Panama Canal Eastbound Sept. 14, 2013--it'll be WONDER-ful

[sharan56]

In an interesting turn of events, we aren't sure if we are cruising or not, but for a FANTASTIC reason! My husband and I have been trying to adopt for years now, and we just found out last week that we got a placement! My 11 month old son moves in TODAY and his 4 1/2 year old sister moves in next week!!!!! (Holy cow, right????) Since we were waiting to hear from the state on possible adoption placements, we DID take the Travel Protection, knowing there was a SLIGHT possibility we may get a call.....little did we know!

So, now we aren't sure what we are doing. The kids' social worker said she can absolutely get them passports and we can take them on the cruise if we want to, but it'll all depend on how everyone adjusts. Two weeks is a Loooooong time to be on a ship if the baby decides he's going to scream the whole time! We will just have to see how these next few weeks go.

In the mean time......eeeeeekkkkkk!!!!

As Mike would say"that's eyemazing!" What a great gift for both you guys and the children.

 

[denamo]

I did a bit of a search for washer sheets and found some called Washeze. In the research, found several reviews of military members using them. Some professed to like them better than the Purex. Since I had tried neither, I ordered the Washeze. Can be ordered directly through them (washeze.com) or on Amazon. They do give a free shipping break on 20. Look at their website for this offer. One feature I thought was nice is they offer scented and unscented.

I am going to try them at home first to experience the results which I'm hoping, is nice clean smelling clothes.

I am happy to report from using the a Washeze sheet that it did yield clean clothes. It did not leave any scent that I could discern. Glad I will have these for the cruise. Much lighter weight than having to cart around liquid or powered detergent, and that is important when considering luggage weights for flights.

 

[Denine]

It's starting to look like we will be onboard, WITH the two new kiddos that we just had placed with us for adoption! The only thing that needs to be done, is we need to get their passports done and make sure that if we pay all the expediting fees, they will be done on time. As long as we can do that, we are IN!

Wow! Talk about setting a VERY high bar for ourselves with these kids in terms of vacation! They will have been with us a month and a half, and we will be visiting Disneyland AND going on a 14 night Disney Cruise. Their little minds may be blown! Let's just hope that they don't expect this to be the way vacation ALWAYS is! )

Sounds wonderful!

 

[disfaninca]

It's starting to look like we will be onboard, WITH the two new kiddos that we just had placed with us for adoption! The only thing that needs to be done, is we need to get their passports done and make sure that if we pay all the expediting fees, they will be done on time. As long as we can do that, we are IN!

Wow! Talk about setting a VERY high bar for ourselves with these kids in terms of vacation! They will have been with us a month and a half, and we will be visiting Disneyland AND going on a 14 night Disney Cruise. Their little minds may be blown! Let's just hope that they don't expect this to be the way vacation ALWAYS is! )

That is the best news!! I'm so happy you will still be going and the kids will be joining you on this great trip! What a wonderful way to bond!

 

[GatorMomInNC]

We got our cruise docs last weekend. I booked the Embassy Suites LAX - South today. Used points and got it free!! We'll get up Saturday morning and take a cab to the port. Getting so close!!

Like PP, I also don't have excursion yet in Cartagena. I really just want to get a tour by van around the city and then do some shopping. DCL has an excursion like that, but not offered on this cruise, which I don't understand since they only go to Cartagena 2 cruises a year and this is one of them.

 

[MelSpees]

We got our cruise docs last weekend. I booked the Embassy Suites LAX - South today. Used points and got it free!! We'll get up Saturday morning and take a cab to the port. Getting so close!!

Like PP, I also don't have excursion yet in Cartagena. I really just want to get a tour by van around the city and then do some shopping. DCL has an excursion like that, but not offered on this cruise, which I don't understand since they only go to Cartagena 2 cruises a year and this is one of them.

There are 2 or 3 bus tours like this. We're doing the Best of Cartagena one.

 

[LyndaC]

I'm doing the "City Drive, Shopping and La Popa Monastery" tour, as a single woman, I was leary of doing Cartagena on my own.

