PTR-Celebrating Retirement with a European River Cruise - Page 2 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
Definitely a good plan to have that time to get used to the difference in time zones before you start out on your cruise!
The hotel looks very nice from the photo - Amsterdam is a very compact city and a lot of the main attractions are within easy reach of each other.
I'd definitely get tickets for the Anne Frank House in advance. The lines we saw when we were in Amsterdam in February 2012 were hideous - given the time of year, we were shocked at how bad they were! I seem to remember we visited just after opening when we went there many years ago, and it wasn't too crowded, so that would be my advice....
Amsterdam is a great city! If you don't get the tickets online, I'd also recommend getting there when they first open, as that's what we did and I don't remember it being too long of a wait to get in!
It seems that I’m having trouble getting motivated about this trip. I know it’s going to be a wonderful trip, but I’m finding myself wishing I was going back to Alaska this summer. Crazy, huh!? I think one of my problems is that DH just isn’t a planner, so I really don’t have anyone to talk to about it. He just says “whatever you want.” That’s nice, but it’s more fun to talk about things and get excited with someone else. I just got an exciting email that should help me get back into the fun of planning. It was a FedEx notification that a shipment was on its way. I couldn’t imagine what, as I haven’t ordered anything, until I saw “fulfillment of Viking Cruises” on it. Our cruise documentation is on its way!!
I did a lot of clothes shopping buying new spring/summer outfits about a month ago with the trip in mind. Then I started looking more closely at the weather and have decided that maybe I should have slightly warmer clothes. At first I was worried, then it hit me. I haven’t packed yet, so it doesn’t matter, just adjust my plans! Duh!! I’ll still wear the clothes, just perhaps not on the trip. So I’ve decided to throw another pair of jeans in the bag and leave a couple of the capris at home. The tops will still be fine as I have a sweater and light jacket to take along.
I’ve also been gathering essentials like plug adaptors, money “belts”, a coin purse and such. (I never carry coins as they always go into my Disney bucket, but I don’t want to be caught empty handed at the toilets which sometimes have a charge. ☺ ) I bought a new Vera Bradley bag about a month ago, which I am carrying as my purse now, but it is really bigger than I normally carry. I purposely bought it for the trip, as I can fit my sweater/jacket and umbrella in it, along with a water bottle or so. It’s a cross body style, which is all I carry due to my bad shoulder.
The coin purse I got is in the same heather pattern. It has two pockets on the front and a zipper pocket on the back. There are two big pockets inside as well. I love Vera Bradley and really love this design.
Right now, my mind is focused on retirement. I’ve got 16 more days to work. The ones that really count are the days with students! There are 14 of those! Today, I just
booked a substitute for 2 days. One day I will be administering an AP test. It will end around noon, and I will be free to go home after that. The other is just a “me” day. I’m taking off the Monday after Mother’s Day. DD and DSiL are off on Mondays, so we are going to lunch, since I won’t get to spend Mother’s Day with them. Well, not really, anyway. They work in a restaurant and will be working. DH is taking me to brunch there, so I will definitely see DD (she’s a manager) and hopefully see DSiL (he is one of the chefs). It will depend on how busy he is. I’ll probably get to say hi and get a hug at least.
with your packing! The new VB bag is so cute! I remember those last days before school was out and I was retired last May. I hope your last days before retirement are great!
Every time I see a post from you on another thread I look at your countdown and think-- "I should be on that cruise, too!!" Just couldn't swing it this year, but will be hanging on your every update. I love that VB pattern.
With the packing, it might be worth double checking the weather nearer the time to when you travel, as I think by then it could be warm enough to wear capris. They're certainly something I'd usually take in June just in case....
with your packing! The new VB bag is so cute! I remember those last days before school was out and I was retired last May. I hope your last days before retirement are great!
Thanks. I remember watching and reading your posts last year as you counted down to retirement. I kept thinking next year it will be me!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
Every time I see a post from you on another thread I look at your countdown and think-- "I should be on that cruise, too!!" Just couldn't swing it this year, but will be hanging on your every update. I love that VB pattern.
Laurie, I do hope you get to take this cruise. I think it is going to be fantastic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
With the packing, it might be worth double checking the weather nearer the time to when you travel, as I think by then it could be warm enough to wear capris. They're certainly something I'd usually take in June just in case....
