March 15-22, 2008 Eastern - Way-Way Early Check In

[DiszyGram]

We will be arriving Friday night too and have a nice advantage. My sister lives in Cocoa Beach. She is only a fifteen minute drive from Port Canaveral. She always picks us up at the airport and brings us back. Her home is like a vacation spot with a nice pool, large hot tub, a canal at the end of her back yard, and walking distance to the ocean. She gets to watch every shuttle or rocket lift off and feel the roar.

She also goes on a LOT of cruises.

Now when she visits me, we have Walmart.

 

[wrightz05]

I saw a few posts. Seems we are going to spread all over on Friday night. Is anyone else staying at the Radisson?

 

[nlm]

Hi All - Just posting here for the first time. I haven't read too much of the thread yet, but I hope to keep up with the goings on between now and the cruise. This will be my 3rd cruise (Western Double Dip Oct. 06 and Eastern Oct. 07). On the first one, I did good keeping up with the DIS group, but on the 2nd one not so well.

It will be me and DS17 cruising. (Not the DS in my avatar - that one is 14, and there's no way I'd take him solo at this point! Maybe when he's a little older.) This trip is "sneaking" in one more before DS turns 18, so we only just got back from our 2nd cruise in October - just 2 months ago, and now here it is only 3 months until the next (and last for quite some time I'm afraid).

I am getting nervous about airfare. I didn't even think about it being high due to spring break. Still hoping some deals pop up. Southwest is usually a good bet from Kansas City, so we'll see.

Don't know about night before plans yet. We will definitely fly in on Friday. I'm just not sure yet if we'll stay at WDW or near the airport. I doubt we'll head out to the coast.

If there are any other solo moms on this cruise, I'd love to meet you. I'll be looking for company for Palo brunch and dinner. Last time I booked on my own, and ended up enjoying brunch alone, then dinner with one of our table mates who also traveling solo with a teen.

Looking forward to meeting everyone.

Lisa B

Welcome Lisa!

I added you to the list of cruisers on page 1 post #8. Looking at the list, it seems like there is at least one other solo mom on the cruise.

Nancy

 

[nlm]

I saw a few posts. Seems we are going to spread all over on Friday night. Is anyone else staying at the Radisson?

We'll be at the Radisson as well. Probably won't arrive until dinner time'ish or so.

 

[nlm]

Hi everyone! How's it going?

When do the Castaway Club members get to start booking their excursions and things? I'm a first-timer, so my booking date is 12/31.

Once you book your stuff, can you let the rest of us know if things are filled up? I can't actually see what is available and if something fills, I'd like to have a few days to re-examine my plans.

Thanks!
Carol

Looks like Castaway Club members will be booking this weekend. My paperwork says 12/16 & Paige said hers says 12/17. I'm confused. Should I try at midnight Saturday night (12/15) or midnight on Sunday night 12/16? Why would two CC members have two different dates? Can any other CC members chime in with their date(s)?

Nancy

 

[Pammy jo]

I think mine said I could book 12/16. Can't find them right now though.

 

[mkmommy]

Hi March 15th Cruisers We are on the Magic the cruise prior to yours. March 1-8th. We are taking part in the pass it forward thread, where one of the DISers collects all left over sand toys, water, door hangers etc and passes it to the next group of DISers. If you are interested, be sure to join in on the thread. Julie may have already contacted you. I did not want to be into your cruisemate business, so I did not go back and read your thread to see if she posted. Countdown underway. We will keep the chairs by the pool warm for ya.

Here is the link,

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1627762

for people wanting to pass on items such as over the door hangers, pails & shovels, unopened snacks/water, etc... to people on the following cruises.

We currently have someone on the cruise prior to yours looking for someone to leave items to. If you are interested, please respond on that thread

 

[wrightz05]

Did any of you get your reservations done? Are there any left for me

 

[nlm]

Did any of you get your reservations done? Are there any left for me

We were able to book on Sunday, December 16th @ 12am (Saturday, 12/15 @ midnight). Got everything we wanted pretty easily.

Don't worry too much about Palo availability. They hold some of those reservations back for first time cruisers.

Our first cruise, when they made the East coast people get up at 3am to book at the 75 day mark, we got a Palo dinner but were unable to get brunch or tea. Once we got on board, we made a beeline for the Rockin D bar and were able to book the brunch and get on a waitlist for the tea. Later in the week, we got a call when a reservation for tea opened up, but it was a bad time for us and so we had to turn it down.

