7/18/10 Mickey's Baltic Ballyhoo Part 6

[Kouris_Family]

Oops...that would be me. Thanks for the reminder.

I'll have to repost the list to see that everyone is still onboard with doing this.

Hometown Postcard Exchange (contact jilljill to be added)
Bring enough postcards from your hometown to pass out and share with other Ballyhoo'ers.

jilljill
Madisonznana
Andrew DEREK UK
RJAYL (?)
MI-MINI
Marla Hellwig
MrsG
BluegrassBelles
Kathy in Citrus
Samanthasmom1
caropooh
caven553
smilis

This sounds like fun, we would like to join in
Kouris Family

 

[KathyInCitrus]

Considering the normal high should be the upper 70's right now, yes I'm complaining.

I AM, TOO!!!
Heat Index today was 99 degrees F.

 

[jilljill]

I AM, TOO!!!
Heat Index today was 99 degrees F.

Our friends in Windermere said it was 100 on Friday. I'm really hoping it cools down this week since DD & I are heading down next Sunday for 4 weeks.
I can see those temps in July and August, but not June.

 

[RJAYL]

Good Morning All

 

[jilljill]

'Morning all


Have to take the Mini for it's yearly service today.

 

[smilis]

Okay I booked flexi fast track for the London Eye & Flexi tickets with priority access for Madame Tussauds $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I have transportation hotels & some activities planned am I missing anything?

Cruise Itinerary seems to be all set mostly DCL tours with the exception of STP waiting for tickets & pricing from Anastasia I wonder how the $ vs Ruble maybe save some dollars there?

Wunermunde the plan is the Beach & or getting drunk with Barb & her family!

Okay, so I'm wondering what the importance of having a flight time on the London Eye is if there's going to be these huge queue's? We're doing the Thames river cruise at 3:30P so how are we supposed to get back from that in time to stand in line for an hour or more and make our 5:15P flight time . I don't think our ticket purchased with our Porter's dinner package is a fast pass. Are any of you other Dis'ers doing the Porter's package with a 5:15 PM flight beginning to wonder?

From Jilljill:
Are you ordering currency ahead of time or getting that in each port?

I have been figuring up how much currency we will need and plan on having my DH pick it up this week. His question is.....can we find out how much an average meal in ST.P or Tallin where we're DIY might cost? I think I'll figure on the high side to be safe

 

[smilis]

The SEA at Lindos was crystal clear, and no waves, its a natural harbour, (in fact two), and there are rocks in the middle at the entrance forming a natural breaker.

Great pictures Andrew ! Thanks so much for sharing. Hope DCL hears how many people would like to have them include Greece in one of their cruises. That's a few years down the road probably.

 

[smilis]

I'm pretty sure our Eye ticket said to show up about 30-45 minutes before 'flight' time. We didn't mind waiting since we were with our friends that we hadn't seen in years and it was a good time to catch up. It did keep up awake since we had to stand the entire time. Like you, we also did that the day we arrived. We were fine at dinner, but we were definately tired when we left and slept very good that night. We left our hotel room at 10am and finally returned at 9:30pm, a long and exhausting day but totally worth it.

Sandy, are you at the PP Victoria as well? Last time our room was ready when we arrived about 9am. It was nice to sit for a few minutes while waiting for our friends to arrive and to freshen up a bit before out for the day. Looking forward to staying there again.


We have AT&T and they charge 50 cents to send texts and there's no charge to send them when out of the country.
We just usually set a time to meet up with each other and leave notes in the cabin, that's always worked for us.

Barb,

We are staying at the PP Westminster Bridge. Excited about seeing this brand new hotel. I will probably email them and let them know of our early arrival and see what can be arranged. Otherwise we'll have to crash in the lobby As long as they can store our luggage we'll be fine. I was thinking sometime before we headed to the London Eye area, we'd catch a few winks

 

[Celestine]

Wunermunde the plan is the Beach & or getting drunk with Barb & her family!

