Universal Adventures of Dreams AND Magic, and an expanding World!

[jenseib]

Day 6 is another port day. This time at Costa Maya.

I don't know a lot about this port, but I have heard it's not always "safe" if you go to far in.

We arrive at 12:45 and stay till 5:30.

The plan right now is to stay near the dock. They have a little center there with some shopping and a big pool that you can use for free. We'll check that area out. I have heard you can get a taxi into the town, which isn't too far away and shop there as well, and we "might" do that as well and just see some local "toruisty" life. I'm not sure what the other girls have planned, but I think this id kind of what Brook has planned as well.

I have seen some pictures from someones blog that are just gorgeous of the area. I hope to get some great shots myself.

A nice lazy day of fun is pretty much all the plan is. Again dinner on the ship and if there is a show, we'll try to catch it.


Day 6 is our last port of the cruise. This is a stop at Cozumel from 7:15 AM - 3:45 PM.

We are winging it here too. We found coupons for a free drink at Margarittaville, which I am told is near the port. So the plan is to go there and have a drink, eat some nachos and they also have a swim area there as well.
I visited Cozumel in 1998 (I think). It was lovely, but we didn't have much time there. I believe the dock we were at was ruined in a hurricane since then and possibly rebuilt...AND I think a 2nd dock has been built as well....and I am pretty sure that is the one the Disney Ships dock at. So basically, even though I have visited there, it will still all be new to me.
The one thing I remember about my last visit..I bought a Dooney there for $40 and it was big. It probably was some knock off, but it looked real and I got lots of compliments on it. I loved that purse.

Tonight is scheduled as semi formal night. We decided we would like to give Palo a try. So Lisa, Brook, Carolyn and her 2 room mates and myself have a 6:30 reservation. It depends on how long this lasts, but if we get out in time, I would like to go to the show this evening as well. I hear Palo can lasts up to 3 hours...Honestly, at 2 I'll get jumpy. I am a fast eater and I would rather have fun conversation sitting somewhere else that at the table waiting on the next course. But I have wanted to try it and the chocolate Souffle, so I am going for it.

I have brunch on the Dream in Nov. so it will be nice to compare them.

We still have 1 more day at sea left!

 

[francis6306]

I wish I could go on a cruise!!! I actually was playing around on their website and there was a cruise going on while we'll be at Disney… I thought about it- but I know that my girls are too young for a cruise right now. I'd just be too worried to have Catie toddling around on the ship! So we will wait until the girls can really use the kids club areas.

Sounds like you have a great trip planned so far though! All those girls on the boat! Ohhh that would be a dream come true! haha

 

[jenseib]

I wish I could go on a cruise!!! I actually was playing around on their website and there was a cruise going on while we'll be at Disney… I thought about it- but I know that my girls are too young for a cruise right now. I'd just be too worried to have Catie toddling around on the ship! So we will wait until the girls can really use the kids club areas.

Sounds like you have a great trip planned so far though! All those girls on the boat! Ohhh that would be a dream come true! haha

My cousin is bringing her baby onboard..I think he will be about 9 or 10 months when we sail. I give her a lot of credit.

 

[dizneeat]

Can't comment on the ports, Jen, as I still have to read up on them for our back to backs next summer, BUT

Palo, I can comment on.
First off, Europeans spend LOADS more time at a restaurant, so yes, it can take long to finish, but they adapt quite well. We have always been longer than others, so don't worry.
Comparing brunch and dinner is like comparing oranges and apples. The restaurants itself are americanized versions of an upscale Italian restaurant - and so is the service.

 

[jenseib]

Can't comment on the ports, Jen, as I still have to read up on them for our back to backs next summer, BUT

Palo, I can comment on.
First off, Europeans spend LOADS more time at a restaurant, so yes, it can take long to finish, but they adapt quite well. We have always been longer than others, so don't worry.
Comparing brunch and dinner is like comparing oranges and apples. The restaurants itself are americanized versions of an upscale Italian restaurant - and so is the service.

Thanks. I hear the 2 are very different experiences...and I am just happy to try them both out. I was a ahirstylest for so many years and in that job you eat on the run. So I tend to eat fast and get on to the next thing. So sometimes slow dinners drive me nutso. But I'll try to adapt as best I can.

