October 17, 2009 Western

[kimberleeJohnston]

Howdy, everyone! I am new to the 10/17 cruise. I was over on the 10/3 since I think September, 2008, but sadly my husband couldn't get the appropriate week off of work and we had to push the cruise back a bit. I know it isn't a huge loss, but it has cost us a couple hundred dollars and I liked the location of our other stateroom better. Due to having to switch everything I told him he has to buy me a massage on the ship. Seems fair, right?

This is our very 1st cruise. I am super-excited.

I have read this whole thread before posting and I will say: I do turkey meatloaf, I say I am from Iowa (although I have been in California for 10 years), and I will not be doing the FE, mainly because we don't have any kids.

I can't wait to go!

Hi!!!! Welcome to our group!!! Thats too bad about having to push the cruise back, but now we got ya, so its all good!
If you do a FE I promise Ill put small bottles of alcohol in the slots...lmao
Anyways welcome!!!!

 

[strega7]

Welcome beansf, we are glad to have you on the boat.

We have 4 more weeks of school left, and I can't tell you how ready I am for school to get out. My son keeps telling me there are only two weeks left, he is sure going to have a hard time when his two weeks are gone and there are two more. Work is crazy nuts, I got my wisdom tooth pulled this week, and I am just getting over a cold.....the cruise is sounding better every day! I told my husband we may need to take a 4 dayer this summer just so I could make it to the one in oct....I could tell by the look on his face that he thinks I have lost it.

I am not sure if my family will do the FE thing or not. It might be fun, I am just not quite sure how to pack everything to put as gifts.

 

[yazee1]

when DS went into the basement looking for a hammer. "Mommy, Daddy, there's water going all over Mommy's desk" DH went to check it out, he wasn't even to the second step when I heard him say, "Oh my God, I can hear it".

Oh, my gosh! After reading the first few lines, I had a hard time reading the rest. This just hits too close to home having dealt with flooded basements a time or two. I'm glad to hear you didn't suffer a total loss in the basement.

The first time I experienced a basement flood was the summer after third grade. We lived in a row home where the basement window is street level. For some reason that window was left open. Maybe, the cycle door was left open, too. I don't know. It rained cats and dogs that night and the next morning the basement was waist high (on me) in water. Not thinking of the property damage, I was excited about the idea of swimming in the basement and that fact that I had just learned how to make paper boats from reading "Curious George Gets A Paper Route".

 

[yazee1]

Make sure the kids dont see!

I Work at Build A Bear Workshop!

OOOHHH. Love Build A Bear. Except for the one time we went to one in a mall not in our area and there was a male employee who was extra attentive to my son (11 at the time) in a really, really creepy way. I wish I could forget that one incident because otherwise going to Build A Bear was something special my father would do with the kids on their birthdays.

 

[yazee1]

Howdy, everyone! I am new to the 10/17 cruise. I was over on the 10/3 since I think September, 2008, but sadly my husband couldn't get the appropriate week off of work and we had to push the cruise back a bit.

This is our very 1st cruise. I am super-excited.

I have read this whole thread before posting and I will say: I do turkey meatloaf, I say I am from Iowa (although I have been in California for 10 years), and I will not be doing the FE, mainly because we don't have any kids.

I can't wait to go!

Welcome to our group! You have definitely done your homework.

Please don't let not having kids stop you. We did the FE for the first time on our last cruise and we didn't sail with the kids that time and neither did several other couples in our FE group sail with kids. We got a lot of nice goodies - Lush products, hand crafted picture frame, hand crafted necklace, a Harley key chain, a handcrafted mini-scrap book and that's just what I can remember. We also received candy but we saved it for the kids. The only thing that might prevent us from doing the FE this time is having to be kind of tight on discretionary spending this year.

 

[CastMember 02]

OK That Build A Bear Experience sounds like it was scary, we are very uber excited on a daily basis, especially at Downtown Disney

 

[nascarchic]

I wish October 17 was here now. I need to be on a ship.

 

[calmpets]

Hi everyone! One of my fellow travelers has just joined the board - yippee! Nascarchic is my dad's girlfriend, so you can update my party on the main list. Thanks!

