June 27, 2013 - Magic in the Med (Venice)

[MrsScooby]

Originally Posted by jel0511

My plan is to turn off ALL data as its extremely expensive. Their international data plans are VERY limiting in terms of amount of data allowed.

us too

Originally Posted by elm95376

Oh well, I'm not surprised.

Do you get Euro's before leaving on the trip or do you just wait until you're in Europe?

Janet

Originally Posted by jel0511

We'll get some before we leave, and pick up more as needed at an ATM........

us too

Originally Posted by nzdisneymom

I was digging through our international coinage over the weekend and came up with 9,75 Euro that we'll take with us to have some coins to start with. We'll exchange for some Euros before we leave so we won't have to immediately find an ATM, and because we're doing a Rome in Limo tour that requires Euros in cash for payment, we'll go ahead and get that out ahead of time, too, so we'll be absolutely certain we have that.

You can exchange US for Euros on the ship as well over at the shore excursions desk side. And they'll exchange back for you at the end of the cruise as well. They may have some restrictions on what they'll take back (like certain denominations in bills, not coins, etc.) so just know that has been an option in the past.

We have old Nokia non-smart phones so we aren't going to have cell-phone service while we're gone, but we do have iPod Touch and iPad that we'll be traveling with. The iPod Touch will always go off with me so when we do find a hotspot, we'll check in with home. I have used the ship's wifi before but what I found worked best is to just buy a plan and then download the email, disconnect, reply to whatever needed replies or write whatever I wanted to send, and then connect again to upload it. I had a blog I did, too, that I could post by email to - I will probably do that again this time. Just no pictures because of how much it takes to post them. I have found that the ship's wifi worked good enough if you used it when most people were still off the ship or very early morning or late at night.

Some research will probably point us to free wifi hotspots in the ports.

We have some euros (coins and bills) left over from our trip to France last summer, but I remember our bank telling us they couldn't give us euro coins. But not too hard to get change at the airport.

We get a wifi plan on board too mostly so we can get updates from our pet sitter or ok any emergency medical treatment they might need.

as for our cell phones...we usually text each other as needed in port

Can't tell you how many times I have turned around to find that my family has walked away So glad I had my cell phone to turn to so I could track them down. Plus they don't have to wait for me when I'm in the gift shop, just text and track them down.

[elm95376]

Originally Posted by jel0511

Nope, no free wifi. It's VERY expensive and not reliable at all!!!!!

Found this on Disney's site. Aren't hotspots generally free?


Wireless Internet Access
Enjoy the flexibility and freedom of connecting to the Internet from your own personal wireless-ready laptop at convenient WiFi hotspots on Disney Cruise Line ships. Check your Personal Navigator for specific information about WiFi hotspots.

Janet

[rotary2808]

Originally Posted by elm95376

Found this on Disney's site. Aren't hotspots generally free?


Wireless Internet Access
Enjoy the flexibility and freedom of connecting to the Internet from your own personal wireless-ready laptop at convenient WiFi hotspots on Disney Cruise Line ships. Check your Personal Navigator for specific information about WiFi hotspots.

Janet

Some hotspots charge. Atlanta International Airport for example is a wifi hotspot, but they charge for internet access.

[DenverVal]

DCL hotspots are 100% not free.

[elm95376]

Originally Posted by DenverVal

DCL hotspots are 100% not free.

Thank you for the clarification. I was hoping when I saw it that maybe that had some areas where it was free.

Janet

[Cptjackandcrew]

We are back on board! We cancelled our other plans and have decided to sail again. My problem is that I'm months behind you all in planning and am about to hit panic mode. I'll start reading through the 60 pages tomorrow, but just a couple of quick questions for anyone willing to answer. The latest flight out I can find on the 9th is at 11:20. I called DCL and they say not to book anything before 12:30. #1 If anyone has a flight before 12:30 are you staying an extra day or risking it? #2 Is anyone familiar with the Colon hotel in Barcelona? That is where I booked for the two nights pre-cruise. Thanks so much!

[tajz90]

Originally Posted by Cptjackandcrew

We are back on board! We cancelled our other plans and have decided to sail again. My problem is that I'm months behind you all in planning and am about to hit panic mode. I'll start reading through the 60 pages tomorrow, but just a couple of quick questions for anyone willing to answer. The latest flight out I can find on the 9th is at 11:20. I called DCL and they say not to book anything before 12:30. #1 If anyone has a flight before 12:30 are you staying an extra day or risking it? #2 Is anyone familiar with the Colon hotel in Barcelona? That is where I booked for the two nights pre-cruise. Thanks so much!

We book a 3 segment flight home just to have a 12:30 departure EVEN THOUGH I KNOW, we would have been ok with an earlier flight.

I'm just too chicken to test it out.

[nzdisneymom]

Originally Posted by Cptjackandcrew

We are back on board! We cancelled our other plans and have decided to sail again. My problem is that I'm months behind you all in planning and am about to hit panic mode. I'll start reading through the 60 pages tomorrow, but just a couple of quick questions for anyone willing to answer. The latest flight out I can find on the 9th is at 11:20. I called DCL and they say not to book anything before 12:30. #1 If anyone has a flight before 12:30 are you staying an extra day or risking it? #2 Is anyone familiar with the Colon hotel in Barcelona? That is where I booked for the two nights pre-cruise. Thanks so much!

