August 30th 2014, 7 night Mediterranean Cruise - Disney Magic

[debsters41]

We are doing the med cruise then taking the Magic back to Puerto Rico. There has got to be someone else on the ship doing the same.

Well MKmoose, you have your mates! Nat Tucker will be joining you! Also, There is another couple on the fb page, but then again, that may be you . Shelley, who made the map for us, will be on the transatlantic now instead of this cruise, so you are in great company!

 

[Nat Tucker]

Well MKmoose, you have your mates! Nat Tucker will be joining you! Also, There is another couple on the fb page, but then again, that may be you . Shelley, who made the map for us, will be on the transatlantic now instead of this cruise, so you are in great company!

Awesome! Glad to know there is someone else doing a b2b! Thanks for the connection Debsters! We will have 3 weeks to get to know each other! I had posted on the FBT page as well so I think you are the couple that I "met" on FB.

 

[TechMama]

It's really easy. I use a travel agent, so I just send in a payment with the notation that I want to prepay tips and she takes care of it.

If you are not using a travel agent, I am fairly sure that all you need to do is call DCL and tell them. I like to pay off tips in the first payment I make after the deposit so I can forget about them.

I even have a bunch of 2 Euro coins stashed away for room service

They say you use US$ on the ship -- in this particular instance (start and end in Europe), do the room service CM prefer US$ or Euros?

Thanks!

 

[debsters41]

I would bet, seeing as how this is the last cruise before the WBTA, that if you have dollars they would appreciate it. Their opportunities for spending the Euros on incidentals are dwindling, as is their need, I would expect. I pay the regular tips in dollars on the ship account, but I give out Euros for exceptional service on top of that and for room service because...

1. They may still have incidentals they need.
2. The Euro is stronger than the dollar so they are getting a 'bonus' if they exchange them for dollars on board.
3. Euros are what I have .


But if I was coming from the States, I would give dollars this late in the season.

Of course, all of this is pure speculation and maybe it makes sense only in my twisted head I never thought to ask an actual CM... maybe a good question for the regular DCL board?

 

[debsters41]

A few reminders:

1. Dollars are used on the ship, but taxes are not figured into the prices you see listed... On this cruise, VAT taxes are in effect, which means 20% on top of the price you see. Ouch! (Still, I pay 23% in Greece, so I am getting a bargain ) That includes spa and drinks! Double ouch!

2. I am starting the processes for Mixology and the Private Brunch. If you haven't done so, please let me know who is interested for either one. 2 spaces left on the Brunch and we need 11 more for mixology.... I say it again, if the mixology is not private, it is not worth it for me to go... that is how much of a difference there is in the experience.

3. For those of us interested in the Private Brunch, we still need to make our own Brunch reservations which will then be transferred to a common reservation for the private room. Here is the good news: When we are transferred to the reservation for the private room, we are enabled by the system to book a second brunch on the second sea day So we need to coordinate our Palo Brunch Bookings.

Lets make them for the first sea day at 10:30. If you can only get 10 or 11, it is okay, just book it. Don't forget, we are looking at the first sea day so we can get acquainted

Let me know if I have totally confused you

 

[TechMama]

Thanks, Deb!

 

[scrawny]

Thanks deb.

 

[scrawny]

Talked to our travel agent and she is getting a us a map for las spezia if anyone needs a copy let me know.

 

[debsters41]

Talked to our travel agent and she is getting a us a map for las spezia if anyone needs a copy let me know.

It would be great if you could post it here

 

[pascalstongue]

I am now back from our DLRP trip and I can now focus on planning for this cruise!!

We were booked into the Tryp Apolo for the two days before the cruise, but I have just cancelled that and changed it to the Novotel Barcelona City.

We have agreed that we are going to do the ports on our own. DH wants to go to Pompeii but I don't think the kids would be happy with that so I will stay on the ship and DH will go on an excursion through Disney. I don't trust him to do it by himself as he will definitely get lost!

