Magic Christmas Cruise 2010 (Dec 18th - 29th) - PART II

[Liz Arjay]

Hello Fellow Holiday Cruisers!!!!

83 Days 14 hours 14 Minutes and 32 seconds till boarding (EST)

We are currently booked for Magens Bay Beach Break in St Thomas. This excursion is a bit pricey to me, offering nothing more than plopping you on the beach and picking you back up for 47 a head adults and 37 a head kids.

Has anyone been on this excursion? Or, has anyone "done their own thing" and gone there on their own by getting a cab? Was it reliable? What are the cons?

Thank you in advance!

Hi! Here is what I posted earlier - hope it helps! Magens Bay seems to me to be one of the easier trips to do "on your own". We will see you there!

We found it very easy to "Do our own" and grab a taxi and go to Magens Bay on St. Thomas. I think the cab fare was about $8/person, and for some reason he drove us right through the ticket booth at the beach - so not sure if there should have been an extra charge for that. We were dropped off about 30 feet from the water's edge, so very convenient for small children or if you are bringing lots of gear for small children. I think the same experience via a Disney excursion is $47/ea for ages 10 and up, and $37 for ages 3-9. So the cab was way cheaper. They have changing rooms, concession stands, etc there if needed. The beach was gorgeous and my kids (DS16, DS15, DD13) had a great time! Go early for the shadiest picnic table. We arranged for our cab driver to come back and pick us up at a certain time and return us to the ship. It couldn't have been easier!

Liz

 

[bigAWL]

Here is the link to the teen thread. Hopefully Aaron can add it to the first post. I don't know what to say about the older kids - I have a 21yo and
22yo traveling with me too. I think the biggest thing if they do join the thread is they have to remember they are on a thread with younger teens. Maybe others with teens can post how they feel about it. I don't have a problem with it but my DD(14) is use to it because she has an older sister.

If we had enough interest we could also start a young adult thread or maybe try to hook them up on Facebook.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2562840

Ask and ye shall recieve... teen thread posted on the first page.

 

[VMinick]

Hi Vanessa,

We would love to have you share with us if I can't get 4 people and DCL will let it happen. I will check with Jamira next week. I couldn't believe that DCL would not let us add just 2 people to our cabana(especially people within our traveling party). It's not like we are all going to be in the cabana at the same time. We just don't want to be split up. I'll let you know what I find out.

Hi, LeiLani!

I don't know if it will make a difference, but we're also in concierge and have worked with Jamira to get our plans made. Our little one is only three, so maybe she won't count? She can't ride a bike, use snorkel gear, etc.

Thanks! Just keep me updated.

 

[STLUCIELADY]

I agree with Liz Arjay. Megans Bay was super easy to do on your own and very cheap. There were plenty of cabs (well not cabs in the most traditional way of thinking, more like transportation. lol) right out front Beautiful beaches!

 

[BigHugsForEeyore]

.

 

[Lyrah]

Hi everyone!

to our newcomers!

I thought that some of you might be interested in what I do here in Uganda. Working for the U.S. Embassy, my job is to build bridges between Ugandans and Americans through cultural, educational, and information exchange. Here is a link to our newest YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eulZjst-WG0

We're pretty proud of it, so forgive me for posting a work-related thing, but I thought that some of you might like to see it.

Joann

How awesome! Thanks for sharing Joann. You definitely have something to be proud of.
My husband works for the government and we have lived in the Azores (Terceira Island) for 4 years. Can't wait until December when we can eat fast food, go to a mall, and spend Christmas on the Magic! Looking forward to meeting you.

Charyl Lee

 

[IceSk8ersMom]

I've was looking around the shops for FE gifts and wondered what was the average cost people spend on things?

Do you (general you) prefer to make your own gifts or to buy something 'ready-made'?

I haven't done this before so I'm a bit stumped...

Our grand total of FE items for 50 cabins was approximately $80. I ordered these items from Oriental Trading Company. I purchase not make. I am not very creative. I did purchase craft items that need to be assembled, but we have step by step directions so no creativity is necessary, and I have a fabulous Mom, who loves crafts.

 

[IceSk8ersMom]

Thats great, I'll let my lot know. Is it a pure teen thread or can my 19 & 22 yr old join? Also where can they find it?

My DD is in high school, and the only teens that have responded are in high school too. I know Raven is interested in meeting as many young people as possible, which includes older teens. I believe the link is now on the first page of our thread. I think it is a wonderful idea to have our kids chat before the cruise. This will help make their cruise even more magical.

 

[IceSk8ersMom]

It is a 100 degrees in late September! Where is fall in SoCal? It is definitely not here. My DD is enjoying Halloween Time at Disneyland today with her cousin, Aunt Cheryl, and Uncle Scott. I am home recovering from an RA flare-up.

3princessMommy, what a wonderful video. Thanks for sharing.
Welcome Lyrah and pennymike. My DH's name is Mike too. Lyrah, you and 3princessMommy have lived in very interesting places. I cannot wait to hear more stories. We do not live in a very exciting place. I guess 60 minutes to the mountains and 30 minutes to the beach is not that bad.

bigAWL, thanks for keeping us organized. I appreciate it.

DVC4US, Raven was a little hesitant about starting the thread. The DISBoards are not FB. But after she got some responses today, she was extremely excited. I hope we can get the teens involved on the boards before the cruise.

Wow, it appears that our FE numbers are growing. I am getting a little nervous. I purchased items for fifty. Oh well, I might have to agree with the dividing of the group into two groups.

