9-08-2010 Pirates through the Mediterranean/ Yo Ho! Yo Ho! A Pirates Life for Us

[Simba One]

Our documents arrived yesterday with our upgraded to category 4 room!

We still don't have a hotel in Barcelona for Tuesday night as hubby keeps putting it off. I was trying to search the thread for suggestions of something fairly affordable?

 

[eeyorelvr10]

I'm still not dancing.

Where, oh, where can my documents be?

Soon and very soon. On a positive note, I know that I had an assigned room on this thread. I thought I had a window. Turns out I was assigned a verandah - and the best part? I don't have to move my stuff for the TA! I'm in the same cabin - 6538!

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

Our TA called today and said she got our docs in today so she's sending them on to us!!!

(DH would have gone to pick them up, but he had to pick DD up at Girl Scout Camp, for some reason they frown on it when you leave the kids there past the end of camp?! )

 

[Daffydee]

Am I the only crazy person flying into Barcelona the morning of the cruise? Do you think this is really taking a chance?

 

[gatzsd]

Man all of you guys are so lucky that have been upgraded to a Verandah!!!! I am currently assigned a Porthole, so I am hoping for a nice surprise as well.

Dee - I don't know if I would risk it, but that is just me - I tend to over worry things. But this is too big of a trip for me to take any chances.

SimbaOne - Did you know you had been upgraded to a 4 or did you find out when you got your docs? We are staying at the Hotel Pulitzer - it looked very nice, got great reviews and is near Placa de Catalunya. I think we got for under 100 Euro if you go through the Hotel's website and do their internet special.

eeyorelvr10 - Did your room number change? Had you checked in recently online and what did it say there?

Jeesh - I want a verandah so bad, but am not willing to pay the extra $1300 for it right now- I'm hoping I will either get a free upgrade or Disney will allow me to do an upgrade for cheaper as we get closer to the date. I already paid $1100 to upgrade to the Porthole. I bet if we had 4 in our group instead of 3 we would have got the upgrade - which makes me think we could have taken someone with us for the same amount we are paying to upgrade!

 

[cquick]

Am I the only crazy person flying into Barcelona the morning of the cruise? Do you think this is really taking a chance?

We are too, I hope everything goes ok!

 

[renegade7]

My docs arrived today!

Hello all!

I just booked this last minute cruise this past weeked and I am SOOOOOOO excited!!! I haven't slept much trying to decide on excursions.

This is my fourth cruise, but my first as a solo (female, thirtysomething), and my first Disney. Did I metion how EXCITED I am!!!

Now that I have discovered this board, its great to see that this thread is so active. I guess it will take a bit of time to read back through the postings.

Any tips for a first time solo cruiser?

Thanks,
Marina

I cruised solo on the Panama Canal cruise in 2008. That is how I met my current cruisemate for this cruise, as she was cruising solo as well. We are both in mid-30's. Look forward to meeting you. We are doing excursions through Disney except Malta and Rome.

Our documents arrived yesterday with our upgraded to category 4 room!

We still don't have a hotel in Barcelona for Tuesday night as hubby keeps putting it off. I was trying to search the thread for suggestions of something fairly affordable?

We are staying at the Praktik Ramblas. Booked a long time ago, so not sure how the rates are now. Lots of people are staying there before the TransAtlantic.

 

[eeyorelvr10]

Am I the only crazy person flying into Barcelona the morning of the cruise? Do you think this is really taking a chance?

Not on this cruise but on the TA, DH and DD are flying in the morning of the 18th. We are thinking of getting transfers as DCL said they will wait on those passengers that have DCL transfers should something happen. I think it was because there is a waitlist for DCL airfare. So this might be a safe route to take. On the other hand, they get in at 8:45 am and all aboard is 4 so I'm willing to take the chance with the transfers to save a ton of $$. Just a thought.

Man all of you guys are so lucky that have been upgraded to a Verandah!!!! I am currently assigned a Porthole, so I am hoping for a nice surprise as well.

Dee - I don't know if I would risk it, but that is just me - I tend to over worry things. But this is too big of a trip for me to take any chances.

SimbaOne - Did you know you had been upgraded to a 4 or did you find out when you got your docs? We are staying at the Hotel Pulitzer - it looked very nice, got great reviews and is near Placa de Catalunya. I think we got for under 100 Euro if you go through the Hotel's website and do their internet special.

eeyorelvr10 - Did your room number change? Had you checked in recently online and what did it say there?Jeesh - I want a verandah so bad, but am not willing to pay the extra $1300 for it right now- I'm hoping I will either get a free upgrade or Disney will allow me to do an upgrade for cheaper as we get closer to the date. I already paid $1100 to upgrade to the Porthole. I bet if we had 4 in our group instead of 3 we would have got the upgrade - which makes me think we could have taken someone with us for the same amount we are paying to upgrade!

I just checked today when I got a little note to check my room. So I did I actually think it was my amazing TA that bugged DCL until they figured - its probably best to give her what she wants and she'll lay off. Got to say something for the Southern charm!

Anyway, this cruise was a cat 11 I believe. But I'm assuming because of the b2b, they gave her what she wanted. Either way, works for me!

Oh! And DH would never pay for a balcony because he prefers playing Sleeping Beauty all day if possible. I'm hoping on this cruise that he will change his mind and see the benefits of traveling with light. I'm not holding out hope because if its between traveling a balcony and less cruises vs more cruises in bat caves - I'm choosing the bat cave again.

