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

[ptkelley]

If anyone is interested in how to do the ports on your own, I created a website(in my signature) for my roll call last year (same cruise except for Tunisia) and have expanded it. I am also willing to answer any questions. I know how hard it is to find a lot of this info (especially in the same place) and want to help.

Thanks for the trip report, Kaleigh! It confirms Rick Steve's information about Villefranche...that it is very easy to see the surrounding towns on your own.

Question: I don't really understand GTY. What does that mean? Thanks!!!

 

[Kaleigh]

Thanks for the trip report, Kaleigh! It confirms Rick Steve's information about Villefranche...that it is very easy to see the surrounding towns on your own.

Question: I don't really understand GTY. What does that mean? Thanks!!!

Yes, it is really easy to take the train from Villefranche to Nice or Monaco. Eze requires a train and bus, but we still did it with no issues.

GTY is just a guaranteed cabin. They sell them cheaper, then see what they have open when they assign cabin numbers. I have heard of GTY's getting good upgrades on Med cruises because they often aren't full, but you never know. Basically, you get whatever they want to give you.

 

[ptkelley]

Thanks!
Rick Steve's Provence Guide alerted me that the trains and buses run on a different schedule on Sundays. See lignesdazur.com for more info.

 

[eeyorefanuk]

Hi, just in case you did not see the thread and did not know

"Just back from Med cruise - was great, but be aware of VAT!


Hi everybody,

DH and I have just returned from a wonderful 11-night Mediterranean cruise and had so much fun.
I just wanted to issue a bit of a warning for all you future Med cruisers on this board, especially EU residents, about something that came as a bit of a surprise to us (since it was never mentioned by DCL before we boarded the ship - or at least it skipped my attention):

An 18% VAT will be added to the price of everything bought or consumed on board, i.e. items from the shop, spa services, and such. For drinks, it will be only 8%. Prices on menus, price tags etc. all do not reflect that yet, so the extra is added on top of the printed price.
This is apparently due to the fact that the whole cruise is taking place in EU waters, s it probably would not have been this way had Tunis not been taken out of the itineraries.

All non-EU residents will be able to reclaim this VAT once they are at the airport, however this is only true for purchases exceeding an amount of about 90 dollars, and not for things consumed on board like drinks. All EU residents (like ourselves) will not be able to reclaim it in any case. (This is why I threw out the sheet giving all the details and the exact amounts, sorry about that, but maybe somebody else kept it and can elaborate here?)

For us, this meant about 200 dollars in expenses that we had not counted on. Nothing to break our necks financially, sure, and it did not make us enjoy the cruise any less. But it did mean that I refrained from my original idea of booking some more spa services while onboard. (I guess I will just have to do all those on our next cruise outside the EU )

I definitely think it would have been DCL's responsibility to make this information available somewhere on their website or in peoples' online booking accounts.
(Don't get me wrong, I fully understand that DCL does not make EU tax legislation so it was not their choice to add this on, I am just saying they should have informed people better.)

I can only imagine DCL might have been afraid that this information would cause some people to cancel their Mediterranean cruises due to those unforeseen added expenses. The ship was pretty empty anyway - some CMs spoke of 1400 passangers, others of a little over 2000, but I think the smaller number might have been correct, as the ship felt pretty (and very nicely!!!) empty.

- restaurants (at late seating) were really empty, lots of tables seating only 2 people (including ours, we were really surprised to be seated on our own), tables positioned further apart than on our last cruise, and several empty tables - empty meaning fully decked out, but without a table number and nobody ever sat there,

- adult pool area and Cove Cafe - never ever any problem to find a seat or a lounger on port days,

- the Till We Meet Again on the final night was almost empty - last time there was a huge crowd.

 

[TJFrack]

Thanks for the heads up!

Welcome back! =)

 

[mkmommy]

Hi, just in case you did not see the thread and did not know

"Just back from Med cruise - was great, but be aware of VAT!
The ship was pretty empty anyway - some CMs spoke of 1400 passangers, others of a little over 2000, but I think the smaller number might have been correct, as the ship felt pretty (and very nicely!!!) empty.


.

I guess no chance that the ship will be empty for us in August.

