Sept 25, 2011 Wonder - Mexican Riviera

[wideeyedwonder]

LimoFam5, that is so cool! And yes, Harry was so cool...will he be there on our sailing?

CONGRATS WIDEEYEDWONDER!!!! How great!!! I am hoping Disney thinks of something creative before our cruise. I am good with not going to port that are not safe. Good change. Just hoping for something besides same port.

I hope they get an alternate as well. However, I can think of worse things than being in Cabo for two days!

I have to say a huge "Thank you!" to WideEyedWonder! I followed your posts while you were doing the PC and loved the photos of the ports! You were the first group doing (most) of our ports and was completely excited to hear about what a wonderful trip you were having! I can't wait until September! It still feels like such a long way off though....

Super*Mum, thanks! I really need to put together a real trip report, but, failing that, maybe LimoFam5 and I can post our impressions of Cabo and PV?

Short answer is that we loved them both...we did the "Outdoor Adventure" in PV, very well run operation, and very adventurous and fun! DW, DD(12), and I had a blast taking a zodiac to a secluded harbor, taking a converted military transport truck into the forest, and taking mules to the first set of zip lines! There were, what, 8-10 zip lines (some down waterfalls), and 2 rappels (sp?). I'll post photos sometime soon.

In Cabo we just shopped, walked, and ate, and we had a blast as well!

And don't worry, at one moment the PC cruise for us was A YEAR AND A HALF away, and then I blinked, and it was just a week away!

 

[mamacrumbcake]

Hey everyone, we just booked this cruise last week as my DH decided we were all in need of a vacation My husband John and I will be travelling with our two daughters. Glad to see that there will be other kids aboard. Can't wait till September! Looking forward to meeting up with everyone.

Info for the cruise roster
John and Karen Nagy
Madeleine age 13
Tina age 11
Stateroom: gty (we were not able to choose so crossing fingers)

 

[Super*Mum]

The name of our cruise has changed... it is now called:

"7-Night Mexican Riviera Cruise - Alternate Itinerary C"

You can find this when you view your itinerary or if you pretend to book on the DCL site.

Just because speculation can be fun... It could mean "Alternate Itinerary C(ruise)" but I prefer to think Disney has Alternative Itineraries "A" and "B" they are still considering... hmmmm.

 

[LimoFam5]

Hey everyone, we just booked this cruise last week as my DH decided we were all in need of a vacation My husband John and I will be travelling with our two daughters. Glad to see that there will be other kids aboard. Can't wait till September! Looking forward to meeting up with everyone.

Info for the cruise roster
John and Karen Nagy
Madeleine age 13
Tina age 11
Stateroom: gty (we were not able to choose so crossing fingers)

Welcome to the group mamacrumbcake!!!!

The name of our cruise has changed... it is now called:

"7-Night Mexican Riviera Cruise - Alternate Itinerary C"

You can find this when you view your itinerary or if you pretend to book on the DCL site.

Just because speculation can be fun... It could mean "Alternate Itinerary C(ruise)" but I prefer to think Disney has Alternative Itineraries "A" and "B" they are still considering... hmmmm.

Well just checked it out on Disney Cruise Line and although all ports seem to be the same as when I booked the cruise onboard I did happen to notice a change in onboard times for each port
Originally when I booked the cruise the onboard times were as below...
PV - 7pm
Mazatlan - 6pm
Cabo - 3:30pm

NOW the onboard times are.....
PV - 6pm
Mazatlan - 4pm
Cabo - 2:30p

Kinda bummed about the time change But I'm sure Disney had their reasons. I wonder if there is a cost drop due to the change..........

 

[staffieri]

Is anyone worried about how full our boat is getting. I was so surprised. Ive cruised before (Western) and the boat was not crowded at all. In fact we got bumped up to a better room. Just wondering thoughts of those who cruise a lot.

 

[LimoFam5]

Is anyone worried about how full our boat is getting. I was so surprised. Ive cruised before (Western) and the boat was not crowded at all. In fact we got bumped up to a better room. Just wondering thoughts of those who cruise a lot.

I kinda expected this cruising to be full but how full is yet to be seen. When we did the Panama Canal cruise although the ship was sold out it was not full. We talked to several cruise staff who advised us that this was due to the fact that the cruise staterooms were usually ocuppied with a family of 3, 4 and 5 and this cruise a large percent of the rooms were being occupied with 2 adults NO kids. Several staff told us that the kid count was around 400-500 tops. I can tell you that the cruise itself did not feel full at all.......there were several dining room tables empty, at times my kids were the only ones in the Goofy pool and at other times they were joined by just a few other kids. The kid couslers were placed in other working post due to the low number of kids on the ship.
Now the 2 day cruise to no where was the complete opposite, we were told there would be over 1,000 kids onboard.
Soooooo I am very interested in seeing what the kid count on this ship will be seeing as how this cruise is taking place in the first month that most kids go back to school here in So Cal.
Either way it's a Disney Cruise so it will ROCK!!!

