Cricket is played like I imagine soccer is in South America - no matter how small the space, if there is a bat and a ball, kids play. We play at work in the driveway with a "half court" tennis ball that does not fly very far.
I am glad no one is expectign a full sized gym area then
I bet they'll have fun.
when I mentioned kids private party, I did not mean babysitting, I meant a private character/tea party etc for our kids?
Still have some questions left to tie up some loose ends!
Is it worth buying a wine package pre-cruise?
What drinks are available in restaurants and at what cost?
I agree that meeting at 2/2.30 will be rushing it,as we are boarding/embarking afternoon!
Is it not better to meet up at a family bar in the evening after dinner when everyone has had the chance to relax and get associated with the ship?
1. Sorry I thought you meant babysitting at a private event--I read it as you wanted it to occur DURING the adult brunch. my mistake. Regardless, I have never, in 8
DCL cruises, seen or heard of such a thing being offered. You could always ask, however personally there is so much character interaction on the ship and so many activities already I would never have bothered to pay more to add one more item to an already jam packed schedule of possibilities when mine were of an age to get really excited about that. That may jsut be me though
perhaps others would be happy to join you if you can talk DCL into it
2. The wine package will be offered on board the first night for the same price as you can prebuy. That will allow you to look around and find out what else is available and at what price before you make a decision
Milk, tea, coffee, juice, water (still), lemonade, chocolate and soda are all available at no charge in the dining room, at the buffet and (most of those) from the self service drink station on deck 9.
At bars anything you get will carry a charge (even items that you could get free if you go get it yourself at the drink station). Just about any mixed drink you want is available from the bars or in the dining room, as are beer and wine. I cannot help you with prices there. We do not order enough of them to really pay attention. There are also specialty coffees, smoothies and other non alcoholic beverages available from $3-$7--some include cute "kiddie cocktails" that come in glasses with flashing Tinkerbell pins attached (which the kids keep--NOTE these are only available on certain nights, asking about them at other times will not get them--they will ask you and probably come around with a tray of the flashy drinks--they always seem to have them on Pirate night) etc.
Worth noting is that DCL allows you to bring your own alcohol on board (this is rare among American cruise lines). There IS a pretty big "corking fee" if you bring it into the dining room with you (it used to be $15). You are welcome to enjoy it yourself on the balcony or around the adult pool, etc. We have late dining (meaning the show is first) and we like to order some cheese and fruit from room service as we are getting ready for the evening and have some wine and light snacks before we head out to the show
We will be arriving with 7 bottles of German wine just for this reason
3. If the group prferes to meet after dinner, that is fine. I will not be there though. I love the opening night show (part production numbers and part a sampling of variety acts unique to that sailing). Then there is nearly always a family cabaret or game between the show and dinner, then dinner and then we are generally running to make whatever fun family event is in Studio C right after late seating dinner and then us adults go straight from there into the nightclub fun
It is my favourite part of the day and done better than on any ship and I am not missing it. Sorry
The 2:00-3:00 time frame (right before muster drill) is the most "dead time" we ever really get obaord, which is why I suggested it. I have NO PROBLEM with the group deciding to do something else, but I am selfish--I book with Disney because I love all of the fun activities and i am not missing them for a meet up--sorry to be a meanie that way
You would also need to decide after WHICH dining seating. I suspect that many Americans with children will already be getting them into bed by the time the late diners are finished, so you may want to factor that in.
ps I do not see any 7 night med cruise reports yet,although have been voyaging since May?
There are only a few 7 night Med cruises. They started with 10/11 night ones in May. Either this week or next is the first 7 nighter.
At first, we were planning to walk/taxi to the station as early in the day as possible, and take the train into Pompeii. But, since we'll have a 9 year-old and 7 year-old, we've been considering changing plans to Herculaneum instead.
Sounds like Herculaneum is a lot less walking, more intact ruins (oxymoron?), and may leave the kids in better shape to check out the archaeological museum in Naples in the afternoon.
Anybody here have thoughts on Pompeii vs. Herculaneum?
Anyone interested in a morning group stroll to the station (as I have no sense of direction, and would probably never get there...)?
We have not been to Herculaneum yet (we will do that the week after this cruise
) but I can say that we would have felt terribly rushed trying to see Pompeii and the museum in only one day. Pompeii is huge and you can easily spend all day there are not see everything. Also, even if you leave after 3-4 hours ( which Rio and I did, not due to boredom but rather to him being too tired to keep going) all that walking in full sun and heat really takes it out of you. We were too exhausted to properly appreciate anything other than a pool and some ice cream afterwards
So, I would say if you are going to try seeing both one of the ruin sites and the museum (which I can totally see if this is your only chance to ever go to Naples) then plan on knowing you will just get a feel for each and not a really in depth look and go in expecting to end the day really tired (especially if you do a full day in Rome the day before as well).
I do know we spoke with several people on our cruise last May who ended up cancelling their Naples excursions they had booked (I do think there is a penalty for cancelling that late, but I am not sure what it is) because they pushed too hard in Florence and Rome and were not up to a third full day of heat and walking--so with the 7 year old I would especially keep that in mind while planning.
I am glad you'll get to join in somehting fun YOU want to do
) - it was saying about which ports have nice towns right beside it if only want to go ashore for a few hours. I promise to copy and paste it this time