 

[jenseib]

Day 7 of my trip.....This is my last day of fun. One full sea day.
Again, no realy plans, but we'll see what is offered and go from there. I'm sure we'll try to fit in anything that we feel we missed and want to try out. Perhaps home sickness will now have started....or perhaps not! LOL

I think dinner is a farewell type deal. I hope the show is one I want to see as well.
I am also hoping at this point I can still fit into my clothing. I am sure I will not hold back at all when it comes to eating.
I am very excited to have 3 sea days on this trip. I then can actually try and relax without thinking I am missing something at a port.
At some point in time, I'll have to brwose the shops too. I am sure a little someone at hime wil lbe counting on a few prizes brought home from Mom. I am going to try and refrain a bit this year. Last year I did bring her home quite a few things, which she loved, but made for some heavy suitcases, thus having to buy another one and then paying to check an extra one in. I do have a rolling duffle packed in my bag, so I do have extra room this time around.


Then comes Day 8. The dreaded day.
Time to kick us off the ship.
Our flight isn't till 2:20. So I am NOT going to rush off the ship...they may carry me off kicking and screaming actually, so if you see that in the news...it was me!

We may get lunch on the way to the airport, we'll play it by ear and see how hungry we are by then. I just really don't want to sit there for hours doing nothing, only to get on a plane and do nothing for hours. i do like to be at the airport 2 hours early...but I think 3 or 4 would drive me nuts. I am not sure if Brook is riding back with us, or with Carolyn. Carolyn flies out of Bush I think, and not sure what her time is. Brook flies out of Hobby, and her flight is a bit later than mine.

We do change planes again at Chicago Midway. Our scheduled time home is 7:40. My Aunt is going to pick us up. She has invited us to spend the night, but unless we are very late, I think we'll head right home. I'll be ready to get there and I am sure Claire will be missing me and the sooner I get home the better. I pretty much expect that she will not go to bed till she sees me, which may be midnight. The nice thing about being home...back in your own bed, though my experience last year was a very comfy bed on the ship too.

And that pretty much wraps up my plans for the Sept. 22 cruise out of Galveston.
I do plan to write a trip report, but it will be slow going. When I get home, I will only have 5 weeks till my next big adventure and will have to get everything ready for that, plus catch up on work as well. Then I'll be off for almost 2 weeks again and coming back ready to start that report...and though I will write both, writing 2 at the same time is time consuming and hectic at times.

 

[mom2rtk]

Good morning Jen! Only five more days!



Better remind Skip you're leaving later this week..... in case he forgets when it is!

 

[Caretames1]

Better remind Skip you're leaving later this week..... in case he forgets when it is!

Not long now!
:dance: dance: dance: dance: dance:

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[jenseib]

Good morning Jen! Only five more days!



Better remind Skip you're leaving later this week..... in case he forgets when it is!

Skip said to me this morning.."Mom says you are leaving Thursday"and I say.
"No, I am leaving Friday Morning to fly down". And he's like "No. Mom said Thursday" because his Mom would know over me...right???
So I corrected him once again and told him Claire was going to my Moms on Thursday night, but I will leave at the butt crack of dawn on Thursday.

So he asks "Where you going?" LOL So I tell him we are flying out of Columbus....I'm not going to make this easy for him. He says "to where", and I said, well we transfer in Chicago then to Houston"..And he says Why Houston, thats a long ways from New York". Um yeah, I sail out of Galveston.
he swore I told him I was going on a ship out of NYC. Which at one time I told him that could be one of my options...back in May, along with Alaska, possibly Caribbean or whatever got thrown out there.

So then he says Well where are you going? LOL I told him and he seemed slightly irritated that I was going to Caribbean islands. he didn't say anything though. He asked how my friend was getting away that long and I told her her DH didn't care as he travels all the time by himself. but I did add he got irritated once about it and Skip had that self satisfying smile going.

I am basically telling him next to nothing because of the stupid baby fit her threw about it last month. Who wants to talk to someone who might have another tantrum.
SIl told me she heard all about it from her DH, but when i said Skip knew about it since May, she was definitely on my side...What babies.

