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

[ThePicketts]

Does anybody know if there's a way to skip the lines to get into St. Peter's Basillica without visiting the Museums/Sistine Chapel?

Yes, well sorta. There is a line to get into St Peters, but it is security. Hope that helps

 

[lilpooh108]

Does anybody know if there's a way to skip the lines to get into St. Peter's Basillica without visiting the Museums/Sistine Chapel?

There are free tours led by seminary students. If you email the College they will tell you if tours are available on your date of visit.

The students are taking exams during June, so they are not held at that time.

Also, DCL 7 nighters visit on Weds, which is the day of the Papal audience, so you can't visit when the Papapl audience is happening and the Basilica is closed (obviously).

Here's the email -- visitorsoffice@pnac.org

 

[disprincess4ever]

Is anyone buying an international plan for their phone while away? I'm debating getting the texting and calling package, but I don't really understand how it works or if it is a good deal. I'd like to think there are cafes and shops that will have free wifi in some of our stops, but I'm not sure.

 

[abdgeek]

How long is the DCL tour? Do you recall the price? I'm thinking of doing this post-cruise because we won't have to worry about what to do with luggage until we can get into our hotel room. Does anyone know if you stay in a DCL hotel post-cruise, can you drop your luggage there early since we have to disembark the ship so early?

The tour was about 4 hours. I always do DCL pre/post hotels in Barcelona. The tour dropped us off at the hotel after the tour around 2pm or so. You will go straight from the ship to the bus with your luggage and then to Montserrat(assuming they get enough people to run the tour). We were only at Montserrat about 2 hours, but that was more than enough time to see everything.

 

[abdgeek]

Is anyone buying an international plan for their phone while away? I'm debating getting the texting and calling package, but I don't really understand how it works or if it is a good deal. I'd like to think there are cafes and shops that will have free wifi in some of our stops, but I'm not sure.

I always get the international calling plan from my cell company when I travel overseas. With Verizon, you pay a prorated rate of $5 per month for the plan and then that reduces the amount you pay per minute depending on the country you are calling from. I think the cost per minute from Spain is either $.99 or $1.99. Needless to say, I don't call home often or keep my phone on. I usually will turn it on while the ship is in port to see if I've missed any important calls. Text messages are a lot cheaper. I think it's $.25 to send and $.5 to receive. Check with your carrier. They will tell you everything they offer.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I always get the international calling plan from my cell company when I travel overseas. With Verizon, you pay a prorated rate of $5 per month for the plan and then that reduces the amount you pay per minute depending on the country you are calling from. I think the cost per minute from Spain is either $.99 or $1.99. Needless to say, I don't call home often or keep my phone on. I usually will turn it on while the ship is in port to see if I've missed any important calls. Text messages are a lot cheaper. I think it's $.25 to send and $.5 to receive. Check with your carrier. They will tell you everything they offer.

Does this apply to all phones on your plan or just one? Can you get it for just one month then cancel after the trip?

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I have the international plan with AT&T. It is phone specific and you can cancel and add it whenever you want.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Does anyone have a good "to do" list before the trip? Not a packing list, but a literal to do list? I've started one, but I'd love to get new ideas. Here were some of mine:

1. Get mail forwarded/held by post office
2. Double check all passports, photocopy them, etc.
3. Email private tour companies to reconfirm
4. Dog sitter reservations, etc.
5. Print confirmations

There are tons of things to do, but I want to make sure I don't miss anything. This trip is a bit longer than our usual and I'd hate to sit there and smack my forehead. No one can help me while I'm "out" this time since we'll all be together C'mon OCD DIS'ers...give me a to do list!

This is my standard vacation/cruise list I've been using for years. I have a separate packing list. It's our 1st Med cruise so calling banks to alert them of travel locations isn't on here but will be!

I started doing this when I got tired of dh standing around not knowing what to do or what's already been done. Now I tape this to a small kitchen countertop, sort of out of the way from cooking areas, and we can just cross stuff off as we do it.
We have a mail slot in our garage door but since we've come home to wet mail after heavy rains we now put a laundry basket on a 5 gal. bucket to catch all the mail.

I had to add the part about cleaning the coffeemaker after coming home once in summer to forgotten coffee grinds all loaded with mold.

GETTING READY FOR VACATION

WEEKEND PRIOR:
Set timers on living room and bedroom lamps.
Reconfirm cat sitting with Mary.
Pack as much as possible.
Scrub out litter box and add kitty litter.
Leave contact info and kitty treats out for Mary.
Do as much laundry as possible.
Withdraw cash from vacation account.
Get lots of small bills for tips.

2 DAYS PRIOR:
Charge tablets
Charge i-Pods.
Charge camera battery.
Put luggage in trunk, except dinner clothes.

1 DAY PRIOR:
Check in online for flight.
Bring in garage door opener from truck & minivan.
Charge cell phones.
Pack all chargers.
Have Kyle empty all trash, except kitchen, & put big cans in driveway.

THAT DAY:
Pack dinner clothes/formalwear into garment bag then into trunk.
Empty kitchen trash.
Make beds.
Vacuum
Mani-Pedi
Set thermostat.
Run dishwasher.
Wash out coffeemaker.
Back minivan into driveway.
Unplug garage door opener.
Set bucket to collect mail.
Pack refrigerated meds.

Yay!! I'm so glad I posted this!
My poor old computer died & this is one of my documents I can't get back.
I feel so lost. I had so many planning & packing lists, reminders, etc. unique to our Med cruise & can't get to any of it.

