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

[karajeboo]

Groan. Our FE has not arrived from Grady's mommy. She mailed it at the beginning of the month. We have one more day (Monday) and then we leave so it's not looking good. Not much time to make one if it doesn't work out. Darn.

I am going for my spray tan on Monday so I too will be a very nice shade of orange for the meet-up! I will be bringing Parker 8 (almost 9), Paige 7 so they can meet up with some kids. My DH will be dragged along as well.

I am keeping my fingers crossed for your FE.... did gradysmommy give you a tracking#? Maybe they can forward it to the ship if it shipped via UPS????

That cracked me up! My husband is usually in mode: , but I suspect I could have a couple in my family! We are an easy group to spot. My four boys pretty much look the same (not to me...but, you know what I mean), except for the size difference and my oldest has glasses . Our daughter was born in South Korea (came home as a baby), so she has long black hair and she is !

I am far enough along in my packing that I could leave today. Next week will be busy with work stuff and appointments...haircuts for everyone, dentist appts. and still trying to decide if I should get spray tanned . Do I want to look less tan as the cruise goes on? I will be the one at the dismeet that is either glowing white or orange !

Oh man, I totally forgot about these- SPACE BAGS! My hubby ordered some a while back. If you don't have any on hand, I think you can get them in Bed, Bath & (To Infinity and) Beyond, Wal-Mart, maybe on the "As Seen on TV" aisle in Walgreens, etc.?) Those things rock and would definitely come in handy if you decide to bring your own towels, etc. Then you can just mail your formal-ish clothes back since you won't need them right away. (For those without their own vehicle- like us.)

Since we're riding the train, we gotta coordinate more than before. (First time not driving down there.)

We'll be at the meet- at least me and the kids...I'll be the one with a blonde-haired boy (10) and darker blonde girl (9) and a hubby with a case of the ....

I have not even started packing!!:scared1: I am such a procrastinator!! I have an essay due before I leave and I am focusing on that first!
My girls are ready to pack now! I can't wait to spend a few days with my mom and then set sail!

Happy packing everyone!

I have the shakes right now just reading this!!!!! I am such a control freak that I cannot even imagine this!!!!!

OK, so Kim, Kristi and Jennifer will have hubbys hiding in the corner doing the trick that they all do so well. Jeff will make a bee line over to them when we get there.......

And Kristi and Colleen will be the ones arriving looking like Oompa Loompas????

Yeah, I'm pretty cool, consulting my spreadsheet for names......

 

[karajeboo]

Great photo Kristi!!!!

My sweet Bella is no longer with us, and Bucky is now 70 pounds!!! That pic was taken the day after Christmas our first year in Florida. Santa brought Ally the Bucky pup......

Jeff was decked out in Steelers garb too for the game. He was born in Weirton, WV so he's a die hard Steeler fan, unless they play the Panthers, since we have followed the Panthers since their inception, and even had season tickets the first year when they played in Clemson before their stadium was built in Charlotte.......

 

[Ayeegit]

Wow - it's *almost* here - so exciting! Trying to get some packing done and making sure we're not forgetting anything - since this will be our first cruise ever, it's a bit overwhelming (but in a good way!)

A couple of quick questions - sorry if these have already been answered in the thread somewhere, I may have missed them...

1) With the "meet & greet" happening @ 3 - what time does the lifeboat drill, and then the "Bon Voyage" party happen? Just trying to get a feel for that afternoon's schedule...

2) On the FE's - do people tend to distribute all of their gifts at once, or spread them out a bit? We're not doing anything too fancy (which makes me worry a bit as some of you sound like you're going to have really cool stuff to give out!), and have never done this before, so just trying to make sure we have a feel for the "process".

3) We're planning on being at the port early (10ish) as we'll have a rental car - I've read that you don't typically get access to your stateroom for a few hours. So we'll have a carry-on or two so we can swim after some exploring and eating lunch - but do any of you "veterans" know what's "typical" for when you can get into your room, if you get on the ship pretty early (ahead of the buses)?

I think that's it for now - probably have more questions later - thanks!

 

[frazzlemommy]

Sounds like we're all scrambling to get ready!

This is my first DCL cruise so I can't answer any of your questions, other than to say that we are planning to distribute all of our FE gifts at once because we've already put them into little grab bags. Hope that's acceptable.

