June 27, 2007 10 Night - The Rodney Dangerfield of Med Cruises

[RJAYL]

I sent Soccermom a link to Verizon's international service to put on the web site. I'd already talked to my business account guy about getting a cell that I could use next summer to talk to my office, as well as allow my wife access to her family.

It's not cheap, but you can rent the phone for around $50, and the calls are around $2.49 a minute. If you limit your useage, you should come out ok. (Still beats the heck out of ship to shore)

Most domestic phones won't work in Europe. I have a Samsung phone/PDA, and the upgrade to it actually will. I'll probably upgrade my phone right before we go to Europe.

I'm sure there are other services available, (I'd welcome seeing them), and some of them are much cheaper, but require a European number. That defeats MY purpose, as I want to make it easy for business and family contacts to call us if needed.

I have a Treo 650 through Cingular with international call roaming I am all set to go $1 a minute!

Now if I can just figure out all the international dialing codes!

 

[BigBlueMan]

I have a Treo 650 through Cingular with international call roaming I am all set to go $1 a minute!

GEEZ! I've gotta work on my Verizon guy some more! Thanks for the info.

 

[Honu13]

You party animal you! No WONDER you live in Vegas!

You have no idea....<evil laugh>....we are a 24 hour town!!!!

 

[Honu13]

We can book 105 days too! I'm more likely to do Palo on our own however, since we can only get it once.

Why can you only get it once?

 

[Soccermom-Cheri]

You were asking about the private room at Palo's. It is strictly for dinner use, and you book it just like any other dinner.

If you want a place to have a thread get together, both times I've had group cocktail parties, we've had them in one of the clubs. There used to be several meeting rooms on board, but I think they took them out for something else.

yup, if you are referring to the conference rooms, made them part of the kids area. They were at the bottom and stuffy anyway. We need light! air! and music for whomever promised kar-y-o-kee

Regardless, if you guys wanna have a get together, I guarantee you Disney will work with us in setting it up. Just do it with a cash bar and no food, and they'll supply the place and post it on the announcement screens as people board.

Um .... I'm pretty sure we'd have to buy the booze ahead of time because I don't think they'd lend us a bartender and I know they wouldn't let us return opened bottles. As for food: I KEEP TELLING YOU: THEY PROVIDE IT FREE - Last two cruises, they've brought food to both the Roy and Walt parties for free, nada, zippo, zero, no cost. Besides, if you are gonna drink, you gotta have some food type thing or it'll be a short party.

Or, we could just have an informal get together the afternoon of boarding on one of the upper decks where they're serving Bahama Mama's.

this is where we show off our cool t's , yes?

One thing we COULD do is request dinner seating in the same general area. Looks like most of us are late seating anyway.

uh-huh, we can even link some ressies and have beeg tables. (BTW- It keeps the kids at the table longer when there is someone to talk to their age)

 

[Soccermom-Cheri]

... I am open to ANY party, ANYWHERE. I think I'll need to bring some Red Bull on board as well.

my kinda lady!
How does that Red Bull stuff taste anyway?

 

[RJAYL]

uh-huh, we can even link some ressies and have beeg tables. (BTW- It keeps the kids at the table longer when there is someone to talk to their age)

Oh well I just dont feel the love Us early eaters just wont mingle!

But i do think some of us can get more than one ressie at Palo's. Make sure you get one online then when we have our little concierge get together we can get another!

Yes sir, can i have another!

 

[RJAYL]

Um .... I'm pretty sure we'd have to buy the booze ahead of time because I don't think they'd lend us a bartender and I know they wouldn't let us return opened bottles. As for food: I KEEP TELLING YOU: THEY PROVIDE IT FREE - Last two cruises, they've brought food to both the Roy and Walt parties for free, nada, zippo, zero, no cost. Besides, if you are gonna drink, you gotta have some food type thing or it'll be a short party.

OKAY STOP YELLING I GET IT FREE FOOD OKAYOKAYAOK

So do you know who's got the Walt?

Watch out BBM I think Cheri has some evil plan it involves a plaid tux and getting you drunk

 

[BigBlueMan]

You guys have obviously done this before, but I hadn't. I asked my travel agent friend Tim (he's the one that has the Med cruise report on Soccermom's website) about it. He actually talked to Disney today and got THIS info. (for those of us who didn't know.

_____________________

Disney allows you to bring wine on board with these conditions:

1. The wine must be in a carryon bag - you can't pack it in your checked lugggage.

2. You can't bring any wine off the ship at the end - what you bring on you drink or dispose of onboard.

3. Disney charges a $15 per bottle corking fee to open a wine bottle.

Disney's policy is actually more lenient than some other cruise lines. Royal Caribbean only allows 2 bottles. Carnival doesn't allow any.

