May 12, 2007 -- Taking the Magic to the Mediterranean -- 14 day Repo Cruise! Part 2

[AuntyBrat]

Ok drinking champagne,eatting Godiva chocolates and catching up on the boards...the only thing that is missing is being on the Magic and doing this!!

 

[Scoobypop]

OMG you are a lawyer and I am an anal retentive blood sucking bean counter!!! The guys at work call me the budget nazi!!! I think we are the only two people who can say no and mean it in the spa area!!!

Just a quick bit of info on the "hard sell" that accompanies the spa treatment. Being a professional in the spa industry myself, I can tell you the reasons for this. 95% of the cruise ship spas are owned and operated by Steiner, which is the world's largest spa corporation. The downfall to this is, Steiner is much more interested in "pushing" their products on the guests than in giving outstanding customer service. It's probably my only pet peeve with the Disney ships is that they outsource the spa to that company. Don't mean to offend anyone if they work for Steiner or have friends or relatives who do. Unfortunately, Steiner management comes down HARD on their line employees to push push push the product. In fact, they are under strict orders to make 10% retail of their total sales every month. If they don't make that, they get their vacations taken away, appointment moved to the people who do sell more, etc. Not a nice company at all. Sadly, I have heard many people say that they loved their spa experience, then it was ruined by the hard sell at the end. To top it off, they hardly pay their cruise ship therapists any money at all. To avoid the hard sell, just check 0 as your stress level on the intake form, and at the end, when it starts, just say, "I have plenty of product right now, thank you."

All that being said, I still love the spa and have had one so so massage, and one excellent massage on my Disney cruises so far. We'll see what happens next month!! Have a good night everyone!
Chris
P.S. Connie, thanks for the offer, but it sounds like your bags are full with your own wines and bottles! I'll be okay.

 

[cquick]

Congratulations! That is so exciting! Connie

 

[padalyn]

Re roserae's desire for a change of pace haircut ... I guess it all depends on how gutsy you are, as you don't have the safeguards that you would have on land, like going to someone recommended by a friend or whatnot. My other bias is that all my interactions with spa people onboard have been attended by a hard sell. I didn't know about writing something on my intake form saying not to do this until recently, but I have been relatively forceful in saying no (and I am a lawyer and hence not known for my shy wallflower-like tendencies in expressing myself). And I *still* got the hard sell. It kind of turned me off but YMMV.

Cupcake

My hunny and I were in the market for a new stylist - we went to the mall and watched the salons there - to see if we liked what was walking out the door. Well, we lucked out - and found a great woman who does an awesome job with our very different types of hair. I have baby fine fragile hair, hunny has thick curly mop...we both get cuts and are happy.

just an idea...

 

[AuntyBrat]

Just a quick bit of info on the "hard sell" that accompanies the spa treatment. Being a professional in the spa industry myself, I can tell you the reasons for this. 95% of the cruise ship spas are owned and operated by Steiner, which is the world's largest spa corporation. The downfall to this is, Steiner is much more interested in "pushing" their products on the guests than in giving outstanding customer service. It's probably my only pet peeve with the Disney ships is that they outsource the spa to that company. Don't mean to offend anyone if they work for Steiner or have friends or relatives who do. Unfortunately, Steiner management comes down HARD on their line employees to push push push the product. In fact, they are under strict orders to make 10% retail of their total sales every month. If they don't make that, they get their vacations taken away, appointment moved to the people who do sell more, etc. Not a nice company at all. Sadly, I have heard many people say that they loved their spa experience, then it was ruined by the hard sell at the end. To top it off, they hardly pay their cruise ship therapists any money at all. To avoid the hard sell, just check 0 as your stress level on the intake form, and at the end, when it starts, just say, "I have plenty of product right now, thank you."

All that being said, I still love the spa and have had one so so massage, and one excellent massage on my Disney cruises so far. We'll see what happens next month!! Have a good night everyone!
Chris
P.S. Connie, thanks for the offer, but it sounds like your bags are full with your own wines and bottles! I'll be okay.

Scoobypop - I have had good experiences with the massages on DCL. However, our biggest laugh to date has been when Cathy (another friend of ours) and I compared notes after doing the ladies night and got the verbatim quote of:
"I am very sorry to tell you, but you have.....cellulite" OMG we are still laughing about it!!! Of course they had a wonderful product that would make it all melt away. We just laughed at the poor technician...of course we have cellulite You do not get to 40 something and not have cellulite. I do feel sorry for them. I did get some good bath salts from them, but they are expensive. I will keep your quote in mind thought for this cruise.

 

[padalyn]

may I suggest that Ken (kpros) contact a moderator and get that page (that pesky page I keep loosing) made into a sticky? This way it stays at the top of the threads all the time. It can be updated (I think) and becomes readily available to one and all without the searching.

just a thought....

page 143 is also known as post 2131 to those of us that don't use the threaded viewing option.