 

[gatzsd]

Not on this cruise but on the TA, DH and DD are flying in the morning of the 18th. We are thinking of getting transfers as DCL said they will wait on those passengers that have DCL transfers should something happen. I think it was because there is a waitlist for DCL airfare. So this might be a safe route to take. On the other hand, they get in at 8:45 am and all aboard is 4 so I'm willing to take the chance with the transfers to save a ton of $$. Just a thought.



I just checked today when I got a little note to check my room. So I did I actually think it was my amazing TA that bugged DCL until they figured - its probably best to give her what she wants and she'll lay off. Got to say something for the Southern charm!

Anyway, this cruise was a cat 11 I believe. But I'm assuming because of the b2b, they gave her what she wanted. Either way, works for me!

Oh! And DH would never pay for a balcony because he prefers playing Sleeping Beauty all day if possible. I'm hoping on this cruise that he will change his mind and see the benefits of traveling with light. I'm not holding out hope because if its between traveling a balcony and less cruises vs more cruises in bat caves - I'm choosing the bat cave again.

So I'm confused? Did you get the note from your TA or from DCL? What did you book for the Med portion and Transatlantic portion and what did you get? What do you think your TA said to DCL to get them to move you up? Any advice I can get to get moved up would be great!!

 

[caaimee]

This is my fourth cruise, but my first as a solo (female, thirtysomething), and my first Disney. Did I metion how EXCITED I am!!!

Any tips for a first time solo cruiser?

Welcome Marina,
This is my 2nd/3rd solo Magic Cruise. (Med/Transatlantic - 24 days of Disney Magic)
My first solo cruise was the Baltic June 2010.

Disney had Single's Mingle ("an informal gathering" "with cruise staff") at 5:30pm several nights on my Baltic Cruise. I heard they were not well attended. (I missed most of them because of shore excursions, or other activities ... I think I was in the spa.)
I got some strange comments from a few of the Disney staff and some really weird comments from a passenger or two. It wasn't enough to ruin my trip, because after the 12 night Baltic, I've signed up for 24 nights.

My grandmother said bring 1/2 as much stuff and twice as much money. I continue to overpack, and the B2B is going to be a challenge. (I was really glad I brought my own reusable cup and my own laundry detergent.)

Bring your sense of humor, everything else you can buy, borrow, or live without.

Amy (another female thirtysomething)
PM me if you are interested in pairing up for a shore excursion.

 

[travelbug24]

Am I the only crazy person flying into Barcelona the morning of the cruise? Do you think this is really taking a chance?

Naw, we are just as crazy. Documents came today! Hoping to be upgraded like last time but no such luck.

 

[Marie Mary-Ellen]

We found a reasonable hotel in Barcelona, it seems to be quite near the cruise port, and it would be great to have more people staying there, I list the website for you.....maybe they still have availibility. Good luck.

www.hoteles-silken.com/hotel-concordia-barcelona/en/


Marie, Jon, Alan, Dawn, Murray and Meredith..... x

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Am I the only crazy person flying into Barcelona the morning of the cruise? Do you think this is really taking a chance?

Yes, it's taking a chance, but we're doing it also. Just can't afford any additional time off from work.

 

[Ajojo]

Originally Posted by Daffydee
Am I the only crazy person flying into Barcelona the morning of the cruise? Do you think this is really taking a chance?

I will be flying in that morning as well. I was happy my boss gave me two weeks off!

Marina

 

[Simba One]

I don't have mine either - but maybe because I upgraded our cabin a little bit ago.

We booked directly thru DCL and when I log into my acct it gave us our cabin/room number before it actually arrived in the mail. We booked cat 6 and got cat 4. We are happy, but cat 6 would have been fine. We also got a pretty awesome deal for cat 6 and maybe the deal will be sweeter to upgrade as we get closer?

 

[Simba One]

We found a reasonable hotel in Barcelona, it seems to be quite near the cruise port, and it would be great to have more people staying there, I list the website for you.....maybe they still have availibility. Good luck.

www.hoteles-silken.com/hotel-concordia-barcelona/en/


Marie, Jon, Alan, Dawn, Murray and Meredith..... x

I am looking into your hotel, as I would still love to meet you! Good thing I can read a fair bit of Spanish as the entire site is written en Espanol!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Well, the documents arrived today! However, they indicate that we have no ground transfers to the ship!

We originally booked the WBTA first and that's where the airfare and ground transfers were paid.

We got our airflight info (with the correct arrival date - Sept 8) at the beginning of July, but, for reasons unknown, our reservation still shows our ground transfers as Sep 18. I already called once about this and they said - "It's OK, we're expecting you on the 8th." Obviously not.

Gotta call Air services tomorrow.

 

[Daffydee]

Well I feel a little better knowing that I'm not the only coming in that morning. Hopefully all will go well with everyone that day. We are flying US Air out of Philly on September 7th. Is anyone else on that flight?

 

[Ajojo]

Well I feel a little better knowing that I'm not the only coming in that morning. Hopefully all will go well with everyone that day. We are flying US Air out of Philly on September 7th. Is anyone else on that flight?

I booked air thru Disney and fly Delta. Houston-Atlanta-Barcelona on Sept 7.

I dont have my documents yet and when I called they said I should have them next week.

Marina

 

[Simba One]

We are taking the long way...Leave Sept 5 Chicago to Raleigh/Durham to London, 12 hr layover in London (sightseeing!) and then on to Barcelona! American Airlines. Arrive Barcelona Sept 6 LATE! Gives us the 7th to relax, sleep, and see Barcelona.