7/9/11 - Summer Magic in the Med

[emma2]

Monstro - some of my missed info:

Dining: Main
FE extender :No

BArcelona - we are booked at Casp 74 Apartments for 3 nights for 550 euro with full kitchen/laundry. This was less expensive than Hispanos. We are 5 and got the smallest apt that allows 5.

I saw that you booked a Malta excursion - was cost extra for a guide vs just a taxi- cost reasonable? Your times seem tight - do you think all that will be doable?

Is Eze easy to combine with Monaco on our own?

Palermo - I really don't want to do this port on our own - looking at Mysterious Palermo tour with DCL.

I posted earlier hoping to get others to join us on tow of our private tours - hope it works.

 

[lcsmom]

Thanks, Jeff. I got distracted yesterday with Mom stuff. Back to hotel searching today. I'll let you know what I find. As we are only 3 and not arriving until Friday morning, I'm more interested in proximity to the one or two things we'll want to do before jet lag catches up with us.
Really regreting not having more time in Barcelona. What time do people usually embark/get to the cruise terminal?
Glad you enjoyed your brief time in "The Woods". Soccer, lacrossse, triatholons, and hockey are very important here. We've lived here 6 years. We're all native Texans, though.

 

[Monstro]

I saw that you booked a Malta excursion - was cost extra for a guide vs just a taxi- cost reasonable? Your times seem tight - do you think all that will be doable?

There are 9 of us and we feel that trying to find taxis at each stop would be a pain for that size group. The tour we booked with the car is $680 plus tips. It includes transportation, driver and tour guide. The blue Grotto is just a picture stop.

Is Eze easy to combine with Monaco on our own?

Last time we did Monaco with DCL and came back to EZE afterwards. This time we're going to try and do both on our own. Maybe ride train to Monaco in the morning and take the bus back to Villefranche stopping in EZE.

Palermo - I really don't want to do this port on our own - looking at Mysterious Palermo tour with DCL.

I posted earlier hoping to get others to join us on tow of our private tours - hope it works.

I saw that. I hope more people join our thread so you get some takers. We're a large group already. I heard tour vans can't have more than 9 people in Rome - driver and tour guide included.

Jeff

 

[Monstro]

What time do people usually embark/get to the cruise terminal?

It's really up to you as long as you're on the ship by 4:00 PM. When we went on the Baltic, we didn't board the ship until 3:00 because we wanted to tour the Dover Castle. I'm glad we took that time in Dover. Who knows if we'll ever get back.

 

[corbett744]

Monstro.. Sorry to have been absent. Yes we found the shore excursion information. Thanks for your instructions. I just need a bit more practice with websites apparently. We have been distracted, we have an adult child being deployed in the next 10 days. Had to put cruised on hold. Will send information on our party as soon as I can look it all up. The discusions have been interesting and infomative. I'm anxious to meet all of you.

 

[ohMom]

Thanks,Back to hotel searching today. I'll let you know what I find. ..more interested in proximity to the one or two things we'll want to do before jet lag catches up with us. . What time do people usually embark/get to the cruise terminal?

we arrive early afternoon friday and I have the same objectives and am determined to get something booked here today! will post.

what is the earliest embarktion would start? i thought I read noon-ish somewhere?

i bit the bullet yesterday and booked our flights...jeesh.....i am really regeretting NOT booking back in feb when the prices took a slight nosedive but i can't dwell now. WE ARE BOOKED!!!! woot woot!!

 

[lcsmom]

Really thinking about an early morning tour of something on Saturday before we embark. DD has never left the USA, so want her to see as much as possible. But don't want her to remember just being tired, either. Will look at excursions/tours once I book the Barcelona hotel.
Questions:
1) Any idea if one of the buffets would still be open if we don't board until 2?
2) Will we be able to bring on various beverages as we can in Cape Canaveral?
3) Anyone have an excursion they might want to share with a party of 3 - Mom-talks too much, Dad-Football lineman, but only 6', DD-wisecracking teenager w/very dry sense of humor?

Off to tripadvisor to check reviews on a few hotels. Taking a large helping of salt with me.

 

[emma2]

ICSMOM:
We are looking for up to 3 to join us on two tours - see earlier posting on this thread. But it sounds like you are looking to join a Barcelona tour, if I am reading your post right. Try looking on Cruise Critic for Barcelona recommended tour guides to get some ideas. A half day tour would work for you.
-I am also the talker in the family. DH is the strong silent type! My kids go with the flow - the more we travel the more open they have become.

