May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 4

[EllaEnchanted]

Hi Everyone, another beautiful day in the neighborhood...sunny, warm and dry. The weather reports and your posts say it won't last, so I'm enjoying it while it's here.

Lisa/LiserAnn: I LOVE the pics of Drew and the boys together. What is your older son's name. He's so blond and Drew is so dark. My two nephews are brothers and they're the same exact way. Your two are both so beautiful.


Holly: Tyler is such a cool dude. He's adorable. I'd Love to see the pictures of him in front of his tree every year. That's such a great thing for you to do with him.

Karen: The wine came...thanks so much. We opened the Chardonnay this weekend...yummy...it was dry, light and buttery...so good. John opened the Gewurztraminer and shared it with DD Sandi. They both loved it. John said it, surprisingly, was a semi-sweet, which he LOVED more than some sweeter Gewurztraminers that he has had.

We had a fun weekend. I won Zilch, a dice game, and won a few good hands at poker. We only play for chips.

I miss our UK ladies. Hope they're having fun on their holidays.

 

[HollyTyler]

My neighbor just came over with a flyer to do a Carnival cruise for October. It is during our kids fall break. It would be 5 days 4 nights and for all 4 of us to go it would only be 1,000. Which includes taxes and tips. I am thinking yes that would be a great way to break up my wait. She said she already has 70 people going. I know nothing about Carnival but I guess who cares if I get to get away.

I absolutely loved my Carnival cruise in January! In fact, the ship was so much larger than DCL, I'm worried about being disappointed going back to a smaller ship, but as much as I love DCL, I know I'll be fine!

 

[EllaEnchanted]

Lisa/DisneyLover5: Congrats on paying off your med cruise and now you can book all your excursions. I just paid off my Halloween cruise, but I can't book Palo's yet....still have to wait until the end of July. Now, I can start paying off this cruise...with a year to go, it's all good!

John1: You are right...bad things happen and the best we can do is teach our children hope. You summed it up beautifully!

Only one doctor appointment with mom this week. She's doing well and that's a good thing.

John and I are thinking about running away for a weekend in Ocean City, MD at the beginning of May...a three night weekend near our property in Delaware. I booked an oceanfront suite...just what the doctor ordered or Calgon...take me away!

 

[lillygator]

My sister made it back and they spent more $$ onboard than the cruise cost!

 

[kimerinc]

Here's the article that was in our regional newspaper about the murder-suicide of the parents of my son's classmate. These children really need a lot of prayer because what they witnessed was horrific....

http://nctimes.com/articles/2007/04/20/news/californian/4_01_354_19_07.txt

That is just awful!

 

[kimerinc]

We hit a milestone this weekend with Drew on his first solo ride without training wheels (in addition to loosing his first tooth a few days ago and registering for KINDERGARTEN!!!!).....

They both look so proud! Cool!

 

[LiserAnn]

Way to go Drew! How cool about riding solo! Tyler can't even balance WITH training wheels.....he tips over all the time! We're a long ways away from taking those wheels off!

Gee, I thought the first tooth doesn't come out until kids are 6. Yikes! Guess I better start looking! Blech!

Drew is super athletic (like his dad) and my older son, took after me (not athletic)....didn't learn to do a two wheeler until 7!!!!!!!

Drew's also early for loosing his tooth. Normally they're 6 (my older son was). But in an effort to be different than his brother he lost it early!

 

[kimerinc]

I am really trying to keep up, but DD has been skating 2-3 hours a day getting ready for the "Ice Show". She loves this because there is no judging and she gets to skate to WORDS!!!

You will all love this, but it is Brodway on Ice. They are doing production skating shows to Broadway Hits. DD's first one and her step out is Grease. She has never even seen the movie!! She just loves it! You should see that little 7 year old do the wave and shake. Too Cute!!

She is also doing thourougly modern millie. This is a large group number only, so no step out, but she likes the purple flapper dress quite a bit.

Anyway, hopefully I can get DH to take some pictures and I can post some. She starts full competitions in June again...

Still here, I promise!

Kim

 

[LiserAnn]

Lisa/LiserAnn: I LOVE the pics of Drew and the boys together. What is your older son's name. He's so blond and Drew is so dark. My two nephews are brothers and they're the same exact way. Your two are both so beautiful.

