-=*September 10 2011, Westbound Transatlantic from Barcelona to Port Canaveral*=-

[birkner]

Ditto!!

I will put you on the list.

 

[granmaz]

I wonder if you will end up with over 100 again Noel!!! At least you have the experience this time.

 

[Pinky166]

Congratulations Karen on finally getting your holiday approved. Must have been a relief for you, finally you can start looking forward to the cruise.

I will put you on the list.

I would be interested in the tour aswell please Noel. I don't mind helping you/or doing the organising as I know you wasn't too sure that you wanted to do the tour again last time it was mentioned. Just let me know.

 

[birkner]

I wonder if you will end up with over 100 again Noel!!! At least you have the experience this time.

The last WBTA thread was much more active than this one so I suspect a Madeira tour on this one will be much smaller.

 

[granmaz]

The last WBTA thread was much more active than this one so I suspect a Madeira tour on this one will be much smaller.

I would think so too, but there is time yet!!!

 

[birkner]

I would be interested in the tour as well please Noel. I don't mind helping you/or doing the organising as I know you wasn't too sure that you wanted to do the tour again last time it was mentioned. Just let me know.

I will put you down as well for being interested. Thank you for the offer to help organize. Eusébia of Daniel Taxi and I have a relationship beyond the tour so it would be relatively easy for me to organize another tour.

As I mentioned in a previous post, we need a fairly large group to get a discount so we will see how many are interested before I approach her again.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

I can't start looking for a reward flight home until a couple of weeks yet as we are staying on for a few weeks after the cruise. The waiting is awful!! I want to get that booked first before anything else.

Until when are you going to stay on that side of the Atlantic? I'm adding 2 weeks but have been able to book return flights since last friday. Gosh, did I wait long since that opening to book.......

The last WBTA thread was much more active than this one so I suspect a Madeira tour on this one will be much smaller.

We've got another 9 months to go, you never know how much more DIS'ers we might pick up along the way.

Unfort. won't be signing up for any tours at any moment soon yet. Health is still too unpredictable to paint myself a picture of what's doable and what's not. Don't want to go "count me in" to later on perhaps find it might not have been a smart thing to do, so to say. Have had a look at the initerary you posted, sure does look good!

 

[birkner]

Until when are you going to stay on that side of the Atlantic? I'm adding 2 weeks but have been able to book return flights since last friday. Gosh, did I wait long since that opening to book.......

We were able to book our flights on United as they open flights up to a year before the dates.

We've got another 9 months to go, you never know how much more DIS'ers we might pick up along the way.

Unfort. won't be signing up for any tours at any moment soon yet. Health is still too unpredictable to paint myself a picture of what's doable and what's not. Don't want to go "count me in" to later on perhaps find it might not have been a smart thing to do, so to say. Have had a look at the initerary you posted, sure does look good!

The previous 2010 WBTA thread was already in the middle of part 3 by this time so I think this thread will be slower. Also, there are two more ships competing for passengers which will affect the cruise as well.

So sorry you are dealing with health issues. On the last tour, we did not have much walking involved so if that helps with decision making. Most of the time we were in the vans sightseeing. We did walk out a bit to see the overlook in Cabo Girao but that was about 50 yards or so round trip. Other than there, the walking was minimal.

 

[granmaz]

Until when are you going to stay on that side of the Atlantic? I'm adding 2 weeks but have been able to book return flights since last friday. Gosh, did I wait long since that opening to book.......

Unfort. won't be signing up for any tours at any moment soon yet. Health is still too unpredictable to paint myself a picture of what's doable and what's not. Don't want to go "count me in" to later on perhaps find it might not have been a smart thing to do, so to say. Have had a look at the initerary you posted, sure does look good!

We are thinking of staying 4 or 5 weeks after the cruise, so it is a week or so before we can book.

Noel, we have to wait till 11 months before the flight date.

Sorry about the health problems. At least there will be lots of relaxation time on this cruise!!!

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

The previous 2010 WBTA thread was already in the middle of part 3 by this time so I think this thread will be slower.

Are you giving us a challenge? I can see a fun one here.

Also, there are two more ships competing for passengers which will affect the cruise as well.

