12/09/06 Cruise Continued ~ Pirating Bananas DIS Geekorama Part 2

[slindamood]

Stacie - Congratulations!! A baby - how great

We forgive you for canceling - but was looking forward to cruising with someone from the "other Ohio."

 

[GoofyFD]

Are you guys going to book your next cruise when we are onboard? I see some of you have already booked.

 

[lillygator]

Hi all - yes Lisa - our team!!! We were setting off fireworks around midnight! I am sure the neighbors loved us!

I don't know if we'll be rebooking onboard. I seem to get a better rate with the group discount.

and I just booked the May repo - so we are good for 2007...now 2008 may be another story.

 

[GoofyFD]

Was the repo cruise really expensive?

 

[GoofyFD]

Page 200 here we come!!!

 

[GoofyFD]

We made it!!!!

 

[pjpoohbear]

Go GoofyFD!!!!!!!!

Pj

 

[mum of two pirates]

congrats Just think you thought you were about done with swimming in a few years. Now you get to start the fun all over again. I have been thinking about putting the boys on swim team this year, Sp and Kayla have both had a year but Wy hat not, only lessons and I think he could use a year before our cruise. The problum is that then we don't get to camp or go to the lake as much becouse we have st, t-f. I think we would only do two of the meets becouse here we are in the canadian zone and have to travel up there to do our meets. It seems like to far to go for me again. Any way You shouldn't cancel your cruise untill it get to the cut off time, that way you will have all that extra money to spend on diapers. You will always need more stuff when it gets closer to to your due date. like diapers, and diapers, oh ya more diapers. congrats again

 

[mum of two pirates]

Just thought you guys might like to read it, Mum


Just back from Chac-Chi beach where we spent the day, 3/31/06, having a wonderful beach day. What a beautiful beach-and by far the most relaxing port day our family has ever had. Chac-Chi has a beautiful sandy beach, with aquamarine water stretching forever to the left and in front of you and then craggy rocks through the center filled with tidal pools. There were lounge chairs under swaying shady palm trees, a wonderful restaurant and bar that served great seafood and traditional dishes including red snapper, quesadillas, fresh quacomole with chips, and made to order drinks as well as bottled beer, soda and water. The kids had a blast searching the tidal pools along the shore and building sand castles. Everyone on the pier was looking over and waving, wondering how we had got to the beach since it is obviously the best beach you will see. Several cruise crew people showed up and swam, ate, laid in the sun and played a soccer game.

For all it's beauty, the trick was to actually locate the way to get to Chac-Chi. The locals in back of the port shops told us that there were no taxis to take people to Chac-Chi. Security stopped us several times and tried to route us back to a tour bus or waiting cab to go in to town. Another person told us the reosrt was closed with a big lock on the entrance gate. We were also told by an excursion booth that three fences were put up in the middle of the night (the night before we arrived) and there was no longer a hole in the fence to get through. Finally we paid a local $4 to give the straight skinny on how to get to the place. The local informed us that the Chac-Chi proprieters are good people who are just trying to make a living and can't afford legal representation to fight the pier owner. The pier owner is doing everything possible to garner beach business to his own beach facility to the left of the pier and is furious that the Chac-Chi proprieters will not sell their property to him.

As other posters have told in words and pictures so wonderfully (thank you Cruise Critic members!), just go through the security gate, where the tour buses and cabs go through (you will need to show your sail and sign card on the way back through) and proceed to walk a short distance until you can make your first right. You will be in the parking lot for a local restaurant. Follow the fence to the right and you will see an opening big enough to fit a bicycle through. Be careful, the wire fence is rusty. Proceed to follow the path to the left after entering through the fence. Don't be surprised like I was to see a three foot iguana sunning himself on concrete blocks! Go straight ahead and the road will naturally turn to the right. You are two minutes from Chac-Chi and will just walk straight ahead into the resort.

We went to the restaurant and introduced ourselves to the owners, Joaquin and Maria Rivero Fernandez. They promised us a wonderful lunch when we got hungry and made drinks and had a choice of several bottled beers. Mixed drinks were $5, beers were $3, sodas were $1, a red snapper meal and quesadilla platter with rice enoungh for our family was $10 each. The use of the beach, lounges and very clean bathroom facility was free. They had only asked prior to our arrival that we consume at the resort in exchange for use of the beach. I have some incredible pictures of the beach and resort and would love to share these if anyone would like to see them.

