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

[slg]

DU told me you have to stay in a DCL hotel in order to get transfers.

Hmm. How much are you paying?

 

[mom_rules]

DU told me you have to stay in a DCL hotel in order to get transfers.

Hmm. How much are you paying?

From DCL London Hotel (our pick) to port and from Port to Heathrow $165 each.
We had to call DCL to provide our choice of pickup hotel and they told us to visit the
hotel the day before to "check in".

 

[aurorafan65]

DU told me you have to stay in a DCL hotel in order to get transfers.

Hmm. How much are you paying?

that's not true - Originally we had transfers for the 4 of us & we weren't staying at a DCL hotel, but we had to get to one of their hotels in order to use them. For the 4 of us it was around $460 From reading the boards I found there are other (i.e. cheaper) ways to get there so I cancelled them.

Funny part is I cancelled them before the PIF date & I just got an email asking if I want the transfers - hello look back at your records

 

[Fivepin]

To those of you who are in England. Have any of you heard of Riverside Cars? I'm still trying to decide on a transfer and trying to check this one out. I have it narrowed to between them and Silverline Travel which I know other disers have booked with. I just can't find any reviews on the company. Thanks for any input.

 

[babybear42]

To those of you who are in England. Have any of you heard of Riverside Cars? I'm still trying to decide on a transfer and trying to check this one out. I have it narrowed to between them and Silverline Travel which I know other disers have booked with. I just can't find any reviews on the company. Thanks for any input.

I'm sorry but I haven't heard of either of these companies. Have you looked at National Express coaches. I've just been on their web site and did a quick calulation. To get from London to Dover for two adults would cost £27 that's just one way. If anyone is interested their website is www.nationalexpress.com
We're using them to get from Yorkshire to Dover and back and we've used them before so we know they're reliable.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Hi all. Nine weeks from today and we'll be in London! Can't believe it is that soon. I started my daily-activity list of things to do so that I get something done trip-related each day. So far I've completed these things: 1. Schedule haircut. 2. Set up packing list in Excel. 3. Get a box to put things in. 4. Get my hair cut (which will last til August!). Today is online check-in day but their reservation system is down right now. tomorrow is my birthday so no official cruise activity planned

We are doing DCL for air, hotel, and transfers. No idea if our TA got a call or not; we didn't.

We are doing the Leeds Castle on the day after Debarkation. The Signature Collection reservationist told me that these type of excursions are actually selling well (both pre- and post-cruise as well as debarkation days). She said that they have to have 20 guests to "make" a tour and that they will be selling them on-board. So I think if you're doing it on debarkation day, you'll be ok. You could call them and ask how many people are already booked for that day to get an idea of whether you need a back-up plan for getting back to London.

As for luggage, we bought new luggage last spring from Costco. We have four identical duffel-bag-looking bags that are on wheels with a pull-up handle and plenty of room, lots of pockets. We packed for eight nights at Disneyland in two of them for the four of us with only one laundry day. We figure that we'll do laundry three times while on the trip so we may try to get by with packing just three bags (it's a tight fit in the car with four - so getting them to the airport might be tricky) and a carry-on. We will definitely do the pack-something-for-everyone in each bag so if one or more don't make it, we'll still have something to wear.

Looking forward to meeting you all!

 

[Deb T.]

Wow! Only 9 more weeks?!? I am SO EXCITED about this trip!!!

Some of the things I've done so far:
-All FE gifts purchased!! (I hope some more of you decide to participate because I have way more to give out that are signed up! I have different surprises for adults, for girls, and for boys. )
-Packlist created. I actually keep a personalized generic packlist in Word on my computer since we travel often, then add things to the list as required for each destination.
- All odds 'n ends are purchased and set aside, ready to be packed. (ie. travel-size toiletries, snacks for the flights, new pair of binoculars, good book to read, etc.)
-Emergency information typed up and ready to give to certain family members, friends, and neighbors.
-Copies of passports made.

Some of the things I still need to do:
-Transfer Disney VISA Dream Reward Dollars to spend onboard.
-Order currency for London.
-Decide on a specific touring plan for our 1-1/2 days in London.
-Be patient for the trip to get here!!!!

I'm eager to start packing!!! I'm trying to hold off until mid-June, though. I love to pack for a trip (and HATE to pack to come home). After our one big suitcase was lost for 5 days of our 11-night Med cruise , we've decided to attempt to pack carry-ons only and just do laundry several times. Not sure if I can swing it yet, though, and so that's part of why I'm anxious to begin packing.