I think we'll also join you - if that's allowable. THere may still be cider/scrumpy left!

Celestine

 

[Celestine]

'Morning all


Have to take the Mini for it's yearly service today.

DH was at the mini plant today watching them produce minis for the American market which will be shipped from Southampton on Friday. He also saw a couple of world wide exclusive vehicles & has a DVD which he'll bring along if anyone wants to borrow it

Celestine

 

[Celestine]

Are you ordering currency ahead of time or getting that in each port?

I'm sending DH off to buy currency tomorrow, including some rubles. Apparently you can take up to 50000 russian rubles in & out of the country. As we're on DCL tours don't need to factor in food, but we're getting about £40 ($60) for things like toilets & photo passes at St Catherine's palace etc. Getting some local currency for each port and Euros which we'll take every where. Just need to let my CC company know of my plans so that there are no problems

Celestine

 

[RJAYL]

I think we'll also join you - if that's allowable. THere may still be cider/scrumpy left!

Celestine

Fine with me!

DH was at the mini plant today watching them produce minis for the American market which will be shipped from Southampton on Friday. He also saw a couple of world wide exclusive vehicles & has a DVD which he'll bring along if anyone wants to borrow it

Celestine

Do they go down the line backwards for us yanks as we drive on the right side of the road!

That would explain all of Barb's Mini troubles

That or the fine German engineering!

 

[RJAYL]

Okay, so I'm wondering what the importance of having a flight time on the London Eye is if there's going to be these huge queue's? We're doing the Thames river cruise at 3:30P so how are we supposed to get back from that in time to stand in line for an hour or more and make our 5:15P flight time . I don't think our ticket purchased with our Porter's dinner package is a fast pass. Are any of you other Dis'ers doing the Porter's package with a 5:15 PM flight beginning to wonder?

From Jilljill:
Are you ordering currency ahead of time or getting that in each port?

I have been figuring up how much currency we will need and plan on having my DH pick it up this week. His question is.....can we find out how much an average meal in ST.P or Tallin where we're DIY might cost? I think I'll figure on the high side to be safe

I'm sending DH off to buy currency tomorrow, including some rubles. Apparently you can take up to 50000 russian rubles in & out of the country. As we're on DCL tours don't need to factor in food, but we're getting about £40 ($60) for things like toilets & photo passes at St Catherine's palace etc. Getting some local currency for each port and Euros which we'll take every where. Just need to let my CC company know of my plans so that there are no problems

Celestine

Bank of America can exchange $$$ with 3 days notice!

The Ruble is almost up to 32 per dollar!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Doing the


TICKET DANCE!!!!

Just one day back from vacation and our next vacation tickets are delivered, looks like they missed us on Saturday.

Cute booklet, all different from last year, it has lists of our prepaid tips our gold CC membership, all DCL tours, including the Signature tour of Berlin thats not online, the Palo ressies, etc.

Lists everything on pages, from stateroom numbers to port days and port times etc. Concierge contact, numbers.

 

[RJAYL]

Doing the


TICKET DANCE!!!!

Just one day back from vacation and our next vacation tickets are delivered, looks like they missed us on Saturday.

Cute booklet, all different from last year, it has lists of our prepaid tips our gold CC membership, all DCL tours, including the Signature tour of Berlin thats not online, the Palo ressies, etc.

Lists everything on pages, from stateroom numbers to port days and port times etc. Concierge contact, numbers.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Nice pics for a first attempt, which Canon EOS did you buy? Tell me you are not shooting on auto mode

Paul

Paul its a 500D, retails around £550, we got it at £500 with £50 cashback.

We are swapping between manual focus and auto, being lazy.

Fantastic pictures Andrew.

Haven't heard anything recently about the post card exchange. Are we still doing one? How many cards per stateroom?

We are in, if its still on, maybe fit in with the kids meet first afternoon at the Scoops Ice cream point.

Hello Andrew UK

Love your photos...

Scottishwee35

Thank you, love ya.