Deb-His name is Ryan. They're so different. Ryan is blonde/green eyed and Drew's brunette/brown eyed (but with dimples like his daddy). The brown eyes are from me and the green eyes are from DH. Go figure!!! I so wanted to blonde light eyed baby (being Greek you usually don't see blonde) and thought I'd never have a chance but I remember the nurses saying, "He has blonde hair"! I couldn't believe it!!! I'm half Italian/Greek (as you know) and DH is half Italian/German, so the blonde and green eyes are clearly from the German side!!! They're also very different in personality. The older one is strong willed and defiant (but also sensitive and loving) and the younger one is very obedient and compliant (and also sensitive and loving)....at least they both got the sensitive and loving part down right!!!! Needless to say, our house is very active with them both!!!!

 

[mom_of_2_princesses]

My sister made it back and they spent more $$ onboard than the cruise cost!

That is how they get you. The cruise may be cheaper but they don't include so much stuff.

 

[lillygator]

That is how they get you. The cruise may be cheaper but they don't include so much stuff.

yes, she is now telling me what she spent it on....
casino, shopping, liquor, photos, cokes - even at dinner....

 

[fourmcds]

I am really trying to keep up, but DD has been skating 2-3 hours a day getting ready for the "Ice Show". She loves this because there is no judging and she gets to skate to WORDS!!!

You will all love this, but it is Brodway on Ice. They are doing production skating shows to Broadway Hits. DD's first one and her step out is Grease. She has never even seen the movie!! She just loves it! You should see that little 7 year old do the wave and shake. Too Cute!!

She is also doing thourougly modern millie. This is a large group number only, so no step out, but she likes the purple flapper dress quite a bit.

Anyway, hopefully I can get DH to take some pictures and I can post some. She starts full competitions in June again...

Still here, I promise!

Kim

Sounds like you are very busy! Would love to see pictures! How great they are doing something where they aren't being judged and can just go out and have fun on the ice.
I love broadway shows. Like I said mom and I would trek into NYC at least a few times a year to see Broadway shows. Although there have been some amazing new ones out there, one of my all time favorites is still Phantom of the Opera. And, since it was the first one I saw, A Chorus Line!

 

[fourmcds]

yes, she is now telling me what she spent it on....
casino, shopping, liquor, photos, cokes - even at dinner....

So....was most of it spent at the casinos or shopping or were there really just lots of little extras added on here and there? I have heard that sodas can really add up. I know for me on DCL my biggest charge is always to Shutters....and yes those pictures are still in a folder waiting to be scrapped much to my DH's disgust. I did frame the family photo though!
It would be an interesting comparison....a cheaper cruise with all the extras you need to pay for vs DCL, which one ends up being cheaper in the long run?!

 

[Jhalkias]

oh no - on the main cruise page it says DCL bans door signs!

Now why the heck would they go and do something mean like that?! I guess I'll have to go read it.

Saw the other posts about this, but could not resist saying that someone who is "craft challenged" probably complained . . .

 

[Jhalkias]

Drew is super athletic (like his dad) and my older son, took after me (not athletic)....didn't learn to do a two wheeler until 7!!!!!!!

Drew's also early for loosing his tooth. Normally they're 6 (my older son was). But in an effort to be different that his brother he lost it early!

I am hoping that this is the summer that Sophia learns to ride . . . I have to say that my soon to be in Med school son NEVER learned to ride. I rode a bike EVERYWHERE when I was a kid - from about 6 years old until I got my license. Used to ride clear across town to go fishing or play ball.

Alex had one bad experience trying to learn to ride, and NEVER wanted to ride again - no coaxing could get him to try again. Now I think he would be too embarassed to try.

 

[Jhalkias]

yes, she is now telling me what she spent it on....
casino, shopping, liquor, photos, cokes - even at dinner....

How did they like the cruise V?

(other than what they spent)

Did they find their way home OK?

 

[lillygator]

How did they like the cruise V?