 

[milestogo]

Hi all, busy day here, ballet lessons, saw the tax lady then wrote big big big checks, then a very bad Easter egg hunt (the three little ones we had only got one egg between them! ) nice evening though.

Laura: Kudos to you for remembering that your kids grandparents are still their family!!!!

Chris: Very interesting - good business dirt to know - love that!

Re: hair... I was a hairdresser for 10 years and I can say that having a good recommendation is very important. Esp. for color. When my old hairdresser cut my hair and I wasn't happy enough to go back I told her I got it cut on the cruise and have been growing it out. Which I did not, but didn't want to hurt her feelings. You can say you got it cut on the cruise, but you don't have to in order to start making a new relationship with a new hairdresser. Ask for the smallest trim to begin with and go from there.

Anna: got your message, I think I was with the tax lady when you called - glad you're keeping your head above water.

I'm sorry to say that we are having chilly weather here too (not quite like you guys obviously!) but that means we are not sending any sunshine soon.

Gydell: Bad weather for the masters!

Anyone watching the tennis from Florida? man is it beautiful! Is Mike (OH6) my tennis pal?

Saw Jump In on the Disney channel last night - very sweet and fun movie.

Happy Easter everyone - big celebrations at DL tomorrow - we won't be attending.

 

[milestogo]

You do not get to 40 something and not have cellulite: OH Man, I was wondering what that was on me?

 

[cquick]

I meant to say, congratulations, Hadley! And your daughter too!

Also, I must be a terrible spa customer. I LOVE to have a massage and Patrick is already scheduled for 2 pedicures, but we probably won't buy anything!

Also, How do you do more than one quote in an answer?> I see some people have 2 or 3 quotes in one response. I don't know how to do that!

Also, I have toom for a bottle of cuvee for you, really. All that liquor was more of a joke than reality! BUT I will bring a bottle of vodka, because Mike and I both drink that. AND we will bring some champagne! To toast the trip

 

[milestogo]

Yes, Hadley, way to go Marika! That is some fun news.

 

[ladyemmaann]

Hello all
I am thinking of going on this cruise. This year we are one Sept 8 Westrn.. I keep tossing around the idea of 2 weeks off and a Pirate trip. hum... Thinking time...

 

[disneycruising]

Hello!

Family of four here... getting ready for the May 12 2007 repo-east cruise! Very new to online discussion forums and want to learn how to sign up for onboard get-togethers and stuff that folks are organizing.

ie:
- Wendy's Tea
- Bracelet's / lanyards (what are these used for?)
- Etc.

Thx!

Welcome aboard!

 

[kpros]

may I suggest that Ken (kpros) contact a moderator and get that page (that pesky page I keep loosing) made into a sticky? This way it stays at the top of the threads all the time. It can be updated (I think) and becomes readily available to one and all without the searching.

just a thought....

page 143 is also known as post 2131 to those of us that don't use the threaded viewing option.

I believe that my post on page 143 is now being duplicated on page 1.

KEn

 

[kpros]

KaptainJack posted this on another dead thread that had been started a long time ago. So now we have a little more information.

Hello,

We're sailing on the May 12 repo east cruise.

Stephen, Cynthia and DS:10 and DD: 4

Stateroom: GTY

Dining: Late

We're from Toronto Canada

Thx, Cynthia

 

[CACruisin']

Thanks everyone on the input on the notarized letter. I'm going to go ahead and get one, just to be on the safe side.

KaptainJack - Welcome aboard! There are a number of others of us with DD's the same age. Seems like we will have a really nice group in the club.

Ken - Super Slueth job finding the info on Kaptain Jack.

Hadley - that is great for Marika! She must be one smart kid!

Kelly - sorry about the not nice day with the tax lady . I am still waiting (not patiently now) to get our package back from the tax guy. Should actually be getting a refuind this year.

I spent the day making a Master Packing List in Excel . Yes, I am a computer geek. I started out using the Packing list I had created for our last Magic cruise, but so much has changed. For our Mexico 2005 cruise, DD turned 2 and was still in diapers and a pack and play. We had a category 3 suite, and we could drive to the port. I think I took everything including the kitchen sink with me on that trip ! Definitely will be packing much lighter this time...

In regards to the door magnets, I heard that if you personalize it (your last name, or room number) they are less likely to be stolen. Who wants a door magnets that says "The Smiths" when your last name is Jones.

OUr "Having a Disney Day at Sea" magnet took a walk during dinner on the last night of our Wonder cruise last month. It was the only one that wasn't personalized.

... I was a hairdresser for 10 years

You have worn a lot of different hats in your life!

