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

[hksilverfox]

Greetings all! Is it me or has the excitement level on the thread skyrocketed? I am quite green that so many have started their vacation. At the moment I am in Sydney, Australia and have many thousands of miles to get home on Tuesday night. I will then dump my suitcase into the washing machine and think about packing again!

DW and DD have been soooo busy since they found out about the cruise. DD has grown about 6 inches since last summer and and when she tried on her clothes nothing fit! A brand new summer wardrobe had to be found. Add this to the magnet projects she started, school work, etc I think sleep has been a rarity. Oh I have to tell Erik and Rio they also have another HSM nut. I didn't know but she also knows most of the words and dances apparently! She is looking forward to it tons!

DW is not a last minute packer and is well on the way to getting her bags packed but I think the stress meter is on high especially with me not there to help. She is looking forward to this vacation big time! She has managed to get the 3 horses, 4 cats, 1 dog, 4 hamsters and lots of fish sorted out with a "baby sitter" so that is a big relief!

Connie - DW (Cynthia) is so greatful for your offer. I think it was the best bit of news for her. Is there a liquor store where you will be shopping?

The big news though is that we can do the as all our docs, magnets and t shirts have arrived at the house!

Ok all have a great week and will drop by again in a day or so as I make my way back to Canada!
Regards,
Greg

 

[txaggie94gigem]

does anyone have a link to the menus from the last 14 day cruise? i know ours are going to be different but my hubby wanted to look at them anyway!

 

[Scott H]

You will all love this - I am ready to SCREAM!!!! The mailman must have jammed my box from DVC into my mailbox and I cannot even open my mailbox but there is a box in there - I can see it, but I cannot open the mailbox. I can't stand it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !

Don't fret it is not breakable, rip that puppy outta there.....

Just amazed that most of them arrived at nearly the same time.

 

[padalyn]

Gee - I had to take a couple of days off - I had 25!!!! pages of posts...whew. Well - I know a lot of the multiquotes I picked were already answered - if I duplicate someone - sorry in advance.

Here we go...

Someone mentioned numbers for getting on the ship. Those of you that have been before can you please enlighten us with the procedures on embarcation? Most cruises seem to be a free for all but I get the impression that does not happen with DCL.

Regards,
Greg

phone # for the ship:
1.888.322.8732

just be careful - as someone else mentioned it is most likely over 6.00 USD to call the ship - the state room is charged in both directions I have been told. (never called or have been called so I can't say from personal experience)

We just reserved the Chocolate Museum.

Not sure why it was not there before but it is there now.

DH would like do do the Stingray thing and all I can think of is the Crocodile Hunter. Is it safe to do that???

The Chocolate factory excursion was canceled by the provider. We got the calls yesterday. (May 26 was the date we had booked). We are now in the market for a new excursion for that date. Didn't see anything we liked yet. We will have to see what pops up when onboard.

The stingrays are very safe - completely acclimated to humans and know how to hide -they have an area that humans can't get to if they want to hide. I did it in the wild - much different. I liked the Castaway Cay version, but was blown away doing it on "Stingray Island" on the 7 day western years ago.

I thought that everybody was ignoring me but you don't have an answer yet either! I have asked 3 times - If we get to the port early can we be dropped off at the baggage dropoff (we are taking a limo) or do we have too wait outside? No answer, I will be watching to see if you finally get one!

I think this was already answered - but we have gotten there as early as 8am. No issues, since we have a rental to return. Saw limos there at 9am. Dropped people off outside the gates and they walked in.

www.kensington.com is one. And I believe that Targus also sells one.

