November 7, 2009 ~~~~ AHOY ST.CROIX ~~~~

[LindaBabe]

You can't get both the $50 onboard credit for the Disney Visa AND the $200 onboard credit for rebooking while on the ship (at least that's what I've been told and it has been true the past 2 cruises).

Yes, that's what I was told, also, when I inquired.

I'll take the 200$, thank you, very much.

 

[TiggerzFan]

Sorry about that... I know the VISA credit doesn't apply to FL discounts, but really, why shouldn't it apply otherwise? It's supposed to be a bonus for using "their" card. Well, at least there are the Disney Reward Dollars!

 

[LindaBabe]

Well, at least there are the Disney Reward Dollars!

And we're doing GREAT with those - my new patio door went on it, AND the new windows, AND the cruise besides the usual gas and groceries

 

[GoofyTraci]

It was almost sad to read all the posts about the last night as if our cruise is over before it has even started

I always get a lump in my throat as we return to the ship after Castaway cay. Greg has to remind me its the last time I will be getting back on board the ship this trip I hate that.

Of course the cure for this is to have another cruise booked to look forward to.

Good night everyone,
Kathy

Sorry it was me who started the last night of the cruise talk when I moved palo reservations. It will be ok Kathy. I am tired and need a carpal tunnel release after filling out all of the school paperwork.

Hope everyone has a great day.

 

[LindaBabe]

it *WILL* be ok - we have two long months of anticipation to get through, first!

 

[TiggerzFan]

Plus, we'll have the excitement of potentially making reservations for The Dream! I've been hearing tidbits of exciting plans for the ship, can't wait to hear more!

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Good morning ladies,

Nice cool morning today.
Traci it was good you got us talking about the end of the cruise because we got some great tips listed for the new cruisers.
That got me to thinking about lots of tips that I wished i had known before my first cruise.
Here is a list that may help some people.

1.Early arrival gets an early boarding pass number at check in.

2.Terminal opens 10 a.m.

3.Boarding starts around 11:30 to noon.

4.Keep camera with you at ALL times, even in the terminal. characters will appear there for photos. Outdoor viewing area of the ship for photos.

5 check in at kids club table while waiting to board ship. saves you time on the ship. In the Terminal check in is near the cafe in the front of the area.

6. Take a few one dollar bills. Some for room service tips some to tip porters who take your bags at the termnal. $1 per bag is customary.

7. Take small bills for the islands. many small shops dont have change for large bills.

8. If your going to use your credit card on the islands, call your CC company first and tell them or you will have to wait on a phone call to ok all your purchases. This is a big hassle and can take 30 minutes or more.

9. Most shops who take credit cards, require a $20 minimum purchase.

10 Take camera to dinner each night, surprizes happen all the time. You wont be alone. you will even see cam corders at dinner.

11. Arrive at all shows 20 minutes early for good seats.

12. Arrive at character meets 10 minutes early

13 Princess meets arrive 15 minutes early, they line up fast for this.

14. On Castaway cay if you want your photo taken with Captain Jack Sparrow, do NOT ride the tram to the beach area. It does NOT stop near him. You must walk in to the beach signs say 10 minute walk in it takes us 8 minutes. He will be along the way in the sand and photo has the flying Dutchman behind you, great photo! Check navigator for times he will be there.

15 There are characters along the way to the beach, ok to ride the tram for this. Lines are short and move quickly so it is a great opportunity to see characters without lines. check navigator for times and places.

16 Also characters appear at the gazebo near cookies BBQ on the island during the day.

17 Adult only beach has it's own area for lunch they often have steaks or lobster there as a special treat for the grown ups. But Cookies BBQ by family beach has more variety of other foods.

18 Dont miss the Farewll late the last night in the atrium. Many of the characters and actors from the shows will line up on the stairs and will pose for photos for you. This farwell party is really nice and fun.

