*Sept 10th 2011 WB Transatlantic* From Spain to Space Mountain - Part 4

[squitty]

Karen, I was reading that someone could only get a slot of 1pm - 1:30pm for their Med cruise. However, they turned up at 11am and were checked in no problems. Their boarding card no was 19 so I don't know if that had anything to do with the OLCI or not.

 

[karentan]

formal nights are on night 2 and night 7. at the end of the first post on the first page there's a list of what other nights are on too - eg: pirate...

 

[Pinky166]

has anyone else planning on getting the minibus from the airport done online check in yet?
the earliest arrival time it'll let me have is 1.30pm. well i definately plan on being a bit earlier than that!
does anyone who's cruised since they bought these arrival times in managed to get in early or do they keep you outside?

They didn't have this select a time slot thing set up when I went on the Dream in January. If no one else knows, hopefully Mary can shed some light on it when she gets back from her Med cruise next week.

Why is it only letting you select that time????? Unless it takes into account your flight time? I just did my OLCI & selected 10.30 - 11am.

 

[squitty]

What time did you go for? Just done my OLCI, we went for the first slot.

Are you & Neil coming to the Hard Rock meet on the 9th?

Woo Hoo Claire - we went for the second

I don't know about the HRC, Neil is on about flying in the day of the cruise now, I'm to even think about doing that!

*breaths a sigh of relief* just checked and there are no flights on Saturday 10th !!

 

[Pinky166]

Woo Hoo Claire - we went for the second

I don't know about the HRC, Neil is on about flying in the day of the cruise now, I'm to even think about doing that!

That would scare me too!!!

I know there are quite a few doing that but I couldn't handle the stress or the extra grey hairs!

 

[karentan]

Karen, I was reading that someone could only get a slot of 1pm - 1:30pm for their Med cruise. However, they turned up at 11am and were checked in no problems. Their boarding card no was 19 so I don't know if that had anything to do with the OLCI or not.

thanks michelle, thats good to know.
i've just had a flash of inspiration (thanks to claire's post), and changed my arrival date to the day before and it opened up all arrival times. i think they assume i'll take 3 hours from landing to get to the port. no chance, i want some lunch before they close parrot key! now chosen 12.30, seems a bit better time!

 

[liesbeth1012]

Well...was anyone else able to book the high tea? They are all gone

Nope. I got dinner and brunch when I wanted them, but no Tea. Guess that means no Ladies High Tea for me on the 13th.

LOL's Claire....I was waking up every 5 mins...
Morning everyone
Well - booked Brunch for the 19th (our anniversary) and High Tea was only available on the 11th for us, so booked that, but might see if I can get it changed once onboard.

Lots of Dinner times to choose from but didn't

How did everyone else do?

Didn't fall asleep yet?

I'm done. The brunches seemed to be flying away at the earliest timeslot (10.30am). Ended up with the 16th at 10.30 am. Tried for the 18th, but that got in the way of the available slots for brunch for 1-2 guests. Nothing left on the 13th that was picked as our lady tea afternoon, alas. Was either the 11th (didn't want to spent a first afternoon aboard with the tea as I've found that's a real relaxing moment and no way I'll want to relax so soon after boarding) or late in the cruise. Ended up with the 19th, which would leave the 18th for brunch too close to it and thus ending up with brunch at the 16th. That's as far as it went in my brain when making the bookings. Just like you were there, ain't that fun.

I was surprised with how stabile the system was in my case. Nothing went down, no long waits for pages to load, nothing of all that. There must have been plenty folks online as I noticed days (tea) and times (brunch) disappearing in those few minutes of me going to and from but a stabile website experience for me.

Now it's just waiting until the sleepingmeds kick in and ideally turning off the netbook before that.

Enough should open up for onboard booking and perhaps later on if people are tweaking their ressies.

If not, I've got a ressie for one, officially. AFAIK at Palo that means occupying a table for 2. That should leave wiggleroom. If you want to, we can always give them the puppy-eyed look and see if we can add you to my ressie. I'ld be very surprised if that couldn't be arranged, knowing how accomodating they have been up there to fit our every wish last cruise.

Well got our brunch booked but not on the day we were planning for..oh well we got one that is all that matters. Now trying for excursions.

Is it just me or does it stick out to others as well than Palo availability seems..... off compared to "standard" experiences? Normally it's the brunch that is very illusive to get and tea being somewhere between getting it very easily if not easily. But look at this morning; nobody hasn't gotten the brunch but the tea is almost impossible to get it seems. With so many sea days. Weird.

