The "third times a charm" HCL cruise PTR - Page 26 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
I am WAY late to this party, lol! But I found it and LOVED it! A few comments (I'm compiling them as I read so I don't forget):
I have photos by that exact same waterfall in Puerto Rico in the rain forest! And we did swim in it.
When I was walking through those cobblestone streets in San Juan, someone above me somewhere threw water (or whatever?) out a window and I got soaked. I was SO MAD! I don't even think they looked out first! I don't even know what it was but it didn't smell good so we went right back to the ship (good thing we were done wandering).
I love St. Thomas. Never made it over to St. Johns but I absolutely enjoyed St. Thomas.
Love your story of the accidental cloudy day sunburn. I totally hear that. And I can totally imagine the awesomeness of reading Twilight on a cruise balcony. *swoon*
Half Moon Cay is lovely! Just gorgeous!
We're taking a Holland America cruise in May 2010, and your review of this ship was great. It's going to be me and my DD (who will be 4) in one cabin, and mom and her friend in another. I'm super excited! We chose this line because it had the best Bermuda itinerary, but also it just was my speed. Even though I have a 4 year old, I didn't want a really crazy loud ship. DD is well behaved enough that I'm fine with taking her on a cruise with "older folks", lol. And I'm not a partier, so a quieter ship is good for me! I love the larger cabins and the bathrooms!
Man I'm super excited now! Can't believe I have to wait nearly a year! But at least there's a Disney trip between now and then (maybe two Disney trips).
Really enjoyed your TR! Thanks for sharing!! And don't forget to come and post more pix sometime! Esp. the one of you guys on the pier!
I LOVED reading your TR!! The places you visited were absolutely gorgeous and you already know I'd wear my grass skirt and live at Half Moon Cay if I could. The waterfall on your hike was amazing as well. And if and when I do get my butt on another cruise, I am totally splurging on a balcony as well! How awesome to just sit out there and watch the cruise ship sail away from port, or just watch the water rushing by in the middle of nowhere.
So, you're going to Disney World soon, huh? I wonder who you might be meeting down there
We are going to get along so well like two misplaced sisters*L* I cannot wait to meet up and i've been talking to Eric about coming to the after party for the race Lets cross our fingers on that one! But i will need you to get us in...*L* i'm sure you wont mind!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeatherD
Thanks for sharing your trip with us.
awww your welcome and thanks for reading along!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Great finish Crissy! Thanks so much for taking us along for the ride!!
Its so great to share trips with people who enjoying hearing them...at work they are tired of my ramblings over the years*L*
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
What a great finish. I loved reading this trip report and how great that you've now got a Disney trip to look forward to.
I'm psyched about that disney trip...we make ADR's friday!! Thanks for reading along! I enjoyed sharing it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredkid
So sad it's over, but I thoroughly enjoyed your TR. And I'm looking forward to the WDW one in Sept.
It will be our first F&WF. Soooo looking forward to it.
OMGosh...the F&WF is amazing!! Its my third and I it! You will really enjoy it im sure! Thanks for reading along for this trip!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenny
Loved your TR, Crissy! I'm sad it's over...
But before you know it you'll be at Disney again and everything will be great... and I'll be packing for our cruise!!
I'm sad its over too! *L* I cannot believe how close you are to your cruise now!!! I feel like you just booked it!! I cannot wait for that PTR!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyRapunzal
well, you already know how much i heart your TRs! lol!
i am so pysched for your trip with eric! lol! you guys are gonna have a blast! lately ive been feeling the disney bug! we have all these places we want to go and not enough fundage! lol! hopefully by the time i get back from my honeymoon this august you will have started a PTR so i can live vicariously through you until next year!
your cruise seemed like such a blast! your pictures are so awesome and the boat looked so gorgeous! im a so glad you guys had such a great time and you came on here to share it with us!!!!
You are too sweet! I'm so glad you enjoy my ramblings about my trips. I am super psyched for my trip with eric! and now look at you planning one yourself!!!
I will be starting the PTR in august...i really cannot wait to share and gab about our trip!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mpwife153
I reading yourTR Chrissy! Thanks for sharing your trip and your beautiful pics with us!
I am so glad you enjoyed it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by OhToodles!
I totally agree with this statement! And I too reading your TR! Can't wait to hear about your visit to the world with a newbie!!
I know i'm a little nervous about taking him but i'm hoping he will fall in love with disney too!! Thanks for reading along!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrDolphin
Loved your trip report!! Fabu!! You might have even convinced me to look at a (gasp) non-Disney cruise in the future.
