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

[linkandclover]

Okay, now "I" feel better about your passports. I couldn't trust a verbal response when they print that you need 6 months. Hope Canada is as prompt in passport processing as are the Americans (we are not known for quick government responses - but which bureaucracy is?)

Actually Canada is probably one of the worst. Since we live in the U.S. there are only 3-4 places where we live that are able to take passport photos the way Canada wants them. They also require you send them your official birth certificate, old passport, marriage certificate and 2 names of people who can act as references. You then courier all of this to Canada and wait 4 weeks to see if they accept your documentation. If you are good they mail you a new one, if they are displeased with what you sent then you have to start all over (50% supposedly get returned to start over because the photos aren't good enough). I'll take the American bureaucracy with passports any day as my son was born in the US and the extra money to expedite the process is well worth it.

 

[shushh]

Wow, that's tough. Here I thought the Australians can't be beat for slowness to get anything done...

It wasn't easy though trying to get my 15 month old to look straight ahead and have a "neutral" expression on his face. All I can say is thank goodness for digital cameras!

 

[auntlynne]

And we can run down to the local Walgreen's (drug store) and get one made with a hand-held digital camera. The only thing they have over making one at home is a backscreen and brighter lights.

 

[auntlynne]

I've tweaked a little more (put mouse ears in the background, straightened some wavy lines). And the name/user name needs to come down. Maybe I'll be okay with this. I really need Stephanie's graphic skills/touch.

A black lanyard with lime green or white lettering.

I think I'll order the lanyards over the weekend. Sort of talking to myself outloud here; I don't think there are any major objections, or somebody would have said something, right?

 

[TheCruisers]

By the way I just spoke to Disney again "Passports must be valid for 6 months after return home". Contradicting information is crazy so I am renewing Canadian passports. Yuck!!!!!!!

We got our Canadian passports in 6 days!

 

[auntlynne]

Are we doing t-shirts? Did I miss this? I know about the Lanyard's (Lynne if you want any monetary help with those, let me know).

I'll tidy up the name tag design for a t-shirt logo. Since this is black, you may want to use a black shirt. I think Stephanie ? said that the transfers (print from your computer to printer) for dark shirts work better than those for the white.

It seems the easiest way to have shirts is to do them individually - no money collecting, no wondering if the size fits.

If you are really un-crafty, cafe press is a source for shirts that have no minimum quantity order requirement.

And maybe something like that exists in Australia.

 

[Dicecatt]

I think that design is totally adorable!

Count me in for the FE exchange. Now I just have to tap into my creative side and figure out something light, cute, and inexpensive.

few more details:

There are now 3 couples in my group, we have second seating, and are all GTY Cat 11.

1 couple doesn't "do" excursions

My husband and me and one other couple are tentatively doing the following:

Barcelona: meeting my sis who is in school in England
Valletta: Blue Grotto & Fishing Village through Disney
Tunis: Medina and Carthage through Disney
Naples: Still deciding on a private tour
Rome: Private tour with fellow DISer!
La Spezia: Portofino through Disney
Corsica: Les Calanches
Villefranche: debating still, but probably Nice and Eze with wine and cheese

My theory with excursions...I'm trying to balance...2 of the Italy days will be hard core touring, so I am balancing with lighter touring with Portofino and Villefranche and Tunis.

 

[TheCruisers]

Actually Canada is probably one of the worst. Since we live in the U.S. there are only 3-4 places where we live that are able to take passport photos the way Canada wants them. They also require you send them your official birth certificate, old passport, marriage certificate and 2 names of people who can act as references. You then courier all of this to Canada and wait 4 weeks to see if they accept your documentation. If you are good they mail you a new one, if they are displeased with what you sent then you have to start all over (50% supposedly get returned to start over because the photos aren't good enough). I'll take the American bureaucracy with passports any day as my son was born in the US and the extra money to expedite the process is well worth it.

Check out the passport website http://www.ppt.gc.ca/index.aspx?lang=eng The new renewal process was very much simplified for us. Hopefully for you as well.

Eleasa

 

[NC_Tink]

Need a little advice -- we're going to be taking the train, on our own, from La Spezia to Pisa. Should I pre-purchase my train tickets and have them mailed to me? Or, should I just wait and buy the train tickets in La Spezia? Part of me says "buy them and get it out of the way" and another part of me says "don't be stupid - it's just another thing you have to worry about not losing!" So, this is a "WWYD" type question. Thanks all!

BTW - Lynne - love the tweaks you've made!

And, lastly - OMG! We're only 70 days away from cruising the Mediterranean I'm really getting excited!!! Okay - time to calm down and go to sleep! Good night all!

 

[shushh]

Check out the passport website http://www.ppt.gc.ca/index.aspx?lang=eng The new renewal process was very much simplified for us. Hopefully for you as well.

