The "third times a charm" HCL cruise PTR - Page 4 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Im so addicted to travel guides too! lol! I have a bunch of the "little black books" and already bought my passporter for a vacatio next year! lol! one thing I havent quite done is found one I like for our honeymoon! but the stuff sandals sends you is great!
i love being the first person to post after an update! yay! lol!
i just PMed you back by the way!
in any case, everything sounds great! i really want to cruise one of these days! (if you recall i wanted to cruise for our honeymoon! lol!). I figure I will get rob sucked into one over the next couple years! lol! if i talk it up enough i can usually convince him!
holland america sounds wonderful! sounds like its just up our alley too! whenever i think about disney cruising i feel like it would be a lot like the way you described carnival with crowds. in any case, im so excited for you!
i say this all the time with trips but i always mean it-- i cant wait for your trip so i can hear about it all when you guys get back!!!
Got the PM!!! I'm sending one back soon! Yeah i remember the questions about cruising for the honeymoon too bad but sandals is super great too! You must do the same thing I do with eric trying to get him talked into vacations....too funny....I am looking foward to being able to share my trip with you guys. Cause you can only tell so many willing ears at work before they get sick of ya *LOL*
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Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Another great update!!
Thanks!!
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Originally Posted by chezp
That ship sounds wonderful.
I am hoping it will be!
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Originally Posted by Kenny
The ship does sound great! Seems like quite a few options for dining.
Less than half a month! ... DW just got me a new short sleeved shirt... if I promise to be good, can I stow away with you??
Yeah i was surprised about how many dining options there were this time....our last ship did not boast that many : I've got 10 days to buddy!! can you believe it!!??? You guys can stow away with us anytime I'd love to go on a cruise will all my fellow PP cause you guys are the best!
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Originally Posted by pick7499
Fantastic update! I too spend lots of time in book stores before vacations! It's almost here!!!! YAY!
I bookstores anyway and going on a trip always helps me learn about a new place....I love the excuse to buy a new book and drink some great coffee *LOL*
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyRapunzal
Im so addicted to travel guides too! lol! I have a bunch of the "little black books" and already bought my passporter for a vacatio next year! lol! one thing I havent quite done is found one I like for our honeymoon! but the stuff sandals sends you is great!
ME TOO!!! or we too!!! we love travel guides...i've actually thought about going this week to get a travel log...so i can log all the times i go to disney and on a cruise,etc....so when i'm old and gray i can look back at the fun times! Yeah holland america's website has been amazing for the trip...more so than the books we've bought. But i do the puerto rico book we bought! I need to buy this year's passporter...i've just put it off cause i dont want to jinx myself and not get to go this year *LOL*
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Originally Posted by mpwife153
Wow! The ship sounds to die for & it sounds like there is a lot of luxury....enjoy!
It sounds that way...i'm just hoping it is what it boasts ya know??? I'm soooo ready for this luxury with all the bad weather we've had this year!
I'm going to try to post an update of sorts....more like rambling...*LOL*
Thats so awesome that the documents are in! woohoo for you!
your countdown is almost into single digits! woot woot!
Remember last year when I was going to try and plan a DLR trip that we ended up changing to WDW? Welll... when I ordered to DLR passporter and then wanted to exchange it they told me to KEEP the passpockets so I think I am going to use mine for our honeymoon. I know just how you feel. We havent been on THAT many trips but even weekend road trips... just a place for a little "Thanks for the Memories!" lol!
The ship sounds awesome...and I can't belive how close it is!!! And I LOVE LOVE bookstores. I don't know what it says about me as a girl, but I'd rather go to a book store than a shoe store! And I've got other "issues" at bookstores...but that's not for this thread
As I promised I promptly came home and took pictures with my cell phone so we could get this update started!!!
So, you know about the ship and the intenrary and a little bit about us. I just wanted to countdown and lead into our trip talking about what's been going on since the end of january.
Once New year's day was over, We offically felt like we could start to get excited about our upcoming cruise. We had booked it almost 7 months ago and now it was only 2 months to go at this point!
A couple weeks into january at the 45 day mark I began to get ancy and had Eric call the travel agent to ask about the documents. She said it was completely weird he had called because she had just gotten them that day
So, let me say when I went to pick them up they were AMAZING compared to the previous stuff we've gotten prior to our trips....
Trip one consisted of a envelope with papers and some cheap looking sticker type luggage tags....
Trip two was a little nicer and came with a st. thomas bag,
These were all in Satin Blue Organizers....if you know me you know i me some orgnaization!!!! There was a set for eric's parents and one for me and one for eric because we have different last names. (See they really knew my organzational skills would cause us to argue over that cool satin bag!!)
