Turkey Day Gang 2009

[izma]

SORRY I AM YELLING!!!!!

Captain Nautica or Buck Island for St. Thomas?

 

[izma]

A BIG THANK YOU to Alwayslisad for the link to the photo of the new waterslide at Castaway Cay. I am now perusing the photo of the day thread and my blood pressure is coming down...a bit.

 

[cruisecrzy]

Ok, so I am more than a little cranky.

I have NEVER had a bad Disney experience before.

I booked the Discover Scuba excursion for St. Thomas. On the DCL website it says ages 10 an up. DCL calls me yesterday and leaves a message that it is actually 12 and up so they have removed my 11yo DD from the reservation.

I check the DCL website...ages 10 and up.

I call DCL today and they say we're sorry, that's a glitch, too bad for you.

No honoring their website, no compensation.

The other excursions we may have been interested in are booked up and that also got a too bad for you.

Now I must scramble and find something for St. Thomas....any suggestions?

I am relying on you guys to be my support group!!!!!!!

HELP.

Ok I would call back and be nice and understanding. Tell the person that you booked an excursion based on what the website said. You recieved a call.... You called earlier and the CM told you there was a mistake on the website and there was nothing that can be done. If you feel that CM rude then explain to the CM that answers the phone you had a bad experience and would like to speak to a coordinator or manager please.

Explain to either the CM or manager if you go that route that your family was really looking forward to an excursion through Disney and you want to know if someone can help you. There has to be a way to get you on at least a waitlist for an excursion you want.

You were disappointed they did not honor the website information, but maybe the provider just changed the age ranges. At that point there is nothing Disney can do if the vendor will not take an 11 year old. That happened a few years ago with a vendor at CC that said we are done offering excursions even though people on our sailing were booked.

Glass half full: Now, you could just enjoy the island on your own and enjoy the money Disney is saving you.

And you mentioned you were disappointed by no compensation...do not get angry but looking from the other side they always say that excursions are subject to change....heck the boat could change. Be thankful you have time...you could be on the ship ready to go on the excursion at Studio Sea when they say sorry no excursion today. Or ready to go and two hours later then scheduled the excursion takes off.


hope you are doing better

 

[izma]

I was very nice.

The CM was not overtly rude, just not very accommodating or sympathetic. Which in my experience, is not very Disney.

I did speak to a manager - same thing.

We have been waiting for Scuba for years. My kids are fish. So bad that in Hawaii when they were 5 and 6, they swam out to a shallow introductory scuba lesson...dove down...and took pictures of the class with their disposable underwater cameras.

Thanks goodness I have not told them anyting about the cruise yet so they won't be dissappointed that we can't do this - they'll never know.

That said, I still have the problem of deciding what to do an St. Thomas.

Thanks Michelle! I do feel better but now...what to do!?!

 

[missjudit]

Ok, so I am more than a little cranky.

I have NEVER had a bad Disney experience before.

I booked the Discover Scuba excursion for St. Thomas. On the DCL website it says ages 10 an up. DCL calls me yesterday and leaves a message that it is actually 12 and up so they have removed my 11yo DD from the reservation.

I check the DCL website...ages 10 and up.

I call DCL today and they say we're sorry, that's a glitch, too bad for you.

No honoring their website, no compensation.



The other excursions we may have been interested in are booked up and that also got a too bad for you.

Now I must scramble and find something for St. Thomas....any suggestions?

I am relying on you guys to be my support group!!!!!!!

HELP.

I would check with the people listed below; their website shows that they offer excursions for cruise ships. Don't know if this is what you are looking for but it wouldn't hurt to check them out.

Hope this helps,

Judi

Diving St. Thomas? then we are the diver's choice. You can also experience the underwater world for the first time, with our Discover Scuba program. ...

Cruise Ship Divers - Dive Rates - Dive Packages - Dive Sites
www.blueislanddivers.com/

 

[cruisecrzy]

Ok, so I am more than a little cranky.

I have NEVER had a bad Disney experience before.

I booked the Discover Scuba excursion for St. Thomas. On the DCL website it says ages 10 an up. DCL calls me yesterday and leaves a message that it is actually 12 and up so they have removed my 11yo DD from the reservation.

I check the DCL website...ages 10 and up.

I call DCL today and they say we're sorry, that's a glitch, too bad for you.

No honoring their website, no compensation.

The other excursions we may have been interested in are booked up and that also got a too bad for you.

Now I must scramble and find something for St. Thomas....any suggestions?

I am relying on you guys to be my support group!!!!!!!

HELP.

I was very nice.

The CM was not overtly rude, just not very accommodating or sympathetic. Which in my experience, is not very Disney.

I did speak to a manager - same thing.

We have been waiting for Scuba for years. My kids are fish. So bad that in Hawaii when they were 5 and 6, they swam out to a shallow introductory scuba lesson...dove down...and took pictures of the class with their disposable underwater cameras.

