August 13, 2011 Med - Mickey's Marauding Mates

[DoeWDW]

I finally booked the pre-cruise hotel in Barcelona. We'll get there on Friday and stay one night at the Hilton Diagonal Mar. All of DH's business travel has paid off - I used his reward points to book the night and it cost me no money out of pocket. WOO HOO!!!

LeeAnn, are your DH and DS car guys??? My DH is definitely a car guy. On the Villefranche day, we'll take the train to Monaco and see the museum with Prince Ranier's 100+ rare car collection. Then we'll stroll around Monaco, especially in the casino area, because I've read that there are a TON of exotic cars on the streets of Monaco. Apparently it isn't unusual to see Porsches, Ferraris, and Lamborghinis (excuse the spellings!) all over the place. DH will be in heaven!

 

[Anal Annie]

I finally booked the pre-cruise hotel in Barcelona. We'll get there on Friday and stay one night at the Hilton Diagonal Mar. All of DH's business travel has paid off - I used his reward points to book the night and it cost me no money out of pocket. WOO HOO!!!

LeeAnn, are your DH and DS car guys??? My DH is definitely a car guy. On the Villefranche day, we'll take the train to Monaco and see the museum with Prince Ranier's 100+ rare car collection. Then we'll stroll around Monaco, especially in the casino area, because I've read that there are a TON of exotic cars on the streets of Monaco. Apparently it isn't unusual to see Porsches, Ferraris, and Lamborghinis (excuse the spellings!) all over the place. DH will be in heaven!

No, not so much car guys. We're pretty simple. DH doesn't really know anything about cars. I don't want this to sound funny but it probably will. We live in a fairly well off county (we're the wannabes living out in the 'burbs) and it's not all that unusual to see an exotic car here & there. Definitely there are several Porsches and the occasional Ferrari. NOT as many as what I'm sure are in Monaco tho. But really, I'm more impressed with BOATS!! Now THAT would be a fun day wouldn't it - to hire a private BOAT for the day!! Hummmmm...

 

[Kaleigh]

Annie, yep you could do Monaco and Eze, then the Villefranche beach. It is a fairly small beach and their didn't seem to be any amenities/chairs etc. like there are in Nice. Just depends on what you go to the beach for. If you just want the kids to be able to splash around, Villefranche is just fine. Tendering doesn't take that long. We went to Nice, toured and had lunch, then went to Eze and back to Villefranche and were still on the boat by 4:30 or so.

 

[DoeWDW]

No, not so much car guys. We're pretty simple. DH doesn't really know anything about cars. I don't want this to sound funny but it probably will. We live in a fairly well off county (we're the wannabes living out in the 'burbs) and it's not all that unusual to see an exotic car here & there. Definitely there are several Porsches and the occasional Ferrari. NOT as many as what I'm sure are in Monaco tho. But really, I'm more impressed with BOATS!! Now THAT would be a fun day wouldn't it - to hire a private BOAT for the day!! Hummmmm...

LOL! No that doesn't sound funny at all. DH is very familiar with a lot of areas around DC and this sounds pretty standard. We live in PA among the Lancaster County Amish and lots of farmland - not a lot of exotic cars around here but if you're excited by watching tractors, we've got 'em!

 

[CastawayJP]

Hey everyone. Been MIA for awhile while I really buckle down and try to get our own our own stuff planned! This being my parents 1st DCL and 1st time to Europe I am trying to give them as precise an itinerary as possible!

Don't know if you guys have seen this but, this guy from the UK posted a very concise videography of his family's Med Cruise last year. He could have edited a lot, but I found it helpful since they did much of the ports own their own... He also has a couple of compilations of WDW as well.

http://www.youtube.com/user/elnicholson1

 

[janetfk]

We've booked and are joining you on August 13th! Our first cruise!
Talk about last minute planning!

We're a family of 4, with kids aged 8 and (nearly) 3. And we're South Africans living in Germany.

For now I am just reading this thread and trying to get as many tips as possible!