Hopefully if word can spread about this great beach club, Chac-Chi, through Cruise Critic members, Maria and Joaquin will be able to catch up on some much needed restorations and renovations to the palapas and cabanas.

Thanks to Cruise Critic for inspiring this day.

Barb

 

[lillygator]

Was the repo cruise really expensive?

I didn't think so - it was less expensive than the 10-11 night Med sailings.

But we did go with the lowest cabin - cat 11 with the four of us for $5406 (one under 3)...


and Stacie - congrats....my Disney souvenier is now 1!!! I am not planning a repeat on this cruise though! I am swamped with 2!!

Angie - you are on the repo right? Have you priced air or anything? My TA waitlisted me with DCL to see what they come up with.He was antipiating 600-700 - which I thought was rather cheap!

 

[WendyO]

~Jordan how are you feeling? Is it still raining down there?

I saw a old man collecting animals in two's last night. On a wet walk with my dog.

I'm answering for Jordan (cousin's prerogative) - it's just starting to rain again today... he's happy for our Duckies - we were on a winning streak and he's been at several of the great games. He's busy busy busy as usual.

On another note - anyone booked the Med cruises? I see Vanessa has the repo cruise.... we just booked the 10 day August 8 cruise. Anyone with us? We are certifiably crazy.

 

[DrHug]

Happy Birthday Everyone !!!!!!

I just finished writing a long post only to find that I wasn't signed on, after I had signed on.

Anyway........here goes again, except I forgot what I wrote.

Brack, Thank you so much for letting me use your bigbag camera. Sorry and for leaving mine in the room. I didn't forget it yesterday, when we went to Stone Mountain. And thanks for hanging with us, er, hang gliding with us. LOL. Glad we didn't crash into the ski slope or get hit by that golfball.

I am going to have to try that e-frame. Thanks for the tip, and that picture. Sorry we didn't get to meet DW.

I am sitting in the Hotel Lobby trying out my Wi-Fi for the first time. COOOOOL!

Patsy, Thank you so much for coming to meet us and for the great tour. We probably would have missed the Grist Mill and the Covered Bridge if you hadn't taken us there. That was very special. Angie and I went back around later. We did have our pecan pie. YUMMY !!! Soory we didn't think about just meeting you in the parking lot. It would have saved you some $$$. Yikes. (Hitting myself on forehead). We definitely think Stone Mountain is a must see.

You both made our travels very special. Thanks for the Pixie Dust.

Now to work on the pictures.


You 'DIS'ers are all such a wonderful group of people.

Dennis

 

[DrHug]

I'm answering for Jordan (cousin's prerogative) - it's just starting to rain again today... he's happy for our Duckies - we were on a winning streak and he's been at several of the great games. He's busy busy busy as usual.

On another note - anyone booked the Med cruises? I see Vanessa has the repo cruise.... we just booked the 10 day August 8 cruise. Anyone with us? We are certifiably crazy.

Hi Wendy'/Jordan,

Sure hope you guys don't get flooded out again down there. When is the California Sun going to start???

Hey! How about those Ducks?

Sorry we didn't get to MiniMeet with ya at DL. Next time I hope. We have enjoyed all of our minimeets so far.

Well, I better go. I am still sitting in the Hotel lobby. They may be getting tired of me by now. I am ruining the decor. LOL. I am dressed like an Oregonian at a fancy restaurant. Jeans and polo shirt. LOL. They may think I should be working.

7 more to go for 3000. Who is lurking out there waiting to

 

[brack]

I finally have a few hours to spend on my home computer and catch up on all my DISBoard threads. It has been weeks and I am way behind.

DrHug: You can use my camera anyday.

Who knows I might get lucky and snag the 3K. I never made a milestone like that.

 

[brack]

I went out looking at my other subscribed threads thinking someone would show up and let's make it past the 3K mark. I don't want to appear to be too anxious ......

 

[brack]

OK just so I don't feel too bad about posting so many times I'll just post some pix from my visit to DL.

This was a really cool Cruella. I thanked her and she said the pleasure was all mine (me not her).

DrHug/MrsMork: I am still not over the fact that we did not get a picture of our minimeet. What were we thinking?

 

[brack]

My Princess and I at the DL castle

 

[brack]

I took the "In Walt's Steps" tour by myself. Here I am in the elevator at Club 33. They wouldn't let us upstairs just in the entrance lobby. It was still cool to see it.