August 13, 2011 Med - Mickey's Marauding Mates

[Anal Annie]

OH, BTW, Mikki - I called DCL today to order our beer mugs. I asked that they leave 1 in our cabin and one in yours. She asked me for your res. # & I said I didn't have that & she then asked for your names! I was glad you had used your name for your DIS screen name! OK, so then she puts me on hold for awhile & comes back & tells me that "since your friends are from the UK we can't leave it in their room because we can't convert the pounds at this time". WHAT? I'm paying for them NOW why NOT? Well, bcuz they have to put something on your ressie in order to put it in your room & it has to be converted. WHAT?! So I said FINE just leave both mugs or receipts or whatever it is in our room & I'll walk it down the hall myself (or meet you in the Promenade Lounge with it). OH then she gives me the total and they came to $20.30!! I was like Ummmmmmmmm what happened to the $14.95 that is listed on the website? Then she says they're $17 something and then plus the 18% VAT!! I was like Ummmmm, the website says $14.95 and she insisted that they were more now & I was like BUT NOT ON THE WEBSITE!! She wanted to know if she should continue with the order & I said yes, just bcuz I was all flustered. But I'm sure I can call back & cancel it if you don't want it now. It wasn't quite like arguing with a sales clerk in a store over a mis-marked price. She kept insisting it was one price & I kept reading the website price to her. It was frustrating to say the least. Once I tell DH how much it cost this time he may either want me to pack one of his old ones OR he'll just be more determined to DRINK HIS MONEY'S WORTH!!!

 

[mikki.young]

We are off to Wales this weekend to stay in a country house hotel. Think I might try out a couple of my smart dresses in their swanky restaurant to see if they would work for the cruise.

So I am having second and third thoughts about Florence. With so many things being closed because of the holiday is it worth going at all?

 

[ukwizard]

Got our tickets now too!!!! Its getting closer!!!!!!!!

Just wondering what everyone is doing for port transfers?

I figure we will use taxis for the outward journey as we are also in the Novotel City hotel so a taxi to there should be easy enough, and I'm sure they can sort out a taxi to the port.

On the return we are going straight from the port back to the airport.

Ive read the queues can be long for the taxis, Disney want 56 GBP for the transfers, and there are private transfers as well. Anyone got any recommendations, or suggestions????

Thanks

Andy

 

[jd99]

Got our tickets now too!!!! Its getting closer!!!!!!!!

Just wondering what everyone is doing for port transfers?

I figure we will use taxis for the outward journey as we are also in the Novotel City hotel so a taxi to there should be easy enough, and I'm sure they can sort out a taxi to the port.

On the return we are going straight from the port back to the airport.

Ive read the queues can be long for the taxis, Disney want 56 GBP for the transfers, and there are private transfers as well. Anyone got any recommendations, or suggestions????

Thanks

Andy

If you are in any kind of hurry to get to the airport (or keep your sanity) don't don't don't do the taxi line. We made that mistake last year because we were just heading to the Hotel Arts and we waited 90 plus minutes, needed a minivan due to luggage and the taxi dispatcher kept ignoring us despite my begging him (in Spanish) to get us a minivan. He just kept shrugging his shoulders like there was nothing he could do and then to make things even more fun "THE" ugly American came over to my wife and told her to go to the back of the line because for some reason he thought we had jumped the line. I know other people have said they had no trouble in the taxi line but I would not take the chance again. We are paying for DCL transfers and happy to pay the charge to just not have to worry about it.

 

[jd99]

Hi all.
We are back from our trip. The Dream is beautiful......but....If you want to get the lowdown from our point of view, I've posted a brief list of the good, bad and curious about the Dream. Pictures to come soon.

JD99's report

 

[SailingSeas]

Does anyone know when our Formal/Semi/Pirate nights are? DD is being ever so patient with my lack of ability at finding the information among 100 pages of information for our cruise...

 

[mikki.young]

OH, BTW, Mikki - I called DCL today to order our beer mugs. I asked that they leave 1 in our cabin and one in yours. She asked me for your res. # & I said I didn't have that & she then asked for your names! I was glad you had used your name for your DIS screen name! OK, so then she puts me on hold for awhile & comes back & tells me that "since your friends are from the UK we can't leave it in their room because we can't convert the pounds at this time". WHAT? I'm paying for them NOW why NOT? Well, bcuz they have to put something on your ressie in order to put it in your room & it has to be converted. WHAT?! So I said FINE just leave both mugs or receipts or whatever it is in our room & I'll walk it down the hall myself (or meet you in the Promenade Lounge with it). OH then she gives me the total and they came to $20.30!! I was like Ummmmmmmmm what happened to the $14.95 that is listed on the website? Then she says they're $17 something and then plus the 18% VAT!! I was like Ummmmm, the website says $14.95 and she insisted that they were more now & I was like BUT NOT ON THE WEBSITE!! She wanted to know if she should continue with the order & I said yes, just bcuz I was all flustered. But I'm sure I can call back & cancel it if you don't want it now. It wasn't quite like arguing with a sales clerk in a store over a mis-marked price. She kept insisting it was one price & I kept reading the website price to her. It was frustrating to say the least. Once I tell DH how much it cost this time he may either want me to pack one of his old ones OR he'll just be more determined to DRINK HIS MONEY'S WORTH!!!

