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

[slg]

Friends...I need some help.

I am absolutely exhausted by planning and pretty much planned out. After countless travel videos, guidebooks, and internet research, we've booked our excursions, hotels, flights, and transfer to Dover.

However, I'm still undecided about the Dover to London part so can those of you going back to London help out? Who is going back to London and how are you getting there and why did you choose that route?

I'm favoring the Leeds disembarkation excursion, but I'm not completely comfortable with this choice, so I bounce around and can't commit or decide on anything. Stress!

I have been under tremendous stress lately, and this trip is starting to feel like a chore. My family isn't any help, they let me plan everything...sigh.

Can you guys help? Last time I was undecided about something (the canal cruise in St. P) I got great advice and was easily able to make a decision.

Thanks in advance.

PS Is anyone staying at the Parkwood Hotel after the cruise? How long are people's London post-trips for?

 

[Deb T.]

Joanne,

No one NEEDS six pairs of shoes. At least that is what I keep telling Pam. The first cruise we took I pick up a bag to put in the car and it was quite heavy for its size. When I ask what's in there she tells me it contains her 12 pairs of shoes. I reminded her that the cruise was only 7 days, but all dozen pairs still made the trip.

I like Pam already!

 

[Deb T.]

Friends...I need some help.

I am absolutely exhausted by planning and pretty much planned out. After countless travel videos, guidebooks, and internet research, we've booked our excursions, hotels, flights, and transfer to Dover.

However, I'm still undecided about the Dover to London part so can those of you going back to London help out? Who is going back to London and how are you getting there and why did you choose that route?

I'm favoring the Leeds disembarkation excursion, but I'm not completely comfortable with this choice, so I bounce around and can't commit or decide on anything. Stress!

I have been under tremendous stress lately, and this trip is starting to feel like a chore. My family isn't any help, they let me plan everything...sigh.

Can you guys help? Last time I was undecided about something (the canal cruise in St. P) I got great advice and was easily able to make a decision.

Thanks in advance.

PS Is anyone staying at the Parkwood Hotel after the cruise? How long are people's London post-trips for?

We have hired Silverline Travel to pick us up as soon as we can disembark and whisk us to Heathrow for our flights home. (Our departure time is a tad bit earlier than DCL's recommended time.) Unfortunately for us, DH has to be at work first thing Monday morning.

 

[Fivepin]

Friends...I need some help.

I am absolutely exhausted by planning and pretty much planned out. After countless travel videos, guidebooks, and internet research, we've booked our excursions, hotels, flights, and transfer to Dover.

However, I'm still undecided about the Dover to London part so can those of you going back to London help out? Who is going back to London and how are you getting there and why did you choose that route?

I'm favoring the Leeds disembarkation excursion, but I'm not completely comfortable with this choice, so I bounce around and can't commit or decide on anything. Stress!

I have been under tremendous stress lately, and this trip is starting to feel like a chore. My family isn't any help, they let me plan everything...sigh.

Can you guys help? Last time I was undecided about something (the canal cruise in St. P) I got great advice and was easily able to make a decision.

Thanks in advance.

PS Is anyone staying at the Parkwood Hotel after the cruise? How long are people's London post-trips for?

I am about planned out as well. We are probably taking the train back from Dover to London. We are going by Silverline to Dover from our hotel. My BF wanted to take the train back to catch some of the sights. I didn't buy tixs yet. They run about every hour. We weren't going to rush right offf the ship.
We're going to try to take it easy. We leave the following morning. We have the HOHO boat for that day. We just take in whatever we missed our first day before the cruise. I booked a private capsule for the London Eye for DH and I as a surprise for him at 7pm My BF and DH wanted to do a walking Harry Potter's tour, but we don't believe we could make it back by 10:45 even with me taking the luggage after their drop off. They only 1 time slot available. We would have gone by a car if we did this.
We figured we would have dinner around the London Eye area.
That probably doesn't help you that much. We are staying at Chancery Court that day.
Our big thing...relax the last day to get ready for the plane ride back.
We have the London pass for our first day.

 

[ktkspider]

Friends...I need some help.

I am absolutely exhausted by planning and pretty much planned out. After countless travel videos, guidebooks, and internet research, we've booked our excursions, hotels, flights, and transfer to Dover.

However, I'm still undecided about the Dover to London part so can those of you going back to London help out? Who is going back to London and how are you getting there and why did you choose that route?

I'm favoring the Leeds disembarkation excursion, but I'm not completely comfortable with this choice, so I bounce around and can't commit or decide on anything. Stress!