Ken

iGo - comes with car, land, and air adapters, works as a converter as well -can charge up to 3 items at the same time, and comes with tips for as many as one can imagine. I use it for my laptop, pda, cellphone, ipod, and my GFs cell as well (when she had a different phone -now we have the same one)

Good Morning All
Here is a little tip most of you know but it may help some of the new folks out. The room safe is locked/unlocked with a magnetic strip. Many people use their Key To The World cards for this. Then only one KTTW card will open it. So, say we use DHs card and then I order room service and he is ???, then I can't get to the cash for tipping (and many other reasons why one person may want in there). We always leave most of the contenets of out walllets at home, but we alwasy bring one "worhtless" item with a magnetic strip on it (when we lived in the "big city" our library cards had them and we would bring one). We use IT for the safe and stash in an agreed upon location in the room that we both can find whenever we need/want it.

Never thought of that - I will try it!! Thanks for the idea!!!

Hi,

Everyone probably discovered this long ago, but there is an iTunes thing on the DCL website. My husband is the iPod person in our family, so I do not really know what I am doing, but I thought you all might be interested. I am attempting to download -looks fun.

See you all soon!!!

Never saw that either...thanks!!

I did not book with points for either cruise and I got the box from DVC which also included a card wishing us "Bon Voyage". Big Brother is watching....
In fact, it prompted me to call DVC this afternoon to change my address. I mentioned the gift and wondered how they knew I was cruising since I did not book through DVC. The CM laughed and agreed that indeed Big Brother is always watching.

However, I never received any magnets.....

Same here - no points to book, got the box, no magnets. LOVED THE BOX!!!

GF is VERY jealous -she hasn't gotten hers yet....he he he

does anyone have a link to the menus from the last 14 day cruise? i know ours are going to be different but my hubby wanted to look at them anyway!

I have them all here - send me a PM with your email address, so I can send you a link to photobucket to see them.

===================================
Brooklyn - did you get the list I sent you?

whew -done I think!!

 

[Scott H]

I think we are pretty much packed, need to toss in the formal ware, and that should be it. Traveling with a small carry on is out of the norm for me. I usually subscribe to the two types of luggage theory, lost and carry on.

Good luck to you flying non rev, it is not like days of yore.

 

[padalyn]

I did it again...lost that list that Ken puts up. I have looked at page 498 - 502 without success. Could someone please give me a post number? The old list at post 2131 hasn't been updates since 4/26. I am sure there have been updates since then.

Thanks

Cayla

 

[tazzmacd]

I did it again...lost that list that Ken puts up. I have looked at page 498 - 502 without success. Could someone please give me a post number? The old list at post 2131 hasn't been updates since 4/26. I am sure there have been updates since then.

Thanks

Cayla

Try page 1, I beleive all the information has been moved to that page just to make it easier

 

[NHdisneylover]

I did it again...lost that list that Ken puts up. I have looked at page 498 - 502 without success. Could someone please give me a post number? The old list at post 2131 hasn't been updates since 4/26. I am sure there have been updates since then.

Thanks

Cayla

post 7486

 

[Scott H]

I thought it was at Post 500, then there was post 143, don't know if the later has been updated..

 

[padalyn]

post 7486

Oh Thank you!!! that is page 68 on my list...I think the pages are fluid, when people edit posts or the moderators shift things the page numbers change. I had the old version open as a seperate tab that I would update every couple of days, then noticed it was static for a while.

Whew...much easier to use the post number I think.

Thanks!!

 

[Brooklyn]

I guess I am officially very excited for this trip. This is the 2nd morning that I have woken up at 5AM on the weekend. I usually don't sleep too late but 5am.

So I guess that leaves one thing to do....go to Wal-Mart.

As for laundry detergent we decided to scoop out powder in little ziplock bags and double bag them. We are also adding a scoop of laundry booster to each bag to help with those tough stains that I know the kids will have on their clothes. Hopefully there are no restrictions to this??? Not sure what airline security is going to think of a bunch of ziplock bags with white powder in them???? I have a feeling that that bag will come out of baggage claim with the little note on it that says it had been opened and sealed by airport officials.

 

[padalyn]

I guess I am officially very excited for this trip. This is the 2nd morning that I have woken up at 5AM on the weekend. I usually don't sleep too late but 5am.

