June 15 - June 22 2013 Eastern Fantasy

[staley98]

Just happened upon this and thought that many of you would get a big kick out of it too.

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fji2I_S-wIA

 

[GBBTomorrow]

Thanks for the welcome!

GBBTomorrow, since my DD will be turning 18 on this cruise, we figure she won't even be allowed into the teen club. I have heard that once the child is 18, they don't get to attend anymore. Which is fine, since neither of my girls ever liked going to the clubs anyway, and being an older teen, my DD definitely does not want to go.

It isn't that there is anything wrong with the clubs, and when my girls were younger they did go when there were activities like making Flubber, but otherwise, they have always wanted to stick with mom and dad. I guess they feel we might have fun without them, so they want to make sure that doesn't happen.

My girls are also rather quiet and shy when they are in a group of people they don't know, but very outgoing and friendly once they are comfortable. What they have found in the clubs though is that there are always a few kids that are outgoing with strong personalities, and my girls just stand in the backround in their presence. Then throw in teens of both sexes with freedom to hang around each other for hours on end with no parents watching, and my daughters are just uncomfortable. My girls aren't conservative nuns, but neither one is interested in flipping their hair around to impress a guy, but they seem to believe that is what is happening in the teen club.

I am sure they are incorrect, for I have seen some teens walking around that appear to have made great friendships, and in fact last summer we were on a cruise with my best friend and her family, and her teens loved the teen clubs! Younger DD tried, but even with my friend's DD and DS there, she still was not interested.

Don't get me wrong, my girls do have good, strong friendships with girls and boys their own ages, but they just feel overwhelmed around strong personalities in a new situation. Too much like their mother - I shall be the quiet one in the corner when we first meet, but after a few minutes, look out, my chatty side will emerge!

And trust me, I do have quite the chatty personality hiding behind my facade of aloofness!

Oh, that makes sense. Yes, I think that's right that once they turn 18 they can no longer participate. Boy, what an awesome place to have your 18th birthday, though! I bet she ends up having a blast. I know what you're saying about how your kids experience the clubs. I think that individual temperaments vary a lot, and some people are just more into that whole group scene than others. I predict my 13-year old will have several new best friends within the first hour; that's just his nature. Nice thing about DCL is that there's something for everyone, clubs or not.

 

[ambersharley]

I'm new to the boards and to cruising, but we just booked this cruise too! I can't wait and I'm sure I will have tons of questions. But first, how do we get involved in the FE? I'm so new here, I can't send a PM yet!? LOL

 

[TIGGER/POOH4]

I'm new to the boards and to cruising, but we just booked this cruise too! I can't wait and I'm sure I will have tons of questions. But first, how do we get involved in the FE? I'm so new here, I can't send a PM yet!? LOL

aboard the Father's Day Eastern Fantasy. Please feel free to ask any questions here or on this cruises FB page (link in the first post of this thread). As for the FE since you do not have enough post you can send me an email at nascar9@aol.com with your information.

 

[weaves18]

Anyone have any experience with Joyce Prince and her tours at St. Maarten?

 

[bobbi565]

I'm new to the boards and to cruising, but we just booked this cruise too! I can't wait and I'm sure I will have tons of questions. But first, how do we get involved in the FE? I'm so new here, I can't send a PM yet!? LOL

Welcome aboard! We've got a very friendly group of cruisers here with a wide variety of experiences ready and willing to offer any help we can, so peruse the thread for lots of info, and fire those questions at will!

Who's in your crew on this cruise? DH and I will be sailing with our 10 yo DS. It's our third cruise on Disney and our first on the Fantasy!

 

[TIGGER/POOH4]

Good morning fellow cruisers. Another week has gone by.
We now have only

weeks to go to the Fantasy.

 

[bobbi565]

Just made a reservation for the turtle encounter at Coral World!! My boys really love sea turtles, so they're very excited about getting up close and personal with a couple. Now I just have to figure out the logistics of transportation

I think I'm pretty much all set with the reservations, except for Palo, which I'll try for in a few more weeks when ressies come open for us Silver folks. I think we'll just chill out on CC (after I run the 5k, which I'm leaning toward more and more) with a tube and maybe some snorkeling.

