7/9/11 - Summer Magic in the Med

[Monstro]

Got our travel documents on Saturday! One question; the documents indicated that I had not signed my daughter up for any youth activities but could do so on-line. My daughter Peyton is 11 and is planning on the Tween club. Is there something I am missing or do we just sign up when we get there? Thanks!

Paul

You can do either. I wonder why they would push that. We got our Documents today.

Jeff

 

[ohMom]

we got our documents yesterday...and it says Rome day ends at 9 p.m.? what gives with this confusion? i had been thinking of pre-purchasig our train tickets to Rom to avoid the lines but now i'm not so sure. maybe just one-way in the morning, does anyone know if that outbound train to Rome (first one we could catch) might sell out? we have a walking tour scheduled at 11 a.m.

we opted to go to Cinque Terre in La Spezia and i just got Rick Steve's Italian countryside DVD from the library and he has a segment on it. it looks fab! now i'm super excited to go and just chill and eat some fresh seafood ;0)

 

[Kaleigh]

we got our documents yesterday...and it says Rome day ends at 9 p.m.? what gives with this confusion? i had been thinking of pre-purchasig our train tickets to Rom to avoid the lines but now i'm not so sure. maybe just one-way in the morning, does anyone know if that outbound train to Rome (first one we could catch) might sell out? we have a walking tour scheduled at 11 a.m.
Don't worry about tickets selling out or about the lines. I was there a month ago and there were 4 ships in port that day and it was no issue. Don't prepurchase tickets. The one you want is the BIRG ticket which is 9 euros and pays for your trip there and back as well as all metros and buses in Rome for the day. It is a great deal. This train doesn't "sell out". It might get pretty full as you get closer to Rome, but they will still let people on. Civitavecchia is where it leaves from, so it would take hoards of people to fill that train up. If you need any more information about how to do Rome on your own, or any other port, my website in my signature has all my research from my cruises last year and this year.

we opted to go to Cinque Terre in La Spezia and i just got Rick Steve's Italian countryside DVD from the library and he has a segment on it. it looks fab! now i'm super excited to go and just chill and eat some fresh seafood ;0)
My friends did the Cinque Terre last year and loved it. Have fun!

 

[lcsmom]

Got our travel documents, too. I hadn't even noticed the Rome time. Several of the times are different from what Disney Cruise Line has. I'm going with the earliest time onboard and will view actual later times as a bonus.
DH is rather conservative and he was fine with the 10:30 Vatican tour we have booked.
So, ohMom, shall we catch the first train together?

 

[ohMom]

Kaleigh -- thank you for such great info!

lcsmom -- you bet! we are sooooo there!

so, i wrote DCL and here was the email response i got

6/8/11

Dear Molli,

Thank you for choosing a Disney Cruise Line vacation!

I would be happy to assist you.

The 'All Aboard' time for Civitavecchia is 9:00 pm on July 14, 2011.
Itineraries are subject to change, so please check your Personal Navigator once onboard to confirm the most current information.

I hope this information has been helpful. If you require further assistance in planning your visit, please feel free to contact us.

We look forward to sailing with you!

Have a Magical Day!

JD
Reservations Department
Disney Cruise Line

 

[lcsmom]

Thank you, thank you, ohMom!!! Never occured to me to email Disney.
DH will not be rushing ME out of Rome if the 9PM holds. HIS formula: need to be at ship 30 minutes before all aboard, need to allow 30-45 minutes for train snafus, use the longest commute time on the timetable, double the time to walk from train to port.......
We chose the 10:30 Vatican tour because he wasn't sure a 2:30 would be over in time to get back to the ship by 7PM.
Now where are those pictures I found of the ticket machines to get our BIRG tickets? Was it Rick Steves website? It looks like there are trains at 7:59 and 8:41; the one at 8:59 will be too late for us, should work for you. Now to convince the teenager to dress appropriately.

 

[Kaleigh]

Here is the link to the picture of the computer screens/validation boxes with instructions for buying train tickets. It is just as easy to buy from an agent. They know what you want because they get so many cruisers through. They understand enough English for it not to be an issue.
http://www.roninrome.com/transportation/buying-train-tickets-updated

 

[Minnie328]

Has anyone in a GTY received their room assignment yet? I'm anxiously awaiting ours....

 

[disneymom13176]

If anyone would like the Navigators, port shopping guides and/or other documents from the 11 night med cruise from May 28 send me a PM with your email address and I will forward you lots of documents. I hope you enjoy your cruise as much as I enjoyed mine.

Happy Sailing!
Amy

 

[JannasMamma]

Hi Minnie 328.

