August 13, 2011 Med - Mickey's Marauding Mates

[mikki.young]

I have just paid the final balance. Didn't want to forget by mistake! And the credit card bill will still come the same date even if I waited until the last minute.

Now I am looking at Virgin Money who do a credit card type thing I can preload with euros and then just use it to spend in europe or get cash out of ATMs. Might save on too much cash carrying around. So glad we didn't join the euro!

 

[Kels Sem]

Hey Annie, Sorry I haven't done anymore about booking the transfers yet. I just need to confirm some times with you. What time shall we get them to pick us up at the Novotel? Will all this talk on these boards about the change in allocating boarding cards effect us?
They will not charge any more for the dropping us at the Hotel Jazz and the Novotel which is good news. Now what time do we need to be picked up at the port? We will obviously be at the early sitting at breakfast, will they chuck us off or can we hang about and wait for you guys?
You can pay me the Euros when we get onboard. You can't hide from me with being in the room next door so I know I'll get my money

 

[luke]

Hello from a (very) hot and sunny spain! Managed o get myself sunburnt within hours of arriving, just beautiful weather here!

Paid off our balance before we left too, all good

 

[Anal Annie]

I have just paid the final balance. Didn't want to forget by mistake! And the credit card bill will still come the same date even if I waited until the last minute.

Now I am looking at Virgin Money who do a credit card type thing I can preload with euros and then just use it to spend in europe or get cash out of ATMs. Might save on too much cash carrying around. So glad we didn't join the euro!

Hey Annie, Sorry I haven't done anymore about booking the transfers yet. I just need to confirm some times with you. What time shall we get them to pick us up at the Novotel? Will all this talk on these boards about the change in allocating boarding cards effect us?
They will not charge any more for the dropping us at the Hotel Jazz and the Novotel which is good news. Now what time do we need to be picked up at the port? We will obviously be at the early sitting at breakfast, will they chuck us off or can we hang about and wait for you guys?
You can pay me the Euros when we get onboard. You can't hide from me with being in the room next door so I know I'll get my money

Guess we need to do a little thinking about this huh? I have been looking at a taxi fare calculator website to see how much taxis would run in Barcelona for the airport to the Novotel and then from the port to the Hotel Jazz and then from the Jazz back to the airport (wasn't sure what was going on for that). So for grins I just plugged in the Novotel's address to the port. Only estimated 16.11 euro for a Saturday fare with a phone booking and it's only 7.96 km or 12 minutes!!! That's a lot cheaper isn't it? And much closer than I thought it would be... I don't know about this new boarding number system - I guess this is done when we do our online check-in?! I'm assuming that they still won't allow anyone to board before Noon - but the earlier we arrive at the port the lower our boarding number will be...so the sooner we'll be on the ship. So my initial thinking is that if we leave the Novotel by around 10:00 we'll be to the port by 10:15 so we could select an arrival time of 10:30. I don't know...we need Jeff to weigh in here - he's our resident cruise expert with so many cruises under his belt...and he's done the Med before!! Hello?! Jeff?! Who else was it that was interested in sharing? Was it Lisa? She's the other one who's staying at the Novotel, right?! I had not thought about you having the early breakfast - I don't want to hold you up!! You could be back to the Novotel before we even eat!! Maybe sharing a ride after the cruise isn't the best plan?! I don't know!!

Jeff - did you say that you had arranged for a transfer last year that didn't show up?! Who was that company with? We don't want to use THEM!!!!

Hello from a (very) hot and sunny spain! Managed o get myself sunburnt within hours of arriving, just beautiful weather here!

Paid off our balance before we left too, all good

OK, so what are you calling (very) HOT?! I call (very) hot anything in the 90's (over 30 C).

Guess I need to think about buying that darned trip insurance again huh so I can pay off our balance. I've been debating between 2 - but I think I've read more recommendations for the Travel Guard Gold Assist so I think I should buy that one. Just need to get it done. Along with a million other things! Gotta get DS's iPad ordered so it comes in time for his birthday in May.

 

[jd99]

I'm assuming that they still won't allow anyone to board before Noon - but the earlier we arrive at the port the lower our boarding number will be...so the sooner we'll be on the ship. So my initial thinking is that if we leave the Novotel by around 10:00 we'll be to the port by 10:15 so we could select an arrival time of 10:30. I don't know...we need Jeff to weigh in here - he's our resident cruise expert with so many cruises under his belt...and he's done the Med before!! Hello?! Jeff?! Who else was it that was interested in sharing? Was it Lisa? She's the other one who's staying at the Novotel, right?! I had not thought about you having the early breakfast - I don't want to hold you up!! You could be back to the Novotel before we even eat!! Maybe sharing a ride after the cruise isn't the best plan?! I don't know!!

Jeff - did you say that you had arranged for a transfer last year that didn't show up?! Who was that company with? We don't want to use THEM!!!![/COLOR]


We didn't show up to the port until later - if you remember reading my trip report - our cab was in an accident on the way to the port so that held us up and we tried to deal with our lost luggage with the supervisor and that took up time....so by the time we were ready to board, we walked right on.

