All in one place: Please Post info from your DCL Med excursions HERE

[colleenlg]

Thanks so much for your response, Jokicha! I will send a fax to the Vatican today!

 

[Eeyorefan12]

Hi all,

We're booked on the VIP Vatican tour. I wondered if there is any time to shop for a few minutes while there. I can't imagine going on this and not bringing back at least a prayer card or something for family who would have loved to go. (Very big cradle Catholic family.) Does the guide give you a few minutes for this...if there's a shop near the tour route?

Thanks!

 

[golfmom]

I was reading the Navigators from the first cruise, posted on Allears.net and I noticed that the "Su Gologone and Wild Sardinia" excursion was not listed on the first page of places to meet for your excursion. Can anyone tell me if it shows up on the later cruise navigators? We have 5 adults signed up for this one and were just wondering if it had been cancelled.

Jenna from Idaho

 

[MrsJobba1]

Me too - Looking @ the navigators in Naples I cant find the Italian island and Beach resort excursion listed - I hope this is not cancelled I really wanted to do it?

Anyone?

 

[pinkpixey]

I too am interested in changing to a private tour group for Florence. For those of you who used the privateshoretrips (aka Travels with Friends) I would like your feedback. Also, what did you do about meals? Where did you go and was it shorter than the 2 hour lunch with Disney? Does the tour guide provide info/commentary at museums or other sites other than on the drive? The website for this tour group gave me the impression that they don't use licensed guides therefore they don't provide commentary other than on the drive, is this true?
Does anyone have another tour group they would recommend?

 

[pinkpixey]

Okay, another question I need help with. We will be visiting DLP for 4 days prior to our MED cruise. MY 12 yr. old DS is an avid WWII buff and is begging to go to Omaha Beach, D-Day Beach, etc. from Paris. I really want to accommodate him however I have no idea how to do this. Does anyone have any experience with this? How do I get there, train, rent a car, book a tour out of Paris ? Which tour groups are good? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[pinkpixey]

Sorry, I'm off topic. I realized after it was too late that the WWII questions really belong someplace else, this is new to me.

 

[colleenlg]

I've been to Omaha Beach - really a good experience for your son and the rest of the family. I went with a French family I was living with & it was some years ago, but I don't think it'd be too difficult to do. I'd recommend getting a Rick Steves book on France since he gives very practical, easy to use information on how to get to/from sights. How great that your son is interested in history & that you are encouragin this!

 

[pinkpixey]

thanks so much, I think I will get a Rick Steves book since I have heard so many good things about them.

 

[sharolyn]

if you search my posts you will see that i can not say enough about touring with this group. it depends on what you want if you get someone who will go in and comment or not. for pompeii, we had him go in with us and comment. with the vatican, we went through the bishop's office for american tourist, so we could get a group tour so we had a tourguide through the vatican do commentary. We did not buy our tickets to the collesium through them, so no tour guide there, but we had someone in our group who had just gone tell us what we needed to know. Anyway, they were awesome...highly recomend them!!! They worked with all the reservations that I had made, and just made it all work for us. It was great....no worries, great guides, great drivers, wonderul buses. They took what we asked for and helped us to it all. And we asked for a lot...combine about three different tours in one at each port - naples, rome and florence/pisa.

 

[taysmom]

There's a guy on the 6/16 board, that did almost all private tours and has been very successful. His disname is Jeff Spencer. I'd pm him for info. He has always done more and been quite happy. I've been jealous. I think he has a blog going so just find his name click on his blog for more info.
yesterday we did monaco, monte carlo and eze. It was FANTASTIC. It was an all day excursion, that didn't feel like one! We had alessandra as our guide and she was great. This was the best excursion for me and my daughter by far. Beautiful cities and a great lunch. Plus an hour casino or shopping stop.
I'm sad our trip is over!
Steph

 

[eeyorelvr10]

Quick question for anyone that did the Vatican Tour - did they allow the camera's into the Chapel and if they did - which I read somewhere up there - did anyone notice if anyone had a monopod or a tripod with them? Am wondering if they would allow a monopod that collapses to help steady for a non-flash photo?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[eeyorelvr10]

Oh yeah - when one talks about shoulders covered - how much must be covered? I am planning on bringing a scarf, cardigan or something to cover but I am bringing some short short sleve tops that do cover the round part of the shoulder. Am wondering just how much of the shoulder is considered proper? Just in case I need to have DD's and BFF bring more proper shirts. Nowadays some of the shirts for the girls have a short short sleeve. Just curious. Thanks

 

[eeyorelvr10]

One more - did anyone here do the Repo over to the Med? I have a question in regards to Gibraltar. I'm in search of that thread right now. Check back later.

 

[Hygiene99]

Found this article, of one of the Highlights of our Cruise..

