October 13th, 2007~"Cruise-A-Palooza"

[jenmack]

We booked out cruise about a week and a 1/2 ago. I have been checking the boards almost every day to see if a thread has been started yet on "cruise meets" for Oct. 13-20, 2007. Needless to say...Here I am, starting one myself.

This will be our 3rd cruise altogether & all three have been on the Magic. This will be our 2nd Eastern cruise.

It will be me, my DH, & our DS 12 (2 weeks before his 13th b-day), our DD 10, & our DS 6. My best friend & her family also booked for this cruise, but just changed their mind this last Monday. Her DH couldn't handle the price, BUT I am still working on them. .

We will be in 2 connecting SPR"S.

 

[dobelover]

Good Morning - We are booked. Glad to meet you! Sister aka CodyJ or Liz, our Mom aka Jeanne and friends Ray and Nancy. Oh, and me aka Sue. Have to book early to get the cabins you like. And the eastern is our favorite itinerary.





Sue

 

[jenmack]

Nice to meet you too, Sue. I too like the Eastern itinerary better, but I would be happy with the Western too. I just like being on the Magic.

 

[dobelover]

Morning Jen - I got my snail mail confirmation yesterday. I don't even have a BIG '07 calendar to mark it in.



Sue

 

[jenmack]

Hi Sue- I never did get a snail mail confirmation. Did you guy's make your ressie with DCL or a travel agent? We made our's w/ DU. Well, at least we are on the first page again. Maybe someone will see "us" and join the group???

 

[dobelover]

Jen - I called DCL directly. I can always switch to TA if the right one comes along.




Sue

 

[bevtoy]

We booked our cruise today through DU.
Its nice to meet other Eastern cruisers.
I am Bev, hubby Jeff, daughters Kate will be 17 and Anna will be 9 at time of sailing. Anyone have their stateroom numbers? We have room 8036.
We sailed the Premier Big Red Boat 7 day/land sea WDW package in 1996, then we did a week at WDW in 1998. The family is excited and the countdown has begun.

 

[jenmack]

Hi Bev & family! So far it's just been sue & myself. I guess it's only been a few weeks since we have been able to book. I just get a little excited. We all (me, DH & our DS, DD, & DS) went in October 2004 & were in room 8050, then last October of 2005 just my DH & I went & we were in SPR 5020. This time we are all going again & we too are very, very excited. Well, some more than other's...

We will be in connecting SPR"S 5522 & 5524.

Your DD Anna & my DD Haleigh are close in age. Haleigh will be 10 at the time we cruise.

 

[dobelover]

Yea! Hi Bev, welcome.



Sue

 

[bevtoy]

Sue and Jen its nice to meet you. We haven't been able to get back to anysort of Disney vacation since 98" so I am excited myself! Whats something either of you would avoid or recommend on a DCL vacation? This cruise is a special vacation for our 25th wedding anniversary.....

 

[bevtoy]

Jen, your DD Haleigh and Anna will be the same age, Anna will be 10 at sailing, I made a error. Does <DD> mean Disney Daughter?

 

[jenmack]

Bev, DD actually means darling daughter, but here on the Disney boards I think Disney daughter is perfect.

 

[dobelover]

Hi Jen and Bev - Hope you are having a good weekend.





Sue

 

[bevtoy]

Hello Sue,
We had a good weekend, how was yours? We purchased two books. Birnbaums Disney Cruise Line 2006 and Birnbaums Disney World. We are looking over shore excursions to see what might be good for us. Do you have a favorite or else one you took that you wouldn't take again? Have either you or Jen ever used these books?

 

[dobelover]

Hello Sue,
We had a good weekend, how was yours? We purchased two books. Birnbaums Disney Cruise Line 2006 and Birnbaums Disney World. We are looking over shore excursions to see what might be good for us. Do you have a favorite or else one you took that you wouldn't take again? Have either you or Jen ever used these books?

Bev - I use Birnbaum for WDW trips. For cruises I use cruise critic web site and then web sites from there. I have been several DCL shore ex and enjoyed everyone of them.



Sue

 

[jenmack]

HI Bev & Sue! Hi hope you are all having a wonderful weekend. Our's had been busy, but nice. It's absolutely gorgeous outside. Almost 50 degrees! I can almost start taking out the shorts.

Bev, I haven't used Birnbaums, but I have Passporter's and I too have used cruise critic which is very helpful. We have used Disney's shore excursions & have gone on our own. We have had a wonderful time everytime.

Well, gotta run, the outdoors are beckoning me...

 

[jenmack]

Bev & Sue- In regards to excursions... What are your thought's on the beaches in St Marten? My Dh & I have been to Orient Beach, but I am questioning it with the kids. Have any of you heard about the snorkeling in St Marten? Is it good?

~Hope you are having a great day! It's another beautiful one here!

 

[bevtoy]

Bev & Sue- In regards to excursions... What are your thought's on the beaches in St Marten? My Dh & I have been to Orient Beach, but I am questioning it with the kids. Have any of you heard about the snorkeling in St Marten? Is it good?

~Hope you are having a great day! It's another beautiful one here!

On our previous cruise we did not stop at St. Maarten. I can relay what I read in Birnbaums: If you want your 6 year old to snorkel they recommend "Pine Island Snorkel tour". Its a shopping (French side of island) and snorkeling tour for ages 5 and older. The other tours that include snorkeling are for 10 years and older.
Birnbaum says the snorkeling is great; the shopping spectacular. (3.5 hours) $35 for adults, $30 for 5-9 yrs. There were 3 other shore excursions announced at press time that they did not have time to rate.

 

[jenmack]

Thanks Bev, I think we might snorkel in St Marten and maybe do Sapphire(sp?) Beach in St Thomas. We did the opposite last October when it was just my DH & myself. Orient Beach was beautiful & part of me would go again, even with the kids. The only think is the partial to full nudity. You don't see much of it, but you do see it. Part of me doesn't mind the kids seeing it, it's part of the European culture, there's not a lot of it & the kids will be so busy having a great time on the beach. But my oldest will be almost 13, part of that awkward stage & I want to be sensitive to that.

Also, we snorkeled in St Thomas and it was my first time, but not my hubby's. I'm hooked though, I loved it!!! I definetly want to snorkel again so I guess it's deciding whick Island. St John's is supposed to be one of the best. Hmmmm, decisions, decisions...

~Take care & have a great day!

 

[bevtoy]

We started snorkeling at St Joseph State Park in Florida on Cape San Blas several years ago. Its one of the safest protected snorkeling bays in America....... gorgeous. Snorkel on one side of the penninsula, cross over a large sand dune on the board walk and boogie board on the other, or fish.
I too am a snorkel addict. We purchased good snorkels to take with ( we vacation there every other year) so we don't have to rent them, I understand we can use a complimentary snorkel vest at Castaway Cay so I figure it might be worth taking them along.