Not long now!
:dance: dance: dance: dance: dance:

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I can't wait! I am trying to get stuff done and keep walking my the computer and just reading here and there, but I have so much to do, I need to really stay away.

 

[Caretames1]

Skip said to me this morning.."Mom says you are leaving Thursday"and I say.
"No, I am leaving Friday Morning to fly down". And he's like "No. Mom said Thursday" because his Mom would know over me...right???
So I corrected him once again and told him Claire was going to my Moms on Thursday night, but I will leave at the butt crack of dawn on Thursday.

So he asks "Where you going?" LOL So I tell him we are flying out of Columbus....I'm not going to make this easy for him. He says "to where", and I said, well we transfer in Chicago then to Houston"..And he says Why Houston, thats a long ways from New York". Um yeah, I sail out of Galveston.
he swore I told him I was going on a ship out of NYC. Which at one time I told him that could be one of my options...back in May, along with Alaska, possibly Caribbean or whatever got thrown out there.

So then he says Well where are you going? LOL I told him and he seemed slightly irritated that I was going to Caribbean islands. he didn't say anything though. He asked how my friend was getting away that long and I told her her DH didn't care as he travels all the time by himself. but I did add he got irritated once about it and Skip had that self satisfying smile going.

I am basically telling him next to nothing because of the stupid baby fit her threw about it last month. Who wants to talk to someone who might have another tantrum.
SIl told me she heard all about it from her DH, but when i said Skip knew about it since May, she was definitely on my side...What babies.

I can't wait! I am trying to get stuff done and keep walking my the computer and just reading here and there, but I have so much to do, I need to really stay away.

LOL, poor Jen. I'm cracking up here. I can almost see your frustration in that conversation.
Write it down in in a couple quick sentences and give it to him. Maybe that will help.

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[dizneeat]

I love the conversation with Skip! It sounds a lot like the one's I have with Tom, and he is even coming along on the trips!
I swear he NEVER listens to anything I say and then is totally surprised when I tell him, that I told him something a gazillion times before.

 

[jenseib]

LOL, poor Jen. I'm cracking up here. I can almost see your frustration in that conversation.
Write it down in in a couple quick sentences and give it to him. Maybe that will help.

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He would just throw the paper away and say I never gave it to him.

I love the conversation with Skip! It sounds a lot like the one's I have with Tom, and he is even coming along on the trips!
I swear he NEVER listens to anything I say and then is totally surprised when I tell him, that I told him something a gazillion times before.

I think it's a man thing.

 

[mom2rtk]

Skip said to me this morning.."Mom says you are leaving Thursday"and I say.
"No, I am leaving Friday Morning to fly down". And he's like "No. Mom said Thursday" because his Mom would know over me...right???
So I corrected him once again and told him Claire was going to my Moms on Thursday night, but I will leave at the butt crack of dawn on Thursday.

So he asks "Where you going?" LOL So I tell him we are flying out of Columbus....I'm not going to make this easy for him. He says "to where", and I said, well we transfer in Chicago then to Houston"..And he says Why Houston, thats a long ways from New York". Um yeah, I sail out of Galveston.
he swore I told him I was going on a ship out of NYC. Which at one time I told him that could be one of my options...back in May, along with Alaska, possibly Caribbean or whatever got thrown out there.

So then he says Well where are you going? LOL I told him and he seemed slightly irritated that I was going to Caribbean islands. he didn't say anything though. He asked how my friend was getting away that long and I told her her DH didn't care as he travels all the time by himself. but I did add he got irritated once about it and Skip had that self satisfying smile going.

I am basically telling him next to nothing because of the stupid baby fit her threw about it last month. Who wants to talk to someone who might have another tantrum.
SIl told me she heard all about it from her DH, but when i said Skip knew about it since May, she was definitely on my side...What babies.

LOL! Of course you know I'm laughing like crazy here. So predictable, don't you think? And all of them....... completely alike.

Shame on you for working at something desirable. I guess he wouldn't have reacted the same if you were headed for some boring conference room in a hotel in a no name city somewhere instead of the Caribbean.

 

[Woth2982]

Costa Maya was my favorite port of the cruise I went on last year. There is SOOOO much to do right at the port. The weather was AMAZING and the Senor Frogs boys walk around and bring you drinks right to your lounge chair! They have some great shopping there. Very cheap. Make sure to barter too!