Eleasa

Linkandclover, all joking aside, we applied for the 2 little ones passports recently. We were told up to 3 weeks for processing but received them exactly 5 days after lodgement. Australia isn't exactly known for efficiency. So hopefully as Eleasa has posted above, the process of renewing passports shouldn't be too painful. Goodluck nevertheless!

 

[shushh]

Need a little advice -- we're going to be taking the train, on our own, from La Spezia to Pisa. Should I pre-purchase my train tickets and have them mailed to me? Or, should I just wait and buy the train tickets in La Spezia? Part of me says "buy them and get it out of the way" and another part of me says "don't be stupid - it's just another thing you have to worry about not losing!" So, this is a "WWYD" type question. Thanks all!

BTW - Lynne - love the tweaks you've made!

And, lastly - OMG! We're only 70 days away from cruising the Mediterranean I'm really getting excited!!! Okay - time to calm down and go to sleep! Good night all!

Lubi, from what I've read, it seems like tickets are easy to buy and the train station at La Spezia easy to find. So personally I would wait and buy it on the day. But I do understand the "wanting to get it out of the way" feeling!

 

[shushh]

I think that design is totally adorable!

Count me in for the FE exchange. Now I just have to tap into my creative side and figure out something light, cute, and inexpensive.

few more details:

There are now 3 couples in my group, we have second seating, and are all GTY Cat 11.

1 couple doesn't "do" excursions

My husband and me and one other couple are tentatively doing the following:

Barcelona: meeting my sis who is in school in England
Valletta: Blue Grotto & Fishing Village through Disney
Tunis: Medina and Carthage through Disney
Naples: Still deciding on a private tour
Rome: Private tour with fellow DISer!
La Spezia: Portofino through Disney
Corsica: Les Calanches
Villefranche: debating still, but probably Nice and Eze with wine and cheese

My theory with excursions...I'm trying to balance...2 of the Italy days will be hard core touring, so I am balancing with lighter touring with Portofino and Villefranche and Tunis.

Your plans sound nice! We too are trying hard to balance the excursions as we have little ones to consider. Not easy when there are so many things to see!

 

[RichC17]

I’m in the military and living in Spain for 2 years now. I spent 8 years so far in Europe. This will be my second time to Pisa and we will be taking the train from La Spezia. I would just wait until you get there and buy them. That is what we are going to do. And you are right it would be too much to worry about. I hope that this helps.

 

[auntlynne]

...1 couple doesn't "do" excursions...

What do they do?

 

[RichC17]

Need info on Dining. This will be our second cruise and I understand how dinner will work. But on this cruise where will I eat at. Is the main dining going to be at Animator’s Palate or Parrot Cay or Lumiere’s. I think we are the first group to eat. Or will my family be able to eat at all three during the cruise.
Thanks,……Team McNeese

 

[auntlynne]

...This will be my second time to Pisa and we will be taking the train from La Spezia....

Does it warrant two visits? or is this so someone else in the family gets a chance to see it?

Trying to decide if Pisa & Florence in one day would be overdoing it; but then wondering if Pisa is not just a short visit - see the area near the Baptistry and move on to Florence. What if I never get another chance at Florence - that would probably be a shame. Dragging along a 16 yo girl who isn't very interested in museums - but she did go to the British Museum with me, so if we just don't linger....

 

[RichC17]

The First time it was only me and the wife. Now, we have two kids and I think it would fun foir them to see Pisa. Even if Pisa is small. Question for you auntlynne....what group do you have our family in for the FE or is everyone going to do it?

 

[auntlynne]

Need info on Dining. This will be our second cruise and I understand how dinner will work. But on this cruise where will I eat at. Is the main dining going to be at Animator’s Palate or Parrot Cay or Lumiere’s. I think we are the first group to eat. Or will my family be able to eat at all three during the cruise.
Thanks,……Team McNeese

Did you eat in all three on the last cruise - the answer should be yes.

You will have the "rotation" dinners in each (a typical menu is on the external website, under "Menus - Dinner" for those dinners.) That covers 3 of our nights. From then on, everyone in your dining room will rotate among the 3 venues, although the menu will be the same in each - Pirate Dinner, Til We Meet Again, Captain's Gala, whatever they are calling each themed night.

It is not necessarily a repeating cycle, either. You could be back in the same dining room two nights later (this is what I experienced on my last cruise.)

 

[auntlynne]

...Question for you auntlynne....what group do you have our family in for the FE or is everyone going to do it?

At this point, everyone is in one group - since we just decided to do it (about 2 nights ago), we need to see how many are interested. I would prefer to keep it to about 12 or so cabins and make as many groups as needed.

My gift is small - and I bought them when we didn't even think there would be an FE exchange - so I'll be passing them out to more than whatever "official" group there is. BUT, I'd suggest that everyone does not feel compelled to follow this. I already had these before FE sign-up started.

Also, no need to buy large or Expensive gifts - this should be an easy, fun exchange. (Lots of port excursions to pay for!)

 

[RichC17]

Thanks...I can't not wait...I feel like a kid again. My wife said the gift will be some what of a Spainsh theme.