08/08/07 Well, Olbia Monkey's Uncle! We're cruisin' on the 10nt Med Cruise!

[nordkin]

We have two staterooms and received one packet today. It did not have a lot in it that a previous cruiser would not already know, but it was fun reading through it.

 

[simonbg]

I got mine, you got yours? The Cruise Packet that is!!

I just got mine on the 28th... so at least ONE has made it to San Francisco.

I couldn't help but take mine to work so my co-workers could *oooo & ahhhh* over it. I work in advertising so we are always looking at other folks direct mail packages. i think i have just about convinced a few to take a disney cruise solely on seeing the promotional materials i have brought back to the office from previous cruises.

Disney Travel consistantly had beautiful materials :: chuckle :: but WE, on DisBoards, already know that.

 

[Perdita&Pongo]

I have proudly finished reading all 25 pages!

Just wanted to pop on and say hello to my fellow cruisers.

Recapping: we have our air (LOT Polish one-way business class), we have our pre-cruise hotel (NH Duc de la Victoria in Barri Gotic), got our packet from DCL, our dining is early (contemplated moving to late, but decided not to), we have the same set of connecting cabins for the B2Bs, we have our return air from Orlando.

Still working on Med excursions for the six of us (ages 4 to 94), but it's coming together nicely!


Oh and we are on the EB PC Repo in 2008 with some of you also!

 

[scrapycruiser]

Hi to P & P and Everyone !

Interested in your thoughts on excursions. We were going to book DCL's tours in Palermo and Olbia, but with all the controversy, have decided to take the train to Cefalu in Sicily and enjoy the ship in Olbia.

Still just have a Guaranteed Cat 6...no cabin assigned . Also, we are on the waitlist for 1st seating.

Glad we have private guides booked for the other ports. Now I don't have to get up at 3 am on May 10. There's a possibility that we'd be interested in sharing our private guide.

I'm excited about Pirate Night. We haven't sailed with DCL since they added that !

 

[nordkin]

We were looking over and discussing the excursions last night and have decided on all of them with backups. We are not interested in any of the excursions in Olbia, so i think we will spend the day on the ship or spend a little time in town. We are dong all DCL excursions because we think my mother will be more comfortable and relaxed than if we do private.

I hope this thread picks up as we get closer, so we can get to know one another a bit.

 

[scrapycruiser]

Hello Nordkin...I agree that our thread needs a little "jump start". I read all the roll-call ones. Interesting to see what others are doing. I hope you get all your tours. Won't be long before it's our turn to book ! I know your Mother will have a wonderful cruise. I took mine on a Panama Canal cruise last year. I think she lived on our balcony ! LOL !!

Are there any kids on our cruise ? Jack, my 11 year old Grandson will be with us ! He's excited about seeing Europe. But I hope there will be some boys to hang out with in the Oceanears Lab .

 

[nordkin]

scrapycruiser - I think UMTerp has two boys that will be on this cruise. My daughter is 22 and although she will always be my little girl, I hate to admit I am old enough to have an adult daughter and 2 adult sons. Just my dauhter, mother, and partner of 20 years on this one though.

Donna

 

[corinnak]

Are there any kids on our cruise ? Jack, my 11 year old Grandson will be with us ! He's excited about seeing Europe. But I hope there will be some boys to hang out with in the Oceanears Lab .

Well, we've got two boys - but they are a little younger, ages 3 and 8. So I think it is Oceaneer's club for our older one.

We are still considering excursions, I guess. Nothing really certain so far, though....


Maybe we should "go around the room and state our favorite food..." That is the only getting acquainted game that I know......

 

[scrapycruiser]

Hi Corrina ! Glad to hear there will be more boys on our ship ! We keep going back and forth about excursions in Sicily. Tempted to do the tour to Cefalu that includes the Marionette show. I've been told that Palermo is very dusty, and other than the Cathedral and Marionette museum, not much else to see. Cefalu is a charming medieval town and there is a train from Palermo.Decisions, decisions ! Gina

 

[nordkin]

Happy Easter Everyone!
​

It is cold here in the nation's capital, but sunny. I am imagining the warmth when we are on this cruise and can't wait to be there. Have a wonderful day.​

 

[UMTerp]

We were going to book DCL's tours in Palermo and Olbia, but with all the controversy, have decided to take the train to Cefalu in Sicily and enjoy the ship in Olbia.