So, here is what they look like and the luggage tags are laminated and extra nice!
So, we immediately got excited because the documents really made it seem more real!
Our travel agent told us she knew we'd have questions and of course we have over the past few weeks called her at least once a week!!!! *LOL*
I started to go through my mental note of the things I own for this trip and things I KNEW i really needed for this upcoming trip. Once you cruise a few times you find there are things that you just have to have on a cruise ship. Alot of those things i've purchased as we go along but one thing is a travel alarm clock which i bought on sale at target! I love it and didnt think to take a pic but its just closes right up and has a back light so you can see the time in the middle of the night like i always seem to need to do
So, that weekend a friend of mine came in from out of town and we hit the outlets. I scored my first purchases there and really didnt spend that much ....
I saw this shirt and it screamed cruise so i got this on sale for 12 bucks at banana republic
Another thing I KNEW i had to get was an ID holder. On the ship you carry your id card/room card. Its your EVERYTHING...and let me tell you how uncool it is to lug around anything like a purse so i bought this little baby at the coach outlet for 20 bucks!!
The next day my best friend and I hit up the regular stores at a nearby town. We Off Broadway shoes and I cannot go there without purchasing something but this time I specifically was looking for some shoes to wear on the hike. I was told by some guys I know that if you are looking for outdoor/hiking shoes that my best bet would be Saloman sp????? What i needed was something that is waterproof because IT WILL RAIN IN A RAINFOREST....*LOL* and I"m so not getting my new tennis shoes ruined. So, i lucked out and found these awesome shoes on sale. They were half off and at half off they still cost me 45 ?? they are strictly for hiking and getting wet. I them so far!
So, i did well that weekend.
I then decided we should call Eric's parents and invite them in soon because we needed to give them their documents and decide how we would do this trip as far as driving etc....
We decided on the first weekend in February. They came in on Saturday morning and we discussed with them suggestions for what they wore on the hiking trip. We discussed their documents. We discussed how we would get there.
Getting there.....I will continue this in the next post....
So, we have traveled with his parents on our past two cruises......so we kinda had a game plan formed already. But, this will be the first time his aunt and uncle are coming and since they couldnt come in with his parents this weekend we tried to figure out something that would work for everyone.
We have to be in Ft. Lauderdale at Port Everglades port at 1pm ish.....on Saturday February 28th. We looked up on mapquest the estimated travel time and it gave us 10 hours roughly from our home here in SC. Not too bad but Eric's parents and Aunt and Uncle live in the same town two hours into TN in the other direction.
The Plan:
Eric and I decided to take February 27th, next Friday, off as well. We decided to use this as a travel day. Eric's parents decided they will come in Thursday, next thursday the 26th around 5-6 pm. As a tradition we go to a cool Japenese Place here and we decided we will do it again for dinner so there's no mess to clean up,etc.
We will get up at 4-5am and load up the rest of the Car and we will take his parents Explorer. We will partially load that night before. We have done this so many times we know how much each person can take as far as luggage goes *LOL* too funny....
The plan is to leave out here in SC around 6am.....head out on I26 and connect to I95 in columbia and the rest of our trip is on I95.....crazy!!!!! We plan to break for breakfast and lunch to stretch the legs and get gas. We have plans to arrive in or around Ft. Lauderdale around 5-6pm.
This is where the plans are kinda iffy. We have never been to Ft. Lauderdale. We are unsure of where to stay for the night....we just want somewhere to unwind with little to no drive to the port that next day. Our travel agent suggested us just stop on our way in along the interstate (duhhhhh) So she was no big help.....any suggestions????? i'm currently researching rooms around that area but i'm so unfamiliar its all looking the same...but i'm going to keep looking. We may just let the GPS tell us where the hotels are and YESSSSS we have (eric and I ) a awesome kick butt GPS. So, i know it will let us know where the hotels closest to the interstate are...so......
That's the plan....we have told this to his aunt and uncle and they think they may go down separately and meet us there to avoid confusion.
Once we get to Ft. Lauderdale it should be around 5pm and we plan to get changed and eat somewhere and settle in for the night.....
We drove as far as Port Canaveral Last time and that was 8 hours so 10 plus stops shouldnt be too bad...Besides...i can say that because i'm sleeping the whole way hehehhehehehehehehehehehehehe (there will be pics...eric always takes them)
So, with that plan in mind.....we were settled and still are......
