7/25/2013 Med. Mickey's 12 Night Italian Job - with Nice, Valletta and Dubrov !

[tinkerbell_29]

Hi everyone! Trying not to drive my family to nuts about this cruise. Have been watching airline prices though and they are looking significantly cheaper then the last time we went. Right now we are planing a trip to WDW for the week of Labor day. We weren't going to go this year but had some extra points and decided to use them instead of bank them. Never been that time of year so I'm hoping once the holiday is over the parks will be a little less crowded.

Melissa

 

[GarakDS9]

As this thread has been quiet for a while I thought I'd just way everyone up! My parents have just returned from a Med cruise covering some of the same ports of call. It is my aim to share the info. they were given by their cruise company over the next few days/weeks. Some of it will be obvious stuff like in Rome try & see the Colosseum, but hopefully there may be a few bits people have not heard of. Whoever has the first post of the thread may wish to copy it to there (to have a central point of info. which is easy to find) or may be just something which says "Rome info. post number xx"

Celestine

Looking forward to the information. Still subscribed and taking it all in. This will soon be my focus after next month's WDW trip and cruise have passed. August release of flights to Europe for next year will be an important turning point as well.

 

[Figment_Fan]

Been watching, but have only been able to check about once or twice a week. Work has been heavy lately. And, with DW and (mostly) DS taking up computer time at home, I get to only check at work.

Still thinking of all of you, and the cruise. It's just been more a back burner type of think, and probably will be for a few more weeks.

Look forward to the new info. My co-worker got back from the Med, but most of his information was on Greece. Not much help.

 

[Celestine]

Barcelona
Situated in Catalunya in NE Spain, just 92 miles from the French border and 386 miles east of Madrid, Barcelona has a population of about 17million.

The tourist office is at Catalunya square

Most museums are open Tuesday - Saturday, and on mornings only on Sunday. Many shops - not the large department stores - also have lunchtime closing. Shops are open 1000 - 2000. Shops in the Old Town close for lunch. Credit cards are widely accepted. The 3 main shopping areas are La Ciutat Vella, the Eixample Quarter and north of Avinguda Diagonal.
Best buys: leather goods, Lladro porcelain, locally produced sparkling wines, Mallorca pearls, Sagrada Familia souvenirs

The currency in use is the Euro.

Time zone: GMT +1

The HoHo has 2 routes - red and blue. The blue route leaves from the bottom of Las Ramblas or the CHristopher Columbus monument and you can then transfer to the red route at the Placa Catalunya. The Barcelona "Bus Turistic' follows a route with 18 stops at the city's met interesting places - you can hop on and off as many times as you wish. First bus 0900.

Tomorrow (hopefully) I'll post some of the Barcelona places of interest

Celestine

 

[Celestine]

Barcelona Places of interest

Visit Las Ramblas - Barcelona's famed shopping district is alive and colourful with flower stalls and cafes. Stroll the old medieval quarter of Barri Gotic, visit the great monastery at Montserrat or tour one of the city's fine museums.

La Sagrada Familia - Barcelona's great architect Antonio Gaudi designed the church in 1883. Unfinished after a century, the awe-inspiring building with its massive spires lacks completed walls and roofs.

Barri Gotic - The narrow streets of the city's old gothic quarter are home to historic buildings including Casa del'Arcadia, the Historic Archive, and King's Square, site of the former Palace of the Kings of Catalonia-Aragon.

Cathedral of Barcelona - At the heart of the the Barri Gotic is the city's 600-year old Gothic Cathedral. The altar holds the crypt of St.Eulalia, to whom the cathedral is dedicated.

There are some more suggestions to share - maybe tomorrow if I get time between being Mum's taxi!!!!

 

[Celestine]

More Barcelona places of interest
Estadi Olimpic - built for the great exhibition of 1929 and totally renovated for the 1992 Olympics

La Ciutat Vella - the oldest part of the city. An area of churches (Cathedral & Santa Maria de Mar), museums (History of the City & Piccasso), bustling markets (Boqueria), narrow twisting streets, La Ramba, the Barri Gotic, the monument to Colubus.

Eixample - exclusive shops and boutiques, large department stores and modernist architecture, especially in the Quadrat d'Or (Golden square)

Parc de la Ciutadella - the park contains an unusual mixture of possible places - a zoo, boating lake, the Parliament and museums of zoology and geology.

Museum of FC Barcelona - DH's top choice, lol!

 

[Figment_Fan]

Celestine, thank you fo rth einformation.

Got a call from my dad the other day and he wanted to come visit us before our trip. He sounded confused when I said that yes the trip was on July 25, but NEXT YEAR not this year. He's used to us going to Disney at least every two years and somewhere else on the off year. I guess we confused him with the year off. Just reminded my how far off this trip is.

 

[Celestine]

Celestine, thank you fo rth einformation.

Got a call from my dad the other day and he wanted to come visit us before our trip. He sounded confused when I said that yes the trip was on July 25, but NEXT YEAR not this year. He's used to us going to Disney at least every two years and somewhere else on the off year. I guess we confused him with the year off. Just reminded my how far off this trip is.

I know what you mean. Will try & post some more on another port tomorrow. I just need more hours in my day!

Happy 4th July to all of you across the pond - hope you are all enjoying it!

