July 18, 2007 07-18-07 Med Cruise

[nzdisneymom]

We've got late dining but are wait-listed for early since we're traveling with a 2 year old & there is no way we can hold her off until 8:30 to eat - especially when her bedtime is 8 PM! I am really hoping we'll get switched!

The nice thing is you DON'T have to hold her off til 8:30 - you can go up to Topsiders and get her some food / feed her earlier and then bring her to dinner with you where she may or may not fall asleep at the table, or maybe have something else. That's what is so great is that there is always food available. And they had good healthier choices at Goofy's Galley (of course I don't know what their hours will be, as it gets closer to dinner time they may shut down) where we were able to get fresh fruit to stave off the hungries of our kids.

 

[smilis]

When you've read and agreed to the contract, it gives you the opportunity to print out documents, and as part of it, for me, it automatically printed out the contract as well as the Payment Authorization form and the Guest Information form. We have to bring both of those along with the signed contract or else we have to fill them out at the Port.


We figure we'll have a few days of eatng at Topsiders because we have three days with all-day excursions, but that's ok because DH doesn't like having to 'dress' for dinner and would rather just come back from the excursion, wash up quickly and go eat.

Does anyone know if shorts are ok in the dining rooms at breakfast / lunch? I mean like at Lumiere's or Parrot Cay? I'm working on my packing list and figuring out what I think I'll wear each day.

I would think that if Lumiere's or Parrot Cay is open for breakfast/lunch, and some people could be on their way out to an excursion, that shorts would be acceptable. What I'm trying to keep in mind for daytime dress for the DH is...will we be visiting any churches or cathedrals that require long pants??? I guess I was planning on him having to wear long pants on some of the excursion days. Ditto about your DH and mine not liking to 'dress' for dinner. He just doesn't understand why you can't leave on the same clothes he puts on in the morning. Saves on laundray I guess!

Thanks for the explanation about the forms. I 'll go take another look at what I printed out.

Sandy

 

[smilis]

Ok, I don't mean to be hoggin' up all the space here, but I think I got my outfits figured out and thought I'd share my "outfit list." (no, not what I'm wearing, but how I planned) in case it's helpful to anyone else. I borrowed the idea from another DISer about making your packing list along with your outfits. You'll see I don't have "dinner" listed for the nights I know we have long excursions as I figured I won't change for dinner as we'll be hitting the buffet or room service.

• Monday travel
• Tuesday
• Wednesday boarding
• Wed. dinner
• Thursday - sea day
• Formal Night
• Palermo
• Fri. Dinner
• Naples
• Sat. Dinner
• Olbia
• Sun. Dinner
• Monday - Rome
• Tues - Flor/Pisa
• Marseille
• Wed. dinner
• Villefranche
• Thurs. dinner
• Friday
• Fri. Dinner
• Saturday Travel

I set it up where I have the "event" in one column, followed by three more columns: top, bottom, and shoes. I have 17 items of clothing (between tops and bottoms) and each piece will be worn more than once. When we sailed in Dec. 2005, I didn't wear half of what I took with us, but we drove to Port Canaveral, so I didn't have to worry about airline restrictions. This time I want to pack as efficiently as possible.

Cindy,
Thanks for sharing your method. That's a really great way to do it! I have my list all made up, but I like the idea of the 3 columns. Of course flexibility will be the key, in case the weather doesn't cooperate and we'd have to switch out an outfit, 1 day to the next, but I'm going to try your method. I normally have a certain set of clothes that I pack for Caribbean/Hawaiian/Mexican vacations, but this one is different and I'm not taking the "usual" stuff.

Sandy

 

[minneapolismickey]

We also have made plans for early dining on this cruise. Last year we were on late dining. That actually worked fine also, but I didn't sleep well on such a full stomach. Furthermore, I was always too full to enjoy the dessert buffets! This year I'll be prepared for dessert.

My work life is so busy right now-you guys are really doing some great planning, and I can't even think about clothes yet. Good news is time is flying so the trip is coming up fast

Angie

 

[Crissup]

I can't even think about clothes yet.

I'm thinking I should just buy all new clothes, 4 inches larger in the waist. That way, they'll still fit me *after* the cruise also.

 

[nzdisneymom]

What I'm trying to keep in mind for daytime dress for the DH is...will we be visiting any churches or cathedrals that require long pants??? I guess I was planning on him having to wear long pants on some of the excursion days. Ditto about your DH and mine not liking to 'dress' for dinner. He just doesn't understand why you can't leave on the same clothes he puts on in the morning. Saves on laundray I guess!

