May 30, 2009 - Western Cruise Magic

[brucechase]

Hi~ we are booked on this May 30 cruise! We have 3 cat 12 cabins. This will be our 2nd DC. Our first Western. Members of our party include: Nana and Pops --the grands, DH (44) and I (40), DD-15 (will turn 16 in June), DS-12, twin sons--7 (will turn 8 in June).
We would love to participate in your FE. Please add us to your list.

Welcome aboard. I will add you to the FE list. I need you to send me an email and names for the list. I have it in excel and a PDF if you prefer one over the other. I also list hotels and excursions if you want to meet up with anyone. I will send you a PM since you can't PM yet. I think you have to hit 10 posts first.

 

[brucechase]

Got the coupon for the trolley thank you for saving us some money. We will definately do the trolley thing and just see the sights in Key West.

We are still discussing formal night/Palo. We definately do not really dress-up at all. My wife did just pick up some infinity dresses ( http://www.infinitedress.com/index.html ) for $20 versus the $200 price tag. I do not own a suit that fits and I definately won't be purchasing one for the cruise, but DW thinks we might all look nice dressed up (maybe for a pic) so I might have to wear a button down shirt and tie. I was really considering skipping formal night and doing the Palo reservation then.

As for the kids, I think I can trust then enough that if they want to go to Topsiders for dinner alone, I just might have to allow that. Maybe if we are all at Palo the same night they might all be able to go as a group.

As for the credit card, I paid off the cruise on the 26, but it still hasn't shown up on my account (it is pending though so I made until another billing cycle). If you wanted to do it, I think you will be OK, it should wait until the next billing cycle.

RANT ---- Chase just sent me a letter saying they are raising the interest rate 50%. I don't carry much of a balance, but when I called the said they couldn't do anything but cancel the card. I hate that I got stuck on this Disney stuff and really look forward to those points. Oh Well. ----RANT OFF.

Just now looking at the other excursions. I'm sure Carolyn will be on soon since I told her how many posts have shown up in the last couple of days.

OK, now time for getting our FE stuff going. Man time is going too fast. I hope it slows down on May 30th.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Perhaps we will see one another on the road too!! We are leaving early on that Sat, actually arriving on the 24th. Don't know if I could manage driving a TT, good luck with that.

He is actually doing quite well, the afternoons are a bit hard on him though! Mostly b/c he is a stubborn man and won't take his pain medicine.

We actually lived in Arlington for a year while dh attended grad school in Fort Worth. Back before kids and all. Small world after all insn't is! I couldn't do big city life like that. We are basically in the Shreveport/Bossier area, but actually live just south of Bossier.

We are opting for the trolley for that exact reason. It makes no since to not be able to get on and off!!! We want to see the aquarium, lighthouse, southermost point and I want some Key Lime Pie!!

We had a 5:45 dining time last year on the Wonder. Had no prob. at all. It worked perfect for us, but we normally eat about 6:30 anyway.

Kayla

So you're arriving 24th or 23rd? Confused about which one. LOL
We were leaving on Sat (very early- DH is an early bird so might as well get more drive time in when he's wide awake!) and arriving on the 24th BUT then we realized that memorial day was that week so technically he's not taking that day off as vacation- he'd already get it off for holiday. So he's taking off the Friday before so we'll head out on Friday morning and arrive on the 23rd (who knows what time though- might be late). I had to add a day to our FW stay since we're coming in a day early!
So hopefully by Sat morning we should have already passed ya... you'll be travelling in our dust.
HAHAHA

I don't really know if we'll actually go IN places- that would add considerably to the cost for admissions for all those places but I just wanted to be able to get out with the kids (we've never been there) to say we've been there and also I like freedom. I don't really like being tied down to staying on there- if we want to get off and walk around, look at things, etc. -we will. And it's an all day pass right? So technically we could go back to the ship to eat and MAYBE go back on the trolley again if we wanted? I dunno. We'll play that day by ear but atleast getting off the ship.... DH is diving there all day LOL

I've drove thru the Shreveport area a few times in my day. LOL We were actually in FW yesterday- went to Casa Manana and then picked up our zoo tickets (for a homeschool day in March) We're about a 30-45min drive from FW & Arlington... about an hour from Dallas/airport (depending on traffic ofcourse LOL) but we live in a small town. Well not TINY anymore- it's grown quite a bit in my lifetime but I still hate it really when we have to go to the big cities. I don't like the traffic and the highways are a mess! bad traffic drives me nuts. LOL

I hope everyone gets the excursions/etc. they want tonight!!!

