4/10/2010 eb ta "bound for barcelona"

[annekevdbroek]

While the topic is on about ATMs

When I called my bank about exchange rates they asked me to give them the dates I will be in europe so that they will be sure to approve purchases from me on those dates....otherwise they said there is so much fraud, especially in spain, that they may have denied my purchases if they did not have on record that I was traveling there.... so....

I am not sure if this applies to all cards but...just in case it may be a good idea to call you CC company and let them know your dates of travel...if you plan on using you CC card.

okay I promised myself I woudl not go onto disboards from work .....uh oh...broke that promise

BTW

On our last trip my credit card was frozen twice - all my credit cards. It was a major PITA and left us stranded at the airport at one point. The 'toll free' U.S. numbers DO NOT work from Spain. You have to have the international number or preferrably the number for Visa International for the country you are in. Call the banks in advance of your travels. I ended up in tears in the airport because we were absolutely stuck and the payphones all required a credit card to make calls, and the toll free US number didn't work - it was really bad. Fotunately I found someone at an information desk who spoke English and was able to help me. I do not recommend the experience, however.

ATMS are much easier to use than travelers checks, IMHO. 10 years ago there were more currency exchange places and stores that took travelers checks. Now it is expected to use the ATM to get cash or use the credit card to make purchases. For relatively small amounts of money (e.g. less thana few thousand) the differences in exchange rate in actual cost is minimal (a few dollars).

 

[dee47]

Anyone ever used this / heard of it?

http://www.cashpassport.com/1/en/us/

 

[scottjm]

I contacted them twice at info@gibraltartours.org and both times they replied in less than a day.

Eleasa

So has somebody done Gibraltar Tours (gibraltartours.org) and can recommend them? Their web site is rather limited in information.

 

[woody73]

Do you think the Brits would have a problem with you handing Gibraltar to Spain so easily? I think they fought a war over this or something...

LOL! I was thinking the same thing.

Woody

 

[kileybeth]

Two more questions from the newbie: What is Cabin Tag? And what is the "Secret Deck" about?

SSSSHHHHHHHH!!!!!! You mustn't speak about this. It is totally my very own deck and no one else must find out about it. From my cabin on our last cruise, take 10 steps down the hall, open the unmarked door, and walk out onto a deserted private deck and sun, read a book, take a nap, watch the ocean go by. . . oh my. I am smiling anticipating it again. The entire cruise (we sailed in Sept 09 with a very full ship) Only one time the whole week did anyone ever even come out there while I was there and we just politely smiled the secret smile and kept on in absolute peace and tranquility.

In all honesty, it is a public deck that gets very little traffic because of it's out of the way location. There are deck chairs out there (stayed in a pile the whole week we cruised except for mine and one other) but that is about it.

What this Dis meet group plans to do out there? Got me! I am new to the cruise as well! I did see the reference to it and wonder as well. Think it maybe was just listed as an additional place to "hang out" with fellow Dissers?

There are now posted hours and the doors will be locked after a certain hour. That may be new to some folks. Guess we all know what might have been happening out their after hours


and Cabin Tag? Well it sounds fun , like moving a magnet around from Dis door to Dis door without getting caught and then marking that cabin as tagged? hhhhmmmm, anyone? Do we have an organizer? I want to play!

 

[dee47]

and Cabin Tag? Well it sounds fun , like moving a magnet around from Dis door to Dis door without getting caught and then marking that cabin as tagged? hhhhmmmm, anyone? Do we have an organizer? I want to play!

Yeah, you got the gist of it! I brought it up, so I guess I'm the de facto organizer.

Which means I need to start asking people who wants to play and let me have your stateroom #s. AFTER I clean out my PM box...

We'll have to have several Mickey Tags if everyone wants in. We'll also have to figure out how to handle GTY staterooms if people are not assigned by a certain date...

Now I'm getting a headache...

