This is what Disney did for me

[Cheryl B]

Hi, This is my first post on this board about my 11/30 cruise. My TA called me at 2:30 p.m. yesterday and told me Ihad the OPTION of cancelling. I told her I was still going b/c we also had plans to meet and p/u my sister-in-law on 12/7 at MCO after our cruise and planned to go to Sea World and Mickey's Very MErry on Sunday with her and our plane leaves Monday 12/9 at 5:25 pm.

Well, after the call from the TA I check the boards and saw a post that the cruise was CANCELLED!! I then called Disney direct at about 3:15 pm (My TA mentioned that she was leaving at 3:00pm for the holiday). Of course they confirmed it was indeed cx.

They offered a full refund. I asked if they could call another cruiseline for me and set up other reservations. They said no, that I could switch dates. (During my 45 min holding I was actually checking different Cruises/ rebooking FF miles -- no luck)/I explained I had nonrefundable tickets to Mickey's Very Merry on 12/8 and other plans with relatives. They then offered me the Wonder 4 day. My husband has always refused to go on any cruise shorter than 7 day (can't relax). So then she offered to try to put us on back-to-back Wonder cruises (still will get to do Mickey's Very Merry on 12/8, but relative will have to make her own plans for 12/7, when we were supposed to p/u from airport).
So, that's what we are doing. We are totally not interested in the Bahamas and at being in-port every single day, but we just couldn't take Disney away from our kids to go on another line. Disney said that we might have to get off the ship and re-check in for the 12/5 sailing...it is all still up in the air...and we will definitately have to change staterooms.....that just seems terrible..to me, but at least we'll be on DISNEY!!

But I spent all my time researching the shore excursions and planning the Magic. Now I have to start over with what to do on the Wonder..twice over. One highlight will be going to Atlantis, but other than that Nassau/Freeport have never been attractive to us.

Can anyone who has been there tell me what the best option would be..going on this itinerary twice in one week and all. I will probably just end up staying on the ship for the ports, I guess (Except for the Atlantis). Sorry for the ramble.

Oh, yes, also, Disney is going to put us up at the Hyatt Airport Sat 11/30 (plane couldn't be changed). But I WONder if I should try to get it change since Chris is staying at POR. In a way I almost feel like I shouldn't ask for more..but what is there to do at the Hyatt? (arriving MCO 9:59 a.m.) and we do also have Universal tickets we could use if we were put closer to there.

Any comments would be welcomed.

 

[AnnMorin]

I know they have done back to back wonder cruises before, infact just did a "three peat" where they did three wonder cruises back to back. I am sure it is in their trip reports at
www.castawayclub.com
As for the hyatt, I have never stayed there myself but have heard it is a very nice hotel. Maybe you could spend the day by the pool, or rent a car and drive out to universal. With the code from mousesavers.com you can get a small car from Avis for under 30.00 for the day.

 

[Cheryl B]

Ann, thanks for the reply.

Yes, we'll probably just hang out by the pool (indoor,Ihope) It is too cold for outside pool, isn't it? But we still feel like we're losing 1 day of our planned vacation!

I will go to Barb's site to check out her tirp report, Thanks!

 

[Hygiene99]

does not sound to bad, let me see so u do back to back
wonder cruises was there any charge involved with this or did they just switch u right over ?? oh yea see u on the wonder
on dec 5th

 

[EpcotKilterFan]

I think you will have a wonderful time!

Just think.. it is going to be better than the cold and snow we have here now.

BTW---I am just across the bridge from you in Garfield Hts!

Have fun

Debbie

 

[curtessey]

Cheryl, we have stayed at the Hyatt and it is a nice hotel, but not much to do for a full day. I would check into a rental car for the day to do Universal. Also, the pool is outdoors (we were there in October a few years ago and weather was warm enough). If there's an indoor pool, we were unaware of it.

Sorry you're being thrown into last minute chaos, but I'm sure you'll still enjoy all the pixiedust I'm sure they'll be throwing your way.

Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your vacation!

 

[WDWLVR]

Cheryl,

One of the plus sides of doing the back to back is that you and your family will have two days at Castaway Cay!

I'd say spend one day over at Atlantis and treat the next visit to Nassau as an at sea day. That's what we plan on doing when we go on the DVC member cruise.

Enjoy your WONDERful vacation.

 

[Cheryl B]

Yes, they just switched us over to the Wonder with no additional cost. I just checked - the pool at the Hyatt is only outdoor. Really don't want to have to pay for another rental car (renting one after,too), and going to Atlantis is going to cost over $200. I'm told the taxis are $25 each way, plus the room!

Just read the trip report at castawayclub.com but they did not do anything in ports, so no real suggestions from them. We like to buy liquor while in St. Thomas. Does anybody know where to get the cheapest liquor is in Bahamas or WHAT type is the best deal.

We just were all set with everything on the Magic...oh well it will all work out in the end!!

BTW Hi Debbie!!

 

[cathy59]

Originally posted by Cheryl B
Can anyone who has been there tell me what the best option would be..going on this itinerary twice in one week and all. I will probably just end up staying on the ship for the ports, I guess (Except for the Atlantis

Cheryl B, I would get off at Nassau to see the Atlantis, but you don't have to buy a package to see it. Adults could walk there, cab it if you have little kids. It's free to walk around, but I think it is $25 to go through their aquarium, which I've heard is awesome.