Our transfer from the airport to hotel showed up - it's just that we didn't need it because we had booked a van for the four of us and all the luggage we had. But of course our luggage was lost so the van was pretty empty! A cab would have been fine.

We didn't have trouble until we were leaving the ship and on the way to the hotel and had to wait in a cab line for 90-plus minutes and then had trouble scoring a van to hold us and our luggage. And there were rude people everywhere. I will NOT wait in that cab line again. It was a very bad ending to a wonderful vacation.

 

[CastawayJP]

Well it doesn't look like the shutdown will be that bad, maybe a couple of days... maybe if something happens and I cant make this cruise happen I can book the Wonder to Hawaii... Just for fun I got a quote on that. Category 4 for the 5 of us...

$14,295!

 

[jd99]

For anyone who missed our trip report from last year's Med cruise, I'm linking it here. Lots of photos and some advice on the ports we are hitting. I hope it can be helpful to anyone who hasn't read it yet....

The Tale of Row 13

 

[mikki.young]

For anyone who missed our trip report from last year's Med cruise, I'm linking it here. Lots of photos and some advice on the ports we are hitting. I hope it can be helpful to anyone who hasn't read it yet....

The Tale of Row 13

Thanks for sharing that link - I just read through all of it. Sounds like a great trip despite the curse.

 

[jd99]

Thanks for sharing that link - I just read through all of it. Sounds like a great trip despite the curse.

It was truly the trip of a lifetime. Looking so forward to new options in Naples (Pompeii this time for sure and maybe Capri too though we really want to get back to Sorrento and just enjoy the city).....and definitely a do-over in Florence. We had originally been planning 2.5 weeks in Greece but after last year's cruise had to find a way to get back to Italy. DCL makes it easiest to visit all three cities in a short period of time and still allow us to maximize our time in Greece. Going to be a great trip!

 

[Kels Sem]

Payed my final balance last night and I received an email confirmation. It's says the onboard time for Naples is now 7pm instead of 9pm. Just thought I would post.

 

[Anal Annie]

Well it doesn't look like the shutdown will be that bad, maybe a couple of days... maybe if something happens and I cant make this cruise happen I can book the Wonder to Hawaii... Just for fun I got a quote on that. Category 4 for the 5 of us...

$14,295!

JP - looks like you've got a short stay of execution with this temporary agreement...hoping they get your leave approved this week so you can book already!! BTW if you want to go to Hawaii GO to Hawaii and STAY there!! It is one place that is definitely WORTH staying on land. We're going to try for Aulani in 2012... (Jeff - did you add on there?) NOT that we can AFFORD it but might check into the DVC add-on incentives for Aulani while we're on the cruise. We'd only need about 50 points as we just can't GO there that often so banking & borrowing would work perfectly there.

For anyone who missed our trip report from last year's Med cruise, I'm linking it here. Lots of photos and some advice on the ports we are hitting. I hope it can be helpful to anyone who hasn't read it yet....

The Tale of Row 13

Thanks Jeff - I read thru it once but it's been awhile...I'll read thru it again for a refresher!!

Payed my final balance last night and I received an email confirmation. It's says the onboard time for Naples is now 7pm instead of 9pm. Just thought I would post.

Hummm...interesting about the time change for Naples - good catch!! Wonder what that's about? I have not paid off the balance yet (I'm a slacker)...still gotta buy that darned trip insurance! I got a reminder email from Dreams Unlimited yesterday.


OK, so I just went to toodle around on the website a little bit to see if they'd changed that Naples time there & it still says 9:00 on the itinerary. Hummm... OH, and in case anybody cares, now that it's time to pay the balances off it appears that a few CHOICE cabins have opened back up!! There are 3 (THREE) Cat 7's that are the "secret verandah" rooms now open (they have the clear plexiglass railing instead of the enclosed Navigators type of railing and they sleep 3). The ones I just spotted open are # 6134, 6634 and 7620. SWEET deals. ALSO there is a pair of SPH Cat 10A cabins open again!! These are the ones that are sold as inside cabins but which really have obstructed view portholes - usually some of the best bargains on the ship!! The connector that are open right now are 5522 and 5524. If you only want ONE then 5522 has the LEAST obstructed view. It's kinda funny, these Cat 10's are priced very similar to the Cat 9's...funny how supply and demand affect their pricing isn't it?! I guess now that balances are due we'll be able to see just how full the ship really is (or not).

 

[mikki.young]

I grabbed 6634 Thanks Annie!

I read somewhere else they had changed the Naples time on the 10 and 11 night cruises but not the 7 night cruise.

 

[Kels Sem]

I grabbed 6634 Thanks Annie!

I read somewhere else they had changed the Naples time on the 10 and 11 night cruises but not the 7 night cruise.

I read this too which is what prompted me to check the email they sent.

well done in grabbing the cabin

 

[mikki.young]

my email didn't say anything about times - but I went back on to planner and discovered that cabin change had not happened. it has now and I have an email confirmation. phew.....

 

[Anal Annie]

I grabbed 6634 Thanks Annie!

