Sept 17 2005 Magic - am i alone on the ship?

[TeaforWendy]

I think we are in 2566. I'll check tomorrow at my office. We were in 2568 last year and it was great. It's a long walk up to the Diet Coke in the morning, but otherwise I thought the location was just dandy. And it worked to our benefit when the seas got choppy.

We flew down on Saturday morning last year and it worked out fine. We took the DCL bus which was great, too, although we stepped on and they closed the doors and left for the port. My dh and I commented that some of those folks probably had to wait awhile until the bus was filled up. We were lucky to be the last family to get on the bus. The bus was cool because it was filled with LOTS of excited people. Added to the anticipation. Because I was nervous abt getting Palo ressies I booked the REAS package so I wasn't worried abt rushing around the boat on Saturday. I don't know yet what we will do this year. I booked the DCL transfers and assume we'll take the same Southwest flight we took last year. It's direct to Orlando from KC. It would be nice to get in a day early tho...

 

[getoutthere]

Jen- Yes, I'm alive. I've just been busy. I have been reading but not had the time to post. I just sent you an e-mail.

It is a beautiful sunny day here and the temp is around 53 degrees. Could be warmer but I'm not complaining. I am watching Travel Channel right now and they are showing the Voyager of the seas show right now. It is so cool to watch and say, "hey, I sat in that chair by the pool". Really takes me back to our cruise on the Voyager. It is the cruise I met Jen on. It also my favorite cruise so far.
We are planning on flying in on Friday sometime, staying in Orlando, and driving to port Sat. morning with Jen and her family.
Has anybody decided on what they are doing for port days yet? As Jen said previously, we and our hubbies are daysailing in St. Thomas (without kids, Yeeeehaaaw!) and we are looking at possibly Lord Sheffield's in St. Maarten with the kidos. I am excited to hear what you all are doing. Oh, let's face it....I'm just plain excited!
Trisha

 

[TeaforWendy]

Jenn and Trisha, tell me about the day sail in St. Thomas. Sounds right up our alley. Also, I looked up the Lord Sheffield you mentioned. I'm all for it. I'm going to tell my dh abt it and if he's in agreement, book right away. I think our 4yo will love it. A pirate ship. Thanks for telling abt it! I love these boards!

 

[jennat]

There are a ton of daysail companies out there and we are not sure which ones are running in Sept(some of them go other places off season). I really looked into it last year and from what I could discern, they were all pretty well liked and run. Here is a cool site(s) to give you an idea. www.sailjester.com and www.sailwinifred.com I had booked with Ike Witt before we got diverted (they didn't charge me), but for no particullar reason. From everything I hear they are the best day. They only allow 6 people and they have an open bar and serve lunch and either come up with great places to take you around St Thomas and St John or do and go wherever you say. It is your day.
The Lord Sheffield is getting raving reviews over on cruise critic Here is a link to one of the discussions http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=107205.
You are welcome to join in! I'm SURE we will have a blast!

Still 70s here. We are getting spoiled. Trisha, hop in the car...it's NOT raining! Now it will start, I just jinxed myself. This has been the greatest January (except for that whole drought thing...I'll think about that tomorrow)

 

[getoutthere]

Jen- You know it would start raining as soon as I got there.
I just heard from Interline about a daysail and unfortunatly they are one of the companies that leaves during Sept. Oh well, there are lots of others we can go with.
Wendy- We would love for you to go with us. I will keep you posted on the company we go with. If we are the 6 passengers on the boat that will make it even more fun. I just can't wait til we go
I am trying to come up with something to do for my DH's b-day on the cruise. If you guys have any ideas please, let me know. Also, I have not gotten trip insurance yet. Who did you guys go with?
I'm counting the seconds til our cruise!
Trisha

 

[TeaforWendy]

Let me know abt the day sail. We are likely up for it. Also, I really want to do the Lord sheffield. The reviews look fantastic! I wonder if we could get deposits back if the ship goes elsewhere due to hurricanes? What day is your husband's birthday? I'd say book Palo that night or else do the Champagne brunch at Palo if it's a sea day. Or book that mud room, what do they call it, Rasul? at the spa. It's a room you book with steam and a shower and you can do different mud treatments, etc. together, without a therapist. We booked it last year, but had to cancel b/c dh was feeling seasick. He keeps saying he wants to do it this year. (The patch hadn't kicked in yet.) Our anniv. is the 20th while we are on board. Last year too, but we didn't tell Disney. The whole cruise was a celebration! I didn't get trip insurance b/c you are really limited to cancelling for a doctor excused illness. I don't think it covers if for example becuase you missed a flight or your flight was delayed you missed the boat or something.

I love talking about this stuff!

 

[jennat]

It also covers a hurricane....I'm just saying
I used Global Alert...163. for all of us. One of those things you hope never pays off. Trisha, who else did you e-mail. Let me know if you want me to e-mail anyone. I will babysit your kids that night. Of course when I say babysit, I mean walk them to and from the kids club (at 1am). What are friends for. I am leaning toward Lord Sheffield too, what are your thoughts. Are you up for it or not really? We have a long day in port and it is four hours?
teaforwendy (is your name Wendy?), we would love for you to join us!
Anyone else out there. What happened to the guy who started the board. Lots of people popped in. We would love to chat with you!!
Gotta do the dancing banana...he makes me laugh soooo hard!

