June 18, 2011 - 11 Night Mediterranean Sailing from Barcelona

[skeegan]

JNS,

Can you please add us to the FE list as well? We won't know our stateroom until closer to sale as we took advantage of the Disney assigns deal. Cancelled our Disney Alaska cruise and booked this one. It will be my husband and I and our DD 16 (turning 16 the week before the cruise).

Just starting to look at excursions and reading the boards for ideas.

Thank you.

 

[Bella81903]

Hello,

We just booked our cruise last night This will be our first cruise ever I will be turning 30 on the cruise and will be traveling with my DH and DD 4. We had planned a DIS cruise last yr but had to cancel since DH got deployed. So here we are once again hoping we can make it this time. Hope to meet everyone! 65 days to go

 

[ctldavis]

Great to have you guys join us. We have DD who will be 15.5 on cruise...

 

[Lyrah]

For those of you who have sailed on the Magic before, and especially those that have done a cruise out of Barcelona previously, how does disembarkation work? We have rented a house in a village about an hour or so away from Barcelona for the week after the cruise and need to rent a car. We have not been able to find any car rental agencies that are very close to the port, so my husband is going to have to leave the ship, take a cab to the nearest car rental place, pick up the car and come back to get the rest of us at the port. Will he be allowed to get off without the rest of us and go do this? or do they require that the whole cabin/travelling party leave together? He is not going to want to pick up any luggage to haul there and back either- just leave it to us to get it. I want to be able to wait until he is on his way back with the car before I get off the ship with the kids and all of our stuff.

Thanks for all of your help!

I believe that the closest car rental is at the Sants Train Station (10-15 min drive from the port). The best choice is for your DH to catch a taxi there and drive back as you said. Disney likes to get you off the ship as early as possible, generally by 9:00am. They have to get everything ready for the next sailing group to get on. We used Europcar and we really liked them. You will also be able to just drop the car off at the airport when you fly out.

Oh, and about luggage, Disney has you put all of your luggage in the hall the last night before your cruise ends and puts it all in a place where you pick it up on your way out the next morning. You just take your carry ons. Remember to leave out all of the clothes you need though 'cause my DD had to wear pj bottoms off the ship before!!

Check out this website, it has a lot of info, maps, etc.

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/

 

[jns]

JNS,

Can you please add us to the FE list as well? We won't know our stateroom until closer to sale as we took advantage of the Disney assigns deal. Cancelled our Disney Alaska cruise and booked this one. It will be my husband and I and our DD 16 (turning 16 the week before the cruise).

Just starting to look at excursions and reading the boards for ideas.

Thank you.

Ok have added you FE updated here
we are waiting for our stateroom no too

Hello,

We just booked our cruise last night This will be our first cruise ever I will be turning 30 on the cruise and will be traveling with my DH and DD 4. We had planned a DIS cruise last yr but had to cancel since DH got deployed. So here we are once again hoping we can make it this time. Hope to meet everyone! 65 days to go

Welcome abaord

 

[klynch]

Hello,

We just booked our cruise last night This will be our first cruise ever I will be turning 30 on the cruise and will be traveling with my DH and DD 4. We had planned a DIS cruise last yr but had to cancel since DH got deployed. So here we are once again hoping we can make it this time. Hope to meet everyone! 65 days to go

Best 1st cruise choice ever! 11 Day Disney Med cruise......

 

[jns]

Hows everyones plans going ?
Think we are sorted at this stage
Flying into Barcellona on Thur morning booked in the Grand Marina Hotel but might change this yet and plan to do some of the sites
for the cruise we have booked the Jumping Back into Eternal Rome and Pompeii - Half Day with Disney , plus we have Palo's booked for 1 day and 1 brunch wanted to do high tea but couldn't get it maybe something will come up when on board
as for the other stops we will just see what happens after all we are on holidays
After cruise we are staying 2 days in the AC Diplomatic and then back home


just waiting for the next 64 days to go by and hope the following 14 go on for ever

most rember to come back to this post afterwards and see how all my plans work out

 

[wen-tom]

we have booked 3 half day excursions with dcl, the others we'll figure out for ourselves
i finally booked our barcelona hotel for the night before the cruise today so i think i am sorted..

 

[Calfan]

Exactly two months until we leave for Barcelona. Can't wait!!!

 

[2PrincesseInTow]

They've shortened the port times for Naples and Palermo.