 

[Francisca64]

Son is thinking this is going to be an enjoyable cruise with five 18 yo girls. We are waiting to book our Palo brunch and dinner tomorrow. It's funny but I thinks he's looking forward to that more than anything...eating in the adults exclusive restaurant. I hope they'll have enough food. He is 6'3".

By the way MMMAGIC7754 - Nathan goes to Jefferson City Schools. He's looking forward to meeting a fellow Athenian...one of the greatest semi-small towns around!! GO DAWGS!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Bruce- I checked out that website. That's the first I've seen about a dress like that! Where in the world did your wife pick them up for only $20 though?

 

[chccatfish]

Bruce- I checked out that website. That's the first I've seen about a dress like that! Where in the world did your wife pick them up for only $20 though?

graveyardmall.com

It is a deal of the day site just like woot.com

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

Welcome to the new cruisers. We aren't dressing up either for Formal and Semi-Formal nights so it is good to know others are skipping this as well. We just don't want to pack that much and we are tired of dressing up for dinner!!!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Thanks. I'll check it out. $20 for ANY dress is a good deal but this one looks like you can make it into several dresses... so I'll check it out and see if I want to get it!

 

[klcason]

So you're arriving 24th or 23rd? Confused about which one. LOL
We were leaving on Sat (very early- DH is an early bird so might as well get more drive time in when he's wide awake!) and arriving on the 24th BUT then we realized that memorial day was that week so technically he's not taking that day off as vacation- he'd already get it off for holiday. So he's taking off the Friday before so we'll head out on Friday morning and arrive on the 23rd (who knows what time though- might be late). I had to add a day to our FW stay since we're coming in a day early!
So hopefully by Sat morning we should have already passed ya... you'll be travelling in our dust.
HAHAHA

I don't really know if we'll actually go IN places- that would add considerably to the cost for admissions for all those places but I just wanted to be able to get out with the kids (we've never been there) to say we've been there and also I like freedom. I don't really like being tied down to staying on there- if we want to get off and walk around, look at things, etc. -we will. And it's an all day pass right? So technically we could go back to the ship to eat and MAYBE go back on the trolley again if we wanted? I dunno. We'll play that day by ear but atleast getting off the ship.... DH is diving there all day LOL

I've drove thru the Shreveport area a few times in my day. LOL We were actually in FW yesterday- went to Casa Manana and then picked up our zoo tickets (for a homeschool day in March) We're about a 30-45min drive from FW & Arlington... about an hour from Dallas/airport (depending on traffic ofcourse LOL) but we live in a small town. Well not TINY anymore- it's grown quite a bit in my lifetime but I still hate it really when we have to go to the big cities. I don't like the traffic and the highways are a mess! bad traffic drives me nuts. LOL

I hope everyone gets the excursions/etc. they want tonight!!!

We are leaving very early on the 23rd and staying the night in Tallahassee. Early rising and hope to be in the Animal Kingdom shortly after lunch!! So yes we will be in your travelin dust!!

Didn't love the DFW traffic or livin for that matter. HATED my job while he was going to school, horrible time of life.....yuck! Anyway, our traffic here is a piece of cake.

I will be up late tonight too!! Good Luck everyone.

Kayla

 

[klcason]

Got the coupon for the trolley thank you for saving us some money. We will definately do the trolley thing and just see the sights in Key West.

We are still discussing formal night/Palo. We definately do not really dress-up at all. My wife did just pick up some infinity dresses ( http://www.infinitedress.com/index.html ) for $20 versus the $200 price tag. I do not own a suit that fits and I definately won't be purchasing one for the cruise, but DW thinks we might all look nice dressed up (maybe for a pic) so I might have to wear a button down shirt and tie. I was really considering skipping formal night and doing the Palo reservation then.

As for the kids, I think I can trust then enough that if they want to go to Topsiders for dinner alone, I just might have to allow that. Maybe if we are all at Palo the same night they might all be able to go as a group.

As for the credit card, I paid off the cruise on the 26, but it still hasn't shown up on my account (it is pending though so I made until another billing cycle). If you wanted to do it, I think you will be OK, it should wait until the next billing cycle.

RANT ---- Chase just sent me a letter saying they are raising the interest rate 50%. I don't carry much of a balance, but when I called the said they couldn't do anything but cancel the card. I hate that I got stuck on this Disney stuff and really look forward to those points. Oh Well. ----RANT OFF.

Just now looking at the other excursions. I'm sure Carolyn will be on soon since I told her how many posts have shown up in the last couple of days.

OK, now time for getting our FE stuff going. Man time is going too fast. I hope it slows down on May 30th.