 

[yazee1]

OK That Build A Bear Experience sounds like it was scary, we are very uber excited on a daily basis, especially at Downtown Disney

Excited and friendly I can understand and really appreciate. I love the general cheerfulness at Build-a-Bear and the Disney Store. This man was not chipper, he was just very focused. There were no other kids in line at the stuffing station when my three kids walked over to where he was sitting. The store was empty of people so I let them go over while I looked at accessories. As you know, usually, adults take to the younger kids more quickly than the pre-teens who are still young enough to like "stuffties" (as my kids call them) but don't have the childish exuberance of the younger kids. But, this man had no interest in talking to my daughter, who was about 5, and very excited to be there, and my younger son who was about 8. He was all about getting to know my oldest son. I could see the younger two kind of standing there while the man talked to William. I was close enough to hear when the man asked my son what kind of movies he liked, and my son told him he liked to read science fiction and watch science fiction movies. When the man started telling William how he made movies and my son could come see them, I walked over to them. He didn't let up talking about his movies and asking William if he wanted to come over and if he lived around there even when I showed up. I cut the conversation off by telling him we were from out of town.

The kids had no idea how creeped out I was. I called the manager later and told him I had concerns about the man inviting my son to come to his house and watch his homemade movies.

 

[wendym]

Welcome to our new shipmates! Oh how I wish school was finishing soon but we dont finish till the end of June and I will have about 200 senior Biology exams to mark, 2 40th birthday parties to organise and an essay to finish - oh and yes of course I have my "pretend" cruise on RCCL in July. However we are looking forward to that too.
Enjoy the weekend all.
Wendy

 

[beansf]

Has everyone settled on excursions yet?

I know I can't book mine for ages, but we are already talking about Cozumel and I booked Native Ways Watersports on my own for Grand Cayman. In Key West I am planning a self-guided walking tour where we go to Hemingway House and walk to the Southernmost Point Buoy. I spent some time in Key West a few years back, but my husband has never been.

I guess I am going to put together a wishlist for Cozumel, since I am not sure what will be left by the time we get to 75 days. My husband is interested in dolphins, and I was looking at Xcaret. Anyone else?

I would also like a Palo dinner and/or brunch if I can manage it, but I am very confused how anyone knows the dinner rotation or what night is good to book Palo. We have late seating, by the way. How about you guys?

 

[kimberleeJohnston]

Yazee1 That is so strange about the build a bear guy....thats a little inappropriate I would say!!!

We have about 4 weeks of school left, and even though we are dying to get out to the lake, having all 3 kids around all day everyday is a little daunting....lol

The FE are really fun, if you are worried about packing space we recieved a lot of small little things. Maybe try to think of something from the state your from.....we gave Canadian Leaf pins out on our last cruise. They were really tiny, I just packed them in a ziplock with all my toiletries.

Welcome Nascarchic!!!!!
Thats it from me! Its a long weekend for us Canadians this weekend, and hubby and I have anniversary plans!! Have a good weekend everyone!!
Kim

 

[calmpets]

I'm not sure where I am going on Grand Cayman, and I'm letting my dad lead me around Key West (he's been there many times). For Cozumel I plan to go on my own to Mr Sancho's Beach Club. The have tequila tastings there, a full restaurant, a beach, ATV & horseback tours, and beachfront massages.

 

[kimberleeJohnston]

I'm not sure where I am going on Grand Cayman, and I'm letting my dad lead me around Key West (he's been there many times). For Cozumel I plan to go on my own to Mr Sancho's Beach Club. The have tequila tastings there, a full restaurant, a beach, ATV & horseback tours, and beachfront massages.

I think we will do a beach in Cozumel, the Butterfly farm in KeyWest, and maybe another beach in Grand Cayman....with 3 small kids all they want to do is play in the water and sand, which works for dh and I!!!
I know I wont be leaving KeyWest without chocolate dipped keylime pie on a stick from Blonde Giraffes!!

 

[kimberleeJohnston]

Has everyone settled on excursions yet?

