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

[Californiacruisers]

Hi All, This is our first cruise and we cant wait. We will be traveling with 2 kids . Our boy is 8 and Girl is 6. Looking forward to meeting everyone

California Cruisers

 

[Brooklyn]

Hi All, This is our first cruise and we cant wait. We will be traveling with 2 kids . Our boy is 8 and Girl is 6. Looking forward to meeting everyone

California Cruisers

 

[Californiacruisers]

Definitely not too late - I'm working on them this week (+ doing the taxes, I am hoping!)


I'll have the name tags & lanyards (they came in the mail last week) for you at the Meet & Greet April 24 at 3:00 in the Promenade Lounge (before the Life Boat Drill). Even if you are not a social animal, come down and get your Lanyards. It's intentionally a short time period so no one has to spend a long awkward time talking to people they've never seen before.

*****
I ordered 250 lanyards and would rather not have leftovers, so if anyone in your sailing party wants one or could want one or at least wouldn't object to having one, let me know.

I can make a "no-name tag" for those who don't want their names showing (some of the come-alongs with the DISers).

Hi Aunt Lynne, We are new to this forum and have never been on a disney cruise. We would love to have name tags if you still have some extra... Thank you... Donna, Pete, Nolan and Heather

 

[NC_Tink]

Hi All, This is our first cruise and we cant wait. We will be traveling with 2 kids . Our boy is 8 and Girl is 6. Looking forward to meeting everyone

California Cruisers

Welcome Aboard Californiacruisers!!

 

[auntlynne]

I have lots of name tags.

Welcome aboard. You've got 31 days to ask your questions - after that, it will have to be face-to-face

 

[Californiacruisers]

I have lots of name tags.

Welcome aboard. You've got 31 days to ask your questions - after that, it will have to be face-to-face

Thank you! I am glad we found this site!

 

[Dicecatt]

How is everyone dealing with Euros?

I just can't make up my mind. There is a small fee to order through my bank, but I believe they come in different denominations, which you don't get if you are getting it out of an ATM, plus with the max ATM withdrawals per day...Eh. I just don't know. Are most of you just getting cash out of ATMs as needed? I'm leaning towards just ordering from my bank to be done with it, and if I need additional, hitting an ATM. That way I don't have to worry. I just need so much for private excursions.

I've only traveled internationally to Egypt, and it was not possible to order EGP ahead of time, so I had to exchange at the airport. And it wasn't as much, since the big stuff took credit cards. The private excursions we are doing all require cash. Thoughts?

 

[alltheparks]

We chose to get a travel card, which we put a certain amount of Euros on. We can have up to 8 currencies on it, and did Pounds and US $ as well. It will work like a debit card, and we can use it as a credit card, or take cash out at an ATM. This enable us to lockin the exchange rate we wanted. We will be charged a small ATM fee when we use. In the US we had purchased something similiar from a AAA office.

 

[RichC17]

How is everyone dealing with Euros?

I just can't make up my mind. There is a small fee to order through my bank, but I believe they come in different denominations, which you don't get if you are getting it out of an ATM, plus with the max ATM withdrawals per day...Eh. I just don't know. Are most of you just getting cash out of ATMs as needed? I'm leaning towards just ordering from my bank to be done with it, and if I need additional, hitting an ATM. That way I don't have to worry. I just need so much for private excursions.

I've only traveled internationally to Egypt, and it was not possible to order EGP ahead of time, so I had to exchange at the airport. And it wasn't as much, since the big stuff took credit cards. The private excursions we are doing all require cash. Thoughts?

To all About Euros,

I'm in the Air Force, station in Rota, Spain which is about an hour away from Cadiz, which is one of your ports. I have been in Europe for 8 years now and the best way to get Euros is from the ATMs here...please do not get them from an international exchange places at the airport because they have to make money so the rate is really bad. At the ATMs you will get the international exchange rate. ATMs are everywhere in Europe...so if you run out just get more when you port. Another thing, call your banks and let them know that you are going to be in Europe cause they may think that someone took your card. Also, the ATMs take all major credit cards. If you have any other questions about what it is like here just let me know.

See ya'll soon,
Rich....Team McNeese

 

[shushh]

Thanks Rich. Quick question, what is the limit ingeneral for ATMs in Europe? 200 or 250 Euro?

We will have a combination of cash, travel card, and a credit card which has no foreign exchange/transaction fee. This is to balance capturing the Euro which is at its all time low agains the Aussie dollar, having a bit of flexibility but at the same time not carrying too much cash around.

 

[RichC17]

Thanks Rich. Quick question, what is the limit ingeneral for ATMs in Europe? 200 or 250 Euro?

We will have a combination of cash, travel card, and a credit card which has no foreign exchange/transaction fee. This is to balance capturing the Euro which is at its all time low agains the Aussie dollar, having a bit of flexibility but at the same time not carrying too much cash around.