 

[Super*Mum]

We are on the the Central Coast and all of our schools go back in August. We will be over a month in when this trip happens. Not sure how LA schools do it...

Anything is better for my DS than our cruise last year of the Greek isles. From memory there were 16 "kids" on the ship. Six of them were over the age of 16 and two of them were toddlers. Out of the 7 in my son's age range there were two brothers who didn't speak a word of English except "idiot" and "stupid" (which they called everyone, including the kids' club staff, all day). The rest were girls. He still had a blast though!!! The low kid numbers had a lot to do with the cruise being during the school year, increased flight prices to Europe, the US dollar vs. Euro/Pound and the nightmare volcano (we were the first flight able to make it to Italy.... so lucky!!!). Those whose flights were earlier than ours had their flights canceled so there were definitely some empty seats on the cruise for that reason.

We will be the only "summer" cruise so I am sure that will raise our numbers quite a bit from those in February or March. Also, this is the first round of DCL cruises out of CA in a long time and many people who were holding out due to the cost of the flights are now booking up a storm. Reasons it may not be as full as Disney hopes would be that school is in session and the media reports of violence in Mexico. Should be interesting to see how this all impacts the numbers.

No matter what, the ship was built for maximum capacity and can accommodate all of us. It always amazes me when I cruise and they announce how many people are on board. It never seems like there is ever that many (except when tendering).

 

[wideeyedwonder]

We are on the the Central Coast and all of our schools go back in August

Now that is just TOO FUNNY. Where on the central coast are you? We are in Arroyo Grande, near Pismo Beach and just south of San Luis Obispo!

(On the PC cruise, the family in the cabin next to us saw our "Arroyo Grande, CA" door magnets, and told us that they were from Los Osos and Atascedero!)

Either way it's a Disney Cruise so it will ROCK!!!

You've got that right! (It took us quite a few days of withdrawal to get back in the groove of real life after that PC cruise...so looking forward to being back on the Wonder!)

Is anyone worried about how full our boat is getting. I was so surprised. Ive cruised before (Western) and the boat was not crowded at all. In fact we got bumped up to a better room. Just wondering thoughts of those who cruise a lot.

Kim, I'm not too worried, like LimoFam5 said, many schools will be in session, so there will probably be a less than "normal" percentage of kids on board. I kind of like it that way, as my kids don't feel so overwhelmed and make friends easier that way. In addition, it means a ship at less than full capacity, with more space at the pools, shorter lines, and a more attentive cast/crew.

 

[Super*Mum]

Now that is just TOO FUNNY. Where on the central coast are you? We are in Arroyo Grande, near Pismo Beach and just south of San Luis Obispo!

(On the PC cruise, the family in the cabin next to us saw our "Arroyo Grande, CA" door magnets, and told us that they were from Los Osos and Atascedero!)

We are in AG too.... now that's strange! AG is a pretty small town, for those of you who don't know, and we are used to explaining where we live by mentioning Pismo Beach (to orient those from the valley) and San Luis Obispo (for everyone who drives the 101 from SF to LA or parents who want their kids to go to Cal Poly).

 

[Disney Sweetie]

Welcome to all our new additions. If I have missed putting your name on the roster, please let me know. I dont want to leave anyone out!

Cabin and FE Roster

Disney Sweetie - Pam, Mike, Katrina - #6630 - FE
Leissa, Charlie - #6632 - FE

M4travels - Michael, Marc

Staffieri - Kimberly, Dmom, DD5, DS13 - FE

Super*mum - 1AD, DS10 - Gty - FE

yukongirl123 - Janice, Trevor (DS) - FE

kawigrl - Tracy, JoAnn (Dmom), Stephanie (DD) - 7122 - FE

mikmouse - 2AD

PrincessBelle39 - 2AD, DD9, DD6

Jennifer_in_MI - 2AD, DS15, DS13, DS11, DD5

Johngar

LimoFam5 - 2AD, Carly (DD6), Maile (DD5) - FE

Wideeyedwonder - Greg, Sheri, Rebekah (DD13), JoJo and Olivia (DD9) - FE

mamacrumbcake - Karen, John, Madeleine (DD13), Tina (DD11)

Please let me know if I have left anyone off the list or if your information is not correct. Let me know your name and cabin numbers when you get them and also if you will be doing a FE.

Thanks!!!

