Kind of a vague title, I know. However, that's what I was researching over the weekend. Cruise food. Specifically Disney Magic food.
I have the pickiest family when it comes to food. I'm not even kidding. Our oldest eats pretty much the same thing every. single. day--2 Eggo Chocolate Chip waffles, pbnj, goldfish crackers, either graham crackers or Teddy Grahams, and an apple. All of this before noon. Then he's done until whatever we eat for dinner. He will not deviate from this menu, unless it's chicken nuggets, fries, and dip.
My husband does the same thing, but with different foods...Kinda. Bowl of cereal for breakfast, then packs a lunch to take to work (which pretty much consists of a sandwich, crackers, granola bar, etc.), then whatever we have for dinner.
Our youngest mixes it up a little. Some days he will have eggs for breakfast, or waffles, or cereal. He'll eat apple slices, or raisins. Sometimes crackers.
But getting them to try something new? It's like twisting arms. Well, my husband is pretty easy now; he's come to realize that some new foods are completely awesome, so he'll try new some stuff.
So this weekend, I was meandering about the internet, finding menus and pictures of the foods available on board. Yes, I know, there's so many food options there will be something for everyone. However, I would love to eat in the dining room every night. Which serves "weird" food.
I easily found something on every menu that I would love to try. Escargot is way up there on my list! My husband was looking at a thread on some forums that had pictures of food, and he was completely drooling over desserts. So...desserts are good! And my boys can eat pizza or chicken nuggets every day, I don't care. It's going to be vacation and I refuse to get stressed out about what my kids will eat. One week of eating pizza every meal won't kill them.
I am most excited about the food.
Also, conch fritters in Nassau. I have been told that I have to try them. I have no problems with that.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
200+ days 'til we cruise
Perhaps I'm obsessive about lists.
Er. There's no perhaps about it.
I'm obsessive about lists.
We have over 200 days until we cruise, and yet, I've already started making lists. Things we need to buy, things we need to make sure we pack, routes to take on the drive, hotels to think about staying in if we absolutely have to stop, etc.
200 days seems like a lot. Okay, it seems like forever, especially since we have to go through Indiana winter--which is 5-6 months of cold, snow, rain, ice, fog, and temperatures that can get as low as -60 with the windchill--before we get to go on our cruise. (Interesting side-note--some people have never heard of windchill. So very fortunate you are.)
So in that 200 days, most people would probably occasionally think about their cruise that might be coming up, and go about their lives, forgetting the cruise for long stretches of time. Not so with me. Oh, don't get me wrong, I still do my daily activities, read, take care of my boys, cook/bake, clean, study, etc. But it's always lurking. In the back of my head, I have this spot reserved for cruise info. And I add more and more info to that spot, almost daily. So the spot is growing. Soon, it will take over! Muahahahahaha!
Ahem.
Er. There's no perhaps about it.
I'm obsessive about lists.
We have over 200 days until we cruise, and yet, I've already started making lists. Things we need to buy, things we need to make sure we pack, routes to take on the drive, hotels to think about staying in if we absolutely have to stop, etc.
200 days seems like a lot. Okay, it seems like forever, especially since we have to go through Indiana winter--which is 5-6 months of cold, snow, rain, ice, fog, and temperatures that can get as low as -60 with the windchill--before we get to go on our cruise. (Interesting side-note--some people have never heard of windchill. So very fortunate you are.)
So in that 200 days, most people would probably occasionally think about their cruise that might be coming up, and go about their lives, forgetting the cruise for long stretches of time. Not so with me. Oh, don't get me wrong, I still do my daily activities, read, take care of my boys, cook/bake, clean, study, etc. But it's always lurking. In the back of my head, I have this spot reserved for cruise info. And I add more and more info to that spot, almost daily. So the spot is growing. Soon, it will take over! Muahahahahaha!
Ahem.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Flying versus driving to port
I know I wrote in another post that we were driving to port. My husband and I did not come to that decision lightly. After all, living in Indiana, we are 20+ hours from Port Canaveral, FL. (we are about 12 hours from the closest port, Baltimore, so no matter what port we use, it's a very long drive) But it's a 2 1/2 hour flight to Orlando from O'Hare. You have to be thinking right now that it's a no-brainer to fly, right?
Flying
If it was just the two of us, I would agree wholeheartedly. We would easily be able to deal with the airport and our luggage. We would need to spend about 5 hours total in the airports; along with flights, it would be no more than 10 hours total (we'd hope) of airport/plane time. That's not too shabby for a vacation.
