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

[CarolAnnC]

There was a good article with some helpful (to me, at least) information about finding the best airfares. From the November Traveler Magazine in case anyone is interested.

I use Kayak.com mostly for basic fare searches / watches. But it also mentions farecompare.com and some other resources.

We have booked air via DCL but will be watching fares when our window opens for being able to book our trip. If the fares are significantly enough less on our own, we'll drop DCL air. If it's within our "convenience threshhold" we'll stay with DCL.

But I know a lot of you are planning to do air on your own so I thought this might be helpful.

Thanks for the info Cindy. Typically, how far ahead can one book an overseas flight?

 

[nzdisneymom]

It seems like you can book 11-12 months out. Just go to your favorite airline booking site and see how far out you can book.

We're actively watching for our Disneyland trip in June 2009 right now.

 

[denise]

I'm in on the FE gifts.....

I think it's 330 days out to book airlines and hotels too....

 

[denise]

It's only one year, eight months till we sail
Ok, I'm bored at work can you tell?

 

[jship210]

How 'bout a Viking Party one night??

 

[Keggy]

Hello! I am just posting this here because I have gotten a few pm's and I want to clear up any misinformation and don't want anyone to be left out!

I am just maintaining the group website. If you would like added to the website (please see my signature) please pm your information to me.

If you would like added to the list of disers in the first post of this thread. Please pm nzdisneymom. She can add you to the first post. Cindy has this all listed in the first post as well.

Also, if you would like anything posted to the website - please feel free to pm me with that information - but please tell me if that is what you are pming me with!

Thank you! Have a great day!

 

[OurDogCisco]

I love all these ideas! Its so far out though, that so many people may add and drop.

I think it will be less confusing if we wait until closer to the time (at least a year maybe) before we start organizing teams and stuff.

Our mexican cruise people did the fish extenders, and although I felt to overwhelmed to participate, someone nicely took over for us! Also, since we were upgraded and were late for the first meet, the people in our original cabin kept getting nice gifts from folks who didn't know we had upgraded.

Its hard to wait so long! I wish it was next year! I wish I knew for sure my ABD was going to go ahead! Last time I checked we were the only family booked and with the state of the economy, I think trips aren't booking up too fast.

I agree... although, I'd have to admit two things make me nervous in doing FE gifts... one loss luggage. I was on the Med. cruise and we had lost our luggage. Luckily, it was only one piece where there were many Disers that lost all their luggage. However, we lost our formal clothes so, we do not have any formal pictures on the cruise. I did end up buying a black dress and my dh bought slacks and a dress street so, we wouldn't look underdress for dinner but no sundresses, etc...

Second, I'm going to Orlando in a few weeks and they are charging for the 1st bag. I'm not too happy about that. I guess, in the grand scheme of things it is a small price to pay for the cost of the overall trip. I'd rather take more pieces of luggage in hopes if they lose one piece we'll have other pieces. I know... seems like a silly thing to worry about. But on our Med. cruise there were over 200 families with lost luggage. I remember this one family in the laundry room every day ironing their clothes to make them look fresh every day. I felt so bad for them too.. SIGH...

 

[scottishwee35]

I agree... although, I'd have to admit two things make me nervous in doing FE gifts... one loss luggage. I was on the Med. cruise and we had lost our luggage. Luckily, it was only one piece where there were many Disers that lost all their luggage. However, we lost our formal clothes so, we do not have any formal pictures on the cruise. I did end up buying a black dress and my dh bought slacks and a dress street so, we wouldn't look underdress for dinner but no sundresses, etc...

Second, I'm going to Orlando in a few weeks and they are charging for the 1st bag. I'm not too happy about that. I guess, in the grand scheme of things it is a small price to pay for the cost of the overall trip. I'd rather take more pieces of luggage in hopes if they lose one piece we'll have other pieces. I know... seems like a silly thing to worry about. But on our Med. cruise there were over 200 families with lost luggage. I remember this one family in the laundry room every day ironing their clothes to make them look fresh every day. I felt so bad for them too.. SIGH...

I remember one lady was screaming at the desk on the first day as her luggages were missing and she hit her husband (he was cooling) and I wonder why then I realised.

Then after Med Cruise I got home and my three luggages went missing for almost 3 weeks

I cannot imaged what happened on first day on the cruise with no luggages, terrible.

British Airway was really bad with luggages last year, i think over 3,000 luggages missing.

Scottishwee35

 

[DW2DH&DS]

How 'bout a Viking Party one night??

Absolutely!!!! That was brought up earlier in the thread. We are absolutely game for that!!!

 

[OurDogCisco]

I remember one lady was screaming at the desk on the first day as her luggages were missing and she hit her husband (he was cooling) and I wonder why then I realised.

