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

[smilis]

Greetings. We are cruising on the July 14th Med cruise departing Venice and wondering if any fellow cruisers are familiar with the embarkation arrangements at Venice port. Terminal location. Access from the town (staying night before in Venice). Much appreciated.

Robub: I just spoke with DCL last night and the DVC today about the embarkation. To be honest the DVC rep seemed to know a bit more than the DCL agent. We have purchased the resort to port transfer in Venice thru Disney. DVC said something about a ground transfer and then a water taxi but she wasn't able to confirm any of that. Also, she said we wouldn't find out the time of pickup at the hotel until the night before. That kind of puts a kink in doing anything the morning of the 14th before heading to the ship.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Seaulater: This is our first time to Greece, so I'm interested in those who have done certain ports on their own. We are currently signed up for the Delos Island tour in Mykonos. It kind of sounds like more ruins and by that point of our cruise, we'll probably have seen quite a few already. Have you been to Delos Island? Your description of easy walk to windmills, shopping and restaurants sounds nice. Your thoughts??

I have been to Mykonos but not Delos. I'm considering a trip to Delos on this trip. However there doesn't seem to be much there. It's just minimal ruins and minimal shade. For a first trip to Mykonos, I'd stay on Mykonos.

 

[keenercam]

I have two spaces available on a private water taxi for those that are staying at The Hilton Molino Stucky checking in 7/12/14. Our flight gets into Venice at 9:35AM and we are flying USairways from Philly. Can someone post this information for me on facebook as I will never go on facebook? Please PM me if you are interested or know anyone that would be interested. (Oh by the way) it was much cheaper than I thought it would be. Thanks

Michelle - I posted it for you. I indicated I'd put anyone interested in touch with you. I'll let you know if there are any expressions of interest.

 

[KathyInCitrus]

...
Berlin it was HOT....hottest day they had ever had they said...
no room inside so we had to sit upstairs...and boy did we melt!! Waited forever at one stop to continue. They gave us free water in a cup but it was as hot as the sun was! uck...We didn't get to see all we wanted because it really took a long time!!! We did go to the Hard Rock for lunch and the server spilled an entire pitcher of ice water on our friends back. All he said was can you do that again?
We needed to get back to the meeting place for Disney to pick us up to take us to the train..this was a Berlin on your own trip..which of course our bus couldn't get to! The World Cup was playing that day and Germany was playing for 3rd or 4th place. Streets were closed everywhere and there were armed police all over the place. They drove us to a mall, it had air conditioning and let us sit in there for a couple hours. Other buses left their people to sit in a park...although there was shade they were dying in the heat. They had to bring a train to that location we were at to pick us up to take us back to the ship....

Denise - We were on the same cruise, AND the same train to Berlin!

 

[SailingSeas]

Embarkation in Venice: Will be at the Marittima which is across the Piazzale Roma. Disney transfers are by land coming from VCE directly, or by boat at either the the Hotel Danieli or the Westin Europa. It's not worded the best for the phone agents, so it's confusing for them. If you are not staying in one of those two resorts, then you'll either need to make your way there. Making your way to the Marittima directly may make more sense, too, depending on where you are staying the night before. Transfers at the Disney partner resorts typically start around 11am, and is confirmed the night before your departure. Does that help? I have more departure and transfer information in my link in my sign if that helps.

Robub, did you book a pre night hotel yet?

I think we may spend the morning out roaming Venice. We don't have to be onboard the ship until around 3:30. Normally, we try and make it onboard as soon as possible to go play on the slides, but man, this is Venice! Is anyone else doing that?

 

[cinderbear]

Michelle - I posted it for you. I indicated I'd put anyone interested in touch with you. I'll let you know if there are any expressions of interest.

Thank You
I hope it can help someone. I think the price was as good as it will get and they let me book it for 4 people so maybe I can help 2 other people for half the price.

