Med Cruisers...Let's Discuss Planning!(Updated Tour Info, Links & BCN Info on Page 1)

[MinnieDiva]

MontSerrat, anyone? Anyone done this on their own?

No, but have it booked post tour to accomplish not only sightseeing but then transportation after the cruise! They'll then drop us off at our hotels later. Group of 8 splitting it in half.

 

[lilpooh108]

No, but have it booked post tour to accomplish not only sightseeing but then transportation after the cruise! They'll then drop us off at our hotels later. Group of 8 splitting it in half.

Hi there,

I think I know which company you're referring to. Would you mind PM'ing the rate they quoted you? We have a group of 7 so I'd love to have a price in mind before I email them. I have no idea what is "reasonable."

Thanks!

 

[JimmyJackJunior]

MontSerrat, anyone? Anyone done this on their own?

We are planning on doing it on our own. Aside from finding the R5 train in the station it does not appear to be too difficult to do on your own by Rick Steeve's description.

 

[BellesMommy]

Has anyone seen the Adventures By Disney Pre-cruise Barcelona tour?

I asked about pricing.... $1899 per person! Looks great..... but..... $1900?

Thoughts?

---Paul in Southern NJ

Wow! $1900 for three days? I'm afraid to ask how much the 12- day excursion (Mediterranean Magic) is?!

 

[lilpooh108]

We are planning on doing it on our own. Aside from finding the R5 train in the station it does not appear to be too difficult to do on your own by Rick Steeve's description.

Rick Steve's cruise port book is sitting on my shelf but I haven't read it yet. I really will try to I know his written stuff is good and he gives awesome tips about local stuff, but I have to gripe about his poor maps. We followed his Rome book around the city and trusted one of his maps to get to a pizzeria, in the rain. Ugh. It was wrong and scribbly, and not to scale. Soaked to the bone, holding my Rick Steves book

I found this website with step by step instructions for MontSerrat and a train schedule. Not sure how accurate it is but it explains potential confusion (buying the train + funicluar vs. train + cable car ticket)

Hope this helps.

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/tour/barcelona-montserrat.html

Fodor's poster's tip on Montserrat (thought these were good tips, but note that the prices have since gone up):

http://www.fodors.com/community/eur...montserrat-daytrip-nov-09.cfm#comment-6076738

 

[lilpooh108]

We are doing Lucca and Pisa because of the travel time to Pisa. We are heading to Lucca first. Going to bike around the walls a couple of times and see a couple of the squares and grab a bite to eat.

Then head to Pisa for the field of Miracles. Not taking an excursions. I already have the train and bus schedules downloaded. Will leave with a couple of trains to spare. We figure we will be able to do the Duomo and a tower climb.

Thanks for your response. I actually just caught a Rick Steve's Lucca/Florence show on my KCET (local public education channel) and Lucca looks idyllic and relaxing. I think we're now opting for the Lucca/Pisa excursion. I'd do the train thing if it were just DH and myself, but we're with a group including my kids so Disney excursion it is.

 

[JimmyJackJunior]

Rick Steve's cruise port book is sitting on my shelf but I haven't read it yet. I really will try to I know his written stuff is good and he gives awesome tips about local stuff, but I have to gripe about his poor maps. We followed his Rome book around the city and trusted one of his maps to get to a pizzeria, in the rain. Ugh. It was wrong and scribbly, and not to scale. Soaked to the bone, holding my Rick Steves book

I found this website with step by step instructions for MontSerrat and a train schedule. Not sure how accurate it is but it explains potential confusion (buying the train + funicluar vs. train + cable car ticket)

Hope this helps.

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/tour/barcelona-montserrat.html

Fodor's poster's tip on Montserrat (thought these were good tips, but note that the prices have since gone up):

http://www.fodors.com/community/eur...montserrat-daytrip-nov-09.cfm#comment-6076738

I totally agree about his maps. But I have also bought several pocket guides with good maps - Pisa, Athens, Barcelona, Nice, Malta, Rome.

 

[JimmyJackJunior]

Splurged today on the Rick Steves European travellog show - 90 episodes. Looks like everything but Malta is covered somewhere in these. Rome is 3 episodes long alone.

 

[lilpooh108]

Splurged today on the Rick Steves European travellog show - 90 episodes. Looks like everything but Malta is covered somewhere in these. Rome is 3 episodes long alone.

Oh nice! I'm lucky that they play these (even the old ones from 2005 on) on my public education channel.

