May 18, 2013 Magic EBTA Part Two - From Tejas to España

[gramfrog]

I don't believe anyone has said, claimed, insinuated that this cruise will be "bad" or "not as good" - as I happen to be one who prefers not to be over-crowded. I actually fancy the shorter lines, available deck chairs, better crew-to-passenger ratio, chance to upgrade at port, etc. So my guess is upgrades are a possibility depending on what category people are upgrading from and to. It just scares me to share I think availability is good to hope for upgrades --- that I will get flamed here or elsewhere for sharing the availability per the Disney website. Just stating facts based on my own limited personal experience and Disney website availability.

I am HOPEFUL that more will not be joining us on this cruise. We were on an underbooked Disney cruise last year from Galveston(Western Caribbean), last minute booking because DCL set an unresistable price to try to fill. It was heaven. If being so glad that this cruise may be underbooked that I am castigated, than so be it.

 

[gramfrog]

Just saw on the main forum that someone shared the following:

"Just off the magic today and booked the repo on the magic for 20% off and 200.00 obc plus named my travel agent for another 200.00 obc so excited for our second cruise"

They booked the 2014 EBTA. So for those who are looking at booking those -- keep an eye out and it might save you some bucks! Certain cruises were 20% off instead of the standard 10% off for booking onboard. And of course you can re-shop your existing cruise if already booked, but might not work out in your favor depending on the initial rate you booked at (such as our opening day rate was really good compared to what WBTA is priced at now and the extra 10% off wouldn't work out in our favor)

Thanks for sharing, Mandy!

 

[MandyGirl]

Me too in hoping no last minute specials to fill the ship! Realllllly looking forward to it not being so crowded!

A few friends are on the Magic this week and should be in port today for WDW. Will text one now to see about any specials they are noticing booking onboard.

 

[heatherb819]

On 2011 EBTA we got to port and sign was up "ship is full, no upgrades avail" on day 3 or 4 (can't remember) we received a call on my wave phone asking if we wanted an upgrade to verandah (we were in an inside) OF COURSE!!! There were doing some bathtub repair work on the cabins near us and it was going to be noisey, so they moved us. I believe they allow for these types of things on the repo cruises.

Also, we did a "behind the Fun" tour on Carnival and it was very intersting to see their "I-95" was able to go on the bridge and to the engine control room which is very rare to get to see anymore.

 

[gonecrusin]

Sidenote - I know it has been shared the disgust of people sharing this cruise is empty (implying "not booked to capacity"), and my thoughts on that have not only been based on rollcalls I follow but also availability online at Disney's website. (Anyone can see availability - just pretend you are making a cruise booking on Disney's website to see available categories and cabins.) In comparison to my other Disney cruises (not just transatlantic) this one has the most availability I have seen this close to embarkation based on the Disney website (not based on rollcalls). I don't believe anyone has said, claimed, insinuated that this cruise will be "bad" or "not as good" - as I happen to be one who prefers not to be over-crowded. I actually fancy the shorter lines, available deck chairs, better crew-to-passenger ratio, chance to upgrade at port, etc. So my guess is upgrades are a possibility depending on what category people are upgrading from and to. It just scares me to share I think availability is good to hope for upgrades --- that I will get flamed here or elsewhere for sharing the availability per the Disney website. Just stating facts based on my own limited personal experience and Disney website availability. (My Med cruise after this one in June has no outsides or balconies left - only insides - whereas this EBTA has many categories left)

Keep up the information. I usually check myself but you save me the time. This and any cruise is what you make it. Can't even imagine bookin a cruise like this at the last minute. Guess I am a planner at heart.

I miss the bridge tours (on any line).

Same here! We talk about it every cruise. It was one of our fondest memories and it has been so long the girls don't remember and back then they were the older ships so I can imagine that the newer ships are awesome.

I am HOPEFUL that more will not be joining us on this cruise. We were on an underbooked Disney cruise last year from Galveston(Western Caribbean), last minute booking because DCL set an unresistable price to try to fill. It was heaven. If being so glad that this cruise may be underbooked that I am castigated, than so be it.

Me too in hoping no last minute specials to fill the ship! Realllllly looking forward to it not being so crowded!