The ATM I go to lets me take out what's my bank's cash limit for the day...so if your cash limit is $600 a day covert that to Euros...that is how much you can get out...you need to find out what your ATM cash withdrawal limit is.

This site will give you the current rates...http://www.xe.com/ucc/

 

[Mineu]

How is everyone dealing with Euros?

I just can't make up my mind. There is a small fee to order through my bank, but I believe they come in different denominations, which you don't get if you are getting it out of an ATM, plus with the max ATM withdrawals per day...Eh. I just don't know. Are most of you just getting cash out of ATMs as needed? I'm leaning towards just ordering from my bank to be done with it, and if I need additional, hitting an ATM. That way I don't have to worry. I just need so much for private excursions.

I've only traveled internationally to Egypt, and it was not possible to order EGP ahead of time, so I had to exchange at the airport. And it wasn't as much, since the big stuff took credit cards. The private excursions we are doing all require cash. Thoughts?

We are getting a small amount from our bank before we leave-we'll need it for the taxi, snacks, tips,etc. Some of the taxis take credit cards-but not all of them do. I also plan to hit the diet coke machine as soon as we get off the plane-last year our flight ran out

 

[Lyrah]

We decided to rent a car because it was the easiest way to reach the castle that we are staying in. I received a better price through Alamo if I rented it for 3 days. So the last day when we drive back to Barcelona we are just going to pay to park the car and then drive to the port the next morning from our hotel. DH will drop the girls and I off, then drive to the train station to drop off the car (closest drop off to the port), and then he will take a taxi back to the port. Can anyone tell me if they drove to the port before? I am just curious what the area is like.

 

[Yvet]

Still no docs. I finally called Disney myself because my TA was not doing her thing and told them I want both sets mailed out because I do not want to leave without the Med ones. The girl said even if I did not have them they would let us on because we are in "the System"I still would like them in my hand.

Hi,
We cruised once without the documents.
Ofcourse we had the documents from the online check in but not the booklet that they send out to you.
We left our country already a few weeks before we cruised so the documents came when we were already gone for our vacation....
It's no problem at all, the only thing you really need from the cruise documents that they send you are the luggage tags and when you don't have them or when you don't have enough luggage tags the proters that take your suitcase will write down the stateroom number on the luggage tags they provide you with and then everything is set.

So if you don't get them on time or don't get them at all then you don't have to worrie about the documents being importaint.
I understand that it's part of the pre planning fun to get mail from DCL and if you look at it in that way it would be a bummer if you don''t get the documents on time or don't get them at all......

 

[linkandclover]

How is everyone dealing with Euros?

I just can't make up my mind. There is a small fee to order through my bank, but I believe they come in different denominations, which you don't get if you are getting it out of an ATM, plus with the max ATM withdrawals per day...Eh. I just don't know. Are most of you just getting cash out of ATMs as needed? I'm leaning towards just ordering from my bank to be done with it, and if I need additional, hitting an ATM. That way I don't have to worry. I just need so much for private excursions.

I've only traveled internationally to Egypt, and it was not possible to order EGP ahead of time, so I had to exchange at the airport. And it wasn't as much, since the big stuff took credit cards. The private excursions we are doing all require cash. Thoughts?

I am getting a bonus from work and converting it all to euros before we leave so that I have it if I need it and it will keep me away from charge cards (at least for a little while). ATM's have also worked well and I too have been told to stay away from places that do exchanges for you as their prices are unreasonable.

 

[Dicecatt]

I am getting a bonus from work and converting it all to euros before we leave so that I have it if I need it and it will keep me away from charge cards (at least for a little while). ATM's have also worked well and I too have been told to stay away from places that do exchanges for you as their prices are unreasonable.

So, are you just converting it at your bank?

You make a good point to stay away from the charge cards . It might be better if I convert most of what I need here, even if it costs me a little more...DH won't have the sticker shock there!

 

[goofprincess]

Hi All, This is our first cruise and we cant wait. We will be traveling with 2 kids . Our boy is 8 and Girl is 6. Looking forward to meeting everyone

California Cruisers

Welcome aboard. I am in the Bay Area. Where are you guys?

 

[linkandclover]

So, are you just converting it at your bank?

You make a good point to stay away from the charge cards . It might be better if I convert most of what I need here, even if it costs me a little more...DH won't have the sticker shock there!

We were in Europe last summer and the bank charged me a flat $10 to convert the funds (the amount did not matter). We had to take out extra and were charged by the ATM machine as well. This time I will have the bank covert as much as I can afford to take and hope it is enough. With the safe on the boat and my theft proof purse I hope we will be okay.

also not all places take credit cards so cash is best.

 

[dolphingirl47]

Ugh what a day, sitting around still surrounded by boxes, way behind on everything, ds is very sick (influenza A and the rest of the house is on Tamiflu).

Too much to do and don't even know where the luggage is.

Two weeks to go and way way behind.

