The cabana sounds (and looks!) amazing!!!! I watched the video a few times because it just looks so peaceful & relaxing there!!!
And yippee for sharing with Anita!!! What a great idea -- split the cost & share the day with friends!!!
The dolphin encounter really sounds amazing too! I cannot wait to see pictures from your trip!!! It's not that far away now!!! I bet you are super excited!!!!
Yep, just watching that video relaxed me too, I can't wait to actually be there!
The trip is getting close, close enough that I'm starting to freak that I'm running out of time
I really wanted to get a bit of tan before we went, especially because we can't wear sunscreen during the dolphin encounter, but I'm still white as a ghost - it takes me forever to tan, so starting now is probably just a waste of time....
I still need to purchase some things, and make my door magnets. Next week I'm doing test monitoring at Jared's school all week, so I won't get much done that week, I'm going to Minnesota for a week in May as well, which leaves me with just 3 weeks to actually get everything in order!
Just catching up.....
I think sharing a cabana rental sounds great! But don't you have to pay extra for each person after 6?
Here's my take on the cabanas, fwiw....... When we were at CC, we spent a total of 10 minutes on our lounge chairs. We were either on the slide, snorkeling, or just roaming the island....... And sadly, it rained our day, so we only got about 3 or 4 good hours. But in that time, we only used the chairs to hold our things.
And do not worry about leaving your belongings. I felt totally comfortable there. After all, everyone there is from the
DCL ship (not that that makes them all upstanding citizens, afterall, they let ME on the ship!
) but it does "seem" safer).
Yep, you're right, we will have to pay extra for our 7th person, but we still come out way ahead sharing the cost.
While I love the beach, I'm actually not a big fan of being
in the ocean (yeah, I know, I'm strange
) so I'll get lots of use out of a lounge chair and shady hut!
All I can say is......
I Want to Go on A Cruise!!!!!!.....NOW!Your killin' me.
Go Mary Ellen, go!!!
You may have already mentioned this, and if so forgive me for asking, but are you guys taking passports or birth certificates? I just looked into the price of the passports and
. I couldn't believe how expensive they are! I'm seriously considering just taking the birth certificates. I mean, I have no problem spending hundreds of dollars to get my Disney fix, but I want something more exciting than a passport in return!
I was just wondering what you thought about all of it.
We have passports, I already had one, but had to buy them for Don and the boys. Yes, it was a big expense, but worth it for my peace of mind. If, God forbid, something bad happened and you had to fly home from the Bahamas, you can not do that with birth certificates. I didn't want to take that chance.
Oh wow, if I had a cabana like that, I might actually look forward to going to the beach!
I'm so excited reading about your cruise preparations. Howard and I are talking about eventually doing a cruise even if it's like, for our 5 year anniversary or something. I actually emailed the group and said this:
2013 - WDW again in FEbruary
2015 -
Disneyland
2017 -
Disney cruise!
Haha, of course, that'd be a ton of money, but we had so much fun vacationing as a group, that we might end up doing it over and over again.
I love how you're planning out your vacations for the next 6 years
Taking the trips every other year should get everyone plenty of time to save up, I think it's a good plan!
subbing in, your plans look AMAZING
Sounds like you have a wonderful family with two great boys. I have a feeling the DCL adventure will make your DH more in favor of a Disney vacation, and you are a smart woman adding in that baseball game on your way to Florida, any sports related activity would put my Dh in a good mood for any trip
Can't wait to read more
Hi there!
and thanks for posting!
Sports related activites are a good way to put all three of my boys into a good mood! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this cruise does the trick with DH, I'll probably need a little magic too
While Passports are not cheap, they are good for a long time (if you are 16 or Older when you get it, it's valid for 10 Years).
Plus, there will be a time in the not too distant future you will need a passport or other ID card for all international travel.
http://www.nassauparadiseisland.com/passport/
From
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_989.html#entry_requirements
Travel by Sea: Americans may enter the Unites States from The Bahamas by sea using a passport, passport card, or other Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document.
So, my suggestion is - better safe than sorry - there may be some question if you use a birth certificate - there will never be a question with a passport.
For reference, an Adult passport card for a first time applicant is $55 - (30 + 25). Not an outrageous sum. A full passport plus passport card is $165 (140 + 25). A full passport book alone is $135 (110 + 25).
If you only intend to ever go to a Caribbean island by sea - then go for the passport card only.
http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3926.html
The U.S. Passport Card can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book.
The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air.
Hope this helps you with your decision making...
Glen
Great information, thanks for posting it!
I totally agree with the better safe than sorry suggestion.
And how could you not have a full stomach on a cruise?!?! I'll deal with it though. I'll just pack lots of Tums!
We have a breakfast ADR for Boma at 7:45, but since our port arrival time is between 11 & 11:30, I'm thinking of moving this back a little to maybe 8:15??? When I made the ADR I wanted to be at the port before 10am, but the early arrival times were all taken when I checked in, so really there is no reason for us to rush in the morning. So, do I change the ADR time or do I just leave it alone and we could take a stroll out to see the animals one last time after breakfast? Decisions, decisions!
So sad they are growing up. We just had a quiet dinner. 
