Aventures By Disney Mediterranean Magic Experience

[tracyz]

We struggled with this too so I'll share my experience but I'm not sure if it will be helpful, as I think if I had to go back and make the decision again knowing what I know now I would still be undecided!

We really, really wanted to see Pompeii. We couldn't imagine going all the way to Italy, being so close, and not seeing it. I gave the feedback to more than one ABD rep about how disappointed we were that it was not in the itinerary. It was the only reason I hesitated before booking the ABD add-on.

We decided to skip the ABD excursion and did a port excursion just to Pompeii. The port excursion, including the tour guide DCL contracted, etc., really highlighted for us what top-of-the-line quality we were getting with our ABD excursions! Everything was just so-so compared to the service and special attention we had become accustomed to! That said, we saw Pompeii, and it was very cool. It was a bucket list item and I'm glad to have been able to check it off.

On the other hand (because there is always the other hand), most of the members of our ABD group sited that day in Capri as their favorite of the whole trip. It was a little sad to get all the pictures as part of our photo CD and see all the fun we had and feel like we missed out.

In the end, though, I think that if we had not gone to Pompeii I would still be regretting it. It would still be on my list of places to see, and I would likely be kicking myself for letting the chance pass by. So I don't regret our decision.

I just think that whatever you decide, you will have a day that you'll never ever forget.

 

[valbob89]

Tracyz, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this issue. While you didn't help me with the decision (LOL) it is nice to know someone else shared my thoughts on this issue. My DH says we should do Pomeii because it is a bucket list item for me too. But the reality is he doesn't care if he sees these ruins or not. It is like the antibellum homes in our south, he doesn't remember one from the other 100 I had him take me to.

 

[sayhello]

I'll post my experience, as I also had the same conundrum. I'm afraid I'm not going to help much, either. Pompeii has been on my list since I was a kid, and studied Pompeii in school. It just sounded so cool. I talked to ABD, and discussed the issue with them. They said I was (obviously) free to skip any activities I wanted to, but I was on my own to arrange the trip to Pompeii. I was hoping to maybe do Pompeii instead of the farm/pizza making, and rejoin the ABD for the time in Capri, which I also really wanted to do. Both ABD and the Adventure Guides (once I got to the ship) told me there was no way to coordinate that. If I skipped the start of the excursion, I missed the whole thing. I'd read other people's reports about this activity (it's part of the Bella Italia ABD) and based on their descriptions of what a great day it was, I decided I'd make it back to Italy some time, and do Pompeii then. But I wanted to do the pizza making, and especially the trip to Capri.

I do not regret my decision. While I know I would have loved Pompeii, that day with ABD was wonderful. The time at the farm, and the pizza making, was amazingly fun (and tasty!). And the trip to (and around) Capri was spectacularly beautiful. I'm very glad I decided to stay with the ABD. If I thought I'd never return to Italy, I might feel differently, but I'm pretty certain I'll be back and see Pompeii some day.

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[meajuly5]

Pompeii is amazing! You'll have to book a return trip so you can do it all! If you are truly torn 50-50, I would stick with the abd since you've paid for it and very likely to enjoy it! And them book the abd Greece trip and see akrotori which is simikar

 

[small6no0]

I had no idea there was a ABD add on for the Med 7-day cruise! Not to be tacky, but I can't find pricing for it...can anyone give me a per person ballpark price? We have already booked cruise (2 adults, 2 kids) and interested in this as an alternative to individual excursions.

Thanks!!!

 

[WildernessMickey]

ABD doesn't post the pricing for the cruise add ons. You have to call the Disney Cruise Line to get a price quote. I was quoted $2299 per person for the 7 day cruise.
It sounds expensive, but compared to a week long ABD price quote, it seems reasonable. If I add together my cruise cost with the ABD add on, it is still less than any 1 week ABD trip for me, and I will have all of my meals covered rather than most. We do have an inside room, so my cruise cost is low. I decided to splurge on the tours rather than the room for this trip. Being in multiple foreign countries where we don't speak the language, I thought it would be great to have someone else looking out for us.

 

[small6no0]

Thanks so much for the info.! I have never done an ABD but knew with the level of service it would be significant, and like you said, in this situation an appealing possibility!

 

[sayhello]

Thanks so much for the info.! I have never done an ABD but knew with the level of service it would be significant, and like you said, in this situation an appealing possibility!

The ABD also includes a lot of little extras. I'd double-check with ABD for this year, but in the past, it has included all of your tips (except for the Adventure Guides' tips - but it includes things like your stateroom host's tips, tips for your server, assistant server, head server, bus drivers, etc). It also includes all of the photos taken by the Adventure Guides as well as a CD of all of the photos taken by the Shutters photographers onboard the ship. There's also a case of water, a group dinner at Palo, a session with the ship's historian, etc. That's on top of covering all your excursions and meals on shore.

I loved the ABD add-on. I actually signed up for the cruise just so I could do the add-on...

Here's some links to info about the Add-on for the 7-night cruise:

http://www.adventuresbydisney.com/europe/mediterranean-cruises-vacations/

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/cruises-destinations/packages/mediterranean-tours-with-adventures-by-disney/?int_cmp=INS-intDCLtoDCL-adventureseurope

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