Sept. 23, 2012 Pacific Coast - Wonder Cruise

[glindamood]

Friendly reminder - anyone interested in joining in with the Fish Extender group (just a small gift exchange, think Oriental Trading type items, with our fellow DIS cruisemates) please send me a PM with your first names, children's ages and your email address.

Also, Postcard exchange group (again, just an exchange of postcards purchased from your hometown area with others in our cruising group) - if you are interested in this, please send me a PM with your cabin number, names and email address.

I will update the list and get it out so those of you on the ball (me, not so much) and working on your gifts have the latest counts.

Thanks!

 

[glindamood]

Trolley in San Diego - http://www.trolleytours.com/san-diego/
DCL's excursion looks to be with the same outfit (or the trolley looks the same) and it better than twice the price.

Not much else new from here - skunk odor is gone (at least until one of them gets caught in the rain maybe), even on me unless I have just gotten used to it.

Welcome home Patti - glad you had a great time! Fun to read all the posts -especially about your children and meeting up, love looking through their eyes.

 

[erbie]

Does anyone know where we dock and how far it is to local attractions in SD?

 

[jetskigrl]

Does anyone know where we dock and how far it is to local attractions in SD?

I don't know for sure since DCL hasn't been to San Diego (that I am aware of), but when I did a search for the San Diego Cruise ship terminal, it came back as 1140 N. Harbor Drive. The Cruise Terminal website does show the Wonder on the calendar as the only ship in port that day. It also says that unless otherwise noted, ships will dock at the B Street Pier. There is also a new Boardway Pier, but it looks like that is adjacent to it so either way I think we will be in that general area.

http://www.portofsandiego.org/maritime/get-cruise-terminal-and-broadway-pier-info.html

That is right near the Amtrak station, the USS Midway and the Maritime Museum. It is also a fairly easy walk to Seaport Village (we walked from the Midway to Seaport Village when we took the Amtrak down there for DS's birthday last year).

 

[glindamood]

Good evening everyone. I just emailed the latest FE list to those participating. If you didn't get it, please send me a PM and I will send you one.

Nothing new to report - beautiful evening here, so beautiful the mosquitoes are out in full force! Just makes it so hard to sit out and enjoy!

I have a question - what are you adults going to do to entertain yourself on the long flight to CA (if you have a long flight). I am getting a new laptop for work that will be traveling with me and I am thinking about a movie or two, or three but which one? Not so sure I will be able to sleep on the long leg and not so sure I can read for that long either. Will anything new be out to watch? One of my most favorite movies is Polar Express but not so sure I need to get into the Christmas spirit just yet (but maybe on the way home). I have seen all the POC and don't watch those well after a time or two (and I have been there/done that already).

 

[meandmygirl]

I keep forgetting about this thread. DD6 will be going to the kids club. I can book our excursions tonight - hoping there are still some available. I have booked our San Fran one already - booked a 2 day hop on hop off with Alcatraz incorporated.

Only 5 more pays until we fly out and I am hoping I have my tax return back before we leave (as backup)

Will try to remember to keep popping in here. Would hate to miss any vital information.

 

[BigDisneyOE]

meandmygirl - hmm I worked out that it's tomorrow by my calculations that NZ/Aus will be able to book excursions. I worked out mid afternoon for NZ. It's not the 10th yet in the USA.

Gail - I have an 11 hour night flight. Without the kids I fall asleep before we've even buckled our seatbelts and taxied down the tarmac. With the kids it's all about settling them down and getting them to sleep. I never get to watch movies or anything with my two. We are sitting four across the middle of the plane so DH can actually take some responsibility this time and look after a child (probably pair a leftie parent with a leftie child, so it's easier to help cut up meals / do colouring etc).

Socababy - no to the CityPass for us, we looked at it for San Diego but decided against it for the week we are in Carlsbad as one wet day or child fatigue day and it blows out the savings. We've booked most stuff independantly and our four year olds are free anyway.

Reckon we'll be staying onboard in SD unless we do the HOHO trolley independently. We'll have already had a week there two weeks prior and unless we've missed something it might be nice to have some family time onboard.

Well it's the 10th here in NZ. Today is the fifth anniversary of my Dad passing. We've been to his grave and talked to him this morning. Oli wanted to dig him up and bring him home and Alex kept kissing the headstone. I've had very little sleep with one thing and another and now the cable seems to have broken, so I've wodged a DVD on as background to the chaos that's the lounge. Rich is in AKL today and won't be back until late. It's going to be a long day.

 

[glindamood]

Well it's the 10th here in NZ. Today is the fifth anniversary of my Dad passing. We've been to his grave and talked to him this morning. Oli wanted to dig him up and bring him home and Alex kept kissing the headstone. I've had very little sleep with one thing and another and now the cable seems to have broken, so I've wodged a DVD on as background to the chaos that's the lounge. Rich is in AKL today and won't be back until late. It's going to be a long day.

