or whatever, but it was no big deal. And if it doesn't work out, you can always move him back down.

And yes - welcome Rory!

 

[Deb T.]

Just think, we can officially say We're Next now that today's cruise left.

 

[Deb T.]

Welcome Rory! Be sure to stop by our Meet & Greet on Wednesday at 2pm on the "Secret Deck 7" verandah!

My clothing and all our odds and ends are packed. Only thing left to do is for DH to pick out his clothes and then I'll pack them for him. Unless DH goes clothes crazy, I will have met our goal of only packing two roll-aboard and two duffel carry-on bags (planning to do laundry twice onboard)! I'll spend the next few days fretting about anything additional I might want to stuff into our luggage, but it's really nice to know that everything we actually need is packed and ready to go.

I'm loving all the trip reports and blogs that are popping up online now!!!! Cindy, I will definitely enjoy reading your blog as soon as we get back. Sorry you had to resort to a blog in order to keep someone else from piggybacking onto your TR.

 

[Deb T.]

getting close ... and getting worried that this wasn't the right choice. Mickey in the carribean is AWESOME!!!!!!. Hoping mickey in alaska (next year) is super cool.... but Mickey in europe??? does the mouse 'fit'? i know he doesn't . at the same time i know Disney service can not be beat. So does Disney belong in Europe... yes. i'm safe and happy with them. but very, very curious if we will experience northern Europe culture or not.

I plan to blog (sounds like sattelites and connections limited but i'll try) an older blog. our kids are 13 and 15. we LOVE mickey but that's not why we are sailing this cruise. we are happy to experience Disney service. But looking to European experience.

We will let you know. 1 week and two days to fly over.

Don't be worried, I'm confident you'll love this cruise! We did the Med, too, and loved it! You'll still have the "Disney" experience onboard the ship: characters, kids' clubs, dining, pools, shows, etc. But, you also have the added enhancement of visiting many foreign countries, which will be a great experience for your kids! And, being onboard the ship for so long, you get into a nice routine and definitely won't want to leave on the last day!

 

[tfc3rid]

One week till we leave for London... With all the work insanity going on, we probably won't pack until Thursday night... I am so excited I'm jumping out of my skin!

 

[aurorafan65]

Did they happen to say why they changed the Skanssen/folktale excursion? We're going on the Skanssen and Vasa excursion and haven't heard anything yet.

I'm wondering if it has to do with the tidal issues? We're going on Vasa & Royal Armory & we haven't heard of any changes to that one either.

 

[aurorafan65]

Does anyone have experience with moving a kid up to the next level of club? My son has done the Oceaneer lab a few times already and is bored with it. He's going to be 10 3/4 yrs old when we sail. He really wants to do Ocean Quest instead this time. This is the first time I've really considered trying to move either of my children up a level.

.

Shouldn't be a problem, last April Jimmy was a month shy of 11, we checked with the Lab & did all the paperwork stuff there. We asked about the Quest & went down there - they didn't have any issues at all, there was another family with 3 girls doing the same thing.

 

[goingsouth]

Welcome Rory!

We leave in 4 days- someone please come to my house and pack- I will buy you a DOD if you do. <sigh>


Love love love reading the postive reviews from the 1st cruise.


joanne

 

[nzdisneymom]

I'm loving all the trip reports and blogs that are popping up online now!!!! Cindy, I will definitely enjoy reading your blog as soon as we get back. Sorry you had to resort to a blog in order to keep someone else from piggybacking onto your TR.

LOL Deb - I will do a Trip Report here on the DIS after we get back, so we can share - promise! But I have several non-DIS people who had been asking if we were going to do a trip report and I know it's hard to post to DIS from the ship, so setting up at blogger was a good option - as long as I can send an email, it's good - and email is a lot easier to do than having to log onto a site, especially one that is graphic intensive.

Rory, welcome!

Joanne - wish I could help you pack - I've never gotten a DOD before but was thinking I might this trip seeing as we've ended up with $75 extra in OBcredit - I can't figure out what it was for but I'm not complaining

Rich - I need your cabin number for your FE gift to be properly delivered.

I thought I was done but ended up buying Zachary another pair of pants today and I found a new long sleeve shirt for me plus two more short sleeves that I just had to have. But they will be good for work, too, so that's how I justified it I got pain relief meds today for the boys and us to have should anyone have a headache. And I bought a couple of packs of those colgate wisps to try - anyone used those before? I thought it might be nice to freshen up with after the flight over...