I have been under tremendous stress lately, and this trip is starting to feel like a chore. My family isn't any help, they let me plan everything...sigh.

Can you guys help? Last time I was undecided about something (the canal cruise in St. P) I got great advice and was easily able to make a decision.

Thanks in advance.

PS Is anyone staying at the Parkwood Hotel after the cruise? How long are people's London post-trips for?

We are on the 24th cruise but are going to the Parkwood Hotel at Marble Arch after our cruise. We have hired dovertaxis to pick us up at the ship and take us to the hotel. There are 7 of us and it will cost 200 pounds. We will be in London for 4 days.

 

[CarolAnnC]

my life has been upside down for the last week or so..

My Mom was taken to the ER, again, as was really bad off. She was sent to a rehab place today for the next 20 days. She lives in another state and needs full time care I believe. She doesn't want to come here. She is improving but has trouble walking now. She has heart problems, lung problems, leg problems...and dozens of other things too. If she continues to get better they may let her live alone, which is what she wants. I can only pray for her recovery....

Today I found out my job is ending on May 28th. I've know about it for a couple weeks now but the meeting today was like a slap in the face. My job will still be there but done by others (who get paid more). Downsizing they say. I just got my 30 years in January of the this year. I will have my pension but can't touch it yet without penalties. They are giving me a good severance package. My DH says we will be ok. They told over 500 of us today. I have been going to lots of financial planers to find out where to put my money that is safe. I signed up for the local college and will be taking some photography classes. I'm very excited about that. Plus I want a new camera!

ok enough of this and back to planning....

last year I bought lots of little items for the FE. Well they are really heavy when they are all put together! My smart DH came up with an idea. Mail them to the place we are staying in Dover! Well that place said no but the Marriott in Disneyland Paris said YES!!! They will take the package and hold it for me until arrival! Should make the suitcases lighter for sure! So I have to get that ready asap and send it on a slow boat to Paris....

Wish I could watch Samantha Brown...no dvr...

We were going to take in a play in London but there are really no plays on Sundays. The Monday we will be in Dover we have dinner plans with about 30 new friends....which will be so much fun...(thanks Beth)

So after all this drama settles down I have to get back to planning and catch up with all of you.....

Sorry to hear about your mom. I hope she continues improving and is able to go back home again soon!

Also sorry to hear about the loss of your job. I went through something similar three years ago when my job at the time was outsourced to India (along with many others in my company). I went on to find my current position which I am very happy with, so sometimes one door closes and then another one opens.

Best wishes to you on your transition - at least you have a great severance package!

 

[CarolAnnC]

SLG - we are using the same car service for our return from Dover to Heathrow as we are using for the other legs of our travel. Any reason why you would not be using the same method that you are traveling down to Dover with? Would make it easier for you, I think.

 

[aurorafan65]

Friends...I need some help.

I am absolutely exhausted by planning and pretty much planned out. After countless travel videos, guidebooks, and internet research, we've booked our excursions, hotels, flights, and transfer to Dover.

However, I'm still undecided about the Dover to London part so can those of you going back to London help out? Who is going back to London and how are you getting there and why did you choose that route?

I'm favoring the Leeds disembarkation excursion, but I'm not completely comfortable with this choice, so I bounce around and can't commit or decide on anything. Stress!

I have been under tremendous stress lately, and this trip is starting to feel like a chore. My family isn't any help, they let me plan everything...sigh.

Can you guys help? Last time I was undecided about something (the canal cruise in St. P) I got great advice and was easily able to make a decision.

Thanks in advance.

PS Is anyone staying at the Parkwood Hotel after the cruise? How long are people's London post-trips for?

I totally hear you on this one, I have been the only one doing any planning & frankly I'm tired of it! I asked dh to look into a couple things, which of course still hasn't been done.

IF we were going back to London right away I would do the Leeds excursion but we're staying in Dover overnight after the cruise so we can do both Dover & Canterbury. To get back to London we're taking the National Express train then flying home

 

[slg]

We're taking Silverline from the airport to dover, but since we get off the boat so early, the idea of extending the trip by taking a DCL excursion appeals to me, but they are very expensive and no one seems interested so I feel I should pick something else. I'm loathe to book a company back as I'm not sure what time we'll get off the boat...why rush? and also, perhaps we'll do the excursion if its going.

Considering the National Express, not prebooked but rather just get on the next available bus. Take it to Victoria Station and then take a taxi.

