MAGICal Christmas 2008 - December 20, 2008

[HFC1969]

Who cares!!!

That ship could pull out and park for all we care!!!


Being on DCL for Christmas Kicks butt...

As long as you are healthy & happy..

188 days til we leave!

 

[ShannonR]

Good morning everyone!

None of the Mexico based ports of call interest us since we practically live in Mexico (10minutes from the border) and travel to Mexico anytime we want on a moments notice. We will stay on board for those days (Cozumel, Costa Maya: been there done that, not impressed). We are sooo excited about the TWO stops at Castaway Cay, though!!! I agree that just being on DCL for Christmas is the BEST!

Have a great day!
Shannon

 

[SnowWhite2]

Hi everyone! I haven't been posting lately but have been trying to keep up with events. I booked my parents on this Christmas cruise during our Feb 08 cruise and told my parents we would pay for it as their anniversary/birthday gifts. They didn't want to be on vacation during the holidays but said they would think it over. They have finally decided to come with us. They have been on 3 of the 4 DCL cruises with us and this year they went on the Mariner the Sunday after we returned on the Magic. We will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and my mom's 70th birthday (12/24) on this Christmas cruise.

I'm bummed that we are not going to Costa Maya - I was looking forward to visiting a new port. I was especially excited to go to Xcaret.

We will be staying at SSR for three days after the cruise to just relax and see the decorations. It is something I"ve always wanted to do but never took the time to go all the way to FL and fight the crowds. Seems like a bunch of folks will also be spending a few days afterwards at WDW.

 

[corinnak]

Hi Laurie,
I am the first to admit that what I know about our upcoming cruise, I learned from reading books and internet (have never been to Mexico before!) but I believe Xcaret is one of the excursions for Cozumel, not Costa Maya. I've been looking at that excursion as well.

I must admit that after the European cruise last summer, the Caribbean ports seem a lot less....substantial, I guess? I don't mean to sound snobby about it and we were/are definitely looking forward to seeing some ruins, but it looks like there's a lot of recreation-type excursions. We are determined to have a good time, regardless of what ports we actually end up visiting.

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Corinna I have to agree with you about the ports of call. They just don't seem all that exciting at least ot my mom and I after last years med cruise. My brother on the other hand is excited to go to Cozumel because of a cooking excursion Disney offers. I would be content to only get off the boat at Cast Away Cay and forget about the other places.

Lissa

 

[Buckeye Gal]

Hi again! I have some news that I'm sure will be applicable to your Double Dip cruise as well!

I am looking at the DCL website for the CC excursions and for the special 2 day rentals it does not have our sailing listed and it says this:

Keep the fun afloat! Available to book online or onboard only, reserve a float or inner tube for your stop in Castaway Cay on select 4-Night Bahamian Cruises between May 11, 2008 and August 24, 2008 and swim away with 75% savings on the same rental during your return visit to Castaway Cay.

The 5 night Sept. 1st cruise is included in a list of dates.

Were you already able to book at the 105 mark and saw it there? I'm just not sure when you say "there" where "there" is?

Selket: Yes, I've already booked excursions (105 days) and the Castaway Cay excursions had the 2 day rentals listed.

Hope that helps!

 

[nzdisneymom]

We will definitely be renting the inner tubes at Castaway Cay as they looked like a lot of fun. The boys wanted to get them last time but we just didn't do it, but with a double-dip, we'll definitely do it at least one day (and hope the water is warm enough for the kids to be in). They rented a paddle boat with DH last time, and this time we might do two of the Trikes. Personally I'm still thinking about parasailing

 

[RAC]

Hi,

We have booked this sailing! I have always wanted to do this and my parents are on board with it as well. It will be me (34), DH (34), and DD (11). My parents will also be with us. We are so excited! I have so many questions about holiday sailings. My daughter would love to chat with others her age. She has done this on previous Disney cruises and it worked out great!

 

[xsjackson]

School's finally out here in the pacific northwest. Still cold. Today it is suppose to reach 50 degrees. Tired of wearing a coat with summer officially starting tomorrow.

weorking at a scrapbook store in Issaquah, WA all summer just to do something - then back to an overlaoded teaching scedule of 8th grade US history in the fall. For those of you that teach - Im a 1.2 teacher next year - no planing but maybe enough extra money for another cruise.

