Back to the Med in 2013! More planning links added post 1

[MinnieDiva]

Originally Posted by ldo

we did a ship's RT bus only (no tour) to Plakta for $30 on Princess. If DCL offers that, I would do that. It is super easy to do PArthenon, museum, Platka, and park with columns and Zeus temple across the street on your own.
I also saw a HO-HO bus that picks up right at the port adn drops off right at Parthenon. I would do the HO-HO if a ship's transport was not avail.
IMHO, I found that area of Athens to be very safe and clean. I would definitely do HO-HO or ship's bus and do the rest DIY again. Elaine

Thanks for the input! I haven't really put any planning effort yet into Athens. How long was the bus ride into Athens form the port??

[MinnieDiva]

Out to Tired mom of 3 boys!!

She clued me into the fact that Rome in Limo is accepting reservations finally! I submitted my request earlier today that I tried to email 2 months ago .

[MinnieDiva]

Any words of advice for sailing on the Dream? T-minus 3 weeks and counting for a couples only getaway.

I've been busy with costume making for the MNSSHP; we're meeting friends there and are all going as Phineas and Ferb characters. Sean's going to be Doofenschmirtz and I'm going to be Isabella in Fireside girl uniform. Phineas, Ferb, and Candace are covered by our friends, and Perry will be represented by a plush. So far, I've made a yellow and orange striped Phineas shirt, purple Ferb pants, and Isabella's orange beret (although I have to go get red ribbon for the bow). I have the white fabric and pattern for a lab coat and more white fabric for Candace's skirt, so I've got tomorrow all planned out! I'll post some pics after we get back.

Does anyone own a point-and-shoot waterproof camera? Opinions??

[ldo]

ship's bus (called transfer only--don't know if DCL offeres this) took about 30 minutes. You can take subway, etc., but I didn't feel like figuring it out--plus there were taxis strikes a few weeks prior, so I wanted to make sure we had a good way to get there. You can find HO-Ho schedule online, I assume. You have to walk a bit to the edge of the port to get HO-HO (so elderly, persons with mobility issues might find it too far), but I would guess less than 10 minute walk from our ship and lots were doing it--seemed very safe. Ho-Ho might make more stops before Platka. We had very good luck with Ho-Ho's in other places--Rome, Stockholm, etc. have fun! Elaine

[MinnieDiva]

Originally Posted by ldo

ship's bus (called transfer only--don't know if DCL offeres this) took about 30 minutes. You can take subway, etc., but I didn't feel like figuring it out--plus there were taxis strikes a few weeks prior, so I wanted to make sure we had a good way to get there. You can find HO-Ho schedule online, I assume. You have to walk a bit to the edge of the port to get HO-HO (so elderly, persons with mobility issues might find it too far), but I would guess less than 10 minute walk from our ship and lots were doing it--seemed very safe. Ho-Ho might make more stops before Platka. We had very good luck with Ho-Ho's in other places--Rome, Stockholm, etc. have fun! Elaine

Thanks! I gather that the ship's bus had an arranged pick up time in a specific location?

[MinnieDiva]

I HAVE AIRLINE TICKETS!!!!!!!

ok. I feel better. But more on the details tomorrow. I gotta go to bed.

[MinnieDiva]

So here's a cut and paste from what I just wrote on our meets thread:

if you're looking to splurge on business class, go to American's website asap. I finally booked our flights last night after getting my weekly Kayak fare tracker email. I looked at it, then immediately started looking to see if I could duplicate the fare quoted ($2300-ish, round-trip, from both Seattle or San Francisco). It required us leaving the 13th from SFO instead of the 12th, but I'm good with that. I just looked again to see if the fares are still there, and it appears they are....

So, we're now flying down to San Jose the evening of the 12th, departing at the a** crack of dawn out of San Francisco on the 13th, a layover at JFK, then getting into Barcelona the morning of the 14th. I was able to book this as a multi-city reservation, as when we depart Barcelona and come home, Dad will leave JFK to return to SFO, and we'll head back to SEA.

I had done the preliminary research on my iPad downstairs, and called Sean to see if he was ok with the switch, then called dad. In the time it took for me to come upstairs, dad's separate itinerary couldn't be exactly replicated on the computer. So I was booking his trip on the iPad and ours on the computer, step by step, so that we could do the seats and whatnot all together. I probably looked like a crazy woman between the 2 devices!! So, while I'm sad to not be flying Swiss, the logic of saving half....yes, half....the cost of what business seats have been listed at cannot be ignored. And....as American is partners with Alaska, I'm earning usable miles baby!!!!