19 Check for photos everyday at shutters. buy a package deal and save $$ if you dont buy enough photos for the package deal they will refund you the difference at the end of your cruise .
or if you buy a photo and then decide the next day you see one you want more, just bring back the one you bought and the receipt and tell them you want to exchange it and they will be happy to do this for you.
I think they have changed over to photo pass where you can order your photos on line after you go home. I havn't used this yet.

20. You can order warm chocolate chip cookies or Mickey ice cream bars from room service even though it is not on the menu. The warm cookies are available in the evenings only.

21. Bring 2 white pillowcases or a matte style picture frame in a zip lock baggie with water proof markers (sharpies) and leave at guest services desk ask to be autographed and they will be returned to you the last night all signed by the characters. I also add a card with my name and room number on it just in case their card gets lost. I like to use dark colored markers, the light colors dont show up as well. It must be dropped off the first day for them to guarantee they will have time to get it all done.
I often add a thank you card and maybe a mini sample box of whitman chocolates as a thankyou.

22. If you need to change dining times or make a Palos reservation go directly upon boarding to take care of this. The sooner you do it the better your chances of getting what you want .At check in you will be given a paper that will have an exact time and place to do this..

23. I f you have kids leave a wake up call and then let them answer the phone. It will surprize the because Mickey will be on the phone telling them it is time to get up. If they are young kids, have a cam corder ready to catch the surpize on their face. It is great.

24 Afternoon matinees of the shows are great to see. They are the exact same show, they leave out nothing but it is less crowded and kids arn't as tired, plus it makes for a more leisurely evening. No need to rush to or from the shows due to your dinner time.

25. Pop is free in all restaurants and at the drink station on deck 9. But if you order it from waiter or buy at a lounge or bar you will be charge for it plus a gratuity.

26. Stop by the drink station and grab a drink to take with you to the shows or movies instead of buying a can a pop there. If you want a snack stop and grab pizza or hot dogs or fruit on deck 9 to take with you. again save money over buying a bunch of snacks for the kids.

27.At dinner kids can order from both the kids or adult menu.

28. Oveer the door shoe holder works great to hang on the bathroom door for all those little items like tooth brushes and toothpaste, etc...

29. No need to book floats and bikes ahead of time for Castaway Cay. They have tons of them. wait until you get there to make sure your really going to need the floats or have time to ride the bikes before renting them. we always just walk up and do it at the beach.

30. If you want to do the banana boat ride or the ski do(eco tour) I would book ahead of time. They do often have last minute openings so dont be afraid to ask when you arrive if you didnt book it and decided you'd like to do it.

31. if you rent bikes there are 2 nice trails just off the runway. The first one will have an observation tour. It has a great view of the island and ship. Bring your camera for this!! while up in the tower be sure and look around the base area of the tower. There are some whimsical things to see there too.

32. all the trails have ice cold water in big yellow barrels in wooden framed stands, so no need to carry your own unless you want to.

33. They do NOT have microwaves on board but they will give you hot water to heat baby food if you need it. They will also purre' some foods for you for babies if you request it.

34. Many of the island have attendants in the public bathrooms and they want a tip for you to use the bathroom. So keep a few quarters handy. Some are very pushy about this.

35. Casinos bathrooms are free and cleaner on the average than public restrooms in the shopping areas.

36. On the islands, often by mid morning bathrooms run out of t. paper and paper towels and soap. ALWAYS take your own sample size in your bag of T.Paper, hand wipes, hand sanitizer and seat covers. You'll need them many times. Bathrooms on excursions are pretty good but those that are jus tin the shopping areas can be bad.

37. NO water fountains to be found , water is precious on the islands. So you must buy bottled water if you want a drink. There is always someone selling bottled water on the ship by where you exit the ship if you want it. It is cheaper than what you'll find on the islands.

Be ware of vendors walking around saying one dollar for a bottle of water. some have been found to be used bottles they have filled up themselves.

38. If you want to have your or your childs hair braided, DO IT ON THE SHIP !! Dont do it on the islands accept Castaway Cay.
They will braid your hiar, shove the comb in their pocket them use it on the next person and the next without sanitizing or even washing the comb!!!
Plus they have been known to give people a hard time about the price they owe them, after they are done.