 

[smilis]

Embarkation in Venice: Will be at the Marittima which is across the Piazzale Roma. Disney transfers are by land coming from VCE directly, or by boat at either the the Hotel Danieli or the Westin Europa. It's not worded the best for the phone agents, so it's confusing for them. If you are not staying in one of those two resorts, then you'll either need to make your way there. Making your way to the Marittima directly may make more sense, too, depending on where you are staying the night before. Transfers at the Disney partner resorts typically start around 11am, and is confirmed the night before your departure. Does that help? I have more departure and transfer information in my link in my sign if that helps.

Robub, did you book a pre night hotel yet?

I think we may spend the morning out roaming Venice. We don't have to be onboard the ship until around 3:30. Normally, we try and make it onboard as soon as possible to go play on the slides, but man, this is Venice! Is anyone else doing that?

Sailing Sea: Thanks for those links that you mentioned....they are very helpful. We are staying at the Westin so that should work out well for us. Still might want to do some last minute sightseeing before leaving for the Magic.

 

[smilis]

I have been to Mykonos but not Delos. I'm considering a trip to Delos on this trip. However there doesn't seem to be much there. It's just minimal ruins and minimal shade. For a first trip to Mykonos, I'd stay on Mykonos.

Kevin, Thanks for the information about Mykonos. Definitely going to take a look at doing Mykonos on our own. Like I said, by Delos, we'll probably have seen quite a few ruins

 

[MPS516]

I think we may spend the morning out roaming Venice. We don't have to be onboard the ship until around 3:30. Normally, we try and make it onboard as soon as possible to go play on the slides, but man, this is Venice! Is anyone else doing that?

We are spending 4 days in Venice so probably will not do extra time the morning of the 14th. We are staying right on the Canale Di S Marco and will greet the Magic as she arrives. Then we can shower enjoy the sit down breakfast provided by the hotel and catch the Vaporetto to the port. We have not been aboard the re-imagined Magic and want to get an early look about.

 

[MPS516]

What has been everyone's favorite itinerary ?

I expect this will end up being our favorite but the Med and PC are currently at the top of our list. We have done the various Bahamas, Caribbean's, Alaska, Mediterranean and Panama Canal. We did Hawaii on NCL, Southern Caribbean on RCL and DW and DD did Greece on Louis, these don't even rise to the level of being on the rating scale with our DCL cruises although the RCL out of San Juan was pretty good. We are doing the Baltic next July but can't be gone from work long enough to add the Norwegian Fjord Cruise which sounds pretty nice as well.

What's on your to do list ?
.

 

[SailingSeas]

MPS - I'll be running down to your area to shoot the Magic as it comes in. Went to greet her when she entered NYC but the weather was hideous and the fog bank was ridiculous. I can see the ghost of her bow through the fog - wanted to take more, but my daughter was motion sick and chose that moment to paint Battery Park in technicolor, much to the amusement of the fishermen down there. This time, i'll let her sleep.

I love your question! I think this is going to be my favorite itinerary. I did love the standard Med myself and would like to redo it, but to me, the 7-nighters in Europe are a tease now and I want more. I also surprisingly liked the Fantasy in the Eastern Caribbean; moreso for the extra sea day than the ports. I think i'll like Hawaii coming up, and the Dover to Barcelona as well. I think the only port I could care less if I ever see again, is Nassau.

I'm sounding like a cruise ****. I like them all.

Smilis - we were booked at the Westin until I changed my mind. I love that resort. It's going to be a great trip!

Orville - I have no idea; I just wanted to make note of the possible itinerary change in case there were any concerns about plans on the ship for either of those two nights. I saw the change in port time and didn't say anything, and it affected someone's private bookings, so figured I would just mention any anomalies I researched.

Thank you for the recommendation for Tripit! That's like the thing I use with Kayak pro, but more detailed. Can you email changes to it, etc? I do like the currency converter in Triposo. I also tried the TripAdvisor City Guides, but they have only the major cities (Venice, Athens, Barcelona) and nothing of the smaller venues, like Triposo does.