So then I started thinking whether I needed to change out pre-stay apartment, and I'm thing at the moment that I'll leave it be. As we fly in to BCN at 0715, it'd be nice to go to our apartment and, if needed, rest a bit. But seeing as how we're going to be up so early to get to SFO, even I may actually fall asleep on the plane...

Woot!! So very excited!

[mindelmouse]

Originally Posted by MinnieDiva

So here's a cut and paste from what I just wrote on our meets thread:

if you're looking to splurge on business class, go to American's website asap. I finally booked our flights last night after getting my weekly Kayak fare tracker email. I looked at it, then immediately started looking to see if I could duplicate the fare quoted ($2300-ish, round-trip, from both Seattle or San Francisco). It required us leaving the 13th from SFO instead of the 12th, but I'm good with that. I just looked again to see if the fares are still there, and it appears they are....

So, we're now flying down to San Jose the evening of the 12th, departing at the a** crack of dawn out of San Francisco on the 13th, a layover at JFK, then getting into Barcelona the morning of the 14th. I was able to book this as a multi-city reservation, as when we depart Barcelona and come home, Dad will leave JFK to return to SFO, and we'll head back to SEA.

I had done the preliminary research on my iPad downstairs, and called Sean to see if he was ok with the switch, then called dad. In the time it took for me to come upstairs, dad's separate itinerary couldn't be exactly replicated on the computer. So I was booking his trip on the iPad and ours on the computer, step by step, so that we could do the seats and whatnot all together. I probably looked like a crazy woman between the 2 devices!! So, while I'm sad to not be flying Swiss, the logic of saving half....yes, half....the cost of what business seats have been listed at cannot be ignored. And....as American is partners with Alaska, I'm earning usable miles baby!!!!

So then I started thinking whether I needed to change out pre-stay apartment, and I'm thing at the moment that I'll leave it be. As we fly in to BCN at 0715, it'd be nice to go to our apartment and, if needed, rest a bit. But seeing as how we're going to be up so early to get to SFO, even I may actually fall asleep on the plane...

Woot!! So very excited!

Well if you keep your apt. Could be good for us as well as we arrive 2 hrs later and we probably could use a place as well. Either is fine. At least we'll be on the same schedula

[ldo]

yes, the ship's bus for athens picked up at port @ 8:30ish and returned 4ish. We could prebook this online--so if DCL is going to offer it, I would think it would also be offered as a prebook.
note--you still have to buy tickets for parthenon, museum, etc. and be your own tour guide--which is pretty easy with any tour book--I like the Eyewitness ones with pictures--they have good ones for Greece, Naples/Pompeii/Rome, etc. I also swear by Rick Steves.

[Tired mom of 3 boys]

Ok - booked Rome in Limo for both Rome and La Spezia... Sounds like Athens will be manageable. Know that quite a few of you are heading out within the next few weeks - have a wonderful time!

[MinnieDiva]

Originally Posted by Tired mom of 3 boys

Ok - booked Rome in Limo for both Rome and La Spezia... Sounds like Athens will be manageable. Know that quite a few of you are heading out within the next few weeks - have a wonderful time!

Lol! When the email notification beeped that you posted I was finishing up our costumes for the Halloween party! My packing pile officially began today....10 days from now I will be in WDW!!

[mindelmouse]

Originally Posted by MinnieDiva

Lol! When the email notification beeped that you posted I was finishing up our costumes for the Halloween party! My packing pile officially began today....10 days from now I will be in WDW!!

I'll be there in 11 days

[Tracerr00]

I know I'm not on your cruise but I'm still reading your pre-trip report because it keeps me excited!! The thread for our date doesn't have a lot of action. But I have to say that I booked my airfare too!! I'm coming from Minneapolis and because of school (trying not to have my DD miss more than she has to) and a custody schedule I needed very specific flights and dates. So we are flying Swiss Air on the way to BCN through Zurich and on the way home we are flying Lufthansa through Toronto. I'm so glad to have that booked, I can't even tell you!! You'd mentioned Swiss in a previous thread - I've never flown with them before. You like them? (I hope!)

[drlaurafsu]

I'll be there in 19 days!!

[MJGirl]

18 days for me!