Brenda, yes, better bars will be air-conditioned. Like Cabo Wabo, owned by Sammy Hagar, located in Cab San Lucas.

You are already used to the hot, steamy Texas air. You're an old Pro!!!

A'ndrea

Diana, you must be getting very excited by now. Do you have a checklist started?

I can't wait for your return to get your prospective on Pride.

A'ndrea

Hey Andrea,
I have been so busy ending my school year that I have not had a chance to stop and take a breather. My stepson graduated high school this year and I just had my class kindergarten promotion yesterday! Other than that, yes I am excited. I am making my list this sat. and starting my packing then. I have to get it all done this next week because my dad is having a bypass right smack in the middle of the week and I have to stay out in L.A. a few days. I live about 40 minutes by freeway outside of L.A. Anyhow, I am starting my list and let me know if you can think of something I might need that I might not think about! Thanks, Diana

Diana,
First off... best wishes to your Dad. My father had it and everything went smoothly.

Things to remember:

*Good SPF. I like Bullfrog. Impossible to wash off. A little pricey, but well worth it.
*Bungee cord for the balcony door. This one is your discretion.
*Binoculars, a must.
*water shoes
*hats and sunglasses
*water misting bottles
*digital camera/waterproof camera(2-3).(I like Fuji).
*small bottle of travel Tide-to-go and a few sheets of Bounce. These items will be expensive on the ship. You can get your change from the casino, while at sea. Casino is closed while docked in port.
*All appropriate RX's.
*Compact umbrella or two. Just in case.
*Dollar store over-the-door shoe holder just for odds and ends that get thrown on the counter in the cabin.
*2 or 3 chip clips or clothes-line pins to anchor the shower curtain. Trust me... it will stick to you. Uuk!


These are usually the staples on my list. I add from this.

A'ndrea

Diana,

Add to the above list....
First and foremost, passport, or raised seal birth certificate, along with, photo I.D.

Anything else can be purchased.

A'ndrea

Andrea, thanks for the list. I printed it and will be adding many of these items to my own list. I can't wait to come back and give you my feedback.

Diana - I can't believe your trip is almost here...7 MORE DAYS!!! Our room number is 5130 if you have a chance to get down that hall and scope out a table for 4 next to a window for me. Hopefully they're numbered and I can request it!!! But most of all - HAVE A WONDERFUL TRIP!

Brenda - WELCOME to our little family. A'ndrea is our resident travel expert and will tell you one hundred million reasons why we made the best choice in The Pride!!! I guess I'm the last one in our group to get to enjoy it. I will be leaving at the end of September. I am looking forward to hear what both you and Diana have to say about it!

Glad to finally say I am in the double digits. Have alot to get done now. Need to get those excursions booked. And I am ordering a couple of gifts to be waiting for the boys when they get in the room. Will order the cookies for DH!

Hey Michelle, can you believe it 7 more days! i have been shopping all weekend for odds and ends. Andrea provided a fantastic list!

Andrea, i printed it out and used it religiously thanks so much. I especially liked the shoe organizer idea. I bought a martha stewart organizer for 8.99. it is clear plastic and it covers the entire door. great idea!

Michele, I will take a picture of your room door and email to you when i get back. I am off to sam's club right now for a new digital camera!

so excited, i am packing, packing, packing!!!

Diana - I wish I lived about 6 hrs closer...I'd come down to the docks and wave BYE BYE BYE BYE Oh well I will be waving to you from my couch around 4pm next Sunday! Good Luck with the packing! 6 MORE DAYS Are the kids getting excited? And don't forget...don't OVER pack. Nothing worse than lugging around a bunch of CLEAN clothes on your way home! Have an AWESOME week!

Tip for the day: Don't forget the bungee cord for the balcony door. (Or if your my husband...handcuffs-ok just kidding...former joke with A'ndrea!)

Also get some waterproof bags - to hold license, sail-and-sign card, money, etc when you are doing your beach excursions. I got a pack at Target for like $3 and it came with 3 different sizes (small to large).

Diana - Just read on another board that it's Jellyfish Season right now in Mazatlan. Be careful with the little one in the water! They stated alot of people were getting stung - but the lifeguards had some sort of spray for the stings. Just FYI!!!! Now isn't it urine that helps with a jellyfish sting!!! Must get pictures of that!

Last year ,friends of ours were in puerto vallarta at the end of september. They also had gotten stung by jellyfish that seemed to be everywhere.All the times we have been to PV ourselves we have never seen a jellyfish . I hope its not this yeat as it's Tylers first trip to mexico.

Michele, i like the handcuff idea. I will share that with my dh. Thanks for the reminder on the waterproof bags. I made a list and went shopping this weekend. I started to pack today and found I was missing some stuff so there I was running around again. tomorrow i will go to target to get those bags. are they in the travel section?
Also, for the excursions, I don't exactly know what to pack. I was going to carry around my beach tote with all the necessary items, meds, sign and sail, sunscreen, wipes, camera and little odds and ends. Any suggestions?

5 more days!!!!

OMGosh. that's right. my cousin went on this same cruise for her honeymoon 2 years ago and her husband found himself swimming among these jelly fish! Thanks for the reminder!
I do with that you were 6 hours closer and I could wave to you. Let me know when you have your cruise and I can come wave buy to you!

TerryM and I will be sailing in 89 DAYS!!!! Whoo Hoo! September 30th!!!! It's so funny... this is where I started with this thread...when Diana had like 87 days to go!!!! Ahhhh it's like we're sending our baby out into the wonderful world (of cruising!)