Thanks goodness I have not told them anyting about the cruise yet so they won't be dissappointed that we can't do this - they'll never know.

That said, I still have the problem of deciding what to do an St. Thomas.

Thanks Michelle! I do feel better but now...what to do!?!

Sorry did not mean to imply you were not nice. Did you see if you could get on a waitlist if for another excursion.

You could look for doing an excursion on your own. I know lots of people have had success stories, but I know some have not and St. Thomas if there weather is bad and we are set to tender we may not be able to tender on time. Plus DCL will make all those not on a DCL excursion wait. Last year I was sitting in a row in front of people with an excursion that they were going to miss since they could not get off the ship.

You could just try and get something once you arrive in St. Thomas.

 

[izma]

Sorry Michelle! I did not mean to imply that you implied that I was not nice LOL!!!

I pretty much had handled it exactly the way you suggested...they still weren't very helpful. Very undisneyfied.

Is there any good snorkelling off the beach in St. Thomas or do I need an excursion?

 

[cruisecrzy]

Sorry Michelle! I did not mean to imply that you implied that I was not nice LOL!!!

I pretty much had handled it exactly the way you suggested...they still weren't very helpful. Very undisneyfied.

Is there any good snorkelling off the beach in St. Thomas or do I need an excursion?

there is no beach right near the boat like St. Martin. Coki Beach has really nice Snorkling. You will need to take a taxi. Coki beach has a website. I am at a scout meeting so I cannot look it up right now.

 

[Morgey24]

You all are WAY more brave than me, talking about snorkeling **IN THE WATER** (tee hee) in November in the Caribbean. It's going to be cold folks. Ok, so I am a big old wimp, but, brrrrrrrrrrrr

As far as St. Thomas, there are lots of lovely private tours for about $30 pp for the day. Cruisecritic.com has references to a ton of them. We've used some before and always had a lovely day.

 

[Morgey24]

Ok, I went over and looked them up. We've used Godfrey tours before and he was GREAT. Also there are super reviews for Sonny Liston and "Pappa Bear." I think that they are tremendous values and you will get to see the island, get a good tour, and get left at the beach for an hour and a half or so and then brought back to the ship. All for about $30/pp.

St. John's is also a tremendous day trip. As in FABULOUS. But it is a long day with all of the transfers -- ferry to bus to beach and return. Might want to wait until the kids are older for that.

 

[ICEMANPAD]

So...I was scheduled to have "minor" surgery on Dec. 29th. The date was fine even though far away b/c November is a very busy month. Our nephew's bar mitzvah is Nov. 14th and then the cruise departs Nov. 21st. Today, the dr's office calls....the surgery has been rescheduled for Nov. 3rd!!

I told the scheduler about the cruise. Luckily, she said it is still ok for me to go!!

I then told my boss that I will now be out for 2 weeks starting Nov. 3rd per dr's orders, I will then return for 3 1/2 days and will still need the time off that I previously scheduled. Well, he was happy that my surgery date was moved up, but not happy that I will now be out 3 out of 4 weeks in November!!

Lisa

 

[cruisecrzy]

Lisa hope all goes well. We will be thinking about you

 

[The LK 4]

OK tell me if we are swapping patches or S.W.A.P.S for the girls....I can do either.

It's up to you. The girls can trade patches for s.w.a.p.s. if they'd like.

 

[The LK 4]

Good luck with the surgery, Lisa!

 

[cruisecrzy]

It's up to you. The girls can trade patches for s.w.a.p.s. if they'd like.

I think S.W.A.P.S. may better then the patches, but that is me.

 

[The LK 4]

I agree that Girl Scouts are known more for trading s.w.a.p.s. than patches, but I don't want to leave anyone out of the exchange if they have patches instead of s.w.a.p.s.

 

[cruisecrzy]

I agree that Girl Scouts are known more for trading s.w.a.p.s. than patches, but I don't want to leave anyone out of the exchange if they have patches instead of s.w.a.p.s.

OK, I get it. I am a little slow. WE can bring either S.W.A.P.S. or patches. I thought we were all agreeing on one thing to bring......I got it now.

 

[alwayslisad]

Good Luck Lisa!!

 

[pillow]

Sorry Michelle! I did not mean to imply that you implied that I was not nice LOL!!!

I pretty much had handled it exactly the way you suggested...they still weren't very helpful. Very undisneyfied.

Is there any good snorkelling off the beach in St. Thomas or do I need an excursion?

We are heading to Magens Bay for the day. We plan to have a relaxing day of swimming, snorkeling, resting, and drinking frosty drinks! Hoping for a low stress chill out kind of day. I hear Magens is beautiful! Its an easy cab ride from the ship. Something for you to consider.

Jodie

 

[ICEMANPAD]

Thank ya'all for the kind wishes!! Everything will turn out fine...I just wish that my boss wasn't such an Eeyore!!

Lisa