Also, I didn't book any excursion at 75 days last cruise. Decided to book one at about 45 days and it wasn't available. Kept checking back and finally got it two weeks before the trip.

Spa treatments also book up quick. Those, unfortunately, don't seem to be something that people cancel. Wonder why?

I just checked and there are still plenty of spa reservations and excursions available, so you should be fine.

Nancy

 

[wrightz05]

Thank you for the info. Palo and the spa are mainly what i am interested in. I am not much of an excursion type person. I like to do things at my own pace. So I guess i will be up at 12:00 two nights in a row. New Years eve EVE and then Neew Years eve. If I have it figured right we are able to book at 12:01 am on 12-31. Since our day is 12-31.

 

[Pammy jo]

I made Palo brunch for the last sea day and a spa treatment for myself. For excursions, just the stingray on CC. Hope ya'll get whatever you're trying for!

 

[DiszyGram]

We can book now but only looked at the choices today. Will probably do the Submarine excursion and the tram ride on St. Thomas. I was just there a few months ago and it is beautiful.

Haven't decided on what to do on St. Maarten yet. My choices do not include anything that pulls me through the water, sticks my face into it, or sends me flying me over it.

Last time we went on a Disney Cruise, my grandson wanted to stay with the kid's club group on CC. They had a lot of fun activities planned for them and even made sure they got lunch. My daughter and I had some relaxing time on the beach. He didn't want to join us until late afternoon.

 

[pop5]

We booked Palo and the spa. Not really sure about excursions. We will probally just do our own thing. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas!! Paige

 

[carolmp]

Marvin,

Remember that our booking time opens at 12:01 AM EASTERN time on 12/31. I'm in Minnesota, in Central time, so I'll be booking at 11:01 PM on 12/30. I think you are in my same time zone. So you don't have to stay up quite so late!

Carol

 

[happymommy]

Hi All - Just posting here for the first time. I haven't read too much of the thread yet, but I hope to keep up with the goings on between now and the cruise. This will be my 3rd cruise (Western Double Dip Oct. 06 and Eastern Oct. 07). On the first one, I did good keeping up with the DIS group, but on the 2nd one not so well.

It will be me and DS17 cruising. (Not the DS in my avatar - that one is 14, and there's no way I'd take him solo at this point! Maybe when he's a little older.) This trip is "sneaking" in one more before DS turns 18, so we only just got back from our 2nd cruise in October - just 2 months ago, and now here it is only 3 months until the next (and last for quite some time I'm afraid).

I am getting nervous about airfare. I didn't even think about it being high due to spring break. Still hoping some deals pop up. Southwest is usually a good bet from Kansas City, so we'll see.

Don't know about night before plans yet. We will definitely fly in on Friday. I'm just not sure yet if we'll stay at WDW or near the airport. I doubt we'll head out to the coast.

If there are any other solo moms on this cruise, I'd love to meet you. I'll be looking for company for Palo brunch and dinner. Last time I booked on my own, and ended up enjoying brunch alone, then dinner with one of our table mates who also traveling solo with a teen.

Looking forward to meeting everyone.

Lisa B

Hi Lisa B!

I grew up in St. Louis, and DH is from KC. We booked Southwest from BWI - boy was it high! Okay, I just checked and rebooked our flight down - it dropped by a lot (now $118 each, was almost $200 each). Maybe check Southwest today?

Have fun planning - sounds like a good time just mom and son!

Amy

 

[wrightz05]

Marvin,

Remember that our booking time opens at 12:01 AM EASTERN time on 12/31. I'm in Minnesota, in Central time, so I'll be booking at 11:01 PM on 12/30. I think you are in my same time zone. So you don't have to stay up quite so late!

Carol

AHHHHH YOU ARE RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!! Come on 12-30!!!!!

 

[swilphil]

Does anyone know if parasailing is available at CC for this cruise?

 

[pop5]

When I looked at the excursions they did have it and it was all booked.

 

[swilphil]

I am probably going to try to get my Palo reservation when I get on board since it sounds like it could be booked on Dec. 31st. I've read here that they hold a certain number of reservations for Palo to be booked on the first day of the cruise.

Do they hold any spa treatment reservations or excursion spots for first time cruisers?

 

[pop5]

You will be able to get something in the spa-dont worry. I am sure you can get Palo too. They always save some of both.