4/24/2010 Med cruise: Friends, Romans, Countrymen lend me your Ears

[skoi]

Welcome Aboard Stephanie and family.


Now we're starting to fill up.

Julie

 

[Brooklyn]

Thanks! We are sooooo excited! This is going to be an amazing vacation!!!

 

[Lyrah]

Yes Lynne, we are in the Azores. We usually love it, but today we are having the worst weather I have seen since we have been here. We are having really hard rains and strong winds, which is not too unusual, but along with flooding and land slides. Alot of people are without housing right now. We have a great community pulling together to help everyone though.

Julie,
I will start posting some info when I can on ways to see some of the ports on your own. Hopefully it will be helpful. Morocco, how awesome! Make sure you fill us in on all of the details.

Hi, Stephanie and family! Wow, B2B I'm jealous.

 

[Brooklyn]

So is there a FE Gift Exchange for this cruise?

What about any other group events planned?

Thanks for any information!

 

[auntlynne]

Stephanie,

We don't have any set plans for anything yet. The closest we are for activities is a bunch of people want to do Palo Brunch. Looks like we have the minimum 12 for the private room.

Krisann (KrisannB) has a spread sheet of who has expressed interest in FEs; I think Rob (guynwdm) has some information. I created an external website to include whatever information is posted, photos, itineraries. The website covers both EB Transatlantic and Med.

I am on vacation in Hilton Head, SC, this week and will update the website when I get home (I miss playing on my Mac instead of this PC laptop that keeps freezing up).

I think the EB will have more activities, as we have way more time onboard than this port-filled Med cruise.

Lynne

 

[auntlynne]

And I think we are going to wait until final payments are due (Christmas) to vote on a logo/theme and get things going.

 

[shushh]

Hello everyone! And welcome aboard our new cruisers!

I know mrosen has received their letter with the $100pp OBC. Has anyone else received it? This will mean an extra $700 for us so I am rather anxious! Hope it doesn't get lost in the mail having to go all the way to Australia.

Did you all read about the new ABD tie in the med cruises? It sounds fabulous (and expensive!) but it is unfortunately not available for our sail date. Or fortunately...depending on how you see it. I think I would rather not get tempted to spend the money!! Or have to make the decision...

I have cut and paste the info that another member has posted...
The Adventure Disney Cruise Collection:
Mediterranean Magic

Disney Cruise Line® and Adventures by Disney are proud to present a new way for your Clients to experience the Mediterranean: now, they can enhance their 10- or 11-night Mediterranean Disney Cruise vacation with the extra magic of Adventures by Disney.

This add-on package brings an exquisite selection of special onboard activities and privately guided port experiences that will immerse your Clients in the cultures and sights of the Mediterranean region.

Clients on this package will enjoy a small-group guided tour experience that begins onboard the Disney Magic® and includes special adventures in each Mediterranean port of call. Your Clients won’t need to arrange any shore excursions on their own– they can leave all the planning and details to Disney.

And, as part of the Disney Difference for which Adventures by Disney is known, Adventure Guides will oversee every aspect of your Clients’ journey, so all they have to do is relax and have the time of their life.

Each evening, and during days at sea between destinations, your Clients will enjoy exclusive special activities and the dedicated VIP service of two Adventure Guides traveling with the group onboard the ship.

Then, your Clients will explore the ports of call with the same two Adventure Guides. Destinations will come to life in the most imaginative and personal way possible through the storytelling of renowned local experts, special access and VIP entrances to major sites, unique story-based meals, and special surprises that only Disney would think of.

By adding the personal service of an Adventures by Disney guided tour with the magic of a Disney cruise, this package is the ultimate way for your Clients to experience the Mediterranean. Their only responsibilities will be to relax, have fun and soak up the culture of Europe’s most captivating cities.

Departure Dates
The Mediterranean Magic Cruise is available on select 10- and 11-night Mediterranean Disney Cruise Line voyages to eight legendary ports including Barcelona, Naples, Civitavecchia (the gateway to Rome), Malta, Tunis and the French Riviera.

