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

[birkner]

TODAY IS THE CUTOFF DATE FOR LANYARD PIN ORDERS

Just a heads up for everyone who has not ordered or paid for a pin. I need to pay for the pins on June 30, 2011 so that will be the last day I will take payments for pins. If you have not ordered or paid for you pin, please do by today June 30.

Lanyard pins are 5 Euros each. Payment should be made at my PayPal account of birkner@needinfo.com If you mark your payment as a gift, you may not have to pay any fees other than to convert to Euros if Euros is not your principal currency.

On Friday July 1, 2011, I will publish a list of who has paid and how many pins to check your status. If you have any questions or concerns, please send me either a FB or PM message on the DIS.

I will order a few extra pins but I can not guarantee you will have a pin if you do not order and pay for your pin by June 30![/QUOTE

Noel,

Just sent you €15 for 3 pins. Hope it all goes through ok, 1st time I've used Paypal to pay for anything. sorry about doing this at the last minute. Things are a bit hectic at the moment.

If there are any problems let me know

Ta

Paul

No problems. Got your payment for 3 pins and you are on the list as PAID. Hope things slow down a bit for you. We have a 3 days holiday weekend coming here in the USA!!

 

[granmaz]

Ditto!! This being the first cruise for our kiddos, plus the fact that it is a TransAtlantic (WOW!), I also wish it were earlier! We may have to make a quick run outside during dinner to take a peek once we feel that initial vibration!

You should do that!!

Hi Guys,

Last year on the TA, they charged VAT on everything until we past Gibraltar. I know because I was sending out something to be drycleaned (yes, they charge that too) when the steward told me to hold off a day or two if I could. It wasn't much just like $0.50 but it can add up. I thought it was kinda weird but it did stop once we past it. I have always filled out the VAT charges and dropped them off at the airport or the last time mailed it in but never got anything back so its a bit frustrating to me. The only one I wanted back was my DD's prom dress VAT I bought from Paris but never saw hide nor hair of it. But that's ok, it was worth it. Anyway, make sure you consider this when your onboard.

Hope this helps someone. I really hope they don't charge it but when I posed the question last year, I was told, I know but as long as we are in European zone, they have too. So, if you can hold off a bit, I would. Upon leaving Gibraltar, we were good.

No doubt I didn't know about because we didn't buy anything! We are so mean.

 

[Beauty & the Best]

Karen, you like to dance at the parties? Me too! But my husband never dances w/ me, so maybe I will have to find you at the deck parties so I have a dancing partner

Neville has some separation anxiety. When we first got him, he chewed his way out of two crates. He got his jaws around the bars and squeezed them together til they broke. We called him "Dogzilla." He seems to be fine when he shares a crate with Luna. He has stayed with my parents a couple of times and didn't have a problem. They have a dog about his size and the two of them like to "fight" over the squeak toys. But the longest we've left him is a week, and he's never been to a boarding facility. Mom and Dad vetoed taking him for three weeks, so he has to board with the rest of the gang.

Juanita is just generally scared of everything. I've been taking her to as many places as I can, trying to desensitize her to strange situations and noises, being held by others, and taking treats from them. She's so skittish, even I have trouble getting her to come to me or letting me pick her up. We have a little ritual we have to do - she goes to her crate and I can pick her up from in there. She's made a lot of improvement since November when I got her, but she still has a way to go.

Fortunately they both love Luna, and Luna loves to go to the doggie hotel. She's going to go to day-care with them. I'm hoping that once they get to know the staff they'll be okay. They tend to get spoiled rotten at this place - Luna actually pouts when she has to come home - and I know Neville and Juanita will get extra attention b/c of their "problems." I'm just afraid they'll feel abandoned again with us being away so long.

Poor babies! They are lucky that they have you Pat & that you are patient & caring enough to work through their issues. Its said that most animals who end up in shelters are there due to behavioral issues - I know this was probably the case w/ my dog as well. It makes me sad that more people don't give them a chance & try to help them through their problems.

Your doggie hotel sounds a lot like where we take our Lucky. You're in FL too right? We use Pet Paradise in Sanford, Florida and we really like it. Anyhow, maybe having the other dogs around will help little Neville, though for Juanita it might be harder.

Well, at least she will have you and Dennis to pout with. I usually pout pretty badly when having to get off a cruise ship!!

Sorry about the other though. I know it always tore me apart leaving my dogs

I used to worry that my dog would forget me or think I was dropping him off at the pound (where we got him), but he's an old pro now b/c he's been boarded at the same place so many times. It doesn't get any easier to leave him though - I just wish I could tell him when we'd be back so he would know!

I did pop down for a short time and to pick up our lanyards and pins. John doesn't like things like that though. It was packed solid and I did get to meet a few people I had been chatting to for all that time prior to the cruise. I believe they took a big group photo after I left.

