A Quick Caribbean Cruise? Count me in! PTR and Live TR all in one!! updated 12/12/2013 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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A Quick Caribbean Cruise? Count me in! PTR and Live TR all in one!! updated 12/12/2013
Hey all! I'm going to have to do this TR live, because I'm not sure how much time I'll get afterwards (I mean, I didn't even finish the last day of my whirlwind cruise / European vacation, ya know?!)
Life has been absolutely crazy and I feel like I can't keep up! I don't know that I've been on the boards for at least three months... at least it feels that way! I'll never catch up, that's for sure.
A year ago, my friend invited me along on her company cruise, and we had a great time. I guess I was pretty well behaved, because this year she invited me along again! WOO HOO! Last year her company was generous enough to pay for my airfare as well as my cruise, and I certainly didn't assume that this year would be the same... but lo and behold, their generosity abounds, and before I knew it, my flight confirmations were being emailed to me!
Most of her coworkers are married, but she has one coworker who is single, so he brings a guy friend of his, and last year the four of us had a blast being the "single people" (don't get excited, folks, there were no match-ups, just friendship) and this year we coordinated so that our cabins are connecting, and we're at the same hotel the night before!
Here's the plans in a nutshell...
Friday 12/6 - Fly from MEM to MIA, arriving around 330pm. Staying at a Sheraton resort, meeting Toni, Matt and Warren there (they arrive a few hours earlier than I do). We'll likely all go to dinner later that evening with her boss and his wife. I'm hoping to get a little afternoon pool time in after I arrive, but we'll see.
Saturday 12/7 - Veg out in the morning. Go to the pier whenever it's time to board (likely around noon) and get settled in. We're on the MSC Divinia, which is a new experience for me. I'm unfamiliar with MSC, so it will be interesting!!! I can tell you we have the late seating for dinner, which I prefer when I'm not cruising with Meri, so that's awesome.
Sunday 12/8 - Nassau. We're going to Atlantis for the day. There's an excursion that gets us a day pass and we have access to the beach (but not the pools) and restaurants and aquariums there. So that's going to hopefully be nice and relaxing.
Monday 12/9 - Private Island. I don't know the name of it. One document says Little San Salvador Island and another says Blue Lagoon Island. So who knows? Anyway we're gonna beach it all day. I can't wait. Napping in the sun, toes in the sand... ah yeah!
Tuesday 12/10 - We dock, and my flight isn't til 230pm (everyone else's is at 1030am) so I'm going to meet up with a friend of mine from HS who lives in Miami, and I'll get to meet her twin baby boys and have lunch with her, then she'll drop me at the airport to fly home!
I can't believe the trip is in just four little sleeps... and I haven't even pulled out a suitcase!!! This is so unlike me - which tells you how busy I've been! And now I'm getting over a cold (I'm just getting my voice back today, and it's going out again!!!) so I've been just knocked for a loop! I'm actually going to bed as soon as I post this!
I plan on getting the internet package on board. It's very reasonably priced, and since I like to Skype with Meri daily while I'm away, I might as well go ahead and update a TR while I'm at it, right??? Especially because I think we all know that I don't have a prayer at getting a TR done after the fact!!!
I feel like I need two weeks off at home just to organize my life and catch up!
Thanks for reading along!! I'm really excited to have a mini vacay!!
How great! I said it last year, but that company is the place to work! It'll be even better this year having your little group already friends and ready to have fun starting the day before the cruise. I've never heard of that ship and just looked it up. It's ginormous and looks beautiful. Looking forward to the live updates!
Signing in! Pixies for weather for you. I totally understand, we leave Saturday. They are saying all the mess is going to stay south of us, thank heavens! But it will only be 26 degrees - so a chill ride to the airport in the early am!
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Originally Posted by Pris
Still keeping my fingers crossed on the weather. It seems that it isn't supposed to hit 32 until around 11. Our school district is banking on that, since they've announced a 1/2 day tomorrow.
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Originally Posted by lauriep
Continuing to send weather pixies through tomorrow!
