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

[DVC4US]

I really would like to go snorkeling on this cruise with my husband and 11 year old son. Does anyone have any suggestions what would be the best excursion for a family to go snorkeling?

Hi mickeyteachers - I can't say which excursion is best for your family but we are doing the Turtle Shipwreck snorkel in Barbados, and the Buck Island Catamaran snorkel in St. Thomas. In 2004 we did a snorkel excursion in St. Maarten and I don't know if it was the area we went too, but the snorkeling was not very good. Our best snorkeling excursion on that cruise was in Antigua(unfortunetly we are not going there this time).

 

[DVC4US]

Kitster - love the magnets. I'm still working on ours. Trying to figure out what to do for everyone.

 

[DVC4US]

Hope everyone has a great Saturday!

We are off to watch some college football! Going to a friends house to watch the Iowa vs Iowa State game. Then we are off to the local university (University of Northern Iowa - Go Panthers! ) to tailgate and watch that game. I'll check back in later.

 

[3princessMommy]

Thanks for adding us bigawl! Jade is a girl

Another 12-year-old girl...We're in big trouble...

What's that 12, 12-year-olds now?

 

[HFC1969]

Another 12-year-old girl...We're in big trouble...

What's that 12, 12-year-olds now?

My 11 year old son is very

 

[BBQMommy]

Now we are going back 15 years, but I have been on the Doubloon out of USVI/BVI and had a great snorkle.

Caryn

 

[Kitster]

TinkMischief has the FE list. At last count, I think she said we were at 31 cabins. The deadline for signing up is Thanksgiving.

I guess we'll have to get things ordered before the final count is in, since we leave Dec. 3 for WDW and won't be home again until Jan. 2, 2011. Hopefully we won't run short.

 

[disneycruising]

My poor DD (10) fell down the stairs a couple of days ago and broke her arm. Luckily, it is a clean break and she should be out of her cast in 4 weeks.

As we came home from the DR office--DD reminded us that when her sister broke both her arms, we took her on a cruise when she got her cast off! I want to tell her...'your going for christmas & New Years'... I managed to hold it back. But, it was really hard because my poor little girl was hurt & I just wanted to make her feel better.

 

[DVC4US]

My poor DD (10) fell down the stairs a couple of days ago and broke her arm. Luckily, it is a clean break and she should be out of her cast in 4 weeks.

As we came home from the DR office--DD reminded us that when her sister broke both her arms, we took her on a cruise when she got her cast off! I want to tell her...'your going for christmas & New Years'... I managed to hold it back. But, it was really hard because my poor little girl was hurt & I just wanted to make her feel better.

Poor thing, I hope she is doing okay. It's tough when you can't make them feel all better.

 

[DVC4US]

We're back from the games. Iowa beat(and I mean beat) Iowa State and UNI won!

Now I'm trying to watch my NASCAR race that I had to TiVo. It's been a busy Saturday!

 

[BBQMommy]

My poor DD (10) fell down the stairs a couple of days ago and broke her arm. Luckily, it is a clean break and she should be out of her cast in 4 weeks.

As we came home from the DR office--DD reminded us that when her sister broke both her arms, we took her on a cruise when she got her cast off! I want to tell her...'your going for christmas & New Years'... I managed to hold it back. But, it was really hard because my poor little girl was hurt & I just wanted to make her feel better.

Glad she is on the mend.

------

Thanksgiving seems kind of late for a deadline for joining the FE. I had looked into getting something printed and there would be about a 3 week lag time, which would get to TN after we have already left. If I order 50 now hoping we get that many and then have 2 FEs I'll have a couple dozen left over. I've got something set I'm making for the older kids, but I'll have to do something very basic for the little kids not knowing how many there will be. What about a Nov 1st deadline?


Caryn

 

[Bakerteam]

I think the Nov 1st deadline is better also. It's going to get very busy with all the holidays and getting everything done before we get on the ship.

I think the cutoff at 40 would be more managable. Especially if some people are doing things individually for all the kids.

 

[3princessMommy]

itutor and I were thinking that maybe Nov. 18 would be better than Thanksgiving to give at least a month for folks to get everything set.

This a personal qualm I have (that maybe I'm just going to have to get over), but I just feel really badly leaving anyone out that wants to participate. And I can see someone joining us in November and wanting to participate in the FE and not being able to. I would hate to start someone else's vacation off with a disappointment or a feeling like they were excluded from something.