Good grief! Sorry you had such hassle Annie! That price does sound steep. Let me know what your dh decides - we will cancel if he does. Don't want to cause you nay more problems with their weird systems.

 

[CastawayJP]

Hey JP!! Kelly and I are also staying at the Novotel - I think it shall be fine. Did you also receive your cruise docs already?!

I will post the link we were given from romeinlimo to use for buying our Colosseum tickets. We had to buy 3 full fare adult tix (@ 13.5 euro each) bcuz if I understood the site correctly EU children under the age of 18 get a discount but that's it. I am guessing that you're still US Citizens and would not be eligible either?! All of the discounts appeared to be for EU Citizens only. I really didn't see a separate price for children which is kinda messed up IMO. The 2nd link below lists the various ticket options & prices (print at home, pick up onsite, guided tours, non-guided etc.) I think we DID get a slight discount on DS's Vatican ticket tho if I remember that correctly. Pompeii we will buy onsite she told me and I think she said cash only. I think that's the only admission we will not be buying ahead of time. Mental Note LeeAnn - BUY EIFFEL TOWER TIX THIS WEEK!!

http://www.ticketclic.it/database/B2c__/order.cfm?siteDefID=170&LN=1

http://www.ticketclic.it/gb/HTML/musei/colosseo.cfm

OK, I just heard my mail truck go by so I'm gonna go see if our cruise docs came!!
Nope. No cruise docs for Annie today.

Thanks for the links... No cruise docs yet, but they are going to my Dads place in VA... Yeah I don't think we'll drop our US citizenship for cheaper Colosseum tix...

We must have got the last room in the Novotel for the 12th, because my parents weren't able to get in just a couple hours later! I think we got lucky since we are getting in on Wednesday.

 

[Anal Annie]

Does anyone know when our Formal/Semi/Pirate nights are? DD is being ever so patient with my lack of ability at finding the information among 100 pages of information for our cruise...

Yup!! Formal night is night 2, pirate night is night 5 and semi-formal night is night 6!!

Another busy swim week. 'B' Relay Carnival yesterday, regular Wednesday 'B' meet tonight...hot, humid & sticky DC weather here to boot. (I am smelling just LOVELY right now!) I am taking DS to a private lesson in the morning with one of his winter coaches instead of his summer team practice. His backstroke start is AWFUL and he is currently sitting in 3rd place in the 13/14 boys for his back and his free. He would need to drop about 1.25 sec. to hit 2nd place on his freestyle (not likely to happen) but on his BACKSTROKE his time is 38.89 and the #2 kid is 38.81 - he is SOOOOO close to owning that #2 spot. It's nowhere close to an All Star Time but here, at the end of the season we have a Divisional Meet where the top 2 kids in each event from each team in our division swim at this meet - so it's sort of a nice finish to the season to "make divisionals". He has never made divisionals and next year he will age up into the 15-18's so it won't happen then either...this backstroke time will likely be his last shot at it for a couple of years at least. So pushy, overbearing Mom that I am I want him to get some extra help on his starts & turns before the last couple of meets. A good start could be just the right trick. Cross your fingers some one-on-one time will do it!!

 

[mikki.young]

Just for fun I went to see what it would cost to book now for our cruise. Nothing came up as available - think we have a full ship? The week after cruise had some availability and an inside cabin cost more than our navigator verandah.

Good luck with the backstroke Annie - it would be cool if he made the divisionals!

 

[SailingSeas]

WHOOT! awesome, thanks Annie. trying to convince DD that we are NOT in Europe to go to formal nights, and that she cruises enough to enjoy dressing up on another ship.

Got our airfare; $996 Aer Lingus. So happy it's over, but not looking forward to the long layovers. It does give us like... 12 hours in Dublin though, so that's nice.

Still no hotel in Barcelona the night before. I have a question - we have an 11pm departure from Barcelona on the 20th; what can you do in town with your luggage with you?