Very true. I'm expecting a rather large group to "hold out" in preference of the Dream and Fantasy in 2012 and with the Wonder doing new and exciting places next year that also offers a real choice for people wanting to cruise.

So sorry you are dealing with health issues. On the last tour, we did not have much walking involved so if that helps with decision making. Most of the time we were in the vans sightseeing. We did walk out a bit to see the overlook in Cabo Girao but that was about 50 yards or so round trip. Other than there, the walking was minimal.

Thanks for thinking along. I actually read your info in the link about mobility accesibility and was positively surprised to find it in there. Much more thourough and allround as DCL. It'll come down to energy and at this moment I haven't a clue what my energy will be by then. Hopefully a lot better than now as I'm awaiting a phonecall tomorrow giving me the greenlight for some much needed treatment, but it's not clear where that will leave me. In the end I'ld rather keep the energysplurging down and enjoy the ships than do a tour too many and end up not enjoying the whole cruise and/or WDW-time. No biggie, I'm used to it but it does make planning months ahead a bit interesting.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

We are thinking of staying 4 or 5 weeks after the cruise, so it is a week or so before we can book.

Noel, we have to wait till 11 months before the flight date.

Sorry about the health problems. At least there will be lots of relaxation time on this cruise!!!

WOW! That is a nice long stay. Good for you! Any ideas yet of what you'll be doing those weeks or are you going to see when it gets closer? Wow, a month of Florida. That is just great!

 

[birkner]

Are you giving us a challenge? I can see a fun one here.

Agreed!!

Very true. I'm expecting a rather large group to "hold out" in preference of the Dream and Fantasy in 2012 and with the Wonder doing new and exciting places next year that also offers a real choice for people wanting to cruise.

I love all the new choices!! We are doing the Inaugural of the Fantasy on April 7, 2012!!


Thanks for thinking along. I actually read your info in the link about mobility accesibility and was positively surprised to find it in there. Much more thourough and all round as DCL. It'll come down to energy and at this moment I haven't a clue what my energy will be by then. Hopefully a lot better than now as I'm awaiting a phone call tomorrow giving me the greenlight for some much needed treatment, but it's not clear where that will leave me. In the end I'ld rather keep the energy splurging down and enjoy the ships than do a tour too many and end up not enjoying the whole cruise and/or WDW-time. No biggie, I'm used to it but it does make planning months ahead a bit interesting.

Belle1997 (Ruth) took along her wheelchair and walker as the vans do have room for both so that is important to note. If you have any questions about the mobility issues on the tour, you might want to ask her. Her van took a slightly different tour than ours you might want to compare. I am sure she would be happy to answer any questions you might have about the tour.

I really do understand that some have mobility issues and enjoying yourself on the cruise is paramount.

 

[granmaz]

WOW! That is a nice long stay. Good for you! Any ideas yet of what you'll be doing those weeks or are you going to see when it gets closer? Wow, a month of Florida. That is just great!

I know, we are so blessed. We are retired so have time. Downside is of course that we are getting old!! We don't go to the parks all the time, not much at all to be honest. We rent a villa with pool, so tend to get very lazy. We enjoy the better weather than back home, though that was a bit debatable this last spring when florida had their coldest winter for I don't know how many years! We keep meaning to go out and about more, but haven't quite managed it yet. If we have an actual month back in Orlando next year I think we WILL go and visit a few other places close by. We also have made friends over the years and cruising and usually manage to meet up with a few each trip. This last trip over I think we met up with about 10 folk other than many on the cruise we have cruised with before.

We also don't treat the long stay as a vacation, though of course it is. We don't normally eat out much and eat very simply, so that saves a few pennies. We enjoy the life and pretend we live there!!

 

[birkner]

I know, we are so blessed. We are retired so have time. Downside is of course that we are getting old!! We don't go to the parks all the time, not much at all to be honest. We rent a villa with pool, so tend to get very lazy. We enjoy the better weather than back home, though that was a bit debatable this last spring when florida had their coldest winter for I don't know how many years! We keep meaning to go out and about more, but haven't quite managed it yet. If we have an actual month back in Orlando next year I think we WILL go and visit a few other places close by. We also have made friends over the years and cruising and usually manage to meet up with a few each trip. This last trip over I think we met up with about 10 folk other than many on the cruise we have cruised with before.

