Back to the Med Greece/Turkey in 2013! Complete!

[MinnieDiva]

So much awesomeness!

Blush. Why thank you. You know you'll get to see them next summer too, right? LOL!!

 

[Kirbo]

Blush. Why thank you. You know you'll get to see them next summer too, right? LOL!!

Can't wait!

 

[MinnieDiva]

Ok y'all. Who all is booking for 2014? I love those itineraries....so wish I could do it again next year......

 

[MinnieDiva]

Oh..and I finished Ashleigh's formal dress. I took it to the dry cleaners thinking that it would get off the chalk and make it all nice and pressed under plastic...you know...so that the sparkles on the fabric wouldn't rub off on other stuff. Well, sparkles won't be a problem, plastic or not. Dry cleaning removed the sparkles. All of them. So now Ashleigh has a navy blue dress. No sparkles.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Oh..and I finished Ashleigh's formal dress. I took it to the dry cleaners thinking that it would get off the chalk and make it all nice and pressed under plastic...you know...so that the sparkles on the fabric wouldn't rub off on other stuff. Well, sparkles won't be a problem, plastic or not. Dry cleaning removed the sparkles. All of them. So now Ashleigh has a navy blue dress. No sparkles.

As a former dry cleaner's owner's daughter... ask for reimbursment. They should have TOLD you up front what was going to happen and honestly they probably did the dress wrong if this happened. (We used to clean ball gowns and wedding dresses with "sparkles" you have to be very careful, but if you just toss it in with the other stuff... you see what happens!) Figure out the cost of material, and an estimate for labor and request a CHECK!

Personally I would find a new cleaner. This one strikes me as dangerous.

 

[MinnieDiva]

As a former dry cleaner's owner's daughter... ask for reimbursment. They should have TOLD you up front what was going to happen and honestly they probably did the dress wrong if this happened. (We used to clean ball gowns and wedding dresses with "sparkles" you have to be very careful, but if you just toss it in with the other stuff... you see what happens!) Figure out the cost of material, and an estimate for labor and request a CHECK!

Personally I would find a new cleaner. This one strikes me as dangerous.

Thanks for you're experienced opinion. Wish I'd posted it here before taking the dress in.

Sigh. Well, they didn't charge me. But, I do have to claim some culpability in this. I've been sewing for a long time. Almost 30 years. And just like when you purchase clothes and look at the tag to figure out how to care for them, you're supposed to look at the label on the bolt of fabric and take that into consideration as well. So when I was at Jo-Ann's the other day, the first thing i did was go look at the instructions. And it said....blot with a damp towel. Crap. I hate that!

The lady at the cleaners did get an earful, incidentally. Especially when she admitted that she had never done fabric with sparkles like that before. And to add insult to injury, she had even asked if a tag was still on the dress (that's not the insult...that was nice, actually....)...to which I told her "no...I just finished making it...I need the chalk marks here and here to come out". Wouldn't you think that armed with that tidbit you might ask for a scrap to see what would happen?

Fortunately, I rarely use a dry cleaner. Scrubs and jeans are usually wash and dry . And I don't even know if there even is another one in this little town. Lesson learned, I guess.

 

[MinnieDiva]

Here's what it looked like before the sparkles disappeared:

 

[MinnieDiva]

Your public service announcement:

Check your passports! Remember that it is recommended that they be valid for at least 6 months after your planned travel. There are variations to that rule depending on country visited and airline used, but better be safe than sorry! Here's slink to the state department's website:

http://travel.state.gov

We went in and re-applied for Ashleigh's on Friday. Don't forget that both parents need to be present to sign. I know there are ways around this in cases of divorce or whatnot, but good gravy I do not want to try and figure out what hoops that involves. Oh....and fill in everything in the same color pen. Black. No blue. In the same bloody handwriting for the whole application.

Last time round we got our passports in 3 weeks. Will be interesting to see what it is this time.

 

[mindelmouse]

Here's what it looked like before the sparkles disappeared:

are you gonna try the spray sparkles?

 

[MinnieDiva]

are you gonna try the spray sparkles?

I couldn't find such a thing. They had a fabric spray, and then sparkles that you probably could sprinkle on, but I just don't see that going well.

Anyone know of a product like that?

 

[Kirbo]

The dress is lovely! As is your daughter. I'm so sorry the sparkles came off. You are very talented.

 

[MinnieDiva]

The dress is lovely! As is your daughter. I'm so sorry the sparkles came off. You are very talented.

Thank you ! Sewing is my therapy...

 

[OurDogCisco]

Thank you ! Sewing is my therapy...

Beautiful dress.. I love sewing too. I wish I had more time for it.

 

[MinnieDiva]

Beautiful dress.. I love sewing too. I wish I had more time for it.

Thanks and me, too. I got back from WDW on Monday and am trying to catch up with life, the planning on the boards, and a potential new job. No sewing done today .