Its hard when the meet & greets are so crowded - at our last one I only got to meet a few people. I kind of feel like its a goose chase to hunt down the people that you want to meet & then there are others that you know you talked to online but can't remember the screenname....if only lanyards came w/ people's avatars on them too!

I think I might spend longer this year meeting all you chatty people and putting faces to names

 

[eeyorelvr10]

THANKS NOEL!

You should do that!!



No doubt I didn't know about because we didn't buy anything! We are so mean.

Not really, I waited until after Gibraltar to buy anything. LOL

Might wait again this time. LOL However, since we did this last time, I am "hoping" I don't need to buy anything from Europe this time unless I go to someplace different. With my group, you just never know.

 

[birkner]

THANKS NOEL!





Not really, I waited until after Gibraltar to buy anything. LOL

Might wait again this time. LOL However, since we did this last time, I am "hoping" I don't need to buy anything from Europe this time unless I go to someplace different. With my group, you just never know.

WOW!! You are welcome!!

 

[Tubbsteruk]

No problems. Got your payment for 3 pins and you are on the list as PAID. Hope things slow down a bit for you. We have a 3 days holiday weekend coming here in the USA!!

We've got a couple of days off but it will be far from a break - having a weekend London with tickets for the theatre tomorrow and tickets for take that on Saturday. If it's like any other visit to London I come back needing a holiday, but it's back to work on Monday

I'm exhausted already and we haven't packed yet!!!

 

[eeyorelvr10]

Neville has some separation anxiety. When we first got him, he chewed his way out of two crates. He got his jaws around the bars and squeezed them together til they broke. We called him "Dogzilla." He seems to be fine when he shares a crate with Luna. He has stayed with my parents a couple of times and didn't have a problem. They have a dog about his size and the two of them like to "fight" over the squeak toys. But the longest we've left him is a week, and he's never been to a boarding facility. Mom and Dad vetoed taking him for three weeks, so he has to board with the rest of the gang.

Juanita is just generally scared of everything. I've been taking her to as many places as I can, trying to desensitize her to strange situations and noises, being held by others, and taking treats from them. She's so skittish, even I have trouble getting her to come to me or letting me pick her up. We have a little ritual we have to do - she goes to her crate and I can pick her up from in there. She's made a lot of improvement since November when I got her, but she still has a way to go.

Fortunately they both love Luna, and Luna loves to go to the doggie hotel. She's going to go to day-care with them. I'm hoping that once they get to know the staff they'll be okay. They tend to get spoiled rotten at this place - Luna actually pouts when she has to come home - and I know Neville and Juanita will get extra attention b/c of their "problems." I'm just afraid they'll feel abandoned again with us being away so long.

Goodness, he sounds like our Chloe. She this 69 lb white siberian husky who looks scary as heck until you look at her and go BOO! Then she take off. She will be 7 yrs old on Oct 29th. We got her when she was about 4 months old. She and her brother came into the pet store in Vegas and he sold right away. When I saw her, she look like the rat from Pinky & the Brain. It took her 9 months, yes 9 months to eventually settle down. But in that time, I lost: a fridge cord, a coffee table end, the cables to a moped, various newspapers and some little odds and ends. She never really ate clothing. I bought her to get her out of the pet store she was so mangey and scared. When I 1st set eyes on her one dog had her paw in his mouth, one had her ear and she was "dead" in her eyes. She wouldn't let my husband touch her and we drove home from Vegas and I had to sit in the back with her. (The store was getting ready to send her back to the breeder where I'm sure she would have been a puppy popper - pops out puppys) My intent was to find her a good home but by the time I found someone I was happy to leave her with, she'd bonded with my Isis. As you know, she's my puffy cloud. But even today, almost 7 yrs later, you go Boo! and she turns tail and runs. On our walk, I have to scrape my foot on the sidewalk to get her to move (she meanders alot) and she takes off. Then she'll turn and give me her souful look like, "How could you?" She's a sweetheart but really is very cautious with other dogs, likes to meet them at her own pace. She'll turn tail and leave at dog parks if its too much.

She doesn't care for loud kids, but never has a problem with older people and special needs kids. Goes right up to them. Funny how she is. She would pee herself whenever someone would raise their voices in the first couple of months but she's ok now. She's really a sweetheart but she is very co-dependent. Funny thing is, whenever we do put them in doggie daycare, they both end up sleeping on the same bed, and sticking by each other and the ladies at the hotel just love them to death. I always hear the rallying call, "Here come the girls!" And this hotel is about 1/2 hr from me. But well worth the kindness and care they help my girls. We've been taking them to them for 6 yrs now and though they've opened other branches, I stick to this one because I know they'll be well taken care off. The first couple of times, the dogs did lose some weight but now, the piggies come back same or 1-2 lbs more as they get feed twice a day and lot so human play time as well as doggie play time.

