August 18, 2010...Can't wait for the MAGICal Mediterranean!!!

[2BugsMom]

Kate- How old are your children?

 

[Cliffside]

Safe travels to all!!!!

I have spent all day packing and as hard as I tried I still think I overpacked.

Whenever I think I am done I remember just one more thing.

Susan

 

[Cliffside]

Hi Everyone....Just found this board while doing a google search...thought I would say Hello!
We are also traveling from Germany, we fly out Tues morning.
This is our first cruise and we're excited
We're a family of 4- Me, DH, dd- 7 1/2 and DS- almost 3. (he is potty trained and I am hoping the Oceaneer's Club takes him!)

We're almost packed, just need to get it into the bags, we're packing very light- 1 large case, 1 carry on case, 3 backpacks.(yes I do plan o doing laundry

Thanks for all the great info here, I need to make myself a cup of tea, I may be here reading awhile!

Welcome

Wow I am impressed with your packing skills.
Susan

 

[Cliffside]

OK Mani/Pedi - done
DD haircut - done
laundry 1/2 done.
pick up dry cleaning - done

Need to bake cupcakes for our friend's house for tonight, and pack te kids today too...ambitious but hopefully it gets done

Tomorrow is packing, packing, packing.

Mindy- I got my mani/pedi yesterday and of course I chipped a nail during packing and laundry..o well maybe I can get them done on the boat.

How did camp go?

We are sitting in row 8 I believe on the flight. What time do you plan to get to the airport? It is commuting time so I think we have our car coming at 4:15.

 

[fizzeo]

Okay I finally decided that I couldn't delay any longer and wanted to look into booking a climb in Pisa - I had bookmarked the page to book. What I didn't see was that you have to do it 15 days in advance - now I am in big trouble. I was just nervous about figuring out the entire day and hadn't got my head around how to get around. Now I still don't know that part - wanted to go to Pisa and Florence but the ship tour doesn't look like it climbs Pisa so I was trying to figure it out. Is anyone booking a private tour and is there any way for us to add on since I've heard that they can get tickets - is that true ie Limosinrome or maybe there are others
If anyone can help me out of this mess - also in Rome, what places have to be prebooked and have we missed that too
Help any and all
Thank you

 

[Cliffside]

Hi everybody,
Unbelievably I am not very internet savvy and just found this kind of site while trying desperately to get a handle on the ports we are going to and how best to plan for them without having to book all tours from the ship. Do families from these sites, plan to meet and book things together for the ports? We are from Toronto Canada and my husband and I are travelling with our 13 year old and 4 year old. This will be our 4th Disney cruise (we've cruised on many other lines as well but love Disney) We were in Disney World in February for the launch of Disney Give a Day Get a Disney Day which was incredible(my daughter fundraises for the Heart and Stroke Foundation - you can check out her site by googling the words Amanda Lemonade or just look for lemonade4heart.org) and now Mickey is coming with us to Europe but somehow I am very ill prepared for this trip and would love tips on planning and how best to manage this cruise. We would love to meet other families and although I found this site quite late - seems like people have posted for a couple of years, I hope we are not too late to 'join the party'. I hope someone can get back to me to further explain how this all works - these little smilies to the right are sooo cute (told you I was new)

Welcome!!!!!!
It's never to late to "join the party"
What a great thing your daughter is doing.

Susan

 

[jel0511]

Okay I finally decided that I couldn't delay any longer and wanted to look into booking a climb in Pisa - I had bookmarked the page to book. What I didn't see was that you have to do it 15 days in advance - now I am in big trouble. I was just nervous about figuring out the entire day and hadn't got my head around how to get around. Now I still don't know that part - wanted to go to Pisa and Florence but the ship tour doesn't look like it climbs Pisa so I was trying to figure it out. Is anyone booking a private tour and is there any way for us to add on since I've heard that they can get tickets - is that true ie Limosinrome or maybe there are others
If anyone can help me out of this mess - also in Rome, what places have to be prebooked and have we missed that too
Help any and all
Thank you

Fizzeo it actually is 45 days for the tower rickets and limoinrome or any other tour company makes you get them yourself. I got them at exactly 45days for our tour group. Unfortunalely we have no more room on our tour. Sorry we couldn't help.


Sitting at JFK now eating dinner!!!! One lire step closer!!!!

 

[elliew94]

Is there a running track on the boat?

 

[MinnieDiva]

Hi everybody,
Unbelievably I am not very internet savvy and just found this kind of site while trying desperately to get a handle on the ports we are going to and how best to plan for them without having to book all tours from the ship.

Hi Everyone....Just found this board while doing a google search...thought I would say Hello!
We are also traveling from Germany, we fly out Tues morning.
This is our first cruise and we're excited
We're a family of 4- Me, DH, dd- 7 1/2 and DS- almost 3.

Welcome to both your families! Good luck with your planning! I'm already half on vacation, and we fly out tomorrow night! Hope to see you at the meet!

Kim

 

[MinnieDiva]

Safe travels to all!!!!

I have spent all day packing and as hard as I tried I still think I overpacked.

Whenever I think I am done I remember just one more thing.

Susan

We ended up having to get an additional hidden neck wallet thing as trying to put all 3 passports in DH's waist belt looked a bit, ummm, awkward......

 

[MinnieDiva]

Is there a running track on the boat?

Deck 4 is laid out as such, from what I've seen. 1/3 mile per lap.

 

[mindelmouse]

Mindy- I got my mani/pedi yesterday and of course I chipped a nail during packing and laundry..o well maybe I can get them done on the boat.

How did camp go?

We are sitting in row 8 I believe on the flight. What time do you plan to get to the airport? It is commuting time so I think we have our car coming at 4:15.