39. ALWAYS set a price before doing anything on the island and make them stick to it. Taxis or private tours are great, but always set the price before you get into the cab.

40. Some excursion you drive the vehicle. Make sure before you leave home that your insurance will cover you IF you have an accident. Most will NOT cover you outside the U.S. without you making arrangements ahead of time.
Just before you drive off for your excursion you will be asked to sign a waver saying YOU are responsible for that vehicle and if your insurance wont pay, you will !!. Also many times you will share the driving with another couple, but only one of you are required to sign the form, so if you sign and the other person wrecks the vehicles, YOU are responsible!!

41. If you want a pool on board all to yourself, come back early from Castaway Cay right after lunch.

42. If you have young girls, bring a princess dress to wear on formal night and to wear at Princess meet n greets. It is great for the photos.

43. Large strollers don't work well on the ship. Narrow hallways and small elevators. Bring an umbrella style for easier navigation of the ship and for taking on excursions. Be careful while walking around. Many sidewalks are broked and not many slopes at crosswalks, just drop down to road. Very easy to trip if your not a steady walker or pushing a stroller.

Shops are generally small and narrow isles so strollers don't work well in those stores eighter unless they are umbrella style.

44. Bring a water proof camera for photos while you swim or snorkel.

45. If you plan in taking photos from your balcony set your camera out for a few minutes so the lens can adjust or it will be all fogged up.

46.There is a clothes lin in the shower, bring clothes pins to hang you wet bathing suits to the line.


I'm sure others here can add more good tips to these. Lets hear from the rest of you. What tips can you share with us for a better, more enjoyable cruise??


Kathy

 

[GoofyTraci]

Wow Kathy....What a list! thanks for the info. There were some things I really didnt know. And I never thought about bring TP. But I am so glad to know.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Wow Kathy....What a list! thanks for the info. There were some things I really didnt know. And I never thought about bring TP. But I am so glad to know.

Traci,
I go to walmart to the section for travel size things and get t.paper, seat covers and hand sanitizer so it is so small I can easily fit into my bag when we are off the ship. It has come in handy 3 times now.
My grandkids were so glad i had the stuff. Adults can go into Casinos and the bathrooms are cleaner there. Although most wern't up to the US standards, depending on which islands you on. Plus where on the island your at.

It is like everything is clean in the morning but late afternoon they never seem to check and things get pretty bad sometimes. I will say St. Thomas is one of the cleaner better places we have been on DCL. But it never hurts to be prepared.

I argued with a lady one time on St. Maartin. The bathroom wasnt stocked and it wasnt clean and she wanted a tip for me to leave the bathroom. I told her i had to use all my own stuff and wasnt paying her anything. Good thing I couldnt understand what she yelled at me, I know it would have made me mad. I was shopping on my own,not on an excursion.

Kathy

 

[TiggerzFan]

Great list Kathy!

Another tip for those with Fish Extenders is to bring a platic Zip Tie (medium size will do) to fasten it to the metal Fish Clip (and scissors or nail clippers to take it down). There have been a few reported cases of them disappearing - personalized and all. Likely by some young pranksters. Some sturdy string or anything else that you can easily remove will work, too.

Something else I like to do is to bring some extra door magnets (small ones) and Mickey ears for the doors. That way I can commit "Random Acts of Magic" on a few of the sad little undecorated doors nearby!

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Those are great tips too.
I knew others would have some more good ideas.
I hadnt thought about a way to fasten my extender. I just loop the ribbon over the fish and hope nobody takes it. Especially since a good friend made it for me as a gift. I always hope nobody bothers it.
It is rare when they disappear, I think when it happens on a cruise it is just one rotton person who grabs a bunch of them. I am going to take a medium tie as you auggested, great idea!

I love making door magnets They are so much fun.
I usually have 2 or 3 signs on my door on every cruise then put them in my scrap book afterwards.
I am going to make some this time but not sure what design i will use this time.
I have done so many now, that its hard not to repeat something I have already used.
We have been the receipient of many small door magnets on previous cruises that were great. I still have them. What a great surprize.