Glad the trolley coupon worked out for ya!!

Kayla

 

[mmmagic7754]

Son is thinking this is going to be an enjoyable cruise with five 18 yo girls. We are waiting to book our Palo brunch and dinner tomorrow. It's funny but I thinks he's looking forward to that more than anything...eating in the adults exclusive restaurant. I hope they'll have enough food. He is 6'3".

By the way MMMAGIC7754 - Nathan goes to Jefferson City Schools. He's looking forward to meeting a fellow Athenian...one of the greatest semi-small towns around!! GO DAWGS!

Francisca64--My sons best friend is a sophmore at Jefferson High.We tried to talk them into going with us on the cruise but no luck

 

[brucechase]

Alright, it's midnight for you return cruisers. I fell asleep for about an hour, and woke up right before 12. I thought I would go ahead and try for Palo on formal night even though we really don't have a definate plan. As for shore excursions, I give up. Too many choices. I will have to look at that over the next few days.

 

[mmmagic7754]

Got my Palo booked for 6:00 Monday which is day at sea and it should be formal night based on recent navigators and also have Palo brunch for Thursday 11:30

 

[brucechase]

Wow Palo for 6 on formal night went fast. The earliest I could get was at 7.

 

[klcason]

Got Palo booked for Monday also, at 6:30, and brunch on Thursday @ 10:30, and tea Thursday @ 3. Great minds!!!!

Kayla

 

[pooh.kim]

Was able to get Palo brunch Thursday 11:00 and High Tea Monday 3:00. Did have problems with the website and it took almost an hour, but sleep is over rated anyway. We are booking excursions on our own - Nativeway in GC for my DD12 b-day and just taking a taxi to the beach in Cozumel. Probably the trolley in Key West.

Hope to see some of you in Palo.

Kim

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Well gosh- y'all didn't all say you were booking it on formal night! I guess none of y'all will be in the dining rooms on formal night? Or are you planning on double dipping dinner that night?
LOL

I booked Palo on Key West night- it just worked better for us on that night because DH will be scuba diving PAST the time where he'd be able to get on the ship and have main seating dinner with us (we have main seating dining time for the first time this cruise! The only day that interferred with excursions is in Key West when he's scuba diving all day). So I booked Palo on Sunday night. We'll be in the dining rooms on formal/semi formal unless we decide to pass on formal night and eat elsewhere. We're going to play it by ear but I bet we don't miss semi formal because we want that lobster. LOL

I was able to book snuba in cozumel and Ruby teen wild side for castaway cay. That's the only excursions we're doing thru DCL.

We're doing trolley tour in Key West (while DH scuba dives)- if any of y'all want to get together as a group and go together let me know! I'll be all along with my 3 kiddos. LOL I only mention that since many of you said you were going. Obviously we might not want to get off/stay at places at the same time but we could walk over together or something. We did that on some excursions on our last cruise- like we all were going to the fort so we walked over together and did the fort tour together but people meandered off and we all seperated at various times thru out the tour to explore more of the port and/or had other excursions. But I'm okay with going alone... it's just Key West. LOL

And in Grand Cayman we booked the 2 snorkel trip/stringray city/island tour (including some things like Hell, Turtle Farm, etc.) thru shoretrips.

So we're all set.
I was tempted to book some spa stuff on our days at sea but I resisted. I don't need to spend the money and I'd really like to have some days that we can really spend some time doing stuff on the ship that we never seem to be able to do- even though our last cruise was 15nts! LOL I've still never done anything in the spa or gym though...maybe I'll work out some this time (or maybe Jeff will LOL) or maybe I'll get the rainforest week pass or something. We'll see.

I'm glad it's all done. The snuba excursion was the only one that everything hinged on.. shoretrips/etc. don't do snuba in cozumel for some reason and that's the only port we didn't already have something planned plus the only one we've been to before so I'm okay with not taking our youngest at that port for that excursion- she's been there before. LOL I like to make sure we do something to get us all off the ship at every port we've never been to. It's a short excursion too- so I won't be nervous about leaving her on the ship. (plus she's a bigger girl now- not really a little one anymore LOL) AND we promised our son we'd take him snuba diving since he doesn't get to go scuba diving on this trip! (he did seatrek on the last cruise so we weren't really wanting to do seatrek..)

