July 28, 2007 - "Rome-ancing the Mouse Cruisers" -11 days! Part 2

[Pixie Dust II]

Is anyone else flying Delta out of JFK on the 26th? We leave at 5:20PM for Barcelona.

 

[caven553]

Hmm - less than 48 hours now. Maybe I should start packing...

 

[paulandjayne uk]

We also did not book any excursions with Disney. Expensive and not flexible. After reading some of the early posts about the excursions I wasjsut as glad that we are "winging" it on our own.

I was begining to think we were the only family not to have booked any excursions! we are just going to wing it too what we want to do more than anything is get pleanty of rest and relaxation and for our 2 weeks try not to "clock watch" which I know is hard not to do at times, whilst we have been to some of the ports before and have reserched the others, if we feel like going that morning we will and if we dont we wont..
I cant wait to go now, as this is our first cruise with DCL we are soooooooo
excited with what the "magic" has to offer.

Jayne

 

[bellelinus]

I was just checking the Marseille tourism website (www. marseille-tourisme . com) and found out that "Cow Parade" (uniquely decorated fiberglass cows) will be on display throughout the streets of Marseille through Oct. 2007. See photos at www marseilleandcow . com

You may also view information at www cowparade . com but then you will be redirected to the same website as indicated above.

I learned something new: I thought it was an American idea, but it turns out that the first cow parade took place in Zurich in 1998 and subsequently many cities in the US and major cities all around the world have participated.

I remember when NYC had the cows and my girls will too -- that will be fun to see them in Marseilles! Last summer when we were in Cape Cod they had done a similar thing with whales . . . it's fun to spot the different ones and how they are decorated.

 

[bellelinus]

I recently recall seeing AerLingus mentioned in some previous post.

Don't forget to go to the AerLingus website to "Manage Booking" to provide your passport info, expiration date, etc. prior to departing. I just did it and it was very easy to do.

Thank you, we are flying Aer Lingus on July 26 and I had already done so . . .

 

[bellelinus]

I just looked at our new luggage which came with TSA locks. We can use these overseas??????

Also, stupid Euro question (I know, I know, as a i SHOULD KNOW THERE ARE NO STUPID QUESTIONS). Anyway, are there coins that compare to our penny, nickel, dime, quarter? I know there are 1 E and 2 E coins that look a lot alike and to be careful, but what about fractions of Euros?

Thanks,

Marann

Yes, I have a ton of fractional euro coins from my oldest daughter's trip to Spain last month -- she apparently just dumped the coins from each day in her suitcase and started fresh with notes! Here's a wikipedia article with pictures to help you recognize them:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euro_coins

 

[funluvin]

I was begining to think we were the only family not to have booked any excursions! we are just going to wing it too what we want to do more than anything is get pleanty of rest and relaxation and for our 2 weeks try not to "clock watch" which I know is hard not to do at times, whilst we have been to some of the ports before and have reserched the others, if we feel like going that morning we will and if we dont we wont..
I cant wait to go now, as this is our first cruise with DCL we are soooooooo
excited with what the "magic" has to offer.

Jayne

Welcome Jayne. We are all getting very excited as well. Also, beginning to stress about packing.

 

[jlawall]

Yes, I have a ton of fractional euro coins from my oldest daughter's trip to Spain last month -- she apparently just dumped the coins from each day in her suitcase and started fresh with notes! Here's a wikipedia article with pictures to help you recognize them:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euro_coins

Thx for sharing this.....is the smallest bill size 5 euros?

 

[jlawall]

Welcome Jayne. We are all getting very excited as well. Also, beginning to stress about packing.

Yes! The meds are now packed too.......still have to buy a few.......

 

[bellelinus]

Thx for sharing this.....is the smallest bill size 5 euros?

Yes, smallest bill size is 5 euro; 1 and 2 euro coins are used widely (not like aborted attempts at dollar coins here in the US!) . . . fractional euro coins very useful for public restrooms, BTW . . .

 

[disneylover5]

Hi all. I canceled all but two Disney excursions. We're keeping the Florence/Michelangelo & the Monaco/Monte Carlo/Eze excursions. I'd like to experience a couple of Disney excursions, and those look good. We have nothing planned for Olbia & Marseille & are thinking of checking out those places independently.