 

[dee47]

Is anyone organizing a 2nd Palo brunch or is it me? Do we have enough for a 2nd group? Chime in if you're interested. If we have a min. of 12, we can request a 2nd brunch at a different date.

Michelle, should I put you down as 2?

 

[dee47]

The request for the 1st Palo brunch included:

Me and Carla
PrincessMonkey and Dr. Dave
STLKeeler
AuntieLynne
Kathryn
Bound2Travel
KrisannB and DH
Yvette and DH
John & Charlotte

 

[Michelle2]

LAST CALL for the Fish Extender exchange group! Speak now or forever hold your peace!

So, what exactly is the difference between an FE and an SM. (I am such a newbie!)

I am just heading to bed, but I will be sure and answer this tomorrow...don't want you to think your question is being ignored.

 

[janell.carrasco]

Thank you! I'm hoping these will take up less room in our luggage!

There has been a lot of talk about the new Purex 3-in-1 clothes washing and dryer sheets. I found a coupon online and a free sample offer I wanted to share. You can see it here: http://www.trypurex.com/Purex_3-in-1_Free_Sample/

Now I have some laundry to do!

 

[auntlynne]

Oi ve! I was without internet connection for 2 nights and it took over 1.5 hrs to catch up!

We are in Waikaloa now and are supposed to have free WiFi. Our condo is the an end unit and doesn't pick it up - tech support says it is due for new routers this week. My brother wanted to know if it was urgent for me to have WiFi. What could I say? Truly, no, but I was expecting it; they gave me the password and I enjoy my time here on the boards. He did not volunteer, but I asked for his phone with internet access. I don't think he was aware that he has a flat-fee text package.

Answer to the QOTD: I will miss internet, as we still have the Med to do and are in that discussion, too. Just like right now, I miss my big screen computer with a regular keyboard.

LOST (although ABC is Disney) and Survivor.

And I will wonder if my father is not too lonely.

... I have used the Purex sheets throughout this trip with no problems. I do not have allergic reactions to detergents, but I do not like the perfumes in them - gives me a sore throat; I do not have this issue with the "pure" or whatever Purex. If uncertain, you might give it a try at home before setting across the ocean.

 

[obobber]

Just arriving from Cruise Critic board. First Disney cruise but have owned timeshares in Orlando for decades and love the "World".

Don't have time to catch up on 96 pages. I'm interested in any tours/excursions being booked privately with room for one more. Would be interested in sightseeing tours since this is my first visit to all these ports. I'm a young-at-heart, solo cruisiing grandmom who will celebrate my 65th birthday on this cruise.

I do hope to take in Flower Festival activites in Funchai.

 

[thossink]

LAST CALL for the Fish Extender exchange group! Speak now or forever hold your peace!

Does that mean you all will be married?

 

[Yvet]

Just arriving from Cruise Critic board. First Disney cruise but have owned timeshares in Orlando for decades and love the "World".

Don't have time to catch up on 96 pages. I'm interested in any tours/excursions being booked privately with room for one more. Would be interested in sightseeing tours since this is my first visit to all these ports. I'm a young-at-heart, solo cruisiing grandmom who will celebrate my 65th birthday on this cruise.

I do hope to take in Flower Festival activites in Funchai.

Welcome

We are going to do 2 ports on our own.
**Madeira we just go and do that one ourselves, we also plan to watch the flower parade. We are going to stroll around Funchal and go to Monte.
** Gibraltar we do on our own but with a group of dissers.
We have planned to hire a taxi for the day and just explore Gibraltar, the Rock and everything there is to see and do.
We are now with a group of 5 people and you are more then welcome to join our group there is still space left and the more the merrier (and cheaper).
Please feel free to pm me about joining the Gibraltar Taxi Share.

 

[Happy Goofy]

Welcome Obobber!!!!!!!!!!
Nice to know there is another young at heart grandma on board.

