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

[auntlynne]

Wow Lynne, you're incredibly organized. I have a vague idea about what's what, but very vague. That's why I ultimately went with DCL in Tunis. One thing I learned in Morocco, my Arabic is very bad. I don't want to provide entertainment for another Arabic speaking country this year trying to speak to people. ...

Oh, it all sounds so organized - until you realize I've only got 7 days to get everything done that needs doing before May 6. Taxes, (I'm going to have to skip the bedroom painting - leaving it half done since December - no furniture in there and my DB/SIL will visit while I'm gone. Did I say that I took the doors off the 2 bedrooms they could use? And I threw them out in December - the doors, that is. I've been without a door since it's just my Dad and me - and he still has his door; so why do I need one? )

Did I mention the 5 sets of taxes? federal/state/estimated.

I've got clothes hanging up in the hallway. Picked out the suitcase. Putting FE gifts for both cruises in a box (still need to see if TSA will allow a cardboard box to go through as luggage - maybe I need to leave them a roll of tape to use if they open it for inspection. Need to assign 160+ items I purchased for gifts (already did about 100 - yes, I only have 12 cabins per cruise for FE and am swamped with FE gifts - don't worry you won't be taking home lots of Stuff).

...And my grasp of Arabic is limited to things like admiral, albacore, adobe, amber, caliber - you know, words we say in English but have Arabic origins. Don't even know one, two, three.

But in Italian: uno, due, tre (I'll be struggling there too, as I only know basic Castillian Spanish - won't even help in Barcelona!)

Hi Lynne,

We are doing that same itinary but we hired a driver for the day. Now you have me thinking that we should just do this on our own. Would you still have the links for the train schedules for that itinary?

Thanks,
LuAnne

Here are my itinerary cheat notes for Lucca & Pisa:

I'm going with the Regional Trains the "R" under Train Category - you can't purchase them online this far out (or maybe never?); they are more a commuter train, but it gives us flexibility to not have to be at the train station at the assigned time or lose our money. Just have to make sure we leave one or two trains before the last-possible-time. The blue star is for my choice.

And the train from Lucca to Pisa has a stop (or ends) just 5 minutes from the Field of Miracles!

Lucca - the top of the wall of the city looks like a park - I thought it would be more of a castle wall - it seems to be more like really big dirt berms. Since biking is one of the typical things for tourists to do there, I say get 2.5 miles of exercise on a nice flat no-car pathway.

PS: I looked this up on the Tren Italia website.

 

[goofprincess]

I'm going with the Regional Trains the "R" under Train Category - you can't purchase them online this far out (or maybe never?); they are more a commuter train, but it gives us flexibility to not have to be at the train station at the assigned time or lose our money. Just have to make sure we leave one or two trains before the last-possible-time. The blue star is for my choice.

And the train from Lucca to Pisa has a stop (or ends) just 5 minutes from the Field of Miracles!

Lucca - the top of the wall of the city looks like a park - I thought it would be more of a castle wall - it seems to be more like really big dirt berms. Since biking is one of the typical things for tourists to do there, I say get 2.5 miles of exercise on a nice flat no-car pathway.

 

[Californiacruisers]

Brooklyn, just wanted to share that kids loved the journal that you designed! Unfortunately, 5.5" by 8.5" binders are not so standard here and nearly impossible to get so I had to spiral bind the pages myself but it still worked well! Thank you again so much for sharing!

Great Idea... I love the spiral bind. Did you have someone do it for you? I would love to get it done the same way.

 

[shushh]

Thank you all for your info re NY flights. To be specific we're heading to NY on 21 Dec.

Californiacruisers, I did the journals at work, there's a machine that does it. But I'm pretty sure that shops (Officeworks-a big stationery type store) can do it for you on the spot. And if you can get it done in Australia, then by default it must be doable in the states!

 

[shushh]

Delta is offering US$104 to have the MCO-LGA leg tacked onto our international flights. What do you guys think of that price?

 

[shushh]

A picture is worth a thousand words and the following picture says it all. If you're wondering what that thing is, it's suppose to be our fish extender...I have no time or energy to make another one so its coming with us warts and all! I think its time to go to bed. Have a happy Easter everyone!

 

[carpenta]

Delta is offering US$104 to have the MCO-LGA leg tacked onto our international flights. What do you guys think of that price?

If it were me I would book it for the prices jump high around the holidays like Lynne stated and you also have the security for your plans IMHO. It can be a hassle around the Christmas season and the weather in the northeast (N.Y.) can be unpredictable to say the least.Delays at JFK back up quickly when the weather has an effect being one of the busiest in the U.S.. Delta tickets are honored by the other big airlines in case of delay or cancelation where Southwest and Jet Blue are not honored by other airlines for flight. Living in Vermont we still get snow on Mother's Day some years and others it is 75 degrees.

 

[skoi]

Lynne: In Moroccan Arabic: wahid, zhuzh, tlata.
In Modern Standard (which no one besides newscasters and professors actually speaks) wahid, ithnan, talata.

In Tunisian Arabic- not a clue. I'm using Moroccan there.

