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

[momma4v3]

That would be great! I know Hannah would love to exchange emails with some of the girls she will be meeting.

I am really excited about this voyage. We go to WDW next week and I am having trouble focusing on my plans for that trip. LOL

KaseyC,
My 3 DDs would love to exchange emails with Hannah as well. They are 9, 10 and 12 on the cruise. They are emailing (smores)Hannah and love the fact that they "know" someone on the cruise. Just PM me and we can go from there.

Linda

 

[bellelinus]

I'm way behind here, but glad you'll be joining us Julie....There goes our scavenger hunt for hidden messages though...oh well...much better to have you in person instead of just a note

We can still hide messages! Why not?

 

[bellelinus]

Hello Everyone! We will be joining you all on this fabulous Transatlantic Repo!! It will be me - Henrietta (42) and my eldest DD- Hannah (11). I have been thinking about this cruise since it was announced and even went so far as booking it once. I just wasn't sure if I could make it work -DH's schedule, childcare for my younger two and Hannah missing the first few days of school.

After, following the live thread from the EB Repo and the amazing price for the Cat. 12 GTY, I just had to look into it again. All the pieces fell into place. My mom will come out from MD to help DH with the girls while we are gone, I found and booked great Airfare out of Chicago and a return to Milwaukee (We are equal distance from both) and I stopped at DD's school to see what needed to be done to excuse her those first few days of school. I then transferred our 2008 booking deposit which totally covered the price of this cruise.

So we are all set and I am just thrilled. From reading the thread it looks like there may be quite a few girls my DD age. I am looking forward to hearing more from the posters who were on the EB Repo and getting to know the Disers on this thread.

WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ejw]

Whew....all caught up. Sorry I've been MIA but I've had a lot going on. I think it's all settled down now, so I can get back to planning.

Chris, count me in for a ladies get together. I'm already doing a brunch with another group so I'm not sure if I'm allowed to do more than 1 Palo brunch. But a tea would be nice. I was going to book a solo one anyway since it will just be me and my son cruising. His last day of school is June 13. I plan on telling him about the trip then as a end of 6th grade present.

Since this is my first DCL (been on other lines before) I don't get to book an excursions until this weekend. I think I've got things narrowed down though:

Barcelona - visit the Chocolate Museum on my own (may rethink this after the previous review posted), visit the fountains on my own, bike tour Sunday morning with another group

Gibraltar - tour the Rock with a group, and doing the Panoramic Gibraltar and Afternoon Tea with DCL

Cadiz - Bee & Honey Museum w/DCL, possibly the Flamenco in Puerto de Santa Maria w/DCL

Tenerife - this is where I'm totally undecided, maybe the Catamaran or the Jeep w/DCL or the Tenerife Wine Experience w/DCL. I'm going to do some more research and see if I can come up with anything to do on my own here

Castaway Cay - think we'll go with the Extreme Getaway package so we can get floats, snorkel, bike and see the stingrays. May also try to get a Cabana massage for myself.

Hi Monica,

good luck booking your excursions. i checked the excursions yesterday and just about everything was still open including the ones your've mentioned.

we are doing some of the same ones. we originally booked the catamaran but switched to the jeep in tenerife. we are doing the bees in cadiz. a few of us are talking about seeing the fountains saturday night in barcelona and if you are referring to the fat city bike tour on sunday morning we are doing that one also.

ellen

 

[ejw]

11 weeks to go

 

[Grandma x3]

I would love to be added to the list for the Ladies brunch/tea. Thanks, I just booked today and am trying to get caught up with the posts and involved in some of the events planned.

Hi,
Gotcha included - I'm in Las Vegas right now - but when I get back I'll check into the logistics and let everyone know.
This is just going to be such a fun cruise and a fun group!!

 

[joanflo]

Hi Chris
Could you please add me to the ladies brunch, I would love to come!
Joan

 

[faireygod mother]

Wow, this is the first chance I have had all day to check in. Work has been busy, but that is what happens when you work from 2 different sites.

I see not much has been going on here today.

I too would like to join in on the ladies tea.

So is there gonna be a mini deis meet in vegas?

I am trying to get to NYC in the next month so maybe we can have a mini meet there.

 

[kaseyC]

Hi,
Gotcha included - I'm in Las Vegas right now - but when I get back I'll check into the logistics and let everyone know.
This is just going to be such a fun cruise and a fun group!!

Thank you, Chris. Enjoy Las Vegas!!


If anyone is thinking about picking up bottles of water, soft drinks and/or snacks in Barcelona. There is a huge El Corte Ingles department store right in Placa de Catalunya area. It has a large grocery department in the basement. DH and I picked up drinks there before our Med cruise last May. The store also has a bakery with sinfully delicious pastries! Yummy!!

 

[got2travel]

We can still hide messages! Why not?

So true!! Hey are you and Andrew on the same cruise now? He could still hide messages. And you could too, just to see if they stay in between your 2.

This is getting exciting, we're down to the wire now!

 

[got2travel]

Hi Monica,

good luck booking your excursions. i checked the excursions yesterday and just about everything was still open including the ones your've mentioned.

we are doing some of the same ones. we originally booked the catamaran but switched to the jeep in tenerife. we are doing the bees in cadiz. a few of us are talking about seeing the fountains saturday night in barcelona and if you are referring to the fat city bike tour on sunday morning we are doing that one also.

ellen

Thanks, good to know there's still stuff out there to book. I figured there would be since there a still so many cabins available.