 

[MinnieDiva]

So I figure most of you out there sailing this summer are starting to really get in the throes of planning. For my cruise, Gold level cruisers got to book on Saturday. It's interesting...so much is sold out already. No Delos (Mykonos) excursions are left at all. No private tours in Athens or Turkey (so I'm told, BTW...I can't get in there until the 16th at 9pm). Which leads me to believe that there must be a ton of Platinum/Concierge on this sailing. So now this dilemma rears it's head: what to do about Delos? Because when you look at the schedule, there are only 3 ferries to the island each day. So....do I want to risk doing it on my own? Find a tour company? I can say with certainty that I would be most anxious to be on that last ferry back to Mykonos and not be on a DCL excursion.

Our group ended up booking private excursions in both Athens ($580 E for 12 people with guide) and Ephesus ($390 USD for 8 people including entrance fees except Terrace Houses and lunch included as well). Not bad, IMHO. And I don't remember if I already said this, but we booked Malta privately as well ($445E for 8 people with guide, no fees or lunch included). So all that is left is Villefranche and Delos. In theory, if we get skunked, both can be done on our own, right?

The one thing that's getting me though about having private excursions is that now I have all those Disney rewards points to apply to my onboard account. What, praytell, am I going to do with them all? Live in the spa? Hmmm.....

 

[mindelmouse]

So I figure most of you out there sailing this summer are starting to really get in the throes of planning. For my cruise, Gold level cruisers got to book on Saturday. It's interesting...so much is sold out already. No Delos (Mykonos) excursions are left at all. No private tours in Athens or Turkey (so I'm told, BTW...I can't get in there until the 16th at 9pm). Which leads me to believe that there must be a ton of Platinum/Concierge on this sailing. So now this dilemma rears it's head: what to do about Delos? Because when you look at the schedule, there are only 3 ferries to the island each day. So....do I want to risk doing it on my own? Find a tour company? I can say with certainty that I would be most anxious to be on that last ferry back to Mykonos and not be on a DCL excursion.

Our group ended up booking private excursions in both Athens ($580 E for 12 people with guide) and Ephesus ($390 USD for 8 people including entrance fees except Terrace Houses and lunch included as well). Not bad, IMHO. And I don't remember if I already said this, but we booked Malta privately as well ($445E for 8 people with guide, no fees or lunch included). So all that is left is Villefranche and Delos. In theory, if we get skunked, both can be done on our own, right?

The one thing that's getting me though about having private excursions is that now I have all those Disney rewards points to apply to my onboard account. What, praytell, am I going to do with them all? Live in the spa? Hmmm.....

You didn't pay for all the tours already, did you? Last time they didn't charge us till we were there.

 

[MinnieDiva]

You didn't pay for all the tours already, did you? Last time they didn't charge us till we were there.

The only excursions I had to put deposits down on were Barcelona and Malta. $50E each, I believe.


I added the dates to my calendar today to remind me to book/reserve Pisa and the Vatican. Don't want to lose my mind and forget (yeah, right....). Sent out the really cool Mickey tie to my dad that I'd found at WDW....as well as a lanyard with his first pin...Grumpy!! LOL!!

 

[ame]

all caught up now subbing.

Awesome trip report and made me think about a few things I've overlooked! Going to look into a post-cruise excursion with that company. Disney refused us to go on their tour even if we didn't use DDs wheelchair. They said we couldn't even take it and leave it with our suitcases

I have swimming kids too! DS2 competes. DD is going to be classified later this year for MultiClass events.

 

[MinnieDiva]

all caught up now subbing.

Awesome trip report and made me think about a few things I've overlooked! Going to look into a post-cruise excursion with that company. Disney refused us to go on their tour even if we didn't use DDs wheelchair. They said we couldn't even take it and leave it with our suitcases

I have swimming kids too! DS2 competes. DD is going to be classified later this year for MultiClass events.

FYI the European. Union just had some law pass that makes them have to make reasonable accommodation for people with mobility issues. Contact your TA if you used one or call DCL and MAKE THEM TAKE NOTE!!!! I'll see if I can find the info for you.

That's exactly why I started this TR. I read so much prior to our 1st cruise that was so thought provoking and helpful I wanted to pass on my thoughts for anyone who wanted my perspective.

Swimming rules! Sitting here now at the pool. Home away from home.....

 

[MinnieDiva]

Ame (and anyone else this may pertain to):


Important Information Regarding European Union Regulations

A new European Union Regulation has been adopted by the European
Parliament and Council to prevent discrimination and offer
assistance to persons with disabilities and persons with reduced
mobility. This applies to cruise departures where the port of
embarkation is situated in a territory of a European Union
state.
For Disney Cruise Line®, this pertains to all cruise
departures from Spain and Italy in 2013 and 2014. If anyone in your
Clients party has a disability or reduced mobility that requires
special assistance, please notify the Disney Cruise Line
Reservation Center at the time of booking.
It is very important that the Travel Agent pass this information
along to Disney Cruise Line to allow us to assess the
Guests needs and address them appropriately.