*Sept 10th 2011 WB Transatlantic* - From Spain to Space Mountain - Part 5

[Pinky166]

just joined the candy swap too

It's so fun checking our FE for gifts, candy etc....I am such a big kid.

High tea lasts about 45 min, an hour if you have several cups of tea or longer if you are with a group of talkers. DH and I were done in about 45 min. It is very nice to enjoy - I ate a very light lunch that day so I could enjoy the food. If you can't get a reservation when you get on board, try calling on the actual sea day even right up to the time. So many people cancelled the day we went - it was the last sea day and it was gorgeous outside and since its right in the middle of the day, I figure they thought, oh well, its only $10, I'll just blow it off. There is a dress code so don't try showing up in your swimwear cover ups!

Thanks for the info, we will probably have a late breakfast and skip lunch. I wouldn't dream of going in any of the restaurants in swimwear/cover ups and definitely not Palos!

 

[Chris&Jeremy]

ok, cliffy and chris&jeremy, any objections to changing it to the 15th? that way everyone can make it?

I'm good - I will send Dan an email to see if he is OK with it, too. I think he is out drinking today at a beer festival from what I can tell from his Facebook posts.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

Here is the text of a post I just saw on the main DCL forum:

When we were on the Magic in May/June, they were doing major upgrades in un-sold staterooms. Host told us that they planned to do this all summer as most of the cruises weren't full and it was one less thing that would need to be done in dry dock. It didn't bother our cruise enjoyment at all. They were changing out the tubs, replacing the cooling boxes with real fridges, replacing couches, etc. Another CM told us that the hold was crammed full of "parts" for this refurbishment.

Of course, this is my first time on the Magic, so I won't be able to tell the difference. I've heard conflicting reports about whether there is an actual refrigerator or just a cooler that looks like a fridge in the room. Anyone know the answer to that one?

 

[JessicasMom]

Thanks for posting that! It was fun to look at the products and figure out what they are. Some of the prices look good (like the cheeses) but some seem a bit high - like 14+ euros for the case of Cokes. Wouldn't that be roughly $21? Guess it depends on the size of the cans. Hmm... 33cl would be one-third of a litre, which would be a little more than one-third of a quart, which would be about 11 ounces. So a 33cl can is about the same as a 12 ounce can here. Nope, $21 for 32 cans is pricey. Good thing they have the drinks station on the ship!

Yep, I was thinking the same thing!

Umm, well, 40 wasn't all that great either. Thirty was kind of fun, though. I think I'll stay 49 for a couple more years, til I can come to grips with this.

In that case, I'm 112.

I'm not going to be easily consoled about this, you know. I want to look like I did when I was 25 ('cause I was really cute, though I didn't know it), but be as smart as I am now ('cause I was really dumb back then; I sometimes marvel at the fact that I'm still alive, and not in the nut-house).

Oh, look - it's after midnight! Happy birthday to me. Best be takin' my Geritol and gettin' to bed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM ONE PAT TO ANOTHER! DON'T WORRY, 50 REALLY IS FABULOUS! (but it's ok to be 49 for a few years if you need to be ).

 

[PFlamingo]

Thank you, everyone, for the birthday wishes!! You are all very sweet!

Dennis has to work today, so I'm going shopping (Joann's and DSW for cute shoes for the cruise). He suggested going to Atlanta for a fancy dinner, but I said I'd rather stay home and have lobster and a really good bottle of wine I've been saving. Of course, now I have to pick up the lobsters, but that's okay. And bake my own cake. Dennis offered to buy one, but I'd rather have homemade. Mind you, "homemade cake" for me means from a box mix, but that's okay. I'm not a baker, but I can follow box directions reasonably well. Ironic, really - when I was a kid, I hated the fact that we never got "store-bought" anything. Mom made our cakes, our clothes, pretty much everything. Now I'd rather have homemade. I love making my own clothes, cooking at home, etc. Guess wisdom does come with age. It's a good thing credit cards come with age, too!

 

[granmaz]

They have been cooling boxes that look like fridges before, but it would be great if they are changing to fridges.

 

[karentan]

yeah luke warm drinks really just aren't the same.....

 

[karentan]

also from answers to the question i posted on FB, people have said that there havent been any upgrades available at the port for the last few transatlantics. wont bother asking if thats the case, we're happy with our porthole, but was curious to find out how much an upgrade from an oceanview to a verandah would have been?

 

[granmaz]

yeah luke warm drinks really just aren't the same.....

