March 26, 2011 - Eastern Caribbean Magic and FE Exchange!

[FrogLady23]

I feel your pain..... I keep emailing Jeff sample itineraries and he replies with things like "did you get a raise?" But I see a trip sooner than 2 years away, even if it's a 3 or 4 day. And I might set foot in Nassau for the morning but I'd be back on the ship by lunch..... For me the cruise was about the Magic!!!!

Keep us in mind if (really when) you book. I know that Tori would LOVE to spend more time with Ally. Right from the beginning of the trip she was asking if Disney did 7 day "at sea" trips. She absolutely loved being on the ship.

I was thinking about booking a 5-day double dip so that we could more time on Castaway Cay and we'd probably completely skip Nassau. Although, I am not sure if 5 days is enough. I left feeling like I needed at least another week on the ship. All this week I have been doing the "Last week at this time we were.......". So sad.

I am bummed that I didn't check into rebooking on board because the Magic will be leaving out of Galveston. I am guessing that it would save us some on flights.

Thanks to all for the great gifts. We loved everything!!! I got my CDs uploaded to my IPOD so I can hear the Magic Horn and happy vacation songs at work.

 

[Ayeegit]

Hey all - it's Thursday - that means we were all having a "sea day" a week ago, and now we're working/etc.

Wanted to let everyone know that I've posted the first part of my first-ever trip report - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2696049

Comments welcome! Seems kinda wordy to me, but I had a lot of details I was trying to capture... was fun writing it at least!

 

[Ayeegit]

Just remembered something I had been meaning to mention/ask.

Does anyone else think we were pretty close to missing our Castaway Cay day? Obviously the wind/waves were bad enough to cancel all of the excursions for the day - and it took the crew quite a while to pull the ship into the dock (for anyone who's been before - does it always go in that slowly, or were they being extra cautious?). Made me wonder how close to a go/no-go choice we might have been up against.

I'm sure glad we made in it, that's for sure!

 

[karajeboo]

Keep us in mind if (really when) you book. I know that Tori would LOVE to spend more time with Ally. Right from the beginning of the trip she was asking if Disney did 7 day "at sea" trips. She absolutely loved being on the ship.

I was thinking about booking a 5-day double dip so that we could more time on Castaway Cay and we'd probably completely skip Nassau. Although, I am not sure if 5 days is enough. I left feeling like I needed at least another week on the ship. All this week I have been doing the "Last week at this time we were.......". So sad.

I am bummed that I didn't check into rebooking on board because the Magic will be leaving out of Galveston. I am guessing that it would save us some on flights.

Thanks to all for the great gifts. We loved everything!!! I got my CDs uploaded to my IPOD so I can hear the Magic Horn and happy vacation songs at work.

We really want to do the double dip, too. Jeff and I have both been looking into another trip - we talked about 3 years (for Ally's 13th bday) but I don't think we can wait that long. Jeff told me last night that if "I" cut out all the eating out we do, that we could go next year. Ally overheard and said, "Sold!" So for the next 3 or 4months I am noting everywhere that I can save money and we will hopefully go sometime next year. Sadly, our spring break next year is the week before Easter so it's super expensive. I'm thinking maybe late February? But I will for sure let you know.

When would you consider going again? I will email some pics I took of the girls!

Just remembered something I had been meaning to mention/ask.

Does anyone else think we were pretty close to missing our Castaway Cay day? Obviously the wind/waves were bad enough to cancel all of the excursions for the day - and it took the crew quite a while to pull the ship into the dock (for anyone who's been before - does it always go in that slowly, or were they being extra cautious?). Made me wonder how close to a go/no-go choice we might have been up against.

I'm sure glad we made in it, that's for sure!

So funny you asked this because Jeff and I were just talking about it. I know that it's so rough around there that it happens quite a bit that the ships have to pass up the CC day (well, luckily not TOO much.....) and you're right, it was VERY rough coming into port.......

I think part of it was that slow turn that they do (it was rough coming into PC too when they turned around) but also the seas were pretty rough. I wonder what they were rated?

 

[KristiMc]

We booked another cruise on-board (1/21/12 Western) knowing that we would be moving it to a 2013 once those come out in October. Well today I moved it to the 7/15/2012 5-night Canadian cruise. Still not sure what our plans are next summer and if we can do it, but it is booked as a possibility.

 

[karajeboo]

Right now we are tentatively looking at the 6 night western Caribbean on the Magic March 24th..... Spring break is out next year as ours falls over Easter and rates are WAY high!

 

[KristiMc]

Right now we are tentatively looking at the 6 night western Caribbean on the Magic March 24th..... Spring break is out next year as ours falls over Easter and rates are WAY high!

Our spring break is over Easter also next year - I agree - prices way too high.

 

[Totoro]

Just remembered something I had been meaning to mention/ask.