I have Laundry days built in so I'll be sure if there is something specific I want to wear on a specific day, then it will be clean. And I'm actually bringing three pairs of pants - I've found that they are just as comfortable (or maybe even more so) than shorts, and then for days like Rome when I know we'll have a church visit, I don't have to worry about it. Our last two trips to WDW, I've worn pants as much or more than shorts and been fine. It seems like I read, too, that you don't see the "natives" wearing shorts so much, and believe me, my legs are scary enough that it's probably better to cover them up

For my kids, I'm going to buy a pair of those zip-off pants - so they can wear shorts until time to go to the Vatican when we'll zip them on again. Unless they decide to just wear them as pants. We've not ever used that kind before, but I'm thinking I might get two pairs each and then if it's cooler one day, they can wear them long and if it gets hot, they can just zip them off. I also know we have several bus rides and sometimes it can get too cool on the bus. Early reports have been that it has been cooler than one might expect in the ports and even on-board. I know we still have 6 weeks until we go so that's plenty of time for the weather to get hot. I'll be checking weather.com as it gets closer!

 

[colleenlg]

The nice thing is you DON'T have to hold her off til 8:30 - you can go up to Topsiders and get her some food / feed her earlier and then bring her to dinner with you where she may or may not fall asleep at the table, or maybe have something else. That's what is so great is that there is always food available. And they had good healthier choices at Goofy's Galley (of course I don't know what their hours will be, as it gets closer to dinner time they may shut down) where we were able to get fresh fruit to stave off the hungries of our kids.

Thanks for the info about Topsiders. It's nice to know there are options if we don't get 1st seating. We have such early excursions most days that I think we'd wind up missing out on the "regular" dining rooms & the shows if we don't get switched. If we do get 2nd seating, I'm hoping we can see a couple shows & hopefully our DD will fall asleep there. If not, maybe my DH & I will have to take turns doing the dining & shows sans 2-y-old!

 

[scottishwee35]

Good Morning

Cindy

I have second thought about 'Florence and Pisa' and I am not sure about it. As the reason that it is too long day for the kids

As I have reading the feedback and the trip report. It had put me off. I know everybody have own mind and everybody said different way. it is over 10 hours plus they got back on ship within 1 hour and 45 mins late?

Perhaps my husband and I take the kids to see the Pisa for half day.

I always want see Florence.

(There is another time for us to see Florence as we can flight from Scotland for the weekend.)

Scottishwee35

 

[DLRPfan.be]

I was just wondering which dining everyone has - early or late?

We have early.

Late dining: We first want to go to the show, then dine and then...

 

[nzdisneymom]

Good Morning
I have second thought about 'Florence and Pisa' and I am not sure about it. As the reason that it is too long day for the kids

I, too, have been rethinking Florence and Pisa... for one, I didn't want to do that one to start with because we will have had such a very long day in Rome the day before. But DH wants to see Florence and the kids want to see Pisa. From what I read, if you do the Pisa tour, you can go into the tower, but if you do both, you get there so late that you can't get in the tower and it's such a short time in Pisa that you don't see anything.

But it did sound like DCL has been talking to guests so they may do some different things with that excursion as it sounded like a lot of disappointment. I think part of the delay in getting back so very late was the last tender waited for the non-DCL-excursion group that was late getting back... but I know I would've been not-happy about waiting for a long time on the tender with the kids - they would've been seriously cranky by then... and me, too. But again, by doing a DCL excursion at least I know that they will hold up the tender and get you back on board and not leave without you.

So I think we're going to wait and see how the reports are from those who are sailing this week and we may re-think what we'll do for that day. I would like to see Florence but I think I would enjoy it more on a day when I could go with just DH - so we'll just have to make another trip

 

[seaulater]

Thanks for the info about Topsiders. It's nice to know there are options if we don't get 1st seating. We have such early excursions most days that I think we'd wind up missing out on the "regular" dining rooms & the shows if we don't get switched. If we do get 2nd seating, I'm hoping we can see a couple shows & hopefully our DD will fall asleep there. If not, maybe my DH & I will have to take turns doing the dining & shows sans 2-y-old!

If I remember right on the EB Transatlantic last month, Topsiders each night would be serving the same meals they were serving in the dining rooms.

Don't know 100% if that is the case, but I have some friends who got back in the US last night and I'll be talking to her again this weekend, so I'll find out.

 

[scottishwee35]

Hi Everybody

Let you know that I have cancelled the Florence and Pisa for 4 today. Rebooking the Pisa .

Could not get it for the morning so book it for the afternoon.

For any one who want to go to Florence and Pisa, please check it.

Scottishwee35

 

[shortkathleen]

Ok Fellow dissers,

I need your help. At the last minute our family is trying to switch from coming in on July 18th to coming in on Tuesday, July 17. Not only is coming in on the day of risky, we also lose out on seeing Barcelona. We would love to be able to explore the city and recover from the TA flight. We booked our flights through disney so we are having to work with them to change. They said it is too late, but after some convincing they said they would work with us. They have two hotels left through them and they are $500 per night.

So here are my questions:
1. Is that a decent price? It seems really high to me.
2. Is it safe to stay at a non-disney hotel? If so any suggestions?
3. Where is everyone else staying??
4. If we don't stay at "disney" hotel is it easy to get to the port with a Taxi?

