OK, it IS possible to book too many cruises!!

[inkkognito]

Okay, my compulsive planning has finally caught up with me!
I locked in our 7 cruise dates for 2004 so I would have my choice of stateroom (believe it or not, this was a couple months ago and the secret porthole rooms were already gone for some of the dates we checked).
Normally, the dates would be on my calendar at work already, but things have been so busy that I am behind in my travel planning and hadn't scheduled them yet. Meanwhile, hubby and I decided to see "The Lion King" again because it was just so awesome. It's the kind of play where if you do it, you should do it right and get the best seats possible. Unfortunately, with the package we were booking to get main floor seats, there were only two dates available: Jan. 11 or Jan. 18th. I couldn't remember for the life of me whether we had booked a Jan. cruise and, if so, what date! I had to lock the play, which is non refundable once you book, so I took the 11th. Wouldn't you know...I just checked, and it is our Jan. 2004 cruise date!!!! We are booked for 1/8 to 1/11 on the Wonder, in SPR 5020. As much as it pains me, I'll have to give it up and rebook. I know there is a lesson here...when you have so many cruises booked that you don't remember the dates, it's probably time to seek professional help
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[JCarangal]

Oh Barb -- I would love to have that sort of trouble!!!! As it is, I am counting down to my cruise that is still over 350 days away! LOL

Thanks for your great website and all your informational posts!! I cut and paste everything you say!! (so be careful what you type -- LOL).

 

[LAMPSKIES]

Hey inkkognito,

I just booked number 4 for March 04...4 night Wonder a surprise for DW and DD's 13 and 11 our fourth booking. I thought I was going to gain on you. But 7 in 2004???? There's 4 of us can I multiply my booking x 4 or is that cheating??

p.s. Thanks for that informative ATA info on this trip report. We are ata flyers out of midway with a big suv.

 

[inkkognito]

If you decide to use the offsite Midway lot, let me know and I will dig up the URL of the coupon place. You can access it off ATA's website, but it is really buried. Isn't Midway great?
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[LAMPSKIES]

DW isn't much of a flier but ata is great. We're doing two days at WDW prior to our Nov. 29 Eastern sailing (trying the same as our cancelled trip last year) and my Father-in-law usually drives and picks up (they live in Lansing....on our way) but they may go with this time that means parking the Expedition for 11 days. I've been watching your web site for months it's great!!!!!

 

[CamColt]

Im sorry about your misfortune of losing your SPH, but Im ROFL! You guys are too funny. You had better write those dates down!

 

[westjones]

You could have come to Indianapolis next year to see the Lion King instead! It will be in Indy in February and March and tickets go on sale on September 13, 2003 (the day before we leave for our WDW and DCL trip!). It will be at the Murat Theater in downtown Indy. We can't wait!

DJ

 

[December99]

Lampskies...the only thing I saw missing in your post on your cruise is you are going in the 3rd month of the year not the 4th!!!!! ROFL - I just had to laugh with all those 4's going on - you are bound to have an awesome cruise!!!!!!!

 

[Tracie Wallace]

Hi Barb:
Is Midway that much better than ORD? We're going to visit Berwyn next month and I'm not sure where the airports are in relation to Berwyn. I've always flown into Ohare because I seem to get better air deals there. I think that ATA is the only airline which flies non-stop between Los Angeles and Chicago. If Midway is that much better, I might be willing to spend a few dollars more.

 

[inkkognito]

Hi Tracie,
I'll post the reasons why I prefer Midway, as well as its drawbacks, and hopefully that will help you judge.
First, the advantages. Midway is much smaller than O'Hare, and therefore there is less walking/taking time to find your way around. Also, their security line tends to be shorter, although that can vary. There is offsite parking within walking distance, and the parking garage is priced reasonably enough for a long weekend trip if you want mega-convenience. It is more convenient to the south side than O'Hare, and we have run into fewer flight delays (although we've been pretty lucky in that regard over at O'Hare too). They built a really nice new food court and added ships, so while the selection is still not as good as O'Hare, it's still very respectable for a small, convenient airport.
Now, the drawbacks. There is no straight shot way to get there on an expressway. For us, this doesn't matter because we come from the south suburbs and take Cicero or Pulaski. It would be much more convenient to Berwyn too. Luggage takes FOREVER to arrive...that can be a problem at O'Hare too, but Midway is consistently worse. And if you miss your flight, O'Hare has lots more opportunities to get another one due to the larger number of carriers/flights. Also, they are so bad about chasing you away when you try to pick someone up that they were actually featured on a local news channel. I don't know if they have gotten better since the bad publicity, as we just drive.
A neutral comment...Midway is also home to very short runways, making for interesting take-offs and landings. ATA flies stretch 757s to Orlando, and those are HUGE planes. When I was sitting next to a Midway first-timer, I warned her that we would be going STRAIGHT UP (or else be on Cicero Ave.) and I don't think she realized how serious I was till we took off. Her comment was, "Wow!!! That was A FAST ascent!"
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[Tracie Wallace]

Thanks Barb. I know that for my upcoming trip it would have cost me $300 more to fly into Midway - so I chose O'Hare. O'Hare has to be one of the most confusing airports I have ever been in!

I know what you mean about short runways. If I can, I try to fly out of the Burbank airport. This airport is about 50 years old and taking off and landing sounds very similar to Midway. Luggage handling, however, is a lot more efficient. I suspect Burbank is smaller than Midway.

By the way, I'm impressed, awed and amazed at the number of cruises you and your husband have taken. You take more cruises in 1 year than I have in the last 15.

I'm really looking forward to my 4-day Wonder cruise in October - though I wish the Magic were cruising that week. I also wish that Disney would give us back the one day at sea. Having never been to Freeport, I feel I really have to get off the ship.

Keep cruisin' and giving us the "black light" reports!

 

[MarkRG]

Barb, I feel so bad for you

 

[dianthus]

Why don't you eBay the tickets you purchased, then buy them for the other date available & go on the cruise as planned?

Plan B - go to NY & go see The Lion King in all of it's glory on Broadway! Well worth it!

 

[disny4ever]

you two start taking some of us less fortunate souls with you every once in awhile....lol ! You could start a lottery and sell chances...( you think you could make enough to take even more trips )
I think it's great you do this, and I definitely wish I could too !!

 

[rae519]

It is possible to book too many cruises if you (1) have to use credit card payments to pay for them, or (2) go into debt to have them.

Otherwise, NO WAY JOSE!!!!!
Just keep a bag packed at the door, Barb!!!!!


Rae

 

[erikthewise]

Barb,

I am a professional and I am here to help you.
Now let's just transfer some of these excess cruises into a special "holding account"...

(Don't sell them on Ebay. You'd end up getting more than rack rate for them, and then you'd have to deal with the guilt.)

 

[inkkognito]

LOL...hubby told me I wouldn't get much sympathy!
I am usually such a compulsive planner that I have two or three copies of our vacation schedule floating around both at home and at work (my boss thinks I'm nuts when I present her with my days off for two years in advance). I think we're going to check dates with SPRs open when we are on board the ship, and if we can't sail in Jan., we'll switch to the fall. We have been planning to sail for my birthday (Oct.) almost every year now and something always comes up...maybe 2004 will finally be the year. I know we won't suffer too badly at "Lion King"...I thought it was going to be too weird for my tastes, but after seeing it, I absolutely fell in love. That CD is coming with me on the Magic for relaxing verandah listening.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com