Then after Med Cruise I got home and my three luggages went missing for almost 3 weeks

I cannot imaged what happened on first day on the cruise with no luggages, terrible.

British Airway was really bad with luggages last year, i think over 3,000 luggages missing.

Scottishwee35

Funny we were on Air France. I know, why our luggage got misplaced. When we were in San Francisco checking in, the computers went down and as a result they couldn't print electronic luggage tags. I knew that was a bad sign. Anyways, they had to hand write them. We had a really short layover in Paris about 45 minutes. Well, I knew there is no way our luggage would make it as I'm sure they would have to hand read the luggage tag and that would take too long. Also, when we landed they told us that the luggage handlers were on strike so, it might take awhile to get our luggage. We had 5 pieces of luggage. 3 pieces made it when we landed in Barcelona. We were missing our toiletry bag and our formal wear bag. Our toiletry bag did not show up until the next morning. Thank goodness we were staying near by (like 5 minutes away). The formal wear bag showed about a month later at my house. When, we landed in Barcelona there was a line of about 100 people at the luggage claim.

Things I learned is that we need to make sure there is a longer layover and pray that the computer doesn't go down during check-in. LOL...

I know, there were lots of people with out luggage on the first day. So, coming a day or two earlier I think helps. I was happy as we had trip insurance so, I was able to get reimbursed for the dress, 2 shirts, slacks that I bought. I bought them on the cruise so, the price was very overpriced and they still reimbursed them. We should have also given ourselves more time in Barcelona so, we could have shopped for more clothes.

Funny thing on the way home... our flight was delayed about 1 1/2 hours waiting for the luggage in Paris to get on the plane. The captain wanted to make sure everyone got their luggage when they landed in SFO. So, no loss luggage on the way home for us.

 

[jship210]

Absolutely!!!! That was brought up earlier in the thread. We are absolutely game for that!!!

 

[nzdisneymom]

We were fortunate to have non-stop flight from Atlanta to Barcelona as well as from Barcelona to Atlanta, so we only had to worry about whether our luggage made it onto the plane. We also arrived a day ahead in Barcelona - partly to be able to see some of Barcelona, but also to give our luggage a day to catch up if necessary. Thankfully we got it all.

We will also have a non-stop flight from ATL to London for this cruise, and we're arriving three days early. Which reminds me that we'll need to put our itinerary in our luggage / on our ID tags (which don't display all the info outwardly) so that if we become separated, then there will be some indication of where they should be delivered. We also have at least one-night post-trip at the same hotel as our pre-trip.

One thing we did when going to the Med (and have since done when flying) is to put some of everyone's clothes in everyone's bag... that way if one piece of luggage is lost, one person isn't "without". The boys are very close in size right now so they can wear each other's stuff, and DH and I can wear each other's t-shirts, but it's still nice to have your own stuff. We also packed a change of underwear, socks, shorts, t-shirt in each person's carry-on backpack so if we got there and everything was lost, we'd at least have a fresh outfit to wear. And it's not like we're going to the ends of the earth where they don't have stores - it's inconvenient, but not impossible to "make do"...

Hopefully we'll all be blessed with the luggage-fairy who will make sure all our luggage makes it with us.

 

[long_time_cruiser]

Hi everyone!

I just booked this cruise yesterday for me and my FH. It's going to be for our honeymoon/10 year anniversary. I'm new to the board, but I've cruised on DCL four other times (Bahamas 1999, Eastern 2002, Western 2005, inaugural Med 2007). We'll be on deck 7 (7537). FH and I are very excited and we can't wait to go! We had such an amazing time in Europe last year. Before the Baltic we'll also be going on the Eastern again next year, so that will help the wait a little bit.

It will be great to meet you in all in about 20 months

 

[Deb T.]

I agree... although, I'd have to admit two things make me nervous in doing FE gifts... one loss luggage. I was on the Med. cruise and we had lost our luggage. Luckily, it was only one piece where there were many Disers that lost all their luggage. However, we lost our formal clothes so, we do not have any formal pictures on the cruise. I did end up buying a black dress and my dh bought slacks and a dress street so, we wouldn't look underdress for dinner but no sundresses, etc...

Second, I'm going to Orlando in a few weeks and they are charging for the 1st bag. I'm not too happy about that. I guess, in the grand scheme of things it is a small price to pay for the cost of the overall trip. I'd rather take more pieces of luggage in hopes if they lose one piece we'll have other pieces. I know... seems like a silly thing to worry about. But on our Med. cruise there were over 200 families with lost luggage. I remember this one family in the laundry room every day ironing their clothes to make them look fresh every day. I felt so bad for them too.. SIGH...

We were one of the 200+ families on that cruise who's luggage was lost. It finally caught up with us on the 5th day. Fortunately, we'd each packed a carry-on bag with a few things in there... but no formal wear or swimsuits, which was bad because the first sea day was formal night and our first excursion was on a beach.

