Was Live Now Great Memories from the DVC Member Cruise

[ohiominnie]

Hi all! Had a great 2nd day at CC and are now on our way back to Port Canaveral.

Feel free to line up any questions, we're just about out of internet package time, but will be hooked up on land tomorrow to give a full on photo/report update, and will cover stuff then!

To answer the one of did this one measure up? Yes, I think it did. They learned from the mistakes they made last year, and have made some good strides to really making these 4 days a solid experience. They sure didn't skimp on the guests this year, and I'll have a lot on that when we get on land, including some video

Well according to DVC, you're already home. I got a postcard in the mail today around noon announcing the plans for SSMC08 and it had a line like "Now that the SSMC07 has pulled back into port....."
I don't remember the exact wording (and I'm not at home to check) but it implied you were back a day early. Glad to hear you're still on the ship!

 

[iluvdisney]

Wow - it's hard to believe that it's just about over already - boy, that time did fly by fast. Glad to hear that you enjoyed your cruise and can't wait to hear some more.

 

[Stitch#1]

Hey there Mark & Mary.
Sounds like you are having a good time on the member cruise. The gifts are really cute. The picture frame in the little suitcase is really cool, bummin' I'm not there to get one of those (I have this weird thing for picture frames, I just love really neat and different ones).
I read about the next member cruise but I don't think we'll be able to do that one either, Oh well.

 

[tksbaskets]

Hi all! Had a great 2nd day at CC and are now on our way back to Port Canaveral.

Feel free to line up any questions, we're just about out of internet package time, but will be hooked up on land tomorrow to give a full on photo/report update, and will cover stuff then!

To answer the one of did this one measure up? Yes, I think it did. They learned from the mistakes they made last year, and have made some good strides to really making these 4 days a solid experience. They sure didn't skimp on the guests this year, and I'll have a lot on that when we get on land, including some video

Hi Mark, we are looking forward to your update!

 

[bunnymkc]

Just wanted to know if you have any info about the price (cash) for the 2008 cruise?
Glad you two had a great time.
My DH and I met you on the 2005 DVC cruise and had a great time on that cruise.Here's to the 2008! Hope to see you again but this time we will be only about 20 min away as WE MOVED TO MELBOURNE, FLA LAST YEAR..
Again thanks for all you two do..
Marianne

 

[LITTLEKID58]

Tfs

 

[OKWMEMBER]

Just checked the DVC member site for the points list and I'm doing my dialing finger exercises to get ready for November 17th. Is there a formal night on the member cruise?

 

[Babs417]

Q. What is the temp. like and the water temp?

 

[ohiominnie]

Just checked the DVC member site for the points list and I'm doing my dialing finger exercises to get ready for November 17th. Is there a formal night on the member cruise?

Nope. The 4 day cruises don't have a formal night. Some will get more dressed up for Palo and treat it like a formal night though.

 

[frdeb1999]

Can't wait to hear more!

 

[WDWLVR]

Greetings all. Checking in from Big Mugies Den at Hilton Head. We were off the ship by 7:30 this morning and were able to look around here and enjoy a nice dinner (that we had to pay for) .

Actually we did have a formal night on this cruise as they had the Legends Ball this year. Not one of the highlights but definately different.

No idea on prices for cash or points for the next cruise but we'll be trying to get on!

Here's something I did last year and I think it warrents it again...so the good, the bad and the amazing from the 2007 DVC Member Cruise!

The good:

They got all the little details right. All of the photos had wonder digital frames to them and had the right ports (last year they listed that we went to Nassau).

A nice touch at dinner last night...white chocolate disks with the Disney Vacation logo on them. Much like back in 2003.

The DVC staff seemed much happier this year and were always asking how things were going and were we enjoying ourselves.

Very organized for things like the signatures. I only went to one for Richard Sherman but it was held in Studio Sea and you got a number when you walked in and could relax until your group was called. Much better than being in a long line.

Having a dedicated website for the cruise. Nice!

The bad:

Still wish they hadn't cut short our first Castaway Cay day to do a sales pitch. I will say it was a much better show than past years with better incentives to add on and not quite so pushy. Still it would have been nice to get on the island earlier than 10:30.

Honestly that was the only negative I had.

The amazing:

OMG - the line up this year was remarkable.

The insider stories were fantastic and these guests brought so much of themselves to the table.

As I have already stated Richard Sheman's concert was by far the highlight of the cruise for me. That man is amazing and still so down to earth.

Last nights concert of the Broadway Beauties was wonderful as well. These ladies can sing! I've never seen Wicked but the two songs perfromed were wonderful!


