May 9, 2012: 5 Night Bahamas Cruise on Disney Magic

[Feisty Fairy]

I have several questions! Hi everyone!
We are going with our 1 year old (11 month at the time of the cruise but we are celebrating an early birthday).
What about the nursery? any experiences?
What to do in Key West with a little one?
And in Nassau? Atlantis? Do someone recommend it?
Cast Away any babies activities? shade areas?
I'm just so confused, is our first with a baby and we like to adventure, but now thing need to be a little planned, so we are trying to organize.

Any recommendations?

Welcome Aboard Marichi. I have no children so sorry can not be much help with questions.

 

[lzmom_of_twins]

Hi Marichi!!! Welcome This is our 1st cruise, and my kids are 7, so I really cant answer your questions. At Key West though, he might like a trolley ride and they have an aquarium. My kids loved that stuff at his age.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Alrighty! Catching up!

Welcome to our newest peeps! Glad to "meet" ya! <--I'm a hugger. Sorry.

I measured my FE last night and I think it turned out too wide. Crappola! So I'm gonna trim it down by 1/2 an inch on either side then re-bind it. More work. Dadgummit! I can't wait to get the thing done!

9 weeks?! Wow! Time is flying so fast! I better get busier...if that's possible.

OOOOh! And to those planning to rebook while onboard.......yeah, when we were on our first cruise in September we booked a total of 3 more cruises. We picked the cheapest 3 itineraries we could find, slapped the deposit down for those, then then switched them to where we wanted to actually cruise. The first is this cruise, the next will be next May (Western on the Fantasy because we're doing an Eastern on RC's Allure for Thanksgiving 2013 with the hubby's family), and the third is an all-girls getaway cruise for the other fan forum I'm waaaay more active in than the Dis. ((I generally Dis just for the cruise boards. TRs and everything else is on the other fan site. )) I actually booked a total of 3 staterooms for the girls' cruise to hand-off to my TA/friend and another dear friend. So, in all, we booked 5 staterooms on 3 sailings onboard. This cruise I'm going to be booking another 2 or 3 just to have to move around as I want into the future. I think my brother is going to try to take his girls on the Western next May so maybe I'll try to snag a stateroom I can hand off to him. I'm such a good little sister.

 

[Britster18]

When you rebooked... did you go for the cheapest (being a 3 night) or did you book by the cheapest for the amount of nights you really want?

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Cheapest by price to make the deposit as little as possible but also far enough out I could move it without penalty. Was nice to not have gigantic deposits all at once. Booking a stateroom for my brother next May will be different in that it won't be the driven by deposit amount because it's a specific date already chosen. Also, if you use a TA (I do because she's my friend also) you can list them as "owner" of your bookings so they get the commission still.

 

[Britster18]

Cheapest by price to make the deposit as little as possible but also far enough out I could move it without penalty. Was nice to not have gigantic deposits all at once. Booking a stateroom for my brother next May will be different in that it won't be the driven by deposit amount because it's a specific date already chosen. Also, if you use a TA (I do because she's my friend also) you can list them as "owner" of your bookings so they get the commission still.

I use Dreams and know to put my TA down... so that's good.

So did you just book a 3 day cheapy? If you wanted to move it to a 7 day, wouldn't you have to pay more for the deposit?

 

[Britster18]

ok, another question... is there a character breakfast on our cruise??

 

[PixieMom712]

We aren't telling our boys, they still think we are going on the jan/2013 one... little do they know.... AND my parents are going, they are going to FLIP OUT!

We are going to stay at the Marriott Residence Inn the night before. We have hotel points to use

I wish I hadn't told my son so soon but he kept seeing the Mickey Boat when I was researching online. Now I have sixty-whatever days to hear him say "Are we going TODAY?!?!" Oh well. When I told him there was a pool on it he freaked out. "How big is this boat anyway?!" So he definitely doesn't get it.

I'm guessing his passport update will come through quickly. I work on an AFB too (I'm a civilian contractor) and everyone here who has done passports recently has received them in 2-3 weeks. I think it's because we've already been investigated, so we're easy. We applied for a passport for our son almost 2 weeks ago. I saw they cashed the check a couple days ago, so I'm figuring the passport will come soon.

Even without the passports, you can get off the boat in Nassau... you just can't leave there by air (a closed-loop cruise does not require passports). We weren't going to get a passport for our son, but we need one for the Alaska cruise later this year, so we figured we'd just do it now.

After seeing the pictures of the pools on board, I wouldn't miss a port to stay on the ship to swim.

Let's hope so! But if you're right and we don't need it for Nassau anyway that's good. There's a chance we may be doing a decent amount of work-related travel next year so we need them anyway as well. I'd just feel better to have them just in case, anyway!

And I reached my 10 posts! Here's our family picture.

