June 16, 2007 MedHead Cruisers

[Skallywag]

When do you think Disney will list the shore excursions. I am trying to decide if I want to book private tours and what the cost difference would be. Since we will have our kids, DS almost 9 and DD 6, with us, I thought I could cater the private tours with them in mind and it would be more fun.

I agree with Carol that you need to consider land excursions with all members in mind. Think that some of the tours will, through necessity, be quite intensive to cram as much in as possible in the time allowed.

Are considering perhaps taking the train into Rome and then we can return at time we wish but as we have done Rome already (and quite a few of the other destinations) can plan our days a lot easier. Pompeii can also be reached by train from Naples and might be a better option than organised trip especially with children. We have friends that have just returned and said that they were allowed 3 hours at Pompeii but found it a bit rushed and bear in mind it can be very hot there. They have a web site which is www.pompeiisites.org and could help. Have a book in front of me Top 10 places to visit Naples and Amalfi Coast. You can get from Naples to Sorrento and Capri by Hydrofoil but if you want to do the Amalfi route would seriously recommend a coach trip for that. We have driven it several times but because of the wonderful scenery and dreadfully narrow winding road you miss a lot that way.

Please ask away and if I can help with information on various ports have books and literature.

 

[DVC4US]

Hi everyone! I'm finally back. I actually got back last weekend, but this is the first time I have had a chance to get online. We had a great trip and a really fabulous time. Scotland is so beautiful and the people are awesome. London was just as great and we really enjoyed seeing all the sights.

I am going to go back now and read the old posts to see if I can catch up. Hope everyone has a great day!

 

[Skallywag]

Hi LeiLani - glad to hear you had a great time in Scotland and London shame the weather has been so unseasonally cold.

Hope you did not get the week lond rain we had it just did not let up and with the wind it was most unpleasant.

Hi everyone, just to let you know summer is here in England today - very warm, clear blue skies and beautiful. Wonder what tomorrow will bring every day is a surprise weather wise.

Hve a great weekend what ever you are doing.

 

[LisaTex]

Hello again Just checking in. I guess nothing new on hotels? When do the websites open for 6/07? Just wondering because we will be on our "Adventures by Disney" trip to Hawaii until 6/24. Just don't want to miss out. Oh, and will be happy to give a report when we get back if anyone is interested.

Skallywag - want to trade weather for a day? It is already 93 degrees in Austin and it's only noon.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

 

[Skallywag]

Good morning everyone from another sunny day in South east England.
Thanks for the offer Lisa but as here in this old country we do not have the benefit of your air conditioning think it would be a bit over the top for us.

Am still watching the web sites for hotels as have heard nothing from DU as yet and wonder what Disney are doing for us all.

Has anyone spoken with Disney of late to find out the latest position?

How is everyone getting from the airport to hotel and then cruise terminal. Cannot decide at present as do not have any information on the Disney transfers and how they will work for us all.

Anyone all have a great day - back into the garden to catch up on the weeds.

 

[silver7]

Good Morning everyone!

We just got back from Walt Disney World, and boy was it crowded! Extra Magic Hour saved the day--it was cooler and the lines were not as long during them.

It was in the 90's each day, and so we were a tad hot also

Lisa--trip report!

Lelani--trip report!

Brenda--weather report! (so we can all dream about the cooler weather)

Teresa

 

[DVC4US]

Good Morning/Afternoon Everyone!

Thanks for the welcome back Brenda and we did have a great time, even though it was a bit cold and rainy some days. It rained part of the day for both days we were in London, but we didn't let that stop us.

Theresa - I will try to put together a short trip report to post here. I'll have to write it out first because if I don't it will go on forever.

Lisa - hope you have a great trip.

Weather is beautiful here again today. It has actually been hot for May/early June. We should be in the upper 70's - low 80's, but it has been upper 80's and sunny for the past week. I am definetly not complaining.

Have a great day!

 

[silver7]

Hi Everyone

Well I spoke with DCL yesterday, and still no updates on the hotel situation. I also asked about the transfers and was essentially told unless you stay at one of their hotels you are on your own to get to the ship. I was also told that if you book air through Disney transfers are included.

Teresa
<---that is how we are going to be getting to the port!

 

[Land-and-Sea]

Hello all! The Mrs. and I just booked this cruise last week while on the double-dip trip. I'm so psyched about this cruise! Has anyone made hotel plans for Barcelona yet or are most of you planning to fly in the same day? That's cutting it a little too close for my tastes so I'm thinking we'll get there a day or two ahead.

Anywho....great to meet everyone *waves*

 

[silver7]

Hi Land and Sea!

Woohoo! More cruisers!

 

[DVC4US]

Welcome Land-and-Sea. It's great having more cruisers.