I think one year Linda made everyone a magnet, although it wasnt signed.

Sometimes I bring them in at night and put back out the next day. I just put them on the inside of the door. That way they dont disappear. it doesnt happen very often but door signs can disappear too.

Sometimes they will appear on someone elses door or in the trash. Kids usually like to mix them up late at night.
I put my room number on some of them so if someone finds it on their door, maybe they will return it.

Who is making door signs besides Donna and me?

If your new and dont know how, just ask they are fun and easy to do and your doors look great. Even PM or e-mail me for directions if you want.


They also make it easy for kids especially to find their cabins. Adults too after a late night of tropical drinks


Anybody have pictures of past signs they want to share? It may give everyone some ideas.
I will see if i have photos of some of mine to share to.

Kathy

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Here are some of my past door signs

I love this one because Goofy has given out the presents to the wrong people which is so typical of him.

The wording wont make sense to you guys because it was referring to a Dis member of our group.

This is the size fo our Dis group last year. Linda is right in front on the right, I am way up in the back row almost. Most had matching shirts. We took over the terminal It was so much fun. People thought we were all family.

This is my fish extender that my friend made me, it is pirate themed.

 

[GoofyTraci]

We are new as most know this is our first cruise, But i already have so many designs I think I might have to change our door daily to use all of the ones I want.

I want to decorate the door on Nathan's birthday. Pirate night, and just all of the magnets and designs I have gotten together already.

I am really excited about it as everything will be a surprise for Nathan. I will find some links to share so everyone can get ideas about what we r talking about.

 

[GoofyTraci]

Here are a couple of DISigners that help with making designs for your doors:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2147014&page=148

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1966574&page=238

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2225095&page=39

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2219533&page=28

And here is the link to look at how others have decorated their door. One of our shipmates even has a pic posted of her door.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2011909

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Those are great links Traci,

the more things everyone can see and read about the more ideas we can all get for our signs.
I havnt a clue what I will do for signs this time.
I want do be totally different from the last ones.

Kathy

 

[stampinshauna]

10 Take camera to dinner each night, surprizes happen all the time. You wont be alone. you will even see cam corders at dinner.

We love to take pictures of our food. The presentation is usually so fun and then we can reminisce about the yummy desserts and such.

 

[stampinshauna]

Hey Kathy--I love your signs! Where did you get the graphics for them?

 

[GoofyTraci]

Millie pie has this thread and also helps out on the cruise magnet thread 2 listed above. She is very sweet and has done some great ones for my family.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2220428

Kathy,

When I get home I hope I can see your pics. The comp here at work wont let me .

Let me know if anyone needs anything. I am so excited and planning makes me happy. Not really sure what I am going to do post cruise . Except plan another one .

 

[LindaBabe]

Kathy those are GREAT door signs!

I do similar but do not print them on magnetic sheets - I'm too che - er - frugal, that 's it - FRUGAL. I put a magnetic sheets in the back of a page protectors and change the signs in front of them at will.

That's a great list, too, although I do disagree with the one about tipping the porters a dollar a bag.

We tend to tip at least twice that and sometimes more depending if they're taking the bags right out of the trunk next to the building, or if they're coming out to the shuttle on the edge of the road and schlepping them across the parking lot. They're a big help too, if you have more bags than you have labels - they're the ones who can fix it. On debarkation, we generally give the porter a $20 because they have to not only schlep the luggage (which somehow seems to have multiplied) but find it too, and then shepherd us through the line at customs.

That pirate FE is a work of art! love the ship.

Tiggerzfan, I like the idea of random acts of Magic. I'll plan for that. I LOVE making magic!

 

[GoofyTraci]

Kathy,

Your FE is awesome. I have ordered one from a fello diser. And I am so excited to get it.

We are also thinking of the cheapest way to have several disigns on our door. As I have mentioned above we have lots. I have been posting all day. Kinda like I didnt work today or something.