Can y'all tell I spoil mine rotten? LOL - I forgot how to post pics on here or I'd post here but they are all over my profile on another site, I call them my furkids. Special need doggies require more patience but the rewards are well worth it. Anyone ever heard of a husky you can leave off leash and one that returns when you call her? (OK I admit, there are few, I got lucky) My other one? She'll never be off leash. She's a runner.

Sorry, had to mention as it does get better just takes lots and lots of patience. Now Chloe just loves my son and my husband but it took time.

 

[fly4free2]

GROUP 2 PALO BRUNCH

I have received the needed info from:

magic123 & DH
fly4free2
goofieslonglostsis
Goofy Adpi
Berries97
Pixie Dust for Me!
auntlynne
Chris&Jeremy
sue l & DS

That's 12; I'll go ahead and submit this to DCL. (thanks to binkytell for the info about that!)

I'm saving 2 places for pkicinski@yahoo.com until I hear from them (that would make 14).

I'm going to request a day other than the first Sea Day or Pub Crawl Day - and preferably early in the cruise to help us get to know each other.

Thank you, this is going to be such fun. I can't wait to meet everyone.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

Sorry, been superbusy and I'm way behind on the posts here. I have heard from quite a few people. Is there a group of 4 or 2 and 2 or 3 and 1 who specifically want to join us (2 young kids/boys, and adult with limited mobility) and then maybe everyone else get together to do his earlier/morning tour that he has available? I'm happy with anyone joining us, but don't want to slow anyone down or cramp their style - if you don't want to be around kids i will understand.

GatorMom (4 people): Looks like you have got some takers:

Keri & son (Pixie Dust For Me!) - (2)

jinxleprechaun (4)

Evelyn (fly4free2) - (1) not a lot of walking

Namsupak (3) including Lorelei (about 2 yrs?)

Rikersmom (2) less active


There's not a lot of walking on this tour, only if you go down into the tunnels.

We're in port from 7:30 - 6pm

 

[Dgentrysim]

We have a bit of time yet Deb...so far we have riverdancing, the hokey kokey and zumba?

We'll be really thin after all this dancing
:

A variety of dances is a good thing! lol I may be "hokey pokey" doing the riverdance but I've been told slow and steady get the job done....so eventually I will get the dances done!

 

[birkner]

Off to have my hair done. See you guys in a few hours!

 

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

Sorry, been superbusy and I'm way behind on the posts here. I have heard from quite a few people. Is there a group of 4 or 2 and 2 or 3 and 1 who specifically want to join us (2 young kids/boys, and adult with limited mobility) and then maybe everyone else get together to do his earlier/morning tour that he has available? I'm happy with anyone joining us, but don't want to slow anyone down or cramp their style - if you don't want to be around kids i will understand.

Hi Gator Mom,

Andrew (he's 13...but 6'b) and I would love to join you. Obviously, we don't mind being around kids...and Andrew is fortunate to spend a lot of time with his grandfather so he understands the need to move a bit slow at times.

Karen

P.S., Noel, I just sent the payment for 2 pins...I was having problems with my paypal account that I just resolved (too many pesky passwords)!

Thanks,

Karen

 

[TxMermaid1]

Nope we are staying in Barcelona for 14 nights really.

It's because we don't actually sail until around 9pm that evening, whereas usually you sail away from dock during the party.

On the EBTA in May, we had so many Love bugs on the ship... and I mean the little black ones not the passengers... That we could not have the sail away party til we sailed away from Castaway Cay and the crew had a chance to wash them all off the decks and verandas...... They were everywhere and deck 9 and 10 were closed til then. You could not go on your veranda.... it was horrid.... but we had a fun party finally.....

 

[Pinky166]

On the EBTA in May, we had so many Love bugs on the ship... and I mean the little black ones not the passengers... That we could not have the sail away party til we sailed away from Castaway Cay and the crew had a chance to wash them all off the decks and verandas...... They were everywhere and deck 9 and 10 were closed til then. You could not go on your veranda.... it was horrid.... but we had a fun party finally.....

Ewwwww I hate those lovebugs, they are freaky.

So glad you managed to eventually have a sail away party. Was Castaway Cay your second or third day?

 

[liesbeth1012]

Noel, your post regarding the deadline really makes the cruise seem closer for some reason.

I feel like a getting closer dance. I'm getting butterflies!

Yes here too. I was on the telephone this evening with my son and we are talking about things of the cruise and I mentioned that is was about 72 days. It feels getting closer, that we almost forget we are going tot Disneyland Paris the next weekend for 4 days.