I have heard that Nice is not very nice (!) so I don't know whether it is recommended to take the kids out for a stroll and some gelato whilst DH is on his excursion? Maybe there is a different excursion we could take?

We are going to do Monaco and Pisa on our own. We will stay on the ship and not go to Rome. DH and I have been previously and I don't think the children would enjoy it yet.

Think that is it for now. Just need to read up on how to get to Monaco and Pisa and we are all set!

 

[pascalstongue]

Sorry I can't work out how to edit my post above on my IPad! I didn't mean Nice isn't nice! I meant Naples. Sorry!

 

[scrawny]

We r doing Monaco and Pisa on our own. Maybe we can compare notes. When I get the map I will try to post. Keep your fingers crossed on that one...haha

 

[debsters41]

Monaco and Pisa on your own is really easy. We were back on the ship early both times, I want to say around 2:30 from Monaco and 4:30 from Pisa. Naples has a Disney Store not too far from the ship (There is NO Disney Store in Greece!) and this time I think we will hydrofoil to Sorrento. Pompeii is easy to do without an excursion, if someone doesn't mind reading up beforehand so they don't need a Guide. Rick Steeves book and free audio tour are very helpful in this regard.

I know there are Disney Stores in Barcelona and Rome, I plan on hitting those up as well!

 

[pascalstongue]

[QUOTE="debsters41; I know there are Disney Stores in Barcelona and Rome, I plan on hitting those up as well![/QUOTE]

I will definitely be visiting the Disney Stores. In the disney Store in Rome I got a Mickey dressed as a Roman, a French Mickey in Paris and a Statue of Liberty Minnie in New York. I therefore really need a Spanish character to go with my collection!

I have just paid the balance off today. Only 127 days to go!!

 

[debsters41]

I will definitely be visiting the Disney Stores. In the disney Store in Rome I got a Mickey dressed as a Roman, a French Mickey in Paris and a Statue of Liberty Minnie in New York. I therefore really need a Spanish character to go with my collection!

I have just paid the balance off today. Only 127 days to go!!

I just charged the rest of my balance today, too! Should have it 'paid' in about a week.

I love the idea of the Mickey dressed as a Roman

 

[scrawny]

Paid the balance today.....come on August

 

[qsmomma]

Paid the balance today.....come on August

Me too! It's getting real now

 

[lelalittlelegs]

Hi everyone!

I may have asked this before (and because I'm not on FB I am not sure if this has already been discussed) but does anyone know roughly how long before the cruise the FE list is closed or split (if that's needed)? I am traveling by train through Europe to Barcelona and like the people coming from far and wide, I am starting to think of bag sizes and packing and I am trying to factor in FE gifts - how many will be needed etc and whether there will be any last minute additions. It's our first time doing FE but not our first Disney cruise so I am unsure of timings and/or the etiquette of this. I'm a planner...and am making our FE gifts *gulp* so would rather not still be making them the last few weeks before we travel. Any thoughts?

Come on August

 

[debsters41]

Hi again Lelalittlelegs!

Good idea to bring up the FE again and get me busy! I am finishing up a last project and am at the busiest season at work. Would a cut off date of July 1st be too late for you, do you think? I have been in groups where the cut off date is June 1st and July 1st (I always cruise the same week each year). Let me know (via PM or here) what you need for a cut off date and also, how many rooms you think is too many.

I will ask the same question now on FB, and will take everyone's input to determine the date and how many cabins per group if we split it.

Summer is coming! I keep singing two songs in my head: the Summer Song from Frozen and that "Happy" song that is on the radio 'because I'm happy... clap a long if you feel like .....'

 

[debsters41]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...bl9oYndKS2ZIYUFfRVNiTlRrelE&usp=sharing#gid=0


Here is the Fish Extender Gift exchange sign up sheet again. See how it's grown? I am taking everyone's opinions on how many people/cabins should be in each group. Also, on preferred cut off date. Please let me know either here or with a private message (click on my name, then the option to send a private message will pop up in the menu)