Celestine

 

[newgeneb]

just checking in Hope everyone had a Great 4th

 

[designertravels]

I know what you mean. Will try & post some more on another port tomorrow. I just need more hours in my day!

Happy 4th July to all of you across the pond - hope you are all enjoying it!

Celestine

Thank you! enjoying a beautiful night at a resort in San Antonio Texas, catching up on disboards. Fireworks were gorgeous last night.
Jill

 

[tellyaddict]

Thank you! enjoying a beautiful night at a resort in San Antonio Texas, catching up on disboards. Fireworks were gorgeous last night.
Jill

That's funny - we were going to go to San Antonio and Texas next year until we decided to book this cruise instead! The transatlantic flights were just too expensive, not that this cruise is a cheaper alternative... Texas still on the bucket list though. Disney do cruise from Galveston

Not long till we can say 'only a year till our Disney med cruise'!!

 

[kazerneke]

Hi all,

After a lot of research, a lot of planning, I can finally post my first message on this board....

"We've booked this cruise" ....

Who are "we" ... myself, DW , DD(8 years in 2013 )

We live in Belgium, so we save some money on flights to barcelona ( only 125 dollar / person )

I've already started with planning the ports, we will do all ports on our own....

Next thing to do is searching a hotel in barcelona ... probebly "Diagonal Zero"....

 

[K8T]

Hi and welcome

Our dd will be 8 when we cruise too.

Currently on Paris having a few days in the city and two days at dlp. Not told dd yet, just that we are going to a different hotel. Having said that last time it was a disappointment, nothing like wdw. Still, we have booked that for Oct. !!!

We liked the Ac Diplomat in Barcelona last year, great location and just had a refit end of last year. Their prices for end July weren't out last time I looked, could be worth checking. DCL use them too

 

[Celestine]

Hi and welcome

Our dd will be 8 when we cruise too.

Currently on Paris having a few days in the city and two days at dlp. Not told dd yet, just that we are going to a different hotel. Having said that last time it was a disappointment, nothing like wdw. Still, we have booked that for Oct. !!!

We liked the Ac Diplomat in Barcelona last year, great location and just had a refit end of last year. Their prices for end July weren't out last time I looked, could be worth checking. DCL use them too

With the state of thE Euro & particularly the state of the Spanish economy do we think it will best to book early or hold out to see if we grab a last minute bargain? Do we think it will be tourist resorts rather than dual business/ tourist resorts that are hurting most & therefore most likely to discount? Can't believe it is only just about a year to go - will try & get some more port stuff on line when I (finally) get some time!!!

Celestine

 

[newgeneb]

Hi all,

After a lot of research, a lot of planning, I can finally post my first message on this board....

"We've booked this cruise" ....

Who are "we" ... myself, DW , DD(8 years in 2013 )

We live in Belgium, so we save some money on flights to barcelona ( only 125 dollar / person )

I've already started with planning the ports, we will do all ports on our own....

Next thing to do is searching a hotel in barcelona ... probebly "Diagonal Zero"....

Congrats on your 1st post and Welcome

 

[Figment_Fan]

Hi Everyone,

Welcome newcomers!
Added some of the names to the role call.

Anyway, finally finished a report that I have been working on for 7 months and can now find some time to check up on the boards. My mind still is not yet on this cruise, just too far away.

I was reminded yesterday that I still have a dummy cruise set for December that I have to deal with. Maybe I can take DW into a cruise without the kids? I still have to move it one way or another as I can't take off of work at that time. Oh well, life is rough when you have to plan what to do with a cruise.

 

[kazerneke]

I've looked into AC Diplomatic in Barcelona, but I find the price for one night to high.... Diagonal Zero is 129 euro for the 3 of us , breakfast included....
The prices of ac diplomatic are almost double of that....

 

[starmaker]

Yes we too stayed at the AC Diplomatic last summer, this was our 2nd stay there. Fantastic location and short trip to the port. We'd been keeping an eye on this for prices, the hotel is now under the Marriott banner and has had a bit of a refurb but....the prices have rocketed!!! At least double what we've paid in the past and it looks like the pool has gone too So, unfortunately we'll be looking elsewhere - such a pity as we really like it there...

 

[designertravels]

That's funny - we were going to go to San Antonio and Texas next year until we decided to book this cruise instead! The transatlantic flights were just too expensive, not that this cruise is a cheaper alternative... Texas still on the bucket list though. Disney do cruise from Galveston

Not long till we can say 'only a year till our Disney med cruise'!!

Hi Wendy, maybe you can make it in 2014! We only live 1 1/2 hours from San Antonio. It's always a nice weekend visit for us. We are taking advantage of the Galveston sailing this Christmas. Can't wait. My twins will be 10 on the Med cruise.

Kate - Do you have "OUR" cruise planned out yet?

Jill

 

[K8T]

Jill

Met up with Mike and Lisa yesterday at Alton Towers and we were discussing the cruise, but we couldn't remember what all the stops were and in what order!!!!!! Having done so many Meds., they sort of merge into one!!!!

We were saying however, that we should take it easier this time and not try and do too much, but last time we did that we ended up in Rome and Pompeii!!! (your fault!).

I need to get WDW in October out of the way before I can think about next year. I am already stressing about dining. I may need your help on that one.

Kate