June 23rd 2012 - Commandeering the Disney Fantasy - Pirates back in the Caribbean

[kimpossible]

Hi Kim,

Welcome! My two boys will be 11 and 8 on this cruise so maybe they can hook up with your two in the clubs. We are in 8188 so just down the stairs and down the hall a little ways.

Have your kids ever had sign out priviledges at the clubs before? We have only gone twice when they were younger and it wasn't an option but my understanding is it's the only option for 11 year olds so I am attempting to get use to the idea!

Hi-

No, I did not give my son (who just turned 10 on the ship last week) sign out priviledges. But I think he would be fine next time. He will be closer to 12 by then. I just have to give some explicit instructions to him!

 

[discorsner]

Hi-

No, I did not give my son (who just turned 10 on the ship last week) sign out priviledges. But I think he would be fine next time. He will be closer to 12 by then. I just have to give some explicit instructions to him!

Yeah we will be going in June and mine will turn 12 that August. I'm sure he will be fine too. It's just hard to imagine it right now!

 

[HallsofVA]

So those that have done a western before...

What do you recommend for Cozumel excursions? We would like to see the ruins at one point in our lives I think but I am wondering if it is a good time with the kids ages at 11 and 8 or not.

Has anyone done the whole day long Tulum excursion? Opinions? Worried as it take so long but I know DH would love it.

In Cozumel we did Nachi Cocom beach on our own and it was fabulous. I think the ruins are better from Costa Maya, but it depends on how much time we have there as to whether you'll have a chance to enjoy it or not.

 

[lbgraves]

When we were on the EBPC in August 2008 DS was almost 10. He had been on the ship 4 other times at that point and the first day we led him to different areas of the ship where he might go like the lab, the goofy pool/ping pong tables, Pluto's for chicken strips & guest services. We then told him to take us to our room or guest services. He proved that he knew his way around the ship. He hung out with a couple kids we had cruised with before & one we met before the cruise most of the time. He also always told us if he veered from the rules we had set and the reason for it. Each time he had made the right choice for the circumstance. Now DD will be 10 on our cruise next month and I seriously doubt if she is going to have signout privs (if she decides to go to the lab at all). They are two totally different kids!

 

[kimpossible]

Yeah we will be going in June and mine will turn 12 that August. I'm sure he will be fine too. It's just hard to imagine it right now!

I think by the end of the last week, he probably could have handled it. Although, I would not want him to go anywhere but straight to us or to the out and about program.

I can always revoke his priveledges

 

[justmestace]

When we were on the EBPC in August 2008 DS was almost 10. He had been on the ship 4 other times at that point and the first day we led him to different areas of the ship where he might go like the lab, the goofy pool/ping pong tables, Pluto's for chicken strips & guest services. We then told him to take us to our room or guest services. He proved that he knew his way around the ship. He hung out with a couple kids we had cruised with before & one we met before the cruise most of the time. He also always told us if he veered from the rules we had set and the reason for it. Each time he had made the right choice for the circumstance. Now DD will be 10 on our cruise next month and I seriously doubt if she is going to have signout privs (if she decides to go to the lab at all). They are two totally different kids!

But also the difference between a son and a daughter. We let Jared sign out at a younger age than Jordan, simply because she is a girl. I just couldn't see her at 10 or 11 wandering around alone.
Lucky for me, she was my one who never left my side anyway. Well, sometimes that was lucky.

 

[gydell]

My GS will be 3 months short of 10 when we do Alaska this summer. I am planning on letting him sign himself out of the lab. I noticed when we did the Baltic cruise this summer that as some of the kids were signing out the CM's ask where they were going and paged their parents to let them know. We have told him if he ever does not go where he is suppose to that is the end of him signing out. Also we plan on having a list of rules he has to follow. And we will be checking on him!!!

 

[kimpossible]

My GS will be 3 months short of 10 when we do Alaska this summer. I am planning on letting him sign himself out of the lab. I noticed when we did the Baltic cruise this summer that as some of the kids were signing out the CM's ask where they were going amd paged their parents to let them know. We have told him if he ever does not go where he is suppose to that is the end of him signing out. Also we plan on having a list of rules he has to follow. And we will be checking on him!!!

That is exactly what I was thinking...