After they left, I was till buying some things on my own here and there for the cruise
I bought this coverup and these cruise themed sleep pants at Old navy
i bought some cool flip flops at Target with green flowers on them to go with this cover up....
here are the sleep pants that convert into sleep capris
I did have to buy two other things that I have not shown on here because i'm sure you guys would get tired of the parade of shoes.....
i bought some new silver heels for one of my dresses and i bought some really cool brown heels too......
If you are counting YES that's four pairs of new shoes....wait i must confess....FIVE...i bought some black heels too!!! But they were all on sale and.....i have a shoe addiction!!!
YES I DO HAVE A BAG JUST FOR SHOES....not joking at all....i will show it later...
Next, I bought a new toiletries bag on sale at ross for like 10 dollars which was much needed but sadly no pics
That leads us up to yesterday, I had the day off. So, I decided to buy a new bathing suit. I have three....two of which I wore last year mostly. i realized on that trip that you have to have more than a few bathing suits. So, I thought if I had the money I would splurge on a new suit.
i got on Victoria's Secret and looked for a new suit. I took my measurements and then looked for a suit....a tasteful one of course....
this is what it looks like so its very basic but instead of it just being Coral colored its coral polka dots.....i had to get the polka dots!!!
Lets just hope the body comes with the suit *LOL* One thing i like about this bathing suit....I have ummmmmmmmm welll......a budonkidonk....junk in the trunk....always have always will.....bathing suits are an issue for a little waist and er hmmm ummmm much bigger backside.....this suit is called a scoop bottom so it takes that into mind and evens things out so the badonkidonk is not hanging out... I KNOW that you wanted to hear all that *LOL*
So, last but not least I DID drag out the suitcases along with all the summer clothes and shoes and cruise dresses.
I have seven dresses, two formal. A dress for every night! I love wearing dresses on cruises. Its so much fun and I never get to dress up like that.....
The dresses are ready...but i have to wash the clothes because they smell like storage closet.....
So here is the evidence of packing
awwww there's plenty of room in there. I can take that midsize bag.... a large duffel....my pillow...blankie...yes blankie....eric and I will have a dress bag.....and a carryon....eric also has a midsize bag. So thank god that have that Explorer!!!
so excited for you girl! I know how much you heart luggage tags so thats super exciting! i am living vicariously through you! just keep cruising until I can convince rob to take me on one! lol!
Your clothes are ADORABLE! so cute! And your travel plans sound like fun! I love that you guys have a little tradition together! Do you guys have siblings? I always want to invite me or robs parents when we go to disney but dont know if thats wierd because we have siblings and wouldnt invite them. didnt know what the etiquette was so i thought id ask! lol!
in any case, I can see how super pysched you are! congrats! yay!
Wow...you are totally shaming me with the constant updates . (But, I am typing this while uploading day 5 pics to photobucket) Love the cover-up and the Old Navy sleep pants. Big fan of sleep pants myself. And you KNOW I'm right there with you and the organizing!! I'd love a nice blue satin organized pouch...that's right up my alley.
And Cracked Up with the badonkidonk (no idea if I even spelled that the same way you did). So funny.
Oh, boy, where the heck do I start. . . . . I can't believe it's so close I love the BR shirt - super cute; and how funny that you found cruise themed pants!! I have one of those Coach wallets (it's technically called a Mini-Skinny; I'm addicted to Coach) in like every pattern and color . It's really convenient. I think I would want to wear a dress every day on a cruise too, it just seems like what people do . . . . . And I totally laughed out loud to myself here in my dark room when I read the story about the "junk in the trunk". You have no idea how much I can relate to that . . . . .
What great updates - and what great purchases you've made as well. I love the fact that you've started packing and yes, there's still a fair bit of space in there.
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too bad but sandals is super great too! You must do the same thing I do with eric trying to get him talked into vacations....too funny....I am looking foward to being able to share my trip with you guys. Cause you can only tell so many willing ears at work before they get sick of ya *LOL*
... DW just got me a new short sleeved shirt... if I promise to be good, can I stow away with you?? 
: I've got 10 days to buddy!! can you believe it!!???
I'd love to go on a cruise will all my fellow PP cause you guys are the best!
bookstores anyway and going on a trip always helps me learn about a new place....I love the excuse to buy a new book and drink some great coffee *LOL*
. (But, I am typing this while uploading day 5 pics to photobucket) Love the cover-up and the Old Navy sleep pants. Big fan of sleep pants myself. And you KNOW I'm right there with you and the organizing!! 
. It's really convenient. I think I would want to wear a dress every day on a cruise too, it just seems like what people do . . . . . And I totally laughed out loud to myself here in my dark room when I read the story about the "junk in the trunk". You have no idea how much I can relate to that . . . . . 
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