So maybe we could set a deadline and then consider additional add-ons on a case-by-case basis???

 

[DVC4US]

Happy Grandparents Day! to the grandparents we have out there.


I like the suggestion of a cutoff date of Nov 1 for the FEs. I have to agree that it will give us more time to order, make, or even orginize things during the holiday season.

 

[BBQMommy]

Please understand my questions come from one who has not been on a ship in 15 years and who has never done a Disney cruise and never done a Fish Extender program

Do a lot of people book within a month of sailing? Would they generally be a first time cruiser or a seasoned veteran? A first timer might be sad not to be included, but a seasoned vet would understand that things need time to be set up (I would assume, but you know what THAT means ).

I guess my concerns are to be able to do as nice an exchange as possible without breaking the bank, and that means bargain shopping and hunting about, and knowing the hard numbers I'll need a little earlier on. I'm not trying to be a PITA (DH may say it comes naturally ...)

Caryn

And Happy Grandparents Day to those out there --->

 

[3princessMommy]

There aren't a lot of bookings that late, no. But it's been my experience on every cruise, that there is always someone who joins the boards in the last month or so that wants to participate.

Generally in the past, we have been able to accomodate a couple of last-minute sign-ups. But some folks who aren't able to get additional items, just don't include the newbies. That is made clear to the late-comers, but they are still able to participate.

I generally plan a couple of extras just for this contingency. THen if I don't need them, I can use them as small gifts for staff or other friends that the girls meet on the ship.

 

[bigAWL]

I finally made it 1000 posts.

I thought I'd take this opportunity to show you all a little of our home in Uganda. We've been living here for a year, and have one year to go on our assignment to the U.S. Embassy.

Here's our home in a neighborhood outside the city center of the capital, Kampala.

Here's our view of the city.

In our garden we have 5 hens that provide us with lots of fresh eggs.

We also occasionally have a family of vervet monkeys that come to play.


DD9 and DD7 go to the International School of Uganda

DD3 goes to preschool at the French school (don't have a photo available).

Uganda is a beautiful country with fabulous national parks. We took a trip to Murchison Falls at the begining of the year. We stayed at the Para Lodge:

We took game drives into the bush to see giraffes, water buffalo, warthogs, verious antelope-type animals, even a few leaopards (didn't manage a good photo of these, unfortunately), but we missed the lions.

We took a boat up the river to see the falls:

Anyway, that's a little look into our lives in Uganda. I'd love to see some photos of other people's towns.

 

[jgura]

Good morning,
Regarding the FE date, pushing it to early November, would make planning easier. People do add to the cruise in the last 6 weeks. Disney also discounts the closer it gets as well. Since they are still allowing 4 in a cat 12, it could happen. Plus if they are giving FL rates, more can add late. Airfare by then is crazy expensive though. So who knows. We always have extra things to give out to last minute guests. They just might not be the same as what was personalized to the early FE group.

Being that this is the season for giving, I would not worry about having too much or what you've already purchased. Including if this gets split into two groups. Their are plenty of cast members who would love to be remembered or be able to bring something home to their children. You could also get both FE lists and give to everyone.

I have purchased "quality" gifts for up to 25 cabins. I can easily bring "quantity" gifts for anything over that and distribute accordingly.

I think this is the last year my girls (DDT8) will be wearing big poofy princess dresses, so I want to bring all the dresses we can. I need all the suitcase space I can get. (I think I just made up disney daughter twins)

Snorkeling at Buck Island last November was amazing. We went out of St Croix, I believe it is an excursion on this cruise somewhere. I need to get on that before the 90 day mark. (we are platinum)

 

[jgura]

Wow,
bigawl, those pictures are gorgeous. Can we make a port stop there????? I see you are getting your gymboree there! (I am a reseller) Are your girls missing anything from the US? I can make their FE special. Which kids club will you put the girls in? Mine turn 8 November 14. Being that they still believe in Santa, I think I am going to keep them in the lab this trip, if Dis will let me.

Seriously PM me if you guys have any special suggestions.

 

[Ramzmich]

WOW Thanks Bis AWL awesome Pics

Just saw Preview for new Tron Movie. Release Date 12-17-10.