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

[travelbug24]

You do different port activities than are offered as normal excursions.

Did you get a ABD for Tunis?

 

[tig82174]

Did you get a ABD for Tunis?

There is an ABD day of events and activities for every port day...and some special events/meets/gatherings/activities aboard on sea days, too.....so, yes, there is an ABD thing for Tunis....if I recall, it involves a street bazaar, belly dancing classes, a traditional lunch, a lesson on baking a traditional tunisian bread, etc.

 

[travelbug24]

There is an ABD day of events and activities for every port day...and some special events/meets/gatherings/activities aboard on sea days, too.....so, yes, there is an ABD thing for Tunis....if I recall, it involves a street bazaar, belly dancing classes, a traditional lunch, a lesson on baking a traditional tunisian bread, etc.

Can you link me up? or PM me? Debbie

Did some research and it looks like your whole vacation is booked with ABD and I cannot book just one excursion. Aw, darn.

 

[tig82174]

Can you link me up? or PM me? Debbie

Did some research and it looks like your whole vacation is booked with ABD and I cannot book just one excursion. Aw, darn.

Yeah you have to book your whole trip with ABD...and at this late point in teh game I don't know if they are even accepting anymore reservations or if there are openings. you'd probably have to contact Disney/ABD to see.

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

Cruise documents showed up today!!!

Is it time to pack yet?

 

[renegade7]

Hi
Just booked this Cruise yesterday so I have a lot of catching up to do in the short time we have left Grrr I have missed the gift giving thingy I love stuff like that. I will read back through the posts @ some point in and amongst getting info etc. Oh so exciting. We chose this cruise due to bringing my Grandaughter on her very first Cruise We Love her to bits (as we do our other grannie children) We have cruised many times before from inside to out to balcony rooms. The dissision this year was a balcony room for my Hubby and myself or an inside and bring our Grandaughter (Think you know what we chose (not that hard a dissision really) So because I am so late in joining can anyone give me a quick update On any other meets planned (wants to join the gift giving) No I totally understand that their had to be some sort of cut off point. Oh forgot to mention my DG is 7. I wanted to get the dvd for her of the cruise from the officail site but so annoying they only send to Canada and USA grrr unless any one knows diferent and can point me in the right direction to get one sent to the UK. Any links to threads on this site that you think may be of interest helpful to us please send them me like i mentioned earlier i will be here day and night searching info lol and need all the help I can get. 1 thing I do need to ask is have they got tea/coffee making facilitys in the rooms? Well I have rabbited on long enough. Cant wait to see GD face and share in her excitement I am a big kid @ heart dances off singing disney tunes .........Oh and thankyou to Thuronald from the other forum for adding the link to this site in his post.

No there are no tea/coffee making facilities in the room. You can order room service to get them or head up to deck 9 and bring coffee/tea back to the room.

 

[bnjmcleod]

My husband and I are from Montana and are on the Disney Magic Mediterranean Cruise Sep 8-18 out of Barcelona. We are not booking any shore excursions through Disney but are interested in connecting with others who may be doing shore excursions on their own.

Also, we are spending two days in Barcelona prior to sailing and would like suggestions as to a couple of MUST SEE things there. Our hotel is in the city center and supposedly has access to trains/buses to the airport, port, tourist areas. I am learning Spanish and look forward to a some immersion in the language.

Our hope is to see the main things the brochure describes in every port - on our own. We are hoping to catch the train to Rome and buy tickets for the Vatican Museum online. Also , we would like to know if others have done DIY shore excursions successfully. We are bringing a handheld GPS (or an iPad - but worry about things getting stolen), maps, and travel guides.

On another subject, are there any formal activities on the ship? We love ballroom dancing and dressing up (tux, gown). We're newbies to this, so it would be nice to get some info. Thanks!

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

My husband and I are from Montana and are on the Disney Magic Mediterranean Cruise Sep 8-18 out of Barcelona. We are not booking any shore excursions through Disney but are interested in connecting with others who may be doing shore excursions on their own.

Also, we are spending two days in Barcelona prior to sailing and would like suggestions as to a couple of MUST SEE things there. Our hotel is in the city center and supposedly has access to trains/buses to the airport, port, tourist areas. I am learning Spanish and look forward to a some immersion in the language.

Our hope is to see the main things the brochure describes in every port - on our own. We are hoping to catch the train to Rome and buy tickets for the Vatican Museum online. Also , we would like to know if others have done DIY shore excursions successfully. We are bringing a handheld GPS (or an iPad - but worry about things getting stolen), maps, and travel guides.

On another subject, are there any formal activities on the ship? We love ballroom dancing and dressing up (tux, gown). We're newbies to this, so it would be nice to get some info. Thanks!

