September 12, 2009 ~ Last Call for Tortola! Thread 3

[KayR]

What's a VR? Victorian Runabout?

With the web access on board, a whole family can use it, right? Is it a joint account that you get and then anyone in your family can mosey over and log in?

I guess what is going on in the machinations of my mind, is could a group of people, let's call them a "family" use one account and pool their resources? Thereby making access for the week cheaper for all?

I'm going to be phoning AT&T this afternoon. The $2.75 is not bad if it's not an emergency. I suppose the good thing for me is that nobody calls me.

That didn't come out sounding right. Nobody has my cell phone number, except for friends who are also on this cruise, who used it for keeping in touch at DL. I basically only get wrong numbers.

I'll know more after I talk to AT&T later.

Sorry, spend to much time on boards that use "VR" regularly - I forget sometimes! VR = vacation rental.

I'll check with DH and see if he can remember how it worked on the internet stuff - he's the techie. I just stand there looking like this and say "It doesn't work!" (OK, I am not that bad really, but he is my technical support. Mind you over here, in Silicon Valley, everyone seems to be a techie!)

-Kay

 

[EllaEnchanted]

What's a VR? Victorian Runabout?

With the web access on board, a whole family can use it, right? Is it a joint account that you get and then anyone in your family can mosey over and log in?

Yes Ian, anyone with the login and password can access your on board web account. So in fact you could very well share with family and extended family....wink, wink....just as long as you don't all try to log on at the same time.

Four weeks from today we hit the road. YEAH!

 

[EllaEnchanted]

Congrats on the find and the great weight loss.

You all may know that TMI means something completely different to our local residents. Something we still think about frequently.

Thanks for posting the photos from Sunday. They are super and it was wonderful getting together. So anxious to meet the rest of this little community.

Finally ordered snorkel gear from LLBean. Purchased some a while back, but it was too small and when I exchanged for a larger size, it was too small. Fits DH perfectly, so he is set.

Joanie

Hi Joanie, thanks for the congrats. It's a beginning and as long as it keeps moving in this direction, I'm pleased.

What does TMI mean to your local residents? By local, do you mean Hershey? I'm not familiar. Please enlighten me.

I can't wait to get onboard with all these fine folks. Meeting you and Sam was great. I always say the more, the merrier.....speaking of which....I have an important question:

DO WE HAVE ANY PLANS TO TAKE A GROUP PICTURE ONBOARD?

I can gather some information about having this done when I inquire about our Champagne Girls picture. I should have some further details in about a week from now. I'll let you know then.

 

[TiggersPal]

Yes, that and, "Shake it up baby, now."

Woody

I saw that photo!

I was just looking at those pictures over the weekend. I'll sing Beatles songs with you any day!

.

Me too - I love singing especially Beatle songs, as our brother and other sis do too!

We can work it out.

Woody

You and those one-liners...

Hello everyone!

Sorry I've been AWOL lately but I'm busy, busy, busy sourcing products for our upcoming building project which is due to commence at the start of September!!! I'm hoping the demolishing will occur whilst we're sailing the seas together but, once we return, I've got to hit the ground running as that also coincides with the start of my 2nd year of Uni...

Apologies for not keeping up with thread - I will try and ketchup over the next couple of days...

HI KAREN!!!!

this weather has been strange this year

looks like HAY cutting for in the morning

DOOR SIGNS !!!!!!!!!!! YEAP !!!!!!

right there with the SHOES !!!!!!!!!!


OOOOOOPS for got the UNDIES !!!!!!!!!!

Boy do I remember cutting, baling and stacking hay in the summers - we'd wear long sleeve shirts and jeans so the hay didn't scratch up our arms and legs and boy it was hot and humid... those were some of the best days of my life - thanks for the walk down memory lane.

Emergency Contacts.

I'm not sure if other people are in the same situation as we are. We have two dogs and I have a friend moving in for 2-weeks to take care of them. Also there is the situation that we have a 2-flat and there could be a crisis with the house when we are away.

I've asked our upstairs neighbors/tenants if they can just deal with any house crisis, as my friend is just there to take care of the dogs, though there could be a crisis with them as well.

Contacting us while we are in WDW the week before is easy, we'll have our cell phones.

What I'm worrying about is what to do while we are on the ship. I suppose I have to contact AT&T and have international turned on, but I have heard that it can get very expensive if you receive an SMS or a wrong number.

I know that I will have to turn off email on our iPhones and turn off any sort of web access, which will inadvertently connect to the network.

Does anyone have any recommendations? What are other folks doing for emergency contacts back home?

