March 12, 2011 Eastern Caribbean, Let's rock the Magic!

[candizfan]

Hi Charlene!

I sent you an email. DD12 is so excited to find out we will be on the same cruise again.

I have not been on this DIS boards much lately but will be on a bit more as the date gets closer.

I am considering the Fish Extender for this trip. I can have good intentions but procrastinate at times so I will have to give it a lot of thought.

We are flying in ahead of the cruise so DD15 can visit with a friend who moved to Florida from here. It will be a busy trip but I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[Beesmom]

Well, yesterday I finally bought airfare - and because we're getting to MCO relatively early Friday Afternoon, I also cancelled our bus ride to the port and instead reserved a rental car and reserved a hotel room in Cocoa Beach. *Whew*!

All that's left on my to-do list is to finish paying for the cruise by Dec 12th and trip insurance. Then it's all over but the waiting. And the packing lists.

We have 129 days until the cruise!

-Sandy

 

[Stinasmom]

Yea, Sandy! When you start shelling out the bucks, it starts feeling like a vacation is around the corner!

Anyone else realizing that we have just over a month to pay this baby off?!?!?

I still haven't gottent the word if my DH can change some work plans to make this cruise!!! He has a new boss since we booked this and he still needs to broach the subject with him!! Sheesh. I am pretty sure it should work out but it will mean he will have to fly in from Chicago on the morning of departure (we live in Washington State), hopefully making the cruise in time... that is if his boss OK's his leaving his (university level) Jazz Choir at a convention to fly home with the other Choral director. We better work this out soon!

Other than that, all we have to work out is actual transportation from MCO to our hotel (Radisson, Cape Canaveral) the day before the cruise.
Anyone else staying at the Radisson? We could have an early meet!

Marcy

 

[Beesmom]

Yea, Sandy! When you start shelling out the bucks, it starts feeling like a vacation is around the corner!

Hey, Stinasmom:

Exactly! We are now %100 committed to this cruise!

:
Other than that, all we have to work out is actual transportation from MCO to our hotel (Radisson, Cape Canaveral) the day before the cruise.
Anyone else staying at the Radisson? We could have an early meet!
Marcy

Hope your husband gives you good news fast!

I rented one-way cars from Avis. We're staying at Hampton Inn - not sure where that is relative to the Radisson.

-Sandy

 

[Paragd911]

We are driving from Nashville. Staying at the SOG (Shades of Green) on Disney.

its $1200 for 3 to fly...

 

[Stinasmom]

We are driving from Nashville. Staying at the SOG (Shades of Green) on Disney.

its $1200 for 3 to fly...

Wow, wish driving was an option... we booked our flights with a combination of mileage, companion fare ticket, and on two different airlines (one out and different one home!).
OH, and the kids and I are coming out on a RED EYE!
Glad we are cruising first on this trip and doing parks after, we'll need the rest right away.

We could drive to Vancouver, BC (and usually do once a year or so) if we wanted to cruise DCL to Alaska... but have you priced those cruises? OUCH! It's practically the same cost to fly to Florida and cruise the Caribbean.
Alaska isn't going anywhere, I just may wait until I have blue hair like the majority of cruisers who sail up there on the other lines! <-- well, maybe not that BLUE! Ha!

Everyone have a great day!

Marcy

 

[SB's Mom]

Mark and Shadow....what area of Nashville are you in? I lived in the Green Hills area for 18 years and still miss it. Hope to meet you on the ship!

Char

 

[Paragd911]

Mark and Shadow....what area of Nashville are you in? I lived in the Green Hills area for 18 years and still miss it. Hope to meet you on the ship!

Char

We are in Hendersonville. I hope to see you too! I will be the one in the wheelchair with the big black dog....

 

[Stinasmom]

Anyone else happen to notice that DCL is offering "KIDS SAIL FREE" for 2011 sailings on the Magic up to and NOT including our cruise!?!?!?

Bummer. Guess our cruise will be pretty booked up. Haven't gotten a discount before, why now. (except for onboard booking discount and onboard credit with the TA).

Anyway, anyone else looking at snorkeling excursions at St. Thomas/St. John?

Read online that the best snorkeling is from a boat at a reef, NOT from the beach. Anyone know more?

Marcy

 

[Beesmom]

Anyone else happen to notice that DCL is offering "KIDS SAIL FREE" for 2011 sailings on the Magic up to and NOT including our cruise!?!?!?

Anyway, anyone else looking at snorkeling excursions at St. Thomas/St. John?

Read online that the best snorkeling is from a boat at a reef, NOT from the beach. Anyone know more?

Marcy

Hi, Stinasmom:

We're going that week because it's spring break for our little guy. I know the date varies but I suppose it's spring break for a lot of folks.

