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

[bound2travel]

Hi,
I had sent a PM to the last person organizing this to remove me & my parents from this (Tricia, pat & Mike)... now that Dh is coming, we have decided to do Palo one evening on owr own. Thanks!

I had grabbed the wrong list. I updated on the previous page. Thanks

Kristi

 

[MikeAndNick]

Alex - £35 equates to about $50 US, and I believe DCL is at $65. Personally, I do not mind the extra cost per person (though there is only two in our party). I do not begrudge anyone making a profit for their time, energy and efforts, and DCL knows where to find us, should there be ANY issues. If we disappear, and are never heard from again, DCL knows where to send the search parties.

I like that we did not have to spend any time researching a 3rd party tour company. In addition, if there are ANY issues, we have a much better chance at getting refunds or credits. Last year, we had a DCL excursion from Tortola to Jost VanDyke Island. The vendor did not put out the water activities at the proper time (water slide & bounce). When we returned to the ship, we had a notice in our stateroom indicting we were being provided a $15 credit.

Hopefully, all excursions will go as planned - without incidents, and all will be happy.

We do lots of excursions and some are done with the cruise ship and some are not. I do agree that the cruise ships could be charging a lot less. $15 is not bad but I have often seen some of the excursions being twice the cost. On this trip we are doing three of the excursions with the ship because the they are long trips and the ship will wait as long as it takes if there is trouble. If I book outside the cruise line they will only wait a limited amount of time.

 

[Brooklyn]

I think they show it on the ship - don't watch it myself just never got the show.




I agree with you - I have watched too many utube videos showing the cruise ship leaving without someone to chance it with going on a private tour. I know others have success but if it goes wrong it would go wrong for me so I consider the extra to go on a Disney excursion "insurance". Of course that being said we have only gone on ONE excursion at a port in our 4 cruises (had another scheduled on the PC WB but got cancelled because of how cold it was that day). We go for the "ship" ad not the ports - we like seeing the ports from the ship and enjoy the empty ship.

That is just us . . . .

Oh yes, I have watched those videos! So sad!!! In a place like Gibraltar I don't see that much going wrong but for Rome we are bitting the bullet and doing the excursion through DCL. There is just too much that can go wrong!

We too go for the ship!!!

 

[disneymum2201]

Happy Australia Day !

 

[disneymum2201]

I have booked a mixture of ship tours and private tours. I have booked private tours where we want to do something a bit different, visit somewhere a bit longer or a different timeframe to the ship tour. We go for the ports. I have spent a lot of time reading and researching each port.

 

[woody73]

I'm a first time Disney Cruiser and so extremely excited.

Welcome.

Woody

 

[disneymum2201]

We will be in Cadiz the Day the Seville Feria de Abril begins. This is from the Frommers Website

Seville April Fair

The fabulous Seville April Fair. © Ayuntamiento de Sevilla
when: 20 - 25 Apr 2010 (annual)
where: Seville
cost: Various; some events are free
time: Daily all day
Seville celebrates its April Fair (Feria de Abril) with a dynamic programme of events. Watch traditional horse parades clip-clop through the city, click your castanets at round-the-clock flamenco parties and try Manzanilla sherry in one of the feria marquees.

On the south side of the Puente de la Barqueta (bridge), which crosses the Río Guadalquivir, there is a canvas city known as Real de la Feria. There, over 1000 brightly coloured marquees are covered in decorations and paper lanterns, becoming a temporary home to thousands of revellers, packed day and night with flamenco dancers.

Many marquees are hired out to private functions, hosted by families, clubs and companies alike. These require you to have an invitation, but there are plenty of others and you can roam freely - all have their own bars. Be sure to order a chilled Rebujito, a refreshing mixture of Manzanilla sherry and Sprite unique to Seville.

At night, seek out some of the many flamenco events on offer. The majority run until 9am the next morning - some sevillanos turn up clad head-to-toe in flamenco costume and have no problem dancing all night. Try learning a trick or two from them.

Make sure that you get some sleep so you can watch the Paseo de Caballos (Procession of Horsemen and Carriages) at midday. Horses and beautifully decorated carriages parade in shining colours throughout the city, with their occupants in fantastic flamenco dress. Every evening bullfights take place at the Plaza de Toros de Maestranza de Caballería, known as El Catedral (Cathedral).

Flamenco and bullfighting represent strong cultural traditions in Andalusia and the April Feria offers a unique insight into the character and atmosphere of the region. However, if you find the practice of bullfighting distasteful, then this part of the celebrations is best avoided.

 

[MikeAndNick]

Kristi, do you have a way of booking a group? I see your list is full and has alternates. I would love to do the Palo but not alone and my son (13) cannot join me.

This is the list I have for the Palo Dinner. If it is not correct, please pm me.

