Coffee on the Verandah - Two by two - 5/21

[Chilly]

Oh I got very behind but now i'm all caught up. Med cruise news is very exciting, I was hoping for the Baltics next year but it wasn't to be.

I need to do Castaway again, when we went it was January so couldn't really take advantage.

[brookelizabeth]

Your Castaway Cay day sounds like PERFECTION. And I neeeeeeeeed to be on Serenity Bay ASAP!

Congratulations on the Med cruise! I hope it all works out for you!!!

Any progress on what hotel everyone is selecting? My vote is Boardwalk to be right with you, or for the frugal, the Swan/Dolphin to be less expensive. (though, no ME with the Swolphin)

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by natebenma

I would imagine so! I didn't even check because I assumed the show sold out quickly. And the regular prices are high enough, no way am I gonna get tickets from a scalping company. Oh, and DH won't "do" lawn seats.

I can purchase a LOT of margaritas for the cost of a couple of tickets to a show.

Seriously, and dinner to go with those margaritas! Love you Jimmy but....

Originally Posted by dizneeat

And I am caught up again! Not that I was just a little behind, but about 8 pages!
Hope you can forgive me, but I had a little travelling to do.

Given that you took a whole trip, 8 pages isn't bad!

Originally Posted by dizneat

Cynthia, I think we are on the next cruise out of Venice - the 12 night that goes from Venice to Barcelona.
If so, then we have to have a drink together in Venice. We will fly in about two or three days early, so this could work out well.

well sadly (you missed the chatter) we changed our plans..again. Basically as much as we REALLY want to do the Venice/Greece itin, the cost was pretty outrageous and flights are brutal. It just seemed like such a long shot we decided to go for something we know we can pull off. Currently we are booked on the Southern Canberra itinerary for 9/20 (was 9/27 but now 9/20). Prices on both the cruise and flights are very doable for a great couples getaway. Now, that said...I am not totally ruling out the 8/5 sail date but will see if any deals are offered after the PIF date comes and goes a year from now. We'd still be able to switch at that point but the reality is that the other cruise is less than half the cost and the flights are about 1/3 so...it was the responsible choice.

Originally Posted by dizneat

Okay, I love the updates. Your CC day sounds like a lot of fun , even thought the family beach looks terribly crowded.
SB on the other hand is empty nearly all day long. We loved it there (again) last week.
Bummer about Castaway Air Bar - they make yummy drinks there!

I wonder if it is always that empty? I am glad we got to see it and was very bummed about the bar. How was the weather?

Originally Posted by Chilly

Oh I got very behind but now i'm all caught up. Med cruise news is very exciting, I was hoping for the Baltics next year but it wasn't to be.

I need to do Castaway again, when we went it was January so couldn't really take advantage.

See my above reply to Karin, sadly we've given up the Med idea (for now) and switched to the new S. Carribbean offering. Which does sound lovely too!

Warmth would be my concern cruising in Nov-Feb but at least you are well out of hurricane season! Maybe they will do Baltics in 2015.

Originally Posted by brookelizabeth

Your Castaway Cay day sounds like PERFECTION. And I neeeeeeeeed to be on Serenity Bay ASAP!

Congratulations on the Med cruise! I hope it all works out for you!!!

Any progress on what hotel everyone is selecting? My vote is Boardwalk to be right with you, or for the frugal, the Swan/Dolphin to be less expensive. (though, no ME with the Swolphin)

I need Serenity now too...Evan is killing me these days. See my post to Karin above on the Med, we have made changes.

No progress on the hotel and it's killing me. I called and actually got member cash rates almost 2 weeks ago. Heaven knows how long they will be available and no one will move on doing anything. I can't make them but 10:1 they decide they do want it...and those cash rates are gone or there is only one room left. I'll see my folks both sat/sun and do plan to ping everyone today with a ticket price update but am not hopeful for much of a reply. Party of me wants to call and check on rates again today before I email and part of me is like why bother. Of course the great rates at the Swolphin are gone now. Doesn't mean something won't come back but why they wouldn't have jumped on the 3 great (peak) nights when the could I'll never understand.

