Bringing Home the Magic - Part 2 - 8/18/07 - 9/01/07- list of cruisers on page 1

[mississaugamom]

My DH rang DCL yesterday and was told that the city under seige tour was sold out and they could not see the Horse school one at all. I cannot believe the tour is sold out if only conceiage have been able to book at this stage. I mailed Dreams yesterday and they are looking into it. Hopefully it will just be an issue with the booking system - from reading other posts it does not seem uncommon!

Lorraine

I did some research on Gibraltar (I was so confused by the various tour options and unhappy about the length of time spent at some of the locations). If you can't get the "City Under Siege" Tour, it's possible to do all the same elements on your own:

I contacted the Tourist Board of Gibraltar and got the following response from them: (Note: All costs are in Pounds Sterling, which is currently around $2.00 US for comparison purposes)

"(1) For your information, taxis wait outside the Cruise Ship Terminal ready to transport cruise ship passengers on either guided tours of Gibraltar or to the destination of their choice. The cost to the cable car station may be around £5 to £7 for this journey.

2) The cable car currently costs £8.50 per adult and £4.50 for children. There is an additional cost of £8 per adult for entrance to the Nature Reserve which includes the following :

St Michael’s Cave
Apes’ Den
Military & Heritage Centre
Great Siege Tunnel
Gibraltar a City Under Siege Exhibition


3) If you were to take a taxi tour of Gibraltar, you would miss out on the Cable Car as the taxi tours are conducted in minibuses. With regards to other attractions, please see the attached document for further information. You may also find it helpful to visit www.visitgibraltar.gi

*********************

Here is the additional document they sent me:

OPENING TIMES & PRICES

NATURE RESERVE -Upper Rock
Admission including attractions: 0930hrs – 1915hrs
(Last Entry 1845hrs) Daily
Adults £8.00 / Children age 5-12 years: £4.00
Children age 4 years and under: free / private vehicles: £1.50

Includes:
St. Michael's Cave
Apes' Den
Military & Heritage Centre
Great Siege Tunnels
Gibraltar: A City Under Siege Exhibition
Medieval Castle (Closed for Restoration)

CABLE CAR - Grand Parade
0930hrs-1745hrs Monday to Sunday
(Last cable up: 1715hrs) (Last cable down: 1745hrs)
Admission: Adults £8.00 Children £4.50


NELSON’S ANCHORAGE - Rosia Road CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE


GIBRALTAR MUSEUM - Bomb House Lane
1000hrs-1800hrs Monday to Friday
1000hrs-1400hrs Saturday : Closed on Sunday
Admission: Adults £2.00 / Children under 12 years £1.00


ALAMEDA BOTANICAL GARDENS - Red Sands Road
0800hrs-sunset Daily
Admission: Free


WILDLIFE CONSERVATION PARK - Alameda Botanical Gardens
1000hrs-1730hrs Daily
Admission: Adults £2.00 Children £1.50


WWII TUNNELS – Hay’s Level, Upper Rock
1000hrs-1745hrs Monday to Saturday (Closed Sundays)
Admission: £6.00
Must have purchased Nature Reserve ticket on the same day.


TRAFALGAR CEMETERY - Trafalgar Road
0900hrs-1900hrs Daily
Admission: Free


GIBRALTAR CRYSTAL GLASS FACTORY - Casemates Square
0900hrs-1900hrs Monday to Friday
0900hrs-1400hrs Saturday
Closed Sundays
Admission: Free


GIBRALTAR ARTS AND CRAFTS ASSOCIATION - Casemates Square
0930hrs-1900hrs Monday to Friday
1000hrs-1500hrs Saturday
Closed Sundays


PARSON’S LODGE Rosia Road Closed till further notice


JOHN MACKINTOSH HALL (Library and Cultural Centre) 308 Main Street
0930hrs-2300hrs Monday to Friday Closed Saturday and Sunday


SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF EUROPE (Museum within premises) Europa Road
1030hrs-1800hrs Monday to Friday
Admission: Free

FLAT BASTION MAGAZINE Flat Bastion Road
Geological Research Station and Lithology of Gibraltar.
Persons wishing to visit please contact:
Mr. F. Gomez Tel. +350 44460 (Answer phone)
Mr. P. Hodkinson Tel. +350 43910"


*******************

Bottom line seems to be that DCL's costs are not too bad, UNLESS you have a child 10-12; you pay Adult cost to DCL for them, but they're really only 1/2 price at any of the attractions. For us, taking a cab on our own and just paying the admissions for the Cable Car and the Nature Reserve may be a more attractive option, given that we can follow our own timeline rather than locking into DCL's two-hour window to return to the ship using their shuttle.

