June 27, 2013 - Magic in the Med (Venice)

[jel0511]

Welcome Aboard




Hello
My DH and I are planning to do most if not all the ports on our own or through a private tour company.
We'd love it if you could share the details of the excursions you took when you went to the Med
and prices if you don't mind so we can compare with all the options on the internet

Hi Laurie (wrong spelling IMO )

Anyway, it needs to be repeated, IF you're planning a private tour in Italy, you need to make sure you hire a private guide in addition to a driver. MOST, if not all of the companies you'll find will only provide a driver at first. A guide in Italy needs a special license, so you have to pay extra for that. We had private guides in both La Spezia and Rome. We had usually 2 vans booked and each time, I got the short end of the stick and my drivers weren't very chatty and one didn't even speak english very well.

In La Spezia we went to Pisa and climbed the tower, then headed off to Florence for the remainder of the day. Our company did arrange a place for us to eat lunch in Florence and it was DELICIOUS!!! We had maybe 60-90 minutes to wander around Florence after lunch. My family and I looked around the sort of bazaar that was located close to where we ate lunch with everyone else. After that we all kind of took off in different directions. We then walked down to Ponte Vecchio to look around a bit, grabbed some gellatto and just wandered. We saw some amazing chalk artists doing work in the street!!!!

In Rome, we first went to Palentine Hill, where our drivers (not mine, again they never spoke) told us this was the best place to get tickets to the Colosseum, to just walk through to the Colosseum and since you already have your ticket you'll bypass the line to get in. They were right, but at this point in the day, it's when we first realized that we were truly on our own. After getting a map and TOTALLY lost, we found our way towards the Colosseum, we also were on our own once inside. We did look around, though I wish we had someone telling us what we were looking at. After that, we drove around Rome a bit to get sort of a drive by tour of certain things. I was upset that we didn't stop at the Spanish Steps, hey this time I will! Then it was off to the Trevi Fountain. What I found weird was that I found it to be hidden. Our drivers dropped us off, in what seemed to be an area where there was nothing. Gave us direction to go down this road about two or three blocks and it will be on our left.... So we started out, I a little bit apprehensive, down this rather normal looking Roman street. Then after a few minutes, you hear the water, so I knew we were on the right path. It was absolutely MOBBED!!! We found the DCL photogs there, and had our photo taken while throwing in our obligatory coin, who knew it would work!!!! I forgot to add, that we also found DCL photogs in Pisa. AFter the Trevi Fountain, off we went for lunch. They took us to a restaurant that was located right near the Vatican our next stop. It was the only place Rome in Limo had recommended hiring a private guide. Our art historian was HORRIBLE and the company no longer uses her services because we weren't' the only ones who complained. Anyway, it took us about 2 hours to get through the entire Vatican and St. Pauls with the guide. it was beautiful and HOT! The only room in the Vatican that had air conditioning was the rug room. With it being August and all of the people, INSANELY HOT!! After the Vatican, we headed back to the ship. We had a few in our party who had early seating and wanted to be back in time for dinner, so I believe we were back by 5:00. The rest of us didn't want to chance it by being late getting back since we weren't on a DCL excursion. Cliffside and I MIGHT hire a driver with a guide this time for Rome, our other option is to do the DCL Rome on your own excursion and then do the hop on/off bus. We really haven't decided what we want to do yet. We're more focused on our Fantasy maiden voyage in a little more than 5 weeks!!!!

Our friends who also sailed the Med with us in 2010 have started a pre-trip report for their 6/15 Greece cruise and are reliving our trip there as well. It's well written and has some great info and pictures as well. I suggest you all visit it http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2871334

If anyone has any questions about our 2010 Med cruise, please ask!!!!

 

[pacurn]

We're in, DH, and probably DD 21 although her plan is to be working for DCL by then.

We went with two of our kids to the Med in 2010 for our 30th anniversary on RCL. DH was not excited about it but ended up loving it. We really like Barcelona.

