June 22, 2013 FANTASY 7 night western cruise *UPDATE FE signup

[misndug]

Is it to late for our family to get involved with the FE? This is our first cruise and we would love the opportunity to become involved.

TY Hickey Family

With the 75 day cutoff you won't be too late, see LVaughn's post above. The link is also at the beginning a this thread. Under 4 months now! So excited!

 

[LVaughn]

There's plenty of time to sign up for the FE. I'm sure we'll have people after the cutoff wanting to join as well. On our last cruise, we had so many that we just extended the deadline. I'll let the people already on the list vote how they want to handle that when it comes up.

I probably should do a countdown timer, but my sig is pretty full as it is. So I'll just say there are 117 days until we board.

We just made gold, so our excursion signup and checkin starts on 3/8. The platinum cruisers are already able to do these things. Anybody snag a cabana yet?

 

[gloria1016]

There's plenty of time to sign up for the FE. I'm sure we'll have people after the cutoff wanting to join as well. On our last cruise, we had so many that we just extended the deadline. I'll let the people already on the list vote how they want to handle that when it comes up.

I probably should do a countdown timer, but my sig is pretty full as it is. So I'll just say there are 117 days until we board.

We just made gold, so our excursion signup and checkin starts on 3/8. The platinum cruisers are already able to do these things. Anybody snag a cabana yet?

Me, me, me!! I snagged a cabana! I am so excited! I'm already checked in and everything. Booked my port adventures. I can't wait!

Only thing I've been researching is transportation options from resort to PC, then PC back to resort. Should I hire a car or should I take the cruise line bus? Will I need to stop off at a store beforehand? What could I possibly buy? Is that extra stuff considered carryon? Is there a limit as to how much you can bring on board with you?

 

[LVaughn]

Congrats on the cabana! We had one last June and loved it. We got incredibly lucky that one of the pirate group cancelled at the last minute. Basically the entire pirate group is platinum and they grab all the cabanas at the 120 day mark. We had cabana 8, right in the middle. We LOVED it. The location was perfect, the view was perfect, the private beach was perfect. You get the idea...

We've never done the parks just before a cruise, so I don't know the best way to handle transportation. If it was me, I'd use the Disney transportation and let them take care of you. My understanding is they get your bags from your room at the resort and you don't need to do a thing with them. You'll see them again on board the ship.

As for what to buy, I'm not sure I'd buy anything. I can't imagine needing anything that I'd have to buy beforehand. The water on the ship is better than bottled water, so you don't need that. There's no food to worry about. Is there something specific you'd need on the ship that isn't provided?

I'm not aware of a limit for carryon bags. I know we usually carry one bag per person, but we would be able to have more if we needed it. Just make sure you have your swimsuits, etc, in your carryon if you intend to swim or hit the Aquaduck before 5:00 on embarkation day. We usually have a backpack for each kid and a bag with necessary paperwork, etc. I carried on part of our FE gifts the last cruise because we didn't want them damaged before we could give them out.

 

[disneyfan888]

The Gold member window is approaching! I can't wait

Also we are under the four month mark!

 

[jlawall]

We are one cruise from Platinum....I can't wait for this!! So it's almost time for final payment....yikes!

 

[SpoonfulofSugar]

I'm handling the FE signups. The link to sign up is in the first post in the thread. The person who started the thread has cancelled the cruise, so nobody else will be listed there unless that person edits her post. She emailed me when she cancelled the cruise and I haven't heard from her since.

The cutoff date is on the signup form for everyone to see when they sign up. It's 4/8/13, which is 75 days before we sail. I plan to distribute the FE list at that time. Does it make sense to have the list 4 months before we cruise? There will be other signups up until the cutoff date. I'm sure we'll have people joining the thread that want to sign up after the cutoff as well, but we can decide how to handle those when they come up.

If anyone really has to have a copy of the list now, contact me and I'll send a copy to the email address you used to sign up. I'll send one to gailg3horses after I post this, since she's the one asking for the list. Just FYI, I was sailing on the Dream when you posted the first time, which is why I missed the post.

Just realize that the list is incomplete and won't be the "official" list until the cutoff date.

From the form:
Thanks for signing up for the Fish Extender exchange on the Disney Fantasy Western sailing. The cut off date for signing up will be April 8, 2013. That is 75 days before the sailing and should help ensure that people on the list are actually going to be on the sailing (since final payments are due by then), and are interested in taking part. It will also allow time for anyone wishing to personalize any objects to do that. If you have any questions or need to make changes after you complete the form, please feel free to PM me (LVaughn) or e-mail me at <address removed for security>.

We would like to sign up for the FE but we have a gty room booked. The form needs a cabin number and we may not have one until weeks before cruising. Can we still participate? This will be our 7th disney cruise and we have joined in on all the past ones so kids would really like to do it again.