10-night sailings: May 5 and 26, Aug. 18 and Sept. 8, 2010
11-night sailings: May 15, Aug. 7 and 28, 2010

Package Features
Two (2) Adventure Guides – experts in the history and culture of the locations Clients visit who serve as concierge, guide and storyteller, providing personal attention and historical insight to Clients throughout their trip
Welcome reception in Barcelona
Private reception with historian
Private animation drawing lesson and Disney Character meet-and-greet
Palo dinner and wine tasting for adults
Unique tour experiences in each port of call created especially for Adventures by Disney Guests
Bypassing lines at popular museums and attractions such as the Accademia di Belle Arti Museum in Florence, Italy to see Michelangelo’s “David”
Privately guided tours such as the Water Temple of Zaghouan in Tunisia, the Vatican City Museum and Sistine Chapel, historic Rome and the palace apartments in Monte Carlo
Fun thrills for Junior Adventurers such as their own tour of the Coliseum in Rome
Costumed historical characters bringing stories to life, such as Napoleon Bonaparte in Corsica, and a private entertainment experience at the medieval village of Eze (at the Villefranche port of call)
Farewell reception
Fun surprises and gifts
Gratuities for shipboard staff (stateroom host, server, assistant server and head server)
*Contact your travel agent for pricing

 

[NC_Tink]

Hi all!

We are going on this cruise also. We took our first Disney cruise in November and now we're hooked! Our family consists of Myself, DH, DD 14, and DD 11. It will be all of their birthdays on this trip. DH's is our first day in Barcelona, and both of my DD's will be while we are on the cruise.

I was looking around a little bit on the web today for info on the cruise, and I found that the Magic is going to have a new stage show. It's called "Villains Tonight" and debuts on the March 27th cruise. It looks awesome!

I was wondering what excursions other cruisers were doing? I think we are only doing one in Tunisia. We have been to several of the other ports and think that will explore on our own this trip. Sort of Rick Steves style.

Hope everyone is having a great day.

Charyl Lee

Charyl and family!!! I think we too are going to do most ports on our own as well. I've picked up a few travel books and have been doing some research.

who rec'd a letter with the $100 pp cabin credit? we have not because we booked after Nov. 27. still hoping!

We did!!! That was really nice surprise! We've got quite a pile of on-board credit now - Good thing too since some of the excursions are astronomically expensive!

We will be joining you guys on this cruise. We are doing B2B with the Transatlantic.

ME - Stephanie
DH - Craig
DD - Brooklyn (8)
DD - Madison (4)
Grandma - Linda

We are in 2 GTY's - There is no way we could pass up 4 people in a CAT 12 for $2200.

This cruise will make our 5th Disney Cruise.

Looking forward to getting to know everyone.

Stephanie, Craig, Brooklyn, Madison and Grandma Linda!!! Another B2B family -- so exciting!!! I'm soooo jealous!!!!

Okay - Palo Brunch -- we'd like to remain included in the group. We're willing to take the chance - we think it would be a lot of fun to do this as a group!

As for FEs -- I'm interested, just need to figure out a way to keep it manageable.

 

[shushh]

Hurray! We received an email from DU to let us know that we received the extr OBC. What a wonderful christmas present!

I can't remember if someone has volunteered to keep a list of who's interested in FEs to see if it will be manageable...

 

[mrosen]

Hurray! We received an email from DU to let us know that we received the extr OBC. What a wonderful christmas present!

I can't remember if someone has volunteered to keep a list of who's interested in FEs to see if it will be manageable...

What are "FEs"? I'm not familiar with this term and I've seen a few references to this. Can anyone comment?

Congrats on receiving your OBC bonus letter! Certainly is a nice Christmas present. I still am smiling over getting mine the beginning of the week.

 

[Brooklyn]

What are "FEs"? I'm not familiar with this term and I've seen a few references to this. Can anyone comment?

Congrats on receiving your OBC bonus letter! Certainly is a nice Christmas present. I still am smiling over getting mine the beginning of the week.

Fish Extenders - Basically a gift exchange. They were named fish extender because the hanger you put outside your door hangs from the fish that is outside your stateroom.

It is super fun!

If you got to the main cruise forum you can see an alpha listing of items. In there you will find more info about FE's http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2068966

 

[skoi]

Howdy everyone!

It's going to be crazy busy here the next few days as we get ready for Christmas. I have two days of major entertaining (25th and 26th) so I have a lot of shopping and cooking to do.

And it's snowing! I hope I don't have to go to work in this mess tomorrow morning.

Julie

 

[auntlynne]

Good morning, Julie

Is the Eastern Orthodox celebration of Christmas a day other than Dec 25?

