November 12, 2005....7 Night Eastern...Who Else?

[PrincessHaleysMom]

Hi Allison (ok, Disnurse),

Are you guys going to Cancun or Riviera Maya? Where are you staying?
And I spoke with your ex-travel agent/idiot and she sure thinks highly of herself.

Hi to everyone else too!!!!!!

 

[DIS NURSE]

Hi Jessica....hope all is well with you and your family.

We are going to be staying at the 6-star resort of Iberostar Paraisio Lindo!!!!! So excited! That is considered part of the Riviera Maya, I think....right next to Playa del Carmen. Have seen LOTS of pictures and reports.....much to their luck very little damage from hurricane Wilma.

So you spoke with the travel agent from HELL , did you?
I would love to email her and tell her about rebooking the next cruise with someone else and what a great deal we got!

Next Nov (2007) I am dreaming and researching taking us all to the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas! That is my next goal!

 

[barkley]

"my" (our) goal by november 2007 is to have sold the house and relocated to a new "home state" (btw houseforsale-i went on the arizona government web site-there are loads of jobs dh is "tailor made:" for ), be debt free (with the exception of our dvc dues), and be a year into our achieving a 5 year plan to own a home outright and having the financial means that allows dh to stop working (to return to school, to relax, to do "whatever")...although i must say-if we move to arizona, it might be tempting for him to secure and retain a job at one of the universities-the concept of our kids being able to go to college tuition free would go a long way towards that 105 day world cruise

 

[PrincessHaleysMom]

Riviera Maya is doing good - Cancun is not. So I am glad you are going there! You will have fun.

Your ex travel agent is too busy boasting about herself and how great she is at everything - makes me laugh!

Barkley -remember me for the 105 day cruise. I will give you a huge discount your husband can't refuse!

 

[PrincessHaleysMom]

Where's my Arizona friends? We just booked a week at the Westin Kierland Villas in Scottsdale (traded our time share). What are some fun things to do with an almost 3 year old? We'll be there when it should be good and hot June 3-June 11. We need a hotel for one night since we are coming one day early - any suggestions? We also had to fly into Tucson since Delta had no flights to Phoenix using our sky miles - I wasn't paying $550 x's 3! This is Ben's dream trip for golf. Honestly I never thought of Arizona as a vacation destination since I spend most of my vacations in the Caribbean or Orlando!
So tell me what to do!

 

[Choc_marg]

Jessica,

I'll get together a list of info & post it soon. Chris is in London until tomorrow night, so I'll chat with him & get some info your way. Early June will be hot, but not as bad as it could be. I would guess that you'll see temps in the mid-90s, but it is still cooling off at night & there isn't any monsoon weather yet, so it isn't sticky & miserable.

DISnurse's parents live in Phx area too, so she may have some ideas. We usually head for the hills during the summer

More later!

 

[PrincessHaleysMom]

Thanks! No hurry! And remember I live in GA - where the humidity is a 1000% - so we might be chilly there! Haley and I will stick to the pools for the most part anyway while Ben golfs!

Thanks so much!

J

 

[DIS NURSE]

Yup! Choc Marg is right....my parents live in Desert Mountain...just on the upperside of Scottsdale. I am trying to think of things we enjoy there that we've done. There is a great sounding water park there (in Pheonix) that ou would have to drive to but it can't be that far. It is always closed (not open yet for the season) when we visit for spring break. Choc Marg, what is the name of it again? Tell us about it!

There are lots of great sounding mini golf/ amusement type places right in Scottsdale. There is tons of great shopping.
Everywhere you look you see expensive cars and expensive houses and lots of retired poeple with LOTS of $$$$!
That place blew me away the first time we went.

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Catching up again - most of my posting time has been preparing for our May -Double Dip Cruise.

But we are taking time off to dive EPCOT.

Barkley's DH - you did this - did you not? Any suggestions? Things to look for etc.

 

[PrincessHaleysMom]

Yup! Choc Marg is right....my parents live in Desert Mountain...just on the upperside of Scottsdale. I am trying to think of things we enjoy there that we've done. There is a great sounding water park there (in Pheonix) that ou would have to drive to but it can't be that far. It is always closed (not open yet for the season) when we visit for spring break. Choc Marg, what is the name of it again? Tell us about it!

There are lots of great sounding mini golf/ amusement type places right in Scottsdale. There is tons of great shopping.
Everywhere you look you see expensive cars and expensive houses and lots of retired poeple with LOTS of $$$$!
That place blew me away the first time we went.

I read about the shopping - that's where I will be! And the pool. This is so totally not my kind of vacation to not get to see a beach! We're going on one of the Pre-Inaugural sailings of RCCL's new Freedom of the Seas in May so I'll have to get my fill of sea water then.

 

[Barkley's DH]

Catching up again - most of my posting time has been preparing for our May -Double Dip Cruise.

But we are taking time off to dive EPCOT.

Barkley's DH - you did this - did you not? Any suggestions? Things to look for etc.

I did indeed. It was awsome and I would do it again!!!

Suggestions??? Dive! Dive! Dive!

Things to look for: They have over 65 variates of tropical fish, sharks, rays, a giant sea turtle. They have also construted a sunken Spanish Gallion complete with a 300 lbs anchor at the bottom and cannon balls that people can toss around to each other. Go ahead and "donate" the extra $35.00 to get the DVD of the experience. I have watched mine over and over with friends. The first 20 minutes or so is a guided tour with the dive master then it is a free swim for the second 20 minutes.

