October 28 2010 Wonder 3 night cruise meet

[acomasdiaz]

Only 3 more months....So excited....

 

[Stay_home_Dad_Scott]

Add us to the list - we'll be joining you for what will be our 5th Disney cruise! The other 4 have been on the Magic, so we're looking forward to seeing what her sister ship looks like. I only hope the 3 days won't go by in a heartbeat - being used to 7-day cruises like we are. It'll be me and my wife, and our DD13 - who'll be in the teen area the whose cruise.

Looking forward to seeing the ship, and meeting up with some DIS friends.

- Scott

 

[acomasdiaz]

Add us to the list - we'll be joining you for what will be our 5th Disney cruise! The other 4 have been on the Magic, so we're looking forward to seeing what her sister ship looks like. I only hope the 3 days won't go by in a heartbeat - being used to 7-day cruises like we are. It'll be me and my wife, and our DD13 - who'll be in the teen area the whose cruise.

Looking forward to seeing the ship, and meeting up with some DIS friends.

- Scott

Welcome Scott! I know...I am also hoping this cruise doesn't fly by. I haven't done a 3 night cruise in years.

 

[Docjason2]

Hello all,

I just sent the information to the TA to book this cruise for us. This will be the first actual real vacation we've taken since I can remember. (I don't consider going home to visit family a true vacation!) We've been dreaming of actually going on a Disney cruise since before we got married...and now 7 years later we're finally pulling the trigger. This will be our first ever foray into the Disney scheme and first into cruising as well. Joining me in this adventure is my DW, DS (5), and DD (3). We're keeping it a secret from the kids as I don't think we could handle 2 months of straight...when are we going on the trip, when do we get to see mickey, when can we get on the boat! Plus I think the whole plane and ship ride will be a blast for them.

Hope to get to know some of you for this vacation. I am usually trying to absorb as much information as I can from these boards to make this trip as magical as can be. We're really jonsing for a 7 day cruise, but figured we'd test it on the kids with 3 days first.

 

[acomasdiaz]

Hello all,

I just sent the information to the TA to book this cruise for us. This will be the first actual real vacation we've taken since I can remember. (I don't consider going home to visit family a true vacation!) We've been dreaming of actually going on a Disney cruise since before we got married...and now 7 years later we're finally pulling the trigger. This will be our first ever foray into the Disney scheme and first into cruising as well. Joining me in this adventure is my DW, DS (5), and DD (3). We're keeping it a secret from the kids as I don't think we could handle 2 months of straight...when are we going on the trip, when do we get to see mickey, when can we get on the boat! Plus I think the whole plane and ship ride will be a blast for them.

Hope to get to know some of you for this vacation. I am usually trying to absorb as much information as I can from these boards to make this trip as magical as can be. We're really jonsing for a 7 day cruise, but figured we'd test it on the kids with 3 days first.

Welcome! So glad more people are joining the forum. I'm sure you are all going to have a blast. My family loves to cruise and disney cruises are our favorite. My kids are 5 & 3 too, except my DD is 5 and my DS is 3. Let me know if you've got any questions, I would love to be of help.

 

[Docjason2]

Ok...so instead of running through several threads and finding all the info separately...I will ask them here.

We plan on arriving the day before, one of the perks of my wife working for a hotel is cheap stays anywhere!!!

Are there any rental car companies near PC that we can drop a car off and get a shuttle to the ship?

When do you get to sign up and chose shore excursions? Do you recommend going with DCL ones or are there other better ones?

When do you sign up for kids clubs? Dinner rotations?

Is there any good tips you past cruisers have about getting down there and starting out on the ship? I've read a lot of good tips already through the boards. I spend way too much time reading while I am at work!