But....with kids? That 10 hours might be a nightmare. On top of that, we would have to have 3-4 suitcases, stroller, and car seats. We wouldn't want to pay the extra fees to check everything (as it would cost over $1100 as it is to fly), so we'd have 3-4 carry on suitcases, plus our individual bags with things like Kindle, toys, diapers, etc.
Restrictions on what we can take. Sunscreen for 4 people, 2 of them pasty white kids? Yes, we need a gallon of it.
And, since we would want an early flight (less chance of delays), we would have to be there by around 5am. At O'Hare, which is 2 hours away from us. So...we'd have to spring for a hotel. Dollar signs are rolling.
I'm the only one in the family that has flown, so that's another stress point. Having a 4 and 2 year old who can't pop their ears (or chew gum to help), yikes. Don't want to imagine that. And I know there are ways to get around that, but my kids are not easy like that. They would end up with ruptured eardrums.
On top of that, we would need to deal with shuttles to and from port (ugh), or rent a car...$$$
And the headache to the other passengers? I don't want to ruin someone's flight because my kids are awful, ya know?
Okay, so the flight would be faster. That is the ONLY pro that my husband and I could find. Not less stress, not cheaper. Just faster.
I don't even want to imagine the nightmare of changing a diaper on a plane...
Driving
So driving. Yep, it will be around 40 hours total in the car. With 2 kids. One of whom hates to be in the car. But the price will be cheaper, even when you consider the fact that we will probably need at least 1 night in a hotel on the way down, probably 2 nights. So 3-4 nights in a hotel probably (round-trip), plus gas. Plus food on the way back (we plan to pack a cooler for the drive down, save at least $50 that way). That will still be cheaper (unless gas prices get totally insane next spring) than flying.
Also, we can take whatever we want. No restrictions about liquids (yay gallon of sunscreen!) or anything of that sort. No hassles with carting everything through an airport with 2 screaming kids (or 1 screaming kid and 2 adults screaming at the bigger kid to "STAY OVER HERE!").
We will be on our own schedule, so no hurrying because we will miss a flight/connection/shuttle.
And no irritating other people! We will be in our own enclosed pod of screaming and poo.
If we need to change a diaper? Plenty of places to do it!
So, for us, driving is the better option for this vacation. Our next big family vacation the kids will be older, so that might change everything, but for now? Road trip!
Flying
If it was just the two of us, I would agree wholeheartedly. We would easily be able to deal with the airport and our luggage. We would need to spend about 5 hours total in the airports; along with flights, it would be no more than 10 hours total (we'd hope) of airport/plane time. That's not too shabby for a vacation.
But....with kids? That 10 hours might be a nightmare. On top of that, we would have to have 3-4 suitcases, stroller, and car seats. We wouldn't want to pay the extra fees to check everything (as it would cost over $1100 as it is to fly), so we'd have 3-4 carry on suitcases, plus our individual bags with things like Kindle, toys, diapers, etc.
Restrictions on what we can take. Sunscreen for 4 people, 2 of them pasty white kids? Yes, we need a gallon of it.
And, since we would want an early flight (less chance of delays), we would have to be there by around 5am. At O'Hare, which is 2 hours away from us. So...we'd have to spring for a hotel. Dollar signs are rolling.
I'm the only one in the family that has flown, so that's another stress point. Having a 4 and 2 year old who can't pop their ears (or chew gum to help), yikes. Don't want to imagine that. And I know there are ways to get around that, but my kids are not easy like that. They would end up with ruptured eardrums.
On top of that, we would need to deal with shuttles to and from port (ugh), or rent a car...$$$
And the headache to the other passengers? I don't want to ruin someone's flight because my kids are awful, ya know?
Okay, so the flight would be faster. That is the ONLY pro that my husband and I could find. Not less stress, not cheaper. Just faster.
I don't even want to imagine the nightmare of changing a diaper on a plane...
Driving
So driving. Yep, it will be around 40 hours total in the car. With 2 kids. One of whom hates to be in the car. But the price will be cheaper, even when you consider the fact that we will probably need at least 1 night in a hotel on the way down, probably 2 nights. So 3-4 nights in a hotel probably (round-trip), plus gas. Plus food on the way back (we plan to pack a cooler for the drive down, save at least $50 that way). That will still be cheaper (unless gas prices get totally insane next spring) than flying.