 

[ohMom]

omg i must've spend 2 hours this morning searching Barcelona hotels. i did not want to spend too much on our one pre-cruise night and i must be picky. finally a landed on a site that seemed to help me narrow them down easier and here is the one I picked if anyone is interested for their own shopping around http://search.europe-cities.com/en/...guests=4&rooms=1&currencyID=1&affid=61#photos i haven't shown my family yet..but for all the time i spent i will most likely pitch a fit if they don't like it

 

[Monstro]

omg i must've spend 2 hours this morning searching Barcelona hotels. i did not want to spend too much on our one pre-cruise night and i must be picky. finally a landed on a site that seemed to help me narrow them down easier and here is the one I picked if anyone is interested for their own shopping around http://search.europe-cities.com/en/...guests=4&rooms=1&currencyID=1&affid=61#photos i haven't shown my family yet..but for all the time i spent i will most likely pitch a fit if they don't like it

ohMom.... That is a helpful site. Thanks

 

[beautifulsmiles]

Hi all ~

We are new to this posting thing, but are so excited about this cruise! We are traveling with a 12 year old boy and 10 year old girl, who have never been to Europe, and we just heard about fish extenders - any of you doing that on this cruise?

 

[corbett744]

Hey all you experienced Spa goers. When we tried to book a masage, we noticed that they are blocked off before 4:30 everyday. Does this indicates they are all booked, or that they just don't do massages earlier in the day. Anybody have any experience with this?

 

[emma2]

This is my first time really participating in a thread so much and ours seems so slow- much less activity than the other med dates. I wonder how full our date is? Where is everyone?

Getting really concerned the way the euro is going up. I thought of buying some euro a couple of months ago but passed. The cost of everything we reserved is now that much more. I really thought it would go down.

I really hope others decide to join us on our two private tours I mentioned earlier - need up to three more ( Rome and Naples/Pompeii/Sorento).

 

[JannasMamma]

Hi all!

Who will be joining us on the 3-day pre-cruise adventure in Barcelona? I'd love to arrange a trip to the aquarium on some of the free time with our DD (age 4).

Does anyone have experience with a 4-year-old on shore excursions? Do I NEED a stroller? She no longer uses one at home, but meltdowns and tantrums are not something I look forward to if the excursions are too intense.

Thanks!

Carri-Ann

 

[Monstro]

Hi all ~

We are new to this posting thing, but are so excited about this cruise! We are traveling with a 12 year old boy and 10 year old girl, who have never been to Europe, and we just heard about fish extenders - any of you doing that on this cruise?

Welcome Aboard! This is going to be a great trip. Three families have signed up for the fish extender. You would be four. you can find the list here.... http://magic2011.wikidot.com/fish-extender

We need an organizer for it. Anyone interested?

 

[Monstro]

Hey all you experienced Spa goers. When we tried to book a masage, we noticed that they are blocked off before 4:30 everyday. Does this indicates they are all booked, or that they just don't do massages earlier in the day. Anybody have any experience with this?

Hi guys. I just checked - it seems there are quite a few hot stones appointments still available. Sea days do tend to fill up fast. I recommend booking as soon as you are able.

 

[Monstro]

There does seem to be a lot of cabins available on the ship for our date. And this does seem to be a slower thread. I hope it picks up as well - it is fun getting to know new people and share experiences when you bump into each other on the ship.

As far as shore excursions with youngens... Someone in our group had a 3 year old. They brought along a folding stroller. it didn't seem to be in the way. We were on a private excursion.

I'd also jump on the requests for private tours. In my experience - as long as you have the right size group they are more affordable than the DCL excursions and you'll see more because your not in a group of 50 or in a big tour bus. I'd jump on emma2's request, but we are already of group of 9.

Our site: http://magic2011.wikidot.com/

 

[Monstro]

Las Ramblas - Barcelona.

 

[emma2]

When I booked this date-I honestly just picked it because it made sense with the kids' school schedule. I didn't think that there would be a price differential with the various summer dates. Is the price difference so big to make our date so much less popular? This date to me would have been the most popular - shows you how much I have to learn!

If there are so many cabins still available - does the price come down? Is there such a thing as a refund to the rest of us who have already paid in full? We already had one price reduction and I thought we were getting a pretty good deal in light of DCL prices. I doubt we can be upgraded since we have 2 connecting rooms - would be easier if we only had one room.

I was so happy to use frequent flier miles for 3 of our 5 tickets - I thought my planning was pretty good. Now I wish the euro would just go down. My kids don't even know about the cruise yet.

 

[Monstro]

When I booked this date-I honestly just picked it because it made sense with the kids' school schedule. I didn't think that there would be a price differential with the various summer dates. Is the price difference so big to make our date so much less popular? This date to me would have been the most popular - shows you how much I have to learn!

I don't think there are so many cabins available that the price will come down anymore. We, all of us got a very good price for this cruise. I think the economy and airfare drove a lot of people away. The June 11 day cruise has more cabins available than ours. The only difference between June and July is July will be a little warmer. In addition, I wouldn't trade a large disboard group for a 10 day cruise. The extra sea day between Rome and Spezia is a much needed and welcome break.

By the way, I just found navigators from our 11 day med cruise in 2007. I'll see if I can post them to the website.