Does anyone else think we were pretty close to missing our Castaway Cay day? Obviously the wind/waves were bad enough to cancel all of the excursions for the day - and it took the crew quite a while to pull the ship into the dock (for anyone who's been before - does it always go in that slowly, or were they being extra cautious?). Made me wonder how close to a go/no-go choice we might have been up against.

I'm sure glad we made in it, that's for sure!

I thought this was the best part of the entire trip and so worth it. We even stayed out in the rain. I have heard on some cruises they had to skip Castaway Cay.

 

[luvndizny]

We, or at least, I felt a little 'off' on our disembarkation day. We spent it at Sea World to while away the time until our evening train arrived in Orlando. I remember a couple of times feeling kinda dizzy. Other than that, nothing else.

We are currently booked for the Christmas Fantasy sailing 12/22/12. Hubby is due to deploy next year, probably for most of it so we booked as far into the year as we could. (Keep going back-and-forth on whether or not we'll switch it to the double-dip Christmas cruise and maybe do a few days at Disney with the extra money.) When I looked up the ressies on the DCL website it read "Congratulations! Your cruise is only 600+ days away!" It seems so very far away!! I am constantly trying to see if we could cruise again this year...LOL! I want to be back on the ship! So much fun...sigh. I'm hoping for a good deal on a last minute cruise and won't care where we are on the boat if we could do this year again!

Oh and yes, I was SO worried we'd miss CC! I have a picture of us approaching and you could barely see the island...all grey and nasty looking weather. We had breakfast and as we were waiting in line (Parrot Cay), we were docking level and I kept praying and watching. Felt so relieved to see them tying off.

Anyways, here is a link to the photos I posted on Facebook. I still need to upload the ones from our other SD card and scan some of the professional ones we had made though and hopefully I'll get back decent photos of the fish we saw while snorkelling both in St. John- Trunk Bay and on CC.

https://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=1250446707&aid=111323

 

[jcarwash]

Hey first-timers (and proud new members of the Castaway Club)...I read on a thread yesterday that we can look for a Welcome to Castaway Club package in the mail in the next few weeks that may include a 10% off promotion.

No idea by when you need to book by, but people on other cruises who didn't rebook on board (we did not) were saying they got that coupon with their Club package.

 

[karajeboo]

Hey first-timers (and proud new members of the Castaway Club)...I read on a thread yesterday that we can look for a Welcome to Castaway Club package in the mail in the next few weeks that may include a 10% off promotion.

No idea by when you need to book by, but people on other cruises who didn't rebook on board (we did not) were saying they got that coupon with their Club package.

This is VERY intriguing...... We did not book either yet we are scouring all websites now trying to find the best deal for sometime next year. So something tells me this would seal the deal for us!!!!

Thanks!!!!

 

[FrogLady23]

Hey first-timers (and proud new members of the Castaway Club)...I read on a thread yesterday that we can look for a Welcome to Castaway Club package in the mail in the next few weeks that may include a 10% off promotion.

No idea by when you need to book by, but people on other cruises who didn't rebook on board (we did not) were saying they got that coupon with their Club package.

That would be awesome! I am having "not-booking" remorse. I feel like I have a "cruise-addiction". It's almost all I think of (since I am now making the beds and the meals )

If anyone gets one, please post. Thanks.

BTW, great job on your trip report. It was nice reliving the cruise through your posts.

 

[jcarwash]

That would be awesome! I am having "not-booking" remorse. I feel like I have a "cruise-addiction". It's almost all I think of (since I am now making the beds and the meals )

If anyone gets one, please post. Thanks.

BTW, great job on your trip report. It was nice reliving the cruise through your posts.

Yeah, I wish now we were more organized about re-booking onboard. I knew it could be done and I knew people made dummy reservations to get the discount and then move them to later...but I think we were still in a mode of "will we like this?" But we definitely did and can't wait to cruise again.

Thanks for the thanks on the trip report. I'm glad you liked it.

 

[KristiMc]

That would be awesome! I am having "not-booking" remorse. I feel like I have a "cruise-addiction". It's almost all I think of (since I am now making the beds and the meals )

I hear you on the "cruise-addiction".

 

[luvndizny]

Oh I hope we do get the CC club info! We re-booked onboard but still....I love getting goodies in the mail!!

So I FINALLY started our trip report....(see link in the bottom of my signature).

BTW, I third the cruise addiction! I keep hoping when I click on the DCL website under 'specials' they'll have some crazy cheap price or kids sail free for the summer!!! And man oh MAN did we want to do the Hawaiian cruise!!! I don't think we even got the chance to see how much it would cost (just for the heck of it), but it wouldn't matter anyways since it would be a BAD time of the school year to go. Something tells me that because it sold out so quickly DCL will be doing Hawaii again!

 

[karajeboo]

Oh I hope we do get the CC club info! We re-booked onboard but still....I love getting goodies in the mail!!