 

[goingsouth]

Since we leave June 29th, I can now say our trip is NEXT MONTH!!

This week I bought several packing cubes from REI outlet. (thanks Beth for the suggestion). I also started a blog because I can't find anyone willing to talk about THE TRIP with me anymore. . With a blog, at least I can write about it. I know the day we arrive, we will take a boat to the Tower of London. Afterwards I have lunch reservations and then we'll hop on the Big Bus to kill time during "jet lag phase".

Joanne

 

[goingsouth]

tomorrow is my birthday so no official cruise activity planned

Have a wonderful Birthday!!

joanne

 

[slg]

I have so much to do as we haven't done anything.

Left to do:

Try on last years clothes for the boys and see what still fits and what they need to buy.

Decide what we are going to take, see what I have and create a shopping list.

Shop.

Buy currency.

Decide about travelcards or oystercards.

Have a back up plan for our trip from Dover to London if the Leeds debarkation falls through.

(I've already emailed copies of our passports to myself from our DL trip. THis works better than photocopies because all you need is access to a computer. I recommend it!)

Make some photocopies of passports for St P

Confirm Silverline Cars. Our flight has changed and I haven't notified them yet.

Relax.

I just booked a trip to Maui for December yesterday, so I'm going to put this summer on hold for a week or so and figure out a hotel and car rental. Then I'll forget about Maui until we get back from England.

I'm also excited to meet everyone on our disboard dinner and dismeet! I had better write down all the times and places.

Yet another thing to do...organize activities.

 

[DW2DH&DS]

Since we leave June 29th, I can now say our trip is NEXT MONTH!!

Joanne

Hey Joanne...we leave on the 29th too at 9PM!!! Except we don't arrive until 4PM on the 30th

What we have for our trip so far...
Dinner reservations for 40 at Cullins Yard for the 5th
All foreign currencies including rubles
Disney rewards card loaded up to apply towards on-board credit
Using some of our on-board credit to pay for the tips, so that is taken care of too
20 pound oyster cards for myself and Stacey
Tower of London fast track tickets for the 1st as well as Keeper of the Keys for the 1st as well.
3 of each large, medium, small, and thin packing cubes. We'll see how that works out...i plan to put our toiletries in one of the thin cubes and small card/travel games in another thin cube.
car rental for July 4th drive to Stonehenge and July 5th drive to Dover
car rental for July 18th to get back to London with a next day airport return
DH will get 4-5 copies each of passports on Monday.
I have all confirmations thus far printed out and date organized
Prescription for Ambien so I get sleep
Downloaded lots of free app kid friendly games on my iTouch so we don't have to bring the kid's DS

i haven't decided on an amount of clothes to bring yet. I plan to do laundry...it is just how many times i plan to do it i am not sure about yet.

that is where we stand as of today!!! i countdown for the kid every day. 60 days from today we will be in London...woohoo!!!

and one last thing...one of Jack's friends from school may be in London the same week. His mom and I are furiously trying to work out time to meet up...how cool is that to see London with a friend from school!!!??

 

[aurorafan65]

ack! are you guys trying to freak me out!

I think it was yesterday I was on the DCL website looking at our resrvation & it said like 67(?) days & was like WHOA its gtting close!

 

[goingsouth]

I read today that many from the 1st Baltic cruise received docs today. I cannot wait to receive docs! I require tangilbe proof that I am, in fact, going on this cruise.


joanne

 

[goingsouth]

ack! are you guys trying to freak me out!

I think it was yesterday I was on the DCL website looking at our resrvation & it said like 67(?) days & was like WHOA its gtting close!

not whoa...we don't want whoa. I am so ready for this cruise! If only to think, talk about or plan something else!

don't freak out..everything is going to be great!

joanne

 

[Fivepin]

Hi All-

Glad to see many are well on their way of being ready. My BFF(djpate) is here from South Florida for her birthday weekend. This is her last chance to come up before the cruise. So, I was helping her print her on iron on transfers and magnets, since she this her first time participating the Disboards craziness. We have also been going thru all the stuff we individually made copies of and going over our research notes trying to combine everything. Need to iron out to see what we each want to see in the individual ports and mesh it all together in a doable schedule.
We were supposed to go to Epcot today, but since we didn't finish all items we planned on getting done for the cruise, we have decided not to go.