On the EBTA in May, we had so many Love bugs on the ship... and I mean the little black ones not the passengers... That we could not have the sail away party til we sailed away from Castaway Cay and the crew had a chance to wash them all off the decks and verandas...... They were everywhere and deck 9 and 10 were closed til then. You could not go on your veranda.... it was horrid.... but we had a fun party finally.....

I saw some photo's from these bugs. I hope we don't get them on our trip.

 

[dylan'smom]

Hi Guys,

Last year on the TA, they charged VAT on everything until we past Gibraltar. I know because I was sending out something to be drycleaned (yes, they charge that too) when the steward told me to hold off a day or two if I could. It wasn't much just like $0.50 but it can add up. I thought it was kinda weird but it did stop once we past it. I have always filled out the VAT charges and dropped them off at the airport or the last time mailed it in but never got anything back so its a bit frustrating to me. The only one I wanted back was my DD's prom dress VAT I bought from Paris but never saw hide nor hair of it. But that's ok, it was worth it. Anyway, make sure you consider this when your onboard. ...

Thanks so much for this - I usually like to do a salon visit on the first day & now I think I'll put that off!! I wonder if internet packages should be held off too...? Certainly photos can wait!!!

We never really had the VAT charged (to my knowledge) on the ebta this yr, but they kept telling us they would start in Spain.

On the EBTA in May, we had so many Love bugs on the ship... and I mean the little black ones not the passengers... That we could not have the sail away party til we sailed away from Castaway Cay and the crew had a chance to wash them all off the decks and verandas...... They were everywhere and deck 9 and 10 were closed til then. You could not go on your veranda.... it was horrid.... but we had a fun party finally.....

LOL and the good part of all that was that no one cared if you stayed outside for the drill! They took cabin names at the door! Many people sneaked away....


.

 

[TotallyAngelic]

Well we leave for Orlando tomorrow and just in case I don't have time to log on in the morning ( I will try though) I just want to say goodbye to everyone for 17 days. This is the first time I have been to Florida with absolutely no fixed plan of attack and it feels really strange to be winging it like this, but with not knowing Taryn's shifts etc it is hard to plan ahead.

I imagine when I return this thread will be confined to the past and we will have moved on to Part 5 ..... hope all goes well for you all while we are gone, and when we return we will be thrust immediately into the last 7 weeks of pre-cruise planning .... and dieting ... and FE gift making etc etc ....

Take care everyone ......

 

[susie2]

Well we leave for Orlando tomorrow and just in case I don't have time to log on in the morning ( I will try though) I just want to say goodbye to everyone for 17 days. This is the first time I have been to Florida with absolutely no fixed plan of attack and it feels really strange to be winging it like this, but with not knowing Taryn's shifts etc it is hard to plan ahead.

I imagine when I return this thread will be confined to the past and we will have moved on to Part 5 ..... hope all goes well for you all while we are gone, and when we return we will be thrust immediately into the last 7 weeks of pre-cruise planning .... and dieting ... and FE gift making etc etc ....

Take care everyone ......

hope you have a safe flight sarah and a wonderful holiday, looking forward to hopefully meeting up when you get home, susie

 

[magic123]

Sarah
Hope you have a good journey, have a lovely break
margaret

 

[TotallyAngelic]

OK, following on from a post on our Facebook page.

Are we having a welcome get together in the Promenade Lounge at 3pm on embarkation day? We don't think it has been mentioned here, but it would be a great chance to meet and greet, and possibly for Noel(with help) to distribute the lanyards and pins if she wants to.

We know there is supposed to be a gathering for the (non)sailaway party and that can still go ahead of course. It is quite a bit of fun joining with others for that.

Also someone wondered about an evening gathering which also would be a great idea for those who would like a wee drinkie along with others to aid getting to know each other even more Now I wouldn't be at this one, but do you think it is a good idea?

Definitely will be at the 3pm meet .. we have done that on our previous 2 cruises and it's a great time to put names to faces. I will also be on Decl 10 with a FAB in hand for non-sailaway!

It's still not rained here but is very dark....great as I am off to see Take That tonight! I guess i'm going to get wet.

Hope you enjoy Take That Claire .... I know loads of people who have gone and loved it

Since I've never been on the TA before, I assume this means that we don't sail until later? Is that correct?

Last time we started moving during dinner ... it was very weird. I prefer sailing away during the day when we can wave at those on the shore !

oh and congrats to steamboat will for winning the UK community board quiz!

Congrats to Steamboat Will AND KAREN for winning the UK DIS quiz .... can sign up to be on your team for the Ultimate Disney quiz on the ship

hope you have a safe flight sarah and a wonderful holiday, looking forward to hopefully meeting up when you get home, susie

Thanks Sue ... we will definitely make a date for Cheshire Oaks in August

Sarah
Hope you have a good journey, have a lovely break
margaret

Thanks Margaret.