It is exciting to read all the info from people returning from Med cruises.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I'm confused about the whole VAT thing. Some say buy everything at once. Is there a minimum one needs to get reimbursement? Do I have to ask for a form at each place I spend money? Have to get my refund at the airport before going thru security? Help !!!

 

[mkmommy]

I'm confused about the whole VAT thing. Some say buy everything at once. Is there a minimum one needs to get reimbursement? Do I have to ask for a form at each place I spend money? Have to get my refund at the airport before going thru security? Help !!!

I gather you only get the VAT returned on items that leave the EU, not consumable items. The purchase amount has to be over 100 Euros, so people are saving if you buy something in the shops on the ship, have it all on one receipt so the total is over the 100 Euro threshold. If you buy a magnet for 5 Euros plus the 18% VAT you will not get that back.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I gather you only get the VAT returned on items that leave the EU, not consumable items. The purchase amount has to be over 100 Euros, so people are saving if you buy something in the shops on the ship, have it all on one receipt so the total is over the 100 Euro threshold. If you buy a magnet for 5 Euros plus the 18% VAT you will not get that back.

So why is it cheaper on the ship? Cause one pays in US dollars on the ship? I was planning on buying some gold in Florence. I need to get an additional form from the merchant? But not on the ship?

 

[mkmommy]

So why is it cheaper on the ship? Cause one pays in US dollars on the ship? I was planning on buying some gold in Florence. I need to get an additional form from the merchant? But not on the ship?

I am not sure about cheaper on the ship, but you would need a form from each merchant you are going to get a refund for the VAT including the ship.

 

[Anal Annie]

I am not sure about cheaper on the ship, but you would need a form from each merchant you are going to get a refund for the VAT including the ship.

So if we're in Barcelona and I go into a store that sells a little bit of everything and I buy some olive oil, wine, a cookbook and a pair of shoes I need to hope that the grand total is over $100 US (not 100 euro?) and then I need a form OTHER THAN a receipt from the merchant? How silly. But 18% is a lot!! And we get this refund at the AIRPORT? So we need to allow extra time at the airport to do this? Is it before or after security? How long is THAT line?! Will they give us cash or credit back to the card used?

 

[austraveler]

We have a long weekend this weekend (queen's birthday) so I am getting lots of cruise bits and pieces sorted out. I bought the boys dress pants and shirts for formal night. There were No matching tux jackets in the right sizes so we are going without those. Flynn was pretty funny and yelled from the change room that his shirt was too small. When I went it to check he was trying to pull it over his head without undoing the buttons....His school uniform is a a button down so I am not sure why he was confused but he looked pretty cute stuck inside the white shirt trying to get his head through.
I can book my Rome excursion on Monday so wish me luck that it is still free.

 

[eeyorefanuk]

Hi, just in case you did not see the thread and did not know

"Just back from Med cruise - was great, but be aware of VAT!


Hi everybody,

DH and I have just returned from a wonderful 11-night Mediterranean cruise and had so much fun.
I just wanted to issue a bit of a warning for all you future Med cruisers on this board, especially EU residents, about something that came as a bit of a surprise to us (since it was never mentioned by DCL before we boarded the ship - or at least it skipped my attention):

An 18% VAT will be added to the price of everything bought or consumed on board, i.e. items from the shop, spa services, and such. For drinks, it will be only 8%. Prices on menus, price tags etc. all do not reflect that yet, so the extra is added on top of the printed price.
This is apparently due to the fact that the whole cruise is taking place in EU waters, s it probably would not have been this way had Tunis not been taken out of the itineraries.

All non-EU residents will be able to reclaim this VAT once they are at the airport, however this is only true for purchases exceeding an amount of about 90 dollars, and not for things consumed on board like drinks. All EU residents (like ourselves) will not be able to reclaim it in any case. (This is why I threw out the sheet giving all the details and the exact amounts, sorry about that, but maybe somebody else kept it and can elaborate here?)

For us, this meant about 200 dollars in expenses that we had not counted on. Nothing to break our necks financially, sure, and it did not make us enjoy the cruise any less. But it did mean that I refrained from my original idea of booking some more spa services while onboard. (I guess I will just have to do all those on our next cruise outside the EU )

I definitely think it would have been DCL's responsibility to make this information available somewhere on their website or in peoples' online booking accounts.
(Don't get me wrong, I fully understand that DCL does not make EU tax legislation so it was not their choice to add this on, I am just saying they should have informed people better.)