(other than what they spent)

Did they find their way home OK?

they liked it but of course, want to try Disney next time. A huge party atmosphere she said and it seemed many were traveling with large groups - which I think made her feel left out, Amber loves being the center of attention! They only made it to their dinner the first night. (could be like the DIS!!) I was surprised at her party atmosphere comment...come to find out...she and her boyfriend were escorted through customs.....she had 9 bottles of liquor and he had 3....and she felt the customs forms did not pertain to her! The man saw the look of fear in her eyes, told her to relax and she paid $13.

They paid $3.95 for Johnny Rockets and she said they never let your drink get half empty and did fun dances throughout the meal....

the casino was alot of $$ they dropped for no reason....$168 for 2 to snorkel and a small tour to Fort Fincastle, she bought pictures by the each instead of in a package....


she never set foot in the pool but did go in the hot tub...she didn't know if the pool was salt water or not and I asked what the hot tub was, she couldn't tell me. She did say they only had 2 hot tubs for the whole ship...(isn't that the same as DCL?)

I think they sat around and people watched a lot...she said Coco Cay (??) was nice they had to tender in though.

And she wore every single pair of shoes she took...or so she says...and now she is regretting not going back to her cabin to change formal outfits for more photos!!

They had an inside cabin, she was fearful of seeing water and being sick...she has a heart condition and is very prone to motion sickness, she took the chewable tablets the whole time and was fine. She said the cabin was really really small.

She went to the onboard shopping presention and won a rum cake for being the loudest....which surprises me NONE...she is so flippin' loud and squealy! She also was drawn to win a painting...one that she could not walk off the ship with as they have to mail it to you for $34.95, she still doesn't see how she really didn't "win" it.

 

[HollyTyler]

Lisa/DisneyLover5: Congrats on paying off your med cruise and now you can book all your excursions. I just paid off my Halloween cruise, but I can't book Palo's yet....still have to wait until the end of July. Now, I can start paying off this cruise...with a year to go, it's all good!

John1: You are right...bad things happen and the best we can do is teach our children hope. You summed it up beautifully!

Only one doctor appointment with mom this week. She's doing well and that's a good thing.

John and I are thinking about running away for a weekend in Ocean City, MD at the beginning of May...a three night weekend near our property in Delaware. I booked an oceanfront suite...just what the doctor ordered or Calgon...take me away!

Deb, I'm so glad your mom is doing well!

Running away for a weekend sounds like a wonderful idea!

 

[HollyTyler]

My sister made it back and they spent more $$ onboard than the cruise cost!

 

[Jhalkias]

they liked it but of course, want to try Disney next time. A huge party atmosphere she said and it seemed many were traveling with large groups - which I think made her feel left out, Amber loves being the center of attention! They only made it to their dinner the first night. (could be like the DIS!!) I was surprised at her party atmosphere comment...come to find out...she and her boyfriend were escorted through customs.....she had 9 bottles of liquor and he had 3....and she felt the customs forms did not pertain to her! The man saw the look of fear in her eyes, told her to relax and she paid $13.

They paid $3.95 for Johnny Rockets and she said they never let your drink get half empty and did fun dances throughout the meal....

the casino was alot of $$ they dropped for no reason....$168 for 2 to snorkel and a small tour to Fort Fincastle, she bought pictures by the each instead of in a package....


she never set foot in the pool but did go in the hot tub...she didn't know if the pool was salt water or not and I asked what the hot tub was, she couldn't tell me. She did say they only had 2 hot tubs for the whole ship...(isn't that the same as DCL?)

I think they sat around and people watched a lot...she said Coco Cay (??) was nice they had to tender in though.

And she wore every single pair of shoes she took...or so she says...and now she is regretting not going back to her cabin to change formal outfits for more photos!!

They had an inside cabin, she was fearful of seeing water and being sick...she has a heart condition and is very prone to motion sickness, she took the chewable tablets the whole time and was fine. She said the cabin was really really small.

She went to the onboard shopping presention and won a rum cake for being the loudest....which surprises me NONE...she is so flippin' loud and squealy! She also was drawn to win a painting...one that she could not walk off the ship with as they have to mail it to you for $34.95, she still doesn't see how she really didn't "win" it.

Four hot tubs V - two at the Goofy Pool, and two at the Quiet Cove Pool.

Sounds like they had fun anyway. Bring them along next time!