We'll have internet access - the whole phone thing is just ridiculous in my mind - half the time those international phones don't work - I am leaving a list of backup people who can assist with emergencies regarding our dogs... the house has warranty on most items and my neighbors are great for those unexpected situations and if it truly is something horrible they can call the ship and I'll pay the fee. I guess I've implemented "levels" of emergencies on my emergency list for my dog sitter. I have two other friends who are coming by and giving additional "dog loving" so my girls won't be too sad. They are used to a lot of attention - so our next door neighbor has puppy play dates set up in addition... so I think we are covered!

Deb - CONGRATS on your weight loss - Good for you - keep up the good work.

In the past we've always done a group photo at the DIS meet, I figured we'd do another at Champagne Girls too!

 

[iankh]

We'll have internet access - the whole phone thing is just ridiculous in my mind - half the time those international phones don't work - I am leaving a list of backup people who can assist with emergencies regarding our dogs... the house has warranty on most items and my neighbors are great for those unexpected situations and if it truly is something horrible they can call the ship and I'll pay the fee. I guess I've implemented "levels" of emergencies on my emergency list for my dog sitter. I have two other friends who are coming by and giving additional "dog loving" so my girls won't be too sad. They are used to a lot of attention - so our next door neighbor has puppy play dates set up in addition... so I think we are covered!

I'm not quite as concerned about the dogs. A friend will be taking care of them. Their vet is around the corner and 2 blocks away. Before I leave I go to my vet and give them my credit card number to cover any medical emergencies.

The big concern is them being let out and the gate not being shut, but my friend is very reliable and loves dogs, having had one for 16 years, so I'm not too concerned.

There is of course the likelihood that the dogs will rebel. Sukie works at home and so there is someone home all day, but then again, when Cheri stayed, she'd go out. Tallulah in all likelihood will leave retaliatory poops for Rich to find and deal with, but we have hardwood floors throughout the house and no carpeting or rugs, so it's no big deal. Rich has been briefed in just what Tallulah might do, and is prepared for it. Truman will just go along with Tallulah.

My biggest concern is house. I'm sure the guys upstairs can deal with most things, but my basement worries me. If we get a heavy rainstorm, the sewers can't handle it, and water will back up through the floor drains. Fortunately the water descends just as quickly as it comes up.

Sukie and I are well versed at dealing with it. We have 10 box fans and one big powerful industrial fan. I hook up the 11 fans, and the basement can be dried out in about an hour. I'll have to explain to everyone what to do in the event of a flood.

The real need for being able to contact us should they have to. Email is just not immediate enough. If there is an emergency, I don't want to depend on the time lag between it being sent and my reading it.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

Deb - CONGRATS on your weight loss - Good for you - keep up the good work.

In the past we've always done a group photo at the DIS meet, I figured we'd do another at Champagne Girls too!

Thanks Peg....Ian is my mentor and source of inspiration. When I grow up I want to be just like Ian. He's such a giving soul and very funny too.

Did you do your group photo in the Promenade Lounge? Does that work?

We're meeting at 3:00 pm and we have the muster drill around 4:00 pm. Will we be able to do it?

We'll definitely do one with the Champagne Girls.

Let me see what I can find out. I've been in touch with Linda/seaulater. She's sailing currently and will make inquiries on my behalf. I should hear back from her next week.

 

[TiggersPal]

I'm not quite as concerned about the dogs. A friend will be taking care of them. Their vet is around the corner and 2 blocks away. Before I leave I go to my vet and give them my credit card number to cover any medical emergencies.

The big concern is them being let out and the gate not being shut, but my friend is very reliable and loves dogs, having had one for 16 years, so I'm not too concerned.

There is of course the likelihood that the dogs will rebel. Sukie works at home and so there is someone home all day, but then again, when Cheri stayed, she'd go out. Tallulah in all likelihood will leave retaliatory poops for Rich to find and deal with, but we have hardwood floors throughout the house and no carpeting or rugs, so it's no big deal. Rich has been briefed in just what Tallulah might do, and is prepared for it. Truman will just go along with Tallulah.

My biggest concern is house. I'm sure the guys upstairs can deal with most things, but my basement worries me. If we get a heavy rainstorm, the sewers can't handle it, and water will back up through the floor drains. Fortunately the water descends just as quickly as it comes up.

Sukie and I are well versed at dealing with it. We have 10 box fans and one big powerful industrial fan. I hook up the 11 fans, and the basement can be dried out in about an hour. I'll have to explain to everyone what to do in the event of a flood.

