2008, 24th/28th Aug - *Double Dipping with the Bahama Mamas*

[nikkyluvsmickey]

morning jen,
Hope you have a good day.
Michele

 

[nikkyluvsmickey]

i just came upon this picture from our cruise and thought i would post it. Not one of my better pictures but i like the rest of the family in it.

Michele

 

[nikkyluvsmickey]

That's better

 

[mandymouse]

What a brilliant photo Michele, you all look great and I love Nicoles's pose

 

[nikkyluvsmickey]

What a brilliant photo Michele, you all look great and I love Nicoles's pose

Thank's mandy have a great day.

 

[Hanover]

Danielle - How wonderful to have taken the Mediterranean Cruise last year, did you do a trip report ? I would love to read it. What were your highlights of Europe ?

No, I have not done a trip report.---a friend I met on our cruise meets thread did a live post on allearsnet.com (MJ's Europe A La Disney). I scrapbook and take waaaay too many pictures and journal a lot so it ends up sort of like a trip report. My DH is the family video filmer so between the pictures and video, we capture quite a bit of our trips. I took about 3600 pictures on the Med cruise and printed out about 800 to scrapbook someday. I did get a laptop with the intention of trying to digital scrapbook but so far I've only managed to put the digital program on it and not the 39,000 pictures I have on our external hard drive. I need 36 hours in a day to finish scrapbooking all of our photos in my lifetime.

We really loved the entire Med cruise. Definitely each member of our family's favorite cruise on DCL. The entire cruise from beginning to end was as close to perfect as it could have been. We'd love to go back one day, especially if one of the new ships goes there. My only complaint is even though we had 11 days, we could have really used about 14 so we could have had 2 days in Rome and maybe Pisa/Florence and Naples. The days went so fast that even though we got a lot done, there's a lot left to still explore. Our boys loved Pompeii and Rome the most. DS10 also liked Pisa and Nice a lot.

In Sicily, we took a taxi for the day and hit all of the main city highlights on a map DCL provided. I lived there as a child (my dad was in the Navy and we were stationed in Sigonella) so it was nice to see the market, etc. we used to visit. In Sardinia, we did a half day DCL excursion to the beach and then walked around the port city of Oblia. In Naples, we rented a taxi for the day and went to Sorrento, Pompeii and all over Naples. In Rome we did a DCL excursion called Rome on Your Own. Basically they bussed us there and we did everything on our own. We managed to see all the main high lights of the city. In La Spezia we took a DCL excursion to Florence and Pisa. We did city walking tours and ate in a wonderful restaurant overlooking Florence. In Marseille, we took the DCL free shuttle to town, walked along the market at the port and took the Little Train excursion around the city. In Villefranche, we walked along the local town and took a train to Nice where we spent a few hours at the beach. We originally had DCL excursions booked for each port but after reading every Med cruise before our trip's trip reports/reviews, we decided to do some on our own and saved a ton of $$. We literally paid about 1/4 of what DCL was charging and got to see everything we would have plus got to see tons more. We had 3 days at sea where we got to see some great new shows they premiered, have dismeets and do a lot of onboard activities. We basically just flew to/from Barcelona. We only got to see the city through the bus transfers to/from the airport. The only real negative experience we had in any city was Barcelona, where a couple tried to pickpocket both DH and I as we went through the revolving airport doors outside. DCL did a great job of warning people and we didn't have anything of value in the zippers they managed to open. Funny thing is I took a picture of all the people waiting at the exit and the couple that tried to pick pocket us is in it. Our stateroom host's original roommate was pickpocketed her first day there and had to return to Thailand to get a new visa. Our DVC guide saw someone have the camera ripped right out of their hands as they took a picture at the Coleseum in Rome. Fortunately the tour guides did a great job of constantly reminding people to watch their valuables and yelled at several young men that tried to mingle in our groups to steal. Other than that, the locals were all very kind and very welcoming to us.

I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in going to Europe.

 

[Hanover]

If anyone is interested, Walt Disney World is on the travel channel right now.

 

[mandymouse]

Wow Danielle, your Cruise around the Med sounded like lots of fun and you visited some lovely places

 

[nikkyluvsmickey]

Danielle your trip sounds amazing. I would love to go to rome. Maybe someday i will convince jeff to take a long cruise.
Michele

 

[suzannef]

Danielle that sounds like a trip of a lifetime!!! Michelle awesome picture your dd is sooo in character I love it.


Hi everyone else

 

[nikkyluvsmickey]

Danielle that sounds like a trip of a lifetime!!! Michelle awesome picture your dd is sooo in character I love it.


Hi everyone else

Hi suzanne, Yes she was really enjoying the whole pirate theme of the evening. I heard later she was having a sword fight in the elevator with some friends..oops..our concierge team let us know..lol

 

[nikkyluvsmickey]

I was just browsing though my universal package and i remember i booked the meal deal package with citywalk has anyone done this before? My kids are forever hungry in the parks and i like the idea of the citywalk meal at the end of the day. I have read that the citywalk restaraunts have a limited menu.

michele

 

[DVCLaurie05]

I was just browsing though my universal package and i remember i booked the meal deal package with citywalk has anyone done this before? My kids are forever hungry in the parks and i like the idea of the citywalk meal at the end of the day. I have read that the citywalk restaraunts have a limited menu.

michele

Hi girls - I've been BUSY today - haven't been on the boards ALL day!!!

Anyway, we did some Universal food package, and you can eat ALL day in both parks, I don't remember what we paid for it, but you could get meals at counter service locations as many times as you wanted, but, drinks were NOT included..

Michele - LOVE the pic!! ARgggghh...

