May 10, 2008 New Ship Of Thieves...May 2008 Repo Thread...Part 3

[Making_Memories]

Way back I worked for See's during the holiday seasons - Christmas, Valentines, Easter, Mothers Day - part time after my regular job. I did not make much money, but bought lots of boxes for gifts! I also had GREAT benefits there..... all I could eat while at work! We could not take any home without paying for it, but could nibble all day for free! Yummer!! I have to admit that I finished off an entire 5 lb box one Saturday. Of course, that is all I had for breakfast, lunch, dinner and breaks. Love it, love it!!

OMG that would be the worst or best job for me depending on how you look at it.

 

[lillygator]

The Princess and Pirate party was awesome, I highly recommend it!!

 

[readyalready]

Woohoo!!! All caught up (well at least for now!).

Great to hear that Holly and Tyler are coming!!

Thnx again to granmaz for psoting that info about the Pirate and Princess party. Welll sorta. Just when I thought the trip was pretty much planned, this came up and now we are rethinking everything.

When I showed the party to my wife (who is at work but jsut spent 30 min on the phone with me talking about this trip) she came up with the smart idea of removing the Park Hopper portions of our tickets because realistically we aren't there for very long so it's not like we will hop from park to park during our stay (May 6-10). So that would save some $$.

Then this P&P party comes up and if we cancel our plans to go to Seaworld that actually saves some $$ too, because the seaworld tix are more than the P&P party, and we save on transportation.

But then that would mean adding another day to the WDW tickets. But that is pretty much negligible going from a 3 day to a 4 day pass.

So then, I, in all my infinite wisdom, open the big can of worms about possibly changing resorts if we are saving some $$ on these changes. We are currently booked at the All star Movies, but for about $150 more than what we are paying now (not with all the changes listed above but for what we are currently booked in at), we could move from the ASM to a moderate hotel (CBR, PO-FQ, and PO-R would NOT be preferred rooms tho).

So now everything is up in the air about the WDW portion of our trip.

Plus I think I made my aunt a little upset because she really wants to go to Seaworld with us (she's never been and really likes that sort of thing), but we've been before, can go again any time in San Diego realistically, there's nothing stopping her and my uncle and my cousin from going on their own, and I think my dd's (6 and 3) will get more out of the P&P party.

arrggghhhh......

I think I need a beer. Thank goodnes it's after noon here now!!

Not that you asked, but I'll give it anyway...

I think I would keep the hopping because there could be some parks you just don't want to commit a full day to (for us 2 hours in AK works). I'd keep the 3 day. On the day of the party they usually let you in at 4. For the Halloween party we would always sleep in that day, maybe swim or go to DTD and then hit the MK so we didn't double pay. I think it is a lot for little kids to park most of the day and then last very long at the party at night.

I've never stayed at a value but we were pleasantly surprised by the POR last March. I'd do that upgrade.

 

[Making_Memories]

I have a question regarding prepaying tips. Not to get personal but do you prepay the recommended minimum and then if you're happy with the service and want to give more, add to that tip onboard? On our last cruise we tipped above the recommened amount at the end of our cruise as we loved our servers but I know a table of folkws weren't super happy with their service...in that case you might want to tip the minimum. I'm just curious how those who've prepaid the tips prior to sailing handled that.

I already prepaid the minimum and will tip above and beyond that once I get onboard. I figure I will put the sheet of paper showing I tipped with extra cash in the envie plus I will leave some goodies for the host and our servers too.

 

[MouseFaninQueue]

Not that you asked, but I'll give it anyway...

I think I would keep the hopping because there could be some parks you just don't want to commit a full day to (for us 2 hours in AK works). I'd keep the 3 day. On the day of the party they usually let you in at 4. For the Halloween party we would always sleep in that day, maybe swim or go to DTD and then hit the MK so we didn't double pay. I think it is a lot for little kids to park most of the day and then last very long at the party at night.

I've never stayed at a value but we were pleasantly surprised by the POR last March. I'd do that upgrade.

If I didn't want feedback I certainly wouldn't have posted. So I LOVE it when everyone gives me info. You can never have too much information - especially in today's world. So thank you for your feedback on this.

If we keep the park hopping, we won't be doing the upgrade. Basically the savings we get from dropping the park hopping can be put into the upgrade.

We aren't in WDW long enough to do all the parks, so we are going to be skipping AK. In 2006 it was our least favourite of the parks. MK is a must do and we will do that on the first day, I have to go to MGM (oops Hollywood Studios) for Star Tours if nothing else (my Aunt and my dad took me to see Star Wars shortly after it opened in May 1977 so it would be good to do that with her) and we enjoyed Epcot (my DD3 really liked England as she is adores POOH!). I doubt very much that park hopping is in our plans. The only time we've done it so far is in DL when you go to DCA and then when it closes go to DL.

The morning of the party does have me concerned as to what to do. When we went to the Halloween party, that day we just went to DTD and hung around until it was time to go. One thing to keep in mind is that my girls are West Coast girls, so midnight is only 9pm to them. And for some reason they can go and go at WDW (or at least they did in 2006).

The morning after the party is just getting to the cruise ship and we are taking the disney bus for that, so it's not like we have to rush or anything, and the girls can veg out if they want.

What is intriguing is the ability to upgrade the hotel room. We've stayed at CBR and ASMusic. We had originally chosen AS Movies this time because a) it was cheaper, b) we really wanted the Disney theming and c) to see if it was all that unbearable for future plans.

 

[pahrumpgirl]

No time to post or go into details, overswamped with work today, but........




just one thing to say......




ready?