Great picture! You are all adorable!

ok, another question... is there a character breakfast on our cruise??

I'm a cruise rookie but according to everything I have seen, there is not one on anything shorter than a 7 day.


So speaking of passports! This morning my husband asked me where mine and DS's were. I told him, in the big safe. He just looked and they aren't there. In the old little fireproof safe? No, not there either. The last time we used them was 3 years ago when we went to Korea and I KNOW I put them back in the safe, but he tends to use it almost like a nightstand - it is full of his stuff. So I go back there, having a heart attack, wondering where they could be. I grab a stack of paper and junk and lift it up and... lo and behold, there they are. Panic attack for NO REASON. I guess it's good the uterus is a tracking device, huh?

 

[Britster18]

ok, so thinking of renting an electric in Key West...
Any ideas on companies? how would it work with a 2 year old??

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I use Dreams and know to put my TA down... so that's good.

So did you just book a 3 day cheapy? If you wanted to move it to a 7 day, wouldn't you have to pay more for the deposit?

Yep! I booked cheapies! Actually, a few days before we left on our trip I got with my TA and we shopped which to target ahead of time so I wasn't walking up to the desk and asking to be booked on the 3 cheapest itineraries he could find. Guy at the future booking desk was super-duper sweet and a huge help! Yes, when I switched the bookings it generated an additional deposit. Well, except for the girls' cruise one. That one actually generated a credit but I left the money already paid in place so it was less for everyone to buck-up moving forward on payments. Everyone was very happy all the way around. The Fantasy Western generated a hefty additional deposit amount but at least it wasn't a huge smack-down on my Disney Visa at the time of booking. I paid the card back off long before I switched the booking and charged more. This cruise, I guess you could say, generated a huge jump in price but when I switched to this booking from the other one we had in September I was inside the window where I could start booking things so I needed to go ahead and send in the entire amount of the cruise. Still, it wasn't terrible. Definitely cheaper than the Fantasy/Eastern was going to be in September.

So speaking of passports! This morning my husband asked me where mine and DS's were. I told him, in the big safe. He just looked and they aren't there. In the old little fireproof safe? No, not there either. The last time we used them was 3 years ago when we went to Korea and I KNOW I put them back in the safe, but he tends to use it almost like a nightstand - it is full of his stuff. So I go back there, having a heart attack, wondering where they could be. I grab a stack of paper and junk and lift it up and... lo and behold, there they are. Panic attack for NO REASON. I guess it's good the uterus is a tracking device, huh?

Yep. And with a husband & 2 sons mine is totally overworked. That's why I'm so scatter-brained about everything. It's busy filing the locations of everything in this house. I've adopted my mother-in-law's old strategy. She used to tell her kids if she went & looked where she already sent them to look and the item was there even tho they said it wasn't, she got $10. Love it!

 

[Britster18]

Yep! I booked cheapies! Actually, a few days before we left on our trip I got with my TA and we shopped which to target ahead of time so I wasn't walking up to the desk and asking to be booked on the 3 cheapest itineraries he could find. Guy at the future booking desk was super-duper sweet and a huge help! Yes, when I switched the bookings it generated an additional deposit. Well, except for the girls' cruise one. That one actually generated a credit but I left the money already paid in place so it was less for everyone to buck-up moving forward on payments. Everyone was very happy all the way around. The Fantasy Western generated a hefty additional deposit amount but at least it wasn't a huge smack-down on my Disney Visa at the time of booking. I paid the card back off long before I switched the booking and charged more. This cruise, I guess you could say, generated a huge jump in price but when I switched to this booking from the other one we had in September I was inside the window where I could start booking things so I needed to go ahead and send in the entire amount of the cruise. Still, it wasn't terrible. Definitely cheaper than the Fantasy/Eastern was going to be in September.




Yep. And with a husband & 2 sons mine is totally overworked. That's why I'm so scatter-brained about everything. It's busy filing the locations of everything in this house. I've adopted my mother-in-law's old strategy. She used to tell her kids if she went & looked where she already sent them to look and the item was there even tho they said it wasn't, she got $10. Love it!

I need to steal that idea!!

 

[PixieMom712]

Yep. And with a husband & 2 sons mine is totally overworked. That's why I'm so scatter-brained about everything. It's busy filing the locations of everything in this house. I've adopted my mother-in-law's old strategy. She used to tell her kids if she went & looked where she already sent them to look and the item was there even tho they said it wasn't, she got $10. Love it!

That is SHEER BRILLIANCE!

 

[iloverags2]

Work has been the PITS this week! Ugh. Catching up on all the new posts here, and wow! There's a lot of them.