Sounds like we'll be crossing paths a lot. Yes, its the Fat City Bike tour we're doing. And I've seen the talk about the fountains, I'm just not sure when I'll be available. I'm thinking of trying for a table for dinner at the culinary school right near the port. I've heard the lines can be long but I've also heard it's worth the wait. May just wander up to the fountains on my own after that.

 

[gismo1554]

Thank you, Chris. Enjoy Las Vegas!!


If anyone is thinking about picking up bottles of water, soft drinks and/or snacks in Barcelona. There is a huge El Corte Ingles department store right in Placa de Catalunya area. It has a large grocery department in the basement. DH and I picked up drinks there before our Med cruise last May. The store also has a bakery with sinfully delicious pastries! Yummy!!

We're going to get some in the port I think. When we came back they had a little drink store in the port itself that had large water bottles which were 6 for 8 euros or something like that so we're going to get stuff from there I think and then just put it in a bag.

 

[bellelinus]

So true!! Hey are you and Andrew on the same cruise now? He could still hide messages. And you could too, just to see if they stay in between your 2.

This is getting exciting, we're down to the wire now!

Yes, I'm on Andrew's Med cruise now . . . that's a good idea about hiding thing for you then and seeing if they make it for the repo!

 

[Mmouse1964]

can i have more info on the culinary school? thanks

 

[smores]

kaseyC--where is the department store in relation to the port--i would like to pick up some rum or something to mix with. . .is it walking distance?

karen

 

[got2travel]

can i have more info on the culinary school? thanks

Here's a few reviews I saved

A must is Les Quinzes Nits in Placa Reial at the bottom end of Las Ramblas. This is a cookery school and the food is just simply fantastic and cheap. 2 people 3 courses and wine for 30 euros. One tip. Call through the day and check the openning time. Don't get there much after it opens or else you will have to line up for at least an hour, thats how popular it is.

A 3rd vote for Les Quinze Nits - and I also recommend getting there early (7 or shortly after) to line up. Waiting in line is not as bad as it sounds ... you'll meet other people to talk to, the square is interesting, and there were street performers to entertain us. It's a very large restaurant, so don't be put off if you see a fairly long line when you arrive. And the restaurant is worth the wait for the good food and exceptionally low prices.

Plus a link to many reviews on Virtual Tourist
http://www.virtualtourist.com/trave...staurants-Barcelona-Les_Quinze_Nits-BR-1.html

 

[Mmouse1964]

thank you, i'm going to check it out.

 

[kaseyC]

kaseyC--where is the department store in relation to the port--i would like to pick up some rum or something to mix with. . .is it walking distance?

karen

It's at the northern end of Las Ramblas. Basically, all the way at the top you will come to a city square with a fountain - Placa De Catalunya and the store is right there. You cannot miss it because it is huge(there is also Hop on Hop off Bus Stop in front of the store).

 

[DizzneyDAnn]

Gibralter
I'm not sure if you can catch a taxi outside the dock area.You may be able to. Our excursion took us into town, so that's where we caught a taxi. There is also a shuttle into town for a pound or two. We just couldn't find it coming back. The walk was nice, though, and we had plenty of time.

To get a sense of the timing of our day...
Our excursion was at 8, over at 1000, walked into town from the excursion drop(not too far) we had a liesuely lunch of fish and chips, took the taxi tour around 1200 over by 2:00, shopped, saw the last bit of changing of the guards, sat talking with friends for an hour or so in the Nelson cemetary while the kids played, shopped a little more, got some ice cream, walked all the way back from the cemetary at a slow pace with a 5 year old to the boat, taking pictures along the way, and were still back on the boat way early.

We had timeto throw in the war museum andthe botanical gardens, too, but heard neither was thatgreat, so we just relaxed. Did not feel pressed for time at all, even taking two tours of the Rock.

 

[DizzneyDAnn]

The Ramblas is not far from the boat, especially with the free shuttle. It is not long, either. We started at 3 after getting hotels and such, got a hop on hop off blue line, which we road for over an hour, got off at Placa catalunya, walked down the Ramblas, stopping often to be entertained, to the Columbus statue, walked through some LOVELY squares in the Gothic area, which is just off to the left if facing Columbus. Saw folk dancers, sat and enjoyed musicians, toured the gothic church, stopped at a bakery.

We also had a half an hour "break" when my 5 year old decided he was going to screamin the streets for ice cream, instead of asking nicely. "No, you are being rude. No you are not on the boat anymore where your every wish was granted. No, because of your sreaming, you may not have ice cream now."

Caught the hop on hop off in the Gothic area, and road it to where the fountains were, seeing some of Gaudi's weirdo buildings (we'd seen the Sagrada Familia theday before --it's on a different line) The fountain started at 9, with the real show starting at 930 and the first show was over by 1000. We took the metro to the Sants station--don't--just walk--to avoid all the stairs. The sants station train to the airport was broken, so they provided a free bus. got our hotel shuttle at the airport and were home by1100, feeling we'd experienced a lot of Barcelona. (especially added to the brief tour we'd had the day before)

We had done the Spanish Villiage tour the day before--it was just okay for me (I'd skip the treasure hunt, which was annoying and just LOOK at the villiage instead of trying to find things that were not that impressive--though the glass blowing was very cool) This tour did include a good hit on all the highlights of Barcelona.We also did Mont Serrat, which is okay at half a day, since we had little kids and didn't want to hike and the lines were non-existant for us. I'm glad I did this one, but once in a lifetime is enough, and I won't bother taking the kids, since there is so much in Barcelona to see that I think they would enjoy, too.

Anyway,just trying to give you a sense of time and that you can see a lot in very little time. We started at 3 and wandered SLOWLY, and had a great day.