I'ld almost blame Claire for it all with her Ladies Tea if I didn't know we had a large group hitting the tea-spots on our previous cruise and all succeeding with only 3 seadays. Weird, just weird.

Okay, now I'm getting super worried - this is my first time trying to do this whole booking reservations thing and I really don't have a clue.

We can't book anything until June 27th - at this rate, will there be anything left?

Our friends (one of whom is our TA) have given us money for going to Palo, and I really wanted to be able to go for a special dinner for our anniversary. Ideally, I'd like to go more than once! (my husband and I don't get out much together). But what if we can't get a booking at all?

So how do I do this? Do I get the TA to do it, or do I have to sign in to the Disney website myself?



Also, is it particularly harder to get Palo bookings for formal night? It would be nice to go out in nice clothes without worrying what the kids are doing (I know I need to make nursery bookings for our wee one as well - why is this stressing me out so much??? What if I can't get her into the nursery on the night I need?)

Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated - I'm just worried we won't get any special nights out because we're first-timers, and this is the only holiday I'm getting this year.

Thanks everyone

When I read all this about reservations, I got worried because I am a first cruiser too. I can't get booking anyting till june 27th.
From what time can you book in Europe? Is that 6.00 am?
I was looking forward to the High Tea at the 13th, but it's not available anymore. How does that go further? Would it be possible to book on board?
I will ask my son if he wants a brunch at Palo, we'll see. Then is it no Palo.
I will join the Champagne Girls anyway. I will send you an pm Claire.
We want an jeep excursion on Tortula and I wanted the 12m regatta, but that is already full. So I am looking for something else on St Marten. My son wants to get the bikeexcursion there. And he wants parasailing on CC.
On Gibraltar and Madeira we go out on ourselve. (And in Gibraltar we must go to Morrison I learned on Facebook!!!!).
So another 15 days waiting for us

 

[LindaBabe]

Okay, now I'm getting super worried - this is my first time trying to do this whole booking reservations thing and I really don't have a clue.

We can't book anything until June 27th - at this rate, will there be anything left?

Our friends (one of whom is our TA) have given us money for going to Palo, and I really wanted to be able to go for a special dinner for our anniversary. Ideally, I'd like to go more than once! (my husband and I don't get out much together). But what if we can't get a booking at all?

So how do I do this? Do I get the TA to do it, or do I have to sign in to the Disney website myself?



Also, is it particularly harder to get Palo bookings for formal night? It would be nice to go out in nice clothes without worrying what the kids are doing (I know I need to make nursery bookings for our wee one as well - why is this stressing me out so much??? What if I can't get her into the nursery on the night I need?)

Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated - I'm just worried we won't get any special nights out because we're first-timers, and this is the only holiday I'm getting this year.

Thanks everyone

I'm sure, if you don't get it on line, you certainly will get it on board. Is your anniversary noted on your reservation? In my view, it's not more difficult to get Palo on formal night because many people prefer to eat in the diningroom that night and enjoy the 'special' menu. On the Panama Canal Cruise, some of my friends ate several dinners & Brunches in Palo.


As for the baby, I think one of the Mickey ears is also available for wee ones to splash in. One thing I learned from the young family who sat with us at table on our first Eastern - bring LOTS of baby food. Her little one was ravenous every day. She had this thing she could put watermelon in for him to suck it out through the mesh - he'd eat a whole big soup plate full every night and that was after she'd fed him.

 

[squitty]

That would scare me too!!!

I know there are quite a few doing that but I couldn't handle the stress or the extra grey hairs!

Claire I must of been updating my post as you posted this. I checked and thankfully there were no flights on the Saturday - phew!!

thanks michelle, thats good to know.
i've just had a flash of inspiration (thanks to claire's post), and changed my arrival date to the day before and it opened up all arrival times. i think they assume i'll take 3 hours from landing to get to the port. no chance, i want some lunch before they close parrot key! now chosen 12.30, seems a bit better time!

Good thinking Karen, glad you got a different time.

 

[rala]

@karantan: than you

 

[rala]

ooppsss...sorry... I mean: Thank you. I'm in hurry, sorry.

 

[Seraphine]

I'm sure, if you don't get it on line, you certainly will get it on board. Is your anniversary noted on your reservation? In my view, it's not more difficult to get Palo on formal night because many people prefer to eat in the diningroom that night and enjoy the 'special' menu. On the Panama Canal Cruise, some of my friends ate several dinners & Brunches in Palo.

Hi Linda

Our anniversary isn't listed because it's actually on the 9th, but we'll be travelling that day so we won't really have time to celebrate properly. I just wanted a nice night out in a fancy dress. I still want nights out with my kids, but it's hard when they don't want to sit for long dinners.

