HOLD THE GANGPLANK!!! WE'RE COMING!! Updated 3/11 About This Page:

[poohlover]

For any of you who have ever wondered just how close you can come to missing the cruise, here’s your answer!!
Who’s involved?
Myself (AP – standing for, well, let’s just say I love to plan..extensively…detailed itineraries…notes on every flat surface…This becomes incredibly relevant very soon….FIRST OFFICAL DISNEY CRUISE!!! – I cruised on Premier, the Big Red Boat, the original Disney CruiseJ)
DD-17 (Tink – She is a spur of the moment gal - obviously the majority of the gene pool was away planning their next DNA adventure, leaving only one loose cannon available – This is her very first cruise! Coincidentally, it also came 4 days from her 18th BirthdayJ)
Cruise Details : Jan 31 – Feb 4, 2010 Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom 2536
Traveling details: Hmmm…well, a snowstorm of literally historic proportions coming from the South towards us in VA beginning 2 days before the cruise complicated this just a little…
This trip actually came around very unexpectedly. I am a Family Travel Specialist, who handles all things Disney, world-wide. After over 50 trips to WDW, I can tell you how many steps it will take to get from Dumbo to the restrooms next to Peter Pan, BUT I had never cruised on DCL before. Planned other families’ magical journeys, but not mine. With 2 kids in college, and the third starting next year, it was not a biggie in our yearly budget.
Opening my e-mail 10 days before the cruise (Can you see how my little issue with planning begins to rear it’s ugly head?), I found an invitation for Travel Professionals to come on the 4 night Wonder, at a VASTLY reduced rate, knowing that we would take what level of stateroom came up. I called, just for kicks and giggles, and was sweetly told I had about 6 hours to make my decision, book, pay, register online, etc, before the availability disappeared. The hyperventilation began at that point.
I called my DH, who works in the Nuclear Field, and asked him calmly, “So, this is our 25th Anniversary year, and you were thinking of doing something a little special?”,
To which he replied, “Well, I was thinking we could take the day and go somewhere other than Olive Garden.”
I continued, “Hmmm, what do you think about a short Disney Cruise?”
His reply , “I would need to check my schedule, but that might be possible with enough notice.”
“I have this incredible opportunity for us to go and we need to decide really quickly and book and pay for the whole trip in the next 6 hours and it actually leaves a week from Sunday but I think we could do this and then you could skip Olive Garden this year and have some really amazing meals and it would be really romantic because Rian can transport Emily to school and soccer and you would only miss 4 working days so it’s really not even a week…”
(He later told me it was like talking to Minnie Mouse after she had ingested a few too many Mickey Bars)
His quiet response, “I just found out that I have a meeting in Aiken starting on February 2 and running the rest of that week.”
“Can you miss this one?”
His even quieter response , “I’m kind of running it, so not really.”
I must have made some sort of noise, because he suddenly grew very animated ,for him, and said, “Hey, why don’t you and Em go? It could be our 18th birthday present to her! Wow, that kills two birds with one stone, now we don’t have to try to figure out the perfect birthday gift AND you two could celebrate our anniversary at the same time!”
Now, I could go for the Birthday idea, I even loved it, but I made it clear that he was not getting out of Olive Garden that easily.
I called DCL back, and booked the cruise. For us. Not another family. It was a truly emotional moment.
THEN the CM kindly asked, “What airline will you be arriving on?”
Oh, right. We live 12 LONG, MIND-NUMBING driving hours away. We needed to fly, or that stateroom would not be big enough for both of us. I promised to call her back, and began a search for a reasonable airfare less than 14 days out, flying out of our, “We are tiny, but you would never guess that from our enormous fares!” airport.
First Shock. They had a flight that was only $59 per person each way! I was suspicious of this rate online, so I called the US Air desk at the airport, using a phone number I technically do not have since it technically does not exist. They confirmed that rates, and even offered to book it for me, although technically they can’t do that. I graciously accepted. (There is a strong possibility that some excitement may have leaked out at this point)
While I was wandering my office, possibly doing a happy dance and singing, the owner of the agency popped her head in. “Hi! You seem happy! What’s Up?”. ( I hope I explained the situation in a calm, professional manner, but that’s not likely. Things are a little fuzzy in my memory of this.)
She was very excited for me (She’s completely awesome), “So, you just need to make certain your calendar is clear of appointments, and then let me know what you need handled while you are gone!”
Oh, right. Work. Appointments.
Second Shock. I dragged myself over to my calendar, and forced myself to look. NOT ONE SINGLE APPOINTMENT FOR THE CRUISE DATES! It was destined to happen!
Coming up: The Good (Telling Tink), the mundane (Telling Rian he was on cat patrol), and the REALLY UGLY (Think Winter gone berserk)