Hopefully this will be of some help to others with their planning. Sorry for the length!!!!

Arlene

 

[smores]

for anyone who has not paid in full yet. . .

i was just checking my account--when i booked, the pay in full date was 5/20/07. it's now listed as 5/18/07. don't miss your date! (not sure if they contact you to remind you or not)

 

[ejw]

I did some research on Gibraltar (I was so confused by the various tour options and unhappy about the length of time spent at some of the locations). If you can't get the "City Under Siege" Tour, it's possible to do all the same elements on your own:

I contacted the Tourist Board of Gibraltar and got the following response from them: (Note: All costs are in Pounds Sterling, which is currently around $2.00 US for comparison purposes)

"(1) For your information, taxis wait outside the Cruise Ship Terminal ready to transport cruise ship passengers on either guided tours of Gibraltar or to the destination of their choice. The cost to the cable car station may be around £5 to £7 for this journey.

2) The cable car currently costs £8.50 per adult and £4.50 for children. There is an additional cost of £8 per adult for entrance to the Nature Reserve which includes the following :

St Michael’s Cave
Apes’ Den
Military & Heritage Centre
Great Siege Tunnel
Gibraltar a City Under Siege Exhibition


3) If you were to take a taxi tour of Gibraltar, you would miss out on the Cable Car as the taxi tours are conducted in minibuses. With regards to other attractions, please see the attached document for further information. You may also find it helpful to visit www.visitgibraltar.gi

*********************

Here is the additional document they sent me:

OPENING TIMES & PRICES

NATURE RESERVE -Upper Rock
Admission including attractions: 0930hrs – 1915hrs
(Last Entry 1845hrs) Daily
Adults £8.00 / Children age 5-12 years: £4.00
Children age 4 years and under: free / private vehicles: £1.50

Includes:
St. Michael's Cave
Apes' Den
Military & Heritage Centre
Great Siege Tunnels
Gibraltar: A City Under Siege Exhibition
Medieval Castle (Closed for Restoration)

CABLE CAR - Grand Parade
0930hrs-1745hrs Monday to Sunday
(Last cable up: 1715hrs) (Last cable down: 1745hrs)
Admission: Adults £8.00 Children £4.50


NELSON’S ANCHORAGE - Rosia Road CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE


GIBRALTAR MUSEUM - Bomb House Lane
1000hrs-1800hrs Monday to Friday
1000hrs-1400hrs Saturday : Closed on Sunday
Admission: Adults £2.00 / Children under 12 years £1.00


ALAMEDA BOTANICAL GARDENS - Red Sands Road
0800hrs-sunset Daily
Admission: Free


WILDLIFE CONSERVATION PARK - Alameda Botanical Gardens
1000hrs-1730hrs Daily
Admission: Adults £2.00 Children £1.50


WWII TUNNELS – Hay’s Level, Upper Rock
1000hrs-1745hrs Monday to Saturday (Closed Sundays)
Admission: £6.00
Must have purchased Nature Reserve ticket on the same day.


TRAFALGAR CEMETERY - Trafalgar Road
0900hrs-1900hrs Daily
Admission: Free


GIBRALTAR CRYSTAL GLASS FACTORY - Casemates Square
0900hrs-1900hrs Monday to Friday
0900hrs-1400hrs Saturday
Closed Sundays
Admission: Free


GIBRALTAR ARTS AND CRAFTS ASSOCIATION - Casemates Square
0930hrs-1900hrs Monday to Friday
1000hrs-1500hrs Saturday
Closed Sundays


PARSON’S LODGE Rosia Road Closed till further notice


JOHN MACKINTOSH HALL (Library and Cultural Centre) 308 Main Street
0930hrs-2300hrs Monday to Friday Closed Saturday and Sunday


SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF EUROPE (Museum within premises) Europa Road
1030hrs-1800hrs Monday to Friday
Admission: Free

FLAT BASTION MAGAZINE Flat Bastion Road
Geological Research Station and Lithology of Gibraltar.
Persons wishing to visit please contact:
Mr. F. Gomez Tel. +350 44460 (Answer phone)
Mr. P. Hodkinson Tel. +350 43910"


*******************

Bottom line seems to be that DCL's costs are not too bad, UNLESS you have a child 10-12; you pay Adult cost to DCL for them, but they're really only 1/2 price at any of the attractions. For us, taking a cab on our own and just paying the admissions for the Cable Car and the Nature Reserve may be a more attractive option, given that we can follow our own timeline rather than locking into DCL's two-hour window to return to the ship using their shuttle.

Hopefully this will be of some help to others with their planning. Sorry for the length!!!!

Arlene

Hi Arlene, this info really does help. I am also trying to decide between doing the DCL excursion or doing it on our own. I was concerned that being on disney's timeline might not work for us if we wanted to spend more time at any one of the stops. We have a 10 year old daughter and that's where we would get hosed on the price of the excursion. On the other hand, according to a couple of people on cruisecritic, the line for the cable car can get long. I thought doing the DCL excursion might eliminate the wait....but I'm only guessing here.

thanks for doing the research.

has anyone else decided what they will be doing for this?

ellen

 

[ejw]

I called DCL yesterday to see if they could tell me which excursions are sold out or have been cancelled. the rep could not help me cause I'm not eligible to book excursions yet....at least that's what she told me.

we know city under seige is sold out (mentioned earlier in a post). has anyone heard anything about any of the other excursions?

thanks, ellen

 

[Lorraine]

Following my earlier post where I advised that we had been told the City under Siege had been sold out. We contacted Dreams, and and they have come back and said that there is a problem with the DCL system and the from what i understand the excursion is not sold out and also the Horse School one should be there. DCL are working on the system and will be booking us on once this is sorted.

The info above re doing it on your own certainly looks good too though, so may consider that.

Thanks

Lorraine

 

[Lorraine]

I have just logged onto the DCL website and the two excursions that I was looking at booking are now showing with availability. There are a few that are showing 'no reservations available'

Barcelona

Chocolate Musuem
Gothic Quarter Walking Tour

Cadiz

White Villages of Andulacia

Gibralter

Ocean Odyssea Sailing Charter

However, as with the two I was looking at I would be very surprised if these are actually sold out or just having trouble with the booking system.

Will take a look later in the week and report if any change - when can the next set start to book?

Lorraine

 

[ejw]

I have just logged onto the DCL website and the two excursions that I was looking at booking are now showing with availability. There are a few that are showing 'no reservations available'

Barcelona

Chocolate Musuem
Gothic Quarter Walking Tour

Cadiz

White Villages of Andulacia

Gibralter

Ocean Odyssea Sailing Charter

However, as with the two I was looking at I would be very surprised if these are actually sold out or just having trouble with the booking system.

Will take a look later in the week and report if any change - when can the next set start to book?

Lorraine

Hi Lorraine, thanks for the info. the next group can start booking on may 20 which is 90 days out. I appreciate you keeping us up to date on excursion availability. It really helps with the planning.

ellen

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

First of all I would like to say hi to everyone on this thred and scond of all I wan to say that I will be on this cruise as well. I will be traviling solo leavng Toronto at 8:00 pm on august 16th and ariving in sapin at about 11:00 local time and proceding to the Hotel Atenea Mar the night before the cruise.

Oh yeah this will be my second ever cruise!! I must be nuts.

 

[DisCrazzy]

First of all I would like to say hi to everyone on this thred and scond of all I wan to say that I will be on this cruise as well. I will be traviling solo leavng Toronto at 8:00 pm on august 16th and ariving in sapin at about 11:00 local time and proceding to the Hotel Atenea Mar the night before the cruise.

Oh yeah this will be my second ever cruise!! I must be nuts.

Welcome aboard EastYorkDisneyFan!