I'll really start thinking about this one after we get off the Fantasy MV. Then get into serious planning mode after the July Magic Canada trip.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Dom13 over on the Creative Board made this for us.


(((( editing - I gave her 2012 instead of 2013 - so I've asked if she'll fix it -- the corrected one should still appear here in a bit. ))))

http://www.domthirteen.com/images/CruiseItinerary3.jpg


If I linked it right, it's our itinerary!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Love it!

 

[Deb T.]

Awesome graphic! Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nzdisneymom]

Awesome graphic! Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dom13 did a great job, right? You all will see this one on our cabin door!

 

[jel0511]

Dom13 over on the Creative Board made this for us.

http://www.domthirteen.com/images/CruiseItinerary3.jpg

If I linked it right, it's our itinerary!

It looks GREAT,but the dates are wrong..... We sail in 2013

 

[nzdisneymom]

It looks GREAT,but the dates are wrong..... We sail in 2013

Ack - you're right - glad you saw it - I'll see if she can fix it for us. That was my bad because I put 2012 instead of 2013 ... guess it was wishful thinking.

 

[Angie_Ohio]

MrsScooby

The cab fare was 40euro for the trip from the port to the Blue Grotto and back. It was quite a drive away possibly due to highway construction. I had a nice young driver who told me about the country and even showed off pictures of his baby girl. He took my picture overlooking the Blue Grotto before the return to port.

 

[MrsScooby]

Hi Laurie (wrong spelling IMO )

Anyway, it needs to be repeated, IF you're planning a private tour in Italy, you need to make sure you hire a private guide in addition to a driver. MOST, if not all of the companies you'll find will only provide a driver at first. A guide in Italy needs a special license, so you have to pay extra for that. We had private guides in both La Spezia and Rome. We had usually 2 vans booked and each time, I got the short end of the stick and my drivers weren't very chatty and one didn't even speak english very well.

In La Spezia we went to Pisa and climbed the tower, then headed off to Florence for the remainder of the day. Our company did arrange a place for us to eat lunch in Florence and it was DELICIOUS!!! We had maybe 60-90 minutes to wander around Florence after lunch. My family and I looked around the sort of bazaar that was located close to where we ate lunch with everyone else. After that we all kind of took off in different directions. We then walked down to Ponte Vecchio to look around a bit, grabbed some gellatto and just wandered. We saw some amazing chalk artists doing work in the street!!!!

In Rome, we first went to Palentine Hill, where our drivers (not mine, again they never spoke) told us this was the best place to get tickets to the Colosseum, to just walk through to the Colosseum and since you already have your ticket you'll bypass the line to get in. They were right, but at this point in the day, it's when we first realized that we were truly on our own. After getting a map and TOTALLY lost, we found our way towards the Colosseum, we also were on our own once inside. We did look around, though I wish we had someone telling us what we were looking at. After that, we drove around Rome a bit to get sort of a drive by tour of certain things. I was upset that we didn't stop at the Spanish Steps, hey this time I will! Then it was off to the Trevi Fountain. What I found weird was that I found it to be hidden. Our drivers dropped us off, in what seemed to be an area where there was nothing. Gave us direction to go down this road about two or three blocks and it will be on our left.... So we started out, I a little bit apprehensive, down this rather normal looking Roman street. Then after a few minutes, you hear the water, so I knew we were on the right path. It was absolutely MOBBED!!! We found the DCL photogs there, and had our photo taken while throwing in our obligatory coin, who knew it would work!!!! I forgot to add, that we also found DCL photogs in Pisa. AFter the Trevi Fountain, off we went for lunch. They took us to a restaurant that was located right near the Vatican our next stop. It was the only place Rome in Limo had recommended hiring a private guide. Our art historian was HORRIBLE and the company no longer uses her services because we weren't' the only ones who complained. Anyway, it took us about 2 hours to get through the entire Vatican and St. Pauls with the guide. it was beautiful and HOT! The only room in the Vatican that had air conditioning was the rug room. With it being August and all of the people, INSANELY HOT!! After the Vatican, we headed back to the ship. We had a few in our party who had early seating and wanted to be back in time for dinner, so I believe we were back by 5:00. The rest of us didn't want to chance it by being late getting back since we weren't on a DCL excursion. Cliffside and I MIGHT hire a driver with a guide this time for Rome, our other option is to do the DCL Rome on your own excursion and then do the hop on/off bus. We really haven't decided what we want to do yet. We're more focused on our Fantasy maiden voyage in a little more than 5 weeks!!!!

