March 20, 2004

[geffric]

2 more weeks... only 2 more weeks...

MickeyMagic I agree with you... our cruise has been so far away for so long that it is hard to believe that it is so close now... and not only do i want time to be slow now.. but i want it to standstill when i am on the cruise...

 

[tecdavidt]

I agree, finally only 2 weeks, time please slow down! The anticipation and excitement of knowing we have so long to wait and now only 2 weeks. Plus learning of a launch! and getting to see the QM11, yes I am excited. I am also happy that in 7 cruises with St. Thomas being a port of call on my itinerary we have never tendered so I was starting to get worried when I read the thread on tendering at St. Thomas. Lucked out again! Kathy

 

[AboutTheMouse]

Just got my docs today from Allseas Travel. Now I can dance with the rest of you!

I saw that we are docking in St. Thomas. Does anyone know about St. Martin? Does the Magic always dock there or is there sometimes a tender?

Getting really close -

Denise

 

[mobetsy]

Like the rest of you, I'm ready in a way for time to slow down...I'm enjoying the heightened anticipation, like with a holiday, and I know I'll be sad when it's actually over. Two weeks to go and I'm getting really useless at work, too!

 

[Miss Eeyore]

I think I'll haul out the suitcases this week-end, and start the to-do lists. I'm going to make a list, pack once, and then try to whittle it down again by half. I think I'm set in what I want, with the exception of dress-up clothes. I have lost weight, and just shipped off to my sister all my tried and true formal wear, and can't find anything right now to replace it, and don't really want to over-spend since I plan to un-grow these too. Decisions!

I'm sitting here listening to my new favorite music thanks to this group......Philadelphia Chickens. I took it to work to share with my kids at school. Yesterday you would have had to be there with me to chuckle.......the big sand pile was swarmed with busy little "Pig Islanders", busy excavating ancient sites and building a brand new civilization of pigs. They were humming along. It was so cute. I could feel the palm trees swaying and the island breezes blowing.

Marilee

 

[tecdavidt]

Hmm. I don't know the answer on St. Maarten. We tendered the first time because there wasn't a dock but since then it was finished and we docked. I do remember ships using tenders so I don't know. I am assuming we will dock. Let's keep our fingers crossed. Docking is much easier for those who use wheelchairs or who have trouble walking.

About the Mouse, I am glad you received your docs. I guess I thought we all would have them by now. Now you can relax and pack!

Marilee, congrats on the weight loss. Did you do it with the Dis Wish group? Have fun buying new clothes.

Lets see, in two Fridays we will be on the ground in Orlando!!!! Yes, warm weather here we come. Kathy

 

[MickeyMagic]

This 6 inches of fresh snow sure makes me want to go now!! We were just to the point of seeing the grass again and pow - another storm. It is supposed to warm up again next week so I don't suppose it will last long.

Ahhh- - palm trees, warm breezes, swimming, soaking up the sun sounds very appealing, doesn't it? I changed my mind about slowing down time.... bring it on - I'll be ready!

That said, I'd better go try on some clothes and finalize what I'll be wearing. We figured out what my DD12 will be bringing a couple nights ago, so we are making progress.

Sue

 

[mobetsy]

Marilee, I am glad you are enjoying Philadelphia Chickens so much! I am listening to or singing "Pig Island" all the time...but when I close my eyes and whisper, "Oh, yes!" I don't seem to find myself magically transported there, at least not yet

 

[disneylarsen]

I hear you Mickeymagic...
The wind is just howling thru the house right now. In addition to the snow both of my boys had the flu...so I finally got it two days ago.
We watched the ship go past Two Palms yesterday and I am ALMOST embarrassed to say that we jumped up and down with excitement. It really sunk in that it would be US very soon.
I am starting to pack today, yeah!
On the boards I found an idea to put my boys clothes ds6 & ds8 in ziplock bags as an outfit, underwear and sock included, that way you know that you have a complete outfit and you can just hand them the bag and they can get dressed in the morning.
Target had the 2 1/2 gallon bags on sale. If you squeeze all of the air out of the bag it really takes up less room and is suppose to help prevent wrinkles.
Wishing for days,
Dawn

I am going to hear Pig Island...