I know I can't book mine for ages, but we are already talking about Cozumel and I booked Native Ways Watersports on my own for Grand Cayman. In Key West I am planning a self-guided walking tour where we go to Hemingway House and walk to the Southernmost Point Buoy. I spent some time in Key West a few years back, but my husband has never been.

I guess I am going to put together a wishlist for Cozumel, since I am not sure what will be left by the time we get to 75 days. My husband is interested in dolphins, and I was looking at Xcaret. Anyone else?

I would also like a Palo dinner and/or brunch if I can manage it, but I am very confused how anyone knows the dinner rotation or what night is good to book Palo. We have late seating, by the way. How about you guys?

We booked all our excursions for last years cruise 30 days out and most of everything was still available....we were not able to get any spa reservations on sea days, or the Palo brunch.....but once we boarded we were able to reserve everything we wanted!
Im sure you will be fine!

 

[NCjenn]

Hi Everyone...

I am trying to book this 10/17 western for my family and am struggling with what kind of room to book. We've never cruised before and I am getting confused with my choices. Not sure I want to sepnd the extra money on the verandah so I am leaning toward a Cat 8 on deck 6. Several people have told me I don't want to be at the front of the boat though...

Any advice???

Hoping by the end of the day I can "officially" join your travel group for this cruise!

And thanks, in advance, for your help!

Jennifer

 

[calmpets]

Welcome NCJenn! There are tons of conflicting views about what type of room you should get. Some people will tell you that they would never sail without the verandah. Some people will say to just get the cheapest room available since you aren't in it much anyway. Ultimately it's a personal choice, but I'll tell you how I choose. For me, an inside stateroom is uncomfortably dark at night, so I need at least a window. Verandahs are nice, but I've never been able to justify the cost when I can simply take an elevator to deck 9 (or 4) to be outside. I do prefer a higher deck (which would put me in a cat 8) but I don't care enough about it to pay the extra money. I like to put my cash toward my extravagant onboard spending! No one in my party has ever been bothered by the ship's motion past the first night. Whatever you decide, you'll have a great time!

 

[KJF]

Hi NCJenn! Yes, there will definitely be a lot of differing views on what to get. For us, we did get the balcony - this is our first DCL cruise, but have done others w/ the balcony before we had kids. We enjoy relaxing out there, being able to go outside while someone is showering/getting ready, quiet time - esp late at night. Also, this being the first cruise w/ kids, I'm sure we'll enjoy sitting out there while they're sleeping at night. It's just a nice, quiet, private place for us to unwind/kick off the shoes type of thing. At minimum, we do need to get a window in the room. We stayed in a hotel once where the window looked down into the central lobby area - absolutely couldn't stand not being able to see outside, esp when waking up in the am & not knowing what it looked like outside. It does come down to what you would be comfortable in.

People are telling you not to stay in the front cause of movement/rocking. If it's a little choppy out, you would feel it more in the front & back of the ship, as compared to the middle. I don't think that happens often enough to worry about it though - they usually are very smooth rides!

 

[beansf]

We booked all our excursions for last years cruise 30 days out and most of everything was still available....we were not able to get any spa reservations on sea days, or the Palo brunch.....but once we boarded we were able to reserve everything we wanted!
Im sure you will be fine!

Thanks for the encouragement. I do plan on trying to book when we board for anything I can't get online. We booked our airfare and ground transfers through DCL and are arriving the night prior and staying at the airport hotel so I don't really know what time we will board.

It is strange not having any control over your flight, but I guess I gave that up in order to not have to deal with any of it. Usually, the first time I go somewhere, I let someone else handle the details. I like it to be on someone else if something goes wrong.

 

[beansf]

Hi Everyone...

Any advice???

Jennifer

I don't have any experience, but that is precisely why I decided to go with a verandah. At first, I booked an inside stateroom, and then I decided to upgrade. What if I hated the inside room and felt claustrophobic? I just didn't want my frugality to be the reason I didn't enjoy myself. I think, hey, you only live once! We could afford it, so we went for it. There are day-to-day ways we save money so that we can splurge on our vacations (like we brown-bag it to work everyday).