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

[nzdisneymom]

Still waiting for DCL to get the pre-cruise hotels lined up. As of today, they still say "not yet."

 

[JLSE50]

Thanks Jan,
When you book directly with Disney Cruise Lines do they give you on board credits like Dream Unlimited?

Janet...

I never worked with a travel agent.

It is a control thing and a comfort thing.

We know people whose stateroom choice has been messed
up by the travel agent, some whose whole cruise was lost
And
On our TransAtlantic cruise in 2010 the volcano in Iceland blew up and our friends whose flights home had been arranged by travel agents were nervous wrecks while we were calm as it was up to DCL to get us home.

Jan

.

 

[nzdisneymom]

I never worked with a travel agent.

It is a control thing and a comfort thing.

We know people whose stateroom choice has been messed
up by the travel agent, some whose whole cruise was lost
And
On our TransAtlantic cruise in 2010 the volcano in Iceland blew up and our friends whose flights home had been arranged by travel agents were nervous wrecks while we were calm as it was up to DCL to get us home.

Jan

We use a TA but we have always booked air through DCL when we have to fly to our departure point. So in a