 

[missyoh8]

Let me prewarn you that cruising in September without insurance is like playing with fire! We were paid out over $2600 from insurance last year due to hurricane Jeanne. This was not inclusive of all the refunds and credits we were given by DCL. Please reconsider this opinion.

Gotta run,
Missyoh8

 

[cmctammyg]

Hi all!

I haven't checked the boards in a few months and then I find out we are almost all "neighbors"!

I am in the Cape Girardeau area...very close to Norm and those yummy rolls.

This will be our third cruise. We are looking forward to escaping this cold weather! We actually have two trips planned prior to the cruise, including WDW in 28 days! (We are also DVC members).

My hubby is former Air Force too. I look forward to meeting everyone!

 

[4kidsandadog]

HI Tammy!

Welcome to the thread... So cool to talk to someone back in Cape! My mom and brother still live there. And you're a former AF spouse... what a small world! Hope we'll get to meet up on the ship.

Karen

 

[getoutthere]

Wendy- It looks like we will probably go with either Jesters or Ike Witt for our daysail in St. Thomas and I sent an e-mail to see if they have room for you an DH too. If you want to go with us I can include you in our res. or you can make your own. Doesn't matter to me just let me know. sailjester.com[/URL] I don't have Ike Witt's but I think it is just Ike Witt.com.

I also just booked Lord Sheffield for mine and Jen's family. Anybody elso who wants to come along, feel free. The more the merrier, I say!
Trisha

I just have to add this for Jen

 

[TeaforWendy]

Sounds like I should definitely reconsider insurance. Thanks for the Global Alert tip. I thought DCL allowed you to cancel/get a refund if they had to alter the cruise. I guess not. Trisha, let me know what they say about the daysail. I will check out those sites. I'm excited abt Lord Sheffield. I will book the 3 of us, too.

We just got back from a live Sinbad show. My face hurts. I laughed for two hours straight. He is hilarious. It snowed here this afternoon and I was hoping dh could take dd sledding tomorrow, but it is already melting. Alas.

I have a compulsion to start planning what I'm going to pack for the cruise. How awful! I don't want to miss the Pirate party this year. Last year it was after Antigua. I wonder if that means it will be after St. Maartan this year.

 

[jennat]

Thanks T
Wendy, They should let you cancel if they change it up but airfare, hotel and anything else you are out of pocket, you lose. For instance, last year, we flew in ("The cruise is still on"), checked in ("the cruise is still on" translation...up til now if you cancel, you pay), ate lunch and swam at the hotel pool ("the cruise is still on") started dinner ("the cruise is now off") Darn! Grab a car ($$), find a hotel somewhere safe (or a flight home if you can pull it off, not easy), drive to hotel and pay $179.00 for two nights + food and drinks , drive back and return car...either fly home or get on ship. We did get a 30% refund which concievably covered our expenses, but the couple we were traveling with got an additional $500.00! If we had chosen to forgo the cruise, the refund would not have covered the air or any hotel (the airport closed pretty quickly). Hope that helps.
good to hear from you Tammy and Karen!

 

[getoutthere]

Wendy- We (Jen and I) are all booked for Lord Sheffield and we are going to book with Ike Witt for the day sail. I just got an e-mail from them and they said they don't have another couple reserved yet so if you want to come along they have room. Since it will just be the six of us we should have a great time. I am so looking forward to it. I think Jen sent an e-mail requesting our reservation.

What is everyone else planning on doing? I was reading through this thread last night and there are several people who posted they were coming but have not posted since then. I hope they pop back in and say hi again. If you can have some people to talk to from your sailing it makes the wait so much more bareable.
Trisha

 

[TeaforWendy]

I'm going to book Lord Sheffield tomorrow. Yay! However, we won't be joining you on the daysail. DH looked at the sailboats on the websites and says "look, they go on their sides, I'd rather be on a catamaran that stays flat." I tried to explain that the fun of sailing is "going on the side" but I could tell he was, dare I say it?, scared, so I didn't push him. I have to say I was really surprised b/c we are both long time powerboaters, very comfortable on the water, so his reaction was totally unexpected. Oh well, it's all abt relaxing and having fun. I have a feeling he'll regret it later. We'll see.

I agree that this helps the time pass. So fun to make friends in advance! Hope more people come and say hi. I think that my dh and I are close to Jen and her dh's age (I'll be 37 tomorrow, dh is OLD, 42, ha ha), but our daughter is young, will be 4 on the cruise. She loves the Oceaneer's Club, her counselors and the ocean and she can't wait for cookies & milk at night.

 

[missyoh8]

Happy Birthday Wendy!

Missyoh8 (H.S. class of '86 )

 

[jennat]

Happy Birthday Wendy! We're sorry you won't be joining us.
Missy, god to hear from you. what has been going on? We got snow over night and are on snow delay...so much for the 70 degree days. Well, it is January after all. What do I expect! They will be back (the 70s), I'm sure!

Anyone, out there reading these posts but not posting, please join in!

 

[TeaforWendy]

Thanks for the birthday wishes, they sure come faster and faster these days. Missy, I'm HS class of 86 too. Hard to believe our 20 yr reunion will be in another yr. Oh well -- we'll have lots of great Disney stories to tell.

 

[jennat]

Another HS86er here! It is so weird to think you have lived away from home longer than you lived at home! OLDIES but GOODIES
What did you do for your birthday?

 

[missyoh8]

O.K. I can beat that jennat...........I have been with my husband longer than I have lived without him! Aren't we too young for that?? We were high school sweethearts .

Of course we still feel the same way !

Have a good one all.........

Missy