Also, we can take whatever we want. No restrictions about liquids (yay gallon of sunscreen!) or anything of that sort. No hassles with carting everything through an airport with 2 screaming kids (or 1 screaming kid and 2 adults screaming at the bigger kid to "STAY OVER HERE!").
We will be on our own schedule, so no hurrying because we will miss a flight/connection/shuttle.
And no irritating other people! We will be in our own enclosed pod of screaming and poo.
If we need to change a diaper? Plenty of places to do it!
So, for us, driving is the better option for this vacation. Our next big family vacation the kids will be older, so that might change everything, but for now? Road trip!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
To passport or not to passport?
One of the big questions that we have had is whether or not to get the boys (aged 2 & 4) passports. Technically, as it is a closed-loop (I think that's what it's called---going to and from same embarkation port) cruise, we don't need them. My husband and I both have them, mine renewed w/ my married name after our marriage a few years ago, and his bought for "just in case".
We've gone back and forth. The price is not a little. For 2 minors to get passport books it will cost $210. That's not a little amount. In the grand scheme of things, that's a pretty big chunk. And they are only good for 5 years. How many times will they use it? Maybe twice? On top of that, since they are minors, we both have to go and be present at the passport office (er...post office) to sign everything. So...it's time consuming. And we have to get their pictures. Thankfully, we have AAA, so pictures should be free.
Looking at research online (mainly forums dedicated to cruise traveling, like CruiseCritic) shows a pretty even opinion pool--some say "YES! PASSPORT!" others say "Not needed, don't bother spending the money."
Well that's no help.
So what has helped us make this decision?
As someone that is pretty obsessive about researching everything before I do it, buy it, spend it, etc., I have read the horror stories that have happened because someone didn't have a passport, or how they were saved because they did. Yet another time that Hurricane Irene has helped us make a decision. So many people were stranded when the hurricane struck, just the thought of having to deal with all of that...and without a passport? (okay, so American citizens had to have a passport for that cruise anyway, because of it departing San Juan, not the point!!) What if something happened where we had to depart the cruise ship at Nassau? Unlikely, but if we had to fly home from there and the boys didn't have passports? We'd be stranded until passports could be procured.
What if someone got sick? Broke a leg? If we were in Nassau (the only port that we would be able to fly out of), again...stranded if we had to fly out.
Missed the ship? Unlikely since we don't plan to even get off the ship in Nassau at this point, but it could happen!
So what is that $210 buying? Peace of mind. Less stress. Yes, the money is a lot when you are already shelling out thousands for vacation. But peace of mind in case of an emergency and just one less thing to worry about? Definitely worth the money.
So, we are definitely getting our boys passports.
We've gone back and forth. The price is not a little. For 2 minors to get passport books it will cost $210. That's not a little amount. In the grand scheme of things, that's a pretty big chunk. And they are only good for 5 years. How many times will they use it? Maybe twice? On top of that, since they are minors, we both have to go and be present at the passport office (er...post office) to sign everything. So...it's time consuming. And we have to get their pictures. Thankfully, we have AAA, so pictures should be free.
Looking at research online (mainly forums dedicated to cruise traveling, like CruiseCritic) shows a pretty even opinion pool--some say "YES! PASSPORT!" others say "Not needed, don't bother spending the money."
Well that's no help.
So what has helped us make this decision?
As someone that is pretty obsessive about researching everything before I do it, buy it, spend it, etc., I have read the horror stories that have happened because someone didn't have a passport, or how they were saved because they did. Yet another time that Hurricane Irene has helped us make a decision. So many people were stranded when the hurricane struck, just the thought of having to deal with all of that...and without a passport? (okay, so American citizens had to have a passport for that cruise anyway, because of it departing San Juan, not the point!!) What if something happened where we had to depart the cruise ship at Nassau? Unlikely, but if we had to fly home from there and the boys didn't have passports? We'd be stranded until passports could be procured.
What if someone got sick? Broke a leg? If we were in Nassau (the only port that we would be able to fly out of), again...stranded if we had to fly out.
Missed the ship? Unlikely since we don't plan to even get off the ship in Nassau at this point, but it could happen!
So what is that $210 buying? Peace of mind. Less stress. Yes, the money is a lot when you are already shelling out thousands for vacation. But peace of mind in case of an emergency and just one less thing to worry about? Definitely worth the money.
So, we are definitely getting our boys passports.
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