Podcast Cruise 2.0 Discussion Thread 1 of ????

[tmli]

Chris (Slapwhitey) and I just returned home yesterday and we are exhausted!! We did have our dinner with the crew on Sunday evening and it was everything we hoped for and more!! The food at Celebration tavern is incredible!! Even though I was talking way too much and kept forgetting to eat!!!

We are also signed up for the second cruise. We did get to meet some of you, not as many as we would have liked. Unfortunately we are both incredibly shy and not very outgoing!!

 

[safetymom]

It was great seeing the 3 of you at dinner. I enjoyed talking with you again.

 

[bigmoonmullen]

A few days before and after the cruise made the most sense since airfare was the same and DU's Dolphin rate was fab ($99/nt). Besides, I would have felt like I was "suffering" if I didn't get to the parks on this trip

2 full days before; 3.5 days after:

• We flew in Thurs after work so we'd have all Fri & Sat in the parks before the cruise. Our flight was to arrive at 10pm so the idea was to have an early nite when we got to the Dolphin but I was too excited to sleep so we went to the Boardwalk for drinks & dessert instead.
  
• Spent Fri at Typhoon Lagoon & DTD/DisneyQuest, and Sat in MK. Cruised Sun-Thurs.
  
• After leaving the ship on Thurs morning, we were inside DHS by 10:15. Friday was AK & Blizzard Beach. Saturday was Epcot.
  
• Maximized our vacation days by taking a 7:30pm flight out on Sunday so had breakfast at Kona Cafe, rode the front of the monorail to Epcot, and then hung out at the Dolphin's 3 acre pool area for the afternoon until we caught our flight. Our flight was delayed so we didn't get home til midnite but I'd do it the same the next time...my motto is we can sleep when we're dead!
  

I'd definitely recommend bookending your cruise with extra days. Next trip we'll do our first visits to KSC, US & SW instead of WDW parks.



I didn't get to meet you Paul but did meet your lovely wife at the pool - she is as warm and friendly as KK advertises her to be!



It was fab to share some moments with you Todd...you're one that definitely lived up to your billing I noticed you really made an effort to meet so many Dis'ers and I'm sure I speak for many when I say your inclusiveness was certainly appreciated!


to all the Dis'ers fence sitting or sailing on the next cruise! Pete does things right so lay aside your concerns and drink the koolaid

cheers,

Hi klam_chowder:

Thank you for your thoughts. I'm currently thinking about arriving Thursday Morning (3days before) and departing Saturday Mid-day (2 days after). I like the thought of resting when I'm dead but actually think I will need to rest on Sunday. Saturday afternoon/evening would be for laundry.

Mark

 

[jeanigor]

Hi klam_chowder:

Thank you for your thoughts. I'm currently thinking about arriving Thursday Morning (3days before) and departing Saturday Mid-day (2 days after). I like the thought of resting when I'm dead but actually think I will need to rest on Sunday. Saturday afternoon/evening would be for laundry.

Mark

She has the right idea in my mind. Not sure how it would be with a large family, but as a solo traveler it was perfect.

 

[Dodie]

Just to throw in what we did - because it worked very well for the two of us --

We are DVC - so we used points for our pre and post cruise stays.

We flew down Saturday morning and spent that day in the parks, meeting with our shipmates that evening for the first time. (We stayed in our home resort - VWL - in a studio for this one night.)

The cruise was then Sunday - Thursday morning.

We stayed Thursday and Friday nights at the BWV in a 1 BR to be closer to the post-cruise "action." This gave us Thursday and Friday to ourselves, but allowed us to meet back up with the rowdies for DATW on Friday night.

Our flight didn't depart until Saturday evening, so we were able to hit AK and DTD on Saturday morning and early afternoon.

This got us home on Saturday night so we had Sunday to ease back into the real world.

 

[maiziezoe]

We rebooked on the ship. We ALMOST booked two cruises, but decided against it.... for now.

We had so much fun. My un-disney-lover DH had a great time. I started having health issues soon after we arrived on the boat (nothing contagious... Lupus issues) and found that I was tired almost the entire trip. I slept more than I would have liked. However, I am prepared to do it all again in 19 months!

 

[dpuck1998]

We rebooked on the ship. We ALMOST booked two cruises, but decided against it.... for now.

We had so much fun. My un-disney-lover DH had a great time. I started having health issues soon after we arrived on the boat (nothing contagious... Lupus issues) and found that I was tired almost the entire trip. I slept more than I would have liked. However, I am prepared to do it all again in 19 months!