MJ and everyone,

Here is the e-mail I just got from my friend who did almost every port on their own...I think we are going ot do this......I would love comments.

Hi Lisa-
The car was stolen from our driveway last Wed night. They recovered it yesterday in Smithfield. It had been driven 200 miles. They left the windows down and sunroof open and of course it rained. They also tore the gear shift out and center console-why??? Anyway, we are working with our insurance company-praying that they will total the car and sell it. I'll keep you posted.

Okay- here is what we did...
Sicily-we did Disney's tour for Segesta and Erice-highly recommended.

Naples-The boat terminal is steps away from where the ship docks. We bought tickets for the 9am (approx) hydrofoil boat to Sorrento. This is a beautiful town-we did some sightseeing and ate lunch down on the beach. I got most of my ideas for Italy from Rick Steves' Italy tourbook. Then we took the train to Pompeii-very easy. In Pompeii We made a mistake not to hire a tour guide. There are lots of tour guides at the entrance. Hire one and get so much more out of Pompeii. Pompeii is so very interesting. We then took the train back to Naples. The train stops for Pompeii literally right outside the entrance. The trip back to Naples is quick. Took a taxi back to the port.

Sardinia-We were there on a Sunday. This little town was literally asleep. We walked around then went back to the ship and took the day off-we needed it!

Rome- Amazing!! We took the train in. Train was very clean and very fast. The tickets are easy to buy at the station. We got off at Termini-the main station. Went downstairs in the station for the metro (included in your train ticket) to Colosseum. Once there we hired a guide to give us a tour of the Colosseum and Forum. Then we took a taxi to the Vatican. I had arranged for a tour with Icon tours for a tour of the Vatican and St. Peters. Excellent!! Small groups, headphones-all of us agree that this was the best thing we did. After the tour we raced to the Pantheon, grabbed some food and then took a taxi back to Termini. Disney serves dinner late that night. We were eating a 10pm in Lumieres-you don't get your regular servers but we didn't care!!

In La Spezia we did not want to spend all that time on the train to go to Florence so we took the train to Vernazza, one of the towns of the Cinque Terra. 10 min train ride there-absolutely beautiful. We did 3 towns, Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Could have skipped the last one but it is part of this awesome hike-I can't say enough about the scenery-fabulous. Train ride back was quick and cheap.

Marseille is a big, busy town. Keep your wits about you. We walked to the train station and took a train to Aix en Provence. Beautiful town, good shopping and eating. Bus back to Marseilles. Huge port-Disney gives you a free shuttle out of the port into the city.

Villefranche- incredibly picturesque. Has a pebbly beach within walking distance of where the tender drops you off. Beautiful water-quite cool with great rocks that you can jump off of in the water. We walked to the train station (short walk) and took the train to Monaco. We went to the old district-watched the changing of the guards at the palace, toured the cathedral where Princess Grace is buried, shopped. Then took a bus to the grand casino-didn't go inside and could have skipped this. Took the train back to Villefranche, went to the ship, ate lunch, changed into bathing suits and parked ourselves on that beautiful beach. We could have easily gone on to Eze but at that point we had seen so many beautiful towns and really needed to chill out.

Let me know if you need specifics on anything we did. It was easy, we felt safe and we saved about a million dollars. Almost everywhere we went we saw large crowds from our boat following a guide around with a mickey paddle. I am glad we did it at our own pace.

 

[disneylover5]

Here are my three money choices....help me pick

I went to the bank and I am a platinum customer.

Euros - No upcharge just the exchange rate.....set each day

American Express Travellers checks - No charge (usual 1% fee waived) you use them in Europe and your change is in Euro's

American Express Traveller Card - You pur money on the card and it is fully refundable if stolen, just like Travellers checks. Have a pin #, but don't need to carry your regular bank card with you off of ship. Does not work for Hotels and car rentals.....but I will have my credit card for items like that.....

