7/14/2014 - 12-Night Mediterranean Cruise (with Greece) Venice to Barcelona

[dizneeat]

For air, I have no FF point except Southwest, which doesn't help me with the overseas trip. I am going to check on fares but try not to book until around 3 to 4 months out. On other trips, I have found that i when the prices are the best.

Just a word of warning. We travel on Lufthansa, and while shorter distance flights sometimes might have a discount, the international flights only go up in price, so we book as soon as possible. For last February I booked in mid March of the year before and the price went up about 250€ per person and NEVER went down.

 

[keenercam]

For our 2011 trip, we booked air on 2/6 for a 6/26 flight. On that date it dipped a bit lower than it had been, and after that it only went up. I am going to watch the trends for this year to see when the low rates become available, especially since I only need to book 2 seats this time rather than 4.

I have to figure out when we can book Palo and spa so that I can be sure that the DCL balance is paid before those booking opportunities open. And since I have to buy trip insurance before I make the final payment on the cruise, I also have to buy airfare before that date, so that it can all be covered by trip insurance. Time to calendar dates, that is for sure.

By the way, for those of you who booked the trip yourselves, you'll want to watch the pricing on your cabin. For a couple of days about 9 months before our June 2011 DCL Med cruise, the rates dropped dramatically (I'm not exaggerating). Even though we hadn't booked through a travel agent, our friend/TA was watching the rates for our cruise and told me the rates had dropped and gave me a "script" to call DCL to ask them to re-price our cabins.

Here is my post from September 9, 2010:

OMG! I am so excited!! We had booked our cabins when we were on DCL in December. We have an oceanview (DH and me) and inside (DD22 and DS17). My favorite travel agent told me yesterday that rates have come down, and suggested that we ask DCL to "re-shop" our 2 cabins so that we'd still get our 10% on board booking discount and our on-board credits (for booking during our cruise), but that the rates should be less.

I can't even believe it, but we saved $2,034.00 total!!!! How incredibly awesome is that?

Just thought I'd share in case any of you booked before the rates came down mid-2010. You might want to check to see if you can save any money.

Our TA (the same one who saved us all that money last time) is who we booked with this time. She will watch the rates and let us know if they come down. But, like I said, if you booked on your own, set a reminder on your calendar to periodically check the rates (I'd suggest checking starting a year before the sail date); and if you booked with a on-board booking discount, keep that in mind so that you'll know what rate you are comparing to on the DCL website. (Does that make sense?)

 

[SailingSeas]

With international flights, I've had a similar experience to Tammy, and booked in April for our July Med Cruise. Booked tickets for $780 round trip, Boston to Barcelona, via Aer Lingus. I wonder how much booking in the US differs from the UK

Booking dates for shore excursions if you are paid in full, based on 12:01AM EST in 2014 for our trip are:

Concierge & Platinum guests: 16 March (120 days in advance)
Castaway Club - Gold: 31 March (105 days in advance)
Castaway Club - Silver: 15 April (90 days in advance)
All Guests: 30 April (75 days in advance)

I hope that helps - let me know if i'm off.

Wait... I mean date wise, not mentally.

 

[denise]

regarding the price drop in cruises...
We had booked the West Coast cruise from LA to SF back about 1 1/2 years before the cruise. (booked on board) Had not paid in full....I like to wait until the last date.

Well a few months before the cruise they made it a Pixar Cruise....then about a week before the paid in full date they offered Military Discounts! I called and not only did we save so much money, well over $1,800.00, they moved us to a Veranda room from a porthole room...I'll have to look up what we saved but it was about half of the original cost!!!

But you never know if this will happen...I still havn't decided if I'm going to change our cruise to DVC points yet...can't wait too long as there are only so many available.

Regarding flights...I have always booked the first day available to book. Only once in 10 cruises have we cancelled our cruise. We moved a New Years cruise to Alaska. Since I had used American Airlines miles and already booked part of the New Years flight I had to pay American to reinstate the miles. It was too many miles to just loose. I thought we were still within the time to transfer for free but it doesn't go off your travel date but your booking date...so therefore we were not and that's why there was a fee...

Finally finished our taxes so now I will have more time to check into flights...

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Just a word of warning. We travel on Lufthansa, and while shorter distance flights sometimes might have a discount, the international flights only go up in price, so we book as soon as possible. For last February I booked in mid March of the year before and the price went up about 250€ per person and NEVER went down.

That is good to know. Thanks

 

[TammyAlphabet]

With international flights, I've had a similar experience to Tammy, and booked in April for our July Med Cruise. Booked tickets for $780 round trip, Boston to Barcelona, via Aer Lingus. I wonder how much booking in the US differs from the UK

Booking dates for shore excursions if you are paid in full, based on 12:01AM EST in 2014 for our trip are:

Concierge & Platinum guests: 16 March (120 days in advance)
Castaway Club - Gold: 31 March (105 days in advance)
Castaway Club - Silver: 15 April (90 days in advance)
All Guests: 30 April (75 days in advance)

I hope that helps - let me know if i'm off.