I also know how to say, "What's your problem?" Go, shut up, let's go, come, thank you very much, hello (in about 5 different forms), excuse me, please, "I need three tickets to Fes please, thank you very much" and other assorted useful phrases.

I can also conjugate some verbs. So my Arabic is less than good.

Julie

 

[skoi]

A picture is worth a thousand words and the following picture says it all. If you're wondering what that thing is, it's suppose to be our fish extender...I have no time or energy to make another one so its coming with us warts and all! I think its time to go to bed. Have a happy Easter everyone!

It looks great. Better than what I was planning, which was to somehow stick a couple little canvas bags together. Mind if I steal the basic plan?

Have a happy holiday. I have bread to make, and a Pascha basket to prepare in the next 2 days. Plus, a pan of Palo lasagna for Sunday.

Julie

 

[salboz]

Sorry Julie, but if you think you get the prize for worst FE, just wait until you see mine. Remember, I have never done this before or even seen one. LOL

 

[NC_Tink]

A picture is worth a thousand words and the following picture says it all. If you're wondering what that thing is, it's suppose to be our fish extender...I have no time or energy to make another one so its coming with us warts and all! I think its time to go to bed. Have a happy Easter everyone!

Hey - that looks better than mine -- since mine still hasn't been started Really, it looks adorable! I'm gonna get through Easter and then really focus on my creative projects that I've got going (including my FE)

 

[auntlynne]

Delta is offering US$104 to have the MCO-LGA leg tacked onto our international flights. What do you guys think of that price?

I'd grab that offer (does it include taxes)? My SIL is coming from Boston to Huntsville (not a major market) RT for about $350 in late April.

And for a reference - my Nashville to Orlando (1.5 hrs) flight to catch the TA was around $104 each on Southwest (bought it at $123, price dropped then went up to $179) - all this the Friday after Easter. Delta won't refund/credit price drops like Southwest.

Big question (as I think while typing) - how many bags will you each have? Check those luggage feees - 1st bag if $15 on Delta - 2nd is probably more. This could make up for any fare savings.

 

[auntlynne]

Your FE has a little Renaissance Fair theme to go with Buzz - we are going to Tuscany.

The single pouch goes well with the one gift per cabin concept.

 

[WebmasterPete]

Hey Everyone,

I'm ready to start officially planning a 'DIS reception" on this cruise. I'm thinking about doing it on our 2nd sea day (May 1st) in the afternoon (2pm-ish time frame). I need to get a good head count of how many people would like to attend. We'll serve hot & cold Hors D Oeuvres and have a nice get together If you're interested in attending, please send me an email to pete@wdwinfo.com and let me know how many you'll have with you so I can get an accurate head count.

Thanks,
Pete

 

[Mineu]

Can someone pass on some last minute advice on how to make a t-shirt for the cruise... I've tried to download graphics to a company-but they said I need written permission to use them. I'm obviously doing something wrong...(besides not cleaning for Easter dinner). Thanks!!

 

[dolphingirl47]

Hey Everyone,

I'm ready to start officially planning a 'DIS reception" on this cruise. I'm thinking about doing it on our 2nd sea day (May 1st) in the afternoon (2pm-ish time frame). I need to get a good head count of how many people would like to attend. We'll serve hot & cold Hors D Oeuvres and have a nice get together If you're interested in attending, please send me an email to pete@wdwinfo.com and let me know how many you'll have with you so I can get an accurate head count.

Thanks,
Pete

Thanks for organizing this. I have sent you an email.

Corinna

 

[dolphingirl47]

Can someone pass on some last minute advice on how to make a t-shirt for the cruise... I've tried to download graphics to a company-but they said I need written permission to use them. I'm obviously doing something wrong...(besides not cleaning for Easter dinner). Thanks!!

I used Lynne's graphics and had the t shirts printed through Vistaprint. I just saved the images from the thread onto my computer and then uploaded them to the Vistaprint website. They arrived within less than a week and look great.

Corinna

 

[NC_Tink]

Hey Everyone,

I'm ready to start officially planning a 'DIS reception" on this cruise. I'm thinking about doing it on our 2nd sea day (May 1st) in the afternoon (2pm-ish time frame). I need to get a good head count of how many people would like to attend. We'll serve hot & cold Hors D Oeuvres and have a nice get together If you're interested in attending, please send me an email to pete@wdwinfo.com and let me know how many you'll have with you so I can get an accurate head count.

Thanks,
Pete

Hope this isn't a silly question -- but is this an adults only event or are the "younger set" invited too? I doubt either of my two will allow themselves to be dragged out of the kids' clubs during sea days - but sometimes they surprise me TIA

 

[WebmasterPete]

Hope this isn't a silly question -- but is this an adults only event or are the "younger set" invited too? I doubt either of my two will allow themselves to be dragged out of the kids' clubs during sea days - but sometimes they surprise me TIA

Not a silly question at all. Everyone is welcome!

Pete

 

[WebmasterPete]

Oh, and I'm also going to video tape everyone with very unflattering lighting and post it all over the web (kidding).

Pete