 

[Brooklyn]

SSSSHHHHHHHH!!!!!! You mustn't speak about this. It is totally my very own deck and no one else must find out about it. From my cabin on our last cruise, take 10 steps down the hall, open the unmarked door, and walk out onto a deserted private deck and sun, read a book, take a nap, watch the ocean go by. . . oh my. I am smiling anticipating it again. The entire cruise (we sailed in Sept 09 with a very full ship) Only one time the whole week did anyone ever even come out there while I was there and we just politely smiled the secret smile and kept on in absolute peace and tranquility.

On our last cruise we picked DD up from this deck many times from Kids Club activities. They seemed to have the 3 and 4 yo's there a lot. DD loved it when they would take them up there.

Just arriving from Cruise Critic board. First Disney cruise but have owned timeshares in Orlando for decades and love the "World".

Don't have time to catch up on 96 pages. I'm interested in any tours/excursions being booked privately with room for one more. Would be interested in sightseeing tours since this is my first visit to all these ports. I'm a young-at-heart, solo cruisiing grandmom who will celebrate my 65th birthday on this cruise.

I do hope to take in Flower Festival activites in Funchai.

--------

In Gibraltar we walked off the ship, hired a taxi to take us all over and we paid them in US Dollars. We also shopped using US Dollars. I never knew there was a Gibraltar Pound.

 

[grlzmom]

In Gibraltar we walked off the ship, hired a taxi to take us all over and we paid them in US Dollars. We also shopped using US Dollars. I never knew there was a Gibraltar Pound.

Thanks for sharing that! I have to stock up on Euros for the MED cruise but if I can use US dollars in Gibraltar that makes one less thing to figure out!

 

[Ginamarie]

OK, so do we have a final number for FEs?

At last count I think we were at 138-140, but I'm not sure if any more PMs came in. We only ordered 144 of our item, so I'm crossing fingers and toes that I'll have enough for our gift.

Hope everyone is having a good Tuesday! It's still freezing in NY!

 

[KrisannB]

OK, so do we have a final number for FEs?

At last count I think we were at 138-140, but I'm not sure if any more PMs came in. We only ordered 144 of our item, so I'm crossing fingers and toes that I'll have enough for our gift.

Hope everyone is having a good Tuesday! It's still freezing in NY!

Well the first page is now saying 143 - so you seem to be coming in under the count.

I on the other hand only got 100 of one of my items (purchased them a year ago - and thought 100 sounded good (they were $1 each so I knew I had to stop at some point or hubby would kill me) so now what I will do is only give them to the adults (95) and give something else to the kids (maybe a magnet with their name on it or something - not sure yet) but what I have kids may or may not have been overly thrilled with it, teenagers may have liked it but parents can share if their child really wants to use it

144 sounds like you bought a gross of something can't wait to see what it is!

I am getting excited!

Krisann

 

[Ginamarie]

Well the first page is now saying 143 - so you seem to be coming in under the count.

I on the other hand only got 100 of one of my items (purchased them a year ago - and thought 100 sounded good (they were $1 each so I knew I had to stop at some point or hubby would kill me) so now what I will do is only give them to the adults (95) and give something else to the kids (maybe a magnet with their name on it or something - not sure yet) but what I have kids may or may not have been overly thrilled with it, teenagers may have liked it but parents can share if their child really wants to use it

144 sounds like you bought a gross of something can't wait to see what it is!

I am getting excited!

Krisann

Wow, 143! I couldn't have cut it any closer! I ordered them on Sunday since I had the whole group together at my mom's house and we were able to make a final decision on what we wanted to get. At that point, the website was showing 108 people, so we decided to buy 144 thinking that would be enough.

I'm getting excited too! I still feel like I have a lot to do to plan and pack, but there's still some time to work on that



Anyone else really geared up for Lost tonight? I remember when the last season ended that it seemed like forever to have to wait until 2010 for more episodes, but here we are.