Lynne

 

[NC_Tink]

Well - it's official - we're Paid In Full!!! And, I broke down -- after doing tons of research and getting more and more anxious about it - I booked a tour company for Rome. I swore I was gonna go it alone - a la "Rick Steve's. But, since this will be our first time there, the more I read the more anxious I got and finally, I decided to throw in the towel and get someone else to do the work

So, now I'm watching airfares . . . We've decided that we're going to London prior to the cruise. I've been looking at British Airways NY --> London, London --> Barcelona and then Barcelona --> London (layover) --> NY. I've gotten a quote for just under $3000 for the four of us (3 adult fares and 1 child - do you believe a 12 year old is an adult according to the airline industry???) Anyway - not sure if this is a good rate -- I think it is but I'm still hesitating. I've heard that BA typically runs a sale after the holidays -- so I'm thinking I'll wait until January. I signed up for their Executive Club and they are currently running a "members" special where they're discounting tickets between $50 and $150, but travel has to be completed by 3/21. Hopefully they'll run another promotion that includes April/May dates! If anyone thinks this is a fare I should jump on - please speak up!! We're not travel savvy here so, based on current fares this seems good - but if I wait can I do better? I don't know so so so confused!!!

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend! We were kinda bummed here - we didn't get the snow that we were hoping for -- just a cold, miserable rain. So, I've spent the day inside baking cookies!!

 

[auntlynne]

...I booked a tour company for Rome. I swore I was gonna go it alone - a la "Rick Steve's. ...


... . . . We've decided that we're going to London prior to the cruise. I've been looking at British Airways NY --> London, London --> Barcelona and then Barcelona --> London (layover) --> NY. I've gotten a quote for just under $3000 for the four of us (3 adult fares and 1 child ...

Do you have plans for what to do in London? We visited England last May for 2 1/2 weeks, but only 2 days in London; the rest in the Cotswalds and the Lakes District.

Airfare: We flew BA Atlanta - London Gatwick; mid May to early June was about $600 pp. I booked at that price in December; the price never changed before we left - that was my experience (not guaranteed to be the same this year).

 

[auntlynne]

You might want to look at a European carrier for the London - Barcelona part. Apparently, there are regional carriers that might get you a much better price than BA.

 

[auntlynne]

That's not a bad price; NY to Barcelona non-stop would be $2800 for four.

 

[skoi]

Lynne-
We're a "new calendar" church, as are most churches outside of the former USSR, so we have the same Christmas, but different Easter. There are some Orthodox churches in the US (mainly Russian) and a few people in our parish who keep the "old calendar" and do Christmas Jan.7. That would make me nuts.

Airfares are nuts! I looked for the three of us from both NYC and Philly to Barcelona, and also Madrid. It was for ds and I than what we're paying for Morocco! Hopefully it'll go down a little, but I'm not banking on it.

Julie

 

[NC_Tink]

Do you have plans for what to do in London? We visited England last May for 2 1/2 weeks, but only 2 days in London; the rest in the Cotswalds and the Lakes District.

Airfare: We flew BA Atlanta - London Gatwick; mid May to early June was about $600 pp. I booked at that price in December; the price never changed before we left - that was my experience (not guaranteed to be the same this year).

That's not a bad price; NY to Barcelona non-stop would be $2800 for four.

Thanks AuntLynne!!! I think we're gonna go ahead and book our airfare tonight -- so that will be one less thing that is eating away at me

As for London -- we're starting to formulate some plans. We'll probably spend a day in London - just kinda looking around at a few of the sites - London Bridge, Tower of London, The Eye - not sure how much we'll do. I think we really want to see Warwick Castle on one of our days and then on another day we found a tour that will take us to Stonehenge, Avebury, and Glastonbury. Brian is a real King Arthur buff so Glastonbury appeals to him. If I can find a tour that will take us to just Avebury and Glastonbury we'll probably do that. I've read several reviews that say Stonehenge isn't worth it because you're limited as to how close you can get to the stones. Versus at Avebury you can walk among the stones, touch them, etc.

You went for 2 weeks -- how fantastic! I would love to spend more time in the UK! Hopefully will be able to do that on a future trip.

 

[skoi]

Lubi-
I'm so jealous of you, going to London. I'd love to go. Oldest dd and I read a lot of Tudor history, and we want to see so many things. But yet for her "high school trip", she picked to go to Egypt instead of England. Go figure.

Julie