NatashaB951

So excited!! We are getting on her when you pull back in port! Have fun!

I created a large photo card on vistaprint for $5. I created a template in MS Publisher for the game Call of Duty bc my DH loved that game and he is retiring from the Marine Corps. I don't know how to load a picture of the sign on here :confused: but it is a surprise for him and I can't wait until he sees it! I just received it yesterday and it's about the size of a standard sheet of paper.

I will be cruising with my teens DD-13 & DS-16 for the first time soon. They have $100 OBC that they will split and I will put $100 on each of their seapass cards. I can already see that my daughter will spend most of hers at the $10 store on board so she has pre-budgeted that amount already in her head. Neither are crazy about sodas so no soda package purchased. My daughter has budgeted $20 for sodas during the 7 days. This is a surprise for my DS so I have asked for everyone to donate cash towards his seapass account as he is an arcade guru..lol..I feel that the $150 is plenty for my two.

Awesome pictures!!! Glad to finally see one of the VB's. Most reviews I have seen for them were not great due to less space and bulk of the screen. Glad to see a different, fun and entertaining perspective.

I'm in a similar situation with my son but it's for his surprise 16th birthday. Since I booked in August, I devised a plan. His birthday is May 28th. On the 28of every month since August we have given him a "clue" to his birthday present along with a talk about the importance of education. I have access to his grades online and when I see a slip - I assign more work at home to do along with meet/email with the teacher to see what the issue is. He did receive a failing grade and I almost called off the cruise myself but after more research and my son fighting to prove he turned in his work, I didn't call it off. I did say should he not pass at the last minute, I would cancel the dolphin excursion and his money for the arcade would be taken away. Boys can be such a challenge at times with school work but they will get it together - eventually. Good luck!:)

On our 15 yr anniversary, we wanted to renew our vows but it was too expensive so we had our friends pick out our attire, - me a yellow sundress, him khaki pants, white shirt. My mother made me a bouquet and him a boutonniere. When we arrived in Labadee, we went off to a quiet area on the beach, starred at each other and reflected on our 15 yrs of marriage. We then said our own vows to each other and had a local take our pics. Now we didn't get the paper to say "vow renewal" but it was the most romantic and intimate moment that we have shared together and we were excited to plan it and to us, it was the perfect vow renewal ceremony. :)

Thank you! I will look into them as well. My daughter is so excited to do this gifting for the kids. If you have college bound children ang73, it's a great thing to add to their application towards charity work.

Will do!! Thx!

I hear you....I love booking a year ahead but it does make for a long wait!

I am sending best wishes for a wonderful cruise to everyone with April cruise dates!!! :D:D

I booked 11 months in advance and it has been the hardest time to sit and wait!! It's been even harder to keep it a secret from my son!! Happy Cruising everyone!! Just waiting a while longer :(:):)

Thank you. I spoke with RC but I have to speak with the main office in Miami and not the switchboard. I google'd a little and did some research on my own a little but will wait to see what avenues other CC have went. Thank you again.

Thank you Ken. Will do!

Hi All! I am taking my kids on their first cruise soon. Every land vacation we do, I incorporate something education in the experience. I decided this year since I am preparing my son for college to do some charity work on this cruise. He does not know about it but my daughter (12) does. We decided since education has been a vital thing this year to me, to take a duffel bag full of school supplies to one of our ports - Cozumel, Roatan or Belize City. I have no idea how to begin to look for a contact or if someone knows where to refer me in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated. We are doing a fundraiser the first Saturday in May and it will be called: Operation:The Browns Give Back...One Duffel Bag at a Time. :):):) Thanks in advance. I am thinking the port of Belize but not sure due to tenders.

So glad you all that are still on the ship are Cozumel bound!!! This has been a very positive thread to read and the attitudes of those on board. I will be on NOS in June :) . I am praying that the sealife cleanup is swift and that they can save those still stuck in the oil :( ...Happy Cruising and kudos to RC for their actions during this situation.

We have not been able to book our kids in a separate stateroom...even though they are adjoining! Since they were adjoining, it was not a big deal, but keep in mind that your key will open the stateroom you are assigned to. If you can force the issue, I would encourage you to get the right people assigned to the correct room.

I'm sailing on NOS on June 1st and I was able to book my kids 13 & 16 in an interior room and my husband and I in a balcony across the hall. We had no problem making the reservation. Hope they can get it right for you! :confused:

I knew last year this time that I wanted to take my son on a cruise for his 16th birthday as a surprise. I figured out how much I wanted to take - usually with DH and myself we will take $2k for a 7day cruise. With two kids and it's double the amount. He's military and I work fulltime so figured out last July how much we needed to put into a CD - through Navy Fed bc you can set your own maturity dates and make continuous deposits- and each pay period we both deposit into the account. The kids had a small Christmas due to operating on a tight budget but they didn't mind at all. Our daughter, 12, knows we are planning this and she has kept the secret since July! This is the best way for me to save when I have any type of vacation to plan for.