July 18, 2007 07-18-07 Med Cruise

[shortkathleen]

I emailed my private tour guide for Naples today to confirm. He emailed me back saying that he either lost or never got my email with my cc info that would have officially booked him. Luckily, he is still available. But my advice to all of you who are doing private tours, re-confirm, re-confirm, re-confirm. I had booked some of our private tours months ago so it just made me feel better to make contact with the companies again. That is my two cents worth tonight. Happy 4th!!

 

[colleenlg]

Hey - Just wondering...are we the only ones who still can't get into Palo? We'll try once we get onboard but it sounds like everyone else got reservations...

 

[sharper_fin]

Shaun, Mom and & are also booked on that Ultimate Rome Experience.

What do you think it means when they wrote, "While lunch will be provided, this may not take place in a local restaurant."?

Our guess was that this would be a packed lunch in a public area - picnic in a park? - that kind of thing.

 

[sharper_fin]

I just realised - my pirate hat looks exactly like the one this smiley guy's wearing !!!



Shaun

 

[nzdisneymom]

The last thing (besides packing ) is figuring out how much money to bring. For tipping at end of cruise, are others figuring to use US or Euros??

Wendy - we'll be tipping with US $$ - but actually having it just charged to our stateroom (and thus earning those valuable Disney Reward $$ in the process). On the last day, you get envelopes for your servers and steward; you can go to Guest Services with the form they provide and they'll charge whatever amount you want onto your stateroom account and give you a receipt to put in the envelope for the CMs.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Hey - Just wondering...are we the only ones who still can't get into Palo? We'll try once we get onboard but it sounds like everyone else got reservations...

No Palo for us, but then we weren't planning to go - although I have checked a few times to see if anything was available and there never has been. When you board, go straight on over to Rockin' D Bar to the Palo reservation line and see if you can get something then, and if not, put yourself on the wait list so that if someone cancels, they will call you. And keep checking every day until we sail.

 

[DLRPfan.be]

My DH, Phil & I will be celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary on July 14 (the day we embark on our 16 hour trip - including layover - from San Diego to Barcelona with a 2 year old - how romantic!).



We are celebrating our 10th. wedding anniversary on July 14

Have You all seen this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoT2YKlLP4Q

 

[DLRPfan.be]

Hey - Just wondering...are we the only ones who still can't get into Palo? We'll try once we get onboard but it sounds like everyone else got reservations...

No, we'll also will try to make reservations once on board...

 

[nzdisneymom]

Have You all seen this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoT2YKlLP4Q

Wow - that looks like fun. what night is that party?

 

[minneapolismickey]

Happy 4th of July and hello to all of the new families!

I have been awake since 5 am, my mind spinning with things to do today. We leave for Europe in THREE DAYS!

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but time is flying by too fast. My DS's are psyched to meet all of the 5-11 year old boys in the group. They love the disney clubs, so will always be there if your kids are looking for a familiar face to play with

There are a number of little things to respond to here....
-We do dress for the pirate party and the formal night in tuxes-adds to the fun on the boat
-We will be at the Promenade party (hopefully with a gift if I can find one today), but we have Palo brunch reservations on the day at sea, so won't be able to make the lunch meeting.
-Wendy- I would love the name and address of the santon shop that you mentioned in Marseille. We plan to do that area on our own and I would like to pick up a santon
-does anyone know if Ratatouille is playing on the ship? I think that they usually play movies that are in the theater. I was planning to fit it in there somehow.

I plan to check the website one more time. Hope that you all have safe travels! Cindy's family and mine are going to try to meet on the 17th at our hotel-the Atenea Mar. Anyone else going to be there?

Bon Voyage! Angie

 

[nzdisneymom]

Angie - safe travels, ok? We look fwd to seeing you all on the 17th.

 

[sharper_fin]

Angie, I'm so jealous! We have a week and a half left to work yet...
Have a great time on the first part of your trip and a safe journey.

Shaun

 

[wendy151950]

Wendy - we'll be tipping with US $$ - but actually having it just charged to our stateroom (and thus earning those valuable Disney Reward $$ in the process). On the last day, you get envelopes for your servers and steward; you can go to Guest Services with the form they provide and they'll charge whatever amount you want onto your stateroom account and give you a receipt to put in the envelope for the CMs.

Thanks Cindy. I saw that in my ticket packet and wondered if anyone else took that route. I always struggle with how much $$ to bring but of course, forget we are traveling in non-3rd world countries so can use my atm card. Last major trip was to China where it wasn't recommended. My daughter Sarah is from China (adopted 1996) from Jiande, a smaller city outside Hangzhou.

 

[RJMOMSusan]

Hi Susan,

Wow, I guess it is a small world! I'm from Nashua, New Hampshire right there on the NH/Mass border. I was born and raised there as well as attending college in the area before coming out here to Chicago just a couple of years ago. I had many friends at school who were from Springfield, Easthampton, Amherst and that area. It's funny to go on a cruise to Barcelona and find someone who is originally from New England! I tell ya, I have only met 2 people thus far who have made the trek from New England to Chicago! When I explain to my students each year why I speak a little differently from them, they ask where the state of New England is located... lol Did you move away a long time ago or recently?