 

[friends with mickey]

We are also first time cruisers. Yes there are rent cars companies with Port Canaveral drop offs and shuttles to the ship. We are using Avis, but Hertz and Enterprise also provide the service. Make sure and search the internet for discount rent car coupon codes. You will save a lot with the coupons. Since you are staying the night before many of the hotels will shuttle you to the port as well.
Once your cruise is paid in full you can use the DCL web site to book excursions and to register your kids in ship activities. The amount of information on these boards can be very helpful and overwelming. One tip that keeps coming up is to get on the ship, relax and have a good time. We plan on following that advice. I hope we have a chance to meet you on board and have a great and well deserved vacation.
Mike and Debbie

 

[Docjason2]

Well everything worked out well. My TA gave me all the info and we are all booked with the cruise, airfare, and rental cars. It's sad now that I have nothing left to really do except wait. Normally I am a very patient person...but I am looking forward to this little vacation more than I am looking forward to Christmas!!!

I showed my DW the spa packages and she's already getting into it. Does anyone here have any recommendations or anything they particularly liked at the spa? On that subject we were also looking at excursions for Nassau. Now I know a lot of people have said that Nassau gets old and they just stay on the ship, but we've never been out of the country before. So we want to soak up as much as we can. Do you guys have any favorite excursions that you like? Most of them seemed geared towards adults shy of Atlantis ones. DW and I were thinking of just leaving the kids for a few hours and going site-seeing or snorkeling.

Hope to see you all in a few months

 

[acomasdiaz]

Well everything worked out well. My TA gave me all the info and we are all booked with the cruise, airfare, and rental cars. It's sad now that I have nothing left to really do except wait. Normally I am a very patient person...but I am looking forward to this little vacation more than I am looking forward to Christmas!!!

I showed my DW the spa packages and she's already getting into it. Does anyone here have any recommendations or anything they particularly liked at the spa? On that subject we were also looking at excursions for Nassau. Now I know a lot of people have said that Nassau gets old and they just stay on the ship, but we've never been out of the country before. So we want to soak up as much as we can. Do you guys have any favorite excursions that you like? Most of them seemed geared towards adults shy of Atlantis ones. DW and I were thinking of just leaving the kids for a few hours and going site-seeing or snorkeling.

Hope to see you all in a few months

Glad everything worked out well. I know...I am also counting down the days. Unfortunately, I've been going to Nassau for years, so I am one of those that usually just stays on the ship that day. If you plan on leaving the kids you can take a tour of the island or just go to one of the nearby beaches. Atlantis is nice but not sure if it's what you would want to do if it's just you and DW.

 

[Docjason2]

Kinda of quiet around here. Are the 3 night cruises less popular among people?

 

[acomasdiaz]

I don't think it's less popular. I'm not sure why it's so quiet around here. I was hoping it would be pick up by now...

 

[Docjason2]

Well at least we got it to 3 pages now!!!

Maybe I'll throw some more questions out there as well.

DW and I really want to try snorkeling, probably at CC, but the kids really won't feel comfortable swimming yet. Is there options for the oceaneers club on CC for maybe an hour or so while we go do that? I'd hate to leave the kids on the ship while at CC.

Does anyone here use an underwater camera? I've been reading some threads on it and am currently researching some different brands.

Finally i read somewhere that when you check in they have you put $500 on your onboard account automatically. Is this true at the start of the cruise. I assume you just draw down that to begin with?

 

[acomasdiaz]

Well at least we got it to 3 pages now!!!

Maybe I'll throw some more questions out there as well.

DW and I really want to try snorkeling, probably at CC, but the kids really won't feel comfortable swimming yet. Is there options for the oceaneers club on CC for maybe an hour or so while we go do that? I'd hate to leave the kids on the ship while at CC.

Does anyone here use an underwater camera? I've been reading some threads on it and am currently researching some different brands.

Finally i read somewhere that when you check in they have you put $500 on your onboard account automatically. Is this true at the start of the cruise. I assume you just draw down that to begin with?