 

[kerrykerr]

Barcelona luggage storage

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2751991

 

[Kels Sem]

Hey LeeAnn,

I had asked my friend who lives in Italy to check the train times for me between la Spezia & Pisa. She said that even though it's a holiday the trains are still running pretty frequently which is good news for us I assume it will be the same for Cinque Terre.

 

[Anal Annie]

Just for fun I went to see what it would cost to book now for our cruise. Nothing came up as available - think we have a full ship? The week after cruise had some availability and an inside cabin cost more than our navigator verandah.

Good luck with the backstroke Annie - it would be cool if he made the divisionals!

WhooHoo! A full boat!! I've been waiting a LONG time for it to fill up!! I sure am glad we booked so early now!

Our private lesson seemed to go well this morning - he sure looked better by the end anyway...now to see how much of it he actually puts into practice on his starts. We swim in a "slow pool" this Saturday (old, no gutter & shallow & I don't know if there's a diving well on it or not but that would slow it down more too). I don't know if he can pull off the drop he needs this weekend or not. But luckily our LAST 'A' meet is at home the NEXT Saturday & we have a very fast pool so he stands a better chance of beating his time at home. We MAY do another private lesson next Thursday again if he thinks he could use a refresher before that last meet. What he learned needs to become habit & they just don't do enough work on backstroke starts in practice for some reason. It is hard to become habit if they only use it during a meet. How are our other swim kids doing with their meets this summer??? Hope everyone is having fast swims!!

WHOOT! awesome, thanks Annie. trying to convince DD that we are NOT in Europe to go to formal nights, and that she cruises enough to enjoy dressing up on another ship.

Got our airfare; $996 Aer Lingus. So happy it's over, but not looking forward to the long layovers. It does give us like... 12 hours in Dublin though, so that's nice.

Still no hotel in Barcelona the night before. I have a question - we have an 11pm departure from Barcelona on the 20th; what can you do in town with your luggage with you?

I am looking forward to dressing up just a little bit. No tuxes or long gowns or anything like that for us but dressing up for dinner was one of the things I really missed on our Wonder cruises. It was toooo casual for me for what I think of in my mind for wearing to dinner on a cruise.

Sounds like a reasonable deal on your airfare. I think I've also read of some people who book Barcelona City tours or something with places that will keep your luggage in the vehicle with you. Or did I dream that one?!

Hey LeeAnn,

I had asked my friend who lives in Italy to check the train times for me between la Spezia & Pisa. She said that even though it's a holiday the trains are still running pretty frequently which is good news for us I assume it will be the same for Cinque Terre.

Oh good!! So are you planning to just go to Pisa?! I'm still torn about trying to Pisa AND Cinque Terre. While I'd love to get that picture of the tower I'm afraid it would be too stressfull to try to do both. I wish it wasn't a tender port. That would be really helpful if it could just DOCK there.

 

[west&east]

Woohoo! Got our cruise documents today! Cabin 6120 here we come!
Party on deck 6, right disboarders!

Started reading up on beer mug thing. It might be worth it for DH for all the beer he drinks! (Saw a website that said how much you had to drink to break even on these various deals. The beer mug was only 5 beers I think, but that might have been for the lower price that now may have been mysteriously raised?) DH will easily drink enough even if the price is higher but he was wondering about what the choices of draft beer are? Anybody know?

I think we might preorder the bottled water too.

Now to start figuring out wardrobe.

 

[Anal Annie]

Woohoo! Got our cruise documents today! Cabin 6120 here we come!
Party on deck 6, right disboarders!

Started reading up on beer mug thing. It might be worth it for DH for all the beer he drinks! (Saw a website that said how much you had to drink to break even on these various deals. The beer mug was only 5 beers I think, but that might have been for the lower price that now may have been mysteriously raised?) DH will easily drink enough even if the price is higher but he was wondering about what the choices of draft beer are? Anybody know?

I think we might preorder the bottled water too.

Now to start figuring out wardrobe.

Waaaa!! I want some (cruise docs)!!! We are just up the hall from you in 6108!!

Beer - DH will likely attempt to drink his weight in beer!! I think he & your DH will get along quite nicely between the beer & the Redskins!! I remember reading something not too long ago about the draft beers but I forget now which ones. Amstel maybe? Don't quote me tho - I forget & I totally pulled that out of the air. Hope knows I think...HOPE!! Where are you girl?! What are the draft beers they have on the ship??? Personally, I am more of a mixed drink gal with some wine sprinkled in here & there so I may try to pack a bottle of Captain Morgan if I have room for it.

I am hoping we can find regular bottled water in the Glories Shopping center across from the Novotel. I really don't want to buy the Evian if we can find "normal" water.