I have a question for anyone who might know the answer, too: When do you have to fill out the Onboard Airline Check-In Program and Pre-Registration form and who do you give this to? We want to probably participate in this, but my plan was to bring at least one empty duffel bag for extras we may have purchased during our cruise, so we won't know exactly how many bags we have until maybe the night before we go home.

Thanks for all of your help and can't wait to see you! We leave home on Tuesday!

 

[disney kat]

Oh, heck.... here we are.......

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Kara, from this picture, it's uncanny how much you and I look alike ! Actually, thanks to you guys for posting pics of yourself...I have to muster up the courage AND actually find a picture with all of us in it!

I have a feeling the meet will be a quick one for us. The kids will be begging to check everything out! Besides seeing everyone, I want to make sure that I know of anyone with a cabin number change thumbsup2 to anyone getting an upgrade)!

I can't seem to remember much from our last cruise...like when we got to our cabins or airline check-in. I think there was a rope blocking off the hall to get to the rooms, but I can't tell you when they removed it...Wow, I'm really no help at all.

 

[KristiMc]

Wow - it's *almost* here - so exciting! Trying to get some packing done and making sure we're not forgetting anything - since this will be our first cruise ever, it's a bit overwhelming (but in a good way!)

A couple of quick questions - sorry if these have already been answered in the thread somewhere, I may have missed them...

1) With the "meet & greet" happening @ 3 - what time does the lifeboat drill, and then the "Bon Voyage" party happen? Just trying to get a feel for that afternoon's schedule...

2) On the FE's - do people tend to distribute all of their gifts at once, or spread them out a bit? We're not doing anything too fancy (which makes me worry a bit as some of you sound like you're going to have really cool stuff to give out!), and have never done this before, so just trying to make sure we have a feel for the "process".

3) We're planning on being at the port early (10ish) as we'll have a rental car - I've read that you don't typically get access to your stateroom for a few hours. So we'll have a carry-on or two so we can swim after some exploring and eating lunch - but do any of you "veterans" know what's "typical" for when you can get into your room, if you get on the ship pretty early (ahead of the buses)?

I think that's it for now - probably have more questions later - thanks!

Our only cruise was 10 years ago so I am not much help. I have read on here that you can usually not get to your stateroom till 1:30. The safety drill is at 4:00. I have read that you no longer have to wear your life jacket so that is good. I think the sail away party starts right after that.

I'm not sure about the airline check-in. We are not using DCL transfers so we are not able to use this feature.

 

[lflynn]

HI Gang. I want to wish everyone safe travels. We are flying in on Saturday morning so I am not sure we will make the 3:00 meet up... I did'nt know we had to book a "port check in time" so i got a late one.

I am going to pack today. Sounds like I am way behind based on everyone else. Send me good vibes. My DD 13 will be hitting the teen club on the first night after the late dinner seating. Hope all the teens make it there. It should be fun.

Love the picture Kara. Thanks for starting the group and keeping it going all this time.

Happy Cruising!!!!!

 

[irishgal_02]

Since this is our first cruise, I am wondering how many outfits should you bring for children?? I am an overpacker! You just never know when you might need something! I have read on some threads that you should pack light but that makes me nervous.

Any thoughts from experienced cruisers is appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[irishgal_02]

HI Gang. I want to wish everyone safe travels. We are flying in on Saturday morning so I am not sure we will make the 3:00 meet up... I did'nt know we had to book a "port check in time" so i got a late one.

I am going to pack today. Sounds like I am way behind based on everyone else. Send me good vibes. My DD 13 will be hitting the teen club on the first night after the late dinner seating. Hope all the teens make it there. It should be fun.

Love the picture Kara. Thanks for starting the group and keeping it going all this time.

Happy Cruising!!!!!

Hi Iflynn,

I did not know we had to book a port time either! I have a 1:00. I hope I make the meet at 3:00. Fortunately, my mom lives nearby, so, we will be visiting her before hand.

I am packing today, too. It is all coming together!

Hope to see you at the meet!

Safe travels!

 

[jcarwash]

HI Gang. I want to wish everyone safe travels. We are flying in on Saturday morning so I am not sure we will make the 3:00 meet up... I did'nt know we had to book a "port check in time" so i got a late one.

From what I've been reading the port check-in time is not something DCL will hold you to if you show up early. It seems they are using this system now to help manage the boarding flow, but people cruising are saying the time is not a requirement. I get the idea it might also be because of the Dream and the larger number of passengers.

