so_oregon
Disney Cruise Fanatic
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2009
- Messages
- 332
Here's my first attempt at a trip report. My group sails on the Disney Magic on 9/19/09.
A 7-day cruise from Port Canaveral means 9.5 days away from home for those of us on the West Coast. I booked this trip back in February, planning to take three of my grown children, one's husband, and three grandchildren. So, booked a veranda room and the inside stateroom opposite (figuring they could come to visit the ocean anytime they wanted to sit on the veranda).
Unfortunately, the daughter/husband/my step-granddaughter were not able to get time away from jobs/school and so, the group has dwindled down to myself, a toddler (Noah), Noah's mom (Tabi), and my grand-daughter, Jasmine. When we gave up the inside stateroom and moved Jasmine into my veranda room, my TA had to break the news that my room was not meant for four, would not hold four, and that now, instead of being mid-shipped, we were GTY, category 6.
For four months, we have been sitting, wondering where is Disney going to put us? Are we going to be a 6? Fortunately, we got a liberal sprinkling of pixie dust and this week, when I checked for the umpteenth time on Monday, we had a room assignment...8004--we are now a category 4!!!!
This is especially good news since I expected to have to share walking space with a toddler play-yard crib and now he will get his own bed. (Tabi and I are betting that he doesn't sleep in it).
History of our traveling group:
Noah - first time cruiser/grand-son. He is two. He doesn't talk much but he definitely knows the word "no". He is adorable when he is not throwing a fit because he wants the "owaaange" cup rather than the "bleeeewwwww" cup. Unless of course the blue cup is dirty, in which case, that will be the cup he must have.
Jasmine - first time cruiser/grand-daughter. She is 9. She talks much. She definitely knows the word "no". She is adorable when she is not throwing a fit because she wants to be 10 rather than be 9. She is almost 10. The calendar was put in place to frustrate her and it must be ALL YOUR FAULT. Jasmine's mother let me pull rank as Grama and bring Jasmine on this trip.
Tabi - first time cruiser. She is 27. No, she is 25. Wait, she is 26. (I think it is a "willful forgetting" that my baby is 26 (which of course makes me that much older). She knows the word "no" too. She works for me in my office, having resigned as the queen of the fast food chains about five years ago. She is 6'1". She denies this vehemently. But, since she towers above me, it is a hard thing to deny. I carry around a tape measure to prove it, but she won't let me prove it in front of other folks.
Karen - fourth cruise/grama/mom. I am 26 (even if only in my head). Ok. I am 52. I was a stay-at-home mom for many years, then a single mom, raising five kids. I went to community college, then night/undergrad courses, then law school and graduated 11 years ago. After graduation, my family and I moved to Southern Oregon.
Eventually, I opened my own law office. I also am the justice of the peace for my county. (NO ONE was more surprised than me when I won the election).
I don't take many vacations as if I don't work, the mortgage doesn't get paid.....so, most vacations, I log in remotely to my office computer and make sure that the place hasn't burned down and that the Chippendales are not offending the neighboring businesses.
This will be a first -- traveling with children and a grown child and trying to keep the office running, so I figured someone would be able to learn from my "don't's" and plan their working vacation!!
Stay tuned: next installment -- FE's and Pirate dress-up planning.
A 7-day cruise from Port Canaveral means 9.5 days away from home for those of us on the West Coast. I booked this trip back in February, planning to take three of my grown children, one's husband, and three grandchildren. So, booked a veranda room and the inside stateroom opposite (figuring they could come to visit the ocean anytime they wanted to sit on the veranda).
Unfortunately, the daughter/husband/my step-granddaughter were not able to get time away from jobs/school and so, the group has dwindled down to myself, a toddler (Noah), Noah's mom (Tabi), and my grand-daughter, Jasmine. When we gave up the inside stateroom and moved Jasmine into my veranda room, my TA had to break the news that my room was not meant for four, would not hold four, and that now, instead of being mid-shipped, we were GTY, category 6.
For four months, we have been sitting, wondering where is Disney going to put us? Are we going to be a 6? Fortunately, we got a liberal sprinkling of pixie dust and this week, when I checked for the umpteenth time on Monday, we had a room assignment...8004--we are now a category 4!!!!
This is especially good news since I expected to have to share walking space with a toddler play-yard crib and now he will get his own bed. (Tabi and I are betting that he doesn't sleep in it).
History of our traveling group:
Noah - first time cruiser/grand-son. He is two. He doesn't talk much but he definitely knows the word "no". He is adorable when he is not throwing a fit because he wants the "owaaange" cup rather than the "bleeeewwwww" cup. Unless of course the blue cup is dirty, in which case, that will be the cup he must have.
Jasmine - first time cruiser/grand-daughter. She is 9. She talks much. She definitely knows the word "no". She is adorable when she is not throwing a fit because she wants to be 10 rather than be 9. She is almost 10. The calendar was put in place to frustrate her and it must be ALL YOUR FAULT. Jasmine's mother let me pull rank as Grama and bring Jasmine on this trip.
Tabi - first time cruiser. She is 27. No, she is 25. Wait, she is 26. (I think it is a "willful forgetting" that my baby is 26 (which of course makes me that much older). She knows the word "no" too. She works for me in my office, having resigned as the queen of the fast food chains about five years ago. She is 6'1". She denies this vehemently. But, since she towers above me, it is a hard thing to deny. I carry around a tape measure to prove it, but she won't let me prove it in front of other folks.
Karen - fourth cruise/grama/mom. I am 26 (even if only in my head). Ok. I am 52. I was a stay-at-home mom for many years, then a single mom, raising five kids. I went to community college, then night/undergrad courses, then law school and graduated 11 years ago. After graduation, my family and I moved to Southern Oregon.
Eventually, I opened my own law office. I also am the justice of the peace for my county. (NO ONE was more surprised than me when I won the election).
I don't take many vacations as if I don't work, the mortgage doesn't get paid.....so, most vacations, I log in remotely to my office computer and make sure that the place hasn't burned down and that the Chippendales are not offending the neighboring businesses.
This will be a first -- traveling with children and a grown child and trying to keep the office running, so I figured someone would be able to learn from my "don't's" and plan their working vacation!!
Stay tuned: next installment -- FE's and Pirate dress-up planning.
I in fact just finished mine and it felt like I climbed Mt. Everest.