The real need for being able to contact us should they have to. Email is just not immediate enough. If there is an emergency, I don't want to depend on the time lag between it being sent and my reading it.

Yep in that case you will need something more immediate... It's been along time since I've had to deal with flooding, and basements - but we had issues in Hobart with that as well. And the sub-pump - always issues with that thing.

I do get concern in case of lighting strikes and fire... though - but heck even if I was in town the chances of it happening while I was there... who knows. Thank God there is a fire-hydrant right across the street!

 

[TiggersPal]

Thanks Peg....Ian is my mentor and source of inspiration. When I grow up I want to be just like Ian. He's such a giving soul and very funny too.

Did you do your group photo in the Promenade Lounge? Does that work?

We're meeting at 3:00 pm and we have the muster drill around 4:00 pm. Will we be able to do it?

We'll definitely do one with the Champagne Girls.

Let me see what I can find out. I've been in touch with Linda/seaulater. She's sailing currently and will make inquiries on my behalf. I should hear back from her next week.

Yes - we did it in the Promenade lounge... and it worked very well. We got the group photo right off the bat and then hung out visiting until muster. Actually I think Jackie has one from every cruise she's been on! I only have two - since I had to cancel the Panama Cruise... sniff sniff

I know what you mean about Ian - I wish he were local so we could attend his meetings - it certainly would assist us all in keeping motivated.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

I just did my online check in. DON'T FORGET TO DO THIS EVERYONE.

I've been checking the following site for weather in the caribbean. I've been watching for upcoming storms or hurricanes.

http://www.stormpulse.com

 

[EllaEnchanted]

Yes - we did it in the Promenade lounge... and it worked very well. We got the group photo right off the bat and then hung out visiting until muster. Actually I think Jackie has one from every cruise she's been on! I only have two - since I had to cancel the Panama Cruise... sniff sniff

I know what you mean about Ian - I wish he were local so we could attend his meetings - it certainly would assist us all in keeping motivated.

Excellent! That sounds like a great way to get the photo. I have only cruised with DISers once on the PC cruise. This will only be my second DIS cruise and photo even though it's my 7th DCL cruise. I just didn't know about the disboards any earlier.

I'll find out about getting the Shutters photographer and you can direct the traffic in the Promenade Lounge as people arrive.

 

[iankh]

AT&T Wireless

Well, I contacted AT&T and got cell phone rate information. They also offer a "World Traveller" plan, for $5.99 a month that adds on international call service at a reduced rate. One would have to remember to have it removed from one's account after the cruise.

From the Magic - $2.49 a minute

From St Thomas - Normal US rates for whatever plan you have on your phone

From Tortola - $3.49 a minute / $1.99 a minute with the World Traveller plan

We'll have to figure out what's best for us. Definitely, a phone call to us while we're at sea in case of emergency. For a 3 or 5 minute phone call, back home to check up mid-trip, a call from St. Thomas back home is the best bet as there will be no additional charges.

Also, for you iPhone folks, you will have the opportunity of turning your email back on (reverse what I said to do in my previous email) when we get to St. Thomas and catch up on your email for no additional charges.

 

[MickeyOCD]

Ian, thanks for the instructions. I never would have thought about my calendar (or some of the other things) needing to be turned off. Don't want to be surprised afterwards

have you thought about getting a check valve for your basement drain (not sure if you can do it afterwards depending on how you basement/drainage is set up) but what it does it let water out but doesn't let it back in. We have one in our basement (on our ejector pit; our sewer is above our drains so it pushes everythingup to it). We had flooding 2 yrs ago and our neighbors got water in their basements thru their drains but we didn't. Their houses didn't have check valves and ours did. Something you might want to talk to a plumber about.

 

[iankh]

Ian, thanks for the instructions. I never would have thought about my calendar (or some of the other things) needing to be turned off. Don't want to be surprised afterwards

have you thought about getting a check valve for your basement drain (not sure if you can do it afterwards depending on how you basement/drainage is set up) but what it does it let water out but doesn't let it back in. We have one in our basement (on our ejector pit; our sewer is above our drains so it pushes everythingup to it). We had flooding 2 yrs ago and our neighbors got water in their basements thru their drains but we didn't. Their houses didn't have check valves and ours did. Something you might want to talk to a plumber about.

I had a flood gate installed which helped enormously, but we still get flooding, not sure how it gets past the gate, but it does.

It's not like we flood all the time, it has to be one of those horrible rainstorms where the streets in Chicago start flooding. One I had to rush home from work and saw that on streets going under the Metra the water was about 3 feet deep.