Hello everyone,

We've been away on Spring Break so I think I missed something. Do you mind sharing the controversy? I don't want to get my family into a bad situation.
Thanks!

corinnak - my DS(12 - almost 13) will be on the cruise. He probably won't spend much time (if any) in the club/lab. This will be his 5th cruise so he's not really interested in the activities in there. He can find lots to do without going to the organized activities. My DD(9) will be going to the club/lab some.

I'm hoping our package is in our mail that was held at the PO while we were away!

Happy Spring everyone!

UMTerp

 

[scrapycruiser]

UMTerp... it seems people are having a difficult time booking the shore exc that they want. Also, there's been much said about the lack of reliability of the cabs in Olbia. After I posted that, I did learn there's a beach within walking distance of where we dock. I know Jack would enjoy the beach so we might do that. Since we have priv tours already arranged in the other ports, and PALO is not a big deal to us this cruise, I really don't want to get up at 3 am to book tours in Olbia or Palermo. But, having said that, there is a ship tour to Cefalu that includes a short marionette show that I'll try to get later in the morning if it's still available.

I'm sure Jack would like to meet your son. I shouldn't say this ,but out of 6 grandchildren...he rates at the top ! Very sweet and thoughtful and smart. He's not much into sports, has a great imagination. He's looking forward to seeing Europe. We're going to visit him the 1st weekend in May. They used to live in VA. I really miss them. Sorry for rambling. Have a good week. GINA

 

[UMTerp]

Thanks for the info!

He's not much into sports, has a great imagination.

Sounds like Jack and Matthew will get along great! He's not into sports either. Loves building things and computer games! I'll tell him about Jack!

UMTerp

 

[Perdita&Pongo]

Are there any kids on our cruise ?

I have 2 girls 4 & 10, so one in Club and one in Lab.

 

[UMTerp]

Bumping us up!

I got my packet and read most everything. No too much new. It was nice reading!!!!

Still need to get travel insurance. I need to figure out how much these excursions are going to cost so I can include an approximation of that price!

Hope everyone is having a good week!

UMTerp

 

[nordkin]

We added up our excursions and for the four of us, with our first choices on all of them, the total cost was ~$3200. I know this is worst case scenario for cost and best case worked out to ~$2200. We are hoping to get all first choices, but we will see.

 

[scrapycruiser]

Nordkin... When we first started looking at the tours and private guides and saw the prices, we were in shock !!! It makes the caribbean look cheap ! But we don't go to Europe every day. Our 4 tours w/ guides is 2100E, and our DCL shore excursions ( Palermo, Cefalu w/ marionette show ) and ( Olbia, La Cinta beach ) are $ 540. I still can't figure why the other beach excursion in Olbia is twice as much ??? Does anyone know ?

Anyway, Nordkin, hope you get the tours you want !

I had posted this a while back. Are you aware that when we're in Marseille it's a holiday...Feast of the Assumption. We have a tour guide booked. She said there will be lots of festivals, etc all over France. Just curious what everybody is doing that day.

 

[UMTerp]

Are you aware that when we're in Marseille it's a holiday...Feast of the Assumption. We have a tour guide booked. She said there will be lots of festivals, etc all over France. Just curious what everybody is doing that day.

I think that would be really great to see! I don't have any idea what we are doing that day! Sometime really soon I need to get with the planning!!!!!

UMTerp

 

[nordkin]

It looks like there have been a lot of cancellations as we near the pay in full date. Yesterday there was only one category available and today all but category 12 and 7 are available on the DCL web site.

 

[scrapycruiser]

Testing....to see if I fixed my signature ???