But if we can't get Palo on formal night, maybe I can still secure a booking for Eilidh in the nursery so we can still do that in the regular dining room We've always loved our dining room experiences anyway - it's just nicer when I'm not chasing peas across the table.

I'm sorry for being stressed - I just have so much pinned on this holiday. After so much saving and waiting and planning, I'm really ready to just let it happen. But I just don't want to mess it up by not being prepared.

 

[emmah16]

Good morning everybody

Hope everyone has managed to get what they wished for

Can anyone remember what time we need to be back on board when we are in St Maarten?

Just trying to tweek a trip with a little shopping .

Thanks

 

[granmaz]

Okay, now I'm getting super worried - this is my first time trying to do this whole booking reservations thing and I really don't have a clue.

We can't book anything until June 27th - at this rate, will there be anything left?

Our friends (one of whom is our TA) have given us money for going to Palo, and I really wanted to be able to go for a special dinner for our anniversary. Ideally, I'd like to go more than once! (my husband and I don't get out much together). But what if we can't get a booking at all?

So how do I do this? Do I get the TA to do it, or do I have to sign in to the Disney website myself?



Also, is it particularly harder to get Palo bookings for formal night? It would be nice to go out in nice clothes without worrying what the kids are doing (I know I need to make nursery bookings for our wee one as well - why is this stressing me out so much??? What if I can't get her into the nursery on the night I need?)

Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated - I'm just worried we won't get any special nights out because we're first-timers, and this is the only holiday I'm getting this year.

Thanks everyone

As other have said you should have no problem getting a Palo dinner reservation, if not online then when you get onboard. Officially it is only one reservation to be fair to everyone, but I have heard of others getting more than one eventually. To be honest, the normal dinners onboard are great and once you get to know your tablemates you might not even want to leave them!!!

 

[TotallyAngelic]

T


We have the same night for Palo dinner, so does Mary & Stevie.

We will definitely all have to meet up for pre dinner champagne ..... what time is your dinner reservation ?

 

[Pinky166]

Claire I must of been updating my post as you posted this. I checked and thankfully there were no flights on the Saturday - phew!!

That's lucky. So you maybe able to make the Hard Rock meet then?

Can anyone remember what time we need to be back on board when we are in St Maarten?

Just trying to tweek a trip with a little shopping .

Thanks

5.30pm.

We will definitely all have to meet up for pre dinner champagne ..... what time is your dinner reservation ?

8pm, what time are you? We are most definitely up for a little Champers beforehand.

(I think Mary is 8.30pm, no need to ask her though, she will be up for some Champers )

 

[Seraphine]

As other have said you should have no problem getting a Palo dinner reservation, if not online then when you get onboard. Officially it is only one reservation to be fair to everyone, but I have heard of others getting more than one eventually. To be honest, the normal dinners onboard are great and once you get to know your tablemates you might not even want to leave them!!!

Hi Granmaz

I didn't realise it was officially one reservation for everyone - so many people speak of going multiple times that I hadn't looked into it any further. I can appreciate the fairness element, I was just worried that we wouldn't get a chance to book anything by having to wait until the 27th.

I'm probably stressing about nothing, but after reading here how so many people are setting their alarms and can't sleep in the anticipation... I just don't want to be left out.

We didn't plan on having tablemates - we requested a table for 4, for us and our two kids. We've never been seated with anyone else on any of the cruises we've taken - I guess it's just a way of trying to keep my kids from annoying anyone else (I've always dreaded being placed with people who didn't like children). My kids are pretty well behaved, but they are still kids and unpredictable at best... and while on a Disney cruise there are hopefully lots of child-tolerant people, we made the request again anyway (although I know it's not guaranteed).

I have real hopes of making some lovely friendships onboard (and hopefully beforehand!), especially because of the length of the cruise. If we are placed with another family, we'll still be happy with that

 

[rala]

@liesbeth1012: I could book my reservations at 06.00 AM this morning. I'm pretty sure you will get a dinner reservation. On our last cruise (the same cruise last year) there was no problem to get a dinner reservation onboard, only a reservation for brunch was impossible. If you don't get a reservation, ask your headserver.

 

[susie2]

just found out the trip we had planned for st maarten is fully booked, not sure what to do now, whats everyone elses plans to give us some idea's lol,

 

[TotallyAngelic]

I have tried to do the OLCI but the port check in tab isn't highlighted so I can't click on it. Do you have to put your credit cad details in before it works?