Wonderful Panama Canal Sept 2014

[kayaker35]

I used to keep a detailed folder of all of my travel plans and would get crazy worried that I forgot the thing even though I'd already checked it half a dozen times. The I discovered the app "Tripit". And my folder had been on the shelf ever since. As far as my financials go, I build a spreadsheet just before each trip to track my spending. There's an app called "trip book" that is good for that but I've found that customizing my own spreadsheet gives me what I want at a glance.

LOL.... I guess David and I are still "hands on" Stone Age people Ed and I don't own a smart phone, and I could never keep track of things on a computer screen. Much prefer being able to take out my folder and leaf through the pages. It's easy when the time comes to leave to just take out the sheets that we need to take with us.... trip insurance confirmation, boarding passes, etc.

Hearing the way Cayla and dsnydaddy organize sounds very modern and I'm sure it works for them. My kids all have smart phones and couldn't live without them. They keep everything on them. Ed and I have Tracfones in case of emergency, and they work fine for us. Maybe it's a generational thing. Being an old fuddy duddy I do things the "old-fashioned" way. Works for me the way the high-tech ways work for others. To each his/her own

It's the same way with the Kindle. I love to read, and when I got my iPad I was sure I would use it a lot for reading..... especially on trips. I bought several Kindle books, but have yet to read them. I like the feel of a physical book in my hands, and I think reading on a paper page is much easier than on a tablet screen. Again, probably my fuddy duddieness coming out. I'll take the iPad on the Panama cruise and try again.... though I'm going to have a couple of "real" books with me as well.

Happy Easter, Everyone! It's going to be cool and cloudy here, but at least there's no SNOW in the forecast!!

Karen

 

[Va-NanaTink]

LOL.... I guess David and I are still "hands on" Stone Age people Ed and I don't own a smart phone, and I could never keep track of things on a computer screen. Much prefer being able to take out my folder and leaf through the pages. It's easy when the time comes to leave to just take out the sheets that we need to take with us.... trip insurance confirmation, boarding passes, etc.

Hearing the way Cayla and dsnydaddy organize sounds very modern and I'm sure it works for them. My kids all have smart phones and couldn't live without them. They keep everything on them. Ed and I have Tracfones in case of emergency, and they work fine for us. Maybe it's a generational thing. Being an old fuddy duddy I do things the "old-fashioned" way. Works for me the way the high-tech ways work for others. To each his/her own

It's the same way with the Kindle. I love to read, and when I got my iPad I was sure I would use it a lot for reading..... especially on trips. I bought several Kindle books, but have yet to read them. I like the feel of a physical book in my hands, and I think reading on a paper page is much easier than on a tablet screen. Again, probably my fuddy duddieness coming out. I'll take the iPad on the Panama cruise and try again.... though I'm going to have a couple of "real" books with me as well.

Happy Easter, Everyone! It's going to be cool and cloudy here, but at least there's no SNOW in the forecast!!

Karen

I'm somewhere in the middle.. I too prepare a folder for each trip as we usually have several in various stages of planning. I currently have this cruise, a trip in December to WDW and a EBTA for May 2015. I'm thinking our next WDW trip will be October/November as soon as I nail down the dates of marathons…not a runner and the added crowds are insane!

Ahem, back to topic, my folders are in a row above my head right now. However, I also have Excel spreadsheets on the computer that I will print out once they are "final" and put in the appropriate folder. I don't like trying to see things on my iPhone, it's too small and I have issues with trying to do the 'pinch thingy' to make things bigger because I usually end up closing the app or something else and I get frustrated and hauling along my iMac is unfeasible. I have a iPad, but I like to be able to hand whomever my paper copy of whatever and I can fold up apiece of paper to carry into the parks. The iPad is too heavy. I like to go light in the parks. (I must say i don't understand the people running around the parks holding up iPad/tablets to take pictures!)

My one concession is my Kindle…I can't carry enough books on board for this cruise! In 2008 it was horrible! I ran out of books!!!! I know it won't happen this time!

 

[kdeans1010]

You guys are so cute. Leannda has a copy of all of our tickets and stuff. I have a pinterest board with ideas. Oh! And I have a packing list in my office cloud.

 

[padalyn]

My lists come from having missed connecting two portions of a long trip, or making mistakes with pricing or other errors (didn't book a hotel one time!)

That being said - every person has a system that works for them and good for those who need no system at all!! (I think that is a system in and of itself!)

I am willing to share my spreadsheets for anyone who needs some help with their lists or process.

Cayla

 

[mmbl]

Travel planning/organization: I do both- everything organized in folders in my email , on my note page and in my calendar on my iPhone AND I have a printed copy of everything, organized by date and location and we take that with us when we travel. Hubby keeps the travel receipts during the trip and just has a general idea of 'before we leave home' expenses- I figure the less he actually keeps track of all the day to day costs from initial planning until any big, deadline date PIF amounts, the more I get to plan and book travel ; )
( I am truly blessed to have such an easy going spouse who turns a blind eye ,usually, to my travel spending!)