[jedijill]

I missed that you moved to the 9/20 sailing! That's makes me happy. See you on board!

Jill in CO

[dizneeat]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

well sadly (you missed the chatter) we changed our plans..again. Basically as much as we REALLY want to do the Venice/Greece itin, the cost was pretty outrageous and flights are brutal. It just seemed like such a long shot we decided to go for something we know we can pull off. Currently we are booked on the Southern Canberra itinerary for 9/20 (was 9/27 but now 9/20). Prices on both the cruise and flights are very doable for a great couples getaway. Now, that said...I am not totally ruling out the 8/5 sail date but will see if any deals are offered after the PIF date comes and goes a year from now. We'd still be able to switch at that point but the reality is that the other cruise is less than half the cost and the flights are about 1/3 so...it was the responsible choice.

I wonder if it is always that empty? I am glad we got to see it and was very bummed about the bar. How was the weather?

Caught!
I was skimming through some of the chatter.
Tell me about the price for those Med cruises, but for us it is wonderful as we are saving the long distance flight airfare. We just joked about having never had such a cheap flight Disney vacation.

To be honest, whenever we have been to CC, it was NEVER crowded. This last time last week, it was really empty. Just a handful of people there. There were more over lunch time, but otherwise very quiet.
We have only seen it "crowded" once and then only about every 4th beach chair was taken.
We had a Cabana (for my eyes sake) and it was wonderful, Tibor, the bar tender from Skyline was manning the Airbar and the drinks were out of this world. Sorry again that you missed the chance to have a nice drink there.

[KatMark]

I'm catching up again! So that is what heaven looks like? That beach looks so inviting and with the six inches of snow we currently have (with more on the way), I wish I was there right now.

The bar was closed? Seriously? That's just not right!

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by jedijill

I missed that you moved to the 9/20 sailing! That's makes me happy. See you on board!

Jill in CO

Well, it doesn't mean we will end up on it but in theory it has less of a chance of a conflict with homecoming so I moved it now. Next year by Mid April we should know if it works or not, as well as if the med ends up offering a deal and will probably truly commit then.

Originally Posted by dizneeat

Caught!
I was skimming through some of the chatter.
Tell me about the price for those Med cruises, but for us it is wonderful as we are saving the long distance flight airfare. We just joked about having never had such a cheap flight Disney vacation.

yes, the flights are horrendous, esp from Seattle. I could handle the cruise price were it not for that and if it does end up being offered as a deal after the paid in full date, we will move back to it if we can.

Originally Posted by dizneat

To be honest, whenever we have been to CC, it was NEVER crowded. This last time last week, it was really empty. Just a handful of people there. There were more over lunch time, but otherwise very quiet.
We have only seen it "crowded" once and then only about every 4th beach chair was taken.
We had a Cabana (for my eyes sake) and it was wonderful, Tibor, the bar tender from Skyline was manning the Airbar and the drinks were out of this world. Sorry again that you missed the chance to have a nice drink there.

Sigh, so jealous, that sounds just heavenly right now!

Originally Posted by KatMark

I'm catching up again! So that is what heaven looks like? That beach looks so inviting and with the six inches of snow we currently have (with more on the way), I wish I was there right now.

The bar was closed? Seriously? That's just not right!

It is what heaven looks like. No snow here it's just the Feb grey blech. I need a vitamin D infusion in a big way!

[PracPerfPatricia]

Your lunch really looked very good...

Serenity Bay really looks pretty incredible...

I'm sorry that you didn't get that last drink and that bar looked pretty cool too (I love how Disney makes up back stories for everything...)

Since you seem to have your pulse on the Disney Cruise Scene right now... What have you heard about New Orleans being a new port/departure point? I read it somewhere and don't remember but I'm intrigued because I'd really like to see NOLA...

[rentayenta]

I swear I thought I posted on your latest update.

