July 6, 2010 - 7/6/2010 ~ Pounds to Rubles ~ Mickey invades the Baltic Sea

[slg]

We got docs last week and we're on the West Coast of Canada!

They are just a little bit of information about the ports, currency, visas and passports, booking dates and a cute Welcome Back.

It made me excited. Just a couple more days until I pay off my cruise.

Also working on my Alaska cruise for next year. Just changed cabins on that one.

Anyone else going?

 

[Fivepin]

We got docs last week and we're on the West Coast of Canada!

They are just a little bit of information about the ports, currency, visas and passports, booking dates and a cute Welcome Back.

It made me excited. Just a couple more days until I pay off my cruise.

Also working on my Alaska cruise for next year. Just changed cabins on that one.

Anyone else going?

We're going!! Are you going on the MV of the Dream? I believe we will be on another cruise with you.

I got those docs as well. I'm just curious why BOA has the Russian Rubles that you can get if it's illegal to take it in and out of the country.

We are paid off.

 

[slg]

We're not on the MV of the dream, but we are on the July 12 Alaskan cruise. You're taking your boys on that one? We just moved our cabins from 6th deck to 2nd deck. I wasn't comfortable with an inside and and outside across the hall. I prefer to spend a little more money and have the boys beside us, even if they aren't connecting. May still change cabins though...I'll keep looking to see if better ones have come up. I've put my requests in with DU.

As for this cruise, I almost have all the details sorted out. I'm going to buy some pounds ahead of time, and i have a few euros from last year, but I'm not buying any other currency. All of our excursions are with DCL, so I'm comfortable with that decision.

Is anyone else not buying currency ahead of time? I'm really excited about all our excursions and can't wait to book them. April 7 seems a long way away. I hope they will all still be available.

The only thing I'm concerned about is that we want to do the Leeds excursion, but we have to wait to book onboard. How do we know that there will be room or that it won't be cancelled from lack of interest? Since it will be our method of transport back, I'm concerned that we'll be left high and dry at the dock, and have to scramble to find a way back.

Anyone else planning on the Leeds excursion? Its a great way to get back to London. Our hotel is about 5 minutes away from one of the Disney hotels. I assume that it doesn't matter if we aren't staying at a Disney hotel. Does anyone have any other information about this excursion?

 

[Fivepin]

We're not on the MV of the dream, but we are on the July 12 Alaskan cruise. You're taking your boys on that one? We just moved our cabins from 6th deck to 2nd deck. I wasn't comfortable with an inside and and outside across the hall. I prefer to spend a little more money and have the boys beside us, even if they aren't connecting. May still change cabins though...I'll keep looking to see if better ones have come up. I've put my requests in with DU.

We are on the July 12 cruise. Yes we are taking the boys. We are on deck 2 with 2 adjoining cabins.

I'm definitely getting the pounds(for our car service) and euros ahead time. I'll probably just get the minimum I have to for the other countries with the exception of Russia. The min from the bank is $25 for each country. With the exception of Russia, we are doing the other ports on our own.

 

[slg]

We're also on deck 2 with adjoining cabins! I just changed them

Since we are going to be in Dover for 3 nights and in London for 12 nights doing everything on our own...I just want to have my cruise be completely relaxing and stress free and I think the excursions will help to ensure that happens. I still have to plan London, but for some reason I'm not too worried. We've been before and I think we can wing it. Then only thing I'm not too sure about is getting a travelcard or an oyster card. I don't really know what will be the best for us.

Will worry about that later...or ask Andrew Derek!

 

[aurorafan65]

The DW & I have been thinking / talking about this for a while now, and we have decided that we're going to scale back our vacation plans for this year.
20+k on a vacation just doesn't seem like the right thing for us to do right now, DW said something about needing some new furniture, and remodeling a bathroom?

On the up side, we're now planning to do a 5 nt. (leaving July 6, recognize the day? ), and we're going to throw a few nights pre / post cruise at WDW & Universal to make up for it. We even managed to snag all 3x SPH's on the starboard side of the Wonder, so are going to drag Grandpa & Grandma with us as well.

I'll be releasing our connecting SPH's on Monday. Not sure if it's possible, but certainly willing to try and pass these on to a loyal Disboarder if someone is interested?

It's been fun being involved with this pre-trip planning, although we did more lurking than posting, and no doubt we'll eventually run into some of you on the high seas!

sorry to hear this - I'd much rather cruise that remodel the bathroom Have fun on your new booking!

 

[aurorafan65]

I guess there's no going back now we booked our London hotel - OK I guess there was no going back after the airfare

We're at a crown plaza as of July 2 - dh kills me, I've been researching & agonizing over all this & he hops on the computer today & says we'll stay here & do all the pre-cruise days in London, so we're planning a day of the biggies, you know Big Ben, Parliament, then a day at the British Museum & another doing a stonhenge, bath tour.

Post-cruise we're trying to figure out if we'll stay in Dover or Canterbury for 2 days before heading back to London & home.

PIF is next week & then I'll be chomping at the bit till we can do shore excursions!

 

[aurorafan65]

We got docs last week and we're on the West Coast of Canada!

They are just a little bit of information about the ports, currency, visas and passports, booking dates and a cute Welcome Back.

It made me excited. Just a couple more days until I pay off my cruise.

Also working on my Alaska cruise for next year. Just changed cabins on that one.

Anyone else going?

I was going to look into booking Alaska while on this trip to get the discount. I was thinking Dream but not thrilled with the itinerary for it. But 2 days at CC are pretty good

 

[aurorafan65]

can't believe this one! - dh was checking the tube info & the station right by our hotel is closed for renovations

I swear we're the only people this could happen too - that's probably why we got such a good rate!