 

[LimoFam5]

So as someone said in a previous post our Itinerary has been changed to read Mexican Riviera Alternate Itinerary C, this is as below.....
LA
SEA DAY
SEA DAY
PV 730AM-6PM
MAZ 730AM-4PM
CABO 715AM-230PM
SEA
LA

That is all ok with me, but lets say by the time Disney comes back and resumes the Mexican Riviera cruises there are not willing to go to Mazatlan, what then.........
Well there is an A and B Alternate Itinerary, sooooooo just thinking out loud here....what looks better to you????

Of course I like our Itinerary but if it had to change, I vote for A!!!! I much rather have two straight days in Cabo and a sea day between our last port and our arrival back to LA............

Alternate Itinerary A
LA
SEA
SEA
PV 730AM-7PM
CABO 11:15AM-7PM
CABO 715AM - 230PM
SEA
LA

Alternate Itinerary B
LA
SEA
CABO 11:15AM-5PM
PV 845AM-7PM
SEA
CABO 715AM-230PM
LA

 

[mamacrumbcake]

Please let me know if I have left anyone off the list or if your information is not correct. Let me know your name and cabin numbers when you get them and also if you will be doing a FE.

Count us in for the FE. What fun!

Karen

 

[australiankaren]

hi there

my hubby and I are also booked for this cruise, this will be our second DCL cruise so very excited.

look forward to getting all the latest info re itin and on board activities from you guys.

have a great day

 

[wideeyedwonder]

I vote for A!!!! I much rather have two straight days in Cabo and a sea day between our last port and our arrival back in LA

I'd choose "A" too. I like having a sea day right before LA, so we can take our time packing and lounging the day before LA.

 

[Jennifer in MI]

Ports, schmortz. I don't care! I just want to be on a disney cruise!!! Sounds like we won't have much time in the ports though.

We just upgraded to a cat 5C. I'm not sure where yet. But, I'll let you know ASAP for the fish exchange list. I was surprised that there were connecting 5C's left!

 

[Jennifer in MI]

We just decided to upgrade to a cat 5C!!! Our new room numbers are 6620 and 6622. I cannot WAIT to have a verandah!! (Actually TWO of them! I wish those connected too!)

So, for the FE list - it'll be:

Steve
Jennifer
Sam - 15
Andrew - 13 (almost 14)
William - 11
Margaret 5 1/2

COOL!!!!! I've been looking at pictures of our room category for an hour! What I can't tell is if the room part is actually any bigger than our other staterooms or if the increase in sq footage is the verandah.

 

[LimoFam5]

We just decided to upgrade to a cat 5C!!! Our new room numbers are 6620 and 6622. I cannot WAIT to have a verandah!! (Actually TWO of them! I wish those connected too!)

So, for the FE list - it'll be:

Steve
Jennifer
Sam - 15
Andrew - 13 (almost 14)
William - 11
Margaret 5 1/2

COOL!!!!! I've been looking at pictures of our room category for an hour! What I can't tell is if the room part is actually any bigger than our other staterooms or if the increase in sq footage is the verandah.

We've actually had a verandah room before and no I don't think there is a difference in room size. I believe the sq footage difference is only the verandah.... From having stayed in both I can say I noticed no difference.
Either way I'm sure you will enjoy the room. Having your own private verandah can be nice for sitting back and relaxing in the morning enjoying coffee or a nice glass of wine at night!
Enjoy!!

 

[Jennifer in MI]

We've actually had a verandah room before and no I don't think there is a difference in room size. I believe the sq footage difference is only the verandah.... From having stayed in both I can say I noticed no difference.
Either way I'm sure you will enjoy the room. Having your own private verandah can be nice for sitting back and relaxing in the morning enjoying coffee or a nice glass of wine at night!
Enjoy!!

Thanks. That is what I figured. It looked so similar in size. I absolutely cannot wait to sit outside watching the sun rise with coffee and set with wine! You have me pegged!

Problem is, we're looking at cruises for 2012 and now I don't want to book anything that doesn't have a balcony!!

 

[LimoFam5]

Thanks. That is what I figured. It looked so similar in size. I absolutely cannot wait to sit outside watching the sun rise with coffee and set with wine! You have me pegged!

Problem is, we're looking at cruises for 2012 and now I don't want to book anything that doesn't have a balcony!!

I wouldn't worry about that so much, Afterall you are on a Disney Cruise!!!! Like I said before we have had both and enjoyed both. The last time we had a balcony we did not spend that much time out there so on this last cruise we booked a deluxe oceanview stateroom and loved it soooo for us as long as we are on the ship we are happy!!!!
Don't forget if you are looking at booking another Disney cruise you get a 10% discount and onboard credit when you book while you are on a cruise.

 

[Disney Sweetie]

Updated roster!

Welcome to Karen and Tony from Australia! Looking forward to meeting you.