We're booked!

[34Angels]

So, we have our first Disney Cruise Jan 2010 on the Disney Magic in a Category 7 stateroom! I'm sooo excited but nervous. This will be the most expensive vacation I've ever taken. Oh, and I asked about the Romance at Sea Package, the travel agent doesn't think they do that anymore so that's a bummer but they did note that it will be a honeymoon trip. Oh, and we got first seating for dinner, I don't want to wait until 8 pm to eat dinner, hopefully we'll get the last dinner time for the rotation. Anyways, just wanted to share the good news!

[kristisomer]

How exciting!!! I bet it was costly. We have checked prices.

[34Angels]

Right now Disney is offering 1/2 of the down payment so we only had to put $250 down which was a nice surprise. I figure they're hurting on reservations because of the economy so are trying to do something to encourage people to still take vacations.

[Esmerelda]

Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok, I need details missy! Dates. Ship. Ports of call. Round about price if you don't mind sharing (but understand if you do mind).
Bummer on the Romance at Sea package! Wonder why they still advertise it (just saw it on TV the other day as a matter of fact)?!! Was that a Disney t.a. you spoke to?? At least they know it's your honeymoon, so you'll be pampered anyway!!! :) Woo hoo!!!
Ok, more details so I can start fake planning!!!!

[34Angels]

No, I booked through AllSeasTravel (I had found them many years ago, one of the other times I tried to plan this cruise) so their travel agents. He said that they're doing away with the family reunion package so the package link may be down. He's going to check into it though and find out for sure. I looked on Disney's website and couldn't find it anymore either so I don't know.

Okay, Jan 2-9 we're doing the eastern cruise, stateroom 7122 and our cost, just for the cruise we haven't added air or transportation, is $3,276.04. We could have saved about $2,000 if we went with a lower cat room but for our first cruise, our honeymoon, and it's a 7 day (3 days at sea) we're going to splurge and we figure we'll use it a few times, a couple of breakfasts on the veranda and stuff, watching the stars which is something we both loved to do in the navy. We both smoked while we were in and on deployment we'd go to the smoke deck late at night and smoke and watch the stars, nothing more beautiful than watching the stars in middle of the ocean, so many stars!

Okay the itenerary:
Day 1 Sat: Port Canaveral, be onboard by 4:30
Day 2 Sun: At Sea
Day 3 Mon: At sea
Day 4 Tues: St. Maarten 8 am - 7 pm
Day 5 Wed: St Thomas/St John 8 am - 4:30 pm
Day 6 Thurs: At sea
Day 7 Fri: Castaway Cay 9:30 am - 5 pm
Day 8 Sat: Port Canaveral 7:35 am

Now, we may go from Port Canaveral to WDW because I believe that weekend is the Walt Disney World marathon that I'm suppose to be running with my Dad. If that's the case then we'll go over there and hang out with my Dad that day, early to bed and then up at like 5 am or something for the marathon, after the marathon, maybe a few hours in one of the parks (maybe EPCOT because thats the park my Dad would be interested in) and then on a plane home.

[Esmerelda]

Ok, I'll go do some research! Gotta see your ship, your room, your activity plan! ;)

[34Angels]

Okay, so I got my packet in the mail for our cruise! It's only the planning DVD and stuff but still, I got it! YAY! Just had to share my joy with ya'll.

[kristisomer]

Congrats!! How exciting, I have no clue when my vacation will next be

[ilandrazdsw]

WOW! Congratulations!!!
I know this may seem pretty common sense, but make sure to check the weather for the Bahamas. I live not too far from Castaway Cay (pronounced key). Some years it is in the 80s and others it is in the 50-60s. Really it depends on how far the fronts make it down. Just thought I'd share.
Hope you have a fabulous time:w00t:

[34Angels]

Thanks Holly! And yes, we'll be checking the weather frequently before our trip, my fiance is a weather channel junkie (as well as weatherchannel.com) why I don't know, he will watch it for seems like hours to see if the weather's going to change. Something to do with fishing and hunting I think?

I'm sooo excited to go! My travel agency sent me a link to an alternative to Disney's shore excursions: ShoreTrips (http://www.shoretrips.com/) and they have a few interesting things that's right up our alley. Now the problem is do we try and fit two excursions for St Maartan since it's a very long visit or just do one and then do our own sightseeing the rest of the day?

[Tink]

Wow D - that is very exciting! And your price for a 7 day cruise on Disney - not bad at all!
As for doing two shore excursions, how long is the one you want to do most? If it is 4 or so hours, I would only do one so you can enjoy walking around, shopping and things like that.
Leanne

[34Angels]

Both of the ones we're looking at, well, actually there's like 4 or 5 of them we're debating on, but they'll all right around 3-3 1/2 hours. In St Maarten we'll be there from 8 am until 7 pm which is our longest port visit so if we're going to do it, it'll be that day.

[Esmerelda]

Ok, I haven't been to St. Maarten but I have been on a cruise (do not make fun of me D...I forgot you were in the Navy...stop laughing at me)! But, it's hard to do sight seeing etc on your own. Oh, it is manageable....but the nice thing is that if you do the shore excursions...and something happens and you miss the boat, they will get you to it. If you are on your own and miss the boat...it's up to you to make it to the next port of call. Yikes on $$$ to get there!
If you do decide to do 2 make sure you have plenty of time to get back from one to get to the next. If they are both through Disney it'll be no problem...each of the cruise lines stager them so they can suck all your money! ;) And beware of the people selling shore excursions when you get off the boat. Those aren't 'approved' by the cruise ships etc and could be iffy!

[34Angels]

Well, see, because we were in the navy we've had plenty of experience stepping onto shore and then figuring out what to do and where to go. And I'm not worried about making it to the boat on time, 2 deployments and I've only cut it close one time and it wasn't my fault, we had a liberty boat break down so they were running only one until the could get another one over there. A liberty boat is a small boat that runs from our ship to shore, our boat was too big to actually dock right up to the shore in most ports. Anyways, my ship ended up saying if you were in the station waiting on the lib boats by curfew then you were okay. I have never ever missed ship's movement and don't plan on starting on a vacation cruise.

[Esmerelda]

Good thing! :)

[kristisomer]

Okay did you finalize any plans yet for shore excusions?

[34Angels]

No, we can't book shore excursions until 75 (I think) days out, the deadline for paying off the cruise.

[reenie75]

I just booked my first trip with my little one...she will be almost 3. We set sail Jan. 2010! I think I'm more excited than her! :D

[34Angels]

Well, this will be our honeymoon cruise, but not our first time on a ship as both my fiance and I were in the navy. We just really want to take a real cruise and have our own stateroom. Congrats on booking you first cruise! What are your cruise dates? Are you adding a trip to WDW as well?