So I guess that leaves one thing to do....go to Wal-Mart.

As for laundry detergent we decided to scoop out powder in little ziplock bags and double bag them. We are also adding a scoop of laundry booster to each bag to help with those tough stains that I know the kids will have on their clothes. Hopefully there are no restrictions to this??? Not sure what airline security is going to think of a bunch of ziplock bags with white powder in them???? I have a feeling that that bag will come out of baggage claim with the little note on it that says it had been opened and sealed by airport officials.

put a label on the bag - sometimes that helps - they have an idea of what it might be and test for that first. I have a similar issue - I am taking magnets (the business card sticky kind) for the door stuff - well as a block they show up on xray the same as explosive does. So I am hand carrying them (away from the laptop and other electronics) so if they don't like them I can just ditch them without having my bags searched. I have had things dissapear from my luggage during a seach. (twice actually) both small things, but of value. Annoying since one can't prove it was taken.

 

[padalyn]

ok - silly me...my GF just got this all fixed in my head for me...I had the reading set up so that the newest post was page 1...no wonder I couldn't find anything....all fixed now...pages are where they are supposed to be.

 

[gydell]

3 more days!

 

[pixie3]

My father-in-law still doesn't have his passport. He's making me crazy. He didn't mail it in until March. Up until now he's been lying and telling us he sent it expedited in February. He finally came clean. He's out in LA this week and he figured he'd just stop by the passport office and pick it up. HA HA. I've been telling him he needs to make an appointment and it's not easy. He's acting like I'm coocoo. I talked to him yesterday and he said he called the passport people and they said his passport is in New Hampshire right now and he should have it soon. He seems to think this isn't a problem - BUT ITS MAKING ME CRAZY. Thank you for letting me rant.

 

[gydell]

Just think of the extra room you will have when he's home and you're sailing!

Seriously he sounds like my parents that just don't understand that things are more complicated than years ago. Hopefully he will get it, but if not then enjoy your cruise and don't let it get you down. Sending pixie dust.....

 

[Brooklyn]

Padalyn -

Yes, I got your packing list, THANK YOU!

I will label the bags, good thinking

OH NO, the Chocolate Factory can't be canceled! Other then the sting rays that is all we have booked!

 

[Brooklyn]

I am going to print the address labels for our luggage tags. Should i make them for each person???? just our last name???

Anything else that should be on them???

 

[MrsQ]

Pixie:
My mother-in-law doesn't have her passport either. My husband called Thursday to get an appt in LA or SF and was told there was nothing available for Mon/Tues. We leave Wed early am. We had to make an appointment in Miami for Friday. You really need to scare a little movement into your father-in-law. My sister's friend had an appt in SF last week for 8:30 am and she didn't get out of there until 5:30 and there were hundreds of people there. He may not be one to worry but he needs to get moving on this or he may be looking at your pictures when you get home.

 

[Brooklyn]

Pixie:
My mother-in-law doesn't have her passport either. My husband called Thursday to get an appt in LA or SF and was told there was nothing available for Mon/Tues. We leave Wed early am. We had to make an appointment in Miami for Friday. You really need to scare a little movement into your father-in-law. My sister's friend had an appt in SF last week for 8:30 am and she didn't get out of there until 5:30 and there were hundreds of people there. He may not be one to worry but he needs to get moving on this or he may be looking at your pictures when you get home.

If you are leaving within 3 days the 800# will usually give you an appointment. You have to talk to a live person though.

Not sure where you live but we have an appointment Monday morning at 7:30 and you can process up to 7 passports with one appointment. We are processing my husbands and DD's along with a friend of ours who we are "hand carrying" for him. She is more then welcome to "join" our family tomorrow morning to try to get it done.

There are also the passport expiditer companies but it will cost you $150 extra on top of all of the government fees. I know a lot of people who have done it this way. It costs more but then it is done. The office my friends have used is in Beverly Hills.