I have to admit, I wasn't a fan after the Rome book debacle but ever since I started watching these...they're kinda fun. He's undeniably dorky though. I'm still trying to understand his massive fandom.

I liked his Barcelona episode.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Oh nice! I'm lucky that they play these (even the old ones from 2005 on) on my public education channel.

I have to admit, I wasn't a fan after the Rome book debacle but ever since I started watching these...they're kinda fun. He's undeniably dorky though. I'm still trying to understand his massive fandom.

I liked his Barcelona episode.

Cool isn't necessarily popular. Big Bang Theory is proof of that.

Maps are completely free to AAA members; just go in and take all you need.
Personally, I wouldn't go anywhere unguided without one.

 

[lilpooh108]

Cool isn't necessarily popular. Big Bang Theory is proof of that.

Agreed. But he's so dorky, it can't be real for someone that well traveled. They should do like a SNL skit or something. After the camera is shut off he parties like its spring break in cancun.

 

[JimmyJackJunior]

Oh nice! I'm lucky that they play these (even the old ones from 2005 on) on my public education channel.

I have to admit, I wasn't a fan after the Rome book debacle but ever since I started watching these...they're kinda fun. He's undeniably dorky though. I'm still trying to understand his massive fandom.

I liked his Barcelona episode.

What was the Rome book debacle?

 

[slg]

Need some advice as we can't decide between:

Jumping back to eternal rome

or

vaticum museums, st peter's basilica and the colliseum.

I like the idea of the train trip and the pantheon but my son really wants to go to the museums.

Don't know which is better. And yes, we want to do it DCL.

 

[lilpooh108]

Need some advice as we can't decide between:

Jumping back to eternal rome

or

vaticum museums, st peter's basilica and the colliseum.

I like the idea of the train trip and the pantheon but my son really wants to go to the museums.

Don't know which is better. And yes, we want to do it DCL.

Have you been before, or is this your first time?

The Pantheon takes easily 10 minutes, 20 at most of you have a "tour." It's a simple domed room and while it is really amazing, it does not outshine the Vatican museums.

If you had to choose one or the other, I'd do the museums and save the Pantheon for a second trip. The area there is fun to walk around and its not really conducive to just "run through" on a quick day tour.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Need some advice as we can't decide between:

Jumping back to eternal rome

or

vaticum museums, st peter's basilica and the colliseum.

I like the idea of the train trip and the pantheon but my son really wants to go to the museums.

Don't know which is better. And yes, we want to do it DCL.

We did jumping back in 2007 which was awesome. We didn't want half a day at the Vatican, and we wanted inside tour of colosseum and we wanted Trevi fountain. No museums though. I would go with what your son wants unless you are set on seeing something different or if the price makes you miss out on something else.

 

[slg]

How was the train trip? Does it take the same path as the bus trip or is it more picturesque.

I love museums and we go to lots of them...BUT...if we do the Jumping Back, it sounds like we get a lot of outside walking and guided tours and we SEE more of ROME. We have a museum pass for Paris and plan to see lots there and we've been to many museums in London, New York and the Baltic Tour.

My son is a history buff, but I'm still leaning towards the majesty of the outdoor Rome (although I know it will be HOT).

Can you give me any other details on the excursion that aren't listed?

 

[Doingitagain]

Make sure you check whether the excursion is available for your sail date. For my cruise, DCL doesn't offer the Vatican museum because we are there on a day when they open free to the public and don't allow tours. Look at the fine print notes on the bottom of the excursion description on the port adventures site.

 

[makaylee]

Checked out our cruise the other day & only cat 9A & 9C showing availability! Wonder if things will open up a bit as PIF date arrives?

When is the PIF date? I thought it was 6 months out for these cruises, I guess I was wrong. This does give me some hope because I was just looking at them and every cat only has gty rooms.

 

[makaylee]

Checked out our cruise the other day & only cat 9A & 9C showing availability! Wonder if things will open up a bit as PIF date arrives?

Never mind, I went on the website and found my answer

 

[disneycrazy2004]

Need some advice as we can't decide between:

Jumping back to eternal rome

or

vaticum museums, st peter's basilica and the colliseum.

I like the idea of the train trip and the pantheon but my son really wants to go to the museums.

Don't know which is better. And yes, we want to do it DCL.

we are planning on booking - Vatican museums, basilica and the sustine chapel with DCL wich is the train one. It sounds great. We are doing B2B cruises , so the second day in Rome we will do the Colosseum, Pantheon, trevi fountain and the spanish steps on our own.