Jennifer

 

[mississaugamom]

First of all I would like to say hi to everyone on this thred and scond of all I wan to say that I will be on this cruise as well. I will be traviling solo leavng Toronto at 8:00 pm on august 16th and ariving in sapin at about 11:00 local time and proceding to the Hotel Atenea Mar the night before the cruise.

Oh yeah this will be my second ever cruise!! I must be nuts.

Welcome Aboard EastYorkDisneyFan!

As you can tell, we're GTA neighbours in Canada. I'll be travelling with my husband and 11 year old daughter. There are a few other Canadians on this cruise as well (although some don't post here).

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Arlene

 

[faireygod mother]

First of all I would like to say hi to everyone on this thred and scond of all I wan to say that I will be on this cruise as well. I will be traviling solo leavng Toronto at 8:00 pm on august 16th and ariving in sapin at about 11:00 local time and proceding to the Hotel Atenea Mar the night before the cruise.

Oh yeah this will be my second ever cruise!! I must be nuts.

Hello and welcome. If you are nuts then most of us be as well. Is this your first or second on DCL?


As for the excursions. I suspect that they will hold spots as they have in the past. I am numb with all this planning. I have never felt like this before. I do not know if it is because of the magnitude of this trip or that I am just an old hat at doing this now. No matter what, I will be glad to be on that ship. I must confess, I am nervous about 14 days and getting bored. Hopefully I will have met up with a few of you all and DCL will have plenty of activities that the time will fly by.

Happy planing

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

Hello and welcome. If you are nuts then most of us be as well. Is this your first or second on DCL?



Happy planing

This is my second DCL and second cruise. My first was 4 days last summer on the Wonder.
Oh yaeh one other thiong I booked this one before I had ever been on a cruise before.

 

[GrayFal]

I am numb with all this planning. I have never felt like this before. I do not know if it is because of the magnitude of this trip or that I am just an old hat at doing this now. No matter what, I will be glad to be on that ship. I must confess, I am nervous about 14 days and getting bored. Hopefully I will have met up with a few of you all and DCL will have plenty of activities that the time will fly by.

Happy planing

It is overwhelming because of the decisions and the 'once in a lifetime' feel this trip has for me.
We are not 'excursion' people...LOL...so after doing some research, have decided to do most things on our own or with a small group of friends.

I know the first week will be hectic but then we have 6 days of relaxation and for me anyway! TIME to do all those shipboard activities that I say "Gee, I wish I could fit that in!"
Someone posted about resies for tea at PALO - something I haven't done but will so this trip.
The adult series, the cooking stuff, behind the scenes ship tours, hanging a the Cove Cafe....I can't wait!

Edit...welcome EastYork!

 

[ejw]

14 weeks to go.

I'm also thinking of this cruise as a "once in a lifetime experience". I think we all will have a Magical time. My family and I like the excursions and it does feel a bit overwhelming doing the planning. looking forward to the many sea days. I'm sure disney will have lots for us to do and we'll have the time to do it all.

the eastbound repo cruise leaves tomorrow. can't wait to read all about their experiences. I think we will benefit from all that they have to say and it should help make the planning easier for us.

ellen

 

[faireygod mother]

14 weeks to go.
the eastbound repo cruise leaves tomorrow. can't wait to read all about their experiences. I think we will benefit from all that they have to say and it should help make the planning easier for us.

ellen

I think you maybe right. I hope they will have a live thread so we can follow them.

 

[Hazy]

Wow.. This thread really has died down! Did a bunch of people cancel??

 

[DisCrazzy]

No, didn't cancel. We just paid off the trip last weekend! YIPPEE! I can't wait.

Jennifer

 

[smores]

i think everyone is watching the east bound in anticipation!

 

[faireygod mother]

Happy Mothers Day to all!

 

[happyfeet]

Happy Mothers Day to all!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY
Is anyone else booked in a cat 10 or 11?
Have you noticed that cat 12s are now available at A REALLY GOOD RATE!!!!!!!!(Iv changed our cat 10 to 12,saved a couple of 1000s$,REALLY pleased)
In fact cat 12s on all the med cruises seem to have gone down in price considerably-check the DCL web page!
Sue