Mom's First Taste of Cruising with the Mouse! **Completed 11/20** - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Mom's First Taste of Cruising with the Mouse! **Completed 11/20**
Cast of Characters: Mom (1st Disney cruise) and Me!
When: October 22 – 25, 2009
Ship: Disney Wonder
This trip was seven months in the planning after a morning conversation between Russ and me. One morning he woke up and asked, “What are your goals in life?” If you know Russ, you will realize this is not an unusual question coming from him. Of course, the first thing I blurted out was, “Spending more time with Mom!” I guess the past several years with her cancer and then near-fatal car crash have me realizing my time with her is precious. Not to mention, I’m insanely jealous every time I call and either she is at my sister’s or vice versa! When she moved closer to both of the sisters I knew they would have so many opportunities to spend time together – I guess I just didn’t realize how I would long to have the same opportunities.
But, I digress.
Anyway, Russ asked the question, I gave him my answer, and five hours later Russ had Mom and me booked on a Disney cruise and Mom’s flights in and out of Jacksonville were all set! I love my hubby!!!
The cruise was paid off immediately so there was no question at the 90-day mark I could make our Palo reservation. In addition I booked a Castaway Ray Stingray Adventure, which we eventually bagged. Mom had a hard enough time just tapping the very top of our cats’ heads! Poor thing is just not comfortable around animals.
I should mention here our original booking was for a category 12 inside stateroom. The intention was to upgrade us to an oceanview stateroom, which as the cruise drew closer I wasn’t absolutely certain was going to happen. It seems our cruise had been long sold out (with the occasional availability scattered in here and there); a large FSU alumni group was also booked for our sailing. Ack! (Time to get the Miami backpack out!) Around the third week in August we received a call from DCL asking if we would like to upgrade our stateroom to an oceanview for $99 total. You bet we do! I jumped on the offer and started plotting the next upgrade – to a verandah! Our current stateroom assignment though – 2100.
So, October finally rolls around and we picked Mom up from the Jax airport Wednesday evening. Her flight was completely full, and her window seat on the return flight didn’t seem so appealing anymore. Thankfully the woman at the United counter was more than willing to see what she could do, and on the return leg home she found Mom an aisle seat on another nearly full flight. With that taken care of, we were on our way to the house for the night.
Since Mom wasn’t getting much time to spend with Russ, whom she treasures dearly, I gave her a choice for the morning. Breakfast with Russ and leave around 9:00 a.m. (getting us to the port around noon), or leave first thing around 7:00 a.m. allowing us enough time to arrive at 10:00ish giving us a better chance of purchasing another upgrade. Mom was just happy having an oceanview and opted for time with her “son.” With those plans all set, I frantically began my packing (I’m notorious for last minute packing) and we finally settled in for the night around 1 a.m.!
As promised, we were out the door just a few minutes after 9:00, waving to my sad hubby. Don’t get me wrong – he was more than thrilled Mom and I were spending time together. He and I just hate being away from each other. The drive to the port was rather uneventful, with only one pit stop along the way. At this point I was in no rush to get there knowing if we arrived at noon, those who had already checked-in would be just boarding leaving us to just walk on the ship as soon as we had our paperwork taken care of.
I dropped Mom and the bags off at the drop-off area located by the DCL buses, (the construction at the terminal is in full force!) and then went to park the car while Mom waited inside. Although the new garage construction is directly across from the terminal entrance, having to park a bit further down was no big deal. It’s still a quick walk over, and hey – we’re going on a Disney cruise! Up the escalator I went and Mom was sitting on a bench right at the top.
We quickly entered the Castaway Club member check-in line (which Mom was allowed to do so since she was with me), and waited no more than 2 or 3 minutes before we were being assisted by a friendly CM! She informed us our stateroom had been changed – ooooooh, could it be – to 2570. *Sigh* Not an upgrade, but! I was happy – we are going on a Disney cruise! By this time it was now around 12:30 p.m., and we are standing right next to the Supervisor’s desk. I see no “Sold Out” sign and make a beeline for the counter (poor Mom was left behind in my dust!). I’m not sure if I said anything other than, “Do you have any verandahs available?” When the CM responded, “I only have a category 4 available,” I was all over it! At this point I wasn’t sure if we were still considered a category 12 or now a category 9. Even after I did the $99 upgrade to 9, our reservations still showed 12, so I am thinking that is what they still considered us. Either way, I thought the $570 to go to a category 4 was more than worth it and snatched it right up! Good thing I did too – a family walked up just as we were getting yet another room assignment, and asked if any upgrades were available. They were told only oceanviews remained. Mom and I scored the last verandah! Whew!
With our third stateroom number in less than 30 minutes, we headed towards the entry way to the ship and were finally on our way to Cruising with the Mouse!
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