I read somewhere else they had changed the Naples time on the 10 and 11 night cruises but not the 7 night cruise.

Yay! I'm glad you could switch!! And so the party on deck 6 continues!!

I read this too which is what prompted me to check the email they sent.

well done in grabbing the cabin

OK, so I called DCL to ask. Totally forgot they were still super extra busy with all the new bookings now so I had to hold for awhile...BUT I asked them about the time on the Naples port bcuz I looked again on the website & it still says 9:00. She said it has indeed been changed to 7:00. That should not affect US as we should be back around 5:00 but it may affect SOME people I would imagine.

Kelly - I also asked about the last morning / breakfast / debarkation etc. She said that you would have to leave the ship as soon as your breakfast is over - by about 7:30, right around the time we'll be getting our breakfast. She said we would be off the ship between about 8:30 and 9:00. There is no other place to get breakfast on the ship that last morning besides in the main dining rooms. (I had thought maybe the buffet at Topsiders was open but it is not.) Otherwise we could've grabbed something else earlier. So sharing a ride after the cruise doesn't sound like it's going to work out so well with the timing thing....

OK, where is Karen this week? She was just getting back to posting...hope she didn't have a relapse!

Shereen?! Hello! Where are you? When do you leave for Egypt?! Hope you have a good trip!

I suppose that Luke is sunbathing in Spain right about now. (Yes, I am jealous!!) Our weather here is up & down & up and down. 50's one day, 60's the next...then 40's then back to 50's....TOMORROW is supposed to be 70's and then Monday 80's even!! But then back to reality of the 60's after a couple of fluke days!!

 

[mikki.young]

Annie, we are on late dinner so presumably late breakfast. I've just emailed the people we were hoping to use to transfer from the port to see if they could do a larger party with two drop off points. If they say yes you can say if it would suit you!

I think them being busy is why the site crashed the first time I tried to change rooms - I thought it had taken but it hadn't.

Just a month until we head to Bermuda! I'll need the cruise details with me as our Palo, excursion booking window opens while we are there....

 

[jd99]

JP - looks like you've got a short stay of execution with this temporary agreement...hoping they get your leave approved this week so you can book already!! BTW if you want to go to Hawaii GO to Hawaii and STAY there!! It is one place that is definitely WORTH staying on land. We're going to try for Aulani in 2012... (Jeff - did you add on there?) NOT that we can AFFORD it but might check into the DVC add-on incentives for Aulani while we're on the cruise. We'd only need about 50 points as we just can't GO there that often so banking & borrowing would work perfectly there.



Thanks Jeff - I read thru it once but it's been awhile...I'll read thru it again for a refresher!!



Hummm...interesting about the time change for Naples - good catch!! Wonder what that's about? I have not paid off the balance yet (I'm a slacker)...still gotta buy that darned trip insurance! I got a reminder email from Dreams Unlimited yesterday.


OK, so I just went to toodle around on the website a little bit to see if they'd changed that Naples time there & it still says 9:00 on the itinerary. Hummm... OH, and in case anybody cares, now that it's time to pay the balances off it appears that a few CHOICE cabins have opened back up!! There are 3 (THREE) Cat 7's that are the "secret verandah" rooms now open (they have the clear plexiglass railing instead of the enclosed Navigators type of railing and they sleep 3). The ones I just spotted open are # 6134, 6634 and 7620. SWEET deals. ALSO there is a pair of SPH Cat 10A cabins open again!! These are the ones that are sold as inside cabins but which really have obstructed view portholes - usually some of the best bargains on the ship!! The connector that are open right now are 5522 and 5524. If you only want ONE then 5522 has the LEAST obstructed view. It's kinda funny, these Cat 10's are priced very similar to the Cat 9's...funny how supply and demand affect their pricing isn't it?! I guess now that balances are due we'll be able to see just how full the ship really is (or not).

We did add on at Aulani - but we sold our AKV points first. Basically sold 100 at AKL and added on 75 at Aulani so it was even steven on $$$$ but that is plenty of points for us to have in Hawaii since we won't go any more often than once every 2-3 years.

 

[mikki.young]

Annie, the company have come back already. They are auto vilar. Seem to have a good rep on cruise critic. They will do a party of 6 with two different drop off locations for 50 euros between us. Doesn't sound a bad figure. Let me know if you want me to book it. I think I may book them for all my transfers at this rate!

 

[Goofygoof]

hello everyone,

Hope your 're all ok sorry been mia last minute prerp and glorious sunshine here and DS off school for easter now, iam packing today as we're off to Egypt tomorrow woohoo will have pay the balance for our cuise today before we go .
Enjoy your Easter Holiday

xxxxx
shereen

 

[west&east]

Hi, I'm still here and feeling fine. Just got busy over the last few days with finalizing our taxes (ugh) and preparing for a 4 hour workshop I gave this morning. One more week of school, work, and sports until Spring Break. I sure wish I had put off the DC trip and booked a cruise instead. I am really more in the mood to be lazy then to tour museums, etc. We'll sneak in a few days at the beach at Hilton Head over Memorial Day weekend (end of May for you non-US folks).