 

[MNBrooke]

Always feel a cross between excitement and stress before a vacation, This next week will go SO FAST ... but not fast enough!

Although the rooms are big by cruise standards, there is not a lot of room to bring extra stuff. There is a laundry on the ship if things go bad and you run short on clothes.

They supply beach towels, towels are never a problem on the boat and off.

The FE works great because everybody is different and the variety makes them better. Don't sweat if you do something different. We don't give them all out right away, we do a couple at a time to give the kids something to look forward to when we have to go back to the room. Instead of fighting the journey to bed, they'll look forward to what surprise is in the FE!

A lot of people dress up for the Pirate Party, we are putting the final touches on our pirate outfits. We were caught off guard on our first cruise and wish we had stuff to dress up. There is little pirate gear available on the ship.

Don't forget to put your swimsuits in the carry-on if you plan to be on the ship early. You won't see your luggage until later when the rooms are ready.

They can print all the documents and go over them at the port if you forget or are unsure. You can say goodbye to your luggage when you get out of the car/cab/bus ... make sure they are tagged and you have your essential in a carry-on.

The "fast food" places are open early so you can eat lunch on the ship if you make it early enough.

 

[KristiMc]

FE gifts done, Door magnets done, packing done!

Is it Friday yet???

 

[postel]

Hello Busy People!
Haven't yet put things in the suitcases, but we have a nice pile going and the list of things to do before we go seems to be getting longer. I must admit I wasn't a very good listener at church this morning as I was busy thinking of the stuff I needed to do this week!
Advice: Give your credit card company a call this week to let them know you will be traveling outside of the states. Last time we charged a piece of jewelry, and had multiple messages on our machine when we got home about fraudulent activity on our account. When we called, they advised to give them a quick call if we were ever out of the country again.
We will be at the meet with DS(17) and DS(13) hoping to make some teen connections. To those of you leaving soon--safe travels. We're going to have a great time and make loads of great memories for our families! Leslie

 

[karajeboo]

Hello Busy People!
Haven't yet put things in the suitcases, but we have a nice pile going and the list of things to do before we go seems to be getting longer. I must admit I wasn't a very good listener at church this morning as I was busy thinking of the stuff I needed to do this week!
Advice: Give your credit card company a call this week to let them know you will be traveling outside of the states. Last time we charged a piece of jewelry, and had multiple messages on our machine when we got home about fraudulent activity on our account. When we called, they advised to give them a quick call if we were ever out of the country again. We will be at the meet with DS(17) and DS(13) hoping to make some teen connections. To those of you leaving soon--safe travels. We're going to have a great time and make loads of great memories for our families! Leslie

Thank you for this info!!! I'm calling Visa and AMEX right now!

Safe travels to you too!

Ally is 100% packed. Locked and loaded. Well, not locked and not loaded either, but you get the idea....

All I need to add is a dress that I wore on Saturday night and my unmentionables and I will be ready too!

Jeff just called me, asking me questions while he makes his packing list. I told him last weekend to NOT do this to me..... aarrgghh!!!!!!

Anyone else "nervous?" I, too, get the mix of excitement and stress, but for some reason I'm really nervous about this trip. I think because I've never been on a cruise and I'm afraid I'll be anxiety ridden, especially if we have rough seas.......

Jeff was reading that the beginning of the trip is a bit rough until we get out into deep water. When we were in FL, he would go deep sea fishing and they'd go 40 miles out. He said he hated getting out there, but as soon as they got to the "ledge" it was smooth as can be. So that's what I'm hoping for....... I don't think I'll be sick, as I've never had motion sickness of any kind, but I'm pretty high strung so just worried about not being able to see land, etc...... Anyone want to put my fears to rest???? Please?????

 

[disney kat]

Anyone else "nervous?" I, too, get the mix of excitement and stress, but for some reason I'm really nervous about this trip. I think because I've never been on a cruise and I'm afraid I'll be anxiety ridden, especially if we have rough seas.......

Yes, a little! For me I think it has something to do with the fact that I packed so early...maybe too early! I know we're going on a trip, but I don't feel like I'm doing anything about it...does that make sense ? The luggage has been lined up outside our bedroom for so long, our dog has STOPPED being a nervous wreck. He must just think the bags are part of the decor at this point .

