Dis / Dreams Viking Sea Cruise around Italy 3/24 - 3/31/2018

[mark&loriw]

Capwkidd I looked into a car service
Are u one person?
I got a price of 129 euros
Fattoricarservice.com
Thinking around 330-4 leaving Rome.
Are u still interested.
Anyone else want to join in. Obviously more people who join the price goes down. Let me know
Thx.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Mom just called Viking to clarify the dining process for the main restaurant (called The Restaurant). Breakfast is served from 7:30am-9am it’s open seating so you just head to a table in between those times. Same process for dinner between 6:30pm-9:30pm.

I double checked with some veteran Viking cruisers and the World Cafe (buffet) is open seating, seat yourself, and The Restaurant is no reservations and they will seat you.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I double checked with some veteran Viking cruisers and the World Cafe (buffet) is open seating, seat yourself, and The Restaurant is no reservations and they will seat you.

I don't know, sounds too flexible, simple, and easy - how do I enter that in my planning excel spreadsheets!!!!

 

[corky441]

 

[seanfaulk]

Thanks for creating and updating this thread. I have never been on a trip like this, so this has been very helpful! Can’t wait to meet everyone.

 

[OKW Lover]

OK, so this is getting real now. We have started to pack our stuff (first had to unpack from our most recent trip last week) and have just picked up our Euros. Can't believe that in 2 weeks we will already be in Italy!!! Wow!!!!

 

[Cousin Orville]

OK, so this is getting real now. We have started to pack our stuff (first had to unpack from our most recent trip last week) and have just picked up our Euros. Can't believe that in 2 weeks we will already be in Italy!!! Wow!!!!

You know you travel a lot when you have to first unpack from the previous trip to then repack for the next! It doesn't seem real to us. Italy still feels so far way. Just moved into our new house. We're doing ok on unpacking boxes but of course still have a lot left to unpack. Next week is spring break which is a busy week for us at work. This trip will be coming up at just the right time.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

OK, so this is getting real now. We have started to pack our stuff (first had to unpack from our most recent trip last week) and have just picked up our Euros. Can't believe that in 2 weeks we will already be in Italy!!! Wow!!!!

We are so not ready - we are now on day 7 of now power from the last storm and then we got 14” of snow last night for new fun. We are so far behind on laundry

Oh, and my bank said they can’t issue me Euros as I have an online based account and they can only do foreign currency transactions if you have a physical branch account - so now I have to figure out another way to get Euros or just wait until we are in Rome and use an ATM

 

[corky441]

We are so not ready - we are now on day 7 of now power from the last storm and then we got 14” of snow last night for new fun. We are so far behind on laundry

Oh, and my bank said they can’t issue me Euros as I have an online based account and they can only do foreign currency transactions if you have a physical branch account - so now I have to figure out another way to get Euros or just wait until we are in Rome and use an ATM

We’ve found the best rate for exchanging dollars to Euros is at our local AAA office. They offer all denominations in cash and also you can get a card preloaded in Euros.
Turnaround time is usually overnight for on site pick up

Do it in person, if you do it online the exchange rate is more plus there’s a delivery fee.

Of course you must be a AAA member

 

[TheMaxRebo]

We’ve found the best rate for exchanging dollars to Euros is at our local AAA office. They offer all denominations in cash and also you can get a card preloaded in Euros.
Turnaround time is usually overnight for on site pick up

Do it in person, if you do it online the exchange rate is more plus there’s a delivery fee.

Of course you must be a AAA member

Thanks - I didn’t realize that. I am a AAA members so will give them a call

 

[corky441]

Here are the current temperatures for our itinerary( approx. 2:45 pm). Definitely better than a week ago

 

[Cousin Orville]

FYI, as I know a lot of us will be flying in and out of JFK, IAH, ATL, there was a recent article on Mobile Passport versus Global Entry by the points guy.
https://thepointsguy.com/2016/09/mobile-passport-can-be-better-than-global-entry/

I’m a huge fan of Global Entry and have used it a lot over the years, but my wife recently got off a cruise and used Mobile Passport and like it. Might be worth looking into.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

We’ve found the best rate for exchanging dollars to Euros is at our local AAA office. They offer all denominations in cash and also you can get a card preloaded in Euros.
Turnaround time is usually overnight for on site pick up

Do it in person, if you do it online the exchange rate is more plus there’s a delivery fee.