 

[west&east]

Waaaa!! I want some (cruise docs)!!! We are just up the hall from you in 6108!!

Beer - DH will likely attempt to drink his weight in beer!! I think he & your DH will get along quite nicely between the beer & the Redskins!! I remember reading something not too long ago about the draft beers but I forget now which ones. Amstel maybe? Don't quote me tho - I forget & I totally pulled that out of the air. Hope knows I think...HOPE!! Where are you girl?! What are the draft beers they have on the ship??? Personally, I am more of a mixed drink gal with some wine sprinkled in here & there so I may try to pack a bottle of Captain Morgan if I have room for it.

I am hoping we can find regular bottled water in the Glories Shopping center across from the Novotel. I really don't want to buy the Evian if we can find "normal" water.

Annie, does sound like the hubbies will get along great. Hopefully the NFL situation will be sorted out by our cruise! What does your DH do workwise?
I don't drink beer at all and will happily split the Captain Morgan with you! My new favorite drink this summer has been mojitos. DH has really perfected his mojito skills. I saw a trip report that had a special mojito tasting for DISers I think... I am so ready to kick back with a fun drink and feel the sea breeze. Dragging water around seems like a bit of a pain, I'd rather drag some wine on board! I hope we can find some good wine in BCN. We finally confirmed that my husband's high school friend who lives in BCN will be in town, so hopefully we'll get some info about where to get wine, etc...

 

[SailingSeas]

Well, we're the Sapphire cabin on Deck 2 and they are cheap onboard (checked in April) so going to have to cool our heals until they open that duty free shop. Our dillema is looking for tonic water in port; not sure where to find that!...

Thanks for the advice on the touring group and the luggage storage while in port. It led me to quite a bit of research yesterday and I learned that we can take the train to the airport directly to one of the luggage storage areas, near loads of great hotels, also near port. I feel like this is finally coming together.

Daughter says she's going with you to dress up night, Annie, since you have a son, you would truly appreciate a daughter who feels a cruise is all about the special nights. (insert epic eye roll here; her brother is just about gagging at this point)

I've printed all my cruise docs; so not too worried about the booklets, but a cruise isn't a cruise until i see that little spiral ring!

 

[Anal Annie]

Annie, does sound like the hubbies will get along great. Hopefully the NFL situation will be sorted out by our cruise! What does your DH do workwise?
I don't drink beer at all and will happily split the Captain Morgan with you! My new favorite drink this summer has been mojitos. DH has really perfected his mojito skills. I saw a trip report that had a special mojito tasting for DISers I think... I am so ready to kick back with a fun drink and feel the sea breeze. Dragging water around seems like a bit of a pain, I'd rather drag some wine on board! I hope we can find some good wine in BCN. We finally confirmed that my husband's high school friend who lives in BCN will be in town, so hopefully we'll get some info about where to get wine, etc...

DH works in IT for a small local lumber yard and he's been putting in some wild hours lately on some conversion that is driving him NUTS. (read: he will DEFINITELY be ready to throw back a few beers by vaca!) And don't get me started on the NFL! . DH still hasn't sold his last Redskins seat & that's ticking me off. That's almost $1,200 we're "out" until he does. Oh and I can also put down 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 mojitos if I put my mind to it. I had some good ones out by the pool on the Wonder last time we cruised. Our friends last weekend had a frozen drink machine running all weekend with coconut lime frozen mojitos in one side. They were like mojito slushies!

Well, we're the Sapphire cabin on Deck 2 and they are cheap onboard (checked in April) so going to have to cool our heals until they open that duty free shop. Our dillema is looking for tonic water in port; not sure where to find that!...

Thanks for the advice on the touring group and the luggage storage while in port. It led me to quite a bit of research yesterday and I learned that we can take the train to the airport directly to one of the luggage storage areas, near loads of great hotels, also near port. I feel like this is finally coming together.

Daughter says she's going with you to dress up night, Annie, since you have a son, you would truly appreciate a daughter who feels a cruise is all about the special nights. (insert epic eye roll here; her brother is just about gagging at this point)

I've printed all my cruise docs; so not too worried about the booklets, but a cruise isn't a cruise until i see that little spiral ring!

Got our cruise docs today. The little binder is much, much smaller than I remember it being. Not much to it beyond the luggage tags. Your DD is welcome to hang out with us on formal night if she wants! Just don't tell her that we're TJ Maxx & Wal-Mart shoppers!! She and DS can talk about the Sims over their smoothies!!

 

[Anal Annie]

How does this look for a fun day in Villefranche?

http://www.boatbookings.com/yacht_search/yacht_view.php?pid=1545&currency=USD

Wishful thinking....