Welcome Aboard!!!

There is a thread on the main site from someone who did the Med cruise and did all of their shore excursions on their own, lots of good information on there for you, I'll try and find the link, it's probably quite a few pages back by now.

There will be a formal night and a semi-formal night if you want to dress up for it, I don't think there is any ballroom dancing, but the dressing will sure be there, we're going to have a great time!

 

[cquick]

Yes. You had to book the Adventures by Disney package separately and the very BASIC descriptions of ABD port activities are actually on the ABD site, not the DCL site.
Jason and I are really excited for the ABD feature just because we love letting Disney do all the planning and legwork (I'm on vacation...I reserve the right to be lazy) and we love the idea of the smaller group and a more hands on feel.

Oh,. yes, I would do theh ABD option if I could! Sounds wonderful!

 

[tluther5406]

I just found out about this site the other day. I had been checking the Cruise Critic site for Disney Excursion reviews, but there aren't many. Since there are so many pages here, can anyone quickly tell me a good place to find reviews/ratings of the Disney excursions? I also noticed that someone created their own website for another upcoming Med cruise with excursion info including sharing excursions. Has anyone done that for this cruise date? Any help would be greatly appreciated since our date is quickly approaching! Thanks in advance.

 

[WilliamK99]

Curious as to what everyone is going to be doing in Tunisia? Based on what day it is, my wife and I are debating on whether we just want to even leave the ship with our children. Especially with me being active military.

If anything is there anything to do in Tunisia right off the ship? If anything we'll do a structured Disney tour as that would probably be alot safer than trying it on our own...

 

[Ajojo]

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.

Thanks Amy. I sent the PM

Would be curious to see what others are planning for their iteneraries to try to get some ideas for my own. I still need an idea for La Spezia

 

[tig82174]

Curious as to what everyone is going to be doing in Tunisia? Based on what day it is, my wife and I are debating on whether we just want to even leave the ship with our children. Especially with me being active military.

If anything is there anything to do in Tunisia right off the ship? If anything we'll do a structured Disney tour as that would probably be alot safer than trying it on our own...

My friends went on the Med cruise in May and said there are camels you can ride literally right off the ship at the port (not a Disney excursion---you just pay the camel handlers----kind of like riding the ponies at a county fair ). Her 2 children really thought that was a fun experience and sent me videos of it.

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

Curious as to what everyone is going to be doing in Tunisia? Based on what day it is, my wife and I are debating on whether we just want to even leave the ship with our children. Especially with me being active military.

If anything is there anything to do in Tunisia right off the ship? If anything we'll do a structured Disney tour as that would probably be alot safer than trying it on our own...

We are doing Sidi Bou Said and Carthage through DCL. We realized the date very early on but decided that going through DCL is probably safer than going to one of the markets that day. We wanted to see Carthage and staying on the ship would be letting the bad guys win. Your kids are a bit younger than ours though so might be a good day for them to enjoy the Mickey slide in a less crowded setting.

 

[cquick]

Curious as to what everyone is going to be doing in Tunisia? Based on what day it is, my wife and I are debating on whether we just want to even leave the ship with our children. Especially with me being active military.

If anything is there anything to do in Tunisia right off the ship? If anything we'll do a structured Disney tour as that would probably be alot safer than trying it on our own...

have you looked at http://www.eportreviews.com/Europe/Tunis_Tunisia.htm

I think we are just going to walk around the town. We are not too sure on this one yet either.

 

[WilliamK99]

Thanks Amy. I sent the PM

Would be curious to see what others are planning for their iteneraries to try to get some ideas for my own. I still need an idea for La Spezia

My wife and I are used to the train system in Germany, so we are going to try the train system in Italy and take the train from La Spezia to Pisa probably, this seems alot cheaper than taking the Disney bus to Pisa and paying 4 times as much.

 

[cquick]

My husband was thinking of hiking along the Blue Trail that connects the Cique Terre. There's a really good website about that.

http://www.italylogue.com/featured-articles/hiking-guide-to-the-cinque-terre.html

Since La Spezia is a tendering port, I am not sure if I can get Patrick off the ship.

Connie

 

[renegade7]

My husband and I are from Montana and are on the Disney Magic Mediterranean Cruise Sep 8-18 out of Barcelona. We are not booking any shore excursions through Disney but are interested in connecting with others who may be doing shore excursions on their own.

Also, we are spending two days in Barcelona prior to sailing and would like suggestions as to a couple of MUST SEE things there. Our hotel is in the city center and supposedly has access to trains/buses to the airport, port, tourist areas. I am learning Spanish and look forward to a some immersion in the language.