Hi Kristen,

I'm also a teacher, I work with special needs seventh graders here in southern New Jersey. My DH tells me my western Mass twang is lessening, but every once in a while it still comes out. I met my husband 10 years ago (online) fell in love before we ever met, and the rest is history. My 7 year old DS has a strong philly/jersey accent which I think is pretty funny.

Looking forward to meeting you...and everyone else.
Susan

 

[Barbie3-4]

Wendy - we'll be tipping with US $$ - but actually having it just charged to our stateroom (and thus earning those valuable Disney Reward $$ in the process). On the last day, you get envelopes for your servers and steward; you can go to Guest Services with the form they provide and they'll charge whatever amount you want onto your stateroom account and give you a receipt to put in the envelope for the CMs.

I'm not familiar with these "Disney Reward $$" that you mentioned that we would earn by charging our tip to our stateroom. Could you fill me in on this, please?

 

[Barbie3-4]

Barbie - I live in DC. Right near the zoo.

I don't believe that the ships have ATMs, though I never looked, because we just got back from a 4 night cruise on the Wonder last week and I got an email survey about it last night. One of the questions was about having an ATM on board, what would be a fair charge, would I use it, etc.

I wish I could make lunch, but with my kids I think everyone would run the other way!

Wow! I love the zoo area of DC. I like to hop on the metro from the 'burbs and take walks around your area and into the zoo....so beautiful. Funny that we will meet in Barcelona when I've spent lots of time walking around your neighborhood....maybe I've seen you before along the route. I assume a young Mom such as yourself often walks your little ones.

 

[seaulater]

I'm not familiar with these "Disney Reward $$" that you mentioned that we would earn by charging our tip to our stateroom. Could you fill me in on this, please?

If you have a Disney VISA card (ours is issued from Chase Bank), then you "earn" Disney Rewards $$$ for the money spent on the card and then you can use it at DL, WDW, on the cruise ship, etc., etc., to use towards your purchases. They issue you another card (which looks like a credit card) and it is actually a gift card which you keep transferring your disney dollars over to. With all the money we spend, those disney dollars add up pretty darn fast! (don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing)

 

[nzdisneymom]

If you have a Disney VISA card (ours is issued from Chase Bank), then you "earn" Disney Rewards $$$ for the money spent on the card and then you can use it at DL, WDW, on the cruise ship, etc., etc., to use towards your purchases. They issue you another card (which looks like a credit card) and it is actually a gift card which you keep transferring your disney dollars over to. With all the money we spend, those disney dollars add up pretty darn fast! (don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing)

Exactly. We save ours up and use them when we take trips to WDW to get 'free' meals - we use our Disney Visa for nearly everything and pay it off as it comes in. it's a nice perk to the card. We put the whole cruise on it, so you can imagine the $$ we got.

One funny thing - when we sailed in Dec. 2005, when we got home, we saw where DCL charged our Disney Visa over $2,000 that were not our charges. The reversal was made right afterwards (guess they realized their mistake), but we earned the reward points. I let them sit there for a couple of months, thinking we might lose them, but we didn't - so we got bonus reward points from DCL's error! And thank goodness we pay it off as it comes; I cannot imagine the hassle if they had done that and we were close to maxed out

Someone mentioned checking for best exchange rate on their credit cards; I found that AAA Visa has the best rate for us (2%) compared to the 3% of my other cards. The AAA lady told me that it went up in May from 1%

Ok, cruise-planning / prepration accomplishments for today: cleared out my cosmetic bag so it only has those items that I will be using on the trip. Restocked my travel toiletry bag and cleared out items I won't be needing on the trip. Made the final trip to the grocery store before we go (except I forgot to get the whipped cream I need for our 4th of July cake, so I'll run in real quick on the way home from the movies). Figured out what I'm going to wear on Wednesday I'm only concerned because of the embarkation photos - I want to look at least presentable as I know we'll probably buy it.

Two weeks from today we'll be on board! Hope you all are finding yourselves productive!

 

[DisTeach]

Hi Kristen,

I'm also a teacher, I work with special needs seventh graders here in southern New Jersey. My DH tells me my western Mass twang is lessening, but every once in a while it still comes out. I met my husband 10 years ago (online) fell in love before we ever met, and the rest is history. My 7 year old DS has a strong philly/jersey accent which I think is pretty funny.

Looking forward to meeting you...and everyone else.
Susan

What a coincidence! I think people from W. Mass kind of sound like people in Chicago with the way they prounce vowels like Mahm instead of Mom. lol. Happy 4th!

 

[CarolAnnC]

Well we just settled the issue of which pieces of luggage to use as our carry ons. I went to SWISS Air website to double check the sizes allowed and we are all good to go now.

Going to select a few more things upstairs for packing central, then heading out to a barbeque at my mother's house.

Happy 4th of July Everyone!