November 26, 2005/ 7 day Eastern Magic

[DsnysGr8t]

Here's the link for the tip calculator. It's great because you can use it for all the cruise lines!

http://members.aol.com/CruiseTip/

LGM

 

[karaeric]

BUMP up...Hey, where is everyone? Geez, you'd think you all had jobs and lives. Come on, what's more exciting than planning a vacation on DCL?

 

[TJGorman]

I was just thinking that there hasn't been much action on this thread. Has anyone booked flights yet? With such a big group, we are waiting for Jet Blue to open up their flights but I am getting nervous that we won't get a good rate (read under $2oo per person/roundtrip). We are planning on getting to Orlando on Friday and somehow, haven't decided whether we will rent cars or use van service, go to Port Canaveral. How is everyone else's travel plans working out?

 

[DsnysGr8t]

I booked our tickets using frequent flyer miles. We will be at WDW for the week prior to the cruise. My folks are driving cross-country in their motorhome and are "shuttling" us and karaeric to the port!

LGM

 

[disneybride96]

We are going to fly down on Thanksgiving day. Hopefully the rates and crowds will be better on the holiday than a day or two after. If we still had faith in ATA, we would probably have booked when they dropped to $189 round trip. Just not to sure if they will still be around in November.

 

[TJGorman]

I have the same concern about an airline (USAIR) still operating in November/December. We were originally going to book flights with USAIR, but with their bankruptcy problems, we didn't want to take a chance. We think Jet Blue will be good but they will not be opening up their flights for awhile, so it's just a waiting game.

 

[disneybride96]

Here's a question for everyone!
Why did you choose this particular week to cruise?

 

[DiaLady]

Hi folks --

We're in the same boat (hee, hee) as ya'll with airplane plans. We'll be flying ATA, but I'm waiting for their really good prices (usually $100/person). We're planning to fly the day after Thanksgiving (Friday) and spend the night before taking a chauffered drive to the port. I'm trying to pitch staying at the Peabody to my hubby . . . just for something different. My kids have never seen the ducks

Why did we pick this week? Mostly by default .. sorry. . . I really wanted to do a Western, but hubby couldn't get off work on the 1st week of December so we chose to go the week before or the week after. Mostly it's was based on price and time of year. Do you think it will help me get my Christmas shopping done early if I'm going on a cruise?? We also wanted to see DCL at Christmas. We're read so many great posts about it.

Have a fabulous day!

Theresa

 

[april riddle]

We are flying from North Carolina, my mom will be flying in from Detroit. So we have to co-ordinate our flights. DH wants to drive this year but I don't want to and we were able to get flights for $130 round trip by waiting for a good seat sale. We fly Delta and they are already listing the price at $180 not too bad. We are going to come in on Friday and either drive to Cocoa beach for the night or just stay at the Hyatt and get a limo service first thing Saturday morning since we did a two week stint this past November. I can already tell he is not going to let me squeeze a couple of days in anywhere else. Boo hoo! I had actually thought about switching to the December 17 sailing but as of Monday all the quads were sold out. We had originally been booked on the December 3rd sailing but I am worried about sailing so close to Christmas and not getting anything finished before I go. We went the same week last year and it was tough getting co-ordinated.

 

[TJGorman]

We picked this week because we are cheap! We are from buffalo, so we wanted to go at a time when it's cold here and warm in St. Thomas. We did not want to pay the higher prices through Feb. and March, so we started pricing different dates and the least expensive week we found was 11/26.

 

[Boo Mc]

Hi folks - looking for opinions on transportation. I'm now thinking about getting to Orlando a day or two early so we can hit the parks before the cruise. (Although part of me wonders if I should considering what the crowds will be like ). Anyway, I'm wondering what would be easiest way to get from the airport to an on-site hotel for a day or two and then to port and, of course, back to the airport after the cruise. If I rent a car can we drop it off at the port? Would that be cheaper than hiring a service both ways? Then I guess we would just need a bus/cab from the ship back to the airport. Any idea of pricing for these things? I'd like to book flights now but I have to figure out all of this timing stuff first. And I thought planning the cruise was tricky!!
Has anyone been to the parks (especially MK) on Thursday or Friday of Thanksgiving week? I know it's crowded but is it so crowded that you're miserable? Can you even get on the rides?
To disneybride - we picked this week mainly because it's my birthday and we were pleasantly surprised to find out that the prices are also good during that time - an added bonus! :thewave: And then when I found out the ship would be decorated for Christmas, I really had to book it!

 

[thumpery]

We booked this cruise to go around the boy's school schedule that doesn't include a holiday (peak and expensive) time.

TJGORMAN - We are from Rochester, and totally agree with you regarding going where it is warmer and the rates.