I'm laying out all my clothes for packing and the boys, too, tomorrow. And doing all the odds and ends. If it's something we need between now and leaving on Thursday, tough luck - we have to figure out how to get by without it. Gary is planning to lay his clothes out, too, but, like Deb, I will be putting them into the suitcase. We plan to have three larger suitcases, one medium one (and none of them over-packed - gotta pay attn to weight requirements), plus each of us with a carry-on (boys will have their school backpacks and I will have my Castaway Club bag and Gary will have whatever bag he chooses). We will each have a change of clothes in the carry-ons plus whatever doesn't fit in the suitcases that is ok to take on the plane with us. And snacks for the boys. PB crackers and protein bars.

I can't decide about jackets - the boys have sweatshirt-style jackets we got at Disneyland last summer when it was cool (about the same temps as we'll experience in the Baltic - we were there for June Gloom), but my sweatshirt style Mickey jacket seems a bit heavier than theirs. I don't want something that is too much and I end up feeling hot and having to carry it, but it's about impossible to find anything like that here now. I did tell Gary that I may just *have* to get something in London (LOL). What do you all think? Think that will work?? Plus, how cool will it be come early November when I need a light jacket and I can wear it and say "this old thing? I got it in London..."

So who's leaving first???

 

[sshaw10060]

Welcome Rory!

We leave in 4 days- someone please come to my house and pack- I will buy you a DOD if you do. <sigh>


Love love love reading the postive reviews from the 1st cruise.


joanne

Don't tempt me. I might take you up on that offer. I accept no liability if you find yourself wearing two separate colored sox.

 

[goingsouth]

Don't tempt me. I might take you up on that offer. I accept no liability if you find yourself wearing two separate colored sox.

Scott! You're perfect! You can be here in less than 2 hours. I will put on the outside light.
Wait- I'd rather have Pam- she will not forget my shoes.
Bring her!!!

You are probably all packed and organized

Going to watch more rick steves and ignoring empty mocking suitcases .

joanne

 

[goingsouth]

Joanne - wish I could help you pack - I've never gotten a DOD before but was thinking I might this trip seeing as we've ended up with $75 extra in OBcredit - I can't figure out what it was for but I'm not complaining

Rich - I need your cabin number for your FE gift to be properly delivered.


So who's leaving first???

Thanks for wanting to help!
I have the cabin number- I can send updated lists in the morning if that's ok?

I think Denise is leaving 1st?


joanne

 

[aurorafan65]

I don't want something that is too much and I end up feeling hot and having to carry it, but it's about impossible to find anything like that here now. I did tell Gary that I may just *have* to get something in London (LOL). What do you all think? Think that will work?? Plus, how cool will it be come early November when I need a light jacket and I can wear it and say "this old thing? I got it in London..."

sounds perfectly fair to me, especially since I told Tim I wasn't bringing a jacket/sweater so it would "force me" to buy a souvenier in London

 

[Deb T.]

LOL Deb - I will do a Trip Report here on the DIS after we get back, so we can share - promise!

I knew you'd get a kick out of my post!

And I bought a couple of packs of those colgate wisps to try - anyone used those before? I thought it might be nice to freshen up with after the flight over...

We used these last summer on our flights to/from Austria and Germany. The "brush" part is small and very hard. Overall, we thought they were a bit weird to use, but they did get rid of that yucky "morning breath" feeling. I've packed them for this trip, too.

I did tell Gary that I may just *have* to get something in London (LOL). What do you all think? Think that will work?? Plus, how cool will it be come early November when I need a light jacket and I can wear it and say "this old thing? I got it in London..."

Now THAT sounds like a good plan!!!!!!!!!

We each bought a light windproof/waterproof jacket from REI - both are REI brand, I believe. We wanted to be covered for any type of weather (pun intended).

 

[denise]

See you all in Dover....

Can't believe we leave in the morning...not packed but everything is out...cleaning the bird cages and cat box for our friends who will taking care of the house.
Lots to deal with the last few days with my moms estate...or lack of an estate. She has 2 cats that need homes and very little money to pay her mobile home rent. Long story...get me drunk and I will tell all!!!

ok..so this is sign off from me....

next time I post will be from Paris!!!!!
denise

 

[Deb T.]

See you all in Dover....

Can't believe we leave in the morning...not packed but everything is out...cleaning the bird cages and cat box for our friends who will taking care of the house.
Lots to deal with the last few days with my moms estate...or lack of an estate. She has 2 cats that need homes and very little money to pay her mobile home rent. Long story...get me drunk and I will tell all!!!

ok..so this is sign off from me....

next time I post will be from Paris!!!!!
denise

Have a safe trip! See you in 11 days!

 

[goingsouth]

Have a safe trip, Denise.

Here's a nice ship, don't you think??

http://www.oslohavn.no/webkamera

joanne