OMGosh...i should totally be a travel agent*LOL* I'm always here if you have any non disney cruise questions! But, i'm hoping for a disney cruise in the future...maybe I should convince all my disney PP friends to go with me Thanks for reading along and BTW you look awesome in that dress in your new siggie pic! it!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by pamcarey
Fabulous report! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks for reading along! I loved sharing it with you guys!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MGW
OK, I haven't finished reading, but I had to comment on the rest of your St. John's day. Love the pictures! So beautiful! I swear when we were there in June of '94 everything was so brown and dry, I guess going in the winter is a better time!
And we have good friends who spent 6 months living off St. John's in their sailboat. They loved the living on the sailboat part, but said the locals were not too friendly and the other boaters weren't either. So it was kind of lonely. They got homesick and decided to chuck it, but they are glad they tried it.
And your dinner dress that night was lovely!
OK, now I will keep reading!
I hope you got to finish up and i'm so glad you followed along with my report....We are actually discussing going to St. John within the next two years again because its so beautiful!
Quote:
Originally Posted by PrincessSharon
I realized today that I hadn't finished your TR so I had to come back and read the end. Your final day at Half Moon Cay looked amazing. I can't believe how clear that water is! I'm not a beach person (and I grew up on an island ) but looking at those pictures makes me want to dive right in. It sounds like it was a truly fabulous cruise. Thanks for letting us tag along
I'm so glad you came back to read the grand finale*L* I know about the water! I have pics of it in my office and I'm always looking at them! That water looks so inviting!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Principessa_di_Fata
I am WAY late to this party, lol! But I found it and LOVED it! A few comments (I'm compiling them as I read so I don't forget):
I have photos by that exact same waterfall in Puerto Rico in the rain forest! And we did swim in it.
When I was walking through those cobblestone streets in San Juan, someone above me somewhere threw water (or whatever?) out a window and I got soaked. I was SO MAD! I don't even think they looked out first! I don't even know what it was but it didn't smell good so we went right back to the ship (good thing we were done wandering).
I love St. Thomas. Never made it over to St. Johns but I absolutely enjoyed St. Thomas.
Love your story of the accidental cloudy day sunburn. I totally hear that. And I can totally imagine the awesomeness of reading Twilight on a cruise balcony. *swoon*
Half Moon Cay is lovely! Just gorgeous!
We're taking a Holland America cruise in May 2010, and your review of this ship was great. It's going to be me and my DD (who will be 4) in one cabin, and mom and her friend in another. I'm super excited! We chose this line because it had the best Bermuda itinerary, but also it just was my speed. Even though I have a 4 year old, I didn't want a really crazy loud ship. DD is well behaved enough that I'm fine with taking her on a cruise with "older folks", lol. And I'm not a partier, so a quieter ship is good for me! I love the larger cabins and the bathrooms!
Man I'm super excited now! Can't believe I have to wait nearly a year! But at least there's a Disney trip between now and then (maybe two Disney trips).
Really enjoyed your TR! Thanks for sharing!! And don't forget to come and post more pix sometime! Esp. the one of you guys on the pier!
Wow! Welcome! I"m so glad you saw this and read along!!
OKay so OMG about the water being thrown on you! I think I would have a major meltdown*L* Wasnt that waterfall amazing and brave you for getting in there!!
St. Thomas is such a fav of ours but St. John is much less populated and so many more beaches there too! But they are equally gorgeous for sure!
YAY!! a fellow twilight reader!! I did love that it was where I started reading it...Such a great book for vacation!
OMG! I'm so glad you are taking a Holland America Cruise! Email me if you have any questions at all...it sounds just your speed and it was a really nice cruise ship! You will have to tell me what you guys think of it!
I will try to get those pix for you guys....I'm still working on it
BTW look for our next trip cause we are doing the F&WF too! How cool!
We are going to get along so well like two misplaced sisters*L* I cannot wait to meet up and i've been talking to Eric about coming to the after party for the race Lets cross our fingers on that one! But i will need you to get us in...*L* i'm sure you wont mind!!
Mind, Hmmmm... Duh! Of course not! You let me know if he's on board, and I'll get the tix!!
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.
Now I need to go read about that other trip you took SO long ago and I see finally finished the report! EDIT: I was thinking that the link in your signature was about the 30th birthday trip since your sig pic shows you at the EE5K - did you finish that one? I can't remember if I heard the end or not. Oh well - nevermind.
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
Now I need to go read about that other trip you took SO long ago and I see finally finished the report! EDIT: I was thinking that the link in your signature was about the 30th birthday trip since your sig pic shows you at the EE5K - did you finish that one? I can't remember if I heard the end or not. Oh well - nevermind.
Yep I finished that one *L* i dont remember if you heard the end or not...i can send you the link if you want me to??
sorry i just wanted a new siggie pic...its not related to this trip at all*L* i might have confused a few there..not sure... You are too funny *L*
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.