Hope all is well w/everyone today!

Laurie

 

[DVCLaurie05]

Oh, and we did that at the park that day - we stayed at WDW - but, even if you weren't resort guests - you could take advantage of the plan - OH, and for $10 you could buy one of the refillable cups and fill up for free at the designated locations!

 

[nikkyluvsmickey]

Oh, and we did that at the park that day - we stayed at WDW - but, even if you weren't resort guests - you could take advantage of the plan - OH, and for $10 you could buy one of the refillable cups and fill up for free at the designated locations!

Thanks laurie, Were u busy at work today?

 

[DVCLaurie05]

Thanks laurie, Were u busy at work today?

WORK?!?!?!?!?!?

I do less work when I am at work then when I am home! I was off today - the boys had 'early dismissal' because of the election - so - we went to lunch w/friends, and had some kids here afterwards - then I cooked and here I am! So, it was busy - this morning when they were at school, I went foodshopping and did some work from home... but, let me tell you, when I am at the office - all I do is sit in front of the computer.. .GOTTA love it!

DCL special was just on the travel channel again - now a WDW special is on..

Michele - when are you going to Universal? Before or after the cruise - I KNOW I should probably KNOW this - but, I am having a hard time trying to keep track of everyone!

 

[nikkyluvsmickey]

WORK?!?!?!?!?!?

I do less work when I am at work then when I am home! I was off today - the boys had 'early dismissal' because of the election - so - we went to lunch w/friends, and had some kids here afterwards - then I cooked and here I am! So, it was busy - this morning when they were at school, I went foodshopping and did some work from home... but, let me tell you, when I am at the office - all I do is sit in front of the computer.. .GOTTA love it!

DCL special was just on the travel channel again - now a WDW special is on..

Michele - when are you going to Universal? Before or after the cruise - I KNOW I should probably KNOW this - but, I am having a hard time trying to keep track of everyone!

Lol..me too laurie This morning i was typing to jen and called her sarah luckily i edited soon after i relized. her name is sarahsmom so i typed sarah...lol
we are staying at universal royal pacific resort the 22nd and 23rd before the cruise. Where are you staying? Sorry if u already posted it i have forgotten.

 

[V4dice]

Good evening everyone...

Michele...I love the picture from Pirate night. You guys look great! Our last cruise we did Palos on pirate night but this cruise I definately want to make it to dinner.

Danielle...Your trip sounds amazing...maybe some day when the kids are a little bigger I would love to try a cruise like that.

Today was a crazy errand day. DH is leaving on a business trip tomorrow evening and I am taking my mil and aunt to the city tomorrow to see a taping of the Martha Stewart show (mil is a big fan) so DH has the kids most of the day We should get back just in time for him to head for the airport. I am looking forward to some grown up time and maybe have a nice lunch before heading home but tonight I'm going crazy packing (DH needs help of course) and getting everything set for the kids for tomorrow.

Have a great night!
Veronica

 

[nikkyluvsmickey]

Good evening everyone...

Michele...I love the picture from Pirate night. You guys look great! Our last cruise we did Palos on pirate night but this cruise I definately want to make it to dinner.

Danielle...Your trip sounds amazing...maybe some day when the kids are a little bigger I would love to try a cruise like that.

Today was a crazy errand day. DH is leaving on a business trip tomorrow evening and I am taking my mil and aunt to the city tomorrow to see a taping of the Martha Stewart show (mil is a big fan) so DH has the kids most of the day We should get back just in time for him to head for the airport. I am looking forward to some grown up time and maybe have a nice lunch before heading home but tonight I'm going crazy packing (DH needs help of course) and getting everything set for the kids for tomorrow.

Have a great night!
Veronica

Your dh only needs help I am impressed. My dh can't pack a thing without me.He is so helpless.. lol

 

[Hanover]

The Mediterranean cruise was a blast. It was a true trip of a lifetime and I hope to repeat it sometime down the road. The boys keep asking when we can go back. It would be nice to use some of our DVC points to go to Disneyland Paris and see some more of Europe. The cruise was great in that we got to see so many sights in so many countries without having to pack up each night and fly, check in to new hotels, etc. Cruising with Disney was just the cherry on top. It was nice to be on a familiar ship with excellent service and entertainment.

Has anyone booked flghts? Southwest has them now out for our trip down on the 22nd but not for September 1st. I saw Air Tran has a great price of $79 and $89 but they don't offer any kind of refund or credit if you cancel and it's a $75 charge to change flights. We usually luck out with booking Southwest and getting ding rates. We use the credit we get from the original flgihts for future trips. I just booked tickets for a quick get away in April last week and got $89 each way. My friend is going down at the same time and spent $108 for the same flight booking today. I'm hoping a decent ding rate comes out in March. We've lucked out with not paying more than $50 or $60 each way the last several years, usually even $35 or $45 each way.

We are going to be staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge in April and August. I booked studios through our DVC points. We are doing the dining plan and plan to hop (we have AP's) to all of the parks over the 2 days before and 4 days after the cruise, maybe do a water park a 1/2 day and go to Universal one day. We finally started doing mycokerewards and realized real fast we drink too much diet coke. We already got 2 free Universal tickets and have almost enough points for a 3rd. It's been almost 3 years since we last went to Universal and can't wait to go back now that our ds6 is tall enough to do so much more. He was a bit freaked out by Jaws, Twister, etc. when he was younger, but it's always been ds10's favorite park. Back then we pretty much could eat wherever we wanted for a sit down meal. Is it as hard to get into restaurants these days as Disney? We really liked Finnegans. Do they have the equivalent of ADR's these days? I guess I need to read the Universal board.