I only had a couple of times on our first cruise where I had a little anxiety about being on a ship. One was the first night at dinner when I suddenly realized we were moving, and another was during one of the first shows when we were rocking and the stage curtains were swaying. I got over it pretty quickly...I told myself that we are on a moving ship, how could curtains NOT sway?

I have to get dental work done tomorrow (probably contributing to the nerves), so I think I will start to about the cruise when that is over!

p.s. I love seeing all of our tickers...Mickey is almost at the end!!!

 

[frazzlemommy]

HI Gang. I want to wish everyone safe travels. We are flying in on Saturday morning so I am not sure we will make the 3:00 meet up... I did'nt know we had to book a "port check in time" so i got a late one.

I am going to pack today. Sounds like I am way behind based on everyone else. Send me good vibes. My DD 13 will be hitting the teen club on the first night after the late dinner seating. Hope all the teens make it there. It should be fun.

Love the picture Kara. Thanks for starting the group and keeping it going all this time.

Happy Cruising!!!!!

Oh no, do we need to book a port check-in time if we're using the DCL transfers?? How do we do that???

 

[postel]

Hey--
To those of you a little nervous about being on rough waters, it may help to bring along some ginger snaps or ask for some ginger ale if you're feeling a little bit queasy. My first night was tough and I took some OTC stuff which really helped. I get car sick very easily, but really adjusted well to the water. I hope our weather is good as last time it was so windy we couldn't go to the Grand Caymans. See ya real soon!!

 

[jac1976]

Oh no, do we need to book a port check-in time if we're using the DCL transfers?? How do we do that???

No worries. When I was doing on-line check-in I noticed it skipped that part for my family. It didn't even give me the option of inputting a time. I called my travel agent to ask (b/c I has read a lot about the change on the boards) and she said that since DCL is doing our transfers they already know what time to expect us to arrive at port.

 

[luvndizny]

Man, I gotta get all caught up....

First...Lee Unkrich- Welcome! Definitely looking forward to what you have to say about TS3, etc.!! Hope your family has a wonderful time on the cruise.

I'm learning from the last few posts that I will be even easier to spot at our meet if everyone else is getting spray tans this week. I hope everyone has invested in a good pair of sunglasses because if my legs are any indication- you're gonna need them.

Thanks for the additional tips...Gonna call CC company tomorrow! We were in Orlando a couple of years back (first trip for us) and our bank was also going into panic mode trying to reach us. Also need to go online and have the mail held for while we're gone.

Also, I gotta go finish my online check-in! I think I only have one day left. I am gonna ignore whatever port time they give us. It seems everyone else on disboards who has cruised lately has been doing just that. I was reading about this elsewhere on the board and they won't turn you away if you show up early. I think it is one way DCL is trying to (especially with the larger 'Dream' sailings) spread out people and keep them from arriving at port all at once.

So I got our fish extender in the mail today...It looks great, BUT the openings are tiny. I know because I put in one of the FE gifts we're gonna hand out and it won't fit! (They're in the lunch bag-type gift bags.) Anyhoo, so I think we're gonna hang an additional bag out there just in case the FE isn't enough, which I imagine it wouldn't be- especially with possible multiple deliveries in one day. Just FYI...

Postel- I haven't been on a boat in MANY, many years. I've read if we try the less-drowsy Dramamine, that we should start taking it about one day ahead of time to get it into our system. I occasionally have bouts of vertigo, so this is a slight concern of mine. (I don't have any problems getting carsick or on rides- however the tea cups shall never see my behind in them.)

Okay so maybe I can add some tips- pack a pair of binoculars, and some waterproof cameras. (I am hoping the latter will get my son to want to snorkel with us in St. John/Trunk Bay.)

Well, I was up until 2:30 this morning working on FE gifts so I am hitting the hay 'early' tonight. Gotta pack tomorrow and plan on making a few more magnets for the door- train on Thursday night!!

I am beyond excited! I just love going somewhere I've never been and exploring the area, etc. So many firsts for us on this trip- cruise, island (for the kids anyways), train trip for the family and on and on!

 

[frazzlemommy]

No worries. When I was doing on-line check-in I noticed it skipped that part for my family. It didn't even give me the option of inputting a time. I called my travel agent to ask (b/c I has read a lot about the change on the boards) and she said that since DCL is doing our transfers they already know what time to expect us to arrive at port.

Whew, thanks!!