March 11, 2006 - 7 Day Magic

[fcrouch]

A reply to Mortlives: we've enjoyed Verandahs, but in the end (esp. on Disney I think) find that there's plenty of quiet adult space and we didn't mind inside with no window. Don't know the deck you're on, but no doubt you've read of the secret deck on 7 and a smaller on on 8 - and there always seem to be lots of available deck chairs on 4 - plus the adult pool/quiet cove area - so your H should have plenty of quiet places to relax. My wife always reads several books in the course of a cruise.

We're probably going to do Captain Marvin's in GC - assuming he's still in business - need to check on that.

 

[MickeyMania]

Who is doing the happy dance?!?!

I finally got my ticker factory to work and everything!

Okay - so can I start packing now?!?!

Now - I have read some trip reports and it seems some of these groups are very very organized. Has anyone here ever been to a dis meet onboard? played tag fairy? Just curious!

 

[kcarl021]

I'm back. Canceled the wedding on the cruise, decided to get married in September instead. And I meant September 2005, so we will actually be on our 6 month anniversary when we sail.

Also added my best friend, her husband and their daughter to the cruise, so now we have two 6 year olds. Checked out the stateroom and there are NO CAT 6 left right now! I am sure towards the end of December there will be some cancellations but expect a full ship!

For whoever was waiting for 1st dinner seating, check back in December, but honestly, we booked this cruise while we were on our cruise last year, and we chose second dinner seating on purpose. There is always way too much food to eat and there are still so many events going on that the earlier one is too hard to catch and you either cut your shore time short or miss the dinner. Do the later seating, if you are worried about the kids, the kids area feeds them earlier anyway, and trust me, its not like you can't find food at any given moment!

I am SURE they will do something cool for St. Pats!

 

[sk8ingmom]

Now - I have read some trip reports and it seems some of these groups are very very organized. Has anyone here ever been to a dis meet onboard? played tag fairy? Just curious!

There was a Dis meet on our 2004 Wonder cruise. I think it was at 2ish on embarkation day in the Promenade Lounge. I was excited about going, but then I became event more excited about everything else on the ship and didn't make it! Heck we almost forgot to each lunch the first day!

If we want to meet up, I suggest somewhere outside - maybe the starboard or port side of the goofy pool deck or something like that the afternoon of embarkation. It seems like many of us have kids in the same age range so it would be fun to meet up!

Any thoughts????

 

[sk8ingmom]

It's getting close to booking time for spa, palo etc!!
I'm SO excited!!!

 

[Mortlives]

Hey! I'm in double digits until we leave for Florida!

 

[sk8ingmom]

OHH I forgot about the double digit milestone! Ours is today!!!! Dance with me!

We are leaving 3/9 - I'm not takng any chances going completely across the continent! I wanna be the first person in a deck chair drinking a fruity drink with an umbrella in it.

 

[kcarl021]

Wish it were sooner, its so cold and wintery here!

 

[Mortlives]

I'm back. Canceled the wedding on the cruise, decided to get married in September instead. And I meant September 2005, so we will actually be on our 6 month anniversary when we sail.

Wow, I feel observant! Congrats on your marriage. All the best.

 

[Mortlives]

I wanna be the first person in a deck chair drinking a fruity drink with an umbrella in it.

I wanna be the first person in the hot tub with a fruity drink avec umbrella.

 

[sk8ingmom]

Wish it were sooner, its so cold and wintery here!

Tell me about it! Our high for the week is 5 degrees!

Mort- good call on the hot tub! We have one at home, but it will be nice to tub without my hair turning to ice in the process!

Is anyone else stressing about Palo/spa ressies? Sure wish I knew my dinner rotation!

When is everyone dining? We are second seating.

 

[kcarl021]

Tell me about it! Our high for the week is 5 degrees!

Mort- good call on the hot tub! We have one at home, but it will be nice to tub without my hair turning to ice in the process!

Is anyone else stressing about Palo/spa ressies? Sure wish I knew my dinner rotation!

