November 25th, 2016 - Black Friday on the Wonder

[zimzim4]

I am in charge of the FE and if you read back the last page or two you will find my "rules". We are keeping most info private so when you get to 10 posts I can pm you. Feel free to post here or I put the link for the test page back a page or two also.

I have only stayed at the Holiday Inn on the beach and the Galvez. Both are nice and have shuttles that take you to the port. Recommendations depend on if you are driving to Galveston or flying into Houston and getting transfers down. Do you need a place to park a car?

Looking for hotel. It gives me a headache. I've searched, but some hotels are booked and some won't take us to port. But we have a rental car that we will drive back to CA, so I'm thinking that we can just do a park and cruise place. I've gotta get on the ball with this. Thanks for the info!

 

[Huskiesrule]

Looking for hotel. It gives me a headache. I've searched, but some hotels are booked and some won't take us to port. But we have a rental car that we will drive back to CA, so I'm thinking that we can just do a park and cruise place. I've gotta get on the ball with this. Thanks for the info!

You can also look at Galveston.com as they list hotels that have the park & cruise feature. Also, some hotels will let you park but you would have to take a taxi to/from the port. Your budget will let you know what to book

 

[hamm1207]

Has anyone shipped anything to the ship before? I'm contemplating shipping a box with diapers, wipes, etc...

 

[Huskiesrule]

Has anyone shipped anything to the ship before? I'm contemplating shipping a box with diapers, wipes, etc...

I thought I read on this site that they got rid of that at Port Canaveral and I am not sure they ever had that at Galveston Depending on where you are staying before the cruise, you might have luck mailing a box to a hotel. Just let them know it is coming and I assume there may be a fee for them to accept a box, but maybe not. Unless you know someone local that you can mail to?

 

[SilverLantern]

Does anyone know of a place to store luggage in Galveston for a few hours after a cruise? Our flight is in the late afternoon so if we disembark on time, then we have a whole morning in town with our luggage. We would love to walk around a bit and explore without dragging our luggage. We are taking the shuttle in so will not have a car.

 

[hamm1207]

Does anyone know of a place to store luggage in Galveston for a few hours after a cruise? Our flight is in the late afternoon so if we disembark on time, then we have a whole morning in town with our luggage. We would love to walk around a bit and explore without dragging our luggage. We are taking the shuttle in so will not have a car.

Are you doing the DCL shuttle to the airport? If so, you'll have to disembark and go straight to the bus bound for the airport.

 

[Huskiesrule]

Plus, I think if you do DCL transfers and use the airline partner check in onboard they take your luggage the night before we get off and you don't see it until you land. Then you would only have your carry ons. I could be wrong though, I haven't used that service from DCL.

 

[hamm1207]

We've done the on board airline check in before, but I can't remember if you have to walk the bags past customs...I think you do, but I could totally be wrong. Normally, when you put your bags outside your door on the last night of the cruise, they're tagged and taken off the ship for you. Then, after you disembark you have to go find them (they're sorted by character, although sometimes get misplaced) and take them with you as you proceed through customs.

 

[Huskiesrule]

Yep, @hamm1207 is right. The only ones that can check their luggage is those who booked air thru DCL(checked DCL site). I have never seen a place to store your luggage at the port. The only things there is parking lots, buildings and Harbor House hotel is a block or so away. Unless you are staying at HH before the cruise and then maybe you could drop your luggage there for a couple hours.

 

[Huskiesrule]

Good luck to any of the gold cruisers who can book things tomorrow. Not sure if there are any cabanas left but everything else should be

 

[cruisecrasher]

I always think I am going to do the party and see the fireworks on Pirate night - and then I see all the people up on deck and decide been there, done that and go to my room. Hopefully the weather is better this year as it was so windy last year.
I got bored and decided to count how many more Mondays we have and it is only 15. Somehow 15 Mondays doesn't sound as bad as 108 more days.
Just a reminder to everyone - cruises have to be PIF by 9/11/16(75 days before the cruise). Gold CC members can book excursions this Thursday

We've gone to pirate night on most of our cruises. I still plan to go this trip unless it's the indoor/inclement weather version. Wall to wall people crammed in the atrium? No thanks!
Staying up to book tonight!!!