Serenity Bay looks perfect aside from being dry. Looks like otherwise it was a very successful vacation day. I'm glad you all had a wonderful time. CC looks amazing.

Lunch looks fabulous and like perfect beach BBQ food. Pineapple upside down cake is one of my all time favorites.

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by PracPerfPatricia

Your lunch really looked very good...

Serenity Bay really looks pretty incredible...

I'm sorry that you didn't get that last drink and that bar looked pretty cool too (I love how Disney makes up back stories for everything...)

Since you seem to have your pulse on the Disney Cruise Scene right now... What have you heard about New Orleans being a new port/departure point? I read it somewhere and don't remember but I'm intrigued because I'd really like to see NOLA...

Ugh, the copy paste thing seems still messed up so, one long reply

It was! Maybe I'm a closet buffet lunch person...just not breakfast or dinner? I had 2 great buffet lunches on the cruise which has to be a first.

Serenity bay was lovely, we should have ordered drinks and just waded out with them, we had NO idea it would be so shallow.

I have heard that NOLA is courting DCL for 2015 and beyond. I would love it as well. I did a Carnival cruise that went there once and it was very cool sailing up the Mississippi!

the Carnival part, not as cool.

Originally Posted by rentayenta

I swear I thought I posted on your latest update.

Serenity Bay looks perfect aside from being dry. Looks like otherwise it was a very successful vacation day. I'm glad you all had a wonderful time. CC looks amazing.

Lunch looks fabulous and like perfect beach BBQ food. Pineapple upside down cake is one of my all time favorites.

I do that all the time lately.

It was a great vacation day!!!

CC is really heavenly

[rentayenta]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

I do that all the time lately.

It was a great vacation day!!!

CC is really heavenly

Is the BBQ on CC *free*? Do you eat at a certain time or just help yourself?

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

Originally Posted by rentayenta

Is the BBQ on CC *free*? Do you eat at a certain time or just help yourself?

Yup it's free and you can help yourself as soon as they open for the day. I think they start serving around 11 am.

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by rentayenta

Is the BBQ on CC *free*? Do you eat at a certain time or just help yourself?

It is a help yourself although I think you actually "order" the burgers and they put them on you plate versus the mahi which was a self serve. It has set hours that it is open which will be published in that day's navigator, probably something like 11-2. Drink/soft serve will stay open the whole time I think and the locations that sell beverages were also open starting pretty early.

If for some reason you didn't like what they had at Cookies/CookiesToo you could always go back to the ship for lunch, there will be things open there as well, probably Beach Blanket Buffet (you are on the Wonder, right?) and the quick serve spots by the pool.

[scottny]

That is too bad she couldn’t do both things at the spa.
That is a lot of planning to do.
Nice evening for a drink and a pirate party. Looked like fun.
The Mediterranean cruise sounds wonderful.
I hear you about photobucket. I signed up at Flickr and when I get back and start the next tr it will be on Flickr. Hate what photobucket did. They ruined a really good site.
Beautiful views of Castaway Cay.
The beach looks so inviting.
That bar with tables looks so nice to sit out at and watch the water and people.
Your plate of food on the island looks good.
Serenity bay looks so peaceful and relaxing.
Oh I am all caught up again. Great updates and pics.

[brookelizabeth]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

well sadly (you missed the chatter) we changed our plans..again. Basically as much as we REALLY want to do the Venice/Greece itin, the cost was pretty outrageous and flights are brutal. It just seemed like such a long shot we decided to go for something we know we can pull off. Currently we are booked on the Southern Canberra itinerary for 9/20 (was 9/27 but now 9/20). Prices on both the cruise and flights are very doable for a great couples getaway. Now, that said...I am not totally ruling out the 8/5 sail date but will see if any deals are offered after the PIF date comes and goes a year from now. We'd still be able to switch at that point but the reality is that the other cruise is less than half the cost and the flights are about 1/3 so...it was the responsible choice.

Makes sense! The Southern Caribbean sailings look fantastic! We have those on our back burner as well, depending on discounted rates. Joe is itchin' to get to St. Lucia.