 

[LVaughn]

Of course you can participate. Just put GTY for the cabin number. There are 3 other families with GTY cabins in the list so far. Just let me know when you get the cabin assignment and I'll update the list. No worries at all.

We have 20 families in 21 cabins so far. It's going to be a pretty nice-sized FE group. Can't wait!

 

[SpoonfulofSugar]

Of course you can participate. Just put GTY for the cabin number. There are 3 other families with GTY cabins in the list so far. Just let me know when you get the cabin assignment and I'll update the list. No worries at all.

We have 20 families in 21 cabins so far. It's going to be a pretty nice-sized FE group. Can't wait!

Thank you! Can't wait for June

 

[disneyfan888]

All checked in and booked for everything we wanted!
Now im even more excited!!

 

[gailg3horses]

We just changed both our cabins to gty status. I had included cabin numbers on the FE sign up. Can you make that change please. I'll let you know when we have cabin assignments. This cruise is pretty full btw.

 

[disneyfan888]

I knew the cruise was pretty full, that is why I am so surprised that we are GTY status too. Im not counting on the upgrade although it would be nice, but we would be very surprised if they bumped us up with the cruise almost at capacity.

 

[LVaughn]

I've never heard of cabins changing to GTY. Did you book specific rooms then change it yourselves? I made the change to the FE list. No worries there.

I can tell the cruise is full. I was on right at midnight on the first day for gold castaway to book and all family cabanas were already gone. They only had 2 left at the adult beach, and they were both gone within a few hours.

We were GTY for the 2/14 Dream cruise. I think they wait until after the final PIF date to assign them in case of new bookings. We had booked 6A GTY for that cruise and ended up in a 5C. Not a huge upgrade, but an upgrade nonetheless. I think there are only 8 cabins that are 6A on the new ships.

We have 104 days until we board.

 

[jlawall]

Hey all,

We are in for the FEs but it just may be my DH and I. The kids seem to have other obligations. As soon as we make our final decision, I will pay and then add us to the FE list.......this cruise will be so great!!

 

[puppytrainer]

Ho hum. Waiting until April 8th so I can finally book something. Wondering if we'll be shut out of the excursions we'd like to do. Do you think by the time us first timers can book the cool stuff will be filled. My dd would like to do the Extreme Dolphin @ Grand Caymen. I told her not to hold her breath (but a bit nicer than that). I hope we're able to get something on our list even if it is a 2nd or 3rd choice. Not so patiently waiting.....

 

[misndug]

Angie, we are soooo in the same boat. It seems like April 8th will never get here! Thank goodness we are only a first time crusier once For us the, the ruins in Costa Maya are our highest priority so I really hope that we get it, for the rest I'm not so worried about. We plan on doing Cozumel on our own, maybe do the Amazing Cozumel race and for Grand Cayman we want to do Stingray city and know there are some good non-Disney options if we can't book directly.

Yeah! We are closing in on the 100 day mark!

 

[LVaughn]

I just checked and the only port adventures that aren't available are the cabanas on Castaway Cay. Everything else has availability. I can check again closer to April 8th if you'd like. My advice is to make sure you're on at midnight EDT on the 7th to be the first in line.

I know with the cabanas, people can release them and they'll show up for someone else to book. I'm not sure if the other excursions are like that, but I would think they would be. If you can't book ahead of time, get to the port adventures desk on the ship ASAP when you board. It's on the port side on deck 5 right next to the mid-ship elevators. You can be waitlisted for anything that is sold out and it's first-come, first-served if anyone cancels.

We'll be staying on board the entire cruise unless I get lucky and can get a cabana.

 

[misndug]

I just checked and the only port adventures that aren't available are the cabanas on Castaway Cay. Everything else has availability. I can check again closer to April 8th if you'd like. My advice is to make sure you're on at midnight EDT on the 7th to be the first in line.

Thanks so much! That'd be awesome. I already have my calendar/alarm set for that night! So do you know, are most 'newbies' aware to check in at midnight on your date or is it common knowledge beyond those of us obsessed on researching every little detail lurking around here?

 

[LVaughn]

I don't know if it's common knowledge past the boards, but who knows how many people are lurking and never post? The DCL site doesn't say to get on at midnight, just what day you can start booking.

We have 20+ cabins on the FE list on a ship that holds 4000 passengers in 1250 cabins. That's a LOT of people on the ship that aren't on our list. There are a few in the meet thread that aren't on the FE list, but it's not that many.

 

[dpuck1998]

I usually get my Palo/Remy reservations first then if you want spa then port excursions. So far in past cruises I've always been able to get what I want except for brunch once. I was able to get that once boarding the ship however.