Naples 8:30am - 7:00pm was 9:00pm
Palermo 8am - 4:00pm was 6:00pm

Now I'm rethinking "A Day on the Farm" in Palermo. Excursion is listed at 7.5-8 hours (obviously it will be shorter now) and has a 1.5 hour bus ride in each direction. With the shortened day I'm worried that it will be a lot of bus with a quick farm visit....

Hopefully I can get some feedback from those on the cruises before us...

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Ugh. All these last minute changes are a pain--I had a flight change for the second time today also. We're signed up for the day on the farm, too. Now I'm rethinking for the same reasons. If you find out anything more can you please pass it on?

 

[ga9497]

They've shortened the port times for Naples and Palermo.

Naples 8:30am - 7:00pm was 9:00pm
Palermo 8am - 4:00pm was 6:00pm

Now I'm rethinking "A Day on the Farm" in Palermo. Excursion is listed at 7.5-8 hours (obviously it will be shorter now) and has a 1.5 hour bus ride in each direction. With the shortened day I'm worried that it will be a lot of bus with a quick farm visit....

Hopefully I can get some feedback from those on the cruises before us...

I don't it will affect you much. Palermo is now 30 minutes prior all ashore time then it was before, which was 8:30am. Even with the original times they would have had you back on the ship by 5pm.

Normally anyone that has a shore excursion booked with Disney cruise line is allowed off the ship first. The excursion is now listed as 8:45am until 3:30pm so about 6.75 hours. You really aren't losing a whole lot of time from the original time

 

[skeegan]

When I try to reserve the Panoramic Drive and Beach Break in Corsica, it says no reservations available. Does that mean it is already sold out? I haven't seen that before.

If so does anyone know any good alternatives to get to a nice beach?

Thanks.

 

[ga9497]

When I try to reserve the Panoramic Drive and Beach Break in Corsica, it says no reservations available. Does that mean it is already sold out? I haven't seen that before.

If so does anyone know any good alternatives to get to a nice beach?

Thanks.

Yes it does but keep trying as people may change their minds closer to sailing date or even try onboard. They can put you on a waitlist and if something opens up they can let you know

You can probably take a cab to the beach.

 

[lexlaw69]

For those of you who have sailed on the Magic before, and especially those that have done a cruise out of Barcelona previously, how does disembarkation work? We have rented a house in a village about an hour or so away from Barcelona for the week after the cruise and need to rent a car. We have not been able to find any car rental agencies that are very close to the port, so my husband is going to have to leave the ship, take a cab to the nearest car rental place, pick up the car and come back to get the rest of us at the port. Will he be allowed to get off without the rest of us and go do this? or do they require that the whole cabin/travelling party leave together? He is not going to want to pick up any luggage to haul there and back either- just leave it to us to get it. I want to be able to wait until he is on his way back with the car before I get off the ship with the kids and all of our stuff.

Thanks for all of your help!

There is an Avis fairly close to the port. Although I don't know why you would have on leave, come back to the ship to pickup the rest and then leave again.

 

[lexlaw69]

Just a little 411 for those looking for detergent to pack in order to do laundry onboard. I found this at walmart in the HBA section where the travel toiletries are located.
The Purex 2 In 1 flat pack of laundry deteregent and fabric softener sheet.
There are 2 per pack, you follow the directions, place it in the wash, add the clothes, then transfer the clothes and sheet into the dryer.
Works like a charm and is the width of a fabric softener sheet, so great for travel.
I think they were only $1.00



hope this helps,
Bonnie

You can buy detergent on the ship, not as cheap as what you are paying but then again you don't have to carry it.

 

[lexlaw69]

See you all on June 18..... i've taken this cruise before if you have any questions. I think most people did not plan for how difficult (tiring) it is to travel thru all the different ports. There were lots of long drives and walking so don't over do it!!!!!!! My other advice is to do as much as possible on your own or thur tour companies not associated with Disney.

 

[Calfan]

Two months and counting till sale-away date. Woo hoo!

 

[Calfan]

See you all on June 18..... i've taken this cruise before if you have any questions. I think most people did not plan for how difficult (tiring) it is to travel thru all the different ports. There were lots of long drives and walking so don't over do it!!!!!!! My other advice is to do as much as possible on your own or thur tour companies not associated with Disney.

Did you do any Disney excursions? If so, which ones, and what were your opinions about them?

 

[jns]

Was wondering if many of us are waiting for GTY staterooms ?
we have a Restrictions Category VGT, GTY verandah booked

I really don't mind where on the ship we are put , but it dosen't stop me looking every few days