Which one do I pick?
I have till Friday to decide
Lisa

 

[disneylover5]

Off to get my hair cut so I can check that off my list,

I hope it will make me feel better as well,

Lisa

 

[kidcoos3]

Here are my three money choices....help me pick

I went to the bank and I am a platinum customer.

Euros - No upcharge just the exchange rate.....set each day

American Express Travellers checks - No charge (usual 1% fee waived) you use them in Europe and your change is in Euro's

American Express Traveller Card - You pur money on the card and it is fully refundable if stolen, just like Travellers checks. Have a pin #, but don't need to carry your regular bank card with you off of ship. Does not work for Hotels and car rentals.....but I will have my credit card for items like that.....

Which one do I pick?
I have till Friday to decide
Lisa

Well, from what I've read, Travelers Cheques can be very difficult to use - many merchants don't want to take them. I got some of them to pay for 2 of my private guides because I know they accept them. I've heard the best thing to do is to use an ATM card. I did get some Euros just to start out with - but then I am using my ATM card the rest of the trip. Let your credit card company know you are going to Europe - also find out what kind of fees they charge - can be hefty.

 

[jlawall]

Does anyone know about a building that was on fire in NYC today? My DD20 is there and she told something is on fire???

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I think we're all getting more adventurous, the closer it gets!

How's things??

Dang. More $ to spend.



Hmm, I think my family is hoping I spend more time w/you guys



MJ, are you all taken care of on passports!!!!

Thanks for asking. (I know others have, too). We're still waiting on Nick's passport. We're supposed to call the Passport agency on Saturday if his doesn't come in & ask for a confirmation number. If we don't get that Nick will have to go to the standby office (again). Last Friday, everyone who was leaving in the next three days (Fri-Mon) were able to get their passports. There was a person in line who was leaving at 5:30 that day. So, I'm not going to stress and believe that we'll get it one way or another by Monday (THEN I can finish the online check-in process). I may end up going with Nick again so if he runs into any issues I can guide him. He doesn't have much experience with this type of stuff. So, your good thoughts are helping me, and I do believe we'll still fly out on Tuesday.


Oh, we got our t-shirts in from Cafe Press & they look great! I went to order something else, & it showed our little emblem as being copyrighted so I couldn't use it anymore. I sure am glad I DID get t-shirts with it already! This one I got in lime-green with that DIS member on Board emblem on the pocket & our tags on the back. I'll probably be wearing that when we board -- not sure yet.

 

[jlawall]

Does anyone know about a building that was on fire in NYC today? My DD20 is there and she told something is on fire???

Okay, just saw the news, they said it was an underground steam pipe that exploded?? Never a dull moment!!!

 

[jlawall]

Thanks for asking. (I know others have, too). We're still waiting on Nick's passport. We're supposed to call the Passport agency on Saturday if his doesn't come in & ask for a confirmation number. If we don't get that Nick will have to go to the standby office (again). Last Friday, everyone who was leaving in the next three days (Fri-Mon) were able to get their passports. There was a person in line who was leaving at 5:30 that day. So, I'm not going to stress and believe that we'll get it one way or another by Monday (THEN I can finish the online check-in process). I may end up going with Nick again so if he runs into any issues I can guide him. He doesn't have much experience with this type of stuff. So, your good thoughts are helping me, and I do believe we'll still fly out on Tuesday.


Oh, we got our t-shirts in from Cafe Press & they look great! I went to order something else, & it showed our little emblem as being copyrighted so I couldn't use it anymore. I sure am glad I DID get t-shirts with it already! This one I got in lime-green with that DIS member on Board emblem on the pocket & our tags on the back. I'll probably be wearing that when we board -- not sure yet.

I'm really happy with how our shirts came out as well....thx again for the Cafe Press website, Sallie & Maryann!!!

Please let us know when your son gets his passport........I think all of us can relate to that situation............

 

[salliep]

HI everyone- my very dear aunt passed away late last night unexpectedly, although she has battled cancer the past 20 years! Sh appears to have passed peacefully in her sleep thank God.
So I will not home much the next few days, although I will try to check in
If anyone wants their child added to the Kids Room Card please leave me a PM.
Brian I got yours !
Thanks

 

[salliep]

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