August 20, 2016 Disney Magic 7 night Mediterranean

[kel585]

Hi all,
Myself and my DM have just booked this cruise. We're also not sure if we'll be participating in the FE, as we're planning on just bringing carry on (we're only coming from Dublin, so not as far as the rest of you guys), but we'll get back to you on this.

We're both Gold CC members and this will be our 4th Med cruise with DCL. The hotels we've stayed in in Barcelona are TRYP Apolo and Eurostar Grand Marina. We've opted to go back to TRYP Apolo for this trip, mainly because we got a great price including breakfast, and it's a little closer walking distance to Las Ramblas. We've always enjoyed our time in Barcelona, but I will just say one thing. We had a very bad experience with a cab driver on our first trip, his driving was insanely fast, and we were honestly terrified. Now of course, I'm not saying they would all be like that, but ever since we have used a private company for our 3 pick ups (airport, cruise port, hotel). A little more expensive, but have always felt extremely safe and well looked after by this company.

We've only booked 2 port adventures this time round:
Naples - The Island of Capri
Livorno - Florence On Your Own

I know someone had asked about ports that you can walk around:
Naples - you can definitely walk around, but it is very busy with traffic and can look a little hectic, but once you walk past all the drivers asking if you want a cab, you'll start to see some culture.
Civitavecchia - is mainly just a cruise port, and looks a bit industrial.
Livorno - I've actually never walked around this port as we've always done a tour.
Villefranche - is stunning!!!! We've never taken a tour from here, we've always just got off and walked around because it's so cute.

We've always stuck with the DCL port adventures, mainly because we're too scared to go off on our own and miss the ship I have heard many people head to Rome, and Florence on the trains, and it's a lot cheaper but we know we'd be in a panic and wouldn't enjoy it.

Hope some of that was helpful, if there's anything else I can help with feel free to ask! You're all going to have the time of your lives. It's our favourite cruise!!!

 

[Ware Bears]

kel585, welcome aboard, I don't think we can get a better recommendation for the Med cruise than hearing it's your 4th one!

Thanks for all the advice we're also doing the Florence on your own tour. Once I read it was a shuttle out of port, then a bus/taxi to train station then train to Florence I got scared for timing on the return journey.

 

[Fun27]

Hi Everyone! Trying to make sure I have an up to date list for the FE. If your name isn't on it and you want to join, please let me know!! You can find the updated list on the first post! Thank you so much!!!

 

[Pooh's Pals]

Hi everyone,

Recently booked on this cruise as my birthday treat. There is myself, DH and our three grown up kids. This will be our 8th Disney cruise and 2nd time in the med. We are flying down from Scotland on the 19th and staying in a Travelodge in the l'Hospitalet de Llobregat area. We have booked a couple of the Disney excursions and then planning to do a couple of the ports ourselves.

Jane

 

[LoriAndrewSarah]

Just noticed that everyone on the fishextender here is also on the "other" one.....Is this one still on? (we haven't joined the "other" one)

 

[MaineChapmans]

I should make one comment about going to Florence on your own, that is not on the Disney excursion...

My Mom's side is from Italy (she was born & raised in Trieste), and I spent a summer in Florence after college. As such, I could EASILY get my girls and myself to Florence on the train, and I'd shave two hours off the Disney travel time. However, you never know when there will be a rail strike, and with this being "Ferragosto" (August professionals' vacation month), I would be terrified of something happening. Generally if there is a rail strike, Rapido trains still run IF you have a "prenotazione" (reservation). However, I doubt there's a Rapido train to Livorno. I could be wrong, but I won't chance it.

I figure if there is a bus problem, Disney will not sail without us all. But if we get caught in a rail strike or issue with Ferragosto travelers? Too bad, so sad, see you in Villefranche...if you can make it there that fast!

Just FYI!

Karina

 

[MaineChapmans]

Hi all,
Livorno - Florence On Your Own
Villefranche - is stunning!!!! We've never taken a tour from here, we've always just got off and walked around

Hope some of that was helpful, if there's anything else I can help with feel free to ask! You're all going to have the time of your lives. It's our favourite cruise!!!

Yes it was definitely helpful!