I will definitely continue to check the weather. I've got several of our stops programmed into Accuweather to check periodically. I will pack a couple of pair of capris for sure. Remember, to this southern girl, it's not warm until it hits 80 or so.
Last July we did an Avalon Rhine River Cruise from Basel, Switzerland, to Amsterdam, with 4 extra nights in Amsterdam. We were fortunate to not have any rain, but the temps varied from comfortable to cool, especially in the evening.
We loved Amsterdam - so much to do and see there. The Anne Frank House was awesome yet very sad when you see the conditions they lived in and the terrible outcome. One of the "coffee shops" we saw had a sign on the building that read "High Times". Not of interest to us. We were told "cafe's" are where American's would want go for coffee.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
I will definitely continue to check the weather. I've got several of our stops programmed into Accuweather to check periodically. I will pack a couple of pair of capris for sure. Remember, to this southern girl, it's not warm until it hits 80 or so.
That makes sense now. To me, it's capri weather whenever it's the high 60s or above....
Things seem to be progressing with work and planning. I am really beginning to feel like retirement is truly almost here. I received a packet from the state retirement office yesterday with forms to fill out. That is done and they will be in the mail tomorrow!! ☺ I actually started receiving my SS checks in February. Since I am still working fulltime, I opted to put all of those funds into travel money until my state retirement officially kicks in and fulltime checks disappear. Hence, a number of Disney trips and cruises are being planned.
DH and I were out shopping for a new grill yesterday. We stopped for lunch on the way and I finally got him to discuss Amsterdam. We agreed that on arrival day, we would do the canal cruise and see the Van Gogh museum. They are fairly close to each other and around 2km from the hotel. Our thoughts were that we would walk down for the cruise and would already be in the area. Of course, I expect to sightsee along the walk, as well as grab lunch. We anticipate arriving at the hotel mid morning and checking with the tour company reps for suggestions. An early night will probably be in order after the travel.
The next morning is our walking tour with Viking. That afternoon, DH will visit his coffee shop and I will visit the Anne Frank Museum and just wander around and sightsee. The next day, we transfer to the ship mid day. We are still free to sightsee after that, as the ship doesn’t sail until evening.
I remember the last month working before retirement seemed to drag along and it took me a while after I worked my last day to finally really believe I didn't have to go to work any more!! It's an amazing feeling! I have yet to discover a down side to retirement. Sounds good to not plan much for arrival day. The canal cruise will be nice and relaxing and give you a feel of the city. Just settle in and try to adjust to the time change. I'm so glad I went to Amsterdam when I was still mobile because I can't imagine sightseeing there with the scooter!
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
I remember the last month working before retirement seemed to drag along and it took me a while after I worked my last day to finally really believe I didn't have to go to work any more!! It's an amazing feeling! I have yet to discover a down side to retirement. Sounds good to not plan much for arrival day. The canal cruise will be nice and relaxing and give you a feel of the city. Just settle in and try to adjust to the time change. I'm so glad I went to Amsterdam when I was still mobile because I can't imagine sightseeing there with the scooter!
Laurie, it will be mid-July before I slow down. I return home from this trip on June 15 in the late afternoon. On June 17, I begin 4 days of shadowing for the new part-time position I am taking on. (After flying home, I think I'll truly be a shadow of myself that week. ) Then on the 25th, DH and I fly to Norfolk, VA to visit DS. On July 9, I fly to Baltimore for a few days for training for the new job. After that, I do NOTHING for a few weeks!
Your plans for Amsterdam sound good. At least you'll be visiting it when it's a lot warmer than when we were there - February 2012, when the canals were all iced over and they were skating on them! We went into the Van Gogh museum to see it, but also to warm up!
Your plans for Amsterdam sound good. At least you'll be visiting it when it's a lot warmer than when we were there - February 2012, when the canals were all iced over and they were skating on them! We went into the Van Gogh museum to see it, but also to warm up!
I remember your trip and the ice. I think I need to pull it up again and reread it.
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
About This Page: 
PassPorter Guide Author
I seem to remember we visited just after opening when we went there many years ago, and it wasn't too crowded, so that would be my advice....
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
I remember those last days before school was out and I was retired last May. I hope your last days before retirement are great! 
) Then on the 25th, DH and I fly to Norfolk, VA to visit DS. On July 9, I fly to Baltimore for a few days for training for the new job. After that, I do NOTHING for a few weeks! 
Linear Mode