Welcome back!

We are staying an extra day so we aren't so rushed or crazy on departure day, plus we will be better rested as we always stay up too late the last night of a cruise.

[DenverVal]

British Airways was the only carrier that I found that had afternoon flights. Iceland Air may have a flight that works for you if you are lucky enough to live near one of their US destinations. It didn't work for me. FWIW, I have the cruise booked and the airfare booked. That's it. I have lots of planning left to do!

[jel0511]

Originally Posted by Cptjackandcrew

We are back on board! We cancelled our other plans and have decided to sail again. My problem is that I'm months behind you all in planning and am about to hit panic mode. I'll start reading through the 60 pages tomorrow, but just a couple of quick questions for anyone willing to answer. The latest flight out I can find on the 9th is at 11:20. I called DCL and they say not to book anything before 12:30. #1 If anyone has a flight before 12:30 are you staying an extra day or risking it? #2 Is anyone familiar with the Colon hotel in Barcelona? That is where I booked for the two nights pre-cruise. Thanks so much!

I'm also in the stay an extra day camp. We did it in 2010 and it was a relaxing way to end the trip. Our flight leaves at 10:45, so it's too early to even try IMO.

[MrsScooby]

Originally Posted by Cptjackandcrew

We are back on board! We cancelled our other plans and have decided to sail again. My problem is that I'm months behind you all in planning and am about to hit panic mode. I'll start reading through the 60 pages tomorrow, but just a couple of quick questions for anyone willing to answer. The latest flight out I can find on the 9th is at 11:20. I called DCL and they say not to book anything before 12:30. #1 If anyone has a flight before 12:30 are you staying an extra day or risking it? #2 Is anyone familiar with the Colon hotel in Barcelona? That is where I booked for the two nights pre-cruise. Thanks so much!

We have an 11:55 am flight out on the 9th. We booked private transfers and trip insurance to make things less stressful.

We booked through United, but with a stop in Canada we fly through Lufthansa for the legs to and from BCN. It was one of the cheapest available at the time that worked for us.


Just FYI, I have a private tour booked for Rome with another family through Rome in Limo and we have room for more

[sandiedvc]

Just had good news from the travel agent....

Our waitlist for the Renaissance Barcelona hotel just cleared from Disney, so we have our two day stay for precruise finalized now. The Disney price is amazingly low.

I did have the two days reserved with Marriott points, but sadly only was able to come up with only 40% of the points needed so far not likely to come up with enough by the time we sail!

I just released that Marriott reservation, so if you have been trying to book on points give it another try!

[sandiedvc]

Still trying to catch up on the planning...

Villefranche-- Nice and wandering

LaSpezia-- gonna go with Disney's Florence on your own excursion. I know it is not very much time there, but I have been looking forward to Florence for years, so any time is better than none! Rick Steves has an audio walking tour and we will get tickets to goggle at David. Also hope to have time to check out the leather school at Santa Croce.

Rome-- really, really hate that we will be there on Sunday. DH could have happily spent the entire day at the Vatican. Still trying to figure out what our options are...

Naples-- Herculaneum, Pizza, and Pastries. We will do this on our own. We will either take the train or a taxi to Ercalano Scavi and then stop for a "real" pizza and some pastries on the way back. I really wanted to go the Archeological Museum and/or Sorrento as well but that will make for another in a line of long tiring days so we decided to scale it back. The option is always open to do more at the spur of the moment!

Malta-- probably on our own. Haven't really looked at this yet.

Venice-- bought a book and a map. That's it.

Dubrovik-- ditto


Well, it's late. Good night to all...

[MrsScooby]

Originally Posted by sandiedvc

Still trying to catch up on the planning...

Villefranche-- Nice and wandering

LaSpezia-- gonna go with Disney's Florence on your own excursion. I know it is not very much time there, but I have been looking forward to Florence for years, so any time is better than none! Rick Steves has an audio walking tour and we will get tickets to goggle at David. Also hope to have time to check out the leather school at Santa Croce.

Rome-- really, really hate that we will be there on Sunday. DH could have happily spent the entire day at the Vatican. Still trying to figure out what our options are...

Naples-- Herculaneum, Pizza, and Pastries. We will do this on our own. We will either take the train or a taxi to Ercalano Scavi and then stop for a "real" pizza and some pastries on the way back. I really wanted to go the Archeological Museum and/or Sorrento as well but that will make for another in a line of long tiring days so we decided to scale it back. The option is always open to do more at the spur of the moment!

Malta-- probably on our own. Haven't really looked at this yet.

Venice-- bought a book and a map. That's it.

Dubrovik-- ditto


Well, it's late. Good night to all...

Our plans for Villefranche, Venice and Dubrovnik look like yours
I think there is supposed to be a festival in Dubrovnik on the day we are there so extra crowds should be expected.

[nzdisneymom]

We were watching the first episode of the new season of An Idiot Abroad and it started in Venice! It was so great to see (in HD!) the canals and areas right there - beautiful!