Of course you must be a AAA member

I went into my AAA branch last week and they said they are not doing Euro's there, only in small packs of around $100 Euros until further notice. I had to do it online, they gave me the website and if it is over $250 home delivery is free. Fine. So I go to purchase online and if you pay by CC you are subject to fees and it is considered a cash advance but if you use a debit card you are fine. I never use my credit union debit card for purchases but I tried and as it turned out I bumped into an unknown limit on my card. I didn't know about the limit and my CU closed because of the storm, after the 4th guess on the limit it went through Hooray! but I get a notice saying because of a security issue (3 previous attempts) it needed to be reviewed. Fine. I get a phone call from Travelex and they ask some questions and approve the order BUT you have sign for the currency which will arrive on Monday March 5th. Fine. I wait all day, no delivery. I call. They can't find the order but they will call me back. After a half an hour I call back again and refuse to get off the phone until they tell me what is going on. My order was "stuck". Which I think means it was approved but not submitted and there was no charge to my CU. Fine. Cancel the order! I can't sit around all day again Tuesday when there is a storm on Wednesday. Monday night I order from Wells Fargo which also had a better rate, I had just opened an account there because I needed an ATM I knew worked overseas. Tuesday morning there is a charge to my debit card from Travelex! I call and they STILL can't find the order and I have to wait 2 hours for the US office to open. This is not fine. They never called but the currency showed up and it is 50 Euros less than the amount I am getting from Wells Fargo.

Long story short. Don't order from AAA/Travelex. I know have more Euros than I need but my older daughter is taking some summer classes through NYU in Florence and will be there for 6 weeks.

AND if you order from Wells Fargo and put the local branch address they will deliver it there so there will be no waiting all day to sign for it. I just got a call to go pick it up.

 

[corky441]

Long story short. Don't order from AAA/Travelex.

I don’t think that generalization is fair.
Your local office couldn’t provide the amount you wanted and the online ordering problems stemmed from your 2 card issues.

I personally found my local AAA office to be a great way to get our Euros

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I don’t think that generalization is fair.
Your local office couldn’t provide the amount you wanted and the online ordering problems stemmed from your 2 card issues.

I personally found my local AAA office to be a great way to get our Euros

I did too a few months ago when my DD went to Europe. I paid by check and went to pick it up at my convenience. When I went in last Thursday and couldn’t order it the Receptionist said they had just gotten the email that afternoon and when I asked if they were going to start again anytime soon she said she did not know.

I got a better price and service from Wells Fargo. It is unacceptable to not return a phone call regarding a missing currency order and Travlex did it TWICE.

ETA Travelex is the company national AAA works with not just my local branch. My confirmation email said the Euro’s were to be delivered Monday and when on Tuesday the debit appeared on my account the credit union asked if I wanted to to put a deposit dispute on it I said no, I’ll wait until they call and they they never did. It was a fluke I was home to let the dog out when my lovely UPS driver came by and I could sign for it.

 

[corky441]

I did too a few months ago when my DD went to Europe. I paid by check and went to pick it up at my convenience. When I went in last Thursday and couldn’t order it the Receptionist said they had just gotten the email that afternoon and when I asked if they were going to start again anytime soon she said she did not know.

I got a better price and service from Wells Fargo. It is unacceptable to not return a phone call regarding a missing currency order and Travlex did it TWICE.

That’s very true. I hate when companies don’t have the common courtesy to return a call

 

[travelinjenn]

I just put in the official request for the 6 passenger van - I put a pick up time of 8:45. They said it takes ~20 mins to get to the airport so that should be just under 3 hours before our flight, just over 4 for you

If anyone else is interested we have 3 more seats!

We booked a car with blacklane from FCO to the Bernini - as for from Bernini to the ship there were a number of vans, etc. organized several (probably many several at this point) pages ago - not sure where they stand as far as capacity

My husband and I are on the same flight from Dublin to Rome with you guys if I'm remembering correctly. Would you like to split that car to Bernini and share the cost?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

My husband and I are on the same flight from Dublin to Rome with you guys if I'm remembering correctly. Would you like to split that car to Bernini and share the cost?

so the van I was speaking of in the one post is for going from the port in Venice back to VCE at the end of the cruise - if you are heading to the airport directly after the cruise there are still 3 seats in that

As for getting to the Bernini from FCO I currently just had a sedan booked for taking my wife and I .... but I am happy to reach out to Blacklane and see if I can get it changed to something that would fit 4 people and would love to share the ride with you both if you would like

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I was talking to a friend of mine who just got back from Florence last week and she had gone to the same AAA office two weeks ago and gotten her Euro's and paid by check and picked it up without any issues. We'd both been doing it for years so to be fair to AAA I called them this morning for clarification. AAA National is switching banks from Wells Fargo to Travelex and (lucky me) this happened last Thursday the day I walked in. They will eventually return to that service soon and some branches are already up and running. When my branch will be up and running is still unclear which explains the vague answer from the receptionist. It is likely happening sometime soon but they can not give me a definite answer. So I will look like a crazy person next week when everyone goes to AAA and picks up their Euro's. I just happened to hit them during the transition.

 

[travelinjenn]

Yes, if you don't mind checking into FCO to Bernini we would love to share the ride and fare. Every little bit helps We'll have two suitcases with us. Just to confirm we're on the same flight (we're getting on in Dublin) Aer Lingus Flight 10402 at 6:15 am Aer Lingus Arrival 10:30 am.