PIF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Holly,

That is super! Looking forward to meeting you and Tyler!

Carol

 

[gydell]

Can I ask for a special prayer tonight?

Some of you might remember I went to Minnesota to visit my Grandmother back in December...she broke her hip. She was 98, and had never spent the night in the hospital other than having babies. My sister and I visited (that's when I bought my purse at the mall of america).

Anyway, my parents emailed two days ago that she took a turn for the worse with her recovery. My parents were in Aruba. They got a flight home to SFO, landed last night around 10pm. This morning at 3:30am they went to he airport to fly to MSP - my grandmother's home is about 2 hours away. As soon as they landed, they got a call from my Uncle that she passed away.

Her name is Adeline Flaig and she truly was a beautiful and wonderful woman. She had 7 kids, 32 grandchildren, and I can't keep up with how many great-grandchildren...maybe 50.

She lost her husband 10 years ago, and a few weeks (Jan. 98). She was very sad for a year after, but then came out of it and made a couple trips across the country to visit our family. I have great memories of my kids riding the cable car with her.

So I'm a little sad, and would love the thought of prayers for her welcome home.

Thanks.
Lisa

I'm so sorry for you. It sounds like she had a good life and you have lots of memories.

 

[disneylover5]

Lisa - this is a testament to how he was raised

I don't think so....he is such a good kid...and his two little sisters are not like him at all.

​

 

[LiserAnn]

I already prepaid the minimum and will tip above and beyond that once I get onboard. I figure I will put the sheet of paper showing I tipped with extra cash in the envie plus I will leave some goodies for the host and our servers too.

So do you just call DCL and say you want to prepay the tips? I've already established a shipboard account, which I realize is different.

 

[readyalready]

So do you just call DCL and say you want to prepay the tips? I've already established a shipboard account, which I realize is different.

If it is different, I don't know why it would be. I would just put the tip money in the onboard account so you can adjust if you want. I thought I had a lot extra in there already until I added up the minimum tips...

 

[seaulater]

Hmm might be good to butter them up at the start of the cruise....I am bringing some Jelly Bellys from the factory here in town.

Bring the flops! I love those and they are so cheap! Whenever I visit my sister in Roseville I make her take me over there! Love the Jelly Belly FLops!

 

[seaulater]

Way back I worked for See's during the holiday seasons - Christmas, Valentines, Easter, Mothers Day - part time after my regular job. I did not make much money, but bought lots of boxes for gifts! I also had GREAT benefits there..... all I could eat while at work! We could not take any home without paying for it, but could nibble all day for free! Yummer!! I have to admit that I finished off an entire 5 lb box one Saturday. Of course, that is all I had for breakfast, lunch, dinner and breaks. Love it, love it!!

Just in case you are taking notes: my favorites are Summertime and Bordeaux (milk chocolate, of course)

 

[mishoe01]

So do you just call DCL and say you want to prepay the tips? I've already established a shipboard account, which I realize is different.

Hi Lisa - you can do a few things...
1. call DCL (or TA) and add the tips (but if your PIF I'd wait until after stuff is booked tomorrow unless you can pay it all today).

2. Go to the Guest Services desk night before debarking sad1: ) and let CM know that you want the tips added to your account...you can then use any of your OBC to pay them

HTH

 

[pjpoohbear]

to everyone dealing with family and friend heartache today. Wow so much has come about this week.

Holly, AWESOME!!!!!!!!

DENNIS, I will have something in your e-mail tonight be on the lookout.


HOSTess gift, I always bring wine, one red one white, and extra in the envelope is always welcome. Last cruise, I ask the host is he would like to have our finished books, he jumped on it said the romance novels would be great traders below decks, .

Pj

 

[lillygator]

so we can sleep tonight (Fri) but i need to be on the pc at midnight tomorrow night (sat).

 

[lillygator]

if you add the prepaid tips to a TA reservation, do you have to pif again? or a bit at a time?

 

[Mom323]

For anyone who pre-ordered the Passporter Field Guide from the Passporter website, you can now download a .pdf preview of it and it has all the excursions listed. It makes it easier to quickly review them as compared to trying to review them on the DCL website.

Thanks for the heads up, I thought they were supposed to email us when updates happened.

 

[Mom323]

I think I found a winner on airfare! We'll fly out of Lansing on Delta and get in to MCO at 11:09. That's the earliest it looks like we can get in and still fly out of Lansing. The cheaper prices flying out of Detroit aren't really cheaper when you factor in $135 for parking for all those days. So even though there are no nonstop flights from Lansing available, we're saving money and it's more convenient, so I'm happy now!

 

[mishoe01]

if you add the prepaid tips to a TA reservation, do you have to pif again? or a bit at a time?

You still would need to be pif to book palo/spa/shorex

 

[seaulater]

Hi Lisa - you can do a few things...
1. call DCL (or TA) and add the tips (but if your PIF I'd wait until after stuff is booked tomorrow unless you can pay it all today).

2. Go to the Guest Services desk night before debarking sad1: ) and let CM know that you want the tips added to your account...you can then use any of your OBC to pay them

HTH

FYI-I usually go to Guest Services about midway through the cruise and pay my tips and get the receipts. That way there is NO LINE and I've taken care of it in less than 5 minutes. If you wait till the last night, there is usually a VERY LONG LINE!

Also, especially on a longer cruise, I usually go to Guest Services and ask for an updated printout of my bill. Then if there are any errors, I catch it earlier sooner than later and I have had errors that have needed to be fixed.