Just consider the second Nassau stop as a day at sea! And enjoy the 2 stops at Castaway Cay. Hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[My~Rumbly~Tumbly]

Hi Cheryl

How old are your children? We will be staying at the Hyatt on the 29th and the 30th. We won't get in until late Friday night. How old are your children? I am traveling without my husband. My daughter turned 3 in August and my son is 17 months. I wouldn't mind spending the day at Downtown Disney. I wonder if there is another form of transportation that is affordable? We could split it? I won't have carseats though, so I have that to take into consideration. I'm not sure what we will do on Saturday, but the price of airfare was too good to pass up (more expensive if we flew in on Saturday) and you never know how the weather will be here in New England.

 

[TChrist05]

Hello guys.....glad we are all sailing together.......so this is what Disney worked out for us....we are flying into MCO on Saturday morning...arriving about 11 a.m....they origionally were going to book us into the Hyatt...but I told him that spending the day at the airport hotel did not interest me....so I pushed him and he set up a night at POR....when we get to MCO we go to Mears with the voucher in our cruise book....spend the night at POR and then on Sunday get picked up by DCL bus for the 4 night stay on the Wonder....we got a category 8...which we origionally booked....they had upgraded us to a 5 but it does not look like that will happen....we then go back to POR on Thursday for 2 nights on Disney....so basically they converted us to a land and sea package....they also are giving us food vouchers for the 3 days in the parks and a $200.00 onboard credit since we do not need the passes to the parks(we have annual passes) and we also get the $100.00 credit onboard for the early booking of the Magic....My cruise on the Magic cost me with transfers and no insurance $1954.00--and that is what they are going to take for the week down there....what do you guys think? Did I make a mistake not pushing him for a price just for the 4 day and then taking a refund on the Magic 7 day? I don't know if we did the right thing.....also....we have no idea what cabin we are in....does anyone have any idea the web site that lists the cabins available on the different cruise lines? I know someone posted it once....
Thanks all!
Tom

 

[AnnMorin]

I know if you go to dreams unlimited or travelosity.com you can see hat is available. Our 12/7 which used to have tons of openings is now almost full.

 

[Towncrier]

Sorry to hear about your cruise woes Cheryl. EpcotKilterFan just dropped by our house and mentioned your back to back Wonder cruises. We purchased a couple of bottles of rum in Nassau, but the Baileys was actually less expensive on the ship than it was in Nassau. It's hard to beat the liquor prices on St. Maarten.

We live a bit east of you on Route 82 (in Macedonia). I saw in your post that you are going to be at MVMCP on December 8th. I've got a list of about 100 other DISers that are attending that night. Keep your eyes peeled for lime green ribbons. Or just follow the laughter.

Hope to see you on the 8th.
Take care and bon voyage (twice)

 

[Hygiene99]

the web site where u can check rooms will not do u any good
it is to close to the cruise date and it will not give u the rooms,
but hear it is any ways http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/dcruise/reservations1.html

 

[my3kids]

Why not try Priceline.com for a rental car, then go to DD or Universal. You don't need to worry about size because you won't have luggage. Just check into the Hyatt, go back out to the airport and p.u. the car and off you go. You can probably get a car each day for about $18. Look at biddingfortravel.com and click on rental cars, then Orlando and see just what the accepted bids have been lately for cars. That will give you a good idea of where to start.

 

[chrissyk]

DH and I stayed at Atlantis for 5 nights in Oct., 2000. We had a BLAST there! If it were easier to get to from New England (as in, direct flight), we would go there for vacation every year, I swear. Anyways, the aquarium there is called "The Dig". It IS awesome, but not worth the hefty admission fee for those not staying at the resort IMHO. You can go in The Dig as much as you want when you're staying at Atlantis, though. I thought that it really stunk that they were charging such high admission to The Dig for all the cruise-ship people.

Anyways, why would it cost $200 for you to go to Atlantis? I thought that it looked like walking distance from where the Disney cruise ship docked to the actual resort. The Disney cruise ship people were able to use all the resort beaches/pools, too. There seemed to be many people from the Disney cruise ship at Atlantis while we were there. Your kids will probably like the big pool at Atlantis that has a pyramid with a bunch of waterslides on it. One waterslide even turns into a tube that goes through a shark pool. It's cool! The "cove" beach is a wonderful place to just sit and relax, and the quieter, oval-shaped pool is also really lovely. I would say that Atlantis is worth visiting both days that you'll be docked there. Who knows...you may decide that you like it enough to make a trip there in the future!! I know that I'd love to go there again

 

[Cheryl B]

Thanks for the info on Atlantis. I heard that cruisers DO NOT get to use the water slides/pools: the only was to do this is to book a room reservation $185 +$12 tax + $50 taxi ride ($25 each way). Please correct me if I'm wrong. Does anyone know if a taxi is not needed? Is the Atlantis walking distance from the ship?

 

[mmouse37]

No....it is not within walking distance...you must travel over a bridge and I am not sure there are sidewalks...you would not want to walk there.

There are water taxis that are only a few dollars per person in additon to the regular "land" taxi's. We went and spent a few hours there on the DCL excursion, and you are right about the DCL guests not being able to use pool or slides, only the beach.

MJ

 

[ohanafamily]

When DW and I went on the 3 day we just went to the market. BIG MISTAKE. I have been to these places all over the world, and this was nothing special there. That night at dinner, everyone at our table was raving about how wonderful the Atlantis was. When we go back for the DVC Member cruise, we are planning to eat with the sharks.

 

[Hygiene99]

4 dollars per person is what we have seen for a taxi ride it is not far but not walking distance i think 25.00 is to high
peter there is also a Comfort suite across the street that if u book a room there u can use all the resort has to offer i have heard of people getting a day rate there for $150.00
peter