1. Linda (stlkeeler)

2.Lynne (auntlynne)

3.Steven (sdlong329)

4.Donna (sdlong329)

5.Dee (Dee47)

6.Kristi - bound2travel

7. Tricia (Dishy24)

8. Pat (Dishy24)

9. Mike (Dishy24)

10. mommyto3princesses

11. mommyto3princesses DH


Alternates:


Sandra (goofprincess)

Tony (goofprincess)

Jennifer dennisgirl

Dennis dennisgirl


Note: Sandra and Tony are you still interested in joining us?

 

[MikeAndNick]

We will be in Cadiz the Day the Seville Feria de Abril begins. This is from the Frommers Website

Seville April Fair

The fabulous Seville April Fair. © Ayuntamiento de Sevilla
when: 20 - 25 Apr 2010 (annual)
where: Seville
cost: Various; some events are free
time: Daily all day

Looks like I booked the correct excursion. We have the Seville on our own. They get us to Seville and we can enjoy the April Fair.

 

[Brooklyn]

I was just looking at our cruise plans and noticed that there are still brunch spots available for the last sea day at 11:30.

 

[mommyto3princesses]

We will be in Cadiz the Day the Seville Feria de Abril begins. This is from the Frommers Website

Seville April Fair

The fabulous Seville April Fair. © Ayuntamiento de Sevilla
when: 20 - 25 Apr 2010 (annual)
where: Seville

This makes me want to go to Seville for the day!

 

[woody73]

This makes me want to go to Seville for the day!

We spent a few days in Seville and loved it.

The Cathedral and Alcazar are exquisite.

Woody

 

[auntlynne]

First, a flower festival in Madiera and now celebrating April in Seville. Great timing. Something else to research.

Several of us are planning to take the train to Seville so we can do our own thing there.

 

[auntlynne]

There will be no updates to the website until Feb 8 while I am basking in the 80 degree days of Hawaii.

 

[woody73]

There will be no updates to the website until Feb 8 while I am basking in the 80 degree days of Hawaii.

Lynne,

Sounds like, "Life is good."

Woody

 

[auntlynne]

High tea is so-called because it was served on a "high table" where working-class people would eat their meals. This is basically what much of middle-class Americans would call supper.

Afternoon tea can be called low-tea, as it was served in the living room or parlor, principally partaken of by those of upper classes. There are 3 levels of this including cream tea and full tea (which includes scones, jams, savory sandwiches, and desserts).

This full tea is what most of us expect of tea.

 

[auntlynne]

Okay- I'm off my soap box about terminology about certain snacks, now.

Don't even get me thinking about how this is not a new decade yet because there was not a year zero.

 

[auntlynne]

QOTD Do you, as an adult, have your pictures taken with the Disney characters? If you do with your children, would you if the kids weren't there?

Yes, and I get a little teary when I see them, even though I know they are people in costumes. I think my nieces only humor me when they agree to a photo.

 

[PrincessMonkey]

Wedding planning took up my free time this weekend. I will refrain from using a crazy smilie.

Fortunately, we bought the rest of the materials that we found at our local art supply store for creating our fish extender gifts... DIY projects take weeks, so we're having fun with it.

I think I missed a few travel questions from Woody and others in our group while I was offline, so I am revisiting some of my previous travel posts...

Madrid
Madrid Day-Trips: Segovia

* The two renown Segovian restaurants are Meson de Candido and Meson Duque, but we opted for something cheaper from Rick Steves that locals we met had also recommended... I promise to check my Spain Rick Steves book to see where we ate dinner in Segovia--it was a romantic wine cellar restaurant that reminded us of Le Cellier.

Barcelona
Visiting Montserrat
Pablo Picasso Museum
Antonio Gaudi Architecture

We finally booked many of our excursions with Disney, along with our Palo dinner. We didn't book anything for Madeira yet. I would love it if a DIS'er could PM information on those private taxi tours in Madeira? Are we sharing rides/tours? It would be nice to see that Flower Parade and get back in time for Pirate night. Dr. Dave also wants to see Madeira Funchal Airport (linked images) from afar, an architectural marvel, if that is possible.

Is someone keeping track of who's going on each Disney excursion? If so, I can post the ones we selected/booked if anyone is interested.

Thanks,
PrincessMonkey

 

[PrincessMonkey]

QOTD Do you, as an adult, have your pictures taken with the Disney characters? If you do with your children, would you if the kids weren't there?

Of course! We're two adults with no kids (yet?). Dr. Dave and I make a point to book at least two character meals each time we visit WDW. We think the food is decent at these TS restaurants, and we're both young at heart... what can I say?

We're also regulars in the character lines. "There's no wait?" We'll be taking a picture. "Short wait?" Unless we have bigger plans, we'll probably make time for the character(s). The longest lines I can remember are for Snow White and all Seven Dwarfs during Mickey's Halloween party, the 2-hour Princess + Prince lines in the Judge's tent during Mickey's Halloween party and more recently, the nearly 90-minute Fairies lines.

(I can look like I'm 16-18 years old if I have my Disney clothes on though, so no one has said anything odd to us about it in person... yet.)

We have a Disney Visa, so we usually get the Fab 5 pictures and autographs in the shorter lines at the Epcot Innoventions area.