I saved my hard drive & the tech experts at dh's work told dh he should be able to transfer my old docs(+pics & favorites) but we need a special cord. He's been working a lot lately & MIL just getting home from the hospital so I hate to bug him for another thing. I had lots of graphics for our Med cruise too.
Luckily I saved most pics to disc & Photobucket but I don't think I've done that since last fall.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I am so impressed, I tend to be the pack the day of or night before (although I am thinking about it right now and I don't leave until next Saturday night!)

I did verify I knew where the passport was after reading the "lost passport" thread

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I am so impressed, I tend to be the pack the day of or night before (although I am thinking about it right now and I don't leave until next Saturday night!)

I did verify I knew where the passport was after reading the "lost passport" thread

Now that would be awful. I love this thing.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Now that would be awful. I love this thing.

Yeah, but you still have to remember to put it there

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Yeah, but you still have to remember to put it there

True, but it's either in the safe, packed in my bag waiting by the door, or we're on vacation. I always unpack & have everything washed & put away by the end of the next day before I return to work.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

True, but it's either in the safe, packed in my bag waiting by the door, or we're on vacation. I always unpack & have everything washed & put away by the end of the next day before I return to work.

I wonder if they lost it when they used it to do online check in. I have had to haul mine out several times to book things for this trip That is always when I am afraid I won't put it up. Never happened, but....

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I wonder if they lost it when they used it to do online check in. I have had to haul mine out several times to book things for this trip That is always when I am afraid I won't put it up. Never happened, but....

Yes, packing is a stressful time. It's easy to say to yourself you're going to do something then get distracted & forget you never did what you thought you did. When my kids were younger, I'd have dh take them to a movie, lunch & visit my inlaws so I'd have enough quiet to hear myself think.

 

[lilpooh108]

Car sickness --- nausea ---

OK guys. Last minute change of plans. So someone in my group is secretly pregnant. (Not me, haha). It will be a surprise announcement to the rest of my family members on the cruise. She's going to be 8 weeks during our cruise and it already pukey.

For Naples, we still want to go to Pompeii. She's asked me to look into whether going to Positano or Sorrento is less intense as to car sickness. We have a private tour booked so we can change our itinerary.

Any suggestions on the least amount of driving/switchbacks/throwing up?

She'll have dramamine and sea bands, but obviously would prefer not to take any meds this early in the pregnancy and/or to throw up all over people.

Super happy for her, and kinda concerned about her puking. I remember those early days ugh...puke puke puke.

 

[abayaflowers]

Car sickness --- nausea ---

For Naples, we still want to go to Pompeii. She's asked me to look into whether going to Positano or Sorrento is less intense as to car sickness. We have a private tour booked so we can change our itinerary.

Any suggestions on the least amount of driving/switchbacks/throwing up?

Depends on the driver of the tour. The roads are very narrow and windy. Sorrento and Positano. I actually took dramamine and it still made me queasy. So, I made them stop at all beautiful major attractions along the way and it was much better.

However, we had a tour guide who was new to the tour company (private tour - TourofItaly), and he got so carsick that he almost started vomiting in the shuttle.

We did not get to hear any type of history on the way back from Sorrento.

So, my advice is that if it is a small private tour, have them stop as much as they can so that your friend gets enough fresh air and a soda.

If it's a large tour bus, have her sit in front and make sure that she looks out to the horizon / front of the bus. She will need to speak with her OB to see what type of medication is available during her pregnancy.

Bring plastic bags just in case and smelly salt.

I hope things go well! Good luck and have fun!

She'll have dramamine and sea bands, but obviously would prefer not to take any meds this early in the pregnancy and/or to throw up all over people.

Super happy for her, and kinda concerned about her puking. I remember those early days ugh...puke puke puke.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Car sickness --- nausea ---

OK guys. Last minute change of plans. So someone in my group is secretly pregnant. (Not me, haha). It will be a surprise announcement to the rest of my family members on the cruise. She's going to be 8 weeks during our cruise and it already pukey.

For Naples, we still want to go to Pompeii. She's asked me to look into whether going to Positano or Sorrento is less intense as to car sickness. We have a private tour booked so we can change our itinerary.

Any suggestions on the least amount of driving/switchbacks/throwing up?

She'll have dramamine and sea bands, but obviously would prefer not to take any meds this early in the pregnancy and/or to throw up all over people.

Super happy for her, and kinda concerned about her puking. I remember those early days ugh...puke puke puke.

Pompeii is less intense drive wise then Sorrento, but I am not sure if you asking which to do "with" Pompeii or what?

This is a very hilly part of Italy with winding roads and "Italian Drivers" Not always the best combination unfortunately.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Oh no, switchbacks & hilly!? I will just have to keep my eyes closed & pray.
Someone please tell me it's not as bad as Rt. 49 in Cali. near Yosemite. Hairpin turns & no guard rail whatsoever. Not even a curb. I was ready to abandon the rental car & luggage and just walk.

At least it's after our day in Rome, not before.

 

[mom3bellasorella]

Oh no, switchbacks & hilly!? I will just have to keep my eyes closed & pray.
Someone please tell me it's not as bad as Rt. 49 in Cali. near Yosemite. Hairpin turns & no guard rail whatsoever. Not even a curb. I was ready to abandon the rental car & luggage and just walk.

At least it's after our day in Rome, not before.

It is that bad... Our tour driver got sick the last time we went as well.

 

[abdgeek]

Does this apply to all phones on your plan or just one? Can you get it for just one month then cancel after the trip?

I think it's per phone. You can cancel the plan when you get back. The last time I did it, Verizon asked me what day I would be back and said the plan would be cancelled at midnight that day. I called the next day to check and it had been cancelled.

If you have Verizon, they have an international number you can call if you have problems making calls while overseas. I've had to call it a couple of times because the dialing and texting instructions I was given didn't work. The operators are very nice and the call is always free.