Better late than..later?Western Sept 05/09 **Updated 11/11** About This Page:

[rlb38]

This is our first ever cruise and I'm delighted that it'll be filled with Disney Magic.

The title ? While not an immediate attention grabber it suits my first ever TR. Last September was milestone birthday for me (okay the big 4-0 if you must know) and I decided I wanted to be far away from home to celebrate. We had been to WDW the year previously and I knew my husband would want a different vacation. So I ordered my Passporter DCL and got planning. My plans were quickly thwarted (don't get to use that word too often) when the Magic was in dry dock for September 08.

So what's a girl to do ? Well, we went to WDW for my birthday and had a fabulous time.But the cruise was put on hold until 2011 because we have a trip to Africa in the works for 2010. Then in Jan/Feb I received an email offering a fabulous deal on a Disney cruise. After some discussion with DH we decided to brave hurricane season and move the cruise up a few years.

Who's sailing? Roberta ( you know my age don't make me type it again! )
DH Mike 45
DD Rachel 11
Here's a photo of us from last year, our first encounter with Daisy


NB.author is NOT computer savy and photo quality will improve once I master this shrinking, copying thing, um, hopefully.

I chose the western tour since it had once less at sea day in case one of ails at sea. I can also give Kenny some credit for my choice I enjoyed his TR which was the first of many cruise TRs I've read.He gets full credit for the fact I chose a stateroom with a balcony.He enjoyed his balcony to the fullest and I intend to do the same.
I can't wait to sit and drink tea or stronger on my balcony.

Excursions:
Key West is still up in the air either the trolley tour or rent an electric car. I also want to visit Nancy Forrester's Secret Garden .

Grand Cayman we are doing the semi-submarine and snorkel excursion. This will be my first time snorkelling and I'm not too comfortable about the whole idea but I figure there's no better place to learn.

Cozumel will be the dune buggy and snorkel excursion. Mike is really looking forward to this one.

I wasn't able to get Palo reservation for brunch or tea so I made a dinner reservation for night 4. We are on main dining which is now one seating only at 5:45. I spoke to Disney recently and she couldn't tell me my rotation but asked if I had a specific rotation I wanted to request. I went BLANK ! I couldn't think of all those alphabetical combinations I'd seen here on the boards. So I just asked that we not be in AP on formal night. I didn't want to miss the "show" We've decided to skip formal night to save on luggage and plus I have an aversion to dressing up. I love to see folks dressed up but I'm never comfortable when I'm putting on the Ritz! Plus I would like to see a sunset and I'm worried early dining will be equal to not seeing a sunset.

I did go to a thrift store tonight and get some gear to be a little bit dressed up for pirate night. So I'm not a complete stick in the mud. Maybe just a twig ?

That's all I can think of for now. I'm looking forward to putting all the passporter tips that I've read from other TR's to good use.

[chezp]

Great start!

[lauriep]

Sounds wonderful...and it's almost here! Don't give up on the Palo brunch or tea. You can try booking when you first get on board. They leave some slots open for people who can't book online. Also, many people don't get really gussied up for formal night. If you're packing an outfit for Palo you can use that for formal night also.

[HeatherD]

Looking good so far! We've got similar tastes, it seems, as we're doing the Trolley tour in Key West (thanks to Kenny) and the semi-submarine in Grand Cayman. We would love to do the Dune Buggies, but DS is too young, so they get to go kiss dolphins instead!

Not too much longer!!!

[Colexis Mom]

Great start Roberta! We're doing the same cruise but on 8/22 (2 weeks to go)! Also for my 40th!! I hope you guys have a great time!

[MGW]

Can't wait to read all about your trip!

[rlb38]

Thanks for the responses so far.

Marnie, Happy Birthday, a cruise will be a perfect way to turn 40. I hope you're doing a TR . I enjoyed reading your rain soaked adventures at WDW last summer.