All in all DVC did a fantastic job and we are definately going to try for 2008!

 

[iluvdisney]

That's definitely good news Mary - so you're ready to call in again, I'm sure!

By any chance, was Travis onboard this time?

 

[M4travels]

Last nights concert of the Broadway Beauties was wonderful as well. These ladies can sing! I've never seen Wicked but the two songs performed were wonderful!

Mary, I'm going to hijack for just one moment. If you get a chance to see Wicked (I think it's still in Chicago), GO!

Marc and I have seen Eden perform Elphaba 4 times since she's been out here in L.A. and we're trying to get in another soon.

We so missed not being on the cruise this year and thank you and Mark so much for your posts. 2008 is not in the cards either, but I'm going to try and convince Marc for 2009 (if they're still doing them!). See you in a Friday night chat soon!

Be well,
Michael and Marc

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Mary - thanks so much to you - and Mark for the great trip reports.

On the "points" issue, I received an e-mail from DVC on signing up for more points with a "bonus" vacation. It sounded much like you were describing, maybe not as good as a deal, but for so many new points, you would receive so many vacation points.......Hope this may help those who are asking...

Rest up before your drive back.

 

[MarkRG]

Hiya ladies and gents!

I know what I promised, but I am admittedly a bit beat after driving thru another 2 days of rain rain rain. So a multimedia update *may* take me a bit longer, but I will get it there soon.

I'll just skim and cover stuff for now

Hi Irene - yes, that's a lot like the offer they had onboard, buy points and you get x amount extra to use 1st year. They also offered for 250 pts bought, a stateroom on the next member cruise for 2 adults, cat 6, free.

And Hi Michael and Marc! Your pirating was really missed, though you would have had some competition this year, especially from our tablemates. Eden's performance very much outshone the other two ladies performing. That much so for me to say so, and not in any way implying the two others were chopped liver or something. She was just that much better.

What is the temp. like and the water temp?

Hmmm... air temp was in the 80's-90's, water not much cooler than air, yet. Definitely still good swimming/snorkeling temps.

To clear(or maybe muddy up???) up the dressing question: the Wonder normally is a bit less formal than the Magic, and normally doesn't have a formal night, but DVC set one up with a 'ball' held in the atrium and asked everyone to go formal for that night.

Welp, I'm going to go get the pics out of the camera and see if I can toss together another batch to show.

But.. here's a teaser for you: a little clip from Mr. Sherman's show, in .avi format (a bit over 3meg, might take a minute or two to download)

Click ME

 

[patsal]

I'm so glad you had so much fun. I am just a little bummed that I will never be able to do a member cruise since they are always during the school year and since I teach and only get three personal days per year that cannot be used in succession it really is a no can do! But I have all of you to live vicariously through so that makes it a little better!

 

[MarkRG]

We're finally home! Tired, but here. There will be a massive report in a few more days when everything's settled in.

In the meantime, if anyone's reading this and intends to go next year or is already booked, I've tossed together a few siggies for you.

For everyone calling on the 17th:

And, for those already confirmed and who get in on the 17th:

I made them a bit smaller to be better with the new sig rules

 

[tksbaskets]

I'm so glad you had so much fun. I am just a little bummed that I will never be able to do a member cruise since they are always during the school year and since I teach and only get three personal days per year that cannot be used in succession it really is a no can do! But I have all of you to live vicariously through so that makes it a little better!

I can sympathize with you. I'm married to a teacher. Retirement is less than two years away though....SSMC 2009 here we come!

 

[bgsnmky]

Hey Marc and Mary -

Dawn and I just got home and in the house --- Loved on the pets, went straight to the mail and of course I had to read your live report (even tho we WERE there and even had dinner with you).

Really cool to read the report....

Just wanted to say glad you made it home safe....

Good Night!!

 

[cobbler]

We just got home today as well and Mary I loved reading your posts. Makes me relive everything over again.

We had a fantastic time as it was our first cruise ever. Enjoyed meeting other Dis'ers even though after the first initial meeting I didn't run into many after that, enjoying and soaking up all the stuff going on.

I did call MS this morning to find out cash prices for next years cruise and they are as follows.

Cat 11 = $869
Cat 10 = $ 916
Cat 9 = $ 944
Cat 8 = $992
Cat 7 = $1081
Cat 6 = $1147
Cat 5 = $1195
Cat 4 = $1384
Cat 3 = $2264

I was told all kids will be $542 each.

Based on this years cruise. It will cost us about $500 less four our family of 4 next year from this year.