I have to remember to get international calling/data switched back on - forgot on my last cruise and came home to a $700 phone bill due to having Disney's Navigator app running a ton.

 

[Cousin Orville]

This cruise may in fact become my favorite itinerary with the focus on the Greek isles. We also did the Baltic in 2010, the "western" Med in 2011, and the med in 2013 to Greece. The've all been great. We did the Dream a few years ago as well, and I've missed the Aquaduck ever since. Looking forward to the Aquadunk!

With Tripit you can email airline, hotel, open table (dinner) reservations and it will put them in, but you can't email like a time change or flight change. It would just put it in as a new activity or reservation. I really didn't know there were any other alternative options to Tripit. I'll have to check it out.

As far as the DCL app. Can you log on to the ship's WiFi to use the app, or do you have to pay for the WiFi?

 

[Cousin Orville]

Has anyone found some good Venice restaurants? That's next on my to do list.

 

[SailingSeas]

As far as the DCL app. Can you log on to the ship's WiFi to use the app, or do you have to pay for the WiFi?

there is no charge for the ship's wifi for just the app. You have to put it in airplane mode for it to stick on the ship's wifi though. I did that the first night, then was careless and forgot when I called home the next morning and forgot to turn it off. I don't think i'll be using it much this trip at all, but do have it set up right now so i can see the countdown.

Thanks for the information on Tripit. I think i'm going to give it a try this trip.

 

[keenercam]

Thank You
I hope it can help someone. I think the price was as good as it will get and they let me book it for 4 people so maybe I can help 2 other people for half the price.

I wish we were staying at the same hotel. Howard and I would have taken you up on it, since we are on the same flight as you from Philadelphia.

 

[slg]

Have we got official confirmation on the change to pirate night? That is so upsetting as I booked that night for palo because I've done pirate night so many times. However, I don't want to miss any other new menus. This makes me super upset!

I was on that train to Berlin also, however we were on a different excursion. I was so glad to be on a disney excursion. It was sooooooo hot! OMG. Hanging my head out of the train window felt like putting it into an oven.

Cousin Orville, sounds like we are on similar cruises!

Anyway, if anyone knows anything about the pirate night change, please let me know as I need to change my palo.

I'm talking to my mum's oncologist today about her prognosis, so please send pixie dust that she won't tell me to cancel the trip.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Have we got official confirmation on the change to pirate night? That is so upsetting as I booked that night for palo because I've done pirate night so many times. However, I don't want to miss any other new menus. This makes me super upset!

I was on that train to Berlin also, however we were on a different excursion. I was so glad to be on a disney excursion. It was sooooooo hot! OMG. Hanging my head out of the train window felt like putting it into an oven.

Was that the Baltic that was in Berlin July 22? It was crazy hot that day on the train. We did an excursion that took us around to the Pergamon Museum and Cathedral to hear an organist among other places. Great cruise though, but Berlin and St Pete's were hot hot hot.

 

[LyndaC]

Pirates is still listed on both nights. I think we aren't going to know until we're on board. I've got Palo booked for Santorini night as I do not like the Pirate menu, but I'll probably book the other night as soon as we get onboard, and then I'll cancel the one that's not Pirate night.

 

[slg]

I think I will do that too. Are there any spots left for palo on that night?

How long do we have to cancel our palo without penalty.

I was on the July 6 baltic cruise...not sure what day we were in Berlin but I think you were on the cruise after us. I didn't realize that both the cruises had the heat wave! And that the train was late on TWO cruises...that is unbelievable!

 

[SailingSeas]

SLG, technically you can modify any itinerary arrangements online up to 3 days before departure. I've been able to cancel our Palo arrangements right up until that night - they always seem happy to offer it to a wait list. I want to say that technically it's a 24 hour cancellation policy - I can never remember that one.

Lynda, we are going to try and move it back an hour or two if ours is on pirate night. My son was hoping I would just keep it - he hates pirate night. LOL I like being in the restaurant when it's still light out anyways. It's just so very lovely staring out at sea.