June 18, 2011 - 11 Night Mediterranean Sailing from Barcelona

How many did you order? I was holding off since we haven't finalized the list yet, right?

They come in a pack of 24. I think we "talked" about FE groups that will be about 15 each? Also, if we're assigned delivery days..... I'd like to request an early one so you can use ours during the cruise.....
 
a tour since we cannot speak the language and do not know where to go. Does anyone know of any private touring companies to save money?
Also, how much money to do you bring on a cruise like this. Should we be getting Euros?

1) you can use your visa/debit card pretty much everywhere. Be sure you have talked to your bank about being out of the country. Also be sure to have a backup card "just in case" that is also notified of your location.

2) You should get a couple euros for spending cash. Travelers checks are a pain.

3) most of these locations will have whats called a "hop on hop off bus". Just search for "hop on hop off Rome" and you will be given some options. These are not like city buses but are open top buses with clear maps, and drop off locations that take you on a loop of the city. They are usually around 25 bucks and you can find coupons/discounts like crazy. From there your costs go up as you pay for private tours, limos, etc. We used "tour of italy" and wer every happy last time and will be using them again.

Personally I usually go for a car and driver. It is upscale, your not waiting on the DCL herd and if you have more than 2 or 3 in your party it is cheaper (in most locations).

Last, the villefranch wine and cheese tour was a stinker. Eze was awesome but waiting for 1 guy to fill 40 plus glasses to get a small swig was kind of horrible and a tremendous waste of time.
 
They come in a pack of 24. I think we "talked" about FE groups that will be about 15 each? Also, if we're assigned delivery days..... I'd like to request an early one so you can use ours during the cruise.....

We just did it on our 7 night Western Caribbean cruise and loved it!
 
For those of you who have done private tours before - many of them are asking for cash at the end of the tour or Euro Travelers checks. What have you done? I'm not used to carrying much cash, don't feel comfortable doing so. If you used Euro Travelers checks where did you get them? Thanks.
 

I am wondering what excursions people are taking-they look pretty expensive. Does anyone have any tricks of the trade?
The other thing are people doing the Fish EXtender?
I would love to read through this thread, but i am on the disney cruise wehre it is taking hours to load. Any help is appreciated.
Welcome. We recently booked as well. Currently planning a mix of Disney and private excursions.
 

We have 16 staterooms in the exchange so far




JNS
2PrincessInTow
2PrincessInTow+ DSD & MIL
hygienist
Jmatias
Docswatson
MadHatterMom2
CaliforniaGirl09
rach7
lrsuffi
aroundtheriverbend
scubabonk
ch10dad
sistersville
skeegan
stampinot


Cut off date 31st May to sign up to be part of the exchange
 
They come in a pack of 24. I think we "talked" about FE groups that will be about 15 each? Also, if we're assigned delivery days..... I'd like to request an early one so you can use ours during the cruise.....
Can you remain me nearer the time when we are giving out delivery days thanks :thumbsup2

PigletEgg.jpg

Happy Easter Everyone, Hope everyone had a lovely day

 
I am wondering what excursions people are taking-they look pretty expensive. Does anyone have any tricks of the trade?
The other thing are people doing the Fish EXtender?
I would love to read through this thread, but i am on the disney cruise wear it is taking hours to load. Any help is appreciated.

If you are flush with money and don't mind spending it I would hire private tours. If you like to be careful with your money I would recommend researching how to do all of the ports on your own. It really is quite easy and MUCH cheaper. Just make sure you plan to be back a while before the ship is supposed to leave. You do not have to worry about a language barrier, most people in these tourist areas speak enough to get you by, just be very polite. I do NOT recommend the DCL excursions, the are too expensive and you do not usually have as much time everywhere, you are always waiting for someone else and that's not fun.
 
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.

Welcome lexlaw! Glad you could make the sailing.
 
If anyone is planning on visiting the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel you can now pre-reserve your tickets on their website for the June 22nd date

I just reserved mine for 10:30am
 
We are doing all the ports on our own. I have been researching off and on for a looooong time. I have read many trip reports and been inspired to go for it. I again recommend reading the TR from Disneyfalcon who describes ports on your own. I prefer to spend my money on the cruise itself. If I had more I would probably do the private tours. :thumbsup2 I also am not a fan of waiting for people who I have no familial ties to, especially when they are causing me to wait. :confused3 If they're family what are ya gonna do. :rotfl:

I am sooo excited there are no words. :hippie:

are sold out. I am looking for a good tour of Rome and Florence. I don't have a lot of time to research. Can u let me in on what you are doing?
 
We are doing mostly Disney excursions (although because of the port time changes, I'm contemplating changing a few) and you are right: they are very expensive. I know we could do it ourselves for much cheaper, but we decided to go with Disney mostly to avoid the planning and stress of missing the boat. I'm sure waiting for people will be a hassle, but hopefully it won't be too painful.

Here's what we have booked with Disney:

Malta: Turkish Schooner
Palermo: Day on the Farm
Villefranche: Nice and Eze with Wine and Cheese
Corsica: Nature Walk at Iles Sanguinaires
Rome: Jumping Back into Eternal Rome
La Spieze: Portofino and Santa Margherita

Private Tour: Naples
I would love any help.
 