 

[scottishwee35]

Hi everyone!

I just booked this cruise yesterday for me and my FH. It's going to be for our honeymoon/10 year anniversary. I'm new to the board, but I've cruised on DCL four other times (Bahamas 1999, Eastern 2002, Western 2005, inaugural Med 2007). We'll be on deck 7 (7537). FH and I are very excited and we can't wait to go! We had such an amazing time in Europe last year. Before the Baltic we'll also be going on the Eastern again next year, so that will help the wait a little bit.

It will be great to meet you in all in about 20 months

Hello



Looking forward to meet you both in 20 months

We were one of the 200+ families on that cruise who's luggage was lost. It finally caught up with us on the 5th day. Fortunately, we'd each packed a carry-on bag with a few things in there... but no formal wear or swimsuits, which was bad because the first sea day was formal night and our first excursion was on a beach.

Oh dear

I realised now because I always packing each own luggage clothes now better to have mixed it up in case go missing.

Scottishwee35

 

[scottishwee35]

Scottishwee35

 

[tinkerbell_29]

We thought I had lost my suitcase when we landed in Barcelona for the med cruise. Mom and Matt's showed up but mine didn't at first. I was having a heartaatack when Matt found it on the floor. Someone had thought it was theres when they realized it wasn't they didn't put it back on the carousel. Coming home we did lsoe a bag fro a whole month. I was devestated as it had camera equipment and suveniors in it. This time were driving to Atlanta and flying direct so hopefully no lost luggage.

Lissa

 

[goingsouth]

We're planning on going at least 3 days ahead of the cruise, so hopefully lost luggage won't be an issue..now if I could only decide between Paris and London..honestly there are worse decisions to make!

Welcome to the new folks!





Joanne

 

[denise]

Hi everyone!

I just booked this cruise yesterday for me and my FH. It's going to be for our honeymoon/10 year anniversary. I'm new to the board, but I've cruised on DCL four other times (Bahamas 1999, Eastern 2002, Western 2005, inaugural Med 2007). We'll be on deck 7 (7537). FH and I are very excited and we can't wait to go! We had such an amazing time in Europe last year. Before the Baltic we'll also be going on the Eastern again next year, so that will help the wait a little bit.

It will be great to meet you in all in about 20 months

Welcome to the cruise! How exciting to have such a great honeymoorn!!!

Things I learned is that we need to make sure there is a longer layover and pray that the computer doesn't go down during check-in. LOL...

I know, there were lots of people with out luggage on the first day. So, coming a day or two earlier I think helps. I was happy as we had trip insurance so, I was able to get reimbursed for the dress, 2 shirts, slacks that I bought. I bought them on the cruise so, the price was very overpriced and they still reimbursed them. We should have also given ourselves more time in Barcelona so, we could have shopped for more clothes.

Funny thing on the way home... our flight was delayed about 1 1/2 hours waiting for the luggage in Paris to get on the plane. The captain wanted to make sure everyone got their luggage when they landed in SFO. So, no loss luggage on the way home for us.

We went to Greece before Barcelona for 3 weeks. All of our luggage was missing for 4 days. It was over 100 degrees in Athens too. Not very many, if any, places are air conditioned. Our luggage was in New York. Our flight was delayed out of San Francisco so we missed our flight out of New York. We caught the next one by running to it. We only got on because we had re-ticketed in SFO. We just made. Then in London we of course had missed our flight to Athens so we ran to another plane. Our suitcases chose not to run.... and stay in New York. I felt bad for Olympia Airlines (maybe this is why those went under?) they had to find our luggage. It was American that messed up. We only got on Olympia in London when we missed our British Airways flight.

My lesson learned has been mentioned. Pack alittle bit in each suitcase of each persons things. My bag came last while DD came first....at least she had her clothes!

 

[nzdisneymom]

Good morning all (or afternoon to those who are hours ahead of us in FL).

I have updated the first page with the new DISers who have joined our thread and also included information from Threebritts (Heather) who has graciously taken on coordinating Fish Extenders when the time comes to get serious about it. She has also offered to create Mini-Navigators for our use which will include a schedule of planned events (like meets, lunches, exchanges, pictures, etc.) so we'll have something handy to use on the trip to be sure we don't miss something we wanted to attend. Thanks, Heather, for taking that on.

I've offered my boys the opportunity to make some money for themselves and their trip-jars this weekend. Our cars desparately need washing and I was thinking of taking them through the $8 car wash. But instead, I am offering them the chance to do it at home. $1 for water/supplies, $4 for labor, and then the other $3 can go into their jars. If they wash both cars, they'll each earn $4 for their own use and $3 for their jar. If they don't take me up on it, I'll just have a dirty car for another six months