First things first, for the FE folks, I uploaded the spreadsheet to Google docs...you all should have received an email from me. Of course, I totally didn't think about the fact my Google account is not associated with my iloverags2 email account, so you will be receiving an email from Cindy Seaburn instead. Thankfully the subject line is FE List 5-9-12, so that should tip everyone off as to who it's from. Sorry about that!

Wanted to pop in with ideas for the teens/tweens since I have 2 teen boys. Boys? Easy! Deck of cards (my 2 love poker ), frisbee, cheap shades, a buck, drawstring backpack, manly cologne samples, travel size sport sunblock, lip balm, blank cd-r to save their favorite vaca pics to, etc. Girls are easier than the boys! Hair accessories, travel toiletries, cheap shades, change purse, perfume samples, lip gloss, travel mirror, ... I could go on all day with the girls because I'm a pretty girly-girl myself. Lol! Hope that helped a little. My oldest just got his braces off so I don't have to police his candy intake as closely as before.

Excellent idea for the teens and tweens! Thanks for those tips.

Cindy I love the pics of the ship.

I love your pics Cindy! Thanks for sharing.

You are welcome! The mom and me cruise was a blast!

As far as FE ideas, my girls (13 & 9) love those rubber bracelets & there are watches that are rubberized, for some reason they seem to have them in shoe stores, I looked up some online and you could get several colors for next to nothing. Should work for boys or girls.

More excellent ideas for the teens and tweens!

Anyone going without Passports??
Since we switched last minute, I don't think I have time to get them.

We have sailed in the past without passports with no problems.

During our land sea trip we'll be visiting Naples, first time, can you tell me the must to do!! which is the best shore? we'll stay just almost 3 days so we want to enjoy it!

You will be over on the Gulf Coast in Naples, which is quite beautiful. Where will you be staying?

Hello fellow cruisers, its that time of the week again. We now have only

Weeks until we sail!!

Awesome for 9 weeks!

We are. We have decided to not get off the boat in Nassau and just stay on the ship & swim. After this cruise, if we like it, we do plan to get passports.

You can still get off the ship even without passports.

I can't believe we're down to NINE weeks. Between now and then I have a week-long girls only Vegas trip, which was planned before the pregnancy, and my MIL is coming for a week. I am hoping those things make the time fly, but not so much that I can't get my stuff done.

Oy! You are going to be one busy person! Enjoy all those trips and visits!

Cool!
I'm winging it with not getting the passports, none of us have them and it would be over 600.00 to get them.
Staying on in Nassau is an option for us too... FOR SURE!! I call a pool/spa day!

Yikes! Sticker shock!

I just found out that my husband needs to update his passport, so now I'm nervous. I am hoping he can do something through the AF and get it quickly. OR I guess we can stay on the boat in Nassau. We would not have to skip CC, right?

No need to stay on the ship at either!

We aren't telling our boys, they still think we are going on the jan/2013 one... little do they know.... AND my parents are going, they are going to FLIP OUT!

We are going to stay at the Marriott Residence Inn the night before. We have hotel points to use

We are staying at Marriott's Residence Inn at the port also, the night before. Feisty Fairy is too!

DH is already planning on booking two rooms onboard to talk them into doing the next one with us!

There ya go! A little enticing should do the trick.

Nassau is either REALLY expensive for us or boring. I've been there 3-4 times and other then finding a beach to plop on (or spending $$$ for Atlantas) there isn't really anything to do. Plus the pools/slide will be empty!

Have you gone over to Queen's Staircase and Fort Fincastle? It's a bit of a walk from the ship (if you like walking, it isn't much of a walk at all, in fact). Very pretty area, and the view from the top of the fort is beautiful!

And I reached my 10 posts! Here's our family picture.

You guys are so cute!!!

Ok, so I have a few questions:
1. If we book a Castaway thing like the snorkel/bike/float package and don't want use it when we get there, how do we cancel?

2. For the nursery, I don't want to book anything in advance.. Palo is totally booked anyway so there is really no need for the nursery.... but, can I just go their as a walk in last minute if we need to?

Excursions can be canceled up to three days prior to sail date, otherwise you will be charged for them. If you aren't sure you want to use the package or not, wait to get on board to book (or even when you arrive at CC). Typically the snorkel equipment and bikes are easy to come by and advance reservations are not necessary.

You can walk in last minute to the nursery if necessary, but they will only take you if they have space available. Hard to predict that one, when something will be open or not.

What about the nursery? any experiences?
What to do in Key West with a little one?
And in Nassau? Atlantis? Do someone recommend it?
Cast Away any babies activities? shade areas?
I'm just so confused, is our first with a baby and we like to adventure, but now thing need to be a little planned, so we are trying to organize.

Any recommendations?

Welcome aboard marichi!

We do not have children (and the first time my DH sailed was when his daughter was 13!), so I can't make any recommendations or give thoughts on past experiences. My suggestion for Key West is the trolley tour. If you book through DCL, there is no on/off privileges, which actually might be nice for you with the little one!