Also, How do you do more than one quote in an answer?> I see some people have 2 or 3 quotes in one response. I don't know how to do that!

Learned this from AuntyBrat, I think, on the 2008 PC cruise thread. On the bottom of the post on the righthand side, there are four buttons: "Edit", "Quote" and two others. Click on the third button - It looks sort of like a big quote mark - for each quote you want to reply to. For the last quote you wish to reply too, click on the "Quote" button and then you get the message box with all the different quotes in it. I hope I explained that ok ...

 

[AuntyBrat]

Thanks everyone on the input on the notarized letter. I'm going to go ahead and get one, just to be on the safe side.

KaptainJack - Welcome aboard! There are a number of others of us with DD's the same age. Seems like we will have a really nice group in the club.

Ken - Super Slueth job finding the info on Kaptain Jack.

Hadley - that is great for Marika! She must be one smart kid!

Kelly - sorry about the not nice day with the tax lady . I am still waiting (not patiently now) to get our package back from the tax guy. Should actually be getting a refuind this year.

I spent the day making a Master Packing List in Excel . Yes, I am a computer geek. I started out using the Packing list I had created for our last Magic cruise, but so much has changed. For our Mexico 2005 cruise, DD turned 2 and was still in diapers and a pack and play. We had a category 3 suite, and we could drive to the port. I think I took everything including the kitchen sink with me on that trip ! Definitely will be packing much lighter this time...



OUr "Having a Disney Day at Sea" magnet took a walk during dinner on the last night of our Wonder cruise last month. It was the only one that wasn't personalized.


You have worn a lot of different hats in your life!



Learned this from AuntyBrat, I think, on the 2008 PC cruise thread. On the bottom of the post on the righthand side, there are four buttons: "Edit", "Quote" and two others. Click on the third button - It looks sort of like a big quote mark - for each quote you want to reply to. For the last quote you wish to reply too, click on the "Quote" button and then you get the message box with all the different quotes in it. I hope I explained that ok ...

Ah Grasshopper you have learned well!!!

 

[NoWorriesMate]

I know this will sound silly to those of you looking forward to summer... but all of your snow pictures are so beautiful!
the weather here is just startding to warm up (around mid thirties C - which i think is about mid 80's in your speak - woops i mean mid 90's) from now on it will just get hotter and hotter - we get clost to 50C in the middle of summer.

about taking children out of the country without both parents - they can be a bit funny about this so have the letter on hand. about three years ago Nick and i were visiting my brother who was working in Tacoma and we then caught the train to Vancouver to meet chris and fly back. we were both travelling on Australian passports and had standard visit visa's but they still didn't want to let me leave the country! after some fifteen minutes of arguing he saw the light and let us go.

michelle

 

[hksilverfox]

Again thanks for the answers!

Welcome KaptainJack and clan! Nice to see some more canucks on board!

Spring skiing in full swing out here - skiing in hockey sweaters with temp about 12C (can't remember what that is in Farenheit anymore).

Have been looking at all the threads I can find on fish extenders and finally figured out what they look like but what exactly are they for? Do you hang them on the outside of the door? If so what happens to all the door signs? Confused......

Can I assume that Disney allows you to take your own liquor on board? Do they charge corkage fees?

I am sure that some of these questions will be answered in info from DCL but we are still waiting for everything! Sled dogs take forever to get here!

Have a great Easter everyone!
Regards,
Greg

 

[Scoobypop]

Scoobypop - I have had good experiences with the massages on DCL. However, our biggest laugh to date has been when Cathy (another friend of ours) and I compared notes after doing the ladies night and got the verbatim quote of:
"I am very sorry to tell you, but you have.....cellulite" OMG we are still laughing about it!!! Of course they had a wonderful product that would make it all melt away. We just laughed at the poor technician...of course we have cellulite You do not get to 40 something and not have cellulite. I do feel sorry for them. I did get some good bath salts from them, but they are expensive. I will keep your quote in mind thought for this cruise.

Yes, they do say whatever they need to say to make the sale. They told Robert as he was getting a facial, "Your nose has sun damage"! We still laugh at that one too!

I do mean to clarify that we always have great experiences in the spa too! Actually, on the intake form it asks your occupation and when they see we are massage therapists, they pretty much leave us alone when it comes to the selling. I was really more expressing my wish that Disney would actually take over and run the spa themselves, rather than let Steiner make all the profits. Plus, somewhere in the back of my daydreams as I do massages in a dimly lit, quiet room all day, I dream of running the spa on one of the new Disney ships. . .

 

[hksilverfox]

Scoobybop - are you taking bookings? Perhaps you could do a DIScount for those of us that can't make the spa. Probably could pay for your cruise pretty quickly.