Our friends who also sailed the Med with us in 2010 have started a pre-trip report for their 6/15 Greece cruise and are reliving our trip there as well. It's well written and has some great info and pictures as well. I suggest you all visit it http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2871334

If anyone has any questions about our 2010 Med cruise, please ask!!!!

My DH always gets huffy when he sees his name "misspelled", but I am used to seeing mine spelled differently all the time

Thanks for the details about your excursions. Have heard those travel guides are a must in certain ports so that you know what you are looking at. Shame that art historian was a bust
Never had a really bad guide before, just some better than others.
No real planning right now for me either as we have 2 big trips this summer to get through first.
We might rebook our room in June when we are on the Fantasy to get the 10% discount.
Can't wait to hear how DCL does with the MV on the Fantasy. Really loved those moving pictures on the Dream. Especially the nautical map one that kept changing.

 

[MrsScooby]

We're in, DH, and probably DD 21 although her plan is to be working for DCL by then.

We went with two of our kids to the Med in 2010 for our 30th anniversary on RCL. DH was not excited about it but ended up loving it. We really like Barcelona.

I'll really start thinking about this one after we get off the Fantasy MV. Then get into serious planning mode after the July Magic Canada trip.

Welcome Aboard

Dom13 over on the Creative Board made this for us.


(((( editing - I gave her 2012 instead of 2013 - so I've asked if she'll fix it -- the corrected one should still appear here in a bit. ))))

http://www.domthirteen.com/images/CruiseItinerary3.jpg


If I linked it right, it's our itinerary!

Ack - you're right - glad you saw it - I'll see if she can fix it for us. That was my bad because I put 2012 instead of 2013 ... guess it was wishful thinking.

It's beautiful
I'm sure it can be fixed easy enough. I can totally see wishing it was this summer instead
Gonna make one for our cabin door too

MrsScooby

The cab fare was 40euro for the trip from the port to the Blue Grotto and back. It was quite a drive away possibly due to highway construction. I had a nice young driver who told me about the country and even showed off pictures of his baby girl. He took my picture overlooking the Blue Grotto before the return to port.

Thanks
Our driver for our Berlin tour in 2010 was like that. Very nice to talk to. Some times you luck out and get a really good driver

 

[RMOTHERHUBBARD]

My sister and her family are interested in joining us on the June 27 med cruise. She said last year she thought Disney had a special for under 1000.00 per person. Does any remember when Disney posted the discounted fare.

 

[MrsScooby]

My sister and her family are interested in joining us on the June 27 med cruise. She said last year she thought Disney had a special for under 1000.00 per person. Does any remember when Disney posted the discounted fare.

I am guessing it was closer to cruise time

They seem to advertise those specials when it becomes clear they are having trouble filling the ship.

I think most of us that booked early are on the lookout for any sign of the price rising or dropping. The fact that it has not substantially gone up is a good sign.

I would suggest booking a cabin now and being on the lookout for any special deals that come along because the price can always go up at any time.
If they drop you can rebook at the lower price.
If they go up, well you got in before the price increase.

 

[doberlady]

Help me LOL

I am booked on the july 13th med with Greece.

We are thinking of switching to this itinerary. We have been to Venice before and spent 6 days.

Were any of you guys torn between the Greece itinerary?

Might be joining you!

 

[jel0511]

My sister and her family are interested in joining us on the June 27 med cruise. She said last year she thought Disney had a special for under 1000.00 per person. Does any remember when Disney posted the discounted fare.