Not much else I can say other than he is with you and always will be. Can you see some of him in Oli and/or Alex? Sometimes I hear myself say something my dad might have said and it stops me short and the same goes with my boys, especially Ben. They live on, not only in our hearts but all sorts of unexpected places.

 

[socababy]

Well it's the 10th here in NZ. Today is the fifth anniversary of my Dad passing. We've been to his grave and talked to him this morning. Oli wanted to dig him up and bring him home and Alex kept kissing the headstone. I've had very little sleep with one thing and another and now the cable seems to have broken, so I've wodged a DVD on as background to the chaos that's the lounge. Rich is in AKL today and won't be back until late. It's going to be a long day.

I'm so sorry about your dad! I'm sure those 5 years have flown by and yet it probably seems like forever since you last saw and talked to your dad. It will be 4 years in October since Dh passed away and I feel exactly that way. Time certainly doesn't heal all wounds.

 

[erbie]

meandmygirl - hmm I worked out that it's tomorrow by my calculations that NZ/Aus will be able to book excursions. I worked out mid afternoon for NZ. It's not the 10th yet in the USA.

It's about to be midnight US Pacific time. You can probably book now. I was able to book as of 12:00 am US Eastern time when my booking window opened.

Most of the SF excursions still have space, all of the SD and Ensenada ones do. Palo has plenty of availability for dinner. Alcatraz is all full but its easy to do on your own. Brunch on Monday is wide open, and on Thursday there's still one time available. I didn't check the spa availability, but I imagine it's also pretty open. EDIT: Alcatraz is still open on Wednesday.

 

[BigDisneyOE]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone, it's certainly not getting easier. The kids wanted to know how big they were when Dad died and I tried to explain they were the size of a mini Lego person as I was only 18 weeks pregnant. It's been a very long day and I have completely lost the eating plot today, all my hard work for the past month has probably been undone.

Socababy - when Dad was dying he said it was better him than a young man with a family, I know he meant that with all his heart and I know he would be gutted to know your DH went so very early in his life.

Erbie - yes I stuffed the time up completely. I'm so used to you all being in So Cal that I worked the day based on So Cal rather than NY time. I managed to book Palo for DH and I on the Thursday on the 12.30 session. When I booked there was all the times available as I managed to notice it was 3 minutes past midnight in NY and logged on to have a play. We thought it was early brunch only and we can't manage heavy food in the morning. So we booked the last slot for sitting down and will feed the small people and tip them in the kids club for a play for 90 minutes and try and have a date. Given we average one meal out a year and this will be our only shot at a date meal in the US, we will give it a go.

Okay I'm trying to book in the port arrival etc and the flight thing is a nightmare. I'm not 'flying in' as we are doing it two weeks prior, so I don't think the flight will impact on our boarding the Wonder, but mainly as it won't let me arrive in LAX before we left NZ - which, due to the dateline we actually do (leave NZ at 1945 on 8 Sept and arrive LAX at 1245 on 8 Sept). It chucks a wobbly.

For port arrival I've selected 11.00 - 11.30 as that's the first thing still available. We have to be out the condo in the morning so we'll kick our heals in San Pedro cruise terminal if needs be.

How do I book a main dining session? We are requested on that from July last year but how do I book that with DCL? They know about me and my food allergies and we requested main dining. Can we now book the session?

 

[AussieMumma]

Woohoo we are all checked in!!! The website started crashing during the second cabin check in (only dh's so I really wasn't too concerned ) I had to keep reloading the page, but I finally go it all done. We got the 11-11:30 boarding times too. I've given up trying to book anything else it just keeps coming up with an error, must be too many people checking in!!
Will leave it an hour or so and try again, I'd love to have brunch with dh, we haven't been out alone together for over a year!

Marian, thinking of you today, the hug smilie has dissapeared but I am sending *hugs* to you.
I gave up on the flying in before the cruise thing too, it didn't like my flight number or our travel back in time

 

[BigDisneyOE]

Woohoo we are all checked in!!! The website started crashing during the second cabin check in (only dh's so I really wasn't too concerned ) I had to keep reloading the page, but I finally go it all done. We got the 11-11:30 boarding times too. I've given up trying to book anything else it just keeps coming up with an error, must be too many people checking in!!
Will leave it an hour or so and try again, I'd love to have brunch with dh, we haven't been out alone together for over a year!

Marian, thinking of you today, the hug smilie has dissapeared but I am sending *hugs* to you.
I gave up on the flying in before the cruise thing too, it didn't like my flight number or our travel back in time

Woo Hoo - we can knock around at port together!

I found you had to drop the letters on the flight number to get it to work but it doesn't like the time travel thing one bit.