I will see if I can find a way to rip the DVD and post a copy somewhere so you can see it.

Things to watch out for: At one point they have you swim through a ring of rock and "coral" (it is imaganeered) and several of the group bumped their heads on it. I had the distint honor (in our group) of being the first one to do so.

Here is the dive report I posted from WDW and the cruise...

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=119632

 

[chip&dale&fun]

I did indeed. It was awsome and I would do it again!!!

Suggestions??? Dive! Dive! Dive!

Things to look for: They have over 65 variates of tropical fish, sharks, rays, a giant sea turtle. They have also construted a sunken Spanish Gallion complete with a 300 lbs anchor at the bottom and cannon balls that people can toss around to each other. Go ahead and "donate" the extra $35.00 to get the DVD of the experience. I have watched mine over and over with friends. The first 20 minutes or so is a guided tour with the dive master then it is a free swim for the second 20 minutes.

I will see if I can find a way to rip the DVD and post a copy somewhere so you can see it.

Things to watch out for: At one point they have you swim through a ring of rock and "coral" (it is imaganeered) and several of the group bumped their heads on it. I had the distint honor (in our group) of being the first one to do so.

Here is the dive report I posted from WDW and the cruise...

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=119632

Thanks so much for the hints....Cannon balls.....we can be pirates under water.... I hear you cannot take your own camera - pity, and you only get a shorty wetsuit, again, pity.

We have a 5:30 time slot - when was yours? I thought if we were last, we would not be rushed in case the group in front of us was late. Prob. not a problem....

 

[Barkley's DH]

Thanks so much for the hints....Cannon balls.....we can be pirates under water.... I hear you cannot take your own camera - pity, and you only get a shorty wetsuit, again, pity.

We have a 5:30 time slot - when was yours? I thought if we were last, we would not be rushed in case the group in front of us was late. Prob. not a problem....

No Camera (otherwise how would they sell their DVD?) The only personal equiment that you can bring is your own mask. This was good for me since I use a mask with prescription lenses. Other than that they won't allow you to bring in anything. Yes, they only provide a shorty, but since it is an indoor controlled environment, that really isn't a problem with the water temp.

You are actually considered a "Castmember" when you do the dive, because you are visible to the public in the Living Seas and the adjoining resturant.

I did the 4:30 time slot but don't worry, you will not be rushed whichever timeslot you do. The whole thing takes about 3 hours and starts with a backstage tour of the living seas. Groups are limited to 12 people max for each time slot.

 

[STB ON THE BEACH]

I read about the shopping - that's where I will be! And the pool. This is so totally not my kind of vacation to not get to see a beach! We're going on one of the Pre-Inaugural sailings of RCCL's new Freedom of the Seas in May so I'll have to get my fill of sea water then.

YEA!!! Freedom of the Seas!!! I was telling Dis Nurse that's the next ship we want to sail!!! I wanna' hear,,,,I wanna' hear!! Please send a full detail report!!!

 

[DIS NURSE]

oooohhhhh, yeah!..... Wanna hear, wanna hear!

We will be waiting on pins and needles!

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Barkely DH - thanks for the update....but if it is a 3 hour tour ( theme music in background please) won't it be dark by the time we hit the water...???

Oh well, it is Disney, they do know what they are doing...yes?

Freedom of the Seas Adventures, sounds fun....

We have hatched a cruise addict group - yes....This is a "good thing".


Hope everyone is doing well. We are looking forward to our May Magic Cruise....the planning has begun...No neon bracelets however.....


Later.....

 

[DIS NURSE]

Hi C&D&F!

We fellow Double Dippers are watching you guys closely, as I am on pins and needles trying to figure out if we will truly be going to Cozumel or not!

You'll have to give me full report of what they did with your itinerary. There is lot of info out there that suggests the new docks, thus DCL's ability to go to Cozumel, won't be finished until late 2006 or early 2007!

Do tell me your experiences afterwards!
I hope you go to Grand Cayman if no Cozumel. Don't you!?

 

[chip&dale&fun]

It seems Disney may chance the tendering for the double dippers, we will see. And yes, a full review can be posted when we return.

Someone on our thread looked to see that the Doulbe Dip cruises still were heading to Coz.....Again, we will see - since we are the first.

When again is your cruise - November again? If so, you should not have a problem...


Still dreaming (honest - last night as well) about the Atlantic crossing.

How cool woiuld that be?

 

[DIS NURSE]

Thanks for the quick reply! Is Cozumel really important to you guys because of your diving? Could Grand Cayman be as nice for you? Are there any diving options at Costa Maya?

I will be anxious to hear your experience! Don't you feel like you just got back from our other cruise? Gary says that all the time now 'cause we are leaving in 4 weeks for Cancun (south of there near Play a del Carmen to an awesome 6 star All Inclusive). We will be just above Costa Maya.

....should be an adventure with the kids n' all.....4 other families are going too (from our home town and all the kids are friends! ). Gary and I will get a little more time to ourselves on this trip.

We sail on the Double Dip Nov. 11th.
Our kids still talk about our cruise experinece ALOT and draw pictures, dream about it, etc. It really was an amazing trip for us! I am so excited to do it again!

 

[PrincessHaleysMom]

I am leaving next Thursday for a Celebrity cruise for 4 days. We stop in Key West & Cozumel - of course will have to tender in. I'll report on the progress of the port and, keep your fingers crossed I use my new digital camera correctly - I'll send pictures! I am going alone with my associate - my first time ever away from Haley - luckily this is a Seminar at Sea so they will have lots of drinks for me.