When I checked with Disney today they said these same guidelines will apply to the Mediterranean cruises, too - no special restrictions for the Med cruises.

______________________________

Although dragging wine across the ocean might not be a lot of fun, maybe each of us should bring a couple of bottles from our areas. We even make wine in Kentucky! (as well as bourbon) And if its served at a private get together, they can shove a cork in that $15 corking fee!

BTW, you guys check out Tim's website if you get a chance. It's listed in his trip report.

 

[BigBlueMan]

Watch out BBM I think Cheri has some evil plan it involves a plaid tux and getting you drunk

Wow! Sounds like a fraternity party I once attended. If so, that means Cheri will be on a table with a grass skirt and will be air guitarin' 'Stairway To Heaven'!

 

[TDC Nala]

Does Red Bull mix with Spanish wine?

I have noticed that my ticker just hit 12 months even.

 

[Soccermom-Cheri]

Wow! Sounds like a fraternity party I once attended. If so, that means Cheri will be on a table with a grass skirt and will be air guitarin' 'Stairway To Heaven'!

Even in my days as a little sister I never danced on a table in a grass skirt ... but a few people did offer to show me their fish tanks . thank goodness you didn't say 'Freebird' - shows your ages, you know

 

[Soccermom-Cheri]

2. You can't bring any wine off the ship at the end - what you bring on you drink or dispose of onboard.

there's going to be some left? you haven't done this before, have you?

3. Disney charges a $15 per bottle corking fee to open a wine bottle.

which is much better than the $70/bottle they charge for a $18 bottle of say ... Cambria Chardonnay

Disney's policy is actually more lenient than some other cruise lines. Royal Caribbean only allows 2 bottles. Carnival doesn't allow any.

helps keep the bill down

Although dragging wine across the ocean might not be a lot of fun, maybe each of us should bring a couple of bottles from our areas. We even make wine in Kentucky! (as well as bourbon) And if its served at a private get together, they can shove a cork in that $15 corking fee!

Kentucky wine? hmmm, ok I'll try it. Already tried that bourbon stuff. We can get any hard stuff at the duty free shops when we land as well.

I'm mostly a wine drinker but can be talked into mixed drinks if they're yummy, potent and not creamy (have to watch that figure ya' know )

 

[Soccermom-Cheri]

So do you know who's got the Walt?

Watch out BBM I think Cheri has some evil plan it involves a plaid tux and getting you drunk

plaid tux? Rodney would be proud .

hmmm ... the Walt ... would the owner of the Walt for the Slacker Cruise please check in?

 

[Nemo Mom]

DH travels extensively overseas. He used the satelite phone until he discovered Skype. Skype is a penny a minute to call landlines or cell phones. It is free to call another computer with Skype loaded. You have to have internet access to use it, but it works like a charm. You can check out the website by adding the dot com. The calls are as good a quality as the cell phone and have been placed from all over the place. There isn't any setup fee. Of course as with all company policies all of this is subject to change over the next year. The positive side is you can use it where you have internet connection even if the cell phone has no service.

Just thought you all might want an alternative.

 

[Soccermom-Cheri]

so, it's just plug a mic into your computer and go? Wow!

 

[Honu13]

my kinda lady!
How does that Red Bull stuff taste anyway?

It tastes kinda like Shasta...but it works! Keeps me up when I need it!

BTW - I like the idea of linking the ressies together. That way we can sit together. And yes, the sail away party is where we get to show off our COOL t-shirts!!!

 

[BigBlueMan]

And yes, the sail away party is where we get to show off our COOL t-shirts!!!

Even MRS BBM (who isn't a T shirt kind of gal) was excited about the shirts. I showed her the preliminary design the other day. (Make a note to bring Freebird on the ole Ipod!)

 

[BigBlueMan]

He used the satelite phone until he discovered Skype. Skype is a penny a minute to call landlines or cell phones. It is free to call another computer with Skype loaded. You have to have internet access to use it. The positive side is you can use it where you have internet connection even if the cell phone has no service.

The service sounds great, although the internet hookup on the Disney ships ..... (thinking political correctness here)..... umm.. sucks at best. Every cruise I've been on to this point, I've purchased the unlimited plan in the internet cafe. In September, I'll purchase the wireless package. I like the idea of being able to plug a headset into my laptop to make phone calls, but I'm really concerned that the "Mickey Mouse" internet connection on the ships (pun intended) won't support this feature, speed wise.

 

[Honu13]

I HAVE Freebird on the ipod!

Feeling very old right about now.