Glad you had the error glitch as I was trying to show Rich the booking and it kept spazzing on me. Must be a load of people waking up and doing bookings or something that's overloading it.

Gail - meant to say that Dad is definitely in Alex. His ears smell the same (yes, I do know that's an extremely odd thing to notice) and Alex has the desire to live in the country like my Dad did. Dad was orginally from a farm outside a town in Yorkshire, so he returned to the country in the last few years before he passed away. Alex explains he likes the 'peace and stillness' of the countryside, same phrasing as Dad. Alex also does stuff that Dad did, like poke his tongue out when concentrating (I do that too). I just worry that I will forget Dad's voice. To me he never had an accent as he was my default but aparently he had a broad Yorkshire accent (if you know the program Last of the Summer Wine, Dad spoke like that). Oli seems to have taken on Rich's Dad's mannerisims a lot. He past away about 18 months ago and Oli is getting more and more like him. Oddly, both Grandpas shared the first name (Ray), which is now carried by Alex as a second name.

 

[AussieMumma]

We've booked brunch for 10am on the Thursday

I've booked our transfer for 10am from our LAX hotel so plenty of time to get to the port.
I ended up going with 'sav-on shuttle' for our transfers. $79 from the Marriott LAX to the port and the same price from the port to Anaheim afterwards, that's for the six of us including a child seat for little miss. Much better price then the limo company, I know it won't be flash, but I don't need flash, I just want to get there!

So excited
Only one stress left....flights to LA from here!!!!!

 

[glindamood]

Glad everyone got what they needed last night. I never did go and see about changing our brunch to these second sea day.

Marian - if you requested early dining when you booked, you should have it and not have to worry as it was still available last week. See, your Dad is there with you! And I know it isn't the same but they do live on - and in tangible ways.

Well, today is my last day for the shots in my knees. First week I thought I felt a difference, last week, not so much so hoping this week and as time goes on, I do notice changes. I also need to ask about the fluid that they keep pulling out of my left knee - maybe I just need to go back and have that done monthly or something.

Take care and enjoy!

 

[jetskigrl]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone, it's certainly not getting easier. The kids wanted to know how big they were when Dad died and I tried to explain they were the size of a mini Lego person as I was only 18 weeks pregnant. It's been a very long day and I have completely lost the eating plot today, all my hard work for the past month has probably been undone.

Socababy - when Dad was dying he said it was better him than a young man with a family, I know he meant that with all his heart and I know he would be gutted to know your DH went so very early in his life.

Erbie - yes I stuffed the time up completely. I'm so used to you all being in So Cal that I worked the day based on So Cal rather than NY time. I managed to book Palo for DH and I on the Thursday on the 12.30 session. When I booked there was all the times available as I managed to notice it was 3 minutes past midnight in NY and logged on to have a play. We thought it was early brunch only and we can't manage heavy food in the morning. So we booked the last slot for sitting down and will feed the small people and tip them in the kids club for a play for 90 minutes and try and have a date. Given we average one meal out a year and this will be our only shot at a date meal in the US, we will give it a go.

Okay I'm trying to book in the port arrival etc and the flight thing is a nightmare. I'm not 'flying in' as we are doing it two weeks prior, so I don't think the flight will impact on our boarding the Wonder, but mainly as it won't let me arrive in LAX before we left NZ - which, due to the dateline we actually do (leave NZ at 1945 on 8 Sept and arrive LAX at 1245 on 8 Sept). It chucks a wobbly.

For port arrival I've selected 11.00 - 11.30 as that's the first thing still available. We have to be out the condo in the morning so we'll kick our heals in San Pedro cruise terminal if needs be.

How do I book a main dining session? We are requested on that from July last year but how do I book that with DCL? They know about me and my food allergies and we requested main dining. Can we now book the session?

We have the 11:00 port arrival time also. We might actually arrive later this time (closer to when the rooms open) but if we don't like the room we get assigned, I wanted the option to arrive early to try for a port upgrade, so 11:00 it is. Of course, if everyone else is getting there at 11:00, it would be nice to do a mini-meet-up at the port

To check your dining session, view your reservation on the DCL site. After you open the reservation, click the "view details" link:

Your 7-Night Pacific Coast Cruise

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Reservation
Only 74 days until your cruise sets sail!
View Details

Once in there, it will show what dining session you have. If it shows Second Seating, call DCL and ask them to change it for you. If they say Main is no longer available, ask to be put on the wait list. If that still doesn't work, you can ask to have it changed as soon as you board the ship (they will have a location set up for dining changes and also for Palo reservations).

 

[AussieMumma]

Thanks for the tip jetskigirl, I went back in to check our dining, and it is main seating. So what time is that again, 6pm?