Too true. The cooler doesn't do too badly, but not like a real fridge. We only have water in there and the longest time is overnight but if you want to actually cool down cans of beer/wine or something then it isn't too good at that.

 

[granmaz]

Karen, there is no harm in asking when you get to the port, particularly if you are there in good time. Have you priced it up for now?

 

[Chirpee]

We have never been to Florida in the winter but I think it would be perfect temperatures for me .... July was just way too hot. I have been in April and October and that was a lot better.


I will definitely be doing this ... one cocktail can last me all afternoon if I don't want it to go straight to my head .... if I am lucky I may manage two ( and then I might need a lie down )

We only go to Florida in the winter - it's a nice escape from the snow!

You sound just like me Sarah with respect to cocktails; they are almost guaranteed to send me to sleep! Mind you, that doesn't stop me drinking them!

 

[karentan]

nah havent priced it up exactly, as i know its more than we're prepared to pay. was just thinking that if we can get a verandah for something stupid like a couple of hundred dollars more then we'd go for it, but at the moment they want at least $600 more. not too bothered for that price.

just finished booking the internal flights to get to NC after the cruise, and done our ESTAs. everything is all booked now and relevant stuff all printed off
just got to pack now but that wont be done til friday afternoon before we fly out!

 

[heatherLOVESmickey]

Thank you, everyone, for the birthday wishes!! You are all very sweet!

Dennis has to work today, so I'm going shopping (Joann's and DSW for cute shoes for the cruise). He suggested going to Atlanta for a fancy dinner, but I said I'd rather stay home and have lobster and a really good bottle of wine I've been saving. Of course, now I have to pick up the lobsters, but that's okay. And bake my own cake. Dennis offered to buy one, but I'd rather have homemade. Mind you, "homemade cake" for me means from a box mix, but that's okay. I'm not a baker, but I can follow box directions reasonably well. Ironic, really - when I was a kid, I hated the fact that we never got "store-bought" anything. Mom made our cakes, our clothes, pretty much everything. Now I'd rather have homemade. I love making my own clothes, cooking at home, etc. Guess wisdom does come with age. It's a good thing credit cards come with age, too!

HOPE YOU HAVE THE BEST DAY EVER!!!!​

 

[granmaz]

I'm a late packer too. I tend to have piles of things messing up our spare room and boxes full of bits and bobs too.

 

[heatherLOVESmickey]

Quick question... I have read that a lot of people are bringing soft side coolers. What are they used for? I have been on two other cruises and didn't need one. I'm assuming I won't need one this time either but there is nothing worse than always feeling like you're missing something.

 

[karentan]

Disney is one of the few, possibly only, cruiselines that allow you to bring your own alcohol on board. The coolers are for keeping your drinks cold

 

[jinxleprechaun]

Happy Birthday Pat

HOPE YOU HAVE THE BEST DAY EVER!!!! [/CENTER][/QUOTE]

 

[poohluv2u]

Happy Birthday Pat

Thanks for sharing this story Karen! I too was laid off once upon a time, and I haven't worked for somebody else since - its funny how at-first-devastating things can be wonderful in time.

When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window

I have to say that we love winter here! In FL, the winter months are usually the nicest & when we can actually go outside and do things without burning up. They are replacing our air conditioning system today and it is boiling in the house! I need to go for an ice-cream run!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope your aircon is up and running by now. Our favorite time to go to florida is in February when it is not so hot, or the end of Oct, though I guess the last few years it hasn't been so cool in Oct.

The binky fairy is coming tonight... in preparation for this trip. I didn't want to have to buy new binkies and keep track of them for 3 weeks. So far so good.

I have a friend that was trying to have her daughter be finished with binkies, so she got rid of them all except one and then they went to Build-a-Bear and had the binky put inside a stuffed friend for her. I thought the idea was brilliant

 

[poohluv2u]

No I have never tried a light box but I am seriously considering if for this winter as last year I was really bad.

I have a light box like this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Apollo-Go...900?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item27bcd9dc74 and it does the job. They have other more expensive models you could check out too. This year between the light box and switching most of the lights in the house to use the bulbs that mimic daylight, I barely bothered that it was winter. I will probably bring mine along on the cruise as it can also help you get over jet-lag.

 

[cliffy97]

I'm good - I will send Dan an email to see if he is OK with it, too. I think he is out drinking today at a beer festival from what I can tell from his Facebook posts.

Yes I was at a Beer Festival and perhaps I had a few pints whilst working;. I am happy for the date to as well.

Dan