Thanks for all of the weather pixies! I sure do need it!!! As Pris said, it's not supposed to hit freezing til 10-11am (depending on which forecast you look at). So even if I'm stuck on my main flight, I SHOULD be fine (ha). That being said... US Airways has a weather advisory for Memphis, TN. That means that I can change my flight with no fee. I tried to do so, to one of the two earlier flights, but, unsurprisingly, they're sold out. BUT, there's room on the 7:15am flight, it's just not "available" for me to switch to (don't get me started on THAT)... so what was suggested is that I stand by for it. I don't know if they will waive the standby fee, but I think it's a good possibility. If not, well, I'll wait for my regular flight. *shrug* But I think I can make a good case, anyway.
So, you may be hearing from me from the airport in Memphis, we'll see. Their wi-fi frankly stinks in my experience, so who knows what I'll end up with.
I've got all 6 of my movies loaded onto my phone, I've got my passport, drivers license and credit card in my wallet, which is in my purse with my snacks et al. My little gifts for Toni and her boss are both in my suitcase, which I plan to carry-on. I've got bathing suits and dinner outfits... toiletries and meds... My antibiotics are packed in my purse... phew I think I'm good!
How great! I said it last year, but that company is the place to work! It'll be even better this year having your little group already friends and ready to have fun starting the day before the cruise. I've never heard of that ship and just looked it up. It's ginormous and looks beautiful. Looking forward to the live updates!
It really is a huge ship! We joke that the cabins look a little like boudoirs with all of the red and whatnot... we'll see what they really look like! I'm glad that we already have our little group - it makes it very comfortable to return to.
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Originally Posted by chezp
Can't wait to read all about this, as I know how much fun you had last year doing this.
Last year was really a riot and I expect much of the same antics this year!
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Originally Posted by MayraLR
How exciting!
Thanks! I'm ready!
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Originally Posted by KMB733
Great Start!!! Sounds like you been so busy, you deserve a little break and this cruise sounds the perfect getaway!
This will be a very timely break. I feel like I nearly killed myself working over Thanksgiving week / weekend, and I'm just ready to unwind a little.
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Originally Posted by Cam22
Congrats on the cruise! I can't wait to hear all the details.
I can't wait to see what's in store! I feel so unprepared!
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Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Great start Melanie!
Thanks!!
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Originally Posted by Pris
Sounds like loads of fun. Sounds like you are getting out of here just in time to avoid the bad weather. Enjoy your fun in the sun.
Uhm, funny you say that... I'm kind of freaking out - the weather reports currently seem to say that we should expect the freezing rain / sleet / ice (up to half an inch of ice!!!) by Friday morning. My flight isn't til 9-something in the morning, and I'm sorta freaking out that it will be delayed (and I'll miss my connection in Charlotte) or canceled. *deep breath*
I'm still not packed... *sigh* The suitcase isn't even out of the attic... geez... I'm a slacker.
I did get my gift cards for Meri / mom for while I'm away. For those of you who didn't read last years report (or who don't remember), I left Meri a letter in a sealed envelope for every day I was gone. She got to open each day's letter every morning. Some envelopes had a gift card in them for McDonald's or Chick Fil A or something, and they'd get to go out to eat that day. I'm doing the same this year, but with Subway (Monday), Chick Fil A (Friday) and Perkins (Saturday).
I had to call the hotel today, and I feel reassured on that end, at least. I had booked two rooms at the same hotel in Miami for Friday night - Matt and Warren in one, and Toni and myself in the other... and I booked it under a AAA rate. Anyway, the three of them are arriving hours earlier than I am, and I was worried that they wouldn't be able to check in without me there. So the lady at the hotel noted that I was the AAA card holder, and that I WOULD be there, but checking in later. She felt that it was not an issue for the guys to check into their room first (since Matt's name is listed on the reservation). She also made a note on the reservation that I had called and verified my AAA account with her, and that I'd show it when I arrived.
However, to be on the safe side, I'm going to take a picture of my AAA card and text it to Matt on Friday morning, so he has it to show the front desk... so that should be fine. I hope.
Now, we just pray there's no ice storm messing up my flight out on Friday! *phew* I'm trying not to freak out.
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I'm glad that we already have our little group - it makes it very comfortable to return to.
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