WE're in row 24 or 26.....Camp went well...he says he had fun...OUr car is picking us up at 3:30

 

[mindelmouse]

Okay I finally decided that I couldn't delay any longer and wanted to look into booking a climb in Pisa - I had bookmarked the page to book. What I didn't see was that you have to do it 15 days in advance - now I am in big trouble. I was just nervous about figuring out the entire day and hadn't got my head around how to get around. Now I still don't know that part - wanted to go to Pisa and Florence but the ship tour doesn't look like it climbs Pisa so I was trying to figure it out. Is anyone booking a private tour and is there any way for us to add on since I've heard that they can get tickets - is that true ie Limosinrome or maybe there are others
If anyone can help me out of this mess - also in Rome, what places have to be prebooked and have we missed that too
Help any and all
Thank you

Lori set up our tour with Limoinrome and they did not get our climb tickets, Lori ordered them online. I don't believe they were able to, I"m not sure and Lori is currently on a plane to Paris...so I don't know if we can help.

 

[MinnieDiva]

Just checked in for my flight!!!

 

[Adsmama]

No idea, I think I read somewhere that they are the three wheel jogging type. We liked to have our own and used an umbrella stroller, which was definately needed when you are out all day. It was also useful to put bags and jackets on!.

If you go to the main cruise forum thread and use the seasrch option on the right, you should be able to get some information and some photos, it wasn't so long ago that a thread was running about them.

Kate

Kate- have you done Rome or Pompeii with a stroller? Is that like suicide? We have the chicco http://www.chiccousa.com/gear/travel-systems/cortina-30lb-systems/travel-systems-30-chic.aspx not sure if the wheels will hold up or the cobblestone/metro/busses will get the best of us. I was planning on doing an ergo with an umbrella but if it is SO hot I was not sure. Maybe the disney strollers would be best for rome? hmmmm....

 

[GratefulDad]

We would like to as well- two adults, one infant (no stroller for the pompeii though!). The plan right now is the SITA bus and then finding a tour guide there, but if someone has something, please let us know.

We wouldn't mind at all splitting a tour with you. We'll talk at the meet and greet. The more the merrier!

Mike

 

[SettinSail]

Lori set up our tour with Limoinrome and they did not get our climb tickets, Lori ordered them online. I don't believe they were able to, I"m not sure and Lori is currently on a plane to Paris...so I don't know if we can help.

That is interesting...our tour guide told us he would get us tickets to climb Pisa but we would have to "respect our turn". We could never quite understand what time this would be. Maybe I should have called him to make sure but I think if we get there and we don't get to climb I won't be tooooo
upset (lazy) I am bringing copies of all our email exchanges where he wrote he was getting us tickets for this or that in advance.

Shawn

 

[SettinSail]

Hi Everyone....Just found this board while doing a google search...thought I would say Hello!
We are also traveling from Germany, we fly out Tues morning.
This is our first cruise and we're excited
We're a family of 4- Me, DH, dd- 7 1/2 and DS- almost 3. (he is potty trained and I am hoping the Oceaneer's Club takes him!)

We're almost packed, just need to get it into the bags, we're packing very light- 1 large case, 1 carry on case, 3 backpacks.(yes I do plan o doing laundry

Thanks for all the great info here, I need to make myself a cup of tea, I may be here reading awhile!

Welcome !!!

Please stop by our Dis meet, 12:30 in the Promenade Lounge on August 19
if you can You can conduct a packing light seminar
If you look for user Pixie08, check out the website link in her signature for more info.

Shawn

 

[K8T]

Kate- have you done Rome or Pompeii with a stroller? Is that like suicide? We have the chicco http://www.chiccousa.com/gear/travel-systems/cortina-30lb-systems/travel-systems-30-chic.aspx not sure if the wheels will hold up or the cobblestone/metro/busses will get the best of us. I was planning on doing an ergo with an umbrella but if it is SO hot I was not sure. Maybe the disney strollers would be best for rome? hmmmm....

This is the same as ours we took it all over the place and on bumpy dog walks at home. It is still going strong! Rome is no problem it is just a big city. We took ours and on the hop on/off Bus too. Didn't do Pompei but Herculanum was fine. As was Istanbul and th Acropolis in Athens. Yes you may have to take her out a few times and lift it but I would say go with your own. It looks like it is smaller than the dcl ones!

We loved that stroller!

Buses will be fine there are not many cobbles around except in Pompei. Everywhere else is pretty normal.

I think you may find it uncomfotable carrying her all day even in an Ergo. I wouldn't attempt it. But you are used to it.

I would take it you can always leave it under the bed if you decide not to use it! It may also be useful in the evenings on the ship, if she is tired, our dd would fall asleep and we would lie it back, put the hood right over her to block out the light and she would sleep like the proverbial baby!!!

Don't forget a parasol/umbrella to clip onto it though definately a must have.

 

[SettinSail]

fizzeo

Hi,

I do not have any extras printed - they are quite thick and I am having to take them as my carryon because I am sticking to 1 checked bag.


Everyone,
I realized yesterday that I never printed out the last sea day and well - I am NOT going back to work to print those out... so I have extra NOTES pages.... Rough last week - fired 1 person, final warning on another and top of the cake was receiving 2 weeks notice from an exceptional employee moving out of the area! Yesterday was a bit of a punch in the stomach.

Off today to do all of those LAST minute things that I have put off!

Safe travels and happy packing

Hey Erin - do not worry about the last day you left at work! I think I speak for everyone when I say that we are SOOOO grateful for all the work you have out into formatting and printing these journals
The kids will be thrilled! I am sure they will be fantastic!

Sorry to hear about your rough week ~ soon you will be relaxing with a drink in your hand and sea breeze in your hair ~ ahhhh

See you soon!
Shawn