EZE ~~~~~~~ Les Trois Etoiles
http://luxuryexperience.com/luxury_products/pantry/les_trois_etoiles.html

Horst was a very very nice man!!!

Was alot of fun!!!

oh, and we where 10 minutes late getting back to the excursion bus!!!
To many samples.....

 

[kidcoos3]

There's a guy on the 6/16 board, that did almost all private tours and has been very successful. His disname is Jeff Spencer. I'd pm him for info. He has always done more and been quite happy. I've been jealous. I think he has a blog going so just find his name click on his blog for more info.
yesterday we did monaco, monte carlo and eze. It was FANTASTIC. It was an all day excursion, that didn't feel like one! We had alessandra as our guide and she was great. This was the best excursion for me and my daughter by far. Beautiful cities and a great lunch. Plus an hour casino or shopping stop.
I'm sad our trip is over!
Steph

DId you do monaco, monte carlo and eze on your own or with disney?

 

[formerCPer]

Anyone do the Arles & Olive Oil excursion in Marseilles? We're booked and it looks interesting, but I haven't seen a word about it.
Thanks!

 

[JennL]

(I went to Italy with my college, I got lost, by myself, in every city we went to and survived. Some lesson's learnd that might help in planning for your Med cruise.)

Italy:

Their ice cream is lovely. Eat lots.

Mostly people in the tourist places speak English. Pointing, drawing pictures, works also. Picking up enough Italian to be able to order off a menu is priceless.

They think of meals as social time so they take a long time.

Don't drink tap water.

Rome:

Reminded me of New York but with Roman ruins, most western of the cities we went to. Wandering around the forum, Circus Maximus, Capitaline Hill is fun and simple to do sans tour. Some great fountains and squares to expriance / photograph.

For the Vatican:

Do not think about planing to take pictures in the Sistine Chappel! The company who paid for the restoration, owns the film rights to the frescos and really it is too dark to shoot them with out a comercial lighting rig. And the guards find you and throw you out. Happened to a friend of mine so I didn't even think about trying when I went.

Instead I tried to take pictures in stairwells of the nifty carvings and got yelled at. They really don't want you taking pictures inside.

Interior coat pockets are wonderful. I had this jacket with large pockets. Fit my pasport, cards, money, water bottle, maps, camera, notebook with room for postcards, and gifts!

Yes Italy has pickpockets. Be on the look out!

Florence:

Lots of wonderful shopping! Nice places on the Ponte Vecchio but you need time to haggle! I bought a lovely gold bracelet that they cut down to fit. There is a market with a boar that is better for quick shopping and you can start a bidding war pretty easily between vendors. Bought this amazing leather breifcase, scarfs, ties, a wallet, and a marble leaning tower of Piza.

Also some amazing churches! The Duomo and is great and also provides a good landmark when getting lost! Much of the city is on a grid plan so it is easy to get around.

 

[kyla]

Found this article, of one of the Highlights of our Cruise..

EZE ~~~~~~~ Les Trois Etoiles
http://luxuryexperience.com/luxury_products/pantry/les_trois_etoiles.html

Horst was a very very nice man!!!

Was alot of fun!!!

oh, and we where 10 minutes late getting back to the excursion bus!!!
To many samples.....

It looks like their goodies comes in fancy bottles. How did you get your purchases home safely?

 

[Valencia Joe]

(I went to Italy with my college, I got lost, by myself, in every city we went to and survived. Some lesson's learnd that might help in planning for your Med cruise.)

Italy:

Their ice cream is lovely. Eat lots.

Mostly people in the tourist places speak English. Pointing, drawing pictures, works also. Picking up enough Italian to be able to order off a menu is priceless.

They think of meals as social time so they take a long time.

Don't drink tap water.

For the Vatican:

Do not think about planing to take pictures in the Sistine Chappel! The company who paid for the restoration, owns the film rights to the frescos and really it is too dark to shoot them with out a comercial lighting rig. And the guards find you and throw you out. Happened to a friend of mine so I didn't even think about trying when I went.

First of all, Italy is NOT a third world country and it is safe to drink the tap water in any small or large city you to to. A matter of fact, some towns have a central water faucet and I have never tasted water so clean and cold coming from a tap in my life.

Second, the reason why photographs are not allowed in the Sistine Chapel is that the flash will eventually wear down the color of the paintings. I know it may sound obsurd, but over time, flash light will wear down the color of that magnificent work of art. Fuji was paid millions to restore the Sistine Chapel, and I don't think that the Italians or the Vatican would hand over picture rights in addition to paying them their fees.

Finally, with regards to the language barrier, make an honest effort and try to speak the language of the country you are visiting. Don't be the arrogant American and start speaking English everywhere you go and expecting whoever is helping you to know English too. It helps to bring along a little phrase book with you when you go out touring. I found that the person helping you appreciates the fact that you are trying to communicate with them in their language. That has worked in every country that I have visited.