I've done a lot of snorkeling in St. John - we go there every 2-3 years for a week and rent a villa for the stay. Many reefs are accesible from a beach and there's plenty to see. http://stjohnbeachguide.com

Having said that, the trick to St. John is getting there - taxi to Red Hook, ferry to St. John, then taxi to a beach. Then reverse it to get back to the boat. I think I'd rather take a boat over to St. John and snorkel from it and skip all those taxis (though the boat may leave from Red Hook instead of Charlotte Amalie).

As for snorkeling on St. Thomas I can't really say - we haven't spent much time on that island (just to and from the airport). My husband plans to scuba dive and I'm probably going to go to Megans beach with my son.

-Sandy

 

[Paragd911]

Hi, Stinasmom:

We're going that week because it's spring break for our little guy. I know the date varies but I suppose it's spring break for a lot of folks.

I've done a lot of snorkeling in St. John - we go there every 2-3 years for a week and rent a villa for the stay. Many reefs are accesible from a beach and there's plenty to see. http://stjohnbeachguide.com

Having said that, the trick to St. John is getting there - taxi to Red Hook, ferry to St. John, then taxi to a beach. Then reverse it to get back to the boat. I think I'd rather take a boat over to St. John and snorkel from it and skip all those taxis (though the boat may leave from Red Hook instead of Charlotte Amalie).

As for snorkeling on St. Thomas I can't really say - we haven't spent much time on that island (just to and from the airport). My husband plans to scuba dive and I'm probably going to go to Megans beach with my son.

-Sandy

yes Its spring break. All the prices are higher........

Mark

 

[5fromhamilton]

im candace i want to know how old ur grandkids are i'll be 11 on the cruise

 

[jennyh2829]

im candace i want to know how old ur grandkids are i'll be 11 on the crouse

My daughter will turn 11 on the cruise. She is in 5th grade.

 

[Paragd911]

YEAAAA I GOT MY ROOM AGAIN!!!! It was not available when i booked this cruise. I called DCL yesterday for something else, but I asked if the cat 6a on this date was available. It was !!!!! Its a wheelchair room with a BIG veranda! i have a photo of it.

 

[Stinasmom]

Congrats Mark!
I remember seeing that pic of your verandah a while ago thinking how cool it would be to have room for a lounger on your own verandah!
Course, you need room for the "pool of grass" for Shadow too!

I am starting to get that anxiousness about our cruise! Looking online everyday for pictures, new threads, perusing the "what to bring" lists. Bought DH a pirate shirt on clearance from Halloween costumes too.

Oh, and getting the credit card ready for a big hit! (final payment). I like to use my Disney Visa for the Disney Dollars toward onboard credit, but it gets gummed up when you have other charges on there if you want to take advantage of the 6 months to pay (Disney Vacations).

So, hope the rest of you are getting as excited! We are spending T-giving with my mom and Stepdad who are coming with us this time, I intend to get them just as excited with videos of the ship, horn duels, etc!

Marcy

P.S. OK, it's snowing here today... NOW I am REALLY looking forward to a Caribbean Cruise!!!

 

[Paragd911]

New Navigators for the Eastern

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2587210

read post # 9

 

[Beesmom]

Thanks for the link, Mark! I'm starting to get really excited and I'm not the world's most excitable person.

And Marcy: ever since my reply to your post about St. Thomas excursions, I am thinking hard about the Doubloon excursion - I'd rather snorkel than just sit on a beach (though that's fun too) and I've always wanted to see more of St. Thomas, and best of all, no taxi trip to Red Hook! The reviews I've found on these boards have been favorable too.

-Sandy (122 days to go...)

 

[candizfan]

Hi everyone!

I found a place in St Martin for a zip line adventure. Has anyone done this in St Martin before?

Thanks.

 

[terimac]

Hi everyone!

I found a place in St Martin for a zip line adventure. Has anyone done this in St Martin before?

Thanks.

Not in St. Maarten, but we have zip lined before (in Kauai...it was wonderful!). I will have to look it up in St. Maarten.

So far, we are looking at Maho Beach in St. Maarten for some airplane entertainment, and then some other beach and shopping near the port (we will have the kids). But I would love to drop them back at the ship after they have some beach time and get back on the island for some more excursions...
In St. Thomas, oh where to begin! There is so much to do, that I am going to have to book another Eastern so that I can spread it out! We will probably do Coral World and Coki Beach, and I really want to do Mountaintop and Paradise Point, but our day there is so short!

By the way, our vacation officially begins a day earlier than the ticker, so in 4 months from today, we will embark on a Magical Disney Vacay!

 

[candizfan]

Thanks Terimac.

I will have to look into it more.

I made a payment his week so we only owe a few hundred still....it will be easier to pay off a small amount after the Christmas holidays.