 

[Huskiesrule]

We've gone to pirate night on most of our cruises. I still plan to go this trip unless it's the indoor/inclement weather version. Wall to wall people crammed in the atrium? No thanks!
Staying up to book tonight!!!

Good luck! If you were looking for a cabana, the only ones I saw left were at Serenity Bay if that helps.

 

[cruisecrasher]

Good luck! If you were looking for a cabana, the only ones I saw left were at Serenity Bay if that helps.

Aw, too bad.
That doesn't really help us.
Guess I can go to sleep even though the booking system is glitching tonight and not letting us book anything.

 

[zimzim4]

Can I ask what insurance any of you are using or have used? I need to decide before PIF date..coming soon. Good experiences with a certain company. Is this allowed?

 

[Huskiesrule]

Aw, too bad.
That doesn't really help us.
Guess I can go to sleep even though the booking system is glitching tonight and not letting us book anything.

Not sure why it wasn't working for you, as you can see from the time I posted I got in with no problem and could do what I wanted. Maybe that is because I am already booked on excursions and such though

Can I ask what insurance any of you are using or have used? I need to decide before PIF date..coming soon. Good experiences with a certain company. Is this allowed?

Yes that question is allowed. They have done many discussions on the main thread about that topic and you can search them out(or I may later when I have more time and post a link). It really comes down to what you want covered as the cost varies depending on coverage. Everyone here talks about going to insuremytrip.com and comparing plans. I'm lazy and just go with DCL and they say that is the worst you can do, but back to I'm lazy and didn't see much price difference when I had looked.

 

[hamm1207]

Can I ask what insurance any of you are using or have used? I need to decide before PIF date..coming soon. Good experiences with a certain company. Is this allowed?

I'll have to ask my husband. We just used what our travel agent recommended...

 

[Huskiesrule]

Here are just a couple of the most recent threads on trip insurance:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/understanding-the-dcl-trip-insurance.3533147/#post-56221428

http://www.disboards.com/threads/insurance.3514826/#post-55846994

http://www.disboards.com/threads/anyone-use-the-travel-insurance-provided-by-their-cc-company.3507058/#post-55681980

http://www.disboards.com/threads/confused-about-trip-insurance.3494304/#post-55392612

 

[512ATX]

When I booked, the only thing that was gone was one of the character breakfasts and a princess meet and greet (DCL may have blocked those off for those booking later or on the ship). If you're interested in anything in particular I can look it up for you.

We've done a few ports/excursions on our own and they've been wonderful (in Alaska, San Fran, and St Martten). We're planning on doing Key West on our own. Just keep in mind that if you're late getting back (and you've been out on your own or on a excursion not booked through Disney) that they will not wait for you (unless you happen to have a child aboard by him/herself with no one else linked to your reservation still on board).

Thanks! I appreciate you checking. I'll check back with you closer to 9/11. We are interested in a cabana but I'm sure those will be all gone by the time I book. Also want to do the Blue Lagoon Dolphin excursion at Nassau. If it becomes slim
pickins we might have to self book excursions. I need to know how
reputable some of the self booking places are...lots for me to research.

 

[512ATX]

We've gone to pirate night on most of our cruises. I still plan to go this trip unless it's the indoor/inclement weather version. Wall to wall people crammed in the atrium? No thanks!
Staying up to book tonight!!!

Anyone know what the weather is like during November? I'm curious as I've only been to Bahamas during summer time...

 

[hamm1207]

Anyone know what the weather is like during November? I'm curious as I've only been to Bahamas during summer time...

Last time we cruised late November/early December I want to say that the temps were in the 70s-80s and mostly clear skies. However, with the sea breeze it gets chilly on board. I plan on taking capris and t-shirts for me (with a sweatshirt) and pants & t-shirts/dresses for our daughter with a sweater and sweatshirt. We'll be hitting the tail end of hurricane season, so I'd keep a look out at the forecast before we leave. Although, a hurricane that late in the season is unlikely.