When is everyone dining? We are second seating.

I am not stressing. I cruised this same time last year, BEFORE the online reservation system and BEFORE I was a castaway club member, so I had to take my chances when on the ship. A bomb scare at the port put me on the ship close to last and I still got the spa reservations I wanted. I didn't try Palo and plan to this year because of our 6 month anniversary and all, but the food is so good everywhere else that I don't care if we don't get it!

We are second seating BY CHOICE! I can't imagine eating early seating. I never felt like I had to cut any activities short, and you also get to sleep in a bit when you disembark!

 

[kcarl021]

Did anyone else get the flier about the new things on the cruise this year? Apparently they just added a new kids area, some additional spaces to hang out, added a stingray adventure at castaway cay, expanded the spa and fitness areas, and put up a huge theatre screen outside of the family pool. looks cool! i just can't tell which spaces are new.

I also noticed they changed the january sail itineraires to avoid cozumel. wonder what it will be like in march. not that i really care!

 

[Mortlives]

We're second seating, which is fine. We won't have to hurry back from most ports to eat dinner.

We're not stressing about reservations either. The spa (except maybe the rainforest room) doesn't really interest us, and all the regular rotation menus look good enough that we wouldn't want to skip one to go to Palo.

I'm just looking forward to being somewhere warm in March, and getting some snorkeling in.

 

[Mortlives]

I just realized, shouldn't everyone who doesn't live in Florida be double digit dancing by now? or at least

If we go to Cozumel, I'm considering doing the Xcaret tour instead, because I've been to Cozumel a few types, and DN says Xcaret is great. Oh well, I suppose I've still got a tragic amount of time in which to decide. Does anyone else think it's kind of awkward that our balance is due Boxing Day?

Of course, if we end up going to Costa Maya, I'll have to rethink that.

 

[MickeyMania]

I just realized, shouldn't everyone who doesn't live in Florida be double digit dancing by now? or at least

Mort - why can't those of us in Florida do the double digit dance?? I want to do the double digit dance too!

Now - I must say I am in NY tonight and the only dance I am doing is the chilly pants dance!

 

[Mortlives]

Because I forgot what day was what. Guess I need to go back to school. Yesterday was double digits from the cruise, not today. Today is 14 weeks. The assumption, of course, is that you wouldn't have to leave the day before the cruise unless you were coming from outside of Florida, although I suppose the farthest reaches of FLA might also require leaving before. But, of course you can double digit dance. My comment wasn't actually meant as a restriction. I just figured you'd be leaving the morning of and lost track of what day it was.

NY? Hope you brought a parka. Hot chocolate is good for what ails you, too.

 

[Mortlives]

Saturday night, and it's so cold outside, I'm sitting at my computer playing the DCL DVD. I need to get a life. -- But I need it to be a warmer life.

 

[Mortlives]

It's sounding like we won't be going to Cozumel after all, and even if we do, a lot of the things we might have planned may not be available. I only just found out that Chankanaab was destroyed. That's really sad, it was a wonderful place to go snorkeling. There are threads on the main cruise forum about this, and it's beginning to sound again like it will affect us. It's kind of sad if we don't put into port there.

I was on Cozumel during cyclone Gilbert back in the '80's. There was nothing more humbling than coming out after the storm was over, and seeing all the islanders stoically picking debris off the beaches, and cleaning up the public areas first. This wasn't because their homes were intact, but because tourism is the lifeblood of the Cozumelian economy. Because of that, I'm hoping we can drop in and spend a little cash.

But I can understand why DCL might not want to do that just yet.

 

[kcarl021]

Where did you hear that? I saw that the last cruise in January was rerouted to Nassau but didn't see anything past that. I am curious because I just booked my Palo reservations this weekend and I was shocked to see how dates and times were already taken!!! My first choice was Thursday, because it is our final day at sea and also my 6 month anniversary but I couldn't get the time I wanted. I checked a few other dates and a lot was already gone! If they re route us it might change our day at sea. I would hate to miss a theme night in the dining rooms.