HI ANN! Sorry I didn't get to see you anymore than passing on the elevator!

Next cruise! You can buy me a drink

 

[maiziezoe]

HI ANN! Sorry I didn't get to see you anymore than passing on the elevator!

Next cruise! You can buy me a drink

Consider it done, Squishy!!!

 

[ADP]

Got my confirmation this evening! We're rebooked and in the same cabin as we were this last time! Wooo! Now keep your fingers crossed that we can actually go...

Wow! Was that a coincidence or did you request the same cabin? When I rebooked I got the cabin on the other side of the boat with the same last 2 numbers. We were in 7563 during this cruise. When I rebooked on board I was assigned 7063.

 

[maiziezoe]

We asked for the same cabins and got them!

I'm not sure who my DH ran into on deck 4 after the Blackhawks game on Tuesday... but I want to thank you. He came away from that meeting Disney-fied.

 

[ADP]

Has anyone seen the weather in Florida and the Bahamas this week. If the Podcast Cruise would have been one week later it could have been a wash out. Whoever picked May 10th - 14th instead of May 17th - 21st.....Thank You!

I heard on the Weather Channel this morning that Port Canaveral alone may get up to 7 inches of rain in the next couple of days. I know this is good for Central Florida in general because they need the rain, but wow, they are getting it all at once. The Bahamas too!

 

[kimisabella]

Has anyone seen the weather in Florida and the Bahamas this week. If the Podcast Cruise would have been one week later it could have been a wash out. Whoever picked May 10th - 14th instead of May 17th - 21st.....Thank You!

I heard on the Weather Channel this morning that Port Canaveral alone may get up to 7 inches of rain in the next couple of days. I know this is good for Central Florida in general because they need the rain, but wow, they are getting it all at once. The Bahamas too!

Aaron - I just was telling my husband the same thing - we got lucky!! Beautiful weather, calm seas, we couldn't have asked for anything more.

 

[shellyminnie]

Has anyone seen the weather in Florida and the Bahamas this week. If the Podcast Cruise would have been one week later it could have been a wash out. Whoever picked May 10th - 14th instead of May 17th - 21st.....Thank You!

I heard on the Weather Channel this morning that Port Canaveral alone may get up to 7 inches of rain in the next couple of days. I know this is good for Central Florida in general because they need the rain, but wow, they are getting it all at once. The Bahamas too!

I know we needed the rain and I'm glad its not surface of the sun hot, but it has been raining almost nonstop for the past 36 hours!!! Enough already!!

 

[Plutes]

Not sure if I should post this here, or start a new thread, but just have a quick question...

Can you pay off the cruise a little at a time? And, if so, how?? Right through the DU website???

One of the reasons DH & I had to cancel the first cruise was because of finances - we just didn't plan properly for the extra vacation expense. So, I want to make sure we don't make that mistake again...we WILL make this one...I'm determined!!!!

 

[DisneyKevin]

Not sure if I should post this here, or start a new thread, but just have a quick question...

Can you pay off the cruise a little at a time? And, if so, how?? Right through the DU website???

One of the reasons DH & I had to cancel the first cruise was because of finances - we just didn't plan properly for the extra vacation expense. So, I want to make sure we don't make that mistake again...we WILL make this one...I'm determined!!!!

You can make payments either via the toll free number or online.

Your cruise must be paid in full by the balance due date.

Hope that helps.

 

[Plutes]

You can make payments either via the toll free number or online.

Your cruise must be paid in full by the balance due date.

Hope that helps.

That definitely helps!

Thanks Kevin!

 

[DisneyKevin]

Your final balance is due September 27, 2010.

 

[Plutes]

Your final balance is due September 27, 2010.

UGH!! Sounds so far away!!

(Although, I guess that's a good thing in terms of paying for it! )

 

[MenashaCorp]

Thanks Klam, she is pretty awesome. I should have spoken to more people. Alicia says my grumpy looking face is not very inviting. I'm seeing a lot of posts from folks and wondering how I missed meeting them on the ship.

Everyone should talk to Paul. He's a great guy.

 

[DUHgreg]

Not sure if I should post this here, or start a new thread, but just have a quick question...

Can you pay off the cruise a little at a time? And, if so, how?? Right through the DU website???

One of the reasons DH & I had to cancel the first cruise was because of finances - we just didn't plan properly for the extra vacation expense. So, I want to make sure we don't make that mistake again...we WILL make this one...I'm determined!!!!

We'll be using the same system as for the first cruise. $100/month until the balance is due. Worked out to be much easier on the budget. Online interim payments need to be at least that amount.