Everything SEEMS straightforward when discussing it, but since we've not done anything like this before and the last time we were in London was 1992 sans kids and luggage, everything feels very complicated.

I'm really appreciating all the feedback. It is certainly helpful.

 

[fabumouse]

We leave in 53 days--is it too early to start packing?


joanne

Of course it is not too early! I have my Disney stuff slowly heading toward a suitcase in my room - Mickey sweatshirts, etc. Why take a chance that I'll lose it between now and then?

 

[babybear42]

I am about planned out as well. We are probably taking the train back from Dover to London. We are going by Silverline to Dover from our hotel. My BF wanted to take the train back to catch some of the sights. I didn't buy tixs yet. They run about every hour. We weren't going to rush right offf the ship.
We're going to try to take it easy. We leave the following morning. We have the HOHO boat for that day. We just take in whatever we missed our first day before the cruise. I booked a private capsule for the London Eye for DH and I as a surprise for him at 7pm My BF and DH wanted to do a walking Harry Potter's tour, but we don't believe we could make it back by 10:45 even with me taking the luggage after their drop off. They only 1 time slot available. We would have gone by a car if we did this.
We figured we would have dinner around the London Eye area.
That probably doesn't help you that much. We are staying at Chancery Court that day.
Our big thing...relax the last day to get ready for the plane ride back.
We have the London pass for our first day.

It may be better to buy train tickets in advance as you can get better deals when you do than actually buying them on the day at the station. The website I use is www.thetrainline.com I've saved loads by using them.

 

[babybear42]

We're taking Silverline from the airport to dover, but since we get off the boat so early, the idea of extending the trip by taking a DCL excursion appeals to me, but they are very expensive and no one seems interested so I feel I should pick something else. I'm loathe to book a company back as I'm not sure what time we'll get off the boat...why rush? and also, perhaps we'll do the excursion if its going.

Considering the National Express, not prebooked but rather just get on the next available bus. Take it to Victoria Station and then take a taxi.

Everything SEEMS straightforward when discussing it, but since we've not done anything like this before and the last time we were in London was 1992 sans kids and luggage, everything feels very complicated.

I'm really appreciating all the feedback. It is certainly helpful.

You might be better booking your coach tickets rather than just turning up and trying to catch one on the spot, especially if there are a lot of you.

 

[wintergreen]

It may be better to buy train tickets in advance as you can get better deals when you do than actually buying them on the day at the station. The website I use is www.thetrainline.com I've saved loads by using them.

I haven't been able to book my train tickets either through this website or through Southeastern's website with a U.S. credit card. If anyone knows of a website where this can be done, I'd appreciate hearing about it! Thanks.

 

[LisaTex]

YEAH! I'm so happy you got them! I can't believe none of us got the same dates - we're the 2nd, you are the 3rd & Kim (Scooby76) is the 4th

We'll be joining Scooby 76 on the 4th

 

[goingsouth]

Hello Everyone!

We sail in 8 weeks! Jiminy Cricket!

joanne

 

[DW2DH&DS]

Hello Everyone!

We sail in 8 weeks! Jiminy Cricket!

joanne

me likey this!!!!!! and we leave in 7 weeks for London pre-cruise adventure!!! me likey this too!!!

Starting to think of fish extender gifts. no extravagance from us...sorry!! but definitely participating!!! probably a lot of little things rather than one or two nice things. most likely geared towards any kiddos.

for those of you that were friends of mine on facebook...i dumped it today. i will no longer be using it. i may pick it up again next fall but not likely. making some life changing decisions and that is one of them...less computer time.

see y'all in two months!!!!

 

[denise]

When will the FE list come out? I need to get working on my gifts....

 

[sshaw10060]

me likey this!!!!!! and we leave in 7 weeks for London pre-cruise adventure!!! me likey this too!!!

Starting to think of fish extender gifts. no extravagance from us...sorry!! but definitely participating!!! probably a lot of little things rather than one or two nice things. most likely geared towards any kiddos.

for those of you that were friends of mine on facebook...i dumped it today. i will no longer be using it. i may pick it up again next fall but not likely. making some life changing decisions and that is one of them...less computer time.

see y'all in two months!!!!

Good for you. I am a member of Facebook, but only log in on occasion.

 

[goingsouth]

Sorry, Denise. I had my last final this week. I promise to have everything complete by Thursday!

joanne

 

[Scoobydoo76]

We'll be joining Scooby 76 on the 4th

That's great Lisa.

We are a family of 4 with a DD (15) and a DS (13). It will be nice to meet you before we cruise.

Kim