Ok here's your tip for the day...(it's a repeat...but worth it!!!)

DON'T buy the soda card until the duty free shops are OPEN. Remember they tax you on things BEFORE that!!!! (oh geez...here we go with that little guy flippin us off again!)

Tip #2 - Cabo has a Costco and PV has a Wal-Mart and Sams Club for all those little things...you could have sworn you packed!!!

Tip #3 - Don't forget a carry on bag (I noticed you want to do the early checkin on the QM) Include a swimsuit, sunscreen, camera, change of clothes and any meds needed for that day) You can actually eat onboard and use the pool while waiting for your room to be ready. May take awhile!!!!

The waterproof bags were actually on one of the end aisles on clearance at Target. But I would check either the camping/fishing section. Or any dive shop should have some good ones too.

Andrea - Great list. I will add the info to your tour book! See, only a few more chapters to go and your set! Think of the money will be making.

And before I forget...HAPPY 4TH OF JULY to you all! Have a GREEEEAT day!

Diana - here's your tips for tomorrow (my couch has my name on it...ALLLLLL day long!)

Tip #1 - Don't forget to wrap all your liquid items in storage bags in your luggage so it doesn't leak. Bring some extra for wet clothes, sea shells, snacks ordered from room service that you can take along when you get off the ship, etc.

Tip #2 - Take along a highlighter so you can highlight the things you don't want to miss in The Caper each day.

Tip #3 - Post cards, foreign postage stamps, and playing card are available at the pursers desk. I think the post cards and playing cards are FREE.

Tip #4 - Sit close at the Port Talks (if you go) sometimes they throw FREE stuff out!!!

Tip #5 - Don't forget to remind Michele of all the above tips the week before she leaves!!!

Thanks to everyone for the welcome and for the advice, since I am a newbie here.

Diana, I envy you your coming trip. Our is still a little ways away.

Our cabins will be on the Upper Deck 5, starboard side, 5202, 5206 and 5208. Had to put my brother down in 5202 but he is bachelor and will love watching all the traffic at the elevator.

My DH and I are will be in 5208 and I can't wait to get there. If you get to that deck, check it out. Near the Atrium, just a little aft.

Have an absolutely heavenly time and be sure and get back to us when you return.

Yes, postcards and playing cards are free.

Try to remember everything. At least I can speak for Mazatlan... you are NOT going to want to venture off to Walmart. It's in a very seedy section of town. Not sure about Cabo's COSTCO. Play it safe and try to bring the necessities like personal RX's. You'll be surprised what the ship sells too.

If you get stung by a jellyfish, urinate on yourself or have someone urinate on you. I know what you're thinking.... UGH!
I know it sounds gross, but it works. It will relieve the sting.


Oh... and those handcuffs. Don't want to forget those... right Michele?

Enjoy the sushi every night, starting at 5 p.m. It's fresh and delicious. Usually by mid-week it's only crab stick and cucumber with some wasabi. Make sure you get some early on in the cruise.

They will be making martinis in an ice carving. Any kind of martini you desire. I had a chocolate and it was pure heaven. Even if you don't drink one, go to watch it being made and served.

Peter, the maitre'd, is stuffy and full of himself. Didn't look up at us once upon us entering the dining room to even nod at us or greet us.
He should arrive promptly at your table on the very last evening at sea, smiling, with his big grin, his hand out, ready and waiting for his tip. NOT!!!

A'ndrea

Andrea, thanks for that contact on the cab company. That goes in my little cruise contact list in pda.

The martinis sound great, I may just have located favorite spot on the ship ! !

Not big sushi fan, but love those martinis. Never had a chocolate one, but since I love chocolate and I love martinis, I don't see how I can go wrong. Especially with your recommendation.

OK A'ndrea....mental note....add "drink" section to the tour book! I'll do my best to add to this section while I'm on board! I guess the closest thing I have to a favorite drink is a frozen mudslide. Drank way to many back in 1992 on our honeymoon cruise. DH says I'm a cheap date as one wine cooler tends to get me "warm"! But I will have to try one of those chocolate thingys!!! That sounds good!

DIIIIAAANNNNNNAAAAAA - Man...you must be busy packing - you have dropped off of all the boards! Well - your time is finally here and you have only 2 more days. I truly hope you and your family have a wonderful time. You have prepared well - read all you can - now it's time to sit back and ENJOY!!!!

The only tip I have for you today is.....HAVE A REALLY SUPER DUPER, (yes, I said duper!!! )AWESOME, RAD, HOT, PHAT, COOL, OUT OF THIS WORLD, FANTASTIC, GREAT, WONDERFUL trip! It has been really great sharing this with ya and can't wait to hear about it all when you get back!!!

Now I'm starting my count down...2 months...3 weeks...yada yada yada!!!!

Hey Michele, it is my last check in before tomorrow. I have been out in L.A. all week. My dad had a double bypass on Tuesday and I have been with him and my mom at Kaiser. I managed to squeeze in some packing in between. I am getting a little nervous and know I won't be able to sleep tonight. I keep having weird dreams about storms and our ship rocking back and forth, etc.. etc.. I also feel as if I am going to forget something and keep triple checking everything. Thanks to you and Andrea for all of your support and advice. I will take as many pictures as I can and post them on my webshots account when I get back. Wish me luck and will be thinking of you as I wave to a crowd of people I don't even know.