Thanks for the info, we are also doing Florence on your own (I spent a summer there so I know where I want to take my daughters). Hubby is taking his mom (wheelchair user) to "Easy Pisa" which should be nice for her. Not too long a trip and easy for wheelchair travelers.

We are also doing Villefranche on our own, we've looked at it online quite a bit. My daughter is in her 7th year of studying French but hasn't ever spoken it at length (just in class) so she's looking forward to walking around and buying a real honest-to-goodness French baguette!

We get into Barcelona on the 18th and I think we fly out the 29th. I watched a nice Rick Steves tour video of Barcelona, you can google "Rick Steves Barcelona" and it will pop up. We also learned there's a monastery at Montserrat (with the Black Madonna) about an hour and a half out of Barcelona, so I think we'll be doing that when we return from the cruise.

As of right now we fly through Germany from Boston, and will have a three hour layover. My MIL will need that to work the kinks out after our overnight flight. It will also give the girls their first taste of a European country--albeit in the airport. Different language though!

I'm getting excited. School is out for the summer, my parents are visiting, and after they go I'll be doing some lesson plans and just counting down the days. I think we're at 51 now until fly date!

Talk to you all soon!

 

[MaineChapmans]

I have a question:

Do you all have your hotels for pre-cruise and (if needed) post-cruise? How did you book them?

I'm just curious, because usually I do ALL the bookings, but this is the one time I have done precious little of it. I found the flights I wanted on google flights, and then we handed it all over to Triple-A to book, as they're finding our hotels too. We booked those yesterday (and I don't remember what they are but they're near the cruise port). Hubby booked the Disney cruise but we did that directly with Disney--so no freebies like shipboard credit or anything, but we got a good deal on the cruise and the last two verandah rooms, and since we left it so late, we're happy we even got in.

Do you usually book through Disney? Do you book the next cruise on the current one? Do you go through a travel agent, someplace like AAA travel, or do you just go it on your own?

If it had been anywhere but Spain, I would have definitely done my own hotel bookings. Iʻm comfortable with Sweden, Denmark, Italy, France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, and England. Thatʻs thanks to my Italian mother, family visits, and the "save your money, go to Europe" mantra I grew up with.

But Spain? Nope. Not a clue. I had to resort to Rick Steves to learn anything about it. (I do enjoy Rick Steves, but man, there was very little to view on Barcelona!!)

Anyway, I'm getting excited. I know we have 50 days until flight date, but I'm excited. And a tiny bit nervous. Always am before a flight. Nervous flier and all that.

Anyway I would love to hear how you all booked your travel. I'm always looking for a better way. Up until a few weeks ago, I hadn't even heard of Google flights, but that was an excellent resource to find our Lufthansa flights--it has the right combination of flights and layovers from Boston to make it as easy as possible on my mother-in-law. And it was relatively inexpensive.

50 and counting...

 

[Fun27]

Hi Everyone, due to lack of interest I am going to cancel the fish extender through the disboards. If someone else would like to start one, please feel free. You are welcome to do that on this board. Thank you!

 

[Ah434]

Welcome aboard!! I will be organizing the FE for our cruise. All I need is your cabin number if you have it, favorite character if you each have one, occasion celebrating if applicable, and any food allergies. It is so much fun!! I'll post the spreadsheet as it gets closer. Thanks!

Hello! We booked this cruise just last week and I wondered if we could still participate in the FE for this cruise. Please let me know, thanks!

 

[Fun27]

Hello! We booked this cruise just last week and I wondered if we could still participate in the FE for this cruise. Please let me know, thanks!

I'm so sorry, but we cancelled the FE through the disboards due to lack of interest. There are other ones out there in other forums if you would like to join. Thanks!!

 

[kel585]

Hey all, just wondering if any of you have received your luggage tags for this cruise yet?

 

[Ware Bears]

Nothing here. I'm on the previous cruise as well and my US and Canadian cruisemates have started receiving theirs for that one but we still haven't. Hopefully it won't be long.

 

[jdg308]

Hi. This will be our second Med Cruise with Disney. For this cruise it will be my DH and our 12 year old nephew. We received our luggage tags last week. We are looking for to returning to the Med.

 

[kel585]

Nothing here. I'm on the previous cruise as well and my US and Canadian cruisemates have started receiving theirs for that one but we still haven't. Hopefully it won't be long.