GETTING EXCITED!!!

 

[staley98]

Just made a reservation for the turtle encounter at Coral World!! My boys really love sea turtles, so they're very excited about getting up close and personal with a couple. Now I just have to figure out the logistics of transportation

I think I'm pretty much all set with the reservations, except for Palo, which I'll try for in a few more weeks when ressies come open for us Silver folks. I think we'll just chill out on CC (after I run the 5k, which I'm leaning toward more and more) with a tube and maybe some snorkeling.

GETTING EXCITED!!!

You've got the perfect shoes to run the 5K and I think it will be the perfect way to burn off some cruise calories. It's going to be a blast!

 

[4newtocruise]

Just made a reservation for the turtle encounter at Coral World!! My boys really love sea turtles, so they're very excited about getting up close and personal with a couple. Now I just have to figure out the logistics of transportation

I think I'm pretty much all set with the reservations, except for Palo, which I'll try for in a few more weeks when ressies come open for us Silver folks. I think we'll just chill out on CC (after I run the 5k, which I'm leaning toward more and more) with a tube and maybe some snorkeling.

GETTING EXCITED!!!

You booked on your own? Is this St. Thomas? Sounds fun. I think we are going to do the full day Honeymoon Beach. My husband and kids love to snorkel.

Can't wait to book my Palo ressies! I'm training, just might join you for the 5K!

I can't wait for this cruise!!!!

 

[ambersharley]

DH and DD11 will be joining me on the cruise. I think I am more excited than they are! We love Disney in general, and I love it because I can plan ahead and have a vacation.

I have been reading tons of threads and blogs (DH says I need to stop!) trying to plan. BUT I have been leaning on not booking excursions in port. Just shopping around and playing by ear. Do you you think this is bad? The only think I have really seen that I "had to" was the equipment on CC. Is there anything you would say DON'T MISS IT?

Also, I have seen some pics from a 5K on CC,but couldn't find anything. Is this all the time? I have good intentions now, but the cruise food might kill me! LOL

Anything on the board that we should make sure we do?

 

[4newtocruise]

DH and DD11 will be joining me on the cruise. I think I am more excited than they are! We love Disney in general, and I love it because I can plan ahead and have a vacation.

I have been reading tons of threads and blogs (DH says I need to stop!) trying to plan. BUT I have been leaning on not booking excursions in port. Just shopping around and playing by ear. Do you you think this is bad? The only think I have really seen that I "had to" was the equipment on CC. Is there anything you would say DON'T MISS IT?

Also, I have seen some pics from a 5K on CC,but couldn't find anything. Is this all the time? I have good intentions now, but the cruise food might kill me! LOL

Anything on the board that we should make sure we do?

I agree, nothing I've seen has WOWED me. I'm leaning on doing an excursion because otherwise I may miss something that I wished I'd seen. When we tried to do Nassau on our last cruise, we just ended up walking around bored.

I purchased the PassPorter's guide and the following excursions are highly rated (out of 10)

St Maarten:

-Twelve Metre Regatta - 10
-Golden Eagle Catamaran - 9
-French Riviera Beach Rendezvous - 8
- Rhino Rider and Snorkeling Adventure - 9

St. Thomas/St. John

-St John Island Tour - 9
-St. John Eco Hike - 8
- Maagens Bay Beach Break - 9
- Doubloon Turtle Cove Sail & Snorkel - 9
- Captain Nautica's St. John Snorkeling Expedition - 9
- Water Island Mountain Bike Adventure - 10
- St. John Champagne Sail Snorkel - 7

 

[TIGGER/POOH4]

DH and DD11 will be joining me on the cruise. I think I am more excited than they are! We love Disney in general, and I love it because I can plan ahead and have a vacation.

I have been reading tons of threads and blogs (DH says I need to stop!) trying to plan. BUT I have been leaning on not booking excursions in port. Just shopping around and playing by ear. Do you you think this is bad? The only think I have really seen that I "had to" was the equipment on CC. Is there anything you would say DON'T MISS IT?