A few friends are on the Magic this week and should be in port today for WDW. Will text one now to see about any specials they are noticing booking onboard.

I am getting more excited and nervous everyday. Would love the ship to not be too crowded. The great part about cruising is it's never more crowded than the capacity of the ship. But an under capacity ship is wonderful. Only had it happen once and it was quaint. We have never been to Europe and live in a rural area without public transportation. Resisted the urge to get off the ship and head back to the states. What an adventure!

 

[woody73]

I also was on the bridge of the Wonder about 12 years ago (before 9-11) -they no longer do bridge tours at all.

I went on the last bridge tour on the Magic right before the ship went into drydock where they removed the bridge observation platform to expand the fitness center.

I miss the bridge tours (on any line).

Other cruise lines still offer bridge tours. We went on one last month on Celebrity.

Did you know that there are crew memebers who sit in a room and pick through your trash? It comes through on a convayor belt on a table where the crew sits and they sort out the food, recyclables and trash.

How do you tip them? Put cash in the trash bin?

Even balloons --- I learned in November they are not allowed on DCL (missed that in the fine print) but had to laugh that ten years ago NCL decorated our cabin with balloons the day we got married. Times have changed!

Princess Cruises still has balloons. In February we received balloons outside our cabin. On the last night they gave our hundreds of balloons at the main theatre for people to toss around like beach balls.

Woody

 

[DisneyMouseHouse]

Updates -
1) Private Mixology class is NOW FULL - I will be sending out ONE more e-mail to ALL participants today with a link to the class lists/date assignments - it is CRITICAL that you check your date and jot it down so that you know what class you are in....due to both classes being at capacity, I won't be able to accommodate any more date changes to this list. Sorry for that, but I think I have heard from everyone who has needed to change their dates.

2) If you have NOT received an e-mail from me by the end of the day, that means (more than likely) you are NOT signed up for either class. PLEASE be sure to check your "spam" folder in case that is where this message got filtered.....

3) Chocolate Tasting Class - there is STILL ROOM in these classes. Sign up here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/19Mtvsw38uKxUpgBvQ8hoIOOH8ICDx-UZ7EJlnPK6QxY/viewform
I will take signups until Wednesday night and then will no longer be able to accept responses as I will be turning in the list to DCL on Friday. Please also CHECK the list so that you do not sign up TWICE - thanks!

PLEASE - again - PLEASE check the list and let me know if you are in the wrong date so that I can change these before I send them out to DCL

Thanks to everyone who signed up and I look forward to having an absolute BLAST with you!

 

[geffric]

After catching up on facebook this morning, just have to say I hope all is well and everyone is in good health. Seeing a UK friend pass away on a previous (and future) rollcall really saddened me. He was so full of life and laughs, and I had been looking forward to seeing him again on WBTA 2014. Just a reminder that each day we are given is truly a blessing, and I pray all is well with everyone here and their families!

well said..

 

[gramfrog]

Just got off the phone with DCL Our Cruise Director will be Darren McBurney and our Captain will be Robert Almer. (not sure of the spellings)

Movies will be : Iron Man 3, Oz, Lincoln, Brave 2D+3D, Wreck it Ralph, Avengers, Frankenweenie, Chimpanzee, Finding Nemo 3D, and Tangled 3D .

The really helpful woman I spoke to was not privy to the acts onboard-- she apologized tons. And she didn't know if Ducky Williams would be there to teach us to draw again...

 

[WVURunner]

Page One is updated to reflect new Private Tour info, please check it out for meeting times.

 

[MandyGirl]

I went on the last bridge tour on the Magic right before the ship went into drydock where they removed the bridge observation platform to expand the fitness center.



Other cruise lines still offer bridge tours. We went on one last month on Celebrity.



Princess Cruises still has balloons. In February we received balloons outside our cabin. On the last night they gave our hundreds of balloons at the main theatre for people to toss around like beach balls.

Woody

Very cool! On our last Celebrity cruise the bridge tour was only offered to passengers of a certain frequent-cruiser status, and since it was only our third Celebrity cruise we did not qualify. We did a bridge tour on NCL pre- 9/11, but have not been on one with HAL or Celebrity.