They ran that special for our 8/17/10 cruise. It started about 4 months before sail date. So no guarantee that they will do it for ths one. My suggestion is to book a room they at comfortable with now so they can feel secure booking air fare. IF they release it before final payment they can switch. If they release after you can't switch since they now have new restrictions on those fares now and they can't be applied to existing bookings. So yu have to see if the penalty for canceling is then worth thę savings. Also it's usually was for a cat 12 which DCL doesn't sell anymore they call it cat 11c.

 

[jel0511]

Help me LOL

I am booked on the july 13th med with Greece.

We are thinking of switching to this itinerary. We have been to Venice before and spent 6 days.

Were any of you guys torn between the Greece itinerary?

Might be joining you!

Sorry to tell you that no I wasn't torn. I had no desire to go to Greece, but,always Venice! The fact that this cruise went to Naples., whereas the Greece ones didn't cinched this itinerary for me. I LOVED sorrento on our last med and the chance to go back was MORE than enough to convince me ths wad thę way to go. Also the Greece dates don't work with my kids camp schedules, so never was an option.

 

[MrsScooby]

Help me LOL

I am booked on the july 13th med with Greece.

We are thinking of switching to this itinerary. We have been to Venice before and spent 6 days.

Were any of you guys torn between the Greece itinerary?

Might be joining you!

Hey

Never considered Greece as Venice was the port that I wanted to see the most. Never been to venice before though. Do you have any recommednations with regard to restaurants in Venice??

Google "Dubrovnik, Croatia" and check out some of the websites.
It is an amazing port that can be done on your own and is only on this intinerary.
Also there is a chance we will be in Dubrovnik during their medieval festival-which could be a plus or minus depending on the crowds
If we do happen to be there during their medieval festival there should/could be more activities going on that won't require an extra fee

Hope you join us

 

[doberlady]

Trying to see what is available but the website keeps giving me an error grrrrrr

I am most likely going to change. This itinerary seems more relaxing.

The 1st time I ever saw a large cruise ship up close was in Venice. It was unreal!!! My parents have been to Venice a lot. We all went 10 years ago. They go to the same restaurants each trip.

I will post them all tomorrow.

Not sure if anyone is Jewish. They have an amazing Jewish section with a synagogue.

We loved Venice. It was such a vacation after spending 3 days in Rome. I felt like I was in a movie

We picked Greece as we have never been.

Greece seems so stressful now with planning. I think I just want to wander around Venice and eat!!

 

[nzdisneymom]

I am most likely going to change. This itinerary seems more relaxing.

We picked Greece as we have never been.

Greece seems so stressful now with planning. I think I just want to wander around Venice and eat!!

We picked this itinerary because we had promised our son if he had not been to Venice before he graduated high school, we'd take him for graduation. He'll actually be between junior and senior year when we make this trip.

However, DH was hoping that the itinerary would include both Venice AND Greece (particularly Athens). But since it didn't, he had me price it out with DVC points for Greece and lo and behold, we are B2B'ing so we get to do both. i'm looking forward to Greece, but I think I'm more exciteda bout having the opportunity to do the common ports twice! I nearly always leave a cruise port wishing we'd had more time!

 

[doberlady]

ok. I emailed DU to switch to this cruise!!

My parents will be in Venice at the same time so it all makes sense!!

There is this cheese shop where you can sit and have a snack and a drink. All the cheeses/olives etc were all lined up behind the counter and you just point to what you want. It was like a piece of heaven sitting there.

I told my mom we were considering changing to Venice and the first thing she said was "remember the cheese shop"

Will be me (Debbie) and my husband (Marty) we have 4 kids and leaving them all home

We are celebrating 20 years of marriage and my 50th Birthday for the cruise. I am really really really scared leaving the kids home (MIL will come stay). They will be at time of cruise 17, 14, 8 and my married oldest dd wil be 30.