 

[Kathy Jetson]

That sounds like a conversation I just had with River's dad yesterday. On Saturday I told him I was taking him to a dinosaur exhibit the weekend of the 21st. He asked me "of this month?" I said yes next Saturday. Well I caught him making plans the next day with another kids dad to do something with them on Saturday. I told him River has plans and he say what? and swears I never told him when it was. I swear I don't know why I bother talking to him at all.

 

[mom2rtk]

Time for 4 days of funny!



Better tell Skip again today when you are leaving.

 

[jenseib]

LOL! Of course you know I'm laughing like crazy here. So predictable, don't you think? And all of them....... completely alike.

Shame on you for working at something desirable. I guess he wouldn't have reacted the same if you were headed for some boring conference room in a hotel in a no name city somewhere instead of the Caribbean.

I swear, it's not even worth telling him anything. He says I forget allthe time...butthat is because he only tells me one sentence about it and never tells me any "real" info. So I am just not even botherig telling him much. He really doesn't care, just nosey.

Costa Maya was my favorite port of the cruise I went on last year. There is SOOOO much to do right at the port. The weather was AMAZING and the Senor Frogs boys walk around and bring you drinks right to your lounge chair! They have some great shopping there. Very cheap. Make sure to barter too!

Good to know. Since I haven't had a lot of time to put my heart and sole into researching for myself, I know very little about my ports.
At this point, I just can't wait to get away from home.

That sounds like a conversation I just had with River's dad yesterday. On Saturday I told him I was taking him to a dinosaur exhibit the weekend of the 21st. He asked me "of this month?" I said yes next Saturday. Well I caught him making plans the next day with another kids dad to do something with them on Saturday. I told him River has plans and he say what? and swears I never told him when it was. I swear I don't know why I bother talking to him at all.

Too funny, and something Skip would totally do as well. Like this benifit last weekend that he informed me his Mom told me I was working at. I didn't even know the date, let alone was asked to work it. And he knew we had plans, becuase Claire told him daily about the b-day party she was going to. In the end they didn't even need my help, but it would've been nice if they actually asked before announcing I was a helper.

Time for 4 days of funny!



Better tell Skip again today when you are leaving.

YAY!!! The Magic hightailed it out of NYC yesterday...she's on her way to see me now!

 

[MEK]

Your Day 6 plans sound wonderful. I really want to try Palo when we cruise next year. It sounds so great. I am sure that the time will pass quickly with a table full of girls, but I hear ya on getting antsy after a few hours.

 

[Caretames1]

Is skip going to be looking around for you on Friday after you leave wondering where you went!

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[jenseib]

I am getting closer to being ready. My stomach is starting to go in knots...the pre vacation jitters, and worries.
Lisa called me last night and said she was nervous.
I took the phone out to the garage to talk. I often do this with phone calls, because Claire will bug me as soon as I am on the phone (unless it's work related and then she is good, ironically). Plus the TV was blaring, etc.
So we chat awhile. She was asking about packing, and little things like that. And soon Claire comes out and follows me where ever I walk to. So I tell her to get away and she finds a big ball and stick and starts smacking it. UGH..Super annoying and I swear she was this close to getting a smack too. LOL... then Skip keeps popping his head out the door to see whats going on...in other words...being nosey.

Honestly most of our conversation had nothing to do with the trip, so sorry to those who wanted to eaves drop...not much exciting tid bits to be pick up.

The weather here is starting to turn. So I am getting out of here just in time!

In other news. I have a wonderful friend who loaned me several outfits for Claire to wear when we go in Nov. Claire thought it was Christmas when we opened the box. She asked how she was going to be able to wear everything...and I told her, we change at least twice a day. She seemed good with that idea.

Here are some quick pics we took with my point and shoot camera.

We will probably wear this one to the Spirit of Aloha.

This one she will wear to the Halloween party and the nshe wil lchange into her costume around 7 PM.

One for the Christmas party

And some others we will fit in there when we can

And this isn't a good picture, taken with my phone, but we got a new headband yesterday that I had ordered. Claire will wear it the day we board the ship.

with this outfit I had posted in the past.

NO MORE clothes for her. She has a TON of things now.