We are also waiting for our GTY assignment. If the first Med cruise of this year is a guide, many people got theirs between 10 & 15 days before sailing.....so "soon".

Carri-Ann

 

[Monstro]

We should organize a meet. There are navigators for the first 11 day med cruise posted on the med questions thread. Let's find a time and meet.

 

[Monstro]

We should organize a meet. There are navigators for the first 11 day med cruise posted on the med questions thread. Let's find a time and meet.

Will everyone be on board by 3:00? I'd suggest Embarkation day at 3:00 in the Promenade Lounge.

 

[johnlatte]

Jeff, great idea, thanks for setting this up. I've haven't been active on the thread much, but are now in full blown planning mode. Spent today getting caught up on the thread. Hopefully this trip we will be able to make the meet. Have for some reason miss the others on the last 2 of our cruises.

BTW here's our excursions, if anyone has daughter's in the 10-12 year old range, mine would love to hang out on the tours or in the pool/club/lab.

Malta - Turkish Schooner
Palermo - Beach Day to Mondello either with Dis or on our own
Naples - Pompeii, Sorrento and Capri
Civitavecchia - Private Tour to Rome
La Spezia - Private Tour to Florence and a quick pict stop at Pisa
Corsica - Nothing planned, may just bang around town or go to the beach.
Villefranche - Nice and Monaco (w/side trip to Eze)

Also we are staying in Barcelona post cruise for a couple of days, are planning on going Montserrat. Would be open to booking a day tour or going walkabout style if anyone is interested in joining in. The more you have on a tour the less $$.

Can't wait to meet you all on this trip!

John

 

[Dazed]

Will everyone be on board by 3:00? I'd suggest Embarkation day at 3:00 in the Promenade Lounge.

Hi Jeff,
Great idea. We'll be there! That is assuming I can find it! I've a hopeless sense of direction but hopefully will still have DS Craig(15) in toe to guide the way! I'll be the one clutching a deck plan guide for the first few days

Ann

 

[emma2]

Lots of info from the first med cruisers. We signed up for the Mysterious Palermo tour and there were 2 comments of being people being disappointed. Now I am wondering if we should do a private tour of Palermo and Monreale with Rome in Limo. I really do not want to do this port on our own.

Any thoughts from others on this. We are 5 - maybe we can get join up with others to do a private tour. Or has anyone heard good things or has done the Mysterious Palermo tour in the past?

Monstro - the meet sounds good.

Our boarding time is 10:30 and we plan to be there - want to get on the ship asap.

 

[Monstro]

Lots of info from the first med cruisers. We signed up for the Mysterious Palermo tour and there were 2 comments of being people being disappointed. Now I am wondering if we should do a private tour of Palermo and Monreale with Rome in Limo. I really do not want to do this port on our own.

Any thoughts from others on this. We are 5 - maybe we can get join up with others to do a private tour. Or has anyone heard good things or has done the Mysterious Palermo tour in the past?

Monstro - the meet sounds good.

Our boarding time is 10:30 and we plan to be there - want to get on the ship asap.

We did a private tour of Monreale and Segesta in 2007. Loved it. We're doing a private mysterious Palermo. We'll see how it goes.

That is four people who like Embarkation day at 3:00 in the Promanade lounge for a Dismeet. Any other preferences?

Jeff

 

[JannasMamma]

Meet time sounds good to me

 

[ohMom]

the meet time sounds great to me too!!

johnlatte -- i'm definately interested in hearing more about a Montserrat tour! There are 4 of us, our daughters are a bit older at 18 and 14, sorry

what is boarding time for us normal folks? i'm assuming 10:30 is platinum CC or conceriege? the cruise docs say 1 p.m.....what does should we get to port?

I'm trying to figure out our luggage situation...ugh...not fun. then i'll be ready to move onto the fun part of starting to set things out!

I feel like i need to spend more time understanding transportation around Rome, we plan on train to Rome to Vatican city to meet with our local tour guide. After the tour we want to see Trevi fountain and i assumed that was near center of town and happenings and places to eat? Then back to ship from there. My family would like to take the scenic route back and see the Colisuem....is that even possible? thanks for any input

 

[MagicCanuc]

Time and place sounds good for me too.

 

[drewmisha]

Thanks for offering. Can you tell me what was your dining rotation? Was it PLA, LAP, or APL?

If anyone would like the Navigators, port shopping guides and/or other documents from the 11 night med cruise from May 28 send me a PM with your email address and I will forward you lots of documents. I hope you enjoy your cruise as much as I enjoyed mine.

Happy Sailing!
Amy