 

[Anal Annie]

Annie, yep you could do Monaco and Eze, then the Villefranche beach. It is a fairly small beach and their didn't seem to be any amenities/chairs etc. like there are in Nice. Just depends on what you go to the beach for. If you just want the kids to be able to splash around, Villefranche is just fine. Tendering doesn't take that long. We went to Nice, toured and had lunch, then went to Eze and back to Villefranche and were still on the boat by 4:30 or so.

Wondering if Monaco & Eze offers more to do / see than Nice?! Gosh I just don't know which direction to go!! We wanted to hang out on the beach for awhile in a couple ports as DH says "we can't go to the Mediterrean and NOT visit beaches" while we're there! Just looking to relax & sunbathe & take a dip as if it were the Caribbean!

LOL! No that doesn't sound funny at all. DH is very familiar with a lot of areas around DC and this sounds pretty standard. We live in PA among the Lancaster County Amish and lots of farmland - not a lot of exotic cars around here but if you're excited by watching tractors, we've got 'em!

I was born & raised on a dairy farm in West Virginia so I'm well versed in tractors, milking, sweet corn & hayfields!!

Hey everyone. Been MIA for awhile while I really buckle down and try to get our own our own stuff planned! This being my parents 1st DCL and 1st time to Europe I am trying to give them as precise an itinerary as possible!

Don't know if you guys have seen this but, this guy from the UK posted a very concise videography of his family's Med Cruise last year. He could have edited a lot, but I found it helpful since they did much of the ports own their own... He also has a couple of compilations of WDW as well.

http://www.youtube.com/user/elnicholson1

Try to stay in touch & chat when you can!! Are you gonna get your parents on the DIS?! I'll check out the video in a bit...

(PS) You're missing a real scorcher here in DC!! 99 degrees yesterday & 100 today!! It was still 93 at 9:00 last night in Rockville when DS & I left his swim practice!!

 

[Anal Annie]

We've booked and are joining you on August 13th! Our first cruise!
Talk about last minute planning!

We're a family of 4, with kids aged 8 and (nearly) 3. And we're South Africans living in Germany.

For now I am just reading this thread and trying to get as many tips as possible!

Hi there! Welcome aboard & welcome to the DISboards! Glad you found us!! Looks like our boat is filling up now!! We're up to 21 DIS'ers although not everyone posts on a regular basis. I guess some of us are DISaddicts & are here routinely. What an international group we have!! I'll add you to the roll call on the first post.... Come chat any time...ask questions and plan with us!!

 

[janetfk]

Hi there! Welcome aboard & welcome to the DISboards! Glad you found us!! Looks like our boat is filling up now!! We're up to 21 DIS'ers although not everyone posts on a regular basis. I guess some of us are DISaddicts & are here routinely. What an international group we have!! I'll add you to the roll call on the first post.... Come chat any time...ask questions and plan with us!!

Thanks! I don't even know where to begin. We left this rather late!
I still need to find a hotel and then plan excursions!
The kids don't even know yet!

Thanks for all the information already included in the thread. It seems that this group is rather quieter than the 20 August group

 

[Anal Annie]

Thanks! I don't even know where to begin. We left this rather late!
I still need to find a hotel and then plan excursions!
The kids don't even know yet!

Thanks for all the information already included in the thread. It seems that this group is rather quieter than the 20 August group

Yeah, this is a quiet group. We're not planning any big activities like some groups are. Seems most of our cruisers are new to both cruising and to the DISboards so they're not into socializing a whole lot or something. I would've liked to have done FE's (Fish Extenders) BUT I didn't want to pack anything extra with all the luggage restrictions...so nobody organized one. We're planning a quick DIS meet on embarkation day around 2:30-3:00 in the Promenade Lounge which you are welcome to come to. It won't last too long 'cuz the lifeboat / safety drill is at 4:00. Just pop in to sort of just meet & say hi & put a face to a name...let the kids meet so they'll recognize others in the clubs.

Have fun planning! There's a lot to think of!!