 

[discorsner]

I'm sure it will be good. And maybe they will all meet and become buddies and we won't have to worry as much.

 

[discorsner]

In Cozumel we did Nachi Cocom beach on our own and it was fabulous. I think the ruins are better from Costa Maya, but it depends on how much time we have there as to whether you'll have a chance to enjoy it or not.

Good info. I will check out the Nachi Cocom.

 

[dahuffy]

Is it insane to be planning for a cruise on a ship that isn't even built yet? I've got OCP.

Don't worry Stace,you're among like minded people!

 

[gydell]

I'm sure it will be good. And maybe they will all meet and become buddies and we won't have to worry as much.

We should have a meet the night before the cruise!

Leaving tomorrow for Auburn. Hope everyone has a good weekemd!!!

 

[kimpossible]

We should have a meet the night before the cruise!

Leaving tomorrow for Auburn. Hope everyone has a good weekemd!!!

The last cruise we sailed set up a thread for the kids to communicate and get to know each other. It was linked to the regular meet thread.

 

[dahuffy]

The last cruise we sailed set up a thread for the kids to communicate and get to know each other. It was linked to the regular meet thread.

This is what I was going to suggest.

 

[justmestace]

Don't worry Stace,you're among like minded people!

I was going to make a smart comment about our minds....but it's too late in the day for my mind to come up with something smart.

 

[shmoogrrrl]

Anyone know if there is a dolphin excursion on the Western cruises? My girl is obsessed with dolphins and would LOVE to swim/pet them if there was. We were going to do one of the excursions in Nassau on the Dream before we switched to this sailing, and it never occurred to me to look to see if there was one on the Western. The last Western DCL we did, my daughter was 10 months old, so we didn't do any excursions. She will be 10 this time, so at a good age for such things.

Now, since my husband doesn't really swim, I will have to go with my daughter, so I need to get over my obsession with being eaten by a shark. I know they are usually fenced in, but I have a healthy (or unhealthy as my husband might say!) respect/fear for things that swim in the ocean and I am afraid a dolphin will swim by me and I will freak out or something.

 

[lbgraves]

There are dolphin excursions in both Cozumel and Grand Cayman. You can't book them outside of DCL anymore as of a couple years ago.

 

[ranidayz]

There are dolphin excursions in both Cozumel and Grand Cayman. You can't book them outside of DCL anymore as of a couple years ago.

awesome! i know my daredevil kids will all want to do that. DH did it in Acapulco several years ago....on my birthday....while I was 7.5 months pregnant....so I never got the shot....so maybe this is my turn!

 

[dahuffy]

Anyone know if there is a dolphin excursion on the Western cruises? My girl is obsessed with dolphins and would LOVE to swim/pet them if there was. We were going to do one of the excursions in Nassau on the Dream before we switched to this sailing, and it never occurred to me to look to see if there was one on the Western. The last Western DCL we did, my daughter was 10 months old, so we didn't do any excursions. She will be 10 this time, so at a good age for such things.

Now, since my husband doesn't really swim, I will have to go with my daughter, so I need to get over my obsession with being eaten by a shark. I know they are usually fenced in, but I have a healthy (or unhealthy as my husband might say!) respect/fear for things that swim in the ocean and I am afraid a dolphin will swim by me and I will freak out or something.

You won't have to get in the water with them if you don't want. They also have an "Observers" excursion (which costs much less) and you can watch from the sidelines.

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/c...s/search/?facetValueName=fv_Port_grand-cayman

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/c...rsions/search/?facetValueName=fv_Port_cozumel

 

[shmoogrrrl]

You won't have to get in the water with them if you don't want. They also have an "Observers" excursion (which costs much less) and you can watch from the sidelines.

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/c...s/search/?facetValueName=fv_Port_grand-cayman

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/c...rsions/search/?facetValueName=fv_Port_cozumel

Thanks for the links! Actually, since my daughter will only be ten, it says that an adult needs to be booked with her. I can get over my paranoia, hopefully.

I am surprised that the one in Cozumel is for age three and over! I can't imagine my son NOW doing that, but he will be three and 8 months when we sail and that is a totally different kid. I will have to see what he is like back when we can make reservations. Otherwise, he and my husband will probably do something else like stay on the ship or a beach trip.