We also don't treat the long stay as a vacation, though of course it is. We don't normally eat out much and eat very simply, so that saves a few pennies. We enjoy the life and pretend we live there!!

You and John are doing trips that my DH John and I hope to do when he finally retires. I think that we have glorious weather here in California most of the time so we travel more for the enjoyment of visiting new places than for the weather. We love to do day trips here in California as well as we have so many things to see.

For example, this weekend we are going to see the new Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows movie on the first day in IMAX in Dublin. Since there are no reserved seats, I will pick up lunch/dinner before the show because I will have to wait in line for about 4 or 5 hours until John meets me there. He will have his own ticket in case he is delayed so I can save his seat. Hopefully, he won't have to work late but traffic is very heavy from his office to Dublin, so he will wait until at least 7 or later to drive up. It will take him at least 40 minutes without any traffice

We decided since the show is at 10:45 PM and quite a distance from home that we are going to stay overnight at the Hyatt in the Hacienda Crossings theater complex there so we can have a glorious breakfast before we go home. I will probably purchase our "to go" lunch/dinner in the same complex. Just carrying on a tradition of going to an opening day show that I started with my kids when they were little.

 

[granmaz]

You and John are doing trips that my DH John and I hope to do when he finally retires. I think that we have glorious weather here in California most of the time so we travel more for the enjoyment of visiting new places than for the weather. We love to do day trips here in California as well as we have so many things to see.

For example, this weekend we are going to see the new Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows movie on the first day in IMAX in Dublin. Since there are no reserved seats, I will pick up lunch/dinner before the show because I will have to wait in line for about 4 or 5 hours until John meets me there. He will have his own ticket in case he is delayed so I can save his seat. Hopefully, he won't have to work late but traffic is very heavy from his office to Dublin, so he will wait until at least 7 or later to drive up. It will take him at least 40 minutes without any traffice

We decided since the show is at 10:45 PM and quite a distance from home that we are going to stay overnight at the Hyatt in the Hacienda Crossings theater complex there so we can have a glorious breakfast before we go home. I will probably purchase our "to go" lunch/dinner in the same complex. Just carrying on a tradition of going to an opening day show that I started with my kids when they were little.

Sounds a good weekend, though I don't think I could stand in line for that long for a film. I love traditions though.

What are your Thanksgiving plans?

 

[birkner]

Sounds a good weekend, though I don't think I could stand in line for that long for a film. I love traditions though.

What are your Thanksgiving plans?

We don't stand in line. We sit inside on our Crazy Creek Chairs. I take my computer and my Kindle to keep occupied. Once we are inside, we use the chairs in the seats.

Thanksgiving this year falls on Samantha's 25 birthday so we let her choose what she wanted to do. She wanted to go to the Fairmont for the Thanksgiving Brunch so that is where I made reservations. If you click on the link, you can see the menu.

My other DD Jennifer and her family will have dinner with her MIL as she is having health issues and can not travel far. Jen and the family will come here on Friday. I ordered a precooked turkey and sides from Roberts Market here is Woodside. Also, ordered a veggie platter, pumpkin and apple pies and Asiago cheese bread from Draegers in Los Altos by request for the kids. Samantha will bring home a Pumpkin Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory.

 

[granmaz]

Everything looks wonderful Noel.

 

[birkner]

Everything looks wonderful Noel.

Thank you. There is just no time to cook and to go out so much easier to order the meal for the next day. Now if I can just get the tree on Friday, the kids can help us decorate!! We usually get a 12-14 foot Noble Fir from Santa's Village at the Webb Ranch nearby in Portola Valley. We started that tradition in 1984 when we first moved from Los Altos to our Portola Valley Ranch house where we lived until 1992. A interesting tidbit is that Walter Smith, the father of Courtney Thorne-Smith bought our old Portola Valley Ranch house. We then bought a house owned by a football player named Ricky Watters. In 2004, after DD Samantha was in University for a year, we sold that house and moved to our present house which is just a regular house!!

 

[karentan]

sounds like a yummy meal noel!

 

[birkner]

sounds like a yummy meal noel!

Thank you!! I love to cook but to much work this year!!