Explorer Of The Seas 2009-01-02

[sea days]

I'm back! Six days without electricity and phone from the ice storm was brutal! The power came back on yesterday so had to catch up on laundry and then to top it off, had to shovel the icy snow off the driveway when I got home from work yesterday. Things are back to normal finally...that is until the snow storm predicted for tomorrow. The ice storm we got caused a lot of damage in our area. Tree's were down everywhere. It looked like a war zone. They are still cleaning up the downed trees. Large branches fell in our driveway and put some nasty dents in Joan's hood of her SUV. Luckily that is the only damage we had.

 

The Svens - you guys sound like you are really having a great time. Busy..busy...busy. :D

 

Pete - Thanks a lot! You were no help in deciding what time to meet for the FOD.:rolleyes: Just kidding. Since no one seems to care what time we meet, how about we just leave it at the original time of 7 pm on Jan. 3rd. in the Champagne bar.

 

Sooooooo ready for this cruise! Come on Jan. 2nd!

 

Donna

[celtcruiser]

Donna: day 2 it is (saturday) 7PM. Sorry about your weather issues. We're going to be hit with snow Friday AM, more is coming on Sunday! How many days until this cruise???:)

 

Pete

[sea days]

Hi Pete, how much snow did you get today. We got about a foot with more to come tomorrow. Thank goodness the snowblower started up. :p I hate winter!

 

OK, our FOD is all set up. Come on Jan. 2nd. I need warm sunshine.:cool:

 

Donna

[celtcruiser]

Hi Donna. Our 1-3 inches of snow turned out to be rain this morning:mad:. It is supposed to freeze up tonight & remain cold for a few days. I think I need to start packing:o

[sea days]

Just added 13 more inches of snow on top of the 12 inches we got the other day. The ski areas are loving this, especially with all the kids on school vacation this week and next.

 

One more day of work for me and then I'm free to start pulling the suitcases out to pack. Yahooooo!:D

 

Donna

[sea days]

Hi guys - Just stopping in to say...have a Merry Christmas. We're going to my youngest brothers house this afternoon to exchange gifts and visit for awhile. Tomorrow, we go to Joan's oldest daughters house to exchange gifts and have Christmas dinner.

 

Pete, I found another site that shows wave heights. Look up oceanweather.com. It shows the direction of the currents and it's color coded to show the wave heights.

 

My packing list is done. Now I just have to start gathering everything together and make a final decision on which clothes to pack. Can you believe it....only 9 more days.:cool:

 

Donna

[celtcruiser]

Merry Christmas everyone! Can't wait for next week. :)

[Stefan]

Hope that everyone enjoyed the Christmas. Here u have two guys that are really sick. We have catched a cold both of us. Only two days before we go:mad: Se U all day 2 7Pm Champangebar. The Svens

[sea days]

The Svens - Sure hope your cold doesn't linger too long. Would be a shame to be sick while you travel. Can't wait to meet you guys. Have a safe trip and we'll see you on the cruise.:cool:

 

 

Pete - How far of a drive do you have to the cruise terminal. It's about a 4 hour trip for us as long as we don't hit any traffic jams in NY and the weather doesn't take a turn for the worse. We're thinking of leaving around 6 am.

 

Donna

[celtcruiser]

Svens: Hope you get well soon and feel better.

 

Donna: I'm about 90 minutes away from Bayonne. You folks should get there at the right time. From reading on threads 11-12:30 seems like the magic time to arrive. Ths is always subject to change. Last January the ship left several hours late. Also I see the parking situation has changed:eek: The parking used to be past the terminal...judging by the thread below, it is now before the terminal. I'm going to do a dry run this week to Bayonne.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=493964&page=1191

[sea days]

Pete - Let me know what you find out about the parking situation at the port. I read the link you provided at the bottom of your post and it sounded a little confusing to me. Let me know if there are signs that are clear as to where you need to go.

 

Btw, are you going to the sailaway at Dizzy's and the M&M?

 

Donna

[celtcruiser]

Hi Donna. Someone posted that the long term parking is now before the terminal. I'm thouroughly confused. I'll do a drive thru before sailing date-maybe new year's day in the late morning, not much traffic out. I'll post what I find. Will be in Dizzys to see the sailaway and also doing the M&M. Can you believe I haven't packed yet:(:)

 

Pete

[sea days]

Pete - Glad you're going to the sailaway and M&M. Will have to make sure we find each other. I'll be wearing jeans and a green sweatshirt and I'll be wearing real tacky beads with little fruit on them.:eek::D Joan just rolls her eyes and shakes her head when I put them on for the CC meetings.:rolleyes:

 

Appreciate whatever info you can find out about the parking situation at the pier.

 

Better get started on the packing. I piled up the clothes I'm taking, but haven't pulled out the suitcases yet. I'll do that tomorrow. Joan, on the otherhand, usually waits till the last minute to throw her stuff in her suitcase. I can't do that. I need to be organized. My stuff will be packed by tomorrow night, except for the last minute things I still need, like my toothbrush, etc.

 

The excitement is really building now!

 

Donna

[sea days]

Hey Pete, Can't believe you had to work on New Years Eve. Let me know if you made it to the port to check out the parking.

 

Hope you started packing by now.:D

 

Donna

[celtcruiser]

Hi Donna:

 

Have to drive my other sister in to NYC tonight, will head over to Bayonne afterwards...if no gates will drive thru tonight. Check here before you leave.

[celtcruiser]

Hi Donna: drove my sister back to Manhattan-bad news was both Holland & Lincoln were backed up over 30 mins to Jersey. I headed back to LI. Sorry I didn't get over there. From what i read the long term is before the terminal. Good luck and have a safe drive, See you up on Dizzys. I'm over 6 foot, stocky (what's the polite term-husky:o).

 

Pete

[sea days]

Hi Pete - Thanks for trying. I'm sure there will be signs. Haven't heard of any horror stories of people getting lost at the port so far.;)

 

Looking forward to meeting you at Dizzy's for sailaway. Btw, I'm a little husky myself, but past cruise experience finds me blending in well with the crowd.:D

 

We'll be leaving Fitchburg in about 1 hour. See you on board. Drive safe.

 

Donna:cool:

[sea days]

Hey Svens - Hope you made it home with no problems. We came home to 8 inches of fluffy snow with 2 inches of crusty ice underneath....Yuk!:(

 

Just want to say a big thanks to all of you (Sebastian, Stefan & Pete) for helping to make our cruise memorable and great. Really enjoyed hanging out with you guys. Already miss our nightly 10 pm get-togethers in the Piano Bar.:p

 

Will be e-mailing a few pictures to you all soon. Waiting to get some of your pictures too.

 

Luv you guys,

Donna