 

[fltink]

FYI, here's what's playing in the Buena Vista Theater while we are onboard:

- Planes
- The Lone Ranger
- Monsters University
- Iron Man 3
- Lincoln
- Wreck It Ralph
- Oz the Great and Powerful
- Avengers
- Finding Nemo 3D
- Brave 3D

 

[disfaninca]

FYI, here's what's playing in the Buena Vista Theater while we are onboard:

- Planes
- The Lone Ranger
- Monsters University
- Iron Man 3
- Lincoln
- Wreck It Ralph
- Oz the Great and Powerful
- Avengers
- Finding Nemo 3D
- Brave 3D

Great! Thanks for the info! We haven't seen half of them.

 

[KellyKat]

FYI, here's what's playing in the Buena Vista Theater while we are onboard:

- Planes
- The Lone Ranger
- Monsters University
- Iron Man 3
- Lincoln
- Wreck It Ralph
- Oz the Great and Powerful
- Avengers
- Finding Nemo 3D
- Brave 3D

thanks so much for the info we were just discussing if we would see planes this weekend. going to wait now!!! cant wait, its going to be amazing!!

 

[WAMUMOF4]

FYI, here's what's playing in the Buena Vista Theater while we are onboard:

- Planes
- The Lone Ranger
- Monsters University
- Iron Man 3
- Lincoln
- Wreck It Ralph
- Oz the Great and Powerful
- Avengers
- Finding Nemo 3D
- Brave 3D

thanks so much for that they are the movies I was hoping would be on, I have been avoiding taking the kids to the movies to see 3 of them as I thought they would be on the ship

 

[MommaluvsDis]

I was checking just for heck of it and found that PALO brunch and dinner is available. I checked a couple of "at sea" days.

 

[Paragd911]

5 weeks!

 

[twokats]

In exactly one month from today we will arrive in CA and spend a few days in Disneyland before we leave on the cruise.

We are oh so ready!!!

 

[MPS516]

Great movie lineup, I may actually have to spend some time in the Buena Vista Theatre for something other than a talk.

I was really expecting Lone Ranger and Monsters University Wreck it Ralph to be Funnel Vision evening entertainment, Oz would also be great up there. I do like my nighttime deck movies.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

I'm doing the "City Drive, Shopping and La Popa Monastery" tour, as a single woman, I was leary of doing Cartagena on my own.

So, I'm looking at that excursion (3.5-4 hrs), the Best of Cartagena (4.5-5 hrs) or Deluxe Cartagena (5-5.5 hrs). I don't see any difference between the last 2 other than the length. Even the price is the same! Is anyone else doing these or have heard anything about these excursions?

 

[ImprovGal]

FYI, here's what's playing in the Buena Vista Theater while we are onboard:

- Planes
- The Lone Ranger
- Monsters University
- Iron Man 3
- Lincoln
- Wreck It Ralph
- Oz the Great and Powerful
- Avengers
- Finding Nemo 3D
- Brave 3D

With this being a 2 week cruise, I wouldn't be surprised to see some additional offerings in the BVT as well. On Hawaii (or maybe it was Jan 2011 Panama), they were showing some classic movies in the theatre as well.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

In exactly one month from today we will arrive in CA and spend a few days in Disneyland before we leave on the cruise.

We are oh so ready!!!

we are ready to We have 24 sleeps to go till we leave we are telling our kids on Tuesday about our trip still keeping the Cruise a surprise though I can't wait

 

[MelSpees]

So, I'm looking at that excursion (3.5-4 hrs), the Best of Cartagena (4.5-5 hrs) or Deluxe Cartagena (5-5.5 hrs). I don't see any difference between the last 2 other than the length. Even the price is the same! Is anyone else doing these or have heard anything about these excursions?

We are doing the Best of Cartegena.

 

[fltink]

Getting SO excited thinking about all the firsts our kids will have on this trip! In fact, they are already having them! We just ordered their first passports! They will get their first plane ride, first time in a Disney park, first time seeing fireworks, first time seeing Disney characters in person, first time on a ship.... The list goes on and on! We are so excited!!!!!! Oh, and I will be the one sobbing in the lobby when my brand new little Princess meets real life princesses for the first time!