There are activities for the kids at CC. I don't think the oceaneers club is actually open on the ship instead they have it open on the CC. The don't take the kids to the water though so you wouldn't have to worry about that. But at least, you could go out on your own and have some place for them to be for awhile.

I don't have an underwater camera, so I can't help you there.

We just give out credit card for the onboard account just like at a hotel. I am sure they give you a limit though of how much you are initially approved for. It's not like they charge you the $500 of the bat. It might be different if you're putting cash down though. You could always put a credit card to begin and they pay it with cash at the end.

 

[friends with mickey]

Well it appears that three of us are posting to the 10-28-10 thread. Maybe a call to action will get some new activity.
It can be risky to use a debit card as the card you put down at check in. The debit card may hold the 500 as an advance and keep you from accessing your money through ATM or charges. If you are considering using a debit card, check with your bank on their policy prior to going. It is also a good idea to advise the credit card company that you will be on a cruise so that none of your out of the country charges triggers a security alert on your account.
Less than two months until the cruise!

 

[Docjason2]

So where are you all coming from? Interesting to know how people travel to visit the cruise.

My family are living er...stuck in Iowa. Have to stay where the jobs are right? We don't get to see much crystal clear aqua blue water up here, unless it's food coloring! Since we moved here we haven't really left the area other than to visit family.

 

[acomasdiaz]

I'm lucky to have been born and raised in Florida. I grew up in Miami, then moved to Tallahassee for college, and then came down to the Ft. Lauderdale area after graduation and have been here ever since.

We are about 3 1/2 hours from Disney and go up there a couple a times a year. We are also DVC members which makes that easier.

I have always loved cruising. My dad was a fisherman and I always loved going out on the boat. Then in high school, I got a job working for a small cruise line and was instantly hooked. I find them to be the best type of vacation.

 

[Stay_home_Dad_Scott]

We're from Kansas City - we're taking advantage of a 2-day break in the school schedule. Our DD is in 8th grade, and I work for a local school district - so we have to follow the school schedules. It makes for expensive cruising, so when I realized our break at the end of October made a quick cruise possible...and a reasonably priced one as well...it was too good to pass up.

DW has health issues which make cruising especially good for us. Lots of fun, but we can take it at a slow pace, and everyone doesn't have to all do the same thing together all the time. It lets DW rest without feeling like she's killing everyone's fun.

Looking forward to 57 days, 22 hours, 26 minutes from now...(as my Disney Vacation Connection running on my PC reminds me!)

Scott

 

[Docjason2]

Hey Scott. We're also taking advantage of Parent-Teacher conferences during this time. I wanted to do the trip with minimal school disruption as my son just started kindergarten. The cruises over Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Break were all way more expensive than this one, so I figure missing 1.5 days of school wasn't bad for a quick trip. Plus I want to really, really go on a 7 night cruise, but we have to test the kids out first...I'd hate to jump into the 7 only to find out the kids hate it, but what are the chances of that really lol.

 

[acomasdiaz]

Hey Scott. We're also taking advantage of Parent-Teacher conferences during this time. I wanted to do the trip with minimal school disruption as my son just started kindergarten. The cruises over Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Break were all way more expensive than this one, so I figure missing 1.5 days of school wasn't bad for a quick trip. Plus I want to really, really go on a 7 night cruise, but we have to test the kids out first...I'd hate to jump into the 7 only to find out the kids hate it, but what are the chances of that really lol.

I think your kids will love the cruise and you'll want to do the 7 night next. We did 7 night last year and the kids had a blast. On the sea says they had things going on all day in the kids club. My DD would have lived there if I would have let her. No one wanted to get off at the end of the 7 days. I think the 3 night might be just too quick of a trip for them.

 

[friends with mickey]

We are coming from the Houston area. Our kids are grown, 25 and 26, so the wife and I are the kids on this trip. I am sure we will all have a great cruise since Disney provides so much to do for kids of all ages.
Mike and Debbie