Is anyone cruising with me on the August 27th 2011 Meditteranean Cruise? Hellooooo?

[eeyorefanuk]

That is great, I booked the 5 day to Canada for Aug . I have always wanted to take the girls to New York, and Halifax so it is a perfect trip for us. I do hope DCL goes back to Europe in 2013 though.

I just finished reading Angels and Demons and even more excited to go to Rome.

another lucky person Think DH would like to go NY one day and def love to go to hawaii

 

[BWV Dreamin]

That is great, I booked the 5 day to Canada for Aug . I have always wanted to take the girls to New York, and Halifax so it is a perfect trip for us. I do hope DCL goes back to Europe in 2013 though.

I just finished reading Angels and Demons and even more excited to go to Rome.

Yeah!!!! There is so much to see in NY, and we have never been to Canada!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

WOW only four hours away, brill and $45 dollars each way, with our flights to New York could be that

There are two secret porthole rooms left on my sailing! Just sayin.....

 

[austraveler]

Listen to all you lot - planning the next vacation when we have not even had this one yet. (Sounds fun though!)

I am in the final stages of cruise planning and am going to focus on one port per week to work out our game plan. This week is Villefranche. We want to see Eze and the perfume factory and would kind of like to go to Nice as well. Our options are
1) DCL Nice & Eze with wine and Cheese
2) Private car with driver (not game to drive in Europe) or
3) Bus to Eze, then to Nice, then back to Villefranche

The first option limits our freedom, the second is the mst expensive and the third is cheap but a little more stressful and we waste time waiting for public transport.

Does anyone have comments or suggestions? (Any any recommendations for a private guide?)

 

[mkmommy]

Listen to all you lot - planning the next vacation when we have not even had this one yet. (Sounds fun though!)

I am in the final stages of cruise planning and am going to focus on one port per week to work out our game plan. This week is Villefranche. We want to see Eze and the perfume factory and would kind of like to go to Nice as well. Our options are
1) DCL Nice & Eze with wine and Cheese
2) Private car with driver (not game to drive in Europe) or
3) Bus to Eze, then to Nice, then back to Villefranche

The first option limits our freedom, the second is the mst expensive and the third is cheap but a little more stressful and we waste time waiting for public transport.

Does anyone have comments or suggestions? (Any any recommendations for a private guide?)

I am doing 3, but I think I will go to Nice first and try and find the flower market and then go to Eze if I have time. On cruisecritic there are lots of detailed threads with bus/train schedules on how to do this, so I think it will be easy to do.

Here is a link to an older thread but it has lots of details.
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1280606

 

[NHdisneylover]

Hi, you don't need to get any USD for the med cruises if you don't want to. Everything you buy on the ship is charged to your room card and later taken off the credit card that you pre register. You can charge all the gratuities to the card also. I think that there may only be room service where cash tips might be necessary. Obviously for all the ports you will need euros.
Joy

This is accurate. You are not even allowed to pay cash for purchases on the ship--and it is much easier to charge the tips too. Tips to room service are the only exception. You can charge those too, but they are traditionally done in cash. Both Euros and dollars are commonly used for this on Med crusies and either seem to be fine with the staff (room service we tip 1-4 dollars or Euros depending on if they bring a snack for one or a full meal for 3-4).



I am glad so many of you are enjoying the new itneraries. Personally, I was not impressed with the offerings at all--odds are we will not sail Disney next year (and we would ahev been platinum too). Hopefully 2013 will have something more to our liking.

 

[austraveler]

I am doing 3, but I think I will go to Nice first and try and find the flower market and then go to Eze if I have time. On cruisecritic there are lots of detailed threads with bus/train schedules on how to do this, so I think it will be easy to do.

Here is a link to an older thread but it has lots of details.
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1280606

Thank you so much! That link was perfect. We are going to go with option 3). I will try for Eze first and then Nice but depending on what time we get off the boat, we might go in the other direction. We have no french at all so I am a little worried about that aspect but we are game to give it a go.

 

[floridahippy]

Are there any private tours with two spaces left for a visit to Rome - preferably only visiting the Colosium? Its the youngest dd's honeymoon and she would really like to visit the Colosium but is not overly bothered with the Vatican etc. Its a longshot as I realise that most people would want to do more than the Colosium!

 

[TJFrack]

Are there any private tours with two spaces left for a visit to Rome - preferably only visiting the Colosium? Its the youngest dd's honeymoon and she would really like to visit the Colosium but is not overly bothered with the Vatican etc. Its a longshot as I realise that most people would want to do more than the Colosium!

We have room for two on our tour, but it is more than just the colusseum....