 

[BigDisneyOE]

AussieMumma - it's 5.45 for early dining. We'll be there too, it was on our ressie but we seem to have lost the notation on food allergies. Guess I'll be filling and sending the faxes again

JSG - can you do an upgrade from a VGT? I thought that was 'your lot' so to speak. How on earth would they calculate that out?

Looks like we'll all be arriving at the same time! (just noticed that the Smilie has the stick shift on the wrong side for us!!)

Okay we need to order shuttles. To arrive at port we'll be coming from the end of Magic Way outside of Disneyland. What time do I book a shuttle for? I don't know LA traffic at all and I guess Sunday morning will be different.

I've also got to book a shuttle for disembarking and getting to the holding pen hotel near LAX. I'm hearing that Port of LA is a bit of a nightmare to get out from as DCL do tag allocated disembarkation. What sort of time do you reckon to book the shuttle there? I know we won't be going thru the US line in Customs, so that might be a bit shorter but I don't want some poor shuttle driver hanging around for hours.

I'm driving the kids into Wellington today for lunch with their Daddy. In truth they are more looking excited to see his colleague, who at 6'6" is 'the tallest man in the world' as far as they are concerned.

 

[jetskigrl]

AussieMumma - it's 5.45 for early dining. We'll be there too, it was on our ressie but we seem to have lost the notation on food allergies. Guess I'll be filling and sending the faxes again

JSG - can you do an upgrade from a VGT? I thought that was 'your lot' so to speak. How on earth would they calculate that out?

Looks like we'll all be arriving at the same time! (just noticed that the Smilie has the stick shift on the wrong side for us!!)

Okay we need to order shuttles. To arrive at port we'll be coming from the end of Magic Way outside of Disneyland. What time do I book a shuttle for? I don't know LA traffic at all and I guess Sunday morning will be different.

I've also got to book a shuttle for disembarking and getting to the holding pen hotel near LAX. I'm hearing that Port of LA is a bit of a nightmare to get out from as DCL do tag allocated disembarkation. What sort of time do you reckon to book the shuttle there? I know we won't be going thru the US line in Customs, so that might be a bit shorter but I don't want some poor shuttle driver hanging around for hours.

I'm driving the kids into Wellington today for lunch with their Daddy. In truth they are more looking excited to see his colleague, who at 6'6" is 'the tallest man in the world' as far as they are concerned.

I have been following the thread on GTY assignments and it looks like we will most likely get our assignments on Monday, September 10th (people are reporting assignments showing up on Mondays, about 2 weeks before the cruise). There have also been reports of people being able to upgrade their VGT assignments to other cabins. I guess they have a chart with the base price of the GTY and the cost of the upgraded cabin. I guess as long as they are making a little more money on empty cabins, they don't care what type of reservation you had.

Yes, Port of LA uses the tags. Some people reported that they thought they were by deck, but I'm not sure how they are assigned. Both times we sailed from there we were on Deck 8 and got Tinkerbell. But also both times, that tag was announced somewhere in the middle (not first, like you would think for the deck with all the concierge rooms on it).

Some people said that they got papers in the room with the approximate times for each tag but that may be on the Alaska cruises. I don't remember receiving that information.

I think the only way to control it for sure is to either pick a really late pick-up time and just plan on staying on the ship as long as possible or carrying off your luggage yourself. Since we were just driving home after our MR cruise, we headed to Diversions and camped out in comfort while we waited.

Oh, and yes, the line for international customs was much shorter

 

[GromMom]

Anyone planning on going to Sea World when we get to SD?

The Disney Excursion seems high.

Should we just grab a cab? or a bus? and buy our tickets online with our AAA discount?

Any ideas or suggestions welcome!!

Sea world is about 6 miles away from the cruise ship terminal. I believe the city bus does go there as last time I was there (saturday) I noticed a sign pointing towards the city buses. Just so you know, the bus system is pretty slow in San Diego, so I have only taken it when absolutely necessary (e.g. car was in the shop) and a 15 minute away place by car suddenly can turn into a 2 hour affair, with multiple stops...just make sure to look online to see if that's realistic, since I don't know how long we're in port and what the sea world hours are in September.

Personally if time is of the essence I'd recommend cabbing it, but I also don't know how readily available cabs are at the cruise ship terminal. I used to live in Boston where you can just flag down a cab. You really cannot do that in San Diego, you have to start where cabs are as they're not really just driving around looking for fares like in Boston or NYC. I imagine you can hop a cab at a place like the airport or the cruise ship terminal, but sea world might be a different story. Just make sure to get the # of a company in case you have to call and make arrangements to be picked up.


I'd recommend doing tickets online or shoot me a PM, I believe I have a code that you can use for discounted tickets that I got at McDonalds...it does not say residents only but it does ask for zipcode. You could try it if you wanted to buy tickets day of, but I bet the AAA discount is more of a sure thing.