Thanks for helping me out.

Have a fun day! Kathleen

 

[todds34]

Ok Fellow dissers,

I need your help. At the last minute our family is trying to switch from coming in on July 18th to coming in on Tuesday, July 17. Not only is coming in on the day of risky, we also lose out on seeing Barcelona. We would love to be able to explore the city and recover from the TA flight. We booked our flights through disney so we are having to work with them to change. They said it is too late, but after some convincing they said they would work with us. They have two hotels left through them and they are $500 per night.

So here are my questions:
1. Is that a decent price? It seems really high to me.
2. Is it safe to stay at a non-disney hotel? If so any suggestions?
3. Where is everyone else staying??
4. If we don't stay at "disney" hotel is it easy to get to the port with a Taxi?

Thanks for helping me out.

Have a fun day! Kathleen

Hi Kathleen

I think switching your flights to come in on the 17th rather than the 18th is a good idea.

We are staying at the Grand Marina hotel which is a disney hotel but we have booked it ourselves through expedia as it worked out cheaper to book the hotel ourselves than to book the hotel through disney. We paid £131 per night for 1 room (2 people) this is around $250 but this does not include breakfast and I believe the DCL price includes breakfast.
Hope this helps

Andrea

 

[DLRPfan.be]

Ok Fellow dissers,

I need your help. At the last minute our family is trying to switch from coming in on July 18th to coming in on Tuesday, July 17. Not only is coming in on the day of risky, we also lose out on seeing Barcelona. We would love to be able to explore the city and recover from the TA flight. We booked our flights through disney so we are having to work with them to change. They said it is too late, but after some convincing they said they would work with us. They have two hotels left through them and they are $500 per night.

So here are my questions:
1. Is that a decent price? It seems really high to me.
2. Is it safe to stay at a non-disney hotel? If so any suggestions?
3. Where is everyone else staying??
4. If we don't stay at "disney" hotel is it easy to get to the port with a Taxi?

Thanks for helping me out.

Have a fun day! Kathleen

Here some answers:
1. That's really very expensive
2. Mostly it is safe: Barcelona is a very friendly and colorfull town, momentarely very "in the market" for so called "city trips". The only thing you really have to watch for are the (many) "pickpockets".
3. If you read some pages back in this thread, you'll find out.
4. no problem: plenty of taxi's.

Grts! Dirk.

 

[DadofLostBoys]

Ok Fellow dissers,

. . . They have two hotels left through them and they are $500 per night.

So here are my questions:
1. Is that a decent price? It seems really high to me.

Thanks for helping me out.

Have a fun day! Kathleen

Hi Kathleen,

July 7 cruiser/lurker here. I think that is a very high price to pay for 1 night. Not sure how many family members in your party, but you can do better. Our family of 5 got 2 rooms at the Atenea Mar (Disney Hotel), which I obtained for $90/room/night by bidding on Priceline. If you are not comfortable bidding, their "no bid" price right now is $118 plus fees. There are several websites out there that help plan bidding, just google.

BTW, I do not work for, nor receive anything from Priceline, I've just gotten some good deals and save $.

 

[shortkathleen]

Thank you for all the great information. Another question: If we stay at a "disney" hotel and book it on our own can we still do the transfers with them on the 18th and from the airport to hotel? We paid for transfers already.
Wish me lots of pixie dust! I am calling Disney back right now. My husband is on board and now my inlaws are wanting to change too. Why we didn't do this is in the beginning is beyond me? Oh, yeah I hadn't found you guys yet. LOL!! ~Kathleen

 

[shortkathleen]

Boy am I chatty today! My kids are sick so we are stuck at home! I just got off the phone with disney and at this point if we are going to book a pre-night it has to go through them. So we are stuck and can't get the cheaper hotels on our own.
Now I am awaiting a call back from them as they check availability. AHHHH! Do you all (can you tell I am an okie??) think it is worth the $500 to come a day earlier?
Kathleen

 

[CarolAnnC]

We are staying at the Rivoli Ramblas as it was highly recommended and I got a great price.

We booked through Spainbookers.com and were pleased with their service thus far. We also saw this hotel available on Orbitz.com too. After the cruise we are booked at the Renaissance Marriot at the Airport which also looks great at a discounted price.

We will arrange our own transportation either with taxis or towncars, not sure which yet.

 

[DVC725]

Hey All,

We booked our cruise through DVC using points. We booked our own airfare and also our own hotel. We used the hotels that Disney listed and went online and booked them ourselves at half the price. The $500 is a lot for a hotel room on the 17th. We booked at the ACBarcelona and I think it was around $131.00 (USD) a night. Thought we would just take a cab from the airport to the hotel and then the hotel to the port the next day. The ACBarcelona is located in the business district, which is not far from the port. Hope this helps.....doing the countdown dance