Wait... I mean date wise, not mentally.

Great info, however, I doubt I will book any Disney excursions. However, we should plan on getting a Palo private brunch for the disers for a sea day.

Tammy

 

[SailingSeas]

Yeah, we wing the ports on our own too. I do like to get in my Palo time.

I love that idea for a Palo brunch. That's a great idea.

 

[keenercam]

Is anyone here concierge or a platinum CC member? It would be great if that person could find out about a Palo brunch. I think we had 9 couples at ours last cruise. It was so much fun!

 

[dizneeat]

Is anyone here concierge or a platinum CC member? It would be great if that person could find out about a Palo brunch. I think we had 9 couples at ours last cruise. It was so much fun!

We are Platinum.
I "can" find out about a Palo brunch ...... let me know WHAT I should find out? Do you want me to book/reserve the private room?

 

[keenercam]

Karin- That's great! You can ask what is the largest group they can accommodate in the private room at Palo and how you go about booking it and how early you can reserve it. Thanks!

 

[dizneeat]

Karin- That's great! You can ask what is the largest group they can accommodate in the private room at Palo and how you go about booking it and how early you can reserve it. Thanks!

Okay, that should be easy. I will ask about it when I call about our summer cruises this summer.

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I will totally be in for a Palo Brunch. I have participated in a group brunch before. They will create the reservation and will need the reservation numbers of all the folks who will be going. I think the max people is a about 18 or so. Everyone pays separately for their brunch just like individual reservations.

 

[rounderjd]

DW and I would totally be interested in a group brunch. I've seen photos of the private room and it looks great!

 

[vacationsitis]

Palo brunch sounds like a great idea. When we went to Alaska, they accommodated about 14 of us in a private room on Wonder.

 

[dizneeat]

Sounds like a lot of fun! I guess we will need to try to be part of the DIS group brunch, too!

 

[SailingSeas]

I don't know if this helps with the planning or not, but when we booked it before, we had a max of 12 to 14 people I think? With the interest we have now, we may need to also ask if they would stagger 2 groups on a given day, or book two meets? Just a thought.

 

[MPS516]

Wow, I feel we are late to the party, 11 pages I need to catch up and just got started We booked within 15 minutes of opening to be sure to get on this cruise, did the MED in 2010. It will be Me, DW and DD (23 at time of cruise).

 

[MPS516]

We have been to Greece, Eleni and I, only once. My husband lived in Greece for many years growing up so he has seen it all. Eleni and I have not been to the islands this cruise goes to. When we were there in '07, before the Med cruise, we stayed in Greece for almost one month. We didn't visit these islands as there was so much we wanted to do and we still didn't see it all!

Oh and if it helps...DH speaks Greek fluently. It was his first language! Eleni and I also speak Greek but not as well as he does....

Let the planning begin!!!
denise

Can't think of better info than having actual life history, especially when we start looking at private excursions.

Has anyone looked at airfare for these dates this summer to get an idea of what to expect when we can book for next summer?

I was browsing airfare for this year for approximately those dates, flying NE US (Philadelphia, Newark or NY) to Venice and then Barcelona to Northeast US, just out of curiosity. It looks like booking one-way tickets (for example New York to Venice and then Barcelona to NY) is about twice the cost of round-trip using the same airport.

Can anyone give me advice on how to handle this? Is there a "window" where the airfare might be more reasonable than it seems it will be at this point? We paid about $1525 RT/person when we flew PHL-Barcelona-PHL in summer 2011. The airfares I am seeing now, because they are not round trip can be over $2000/person/one way, especially if we want direct flights.

I am seriously going to have to budget differently for 2014 airfare. Just can't believe it will cost Howard and me well more to do these flights than it cost my family of four adults in summer 2011.

Looks like it is only a $6 difference flying Minneapolis - Venice then Barcelona - Minneapolis vs. Minneapolis to Barcelona to Minneapolis.

I am glad to take on the task of planning and booking a dinner for the night before, in Venice, once we get within a few months of the sail date. At that point, everyone will know when they are arriving and where they are staying in Venice (if they are arriving the night before).

Our plan is to fly overnight Friday and arrive Venice Saturday.

Keener, dinner before sounds divine and very worldly, if we can make it.

I have not seen anyone post a Facebook group. I do not have a facebook page (and won't be getting one anytime soon) so if there's anything good on there, please let me know!

I too do not have facebook, profession does not allow, along with SailingSeas, if anything comes up on facebook please pass it on.

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Palo brunch sounds like a great idea. When we went to Alaska, they accommodated about 14 of us in a private room on Wonder.

I don't know where I got 18, 14 is probably right.

 

[SailingSeas]

Welcome, MPS! I agree, i'm really looking forward to the experience posts.

Tammy - the reason you thought (hoped?) it was 18 (or more!) was because you want EVERYONE to come and party! Right?

We should just make a meeting point on Pirate Night on Deck 9 and make up a mixed drink to unite us, and party on deck. We could call it the Disboard Coladas.