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As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.

So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.

Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.

And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.

We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm​. You made it all happen.

There are other changes as well.

Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:

We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.

It's time to move on and move forward.

PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.

But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.

So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.

And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.

That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!

If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.

So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!

Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!

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Old 01-03-2016, 06:01 PM   #11
SuperDave
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Tuesday, April 14 (Part I)

Well, my TR is finally back after a hiatus during the holidays, which is the usual for me. Just can’t find the time to post updates as busy with other things. Anyway, let’s get this rolling once again!

Today, was our first day at sea and thought it would be a good idea to sleep in a bit and catch up on some rest. I got up around 9:15 or so. It was another bright sunny day in the Caribbean and barely a cloud in the sky with morning temps in the mid 70's. We were just cruising along to our next destination of Grand Cayman Island, where we would arrive tomorrow morning.

I went out on my verandah for a while, before going to Cabana’s for breakfast to enjoy some time out there and take in the scenery.






Love the bright blue color of the sea!

After spending some time out on my deck, I went upstairs to get some breakfast at Cabana’s at about 10:15 am or so. It was quite crowded as many passengers also slept in today and just are having a nice relaxing day at sea and taking their time with it. I had pretty much the same thing as yesterday with orange juice, coffee, cheese omelet, corn beef hash and hash brown potatoes. The food was quite satisfying and especially enjoyed the omelet.

Next, I headed downstairs to the Promenade Lounge to go about using the internet. I needed a little bit of assistance from a CM as he explained to me about using it and you just follow the instructions to sign up and chose from different packages or pay as you go, which I went for. After that it was quite easy. I just checked my emails over the past few days and went on these boards for a bit as well. I spent about thirty minutes here.

It was then back to my room for a bit and write up yesterdays notes for this trip and make sure, I didn’t leave anything out. I also watched some TV with some of the programming about the Disney Magic, which was quite interesting. I also checked out the Navigator and see if there was anything I was interested in doing today as far as on board activities. There was a ship tour and one was at 9 am and the other would conflict with my spa treatment later in the day, so that was out. There was one yesterday, but it was during my port excursion. I guess it wasn’t meant to be!

It was about noon time now and decided to just explore the ship for a bit. So, once again I was back to deck 9 and then 10 for some photos.


Where, I’d be having dinner tonight. I was looking forward to dining here!


On deck 10 outside of Palo


Aft section of Deck 10 with windows of Palo. Seems like there is quite a view if seated in the restaurant by the window.







After, a bit of taking in the ocean scenery and taking it easy I went down to deck 9 and get some lunch. I just went to one of the counter service stands for a hot dog, fries and a coke from the beverage station nearby. It was funny, that Marcus from my dinner serving team was working the counter service stand and served me my lunch. Talked a little with him and told him, I wouldn’t see him tonight as I would be dining at Palo.

After finishing my lunch, I went down to deck 4 to check out some of the DCL merchandise in Mickey’s Mainsail. I saw a couple of t-shirts I liked and contemplated about which one to get or both. I wound up just going with one which was a DCL t-shirt and navy blue. While, I was here a couple of CMs, who work here, were arguing quite loudly with each other. That is quite bizarre as you don’t usually get to see this. Not sure what this was about, but both seemed quite angry with each other. After a minute or so, they took it in the back, where they should have done this to begin with.

I returned to my room for a while and read some of my DCL Passporter and watched some TV in my room, before getting ready for my spa treatment upstairs on deck 9 at Senses Spa at 4:30 pm.





I arrived at Senses Spa at around 4:15 pm and filled out all the necessary paper work, eg. waivers before heading to the changing room, putting my belongings in a locker and changing into a bathrobe and slippers. One of the attendants at Senses then brought me to the room where I’d have my massage and told me my massage therapist would be here shortly and just relax, while I waited for her.

Soon after my therapist arrived and talked with me a bit about the massage and what I’d be expecting with this treatment. She was from the Phillipines. This was the Deep Tissue Massage I’d be receiving for 50 minutes. I enjoyed it and was quite relaxing at times, even though she applies a lot of pressure to various parts of your body and skin. It was a bit pricey being Disney, but I really enjoyed it. The only negative I can think of was the sales pitch at the end trying to sell me various oils and moisturizers in hopes I would cave in to this. I didn’t! After this was over, I changed and paid for my treatment at the front desk.

Next, I wanted a beverage after this and Signals in Quiet Cove was just outside of Senses. I used my coin for my beer glass and got a frosty cold Stella! Just relaxed for a while in Quiet Cove and talking with some other passengers with a couple of them, I had already met as we seem to be on the same seating for dinner (late). After enjoying my Stella, I returned to my room and get ready for my dinner at Palo!


NEXT: PALO and a Bizarre Beverage Seminar!

Last edited by SuperDave; 01-04-2016 at 07:06 PM..
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