 

[denise]

What kind of docs? Do tell!

Hey Deb....just what the others said, a little package with some info...not the "real" stuff. But was exciting to get....makes it more real since we had to pif when we booked....we used part DVC points and part money so all had to be paid that day! At least it's done and has been since Oct '08.
Does your son still live out in Sacramento? Or is he done with school now?
denise

 

[Deb T.]

Hey Deb....just what the others said, a little package with some info...not the "real" stuff. But was exciting to get....makes it more real since we had to pif when we booked....we used part DVC points and part money so all had to be paid that day! At least it's done and has been since Oct '08.
Does your son still live out in Sacramento? Or is he done with school now?
denise

Thanks for the packet explanation. Seems we're always the last to receive stuff from DCL. I've contacted them before because we've NEVER received any of the Castaway Club mailings. Each time, they assure me we're on "the list." We should be, since we've been cruising with them since 1998, and yet we still don't receive anything!

DS is still in Sacramento. He graduates mid-May, but no job prospects yet. We really wanted him to come with us on this cruise, but he takes the bar at the end of July and wanted to stay in Sac to study. DD isn't coming this time, either.

 

[slg]

We've never received any castaway mailings either. Did you get your $100 per person OBC?

I booked my Alaska cruise the day it came out, but I'm still going to reshop when I'm on board and see if I can get a better rate! Since we have two cabins, 10% and $200 per cabin OBC might add up. If not, well I've got something now...they only have late dinner for my sailing, so I'm glad I've got the first one

 

[nzdisneymom]

Hi everyone! Lots of traffic since I was able to log on last. Darned work has the DIS blocked so I can only look on weekends or if I shove the kids over during the week. Love reading about the plans everyone is making and seeing the increase in traffic as we're now four months away from leaving (for us, we're heading out July 1st). Sorry to see some folks having to cancel, but we certainly understand.

We had our TA apply final payment last Sunday after getting the packet in the mail on Saturday with the reminders. I don't know why I had it in my head that final payment was April 7th... I guess because different penalties start applying then. Anyway, our CC groaned as well as it was a month earlier than I had planned. Whew.

As for currency ahead of time, we're planning to get some for each country (except Russia) ahead of time - not a lot in any place, but enough for tipping tour guides and buying a small souvenir. A bit more GBPs because we'll be there a few more days.

We are planning to do London on our own pre-cruise and then do the Leeds Castle / Canterbury post-cruise (but not on debarkation day). We looked at the DCL London excursions and decided for the price times four that we can do London on our own for less. But for Leeds and Canterbury, we're doing the DCL for convenience and it will be the day after the cruise and the day before we fly home (if we can get it that day).

We are planning to do all DCL excursions. For those of you doing St. Petersburg with a private guide, are you having to get Visas? And if so, how much do they cost?

I was reading on another board about the Chilean earthquake and the impact on a particular cruise ship that is scheduled to dock in Valparaiso on Tuesday and then leave on a 32-night cruise that same day. Folks who are supposed to be sailing on Tuesday aren't able to get in on their pre-cruise flights and they are reporting the flights are full for Tuesday as so many people have had to bump their flights (not only for cruise but just in general) to Tuesday as they aren't sure if the airport would be open tomorrow or not. Anyway, it made me think that's exactly why we've booked air through DCL so that if something were to happen, the cruiseline would do whatever they could that even if we weren't able to get to the ship on sailing day, they would help make arrangements to catch up. And thank goodness for booking with a T.A. who can also help with communication and such. I feel bad for folks who booked on their own and didn't get trip insurance. Some people were reported as being stranded in their connecting airport because they were already en route to Santiago when it happened.

Anyway, for me and DH this is just confirmation that for us, it's best to not be "penny wise and pound foolish" with travel arrangements for something we're spending this much money on! Whew.

 

[carolmb]

I guess there's no going back now we booked our London hotel - OK I guess there was no going back after the airfare

We're at a crown plaza as of July 2 - dh kills me, I've been researching & agonizing over all this & he hops on the computer today & says we'll stay here & do all the pre-cruise days in London, so we're planning a day of the biggies, you know Big Ben, Parliament, then a day at the British Museum & another doing a stonhenge, bath tour.

Post-cruise we're trying to figure out if we'll stay in Dover or Canterbury for 2 days before heading back to London & home.

PIF is next week & then I'll be chomping at the bit till we can do shore excursions!

We are on the June 12th cruise but I was wondering who you are doing the Stonehenge tour with?
Thanks,
Carol

 

[aurorafan65]

We are on the June 12th cruise but I was wondering who you are doing the Stonehenge tour with?
Thanks,
Carol

HI Carol

We're going with these guys - mostly because of the Roman soldier at Bath (the kids think its so cool!)
http://www.england-london-tours.co.uk/stonehenge/tours/details.asp?iProductID=156

also I saw you're in League City - we used to live there on Sand Reef (off of Bayridge - omgosh live over 15 years ago) we both worked with USA on the shuttle contract

 

[carolmb]

HI Carol

We're going with these guys - mostly because of the Roman soldier at Bath (the kids think its so cool!)
http://www.england-london-tours.co.uk/stonehenge/tours/details.asp?iProductID=156

also I saw you're in League City - we used to live there on Sand Reef (off of Bayridge - omgosh live over 15 years ago) we both worked with USA on the shuttle contract

Thanks for the info! We live off of Davis Rd. which is across the street from Clear Creek High School.

 

[denise]

just wondering when is/was the PIF date for our cruise?

 

[sshaw10060]

just wondering when is/was the PIF date for our cruise?

I believe it is March 4th.

 

[sharper_fin]

Pif??

 

[tfc3rid]

The Paid in Full date is March 8.