Actually, if you look back through some of the posts on this thread you will see that hotels have been a big discussion. Most of us are planning on flying in a day or two early and getting a hotel room is becoming a problem. Apparently DCL had a block of rooms at 5 different hotels and they sold out fast. No one on this thread even knew that DCL had rooms blocked so we are all trying to scramble for rooms. One problem is that most hotels do not book more than a year out so we are having to wait. A few of us did get a room for Friday night at the Hilton Diagonal by using the UK website(for some reason you could book more than a year out on that site but not the US site). I am still looking for Thursday night, but at least I have Friday at the moment.

BTW - I was on the 10 day Christmas cruise with a lot of the DISers who were on the double-dip cruise with you last week. They are a great group of people.

 

[Land-and-Sea]

Thanks for the warm welcome and especially the info about the hotels. I guess we'll see how it plays out over the coming months.

Unfortunately I wasn't really part of the Dis-group this past cruise. I had stopped reading the disboards for awhile and only found out a week or so before the trip that there was a big meet up. They sure seemed like a nice bunch of folks (and perhaps a little nuts I hope to meet some of you on this trip.

Now, I think I read mention of some people looking into possibly going to DLP before or after the cruise. True? I'd definately be game for that! I have no idea how long a trip it is from Barcelona though.

 

[Skallywag]

Hi Land-and-Sea,
Welcome to MedHead Cruisers.
We have had many discussions from both sides of the pond on this one. It would appear if you book with Disney they should, so they say, have offered the hotels and transport. From posts it appears they did not do this and have sold out of all their allocation of hotel rooms and are trying to get more.
This has been going on for a long time and myself am a bit disappointed with the attitude of Disney on this one.

However, saying this many of us have booked hotel rooms. I went on to the Hilton Honours u.k. site and they were showing availability so booked a room. Although we only havea short flight are coming in the day before to be sure.
Hotels are showing up available on some other sites - post on the site and I am sure you will get lots of help.

 

[pmm0724]

Thanks for the warm welcome and especially the info about the hotels. I guess we'll see how it plays out over the coming months.

Unfortunately I wasn't really part of the Dis-group this past cruise. I had stopped reading the disboards for awhile and only found out a week or so before the trip that there was a big meet up. They sure seemed like a nice bunch of folks (and perhaps a little nuts I hope to meet some of you on this trip.

Now, I think I read mention of some people looking into possibly going to DLP before or after the cruise. True? I'd definately be game for that! I have no idea how long a trip it is from Barcelona though.

It is an overnight train trip from Paris to Barcelona. We are planning to do a day tour that will pick us up at the train in the morning and deliver us to the ship at the end. So we will not need a hotel in Barcelona.

 

[Skallywag]

Just wondering where other cruisers are planning to spend their time prior to the cruise other than Paris.

We did a couple of nights in Paris the other year prior to our flight to St. Maarten and will not go back. Have never been to DLP but have been told it is a bit of a disapointment after the real thing but everyone has their own opinion. Unfortunately as we are from England do not get the best reception in France inspite of having French relations.

Still lovely and sunny here in England and warm shame you missed it LeiLani - it does get nice here sometimes but this year has been a long cold winter and spring.

 

[DVC4US]

Hi All!

Just giving us a little bump back up to page 1. We had fallen all the way to page 3.

We have a soccer tournament this weekend so it is pretty busy around here. Alyssa had a one game tonight, she will play twice tomorrow and then one game on Sunday. I sure am glad I only have one playing. Some of our friends have 3 kids playing and they must be living at the soccer complex this weekend.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

 

[Skallywag]

Very frustrating yesterday could not post anything - anyone else had this prob lem.

Stil lovely and hot over here - yesterday clear blue skies all day and looks like being another good one today.

Going to see the grandchildren they live about 50 miles away.

Have a great day.

 

[silver7]

I could not post yesterday either

We saw "Cars" yesterday--all three of my boys liked it. I am still not decided. Overall it was good and I want to see it again but I did not have the same reaction to the movie I did "the Incredibles". The guys all said that they loved it and wanted to rent is as soon as it comes out on video

Now you know I am not a professional film critic

I also saw "The Breakup"--did not like that movie very depressing.

It was a movie going weekend here

 

[4kidsandadog]

We saw "Cars" on Friday as well. I liked it a lot more than I expected to. The kids are clamoring for it once it's on DVD as well. I think this will be one that will have some good bonus features.

 

[jmcdonnell04]

Hello to my fellow cruisers -- just returned last night from a wonderful week at WDW. Stayed at the Boardwalk and had great weather (90+ degrees and no rain) and great fun going on the rides and seeing the shows and parades. Expedition Everest was terrific and Fantasmic is still the best show. Hope all is well with your summer vacation plans. I suddenly developed a case of World Cup fever -- I've watched 3 games already.