With all this sitting around me why do I just wanna make magnets with my Xyron machine?

I hope you feel better soon and that your family does not get the flu. I suppose it is better now than a day or two before the cruise.

I know what you mean about the Xyron though. I seems to tease me every time I go into our spare room. I still have not managed to print out the graphics so that they are usable.

Hi All, This is our first cruise and we cant wait. We will be traveling with 2 kids . Our boy is 8 and Girl is 6. Looking forward to meeting everyone

California Cruisers

on board.

We have our plans for another port made. I found a Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour in Rome that leaves from the station that the train from the port arrives at. It costs about EUR20 per person and takes in all of the landmarks from Angels and Demons. So I will do my own Angels and Demons tour. Here is the itinerary for the bus tour:

Stop 1: TERMINI
Piazza dei Cinquecento (largo Villa Peretti – there’s a terminal for open top coaches)
National Roman Museum: Palazzo Massimo alle Terme (ancient Roman collection) and Terme di Diocleziano - Santa Maria degli Angeli Basilica

Stop 2: SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE
Via Liberiana 16 – side Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore
Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica - San Pietro in Vincoli Basilica

Stop 3: COLOSSEO
Via Celio Vibenna
Colosseum - Arch of Constantine - Arch of Titus - Maxentius Basilica - Domus Aurea - Palatine Hill

Stop 4: CIRCO MASSIMO
Opposite Piazzale Ugo La Malfa
Circus Maximus - Santa Maria in Cosmedin Church - Bocca della Verità (The Mouth of Truth) - Savello Park - Orange Garden - Town Council Rose Garden (seasonal opening)- Santa Sabina Basilica - Baths of Caracalla

Stop 5: ISOLA TIBERINA
Piazza di Monte Savello ATAC bus stop
Tiberina Island - Trastevere district - Santa Maria in Trastevere Church - Jewesh Ghetto - Synagogue - Museum of the Jewish Communityof Rome - The Theatre of Marcellus - Octavia Porticus

Stop 6: BOTTEGHE OSCURE
Via Botteghe Oscure
Largo di Torre Argentina archeological Area - Crypta Balbi

Stop 7: CHIESA NUOVA
Piazza della Chiesa Nuova (Corso Vittorio Emanuele); Suppressed on Sundays and bank holidays.
Chiesa Nuova Church (Oratorio dei Filippini) - Sant'Andrea della Valle Church

Stop 8: SAN PIETRO
Opposite Caffè San Pietro (no. 36)
St. Peter's Basilica - St. Peter's Square - Vatican City - Vatican Museums - Sistine Chapel

Stop 9: CASTEL SANT'ANGELO
Piazza Sant’Angelo opposite to the Castle
Castel Sant'Angelo - Ponte Sant'Angelo - Castel Sant'Angelo national Museum - Napoleonic Museum - Navona Square

Stop 10: AUGUSTO IMPERATORE
Piazza Augusto Imperatore front restaurant “Gusto”
Ara Pacis Augustae Museum - Mausoleum of Augustus - Piazza del Popolo - Santa Maria del Popolo Church - Via del Corso - Piazza di Spagna - Trinità dei Monti Church - National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia

Stop 11: PIAZZA NAVONA
Corso Rinascimento
Piazza Navona - Pantheon - San Luigi dei Francesi Church - Palazzo Madama - Santa Maria Sopra Minerva Basilica - campo De Fiori

Stop 12: PIAZZA VENEZIA
Museo Vittoriano, side “colonna Traiana” Monday to Friday
or
Museo Vittoriano, side Piazza Ara Coeli on Sundays and Bank Holidays (without sign)
Vittoriano Monument - Vittoriano Museum - Piazza del Campidoglio (Capitoline Museums, Municipality of Rome) - Capitoline Hill - Santa Maria in Aracoeli Church - Roman Forum (Forum Visitor Center) - Trajan's Market

Stop 13: FONTANA DI TREVI / VIA DEL TRITONE
Via del Tritone
Trevi Fountain - Palazzo Montecitorio (house of Parliament) - Palazzo Chigi - Quirinal House (President's residential house)

Stop 14: VIA PIEMONTE
Via Piemonte

Stop 15: VIA VENETO
Via Boncompagni corner Via Veneto
Via Veneto - Cemetery of Capuchin Monks - Villa Borghese Park - Borghese Gallery Museum - Casina Valadier

Stop 16: PIAZZA BARBERINI
On the square beside the Optician shop
Piazza Barberini - Triton Fountain - Bees Fountain - National gallery of Ancient Art at the Palazzo Barberini - Santa Maria della Vittoria (Angel's and Demons trail)

Stop 17: REPUBBLICA
Piazza della Repubblica corner Via Terme di Diocleziano

Corinna

 

[Californiacruisers]

Welcome aboard. I am in the Bay Area. Where are you guys?

We are in South Orange County.