Okay I booked flexi fast track for the London Eye & Flexi tickets with priority access for Madame Tussauds $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I have transportation hotels & some activities planned am I missing anything?

Cruise Itinerary seems to be all set mostly DCL tours with the exception of STP waiting for tickets & pricing from Anastasia I wonder how the $ vs Ruble maybe save some dollars there?

Wunermunde the plan is the Beach & or getting drunk with Barb & her family!

Good move on Madame Tussauds in April standby was tow hours when my family went there, I can upload photos to FB, if you want to see them.

Our friends in Windermere said it was 100 on Friday. I'm really hoping it cools down this week since DD & I are heading down next Sunday for 4 weeks.
I can see those temps in July and August, but not June.

I understand there were a couple of days of heat and Friday was one, on arrival at Gatwick at 12 midnight on Saturday/Sunday it was 20c, not bad for night, but Sunday was a wash out, cold rain clouds, UK weather is changeable and its been that all the time this year.

I would say a good yardstick will be Wimbledon from the 21st June, if you see it on your TV, you will see if its sunny raining cloudy in London.

Great pictures Andrew ! Thanks so much for sharing. Hope DCL hears how many people would like to have them include Greece in one of their cruises. That's a few years down the road probably.

DCL would do very very well on an Eastern med cruise with Greek islands Turkey, Croatia, Venice, Athens etc.

Got yours???? Not sure if its concierge first, or our request for early delivery, that we have a *standing order* for, with DCL. I set that up in 2005 when we toured Las Vegas and Hollywood and Disneyland pre cruise and was worried they would arrive post departure.

Its nice a booklet form on a spring type spine, and just the one for all of us not the old small *Airline ticket type* ones for each person. Has a nice Castaway club cover.

 

[RJAYL]

Paul its a 500D, retails around £550, we got it at £500 with £50 cashback.

We are swapping between manual focus and auto, being lazy.

I just got my DD a Nikon 5000D for her Birthday (She had to have it!)

I bought myself a new Canon Powershot SX210 IS Small camera with 14 Megapixel's & 14 Opticl zoom I find that I take more pictures with a smaller camera more convenient to take with you!

We are in, if its still on, maybe fit in with the kids meet first afternoon at the Scoops Ice cream point.

What time is that I will send up my younger 1 or 2 for a meet!

Good move on Madame Tussauds in April standby was tow hours when my family went there, I can upload photos to FB, if you want to see them.

I hope it was worth the extra Dough, it said the we could use the priority entrance on the web site!




.

DCL would do very very well on an Eastern med cruise with Greek islands Turkey, Croatia, Venice, Athens etc.

Yup I would book in a heart beat!

Got yours???? Not sure if its concierge first, or our request for early delivery, that we have a *standing order* for, with DCL. I set that up in 2005 when we toured Las Vegas and Hollywood and Disneyland pre cruise and was worried they would arrive post departure.

Its nice a booklet form on a spring type spine, and just the one for all of us not the old small *Airline ticket type* ones for each person. Has a nice Castaway club cover.

No I have not received anything lately!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Madame Tussauds

A few to preview for you.

We have

The most important man in the Universe, two ladies men -sex gods, and two heads of state.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Some things I have read:-

Random.

For thoose booking DCL transfers London<>Dover, there maybe a comfort stop so this will add time, my guess a motorway service station M20/M2.

International travellers, take a copy of your passport and put one in each luggage bag.

They say boarding starts at 1pm and ends at 4pm, I guess as PC it will be earlier.

Concierge get daily edible treats and board games placed in your suite.

Dover disembarkation starts at 8am and all ashore by 9am.

Address at Port

Dover cruise terminal two (PTA)
Dover Kent
CT17 9BU

 

[scrapycruiser]

DOCS ARRIVED !!!!

I do need to call DCL cause on our return transfers ,it just says Disney Magic to London, instead of Disney Magic to LHR ???

I was so excited to get them...they came earlier than I expected !!