Atlantis is nice, but basically the equivalent to a Disney water park. At the rates they charge, you will definitely want to take that into consideration. Who all would be going?

There are definitely shady spots on Castaway Cay! You should have no problem finding a good spot!

I measured my FE last night and I think it turned out too wide. Crappola! So I'm gonna trim it down by 1/2 an inch on either side then re-bind it. More work. Dadgummit! I can't wait to get the thing done!

Argh! I did that with my first (and only!) attempt at making an FE!

ok, another question... is there a character breakfast on our cruise??

Unfortunately, no character breakfast on our cruise. They do these on itineraries with three or more at-sea days (or two at-sea days with a late port call on another day). So bummed because I totally loved that on our last cruise!

So speaking of passports! This morning my husband asked me where mine and DS's were. I told him, in the big safe. He just looked and they aren't there. In the old little fireproof safe? No, not there either. The last time we used them was 3 years ago when we went to Korea and I KNOW I put them back in the safe, but he tends to use it almost like a nightstand - it is full of his stuff. So I go back there, having a heart attack, wondering where they could be. I grab a stack of paper and junk and lift it up and... lo and behold, there they are. Panic attack for NO REASON. I guess it's good the uterus is a tracking device, huh?

OMG! That is hilarious!

ok, so thinking of renting an electric in Key West...
Any ideas on companies? how would it work with a 2 year old??

There are a ton of companies that have great service with the electric cars in Key West. You should be good with any of those at our drop off spot. We are renting a convertible from Tropical Rentals, who also rent electric cars...they have gotten great reviews. They offer both pre-bookings and rentals once at the pier.

Whew! I'm caught up! But I so love our chatty group here!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I need to steal that idea!!

That is SHEER BRILLIANCE!

Oh yes! My mother-in-law is full of wonderful little treasures like this. I'd be lost without her!

Argh! I did that with my first (and only!) attempt at making an FE!

**sigh** First time at anything there's always that pesky learning curve. LOL! It'll be a little work to narrow it but not an impossible task. Not like I have to start over. I'd be heartbroken!

Whew! I'm caught up! But I so love our chatty group here!

It's wonderful, isn't it?!

 

[Britster18]

I sat and read all 29 pages last night... I'm all caught up!

Today starts day 1 of potty training for our 2 year old.... how am I going to research our trip AND do that! AHH!!!

 

[Feisty Fairy]

We aren't telling our boys, they still think we are going on the jan/2013 one... little do they know.... AND my parents are going, they are going to FLIP OUT!

We are going to stay at the Marriott Residence Inn the night before. We have hotel points to use

So awesome. They will be so surprised. Oh me and hubby are staying at the Marriott Residence Inn there with a certificate we earned too. Cindy aka Iloverags2 is also staying there. It looks like a nice resort. And I love that it had free breakfast and the mangers special at night during the week nights. May can not come soon enough but wants it gets here I want it to go slow.

 

[wildforgoofy]

So speaking of passports! This morning my husband asked me where mine and DS's were. I told him, in the big safe. He just looked and they aren't there. In the old little fireproof safe? No, not there either. The last time we used them was 3 years ago when we went to Korea and I KNOW I put them back in the safe, but he tends to use it almost like a nightstand - it is full of his stuff. So I go back there, having a heart attack, wondering where they could be. I grab a stack of paper and junk and lift it up and... lo and behold, there they are. Panic attack for NO REASON. I guess it's good the uterus is a tracking device, huh?

So typical!! But let's not forget the tween years with girls! Not only am I suppose to know exactly where her favorite shirt is, but I'm need to find it for her NOW!!!!

Yep. And with a husband & 2 sons mine is totally overworked. That's why I'm so scatter-brained about everything. It's busy filing the locations of everything in this house. I've adopted my mother-in-law's old strategy. She used to tell her kids if she went & looked where she already sent them to look and the item was there even tho they said it wasn't, she got $10. Love it!

Love this! We have the same policy but with a more medieval twist. If the kids can't find what they're looking for and we have to find it, and we do they get a good ol' fashion charlie horse! Nothing send a kid up the stairs to find their coat like a punch in the shoulder. That's terrible I know!

 

[Britster18]

Ok, minor problem.... MRI isn't accepting rewards points for that time period???!!

 

[Feisty Fairy]

Ok, minor problem.... MRI isn't accepting rewards points for that time period???!!

Are you sure? Did you call them? I had no problem using my certificate after a call to them because my certificate was not showing up.

I did not see any blackout days and I just checked online.

 

[lzmom_of_twins]

I just ordered my DD a new princess dress & nightgown from the DS. They had them on sale today. She is going to be so excited!!!