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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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I'm in a quandry. We have sailed on Carnival Cruise Line before and had a great time, now I'm looking for next year (Dec) and I cannot decide on Royal Caribbean or Carnival. The sailing is for my (40 ish, DH-46, DD-10, and DM 82) I'm looking at a Southern Caribbean..7 day cruise. I love the fact that CCL does St. Lucia, but I really like the looks of the RC Ships. Has anyone one cruised on Royal Caribbean? What are your thoughts?
Haven't sailed either, only Disney so far, but I would choose RC over Carnival. Their ships seem so much more luxurious. It is probably more money than Carnival though.
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Love, April
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass;
it's about learning to dance in the rain.
I much prefer RCI to Carnival. We did the exact same cruise on both (weekend from Long Beach, CA to Ensenada, Mexico). In my view, Carnival attracted more of the younger, rowdier crowd - the ones who want to drink a lot, be loud, hook up and go to "Papas and Beers". RCI seemed more the type of people who cruise to relax and enjoy the cruise itself.
Others disagree (we just discussed it over on the DCL thread) but I think that RCI's food is better. They don't have quite as much available at all times, but I think the food tasted better.
So, if I wasn't hung up on Disney (both the gambling-less ship and Castaway Cay), I would pick RCI. Ultimately, though, if I had my heart set on a certain itinerary or date, the cruiseline may not be a deal breaker, savvy?
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All other things being equal (itinerary, etc.), I prefer Royal Caribbean. I like the ships much better than Carnival's. In my eyes, food on the two can be a toss-up. Atmosphere on Royal Caribbean is more elegant and more adult.
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Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
We've never cruised with any other cruise line than Disney and - after having been on a Disney cruise - I'm pretty sure we never will. Sorry I can't offer any advice.
We've never cruised with any other cruise line than Disney and - after having been on a Disney cruise - I'm pretty sure we never will. Sorry I can't offer any advice.
I think I'm in that same quandry....DCL has spoiled me! The other ships look like floating boxes to me!
However, my DBiL, who thinks we are nuts, likes RC as does DMiL, if that helps
I've only done Carnival and Princess (like both a lot) but just wanted to pop in and say whatever line you pick, you will loooove the Southern Caribbean itinerary. The islands are beautiful and much less tourist-filled than those further north! I'm not sure what itineraries you are looking at but we love anything that goes to St. Kitts, Bonaire, or Aruba.
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I did RCCL a few weeks ago and loved it! In all fairness it was my first cruise and only 3 nights but frankly, it was perfect. The food was fine but they had a Johnny Rockets on board. LOVED IT!!!!! The entertaintment was great. On the last night they had the kids who went to the kids club do a skit and it was really cute. Most of the staff was great. Had a couple of not as great as they could have been but thrown them a big smile and huge "Thank you" and they lightened up. I would do them again in a heartbeat.
We did 2 cruises with RC prior to doing Carnival & Carnival was a real let down. It's kinda like going from a deluxe resort to a budget resort. The service on RC was so wonderful.
One morning after breakfast with a friend we both decided to take a tray of food to our DHs in the rooms. There was a staff member at the end of the buffet line that would carry your tray to your table for you. When we explained that he didn't need to carry the trays because we were taking them to our rooms he carried both trays and went down the elevator with us.
We are going on RCL in July, after doing 2 DCL. My Dsis has done a few Carnival. The week long was great, but the short 3 nighter was a booze cruise with lots of college age kids.
We are chosing RCL because it's a 9 nighter, out of Baltimore, and we live within 30 minutes of the port.
If I had my choice, I'd do a DCL 7 nighter, but this was so much cheaper for us all, and we get two extra nights and no air fare needed.
We are about to take our 5th Royal Caribbean cruise in December and are big fans! Feel free to pm me with any questions you have. I have been on 3 different classes of their ships, so once I know which class of ship you are considering, I can be a bigger help to you.
I have cruised both. I think I prefer RCL for their public spaces, food and ambiance. That being said, some of the RCL cabins are very small for the price you pay. Check out the square footage of the cabin you are considering and compare that with what you have experienced on Carnival. How do they compare, and how important is cabin size or price to you and your family? Making an informed decision will assure you pick a great cruise.
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Katydid
10/96 - All Star Sports, 11/03 - CBR
9/05 - Wonder Cruise, 7/06 - Disneyland
11/08-All Star Sports - 7/09 Ft. Wilderness
11/14- AKL Jambo House
It's a "you get what you pay for" situation. In my opinion Royal Carribean is a step up, but then it also is more expensive than Carnival. An analgous situation is the question: which is better a disney value or moderate resort?
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