 

[mmbl]

Yikes, 98% humidity. My hair will look like something from the 80's and I'll look like the wild woman of Borneo!!

Thinking I won't cut my hair from now until after the trip just so I can put it up or in a ponytail- something so I too don't look like a wild woman! Humidity and my hair don't do well together!

 

[OMD13]

Happy Easter

 

[OMD13]

Thinking I won't cut my hair from now until after the trip just so I can put it up or in a ponytail- something so I too don't look like a wild woman! Humidity and my hair don't do well together!

I have the opposite problem. My hair will be straight as a nail.

 

[davidls]

LOL.... I guess David and I are still "hands on" Stone Age people Ed and I don't own a smart phone, and I could never keep track of things on a computer screen. Much prefer being able to take out my folder and leaf through the pages. It's easy when the time comes to leave to just take out the sheets that we need to take with us.... trip insurance confirmation, boarding passes, etc.

Hearing the way Cayla and dsnydaddy organize sounds very modern and I'm sure it works for them. My kids all have smart phones and couldn't live without them. They keep everything on them. Ed and I have Tracfones in case of emergency, and they work fine for us. Maybe it's a generational thing. Being an old fuddy duddy I do things the "old-fashioned" way. Works for me the way the high-tech ways work for others. To each his/her own

It's the same way with the Kindle. I love to read, and when I got my iPad I was sure I would use it a lot for reading..... especially on trips. I bought several Kindle books, but have yet to read them. I like the feel of a physical book in my hands, and I think reading on a paper page is much easier than on a tablet screen. Again, probably my fuddy duddieness coming out. I'll take the iPad on the Panama cruise and try again.... though I'm going to have a couple of "real" books with me as well.

Happy Easter, Everyone! It's going to be cool and cloudy here, but at least there's no SNOW in the forecast!!

Karen

Like Karen said I think she & her DH are like Donna and me. Old school all the way. As ya'll probably know Donna and I bought smart phones about a week ago. (Still trying to get the hang of them!!!) But, we have been doing our vacation planning this way for years and it seems to work for us. Plus, we both can look over "our itinerary" we have planned out together. Like Cayla said it is a system that works the easiest for us, and we are use to it. One thing we did do, was to buy a Kindle for each of us. It is easier to have as many books on your Kindle to read as you want, then carrying say 10 or whatever number books with you on your trip. We do enjoy our Kindles.

Have a safe and Happy Easter everyone. Hope you find all of those hidden Easter eggs!!!

 

[gilchrest94]

Happy Easter to all!

 

[Baysurf]

Thinking I won't cut my hair from now until after the trip just so I can put it up or in a ponytail- something so I too don't look like a wild woman! Humidity and my hair don't do well together!

That's a great idea! Have a wonderful Easter!

 

[danalicious1]

Well, we decided to not keep this a secret from the boys and let them help with the decision. I am sure this will come as no surprise, but the boys voted to miss 2 weeks of school, do homework on the ship and complete a social studies project on the canal. 145 days!!!!!

 

[davidls]

Well, we decided to not keep this a secret from the boys and let them help with the decision. I am sure this will come as no surprise, but the boys voted to miss 2 weeks of school, do homework on the ship and complete a social studies project on the canal. 145 days!!!!!

I'll bet that was a no brainer for them!!!!

on the 145 day mark!!!

 

[dsnydaddy]

Well, we decided to not keep this a secret from the boys and let them help with the decision. I am sure this will come as no surprise, but the boys voted to miss 2 weeks of school, do homework on the ship and complete a social studies project on the canal. 145 days!!!!!

Surprisingly, my son didn't want to have to do homework on vacation. When we first booked I was still thinking about taking the kids so I posed the question to my son (who's in Jr High now) and he thought it'd be more of a hassle than not.

 

[gilchrest94]

Is anyone else having cruisitis today? After our wonderful lunch all I have done is research cruise info... Fish Extenders, MDR's, Disboards, and port excursions. Has any one done the pirate ship in Puerto Vallarta?

 

[dsnydaddy]

There's something in the air, I've been restless for a while now.i only have one vacation planned and I'm used to three at a time so I'm always planning something. It's just plain weird not to have a bunch on my plate.

 

[CruisingSD]

Happy Easter! We are joining this thread to greet you all and get to know some of our fellow cruisers. We are a family of five, traveling with DH, DD16, DD12 and DS10, and we are joined by my parents and my brother and his DW, DS7 and DD4. I think that nearly doubles the number of kids on the cruise. Lol.

We've been booked for three months but it took me a few weeks to read through all 111 pages of posts. What a communicative and entertaining bunch!