I would love any help.

Stampinot:

I am responding to your question to CaliforniaGirl09 because we are doing the Naples private tour with them. We are using romelimostours (romelimostours.com). We are having a driver take us to Pompeii where we will have a private tour with an English-speaking guide. Then we are going to Capri where another guide will take us on a half-day tour that includes the Blue Grotto. We are thinking of stopping for lunch in Sorrento.

Calfan
 
are sold out. I am looking for a good tour of Rome and Florence. I don't have a lot of time to research. Can u let me in on what you are doing?

We are doing all the ports on our own. We had mysterious Palermo booked but are cancelling.

Malta - we are just getting off the ship and wondering around valetta, stopping wherever something strikes us as interesting

Palermo - doing the catacombs on our own, admission is 3 euros each and anyone age 18 and younger is free. Will look into setting a price with a cab driver before getting in the cab to take us there and then drop us off somewhere in town as we want to go to a couple of the markets. Having lunch somewhere local or enjoying some street food

Rome - taking the train in on our own at 9 euros each
Purchased advance tickets for the Vatican Museums at 15 Euros each adult, 8 euros each child, 4 euros per person service fee - Total 98 euros for four of us (including the train). We are then going to head to the Trevi fountain, kids remember the fountain and the ice cream shop at the corner and want to return there, they were 4 and 6 when we were there last they are now 14 & 16. If we have time we will go inside the Colessum if not take photos outside (we have been inside the Colessum already but the kids were little and don't remember much of it). Depending on how we are doing time wise we will decide on what else to fit in.

If you do plan on going to the Colosseo purchase the tickets at Palatine hill as the lines will be much shorter and then just bypass the line waiting to purchase tickets at the Colosseo and go right in by showing your already purchased tickets

Rome if you decide to go it on your own by train but don't want to figure out how to get around the city once there consider hiring a guide for the day. One place you can start is www.romewalks.com

Naples - we are going to see a couple of the museums in town, have pizza somewhere in town and then head to Sorrento for a few hours before coming back to the ship. Again all on our own. Sorrento we will probably take the train there and the hydrofoil back. No need to pre-purchase any of the tickets. If we find a driver at the port that will give us a good price to drive us around we may do that instead. Hydrofoil will be about 10 euros each, train ticket will be about 2-3 euros each plus any admission fees to museums which are minimal.

La Spezia - Currently planning on taking the train to Cinque Terre towns and just walk around unless the rest of the family decides they want to go to Pisa instead. I have been to Florence and Pisa so I am leaving it up to them. I am not going to Florence as I don't want to spend 2.5 hours each way on a bus or train

Corsica - walk around the area of the town close to where the ship docks, again if we find a good price on a taxi we may take a ride to a few different places on the island or maybe just do a beach day here

Villefranche - taking the train to Nice for the morning, bus 100 to Monaco and Montecarlo and back to Villefranche to wander the streets there or go to the beach depending on weather

We don't like to have too many things planned unless we have to such as the tickets to the vatican museums to avoid the lines. This is a port intesive cruise and by the fourth port everyone will start getting very tired and want to just plan the day based on how we feel

Another thing that most major cities have are the Hop on Hop off buses. These take you around the major sights and you can get off wherever you want and then get the next bus that comes along to take you to the next stop.
 
They come in a pack of 24. I think we "talked" about FE groups that will be about 15 each?

Okay, thanks. I remember that now, too. I hope we're sticking to that since I'm going to be buying stuff soon! I don't want to have to day expedited shipping on anything and May 31st might be cutting it a little close...
 

We have 16 staterooms in the exchange so far




JNS
2PrincessInTow
2PrincessInTow+ DSD & MIL
hygienist
Jmatias
Docswatson
MadHatterMom2
CaliforniaGirl09
rach7
lrsuffi
aroundtheriverbend
scubabonk
ch10dad
sistersville
skeegan
stampinot


Cut off date 31st May to sign up to be part of the exchange

I am trying to plan for this. Let me know
thanks
 
Anyone staying at the Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel prior to the cruise?

How much time do you allot for checking in if you register online?
Thanks!!


Can't wait!!:dance3::dance3:
 
I am trying to plan for this. Let me know
thanks

FE=fish extender gifts
Outside each cabin is a fish clip that staff will clip announcements etc. You can find pics of them easily on here if you search. If you have joined a sail group for the date you are cruising a lot of times they have FE gift exchange. You make a mailbox that loops over the FE and they put gifts in it. can be bought on ebay...worth every penny or make your own . A lot of people will put in gifts that represent where they are from or have some relationship with the ship you are on. You will find lots of ideas on these boards. Some deliver one nicer gift and some deliver lots of little gifts. It is SO fun to come back to the cabin and see things have been delivered to your room.




Cut off date 31st May to sign up to be part of the exchange

Think its up to us as a group to decide how we will do the exchange
Ideas so far
1) One gift per stateroom ,but some extra goodies for kids
2) To keep it to small groups
3) To pick a date to deliver the gifts . That way, the gifts are spaced out over the course of the cruise

Please let me know if I miss anyone looking to join in the exchange
 




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