I can only imagine DCL might have been afraid that this information would cause some people to cancel their Mediterranean cruises due to those unforeseen added expenses. The ship was pretty empty anyway - some CMs spoke of 1400 passangers, others of a little over 2000, but I think the smaller number might have been correct, as the ship felt pretty (and very nicely!!!) empty.

- restaurants (at late seating) were really empty, lots of tables seating only 2 people (including ours, we were really surprised to be seated on our own), tables positioned further apart than on our last cruise, and several empty tables - empty meaning fully decked out, but without a table number and nobody ever sat there,

- adult pool area and Cove Cafe - never ever any problem to find a seat or a lounger on port days,

- the Till We Meet Again on the final night was almost empty - last time there was a huge crowd.

Hi,

Thought I would put the link this time, in case anyone wants to read further comments etc

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2736802

 

[BWV Dreamin]

From whst I'm reading if you do multiple small purchases than you can't get the refund. They won't combine receipts. I think that's why some are posting to buy everything at once at ONE place so your total will be over 100 to qualify. But is that euros or dollars? And why get everything at treasure ketch? Those purchases get charged. Is the refund credited to the charge account or paid back in cash?

So if we're in Barcelona and I go into a store that sells a little bit of everything and I buy some olive oil, wine, a cookbook and a pair of shoes I need to hope that the grand total is over $100 US (not 100 euro?) and then I need a form OTHER THAN a receipt from the merchant? How silly. But 18% is a lot!! And we get this refund at the AIRPORT? So we need to allow extra time at the airport to do this? Is it before or after security? How long is THAT line?! Will they give us cash or credit back to the card used?

 

[mkmommy]

From whst I'm reading if you do multiple small purchases than you can't get the refund. They won't combine receipts. I think that's why some are posting to buy everything at once at ONE place so your total will be over 100 to qualify. But is that euros or dollars? And why get everything at treasure ketch? Those purchases get charged. Is the refund credited to the charge account or paid back in cash?

I think each country have a different amount to qualify, here is a link that gives some basics
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/vat.htmome basics.

 

[diane aggelidou]

how many cabins fe list now?

 

[dizmomof2]

PAGE 8 IS UPDATED!

Sorry I've been away so long. We currently have 19 cabins participating. I actually have NHDisneylover down as 2 cabins and austraveler down as 2 cabins. If you want me to make them on cabin for the family let me know. That would put us at 17 cabins. I think that we leave the list until August 1st instead of closing off at a certain number.

I am looking for a few cain numbers, so if you have your assigned cabin number please pm me and let me know. I'll email out the spreadsheet to all the participants at the beginning of Aug. I'll also post a list on my cabin of any chages to peoples assigned cabins (in case anyone gts a suprise upgrade at the port!)

As far as our cruise being empty, not likely as there are currently 43 cabins left on the entire ship. They are all balconies so if you have an inside or oceanview, maybe you'll have some pixiedust!

 

[austraveler]

PAGE 8 IS UPDATED!

Sorry I've been away so long. We currently have 19 cabins participating. I actually have NHDisneylover down as 2 cabins and austraveler down as 2 cabins. If you want me to make them on cabin for the family let me know. That would put us at 17 cabins. I think that we leave the list until August 1st instead of closing off at a certain number.

As far as our cruise being empty, not likely as there are currently 43 cabins left on the entire ship. They are all balconies so if you have an inside or oceanview, maybe you'll have some pixiedust!

Make us one cabin for the family please. I will pm you our room number. Thanks for looking after this!

 

[austraveler]

Hooray! Rome excursion is booked as well as dinner at Palo on Naples night. Is anyone else doing Catacombs, colosseum and the vatican? For some reason online check in was not available but I will try again in a few hours. It is only 2 in the afternoon here so the booking window start time worked well for me.

 

[Tigerfan2k2]

I've logged in and retrieved both of our reservations and managed to book Palo for dinner (6pm - no brunch or luch available), Pompeii 1/2 day and the taste of rome excursions. Have registered the kids for the clubs too. Can't do online check in for some reason. Woke up at 5 am to do this

Can't do online checkin yet. Will try later. What time does it usually let you do it?