This is my 6th Disney Cruise, and of course Disney is my favorite, but I've been on about 10 other cruises or so, most recently SE Asia in 2012 and Mediterranean in 2013. We cruised the Panama Canal in 2009 on Celebrity and although we will miss a stop in Costa Rica on Disney, the rest of the ports are the same.

Our family lives in San Diego, the grandparents are in Boise, ID and my brother and his family are coming from Puyallup, WA. I see there are fellow cruisers from Puyallup...small world! Looks like most of you are well prepared for your stay/travel to San Diego, but I've lived here for 20+ years if you have any questions.
Looking forward to reading more and the building excitement as our adventure draws closer!
Take care,
GayLynn

 

[padalyn]

Happy Easter! We are joining this thread to greet you all and get to know some of our fellow cruisers. We are a family of five, traveling with DH, DD16, DD12 and DS10, and we are joined by my parents and my brother and his DW, DS7 and DD4. I think that nearly doubles the number of kids on the cruise. Lol.

We've been booked for three months but it took me a few weeks to read through all 111 pages of posts. What a communicative and entertaining bunch!

This is my 6th Disney Cruise, and of course Disney is my favorite, but I've been on about 10 other cruises or so, most recently SE Asia in 2012 and Mediterranean in 2013. We cruised the Panama Canal in 2009 on Celebrity and although we will miss a stop in Costa Rica on Disney, the rest of the ports are the same.

Our family lives in San Diego, the grandparents are in Boise, ID and my brother and his family are coming from Puyallup, WA. I see there are fellow cruisers from Puyallup...small world! Looks like most of you are well prepared for your stay/travel to San Diego, but I've lived here for 20+ years if you have any questions.
Looking forward to reading more and the building excitement as our adventure draws closer!
Take care,
GayLynn

Welcome aboard! We also have a facebook page - if you can put your email address here I will add you. Type out the word at - then delete it once I add you to FB.

Cayla

 

[OMD13]

Happy Easter! We are joining this thread to greet you all and get to know some of our fellow cruisers. We are a family of five, traveling with DH, DD16, DD12 and DS10, and we are joined by my parents and my brother and his DW, DS7 and DD4. I think that nearly doubles the number of kids on the cruise. Lol. We've been booked for three months but it took me a few weeks to read through all 111 pages of posts. What a communicative and entertaining bunch! This is my 6th Disney Cruise, and of course Disney is my favorite, but I've been on about 10 other cruises or so, most recently SE Asia in 2012 and Mediterranean in 2013. We cruised the Panama Canal in 2009 on Celebrity and although we will miss a stop in Costa Rica on Disney, the rest of the ports are the same. Our family lives in San Diego, the grandparents are in Boise, ID and my brother and his family are coming from Puyallup, WA. I see there are fellow cruisers from Puyallup...small world! Looks like most of you are well prepared for your stay/travel to San Diego, but I've lived here for 20+ years if you have any questions. Looking forward to reading more and the building excitement as our adventure draws closer! Take care, GayLynn

Welcome to this fun cruise!!!

 

[kdeans1010]

Happy Easter! We are joining this thread to greet you all and get to know some of our fellow cruisers. We are a family of five, traveling with DH, DD16, DD12 and DS10, and we are joined by my parents and my brother and his DW, DS7 and DD4. I think that nearly doubles the number of kids on the cruise. Lol.

We've been booked for three months but it took me a few weeks to read through all 111 pages of posts. What a communicative and entertaining bunch!

This is my 6th Disney Cruise, and of course Disney is my favorite, but I've been on about 10 other cruises or so, most recently SE Asia in 2012 and Mediterranean in 2013. We cruised the Panama Canal in 2009 on Celebrity and although we will miss a stop in Costa Rica on Disney, the rest of the ports are the same.

Our family lives in San Diego, the grandparents are in Boise, ID and my brother and his family are coming from Puyallup, WA. I see there are fellow cruisers from Puyallup...small world! Looks like most of you are well prepared for your stay/travel to San Diego, but I've lived here for 20+ years if you have any questions.
Looking forward to reading more and the building excitement as our adventure draws closer!
Take care,
GayLynn

Welcome!!!!


---
I don't have cruise-itis because this weekend my sister was like "what are we doing for my bachelorette party?" And then my friend is like "we have to do her bachelorette party on my weekend off so I don't use PTO" (a friend cruising with us). Sister didn't want a bachelorette party a month ago. Between that and sister saying I needed to take a couple days off work to help set up, um I'm kinda' in wedding hades. 2 months until it happens. I wrote my speech- because apparently maid of honor has to say a speech- and it made my friend Em cry (score!). And the shower is all together. Oh and did I tell you guys I am moving in two weeks? So I had to buy furniture at thrift stores all weekend...yeah. Not so much thinking about cruise, more thinking about not losing my mind.