7/14/2014 - 12-Night Mediterranean Cruise (with Greece) Venice to Barcelona

[Cousin Orville]

Maybe we should note it on Facebook too? I'm not on there, but if someone wants to toss out the invite, maybe more would go. I'll be out :laundry: so I can begin packing for (been dying to use those smilies.)

Done.

 

[maleficent_fan51]

SailingSeas, Great idea for a meet at 10:00 pm embarkation night. We will definitely be there.

Bartering in Kusadasi sounds so much fun...really calls to my champagne taste on a beer budget philosophy. Thanks for all the shopping tips. Those bowls look amazing.

Fern

 

[MPS516]

:

After Dinner Drinks - how about we just plan embarkation night after dinner, at 0'Gills, at 10PM. If it works, we can simply make that a daily libation and story spot. When you first walk into the lounge, there's a large bank of booths on the right hand side. The Club 18*21 college crowd mixer usually starts tucked into the other side of the room around 10:15 too, then take off somewhere.

We will be there around 10:15. We have late dinner so if I can pull myself away from eating all the extra deserts that should work perfectly.

 

[LovesToRun]

.

really calls to my champagne taste on a beer budget philosophy.

I love this!!!! Totally describes me perfectly, too! I love that saying! :-D

 

[Lynn G]

I will put the after dinner drinks on our calendar. We often linger over dinner, so might be a bit late also, but will see if anyone is still there by the time we get there.

 

[SailingSeas]

Done.

Dahnke!!!

We have late dinner also, but my daughter usually scarfs and runs, and as this is her last year in Vibe, i'm sure she'll be a fleeting ghost at dinner lately.

Hmmm... wonder if my server would let us take our dessert to go...

 

[SailingSeas]

"We had a bit of a confusion between 4:15 and 4:45. We arrived to the boat at 4:15 to err on the side of caution. Our boat left the port at 5:00 p.m."

This is for the Kusadasi "onboard" time for the 6/26/14 Magic sailing.

 

[LovesToRun]

"We had a bit of a confusion between 4:15 and 4:45. We arrived to the boat at 4:15 to err on the side of caution. Our boat left the port at 5:00 p.m."

This is for the Kusadasi "onboard" time for the 6/26/14 Magic sailing.

Wow, definitely a lot of confusion this year at this port. Last year, there was no confusion like this.

I just heard back from MELITOUR again (I told them about the discrepancy when they sent me an email last week saying the departure time had changed to 4:45PM, so they are changing our arrival time back to the ship).

They wrote back in response to my email and said they spoke with another agency that works with Disney Cruise Line, and that agency has also been told 4:45 PM departure, so MELITOUR is keeping our arrival time back to the ship at 3PM, which I'm totally fine with!! LOL!! I'm for sure happy to err on the very safe side!

So, I think everyone should plan on a 4:45 PM departure regardless of what you've heard from your TA, Disney, or your private tour company. That is my advice!

 

[LovesToRun]

"We had a bit of a confusion between 4:15 and 4:45. We arrived to the boat at 4:15 to err on the side of caution. Our boat left the port at 5:00 p.m."

This is for the Kusadasi "onboard" time for the 6/26/14 Magic sailing.

Also, I had our TA contact DCL again today to see if she still gets the answer that the ship departs at 6:30 PM. She did call DCL again, and she said DCL is insisting that the ship leaves at 6:30PM... even though the website says 4:45 PM! (She didn't get a firm answer why the website says 4:45PM).

Looks like nobody truly knows! LOL!!!

We're sticking with the 4:45 PM departure time, and erring on the safe side!

So, guess we'll all find out when the ship really departs when the Magic pulls out of the Kusadasi port!!

 

[SailingSeas]

at this point, it won't matter how many times we call Disney; they have it as two different times internally, and a call out to the ship also confirms two different port arrival times. Times are subject to change, and if we do get the two extra hours, we can all take LTR's shopping tips and go have some fun!

Quick side question - is everyone using Euros in this port or the Turkish Lira (talk about a depressed currency.)

 

[LovesToRun]

at this point, it won't matter how many times we call Disney; they have it as two different times internally, and a call out to the ship also confirms two different port arrival times. Times are subject to change, and if we do get the two extra hours, we can all take LTR's shopping tips and go have some fun!

Quick side question - is everyone using Euros in this port or the Turkish Lira (talk about a depressed currency.)

They gladly take Euros, and all the prices in the shops are listed in Euros. So, don't bother getting Turkish Lira.

 

[SailingSeas]

They gladly take Euros, and all the prices in the shops are listed in Euros. So, don't bother getting Turkish Lira.

Thanks darlin. I'll be sure to attend your next shopping talk!

 

[jd99]

For anyone not on Facebook, just wanted to make sure everyone knows that we are going to do a brief informal meet and greet on embarkation day at 2:30 p.m. in the Promenade Lounge so that kiddos can perhaps make some connections Hope to see everyone there!

 

[Cousin Orville]

For anyone not on Facebook, just wanted to make sure everyone knows that we are going to do a brief informal meet and greet on embarkation day at 2:30 p.m. in the Promenade Lounge so that kiddos can perhaps make some connections Hope to see everyone there!

Great thanks! We'll try to be there.

 

[JGteach]

Thank you JD99. We might be boarding late so we can get the most out of Venice!

LTR- I love the shopping tips. This is awesome advice. thank you.

 

[MPS516]

Listening to the Golf channel on XM Radio this morning on my way up north, they are traveling through Italy and were in Venice late last week. While they had nothing but good stories of their visit, history of the city and great food, they noted how crowded it was.

 

[SailingSeas]

Thanks JD for posting - we'll still be in Venice at that point too, most likely, but hope to see everyone later.

MPS, my associate at work is in Italy for two weeks, and sent me the most wonderful shot of coming into Venice on their day of arrival, by private taxi. Got me so excited, but what a tease! I so wish we had more days there now.

I was listening to an NPR story about how the actual population of Venice has been declining in recent years. I'm glad we have a chance to visit this city before the flooding ruins it.

 

[MPS516]

I know that the standards differ in Europe compared to North America, can someone fill me in on the "norms"

We are taking a taxi from the airport to our Hotel, it is 80 Euro, there will be 3 of us and 3 bags.

We are doing small group private tours throughout Greece, the cost varies. On our Mediterranean cruise in 2010 we were on a few tours with people from a number of countries, some tipped some did not.

And then for sit down table service dining, what is expected ?

Thanks

 

[MPS516]

OH, by the way,
Just 8 more days

 

[SailingSeas]

Here are some links which offer country-by-country advice:

Condé Nast Traveler

Independent Traveler

The Wiki on Tipping

Who To Tip.net (this one cracks me up; I don't know why)