Itinerary
Your driver-guide will pick you up at the ship to start your tour (recommended pick up time: 7:45 a.m.). Enjoy a leisurely one hour drive through the Etruscan countryside straight to Piazza Venezia, the main square of the City. Start by exploring the Rome of the Emperors: stops will be made at the Roman Forum, the Coliseum and the Mouth of Truth. Then take a panoramic drive past the Circus Maximus, the Palatine Hill and the Baths of Caracalla. Back in the heart of Rome, stop for a visit inside the Pantheon, the best conserved monument of Ancient Rome as well as the nearby Santa Maria Sopra Minerva housing Michelangelo's "Risen Christ".
Continue through Baroque and Renaissance Rome: from piazza Navona to Campo de Fiori and Piazza Farnese. See Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Stroll through the narrow streets admiring statues, fountains and discovering curiosities. You can stop for an optional lunch and enjoy traditional Italian cuisine. After lunch your tour continues to the Vatican City: the Vatican Museum where an exceptional collection of artwork from every era is on display,treasures collected by the Popes throughout the centuries and the Sistine Chapel, frescoed by Michelangelo and St. Peter's Basilica. After the Vatican, your tour ends with transfer back to the ship (estimated arrival to the port around 5:30/ 6:00 p.m.).
Entrance fee not included in my rates : Coliseum Euro 12; Vatican Museums & Sistin Chapel Euro 15.
About tickets to the Vatican: if you purchase tickets on line at Vatican Website you have priority access and skip standing line. to optimize the tour I suggest you to purchase admission at 3:00 p.m. after the transaction on line , print the voucher issued by the Vatican Museums with the reservation number and showed it to staff at the museum. Your drive-guide will assist you on this matter! Tickets can be booked within 60 days from the date of use, are named and non-refundable.

 

[floridahippy]

TJFrack - have sent you a DM

 

[austraveler]

I chickened out.....we re going to book a private tour will Alain from Dream Tours for villefrance. We are going to Eze, the fragonard factory, the confiserie florian factory (Candy) and Nice. If we are still bright and chirpy after that we will have a look at St Paul and be back at the ship in the afternoon - not too late. The price is not bad - 110 euros for adults and 55 for children, OR 550E for the whole car. If anyone is interested in the last three seats please let me know. Bear in mind that we do have three boys. They are pretty well behaved but I understand that putting up with other people's children is not always a pleasure.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I chickened out.....we re going to book a private tour will Alain from Dream Tours for villefrance. We are going to Eze, the fragonard factory, the confiserie florian factory (Candy) and Nice. If we are still bright and chirpy after that we will have a look at St Paul and be back at the ship in the afternoon - not too late. The price is not bad - 110 euros for adults and 55 for children, OR 550E for the whole car. If anyone is interested in the last three seats please let me know. Bear in mind that we do have three boys. They are pretty well behaved but I understand that putting up with other people's children is not always a pleasure.

Sending you a PM....

 

[mkmommy]

See there are some CAT 11 for this cruise. My girlfriend is a travel agent and said that all the cruise lines are seeing huge cancellations for their European cruises this summer as the airfare is so high and pay in full dates are coming up. I have seen some good deals for June on RCL but I don't think I can take another holiday this year.

 

[eeyorefanuk]

See there are some CAT 11 for this cruise. My girlfriend is a travel agent and said that all the cruise lines are seeing huge cancellations for their European cruises this summer as the airfare is so high and pay in full dates are coming up. I have seen some good deals for June on RCL but I don't think I can take another holiday this year.

WOW the other day they only had a very expensive CAT one left. I do agree with the flight prices though, this is the problem we have in the UK going to america, that is why now I have found the disney cruises I am sad they will not be in the med next year ........... our cat is still much dearer then when we booked but will keep looking in case reduce it, thanks for letting us know.

 

[eeyorefanuk]

just checked again and the price has shot up again

 

[austraveler]

You never know - empty cabins may mean possibility of upgrades. I would love something special like that to happen after the Sept 3 cancellation experience. I ended up 400 out of pocket because Disney can't differentiate between AUD and USD

 

[eeyorefanuk]

You never know - empty cabins may mean possibility of upgrades. I would love something special like that to happen after the Sept 3 cancellation experience. I ended up 400 out of pocket because Disney can't differentiate between AUD and USD

I hope so for you too We were out of pocket because it came in dollars rather than pounds but not by that much.

 

[RoniBoBoni]

Hi All! Sorry i've been MIA. I have a few minutes to catch up on the posts. I think I have alot to go through. Hope I don't have to remove anyone from the shipmates, isn't final payment due soon.? Anyways, just wanted to let you all know that we are still going on the cruise, I've just been working on myself lately. I've lost 20 lbs, and hope to loose a but more.

Okay, i'm off to see if there are any updates for the website...

 

[diane aggelidou]

Do you all really think that those whom were shipwrecked from 3rd could get upgraded!
The experience alone of reschedualling all and the fact that then my due date was forwarded by a month caused me also loss and financial obsticles to overcome and I am keeping fingers crossed that my request at bank for final payment goes through smoothly!Bank appointment tomorrow to arrange final payment options.Then onto my agent with my options! At least I have the payment available,now just a question of red tape getting it to them in time!

 

[TJFrack]

Hi All! Sorry i've been MIA. I have a few minutes to catch up on the posts. I think I have alot to go through. Hope I don't have to remove anyone from the shipmates, isn't final payment due soon.? Anyways, just wanted to let you all know that we are still going on the cruise, I've just been working on myself lately. I've lost 20 lbs, and hope to loose a but more.

Okay, i'm off to see if there are any updates for the website...

Way to go on the weight loss!! I have been working on myself too! Lost 13 lbs!! So I will be looking good in the formal dress =D