That's about the only thing that worries me while I'm away. Though not something that the guys upstairs can't deal with.

Otherwise, one of them is a Chicago cop, so I never worry about the house or burglars.

 

[MickeyOCD]

Thanks for the info! I think we'll just check in with everyone on our St Thomas day, definitly the way to go for us as at this time we don't have any pets to worry over. And our neighbors can keep an eye on the house and we don't have flooding issues (unless the sump-pump fails) & they are well equipped to deal with anythingthat comes up.

 

[ibouncetoo]

Excellent! That sounds like a great way to get the photo. I have only cruised with DISers once on the PC cruise. This will only be my second DIS cruise and photo even though it's my 7th DCL cruise. I just didn't know about the disboards any earlier.

I'll find out about getting the Shutters photographer and you can direct the traffic in the Promenade Lounge as people arrive.

The photos we did in Promenade Lounge were not done by Shutters...they were done by lots of DHs with a mess of cameras! It is easy to pose a fairly big group in front of the 'stage' there.

On the WBPC our group was huge and we had to use the atrium staircase in front of Lumineres to get us all in. That photo was done by Shutters (and lots of DHs standing near them and some on Dec 4) at a pre-arranged day and time. If we wanted one in the atrium with the Mickey statue and a professional photogapher that would be cool, just know some people may have other things scheduled at the time that Shutters can do it.

.

 

[MickeyOCD]

I had a flood gate installed which helped enormously, but we still get flooding, not sure how it gets past the gate, but it does.

It's not like we flood all the time, it has to be one of those horrible rainstorms where the streets in Chicago start flooding. One I had to rush home from work and saw that on streets going under the Metra the water was about 3 feet deep.

That's about the only thing that worries me while I'm away. Though not something that the guys upstairs can't deal with.

Otherwise, one of them is a Chicago cop, so I never worry about the house or burglars.

glad that security isn't an issue. Sorry that you still experience flooding though. Not sure how a gate works (never heard of it; I'm a Civil (although some would laugh at that description) Engineer so I'm fairly well versed with a lot of these types of things) but a check valve couldn't let any water past it (unless it was broken) as the pressure of the water trying to get into your house would keep it shut. Could the water be from groundwater seeping up thru the cracks in yor floor due to the ground being saturated and that Chicago was, essentially built on a swamp? Don't know whatthule of soil you have but that could part of your problem (unless you've seen it come up out of your drain). I know what you mean about our lovely Illinois storms, sometimes it comes down so fast and so much that I swear we're in a rainforest and it's monsoon season. I hope we don't have one of those while we gone!

 

[jship210]

Great idea, but I was not planning on buying their web access package while on board.

Though now that you have said that, how does the package work while on board?

If you have a wireless ready laptop, you can use your personal computer to access the internet while onboard both the Disney Wonder and Disney Magic. You will find several "hot spots" throughout the ship, including most staterooms. Have not tried the laptop wireless

Printing is not available for wireless connections

Disney Magic

$0.75 USD per minute pay as you go
$55 USD for 100 minute plan ($0.55 per minute)
$100 USD for 250 minute plan ($0.40 per minute)
$150 USD for 500 minute plan ($0.30 per minute)

Disney Wonder

$0.75 USD per minute pay as you go
$27.50 USD for 50 minute plan ($0.55 per minute)
$40 USD for 100 minute plan ($0.40 per minute)
$75 USD for 250 minute plan ($0.30 per minute)
Onboard Email Account
There is an additional charge of $3.95 USD to send an e-mail from your onboard ship e-mail account. There is no charge to receive an e-mail from your onboard e-mail account.

Hope this helps. We also use it to get our flight confirmations before we get off the ship

 

[kimlovesdisney]

re: FE's .....I apparently don't qualify to PM....haven't posted enough. Could yall send me a list so we can give the gifts to the other participants...even if we aren't included? I am sure my kids would love passing out all the presents. (we are still hoping to be on the list though)

 

[TiggersPal]

 

[EllaEnchanted]

The photos we did in Promenade Lounge were not done by Shutters...they were done by lots of DHs with a mess of cameras! It is easy to pose a fairly big group in front of the 'stage' there.

On the WBPC our group was huge and we had to use the atrium staircase in front of Lumineres to get us all in. That photo was done by Shutters (and lots of DHs standing near them and some on Dec 4) at a pre-arranged day and time. If we wanted one in the atrium with the Mickey statue and a professional photogapher that would be cool, just know some people may have other things scheduled at the time that Shutters can do it.

.

It works for me! I like this idea better, especially for the size of this group.