This is year three of our credit free lifestyle so we purchased our first Disney Gift Cards for the trip. I needed to start organizing our spending money since we only have three more paychecks before we leave.
Time is flying friends!
Take care and talk to you soon.

 

[BigHugsForEeyore]

.

 

[pennymike]

Cool. I've added both parties to the front page roll call. Welcome!

Thanks! We are glad to be here! Last minute decision to hop on our 'condo at sea' for another Christmas in the Caribbean! The only drawback is there is not much sense in putting up the Xmas decor at home, since we won't be here for it.....guess I'll just go over the top with Halloween and get it out of my system! Then I'll just enjoy Mickey's decor! Hope to meet up with you all!
Penny

 

[pennymike]

Welcome Mike & Penny and the Q family!

Thanks! VERY glad to be here!!!

 

[thegales]

I know there are a lot of folks at the Hyatt the night before. Anyone else at the Radisson? I don't know what time we will be getting there; it depends on if we decide to take DD's out of school early. But if anyone else is going to be there, we would like to at least attempt to meet up.

 

[pennymike]

Hi! Here is what I posted earlier - hope it helps! Magens Bay seems to me to be one of the easier trips to do "on your own". We will see you there!

We found it very easy to "Do our own" and grab a taxi and go to Magens Bay on St. Thomas. I think the cab fare was about $8/person, and for some reason he drove us right through the ticket booth at the beach - so not sure if there should have been an extra charge for that. We were dropped off about 30 feet from the water's edge, so very convenient for small children or if you are bringing lots of gear for small children. I think the same experience via a Disney excursion is $47/ea for ages 10 and up, and $37 for ages 3-9. So the cab was way cheaper. They have changing rooms, concession stands, etc there if needed. The beach was gorgeous and my kids (DS16, DS15, DD13) had a great time! Go early for the shadiest picnic table. We arranged for our cab driver to come back and pick us up at a certain time and return us to the ship. It couldn't have been easier!

Liz

Glad to hear your confirmation that this is easily doable! DH and I just booked our excursions last night and this a.m., and had the same thoughts about Magens Bay.....Did a Google search and figured we could handle grabbing a cab to the beach on our own, so we are looking forward to lounging there for the day as well! Sounds lovely!
Penny

 

[ISCHARCM]

Glad to hear your confirmation that this is easily doable! DH and I just booked our excursions last night and this a.m., and had the same thoughts about Magens Bay.....Did a Google search and figured we could handle grabbing a cab to the beach on our own, so we are looking forward to lounging there for the day as well! Sounds lovely!
Penny

Agree, thanks Liz!

 

[3princessMommy]

I've was looking around the shops for FE gifts and wondered what was the average cost people spend on things?

Do you (general you) prefer to make your own gifts or to buy something 'ready-made'?

I haven't done this before so I'm a bit stumped...

I make part of it and then get a few small items from where we are living or Oriental Trading. I really need to get myself moving on the home-made item though - it takes me a day to make each one and as the cruise inches closer, I need to start working faster!

 

[Meemous]

Here is the link to the teen thread. Hopefully Aaron can add it to the first post. I don't know what to say about the older kids - I have a 21yo and
22yo traveling with me too. I think the biggest thing if they do join the thread is they have to remember they are on a thread with younger teens. Maybe others with teens can post how they feel about it. I don't have a problem with it but my DD(14) is use to it because she has an older sister.

If we had enough interest we could also start a young adult thread or maybe try to hook them up on Facebook.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2562840

I'm considering this. I'm trying to surprise my kids with the cruise and wanted to wait until December to tell them about it. I might tell my 14 year old daughter just so she can start posting. Hmm... decisions...

Great idea!

 

[ISCHARCM]

I'm considering this. I'm trying to surprise my kids with the cruise and wanted to wait until December to tell them about it. I might tell my 14 year old daughter just so she can start posting. Hmm... decisions...

Great idea!

I say go for the surprise if you can pull it off. We are local - about 20 minutes from the port so it may have been a bit easier. The original plan was to pack everything, hide it all in the van. The ruse was that we were taking my parents to the port for THEM to go on a cruise, and instead of them getting out - we get out as we get there and the big surprise unfolds.... and they drive off with my car to avoid parking charges since they are local also. I think it would have worked, but we decided just the night before to let her in on the secret since we thought she may want to pack certain things other than what we may have picked out.... so we got very close!

 

[3princessMommy]

I'm considering this. I'm trying to surprise my kids with the cruise and wanted to wait until December to tell them about it. I might tell my 14 year old daughter just so she can start posting. Hmm... decisions...

Great idea!

We surprised our DDs with a cruise this summer, they found out when they got home from school and we headed straight out to the airport!

We still managed to get them connected to other kids on the cruise though. We had previously booked this Christmas cruise, and they knew about it. So I pm'd the other moms to bring the other kids into the secret. Everytime they contacted the girls, they talked about the "Christmas" cruise, even though we were going on the Baltic inaugural!!! The other kids LOVED being in on it, and our kids still got to meet some of the other kids before the cruise.

 

[Liz Arjay]

I'm considering this. I'm trying to surprise my kids with the cruise and wanted to wait until December to tell them about it. I might tell my 14 year old daughter just so she can start posting. Hmm... decisions...

Great idea!

But anticipation is half the fun!

Also, does anyone know when/how many group fitness classes they might have - yoga, aerobics, spinning, etc? I never bothered with workouts on the 3 and 7 night cruises, but with 11 nights, I will definitely need to burn some calories!