Also, I have seen some pics from a 5K on CC,but couldn't find anything. Is this all the time? I have good intentions now, but the cruise food might kill me! LOL

Anything on the board that we should make sure we do?

aboard the Father's Day Eastern Fantasy. You by no means need to book a DCL excursion. In St Maarten you can easily take the water taxi over to Great Bay beach and relax on the beach for a while and then go shopping in Phillipsburg which is right behind the beach. In St Thomas you can walk over to the Paradise Point Skyride and enjoy a wonderful view of the bay and the Fantasy. After that just grab a taxi over to Charlotte Amelia for some shopping. If you have any more questions or need more information please feel free to ask.

 

[bobbi565]

You booked on your own? Is this St. Thomas? Sounds fun. I think we are going to do the full day Honeymoon Beach. My husband and kids love to snorkel.

Can't wait to book my Palo ressies! I'm training, just might join you for the 5K!

I can't wait for this cruise!!!!

Yeah, I always book on my own. Besides, the Coral World excursion through DCL doesn't include the Turtle Encounter, and we really wanted to do that. Coral World is in St. Thomas. DS and DH aren't quite the beach nuts that I am, so I'm planning a little beach time in St. Maarten and then a big beach day on CC. I'll be able to snorkle on both those occassions.

 

[ambersharley]

Our travel agent said they rented an open air taxi for the day for much less and had a great tour They even stopped for shopping. She just made arrangements with the driver about the times to be back.

 

[staley98]

Anyone have any experience with Joyce Prince and her tours at St. Maarten?

Many of us are doing a tour with Bernard's. You can check out the details on the fb page. $45/pp

 

[4newtocruise]

Many of us are doing a tour with Bernard's. You can check out the details on the fb page. $45/pp

Think it's $35 since we have such a large group!

 

[GBBTomorrow]

For those of you who have been to St. Thomas and St. John before, is it possible to visit the National Park on our own? We love national parks and don't really need anything fancy. We'd be happy just walking around. The key element here is that we don't want any possibility of not making it back to the ship on time,

Advice? Thanks!

 

[Beesmom]

For those of you who have been to St. Thomas and St. John before, is it possible to visit the National Park on our own? We love national parks and don't really need anything fancy. We'd be happy just walking around. The key element here is that we don't want any possibility of not making it back to the ship on time,

Advice? Thanks!

Hey there -

My family and I have vacationed in St. John plenty of times. 2/3 of the island is national park so it is very easy to visit without worrying.

What I would do would be to take the Red Hook ferry over to St. John then walk to the National Park office. It's not that far from the ferry dock to the left and people can point it out to you.

Behind the office is the Lind Point Trail. This is one of the many hiking trails on St. John and from there it's about a 30 - 45 minute walk to Salamon beach which is gorgeous.

I don't think the walk is that strenuous - I did it in my Tevas last year and I'm not in terrific shape (not completely sedentary either).

From Salamon you can also hike further to Honeymoon beach and even to Caneel resort where you can catch a Taxi back to Cruz Bay. Or you can turn around at Salamon and walk back. The upper trail has an overlook that is a great place to stop and just appreciate the islands.

Here's a link to some photos from my walk: http://www.flickr.com/photos/topcat/7735719080/in/set-72157630961349596

-Sandy

 

[GBBTomorrow]

Hey there -

My family and I have vacationed in St. John plenty of times. 2/3 of the island is national park so it is very easy to visit without worrying.

What I would do would be to take the Red Hook ferry over to St. John then walk to the National Park office. It's not that far from the ferry dock to the left and people can point it out to you.

Behind the office is the Lind Point Trail. This is one of the many hiking trails on St. John and from there it's about a 30 - 45 minute walk to Salamon beach which is gorgeous.

I don't think the walk is that strenuous - I did it in my Tevas last year and I'm not in terrific shape (not completely sedentary either).

From Salamon you can also hike further to Honeymoon beach and even to Caneel resort where you can catch a Taxi back to Cruz Bay. Or you can turn around at Salamon and walk back. The upper trail has an overlook that is a great place to stop and just appreciate the islands.

Here's a link to some photos from my walk: http://www.flickr.com/photos/topcat/7735719080/in/set-72157630961349596

-Sandy

Thank you for the excellent advice! It sounds like whatever we do, we can't go wrong. The Lind Point Trail sounds just perfect for us. Thanks!