I really hope we get ours soon, we booked GTY so maybe that has something to do with it. Wow B2B Med cruise, that will be amazing.

Hi. This will be our second Med Cruise with Disney. For this cruise it will be my DH and our 12 year old nephew. We received our luggage tags last week. We are looking for to returning to the Med.

So jealous you already got your luggage tags, I just want them because it'll make it feel like it's happening super soon! Welcome, hope you have a wonderful cruise!

 

[MaineChapmans]

Yes, we got all of our luggage tags, don't know if the color matters but we're Silver Castaway Cay club and ours are a lime green.

 

[MaineChapmans]

Hello, fellow DISboarders/future shipmates!

I called DCL to ask them some questions about our cruise (re: wheelchair for MIL, formal night, etc.) and here is some info:

* If anyone is going to need a wheelchair, be advised the ship's wheelchairs are ONLY available for embarkation/debarkation at the port, and also in case of emergency onboard. If you are gonna need one, bring your own.

* There is NO formal night on this cruise.

* Every night is cruise casual, except PIRATE night which I think is the night we leave Villefranche. They recommend dressing pirate of course!

* We WILL have a "Frozen" night on Sunday 8/21! Assuming that means Frozen At Sea with the decorated ship and everything. I wasn't sure if we had because the information online said "select sailings". Apparently we are a select sailing.

* I asked about tips, and whether American dollars were OK vs. Euros, and he said dollars were fine.

* I also asked about first seating and how to work that when an excursion gets back later than the seating starts. He asked that we tell the servers because they expect us to be there, they will tell you how to handle it if you're late (maybe come late, or go to 2nd seating instead). If anyone has any experience with that, I'd appreciate it!

That's all I can think of, other than we're excited and can't wait for August 20!

--Karina

 

[Mickdeb]

Hey everyone,
Nice to see this thread getting more active. I posted back in February! I am so ready for this cruise, only 28 more days for us! This will be our 4th cruise, we have been on all the ships except the Magic, so this will complete the grand slam, as they say. We have done Alaska on the Wonder, Eastern Caribbean and Bahamian. The Alaska cruise was by far the best so far. Here's hoping this tops it!

We are booking our excursions through Disney except in France as we have been to Nice/Monaco before and plan to go on our own.

I noticed someone post about no formal night on this cruise........typically formal night is night 2 of any 7 night cruise and if you look at Navigators of last years 7 night Med.cruises that is indeed the case. A friend was just on the Fjord cruise and they also had formal night on day 2. Usually, formal and semi formal nights are planned. Now that doesn't mean you have to dress formal......I know on our Alaska cruise on the Wonder, many people did not dress up. I know I will be bringing a dressy dress or 2 and my husband will be bringing a jacket and tie. Believe it or not some of the CM's don't also give out the right information. Just something to keep in mind.

We will be arriving on the 19th early morning and will be staying near the port, I actually just used Hotwire to book our hotel.

Looking forward to "meeting" you all.
Deb

 

[MaineChapmans]

I noticed someone post about no formal night on this cruise........typically formal night is night 2 of any 7 night cruise and if you look at Navigators of last years 7 night Med.cruises that is indeed the case. A friend was just on the Fjord cruise and they also had formal night on day 2.

Hi, that was me. I called DCL, and he looked at the Aug. 20 schedule. He told me specifically there was NO formal night, because the second night (Sunday) was Frozen At Sea night.

I will call them again closer to sail date but this is what the guy on the phone told me. I hadn't asked him about formal night yet, he volunteered the information. Perhaps the Frozen At Sea night takes its place?

Just repeating what I was told. Thanks!

Karina

 

[Mickdeb]

Hi, that was me. I called DCL, and he looked at the Aug. 20 schedule. He told me specifically there was NO formal night, because the second night (Sunday) was Frozen At Sea night.

I will call them again closer to sail date but this is what the guy on the phone told me. I hadn't asked him about formal night yet, he volunteered the information. Perhaps the Frozen At Sea night takes its place?

Just repeating what I was told. Thanks!

Karina

Well, that is good to know.....though somewhat disappointing.
I know from last summer Frozen at Sea was on night 2 but it was also formal night and the Captains Reception. I guess we will see. Either way I will have my dressy clothes for Palo, so we will be all set.
Thanks for following up.