Our hope is to see the main things the brochure describes in every port - on our own. We are hoping to catch the train to Rome and buy tickets for the Vatican Museum online. Also , we would like to know if others have done DIY shore excursions successfully. We are bringing a handheld GPS (or an iPad - but worry about things getting stolen), maps, and travel guides.

On another subject, are there any formal activities on the ship? We love ballroom dancing and dressing up (tux, gown). We're newbies to this, so it would be nice to get some info. Thanks!

I am arriving in Barcelona on the morning of 9/6 (via Continental from EWR). I have not figured out what I am doing yet with my 2.5 days. I do know I want to see a few things I did not get to last time I was there (2007) Park Guell, Gothic Quarter, Market off the Ramblas (la Boqueria), a few of the Gaudi house (Casa Batllo). As for dining I would like to do a tapas restaurant. I think this is a really good website to check out to help in your planning.

Here is what I have for each night:
Attire/Menu Theme/Show
Cruise Casual/Let the Magic Begin/Let the Magic Begin
Formal/Prince & Princess/Twice Charmed
Cruise Casual/Rotational/Variety
Cruise Casual/Rotational/Once Upon a Song
Cruise Casual/Rotational/The Dream Goes On
Cruise Casual/Master Chef/Variety
Cruise Casual/Pirate/Crew Talent Show
Cruise Casual/Villains Tonight/Villains Tonight
Semi-Formal/Capitans Gala/Disney Dreams
Cruise Casual/Til We Meet Again/Remember the Magic

(Please note this is not 100% guaranteed and subject to change - I got this from things I read on previous Med cruises (before the Baltic's), not sure if anything has changed since then.)

I just found out about this site the other day. I had been checking the Cruise Critic site for Disney Excursion reviews, but there aren't many. Since there are so many pages here, can anyone quickly tell me a good place to find reviews/ratings of the Disney excursions? I also noticed that someone created their own website for another upcoming Med cruise with excursion info including sharing excursions. Has anyone done that for this cruise date? Any help would be greatly appreciated since our date is quickly approaching! Thanks in advance.

If you have any specific excurisions you are looking at or ideas of what you think you want to do, you should post a new thread in DCL forum asking about them. Also you could check out some of the trip reports and read what others did.

Curious as to what everyone is going to be doing in Tunisia? Based on what day it is, my wife and I are debating on whether we just want to even leave the ship with our children. Especially with me being active military.

If anything is there anything to do in Tunisia right off the ship? If anything we'll do a structured Disney tour as that would probably be alot safer than trying it on our own...

I am doing a tour through Dinsey. I have heard really mixed reviews about Tunisia. I did read up on it quite a bit so I have my expectations. Considered doing this port on our own, but being 2 females without escorts we figured it was better in a group setting. I had not realized the date until someone else brought it up on here, but I am living life as anything could happen anywhere (at home, anywhere on this trip, etc) so I am going to enjoy what I want to do and live life to the fullest of course with my wits about me at all times not to become a victim. (JMO)

My wife and I are used to the train system in Germany, so we are going to try the train system in Italy and take the train from La Spezia to Pisa probably, this seems alot cheaper than taking the Disney bus to Pisa and paying 4 times as much.

I think you should be fine, from my reading, but just make sure you know the train schedule and allow lots of extra time in case a train is late/not running. Also, if you want to do the leaning tower (walk up) you should make a reservation online.

 

[gatzsd]

I think we are going to treat Tunisia like a sea day. I don't really care for the markets as I have been to several like it before and its usually stuff I'm not interested in buying. I wouldn't mind seeing Sidi Bau Said as it looks very beautiful, but I have heard Cathage is somewhat of a disappointment. Since this is such a port intensive cruise, I wanted to build another sea day in for relaxing. We may get off the ship just to buy a postcard at the port. If my daughter wants to ride the camel, I will let her, but it is a touristy gimmacy thing because they don't use camels in Tunisia I believe. We did it in Egypt though and it was fun - nothing like riding a camel through the desert looking at the great pyramids!

For La Spezia - DH and I are going to do the Cinque Terre. Will do on our own using the local train and my trusty Rick Steves guide book. Probably leave DD on the ship. I would have loved to do Florence, but I have heard amazing things about the Cinque Terre so thought it would give me a break from all the art/museums to just relax and enjoy the scenery.

 

[cquick]

We are doing Sidi Bou Said and Carthage through DCL. We realized the date very early on but decided that going through DCL is probably safer than going to one of the markets that day. We wanted to see Carthage and staying on the ship would be letting the bad guys win. Your kids are a bit younger than ours though so might be a good day for them to enjoy the Mickey slide in a less crowded setting.

Do many people feel that there might be problems because of the date?