So I FINALLY started our trip report....(see link in the bottom of my signature).

BTW, I third the cruise addiction! I keep hoping when I click on the DCL website under 'specials' they'll have some crazy cheap price or kids sail free for the summer!!! And man oh MAN did we want to do the Hawaiian cruise!!! I don't think we even got the chance to see how much it would cost (just for the heck of it), but it wouldn't matter anyways since it would be a BAD time of the school year to go. Something tells me that because it sold out so quickly DCL will be doing Hawaii again!

I'm not so sure that Hawaii is sold out yet. Jeff read somewhere that they only release so many rooms at a time. Then a month later release more......

I keep making dummy ressies online and when I go to choose my stateroom, there are only 4 or 5 available. And that's 11 months away..... Then I go in a week later and there are DIFFERENT rooms available?

I'm REALLY considering March 24 next year - 6 night Western. A) the Western is cheaper than the Eastern, B) It's the Magic's last Caribbean cruise for awhile, C) 6 nights is cheaper than 7 nights...... and did I mention it's the Magic!!!!!

I just don't know about the Fantasy. I'm booked on a 4 night Dream cruise with my DISmom pals next May...... And Jeff doesn't want to do a family cruise only a month and a half before I join my girlfriends...... PLUS we are taking Ally out of school for a week in December for a family trip to WDW. If we take her out in March (Spring break next year is WAY more expensive) then that would be TWO full weeks out during the same school year...... So then I start looking at Fantasy cruises around Halloween next year (so Ally would be in a different school year BUT by then she would be in middle school....).

So many things to consider!!!!

 

[FrogLady23]

I'm not so sure that Hawaii is sold out yet. Jeff read somewhere that they only release so many rooms at a time. Then a month later release more......

I keep making dummy ressies online and when I go to choose my stateroom, there are only 4 or 5 available. And that's 11 months away..... Then I go in a week later and there are DIFFERENT rooms available?

I'm REALLY considering March 24 next year - 6 night Western. A) the Western is cheaper than the Eastern, B) It's the Magic's last Caribbean cruise for awhile, C) 6 nights is cheaper than 7 nights...... and did I mention it's the Magic!!!!!

I just don't know about the Fantasy. I'm booked on a 4 night Dream cruise with my DISmom pals next May...... And Jeff doesn't want to do a family cruise only a month and a half before I join my girlfriends...... PLUS we are taking Ally out of school for a week in December for a family trip to WDW. If we take her out in March (Spring break next year is WAY more expensive) then that would be TWO full weeks out during the same school year...... So then I start looking at Fantasy cruises around Halloween next year (so Ally would be in a different school year BUT by then she would be in middle school....).

So many things to consider!!!!

I don't know if this is the same for you, but when my kiddos get Martin Luther King day off, they also get the Friday of the same week, so we'd only miss 3 school days....and January is cheap. Though, I am worried that the water will be too cold... but still thinking about it.

 

[jcarwash]

I keep making dummy ressies online and when I go to choose my stateroom, there are only 4 or 5 available. And that's 11 months away..... Then I go in a week later and there are DIFFERENT rooms available?

On the DIS Unplugged podcast last week, they said the Hawaii cruise may have different staterooms open up as people make or hold reservations but then end up not paying the deposit. I bet that is one reason why you see stateroom cats come and go on different itineraries.

 

[karajeboo]

I don't know if this is the same for you, but when my kiddos get Martin Luther King day off, they also get the Friday of the same week, so we'd only miss 3 school days....and January is cheap. Though, I am worried that the water will be too cold... but still thinking about it.

I never even thought about MLK or Pres Day...... Which itinerary are you looking at? Yes, I'm sure the water would be quite a bit cooler...... Air temp too - when we lived in Florida, January was our coldest month, granted we lived in Jacksonville, about 2 hrs north of PC....... And I'm all about the warm sun!!!!

I'm even looking at some out of Galveston. We'd have to fly but if the price is right.......

 

[FrogLady23]

I never even thought about MLK or Pres Day...... Which itinerary are you looking at? Yes, I'm sure the water would be quite a bit cooler...... Air temp too - when we lived in Florida, January was our coldest month, granted we lived in Jacksonville, about 2 hrs north of PC....... And I'm all about the warm sun!!!!

I'm even looking at some out of Galveston. We'd have to fly but if the price is right.......

I think there's a 7-day eastern the week of January 14. DS will be in 7th grade though, and really doesn't want me to pull him out of school. It is getting too hard to make up the work. (Don't tell him but I'm half-tempted to just take Tori).

Also, I looked at airfares to Orlando vs Galveston (Houston) for a random week in October (Jan not available yet). For us on Frontier and Southwest, it was about the same. Surprising since it is so much closer for us. I think it may be too far to drive for just me.

I am concerned about it being cold. I work with a guy that went in January and said they really only had 1 warm day (turned out be at CC).

Still trying to figure something out.