Beth let me know how the packing cubes work. It sounds like you'll start packing before I will. I received mine as well. I also have a question for you. You said you had ordered all your currencies, including rubles. I thought we could not take any rubles on our own into Russia. Did you find out something different?

The kids are starting to stir. I better go. We'll try to be back on later on today.

Well I must have fat fingered an icon. I am not sad today, just kind of overwhelmed of what else we have to get done before Deb leaves today.

 

[babybear42]

I have so much to do as we haven't done anything.

Left to do:

Try on last years clothes for the boys and see what still fits and what they need to buy.

Decide what we are going to take, see what I have and create a shopping list.

Shop.

Buy currency.

Decide about travelcards or oystercards.

Have a back up plan for our trip from Dover to London if the Leeds debarkation falls through.

(I've already emailed copies of our passports to myself from our DL trip. THis works better than photocopies because all you need is access to a computer. I recommend it!)

Make some photocopies of passports for St P

Confirm Silverline Cars. Our flight has changed and I haven't notified them yet.

Relax.

I just booked a trip to Maui for December yesterday, so I'm going to put this summer on hold for a week or so and figure out a hotel and car rental. Then I'll forget about Maui until we get back from England.

I'm also excited to meet everyone on our disboard dinner and dismeet! I had better write down all the times and places.

Yet another thing to do...organize activities.

If you're only in London for a couple of days, then a daily travelcard would be ideal for you. You can off peak one or peak ones and they're valid for travel on both busses and the tube.

 

[babybear42]

Hey Joanne...we leave on the 29th too at 9PM!!! Except we don't arrive until 4PM on the 30th

What we have for our trip so far...
Dinner reservations for 40 at Cullins Yard for the 5th
All foreign currencies including rubles
Disney rewards card loaded up to apply towards on-board credit
Using some of our on-board credit to pay for the tips, so that is taken care of too
20 pound oyster cards for myself and Stacey
Tower of London fast track tickets for the 1st as well as Keeper of the Keys for the 1st as well.
3 of each large, medium, small, and thin packing cubes. We'll see how that works out...i plan to put our toiletries in one of the thin cubes and small card/travel games in another thin cube.
car rental for July 4th drive to Stonehenge and July 5th drive to Dover
car rental for July 18th to get back to London with a next day airport return
DH will get 4-5 copies each of passports on Monday.
I have all confirmations thus far printed out and date organized
Prescription for Ambien so I get sleep
Downloaded lots of free app kid friendly games on my iTouch so we don't have to bring the kid's DS

i haven't decided on an amount of clothes to bring yet. I plan to do laundry...it is just how many times i plan to do it i am not sure about yet.

that is where we stand as of today!!! i countdown for the kid every day. 60 days from today we will be in London...woohoo!!!

and one last thing...one of Jack's friends from school may be in London the same week. His mom and I are furiously trying to work out time to meet up...how cool is that to see London with a friend from school!!!??

I don't know don't know if you know this, but you're not allowed to take Rubles into Russia or out of it.

 

[goingsouth]

I don't know don't know if you know this, but you're not allowed to take Rubles into Russia or out of it.

I'm not sure that's completely true (anymore). I was able to purchase rubles to bring to Russia through a bank here. In fact, several banks offer rubles. I think it's only true that you are not allowed to take them from Russia. We didn't buy much, just enough for a few small purchases.

joanne

 

[aurorafan65]

I'm not sure that's completely true (anymore). I was able to purchase rubles to bring to Russia through a bank here. In fact, several banks offer rubles. I think it's only true that you are not allowed to take them from Russia. We didn't buy much, just enough for a few small purchases.

joanne

there was a disussion about this eithter on Cruise Critic or the Baltic thread & you get rubles form banks & such for use in Russia

 

[aurorafan65]

If you're only in London for a couple of days, then a daily travelcard would be ideal for you. You can off peak one or peak ones and they're valid for travel on both busses and the tube.

can you help me with this - we're getting in on the 2nd & will be staying in London till the morning of the cruise, post cruise we're staying in Dover/Canturbury so I was thinking we'd be better off with the Oyster cards than Travelcards. I know with the travelcards there's free admission to some places but it seems like that wouldn't play too much into it since some places we're going like the British museum are free OR several places have a better rate for 'family' admission

I need to take a deep breathe I'm starting to stress too much!