 

[geffric]

Finally starting to get things organized..
labelling the talkabouts and selecting the pins for the lanyards..
do you thnk that permanent markers will work for the talkabouts?? or will they get sweated/ washed away??
How do you label your talkabouts?? ( 2 way radios)

 

[disneylarsen]

Geffric,
That reminds me that I just bought one of those labelers a while back at Costco. They print off clear two lined labels. If you PM me your info I can mail you out some labels tomorrow. I think they will stick. I use them for my boys gameboys. I was going to do extra labels with their names and cabin numbers.
Otherwise I wonder if you could use those return address labels that you can print off on your computer??
Dawn

 

[geffric]

Thanks disneylarsen
PMed you... I thought about using the snapfish labels too.. but I will need them for sending the disposible camera to get developed.. Thanks for your help..

Not very long now...

Susan

 

[dvcmomdeh]

I see that people posted over the weekend but I have not received them by email. hmmm. Wonder what is up!

Won't be long now. I am getting hungry, we were looking at the menu's for all the restaurant and I think we each pretty much have our orders down.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to pack wine to bring aboard. I thought about my suitcase and my husband reminded me that the last cruise as we departed we watched them chuck luggage from the ship into these containers on the pier. When we got our luggage we found that several things had been broken. Mostly it was plastic stuff (glasses, souveniers). I am afraid that the bottles will get broken and my clothing ruined.

See you real soon.

 

[geffric]

dvcmomdeh I am going to stop at the store before boarding the ship and get the wine and pop piccked up.. I am not comfortable with taking it in the suitcase for the obvious reasons.. plus I will not will have room in the luggage???

 

[dvcmomdeh]

geffric, Thanks.

My mother also suggested that I carry it on.... But my carry-on is busting at the seems with swim suits, goggles, water shoes, etc. Plus, I have a video camera, a digital camera. I guess I'll carry it one. Then everyone will have something to hold. It's not like we can't go to our stateroom and dump it off, right?


Another question. How much is too much for a suitcase to weigh?

 

[geffric]

dvcmomdeh On the past 2 cruises, we have just dumped our stuff in the room and moved on the lunch .. Also, I think the kids will wear their suits under their clothes so they can just get into the pool right away..

Although.. one never knows with my kids... had to argue with my oldest son yesteday to get him to try on clothes to see what still fit.. then he refused to go shopping for new clothes..said he was ok...must be a boy thing.. DS#2 won't cooperate about the clothes either..

 

[dvcmomdeh]

Maybe it is their age. I had no problem getting the DS (15) to the mall to shop for shorts. He now just needs more shirts I was hoping we could make a Belz Outlet stop on the 27th on our way back to the Beach Club.

Now the DD (12, going on 21) doesn't want to go to the mall or tanning. So she will be the little whitey in last years clothes (too small).. I can manage to take a tape measure to her waist and buy shorts but she is pretty picky about her shirts. Plus, there isn't much time to get her to the mall anyway her basketball team is continuing on in the tourney

 

[tecdavidt]

We always have dropped our luggage off in the room and then go to Topsiders for the buffet and reservations etc.

As far as packing beverages: one year I checked in a carry-on a 24 pack of beer. I used bubble wrap as the cushion. It arrived in perfect condition. I put the wine bottles in bubble wrap and made sure they were in the middle of the suitcase. I did the same with the gin. This last cruise in Jan. I even checked my diet tonic in our checked bags but I put them in ziplock bags then bubble wrap. The only thing that was different was that the tonic was hard to open--lots and lots more bubbles. It traveled better in a carry-on.

This year: we are using Shirley's company the perfect gift. I just ordered 4 bottles of wine, a six pack of Diet Vanilla Coke, one liter of Gin and 3 bottles of diet tonic water! I even had her get us a large bag of pop corn since it is hard to come by on a cruise. I have heard such great reviews of her company that I thought I would give it a try. Dave thought it was a great idea when I told him I ordered the items from Shirley. Pricewise it won't be cheap but then I don't have to worry about packing the beverages. We could of took a taxi Friday night when at the Hyatt but then you have to add in the fare to the beverage prices so I might as well go for the convience of using the Perfect Gift. Although her wine price was a lot cheaper than DCL's! I pay $3 for the bottle here (yes, he likes the simple things in life ) and if I remembered correctly we were charge $30 for the same wine on the Magic!!!! Shirley charges $15.

Good luck with all the children and clothes. To think we had 4!

One more weekend then it is our turn!!! Kathy

 

[strawberryblonde]

<font color=royalblue>I can't believe how close it is getting! Party went well yesterday now I've got to get down to business and pack for the cruise. </font>

 

[AboutTheMouse]

A little bump.

We will be in single digits tomorrow! (We leave Friday)