 

[Anal Annie]

This morning when I got up we had a deer in the backyard - I think she was after my tomato plants. So I chased her off then an hour or so ago I was just sitting here & I saw something go past the window. I thought was that a DOG? This is a good one peeps!! I look out & it was a GOAT! He walked around back, pooped on our patio & then came up the back steps right to my back door!! It is literally 107 degrees with the heat index out there & he was panting like he was hot. So I tried to give him some water but he took off. Then I found him lying in the shade around on the side of the neighbors house so I called him in!! There has been a loose goat in the county for 2 or 3 weeks & the cops & Animal Control haven't been able to catch him...and he's messing up traffic & stuff so he's been on the news several times 'cuz they've been chasing him! Lots of sightings but not been caught. I THOUGHT it was the same goat but it's not (I looked at the news website). Anyway....here's some pictures I took 'cuz it was just too funny NOT to!! I still can't believe there's more than 1 loose goat out there in the suburbs!!

It looked like a swat team out there!! LOL

Two or Three officers chased on foot & 1 went by car! But he went off into the woods!

 

[kerrykerr]

That's hilarious! He made himself right at home, didn't he? So, he's still on the loose!

 

[DoeWDW]

LeeAnn, LMAO!!!! LOVE the goat story! I hope the little guy finds a home soon and can get out of the heat and away from the traffic.

 

[mikki.young]

Did you see the general post in the cruise forum about the 18% VAT charged on everything you buy on the boat? Drinks were 8% I think they said. That will add up!

 

[Anal Annie]

Yes, the goat is still a fugitive!!

Mikki - I saw that VAT thread - I'm still confused what this means. Some posters said something about getting it back tho before we get off. I don't follow that. Do you know what it means? We probably will not be doing a WHOLE LOT of shopping....I just don't think there will be much we can afford after the conversion rate. Well, at least in the ports. I don't know about on the ship. We might buy T-shirts or something.

 

[Kels Sem]

The goat made me laugh

I'm not too impressed about this VAT thing Not much we can do though.

 

[mikki.young]

For us Europeans nothing we can do. For US if you spend over $100 at once in one store you should be able to get a receipt to go and reclaim the VAT at the airport. Suspect won't be able to get refunds on drinks at all, only goods. It is more normal in UK for prices to be shown including VAT so this a bit odd and a bit of a cheat somehow.

 

[ukwizard]

They did the same with VAT on the RCI cruise we were on in April from the UK, only then the rate was 20% on everything.

Im sure if you dont live in the EU and keep your receipts though you can claim it back at the airport.

 

[CastawayJP]

Try to stay in touch & chat when you can!! Are you gonna get your parents on the DIS?! I'll check out the video in a bit...

(PS) You're missing a real scorcher here in DC!! 99 degrees yesterday & 100 today!! It was still 93 at 9:00 last night in Rockville when DS & I left his swim practice!![/QUOTE]

My Mom has been lurking, but not on this thread... She's been looking at trip reports from last year's sailings.

I am so glad not to be in DC right now. I can't imagine what it must be like at Congressional (where I used to work) with the US Open coming next week! I'd be knee deep in golf merchandising and not making any money teaching! Add to that the heat, and the impending goat apocalypse...

Here in Bucharest there is a 24% VAT Tax! Luckily we can get it back quarterly if we request the Factura (invoice). Every three months we have spreadsheets that we have to submit to the Romanian government to get it refunded to us, usually about 3 months later. I'm actually in the middle of submitting our second batch... It is great fun... Maybe working a golf tournament wouldn't be too bad afterall...

 

[DoeWDW]

I am so glad not to be in DC right now. I can't imagine what it must be like at Congressional (where I used to work) with the US Open coming next week! I'd be knee deep in golf merchandising and not making any money teaching! Add to that the heat, and the impending goat apocalypse...

My husband and some work colleagues have tickets for the US Open at Congressional. He is looking forward to going! I hope the weather moderates a bit so they don't melt on the golf course. My whole family plays golf but I always chose to stay at the pool. I could never figure out why someone would be out on the course on a hot humid summer afternoon instead of at the pool where they could cool off.