The extra bonus is seeing the ship all decorated for Christmas.

BooMC - I have already set up rental cars for both before and after the trip. We will be using Budget.

 

[DsnysGr8t]

We booked this cruise to go around the boy's school schedule that doesn't include a holiday (peak and expensive) time.

TJGORMAN - We are from Rochester, and totally agree with you regarding going where it is warmer and the rates.

The extra bonus is seeing the ship all decorated for Christmas.

BooMC - I have already set up rental cars for both before and after the trip. We will be using Budget.

We will be there from the Saturday before, we aren't planning on going into one of the parks on Thanksgiving or the day after. Probably do a water park on Thanksgiving and some shopping on Friday (plus LOTS of laundry!).

If you are booked at a WDW resort they will start offering the "Magical Express" this is free ground transportation from the airport to the resorts (and luggage transporation!) There are car rental companies with drop off sites by the port, but am not sure which would be the best.

LGM

 

[karaeric]

BooMC - I have already set up rental cars for both before and after the trip. We will be using Budget.

Thumpery, question for you - have you used Budget to get to the Port before? I am wondering if you (or anyone else out there) has experience with how long it takes to get to the Port once you drop off the rental car with Budget.

 

[thumpery]

karaeric - Yes, we have used Budget (2004) and Avis (2002). We have chosen Budget again for this trip due to their cheaper rates and they are the closest rental car company to the terminal. As far as transfers, it went very quickly going to the terminal. We dropped the car off at Budget and maybe waited 10 minutes for the shuttle to come and get us. We loaded up and were there at the terminal within another 5-10 minutes. I guess it would depend on the crowd of people they get. I know they shuttle to the other ships too. That day there was a Carnival and a Holland America. To be honest, I thought they should bigger shuttles; like small buses. They only had vans. We have always chosen to rent a car to have the freedom around Orlando before the cruise.

I hope this helps you out!

 

[karaeric]

karaeric - Yes, we have used Budget (2004) and Avis (2002). We have chosen Budget again for this trip due to their cheaper rates and they are the closest rental car company to the terminal. As far as transfers, it went very quickly going to the terminal. We dropped the car off at Budget and maybe waited 10 minutes for the shuttle to come and get us. We loaded up and were there at the terminal within another 5-10 minutes. I guess it would depend on the crowd of people they get. I know they shuttle to the other ships too. That day there was a Carnival and a Holland America. To be honest, I thought they should bigger shuttles; like small buses. They only had vans. We have always chosen to rent a car to have the freedom around Orlando before the cruise.

I hope this helps you out!

Perfect! Thanks so much. We had also used Avis before, but we weren't very excited about them and wanted to try someone else. We will be using Budget for our trip in May!

 

[DsnysGr8t]

Well we chose the Doubletree Inn & Suites in DTD for our last night before the cruise. My folks will be "shuttling" us all in their motorhome to the port, so no need for figuring that part out!

I finally found a mini-van available for our land portion, only Thrifty had any available! I'm keeping my fingers crossed some free up (with good discounts of course) before we go!

LGM

 

[DiaLady]

We're thinking about using Happy Limo. Their prices seem reasonable. I'm trying to put together an expense summary for my hubby so we can plan for what we'll need.

Hey, what does it mean to have a formal night on the ship? How formal is "formal" on ship? Anyone picked out what they're wearing for it yet?

Thanks!

 

[DsnysGr8t]

Here's the quote from Disney Cruise line's website for "What to Wear" "Aboard our 7-night cruises, one dinner is semi-formal. Another evening requires more formal - or "black-tie-optional"- attire. Tuxedo rentals are available, in advance. Other themed evenings aboard our 7-night cruises that adults might want to pack for include salutes to the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s."

We LOVE to dress up for the formal nights, I've got a couple of gorgeous evening gowns that I wear only on cruises and we bought my DH a beautiful tux before our last cruise so he looks equally great! Even my 12 yr old DD gets into the act and looks lovely in her gowns (Though she's much harder to pin down on Disney cruises for a meal).

LGM

 

[disneybride96]

We're thinking about using Happy Limo. Their prices seem reasonable. I'm trying to put together an expense summary for my hubby so we can plan for what we'll need.

We have booked with Happy Limo. We are doing the Stretch SUV Excursion from WDW to the port and the Sprinter Van back to the airport. Even with the splurge of the SUV, the price was about the same for the 11 of us as it would have been with the DCL Transfers. (Plus we don't have to drag our luggage around as much!) I can't wait to see everyone's faces when the limo show up to pick us up. We told them that we booked a van!
BTW- We decided to stay at Coronodo Springs Thursday & Friday nights.