I thought I'd add a couple more bits about the plans prior to getting on the Magic.

AIRMILE ANGST

For our last couple of trips we have been making the 3 hour drive from Canada down to Syracuse NY. The prices on jet blue have been terrific and there's a 4pm Friday flight to Orlando that works out perfect for us. We just take that day off work ,sleep in and get to the airport in plenty of time for the flight.

This time I thought we could use airmiles and fly out of Ottawa to save money and time. Turns out , not so much. I did a little research ahead of time and figured they would put us on Air Canada or West Jet. Either way we would have to fly to Toronto then on down to Orlando. Mike made the call while at work to airmiles and they gave him US air to Philadelphia then on to Orlando. The upside is we do customs here in Ottawa. The downside...... is Huge a 6am flight and a 5 , count 'em 5 hour layover in Philly. Ugh! We won't land until 4 pm . And it still cost just over $300.00 since we had to pay the taxes. Then a week or so later I go to the US airways website and find that there are 2 flights leaving for Orlando before our flight. Mike calls up airmiles and asks if we can change to an earlier flight and gets told it would cost another $350. So I guess I need to find a good book to curl up with for 5 hours in Philly. We will try to see if some kind airline soul will move us up to an earlier flight but I won't count on it.

The other thing I spent alot of time on was trying to decide where to stay prior to the cruise. I considered staying at Disney,the hotel at the airport and 3 hotels in Cape Canaveral. I decided to let fate decide .I went through Priceline and got a night at Country Inn & Suites for $65. I was pretty happy with that as the advertised price on their website was $128.

I went with budget for the car rentals which is around $35 each way.

The other detail is Rachel still doesn't know we're going. She knows I'm researching away for a cruise but I keep saying I can't decide when we should go. Orignally I was keeping quiet since we booked in Feb. and I didn't think the excitement would be the same.

Then I just haven't come up with a clever way of breaking the news. So I thought this week that I would just wake her up the morning we're leaving and say today's the day. She starts school a couple of days before we leave so I can pack the suitcases and throw them in the car the day before. I figure it might take the sting out of being woken up and 4 am and not arriving for another 12 hours!

[chezp]

What a nightmare with the flights.

[Colexis Mom]

Sorry about the layover!! I hope you're able to get on the earlier flight!! How cool that Rachel still doesn't know!

[marnieknight]

Roberta we are on the same cruise. 27 days and we are setting sail. Can't wait!!!

[Kenny]

Whew! I'm glad I looked in the TR section before you got too far along, Roberta! I'm glad my TR helped a bit in your planning.
I'd sure like to be there when Rachel realizes where she's going... OK, I'd like to be there on the ship with you, too!
40's not so bad... things don't start downhill till 50...
I'll hope you get a better flight

I can't wait to find out how you LOVED the cruise!

[lauriep]

I hope you can get an earlier flight. How are you going to tell Rachel? So exciting!

[rlb38]

CAT WAS ALMOST OUT OF THE BAG.

So Rachel called me at work today and told me a package had arrived from Fed-ex. I LOVE getting mail, my whole day is made if I get a magazine in the mail box.
Me: Where's it from ?
Rachel: I dunno
Me: well is there anything on the package, how big is it, does it sound when you shake it?
Rachel: I got to sign for it and everything. It's this little electron...
Me: that's neat but can you look on the left hand corner and see if there's some writing?
Rachel: It's from DISNEY!!!!!
Me: Oh yeah must be our ti.....more research info.
Rachel: like another DVD ?
Me: no probably just a brochure.
Rachel: so anyway he had this little screen and a pen and......

So whew! I stopped my self from saying tickets just in time and fortunately for me ,my co workers were quite noisy in the background so I think she missed the start of the word and I managed to sound very bored that it was just more info. When inside I'm thinking soon will be boarding the Magic.

[chezp]

Wow, that was a close call!

[Kenny]

That was CLOSE!!

Good Save!