 

[RAC]

Looks like Costa Maya may be back on the list according to cruise critic website.
I hope so we were looking forward to going back there.

 

[Az Pirates]

Welcome to those who have joined us since I checked in last!

I always tell myself that if I can just make it through the crazy busy end of the school year nonsense, things will calm down.
Right

We finished up with school on Wednesday and went right into getting ready for scout camp. Packed DS up and dropped him off this morning. The boys all looked so nice and clean in their uniforms. I'm guessing that won't be what we get back in a week.

Looks like Costa Maya may be back on the list according to cruise critic website.
I hope so we were looking forward to going back there.

I just checked out the info on Cruise Critic. Looks like it may have been a release put out by a PR firm. I think for now I'd trust the info from DCL as being more accurate.

Hopefully cruise ships will start to return to Costa Maya soon though. I know their economy could use the boost.

 

[xsjackson]

I know what you mean. I keep thinking now that I'm done teaching until next year things will calm down. I say that every year. I think my kids are getting older - things will be smoother. Nope. Doesn't happen. Now I have my first going off to college in Auguat and everything is a panic with her. She works 40 hours a week and I am working at a scrapbook store to pay for my habit this summer.

Someone at the scrapbook store actually asked me what I was doing with all my free time? cleaning, laundry, dishes, dust, carpooling, and of course - scrapbooking.

What free time????

 

[RAC]

I will be keeping my fingers crossed for Costa Maya. ..

 

[alikat99]

It doesn't really matter either way to me for Costa Maya vs. Grand Cayman. We've never been to Costa Maya, so that would be cool. And, we LOVE Grand Cayman, so we'd go there again in a heartbeat!!!

 

[nzdisneymom]

It's six months til Christmas!

 

[RAC]

Can't wait!!! Anyone have children going that are around my DD age 11 or so. She would love to chat with them some before the cruise.

 

[ShannonR]

I can't believe it's already down to the 6 month mark! I know that still seems a long way away, but we booked this cruise 18 months out so, 6 months sounds pretty good!

Has everyone given thoughts to the Secret Santa exchange and who wants to participate? I have only gotten a handful of responses, and I would like to have the complete list by September, so we can decide "who gets who". I figure the fairest way will be to put all the families that have decided to participate in a hat and draw two at a time and pair them up. I will then PM each family and notify them of what family they will have for the exchange. Does that sound like a good idea or does someone have a better idea? Again, I am VERY new at coordinating something like this and would love any advice and/or suggestions anyone has to give. The last thing I want to do is screw this up or not have it be any fun

Has anyone started to work on their fish extender yet? We haven't, yet, but we always have the best intentions to do it when I have my days off!
I want to take Morgan and have her help me pick out some Christmas fabric and start soon! With my pathetic sewing skills, it will probably take the entire 6 months to complete it!

Have a great day! It has been 100 degrees and above each and every day for weeks now!! I LOVE the heat!

Shannon

 

[alikat99]

Hey Shannon, so how are we doing the secret santa exchange? Is it to replace a "gift" for our fellow cruisers? Or in addition to?

The reason that I ask is that for all of my past cruises, we give a small token gift to each of the cruisers, and don't ask for anything up front, or any sign up, we just usually had a little "meet" at the beginning of the cruise so that we could all meet, then I passed out my little gift. Lots of fellow cruisers did the same thing, like: bubbles, beach balls, pins, magnets, etc. It was a lot of fun.

Anyway, I was trying to figure out if the secret santa exchange was separate and each family would get paired with another family and then leave that family "gifts" each day of the cruise???

Sorry for the questions, but just trying to get a handle of it all.

Also, are we still thinking of an ornament exchange???

 

[alikat99]

I haven't started on my fish extender yet. I was thinking that I would make a special one for Christmas, since I just have my pink Mickey one that I got on eBay. I have an embroidery machine and some Mickey Christmas designs, that I was thinking of putting on each little "pocket".

 

[RAC]

Secret Santa sounds fun... Fill me in on any details we are just joining the group. Can someone tell me if you can buy the fish extenders already made? I am not very crafty...