Haven't cruised Princess yet - that is nice to know about balloons! When we embarked DCL in November, I had a Minnie Mouse balloon tied to our stroller and was told it needed to be taken for environmental reasons. I just assumed the same environmental stuff applied to all cruiselines so that is good to know.

 

[p17blo]

We drive 19-21 hours to Disney every year...and we don't even stop and get a hotel!

Is it just the two of you? And is that cheaper than flying or do you drive for other reasons?

 

[p17blo]

Sidenote - I know it has been shared the disgust of people sharing this cruise is empty (implying "not booked to capacity"),

A half empty ship would suit me perfectly.

One of the Dream cruises I was on was completely full and I have to say it was just way too busy for me.

 

[p17blo]

Last and Final call for Embroidered Polos and Hoodies - Current costs (included Paypal fees) are $22.48 (£14.06) for the Polos, $42.90 (£26.83) for Hoodies.

The order is loaded up and ready to go, I will press the commit button tomorrow morning UK time; if you wish to get your last minute order in please contact me directly and let me know the following:-

Type (polo/hoody), Qty, Colour, Size

All embroidery now committed to left chest so new orders will have to be left chest also. - And thanks to everyone for speedy payment over to me for your existing orders.

 

[MissAndrea]

Movies will be : Iron Man 3, Oz, Lincoln, Brave 2D+3D, Wreck it Ralph, Avengers, Frankenweenie, Chimpanzee, Finding Nemo 3D, and Tangled 3D .

Thanks for checking and posting this!! There are a few of these that we haven't seen yet but really want to!

 

[twopeasonepod]

A half empty ship would suit me perfectly.

One of the Dream cruises I was on was completely full and I have to say it was just way too busy for me.

I hope this doesn't sound negative, but I absolutely love when things are less busy. To me, it's more magical. We have always gone to WDW and DLR when it is less crowded. This Christmas will be the first time we've gone during peak season, and although I'm sure it's fabulous, I am not looking forward to the crowds.

I think the more I do my kind of work (private practice psychologist), the less time I have for hustle and bustle and lots of people who don't care about me or me about them. I much prefer an intimate crowd that I can truly appreciate, talk to, and enjoy. Like you guys!

 

[gramfrog]

I think the more I do my kind of work (private practice psychologist), the less time I have for hustle and bustle and lots of people who don't care about me or me about them. I much prefer an intimate crowd that I can truly appreciate, talk to, and enjoy. Like you guys!

Yeah, we're an intimate crowd, all right! LOL!!!

 

[MandyGirl]

A half empty ship would suit me perfectly.

One of the Dream cruises I was on was completely full and I have to say it was just way too busy for me.

That's us. The fewer the better Heck, we are still wanting to do a floatilla in the Grenadines or BVI -- talk about being a "small" sailing with that!!

Some of the recent KSF bookings in the fall out of Galveston got super busy. Even some this spring have been booked to capacity in certain age groups. Not my cup of tea. Love my kiddos, but not a crazy amount of them. Same thing with adults and elbow room. Even more excited after seeing availability yesterday.

 

[MissAndrea]

Is it just the two of you? And is that cheaper than flying or do you drive for other reasons?

We also have my 12 year old. I've never been able to get a better price on flights than it cost to drive. We do enjoy road trips and I like being able to pack as much as I want, but it's more because of price than anything. It's usually $400 USD per person so $1200 for the 3 of us to fly. Driving costs roughly $450-600 (can't remember exactly...depends on the price of gas) but regardless, it's half price or more to drive. We cash in our rewards from our Discover credit card for gas cards so we usually have $150 or so in those, which brings our out of pocket cost to $300-$450. There is a low cost airline out of our area that does fly to Orlando but it's only 2x a week very early in the morning. The price fluctuates so much that I haven't been able to get a good price for the time we are going. Having said that, our daughter is starting Jr. High next year and we aren't going to pull her out of school for an entire week anymore (like we've done in the past). So to save time, we may have to start flying if it's over a short holiday break.

 

[MissAndrea]

I forgot to mention the low cost airline flies into a smaller airport about an hour from Disney so we would have to find and pay for transportation to and from the airport which raises the cost quite a bit.