So is everyone happy with what they got and breathing a sigh of relief? This was SOOO much easier than the past 2 cruises I did! Those were stressful and we like "broke" the website for awhile both times and had slim pickings for things we wanted- I think because both cruises I've been on were so HIGHLY populated by repeat cruises who were also DIS'ers who knew to book ASAP when the time came! LOL

 

[mmmagic7754]

Was able to get Palo brunch Thursday 11:00 and High Tea Monday 3:00. Did have problems with the website and it took almost an hour, but sleep is over rated anyway. We are booking excursions on our own - Nativeway in GC for my DD12 b-day and just taking a taxi to the beach in Cozumel. Probably the trolley in Key West.

Hope to see some of you in Palo.

Kim

See you for brunch We have 11:30 that day.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

We've never done brunch and I wasn't sure we wanted to pay extra for the food and having to "be somewhere" at a certain time on sea days... plus having to get dressed during the day then again for dinner. Yanno?

But anyway what I didn't understand is the times for them. I thought it was kinda like a buffet and all at one brunch- but there are different times. So they like stagger you? Why exactyl is that? Do they expect you to hurry and eat and get out so someone else with a later time can have brunch that day too? I just don't know how that works.

We even had brunch booked on our first cruise (we were on the REAS pkg on our first cruise and booked it early) and then FORGOT about it- just totally forgot until the next day after... LOL

 

[klcason]

Well gosh- y'all didn't all say you were booking it on formal night! I guess none of y'all will be in the dining rooms on formal night? Or are you planning on double dipping dinner that night?
LOL

I booked Palo on Key West night- it just worked better for us on that night because DH will be scuba diving PAST the time where he'd be able to get on the ship and have main seating dinner with us (we have main seating dining time for the first time this cruise! The only day that interferred with excursions is in Key West when he's scuba diving all day). So I booked Palo on Sunday night. We'll be in the dining rooms on formal/semi formal unless we decide to pass on formal night and eat elsewhere. We're going to play it by ear but I bet we don't miss semi formal because we want that lobster. LOL

I was able to book snuba in cozumel and Ruby teen wild side for castaway cay. That's the only excursions we're doing thru DCL.

We're doing trolley tour in Key West (while DH scuba dives)- if any of y'all want to get together as a group and go together let me know! I'll be all along with my 3 kiddos. LOL I only mention that since many of you said you were going. Obviously we might not want to get off/stay at places at the same time but we could walk over together or something. We did that on some excursions on our last cruise- like we all were going to the fort so we walked over together and did the fort tour together but people meandered off and we all seperated at various times thru out the tour to explore more of the port and/or had other excursions. But I'm okay with going alone... it's just Key West. LOL

And in Grand Cayman we booked the 2 snorkel trip/stringray city/island tour (including some things like Hell, Turtle Farm, etc.) thru shoretrips.

So we're all set.
I was tempted to book some spa stuff on our days at sea but I resisted. I don't need to spend the money and I'd really like to have some days that we can really spend some time doing stuff on the ship that we never seem to be able to do- even though our last cruise was 15nts! LOL I've still never done anything in the spa or gym though...maybe I'll work out some this time (or maybe Jeff will LOL) or maybe I'll get the rainforest week pass or something. We'll see.

I'm glad it's all done. The snuba excursion was the only one that everything hinged on.. shoretrips/etc. don't do snuba in cozumel for some reason and that's the only port we didn't already have something planned plus the only one we've been to before so I'm okay with not taking our youngest at that port for that excursion- she's been there before. LOL I like to make sure we do something to get us all off the ship at every port we've never been to. It's a short excursion too- so I won't be nervous about leaving her on the ship. (plus she's a bigger girl now- not really a little one anymore LOL) AND we promised our son we'd take him snuba diving since he doesn't get to go scuba diving on this trip! (he did seatrek on the last cruise so we weren't really wanting to do seatrek..)

So is everyone happy with what they got and breathing a sigh of relief? This was SOOO much easier than the past 2 cruises I did! Those were stressful and we like "broke" the website for awhile both times and had slim pickings for things we wanted- I think because both cruises I've been on were so HIGHLY populated by repeat cruises who were also DIS'ers who knew to book ASAP when the time came! LOL

After discussing it with dh we decided we didn't want to worry with the formal attire, too much trouble. I don't think brunch is dressier than a normal dinner though, the pix looked so yummy!

I thought it all went very well, I was worried about it and I am super glad it is done.

We will have to talk about Key West, see what times work. And my dd is only a bit older than yours (1 year I think) so that might be nice! Actually she falls right b/t mine, ds will be 8 in October. I am really toying with the idea of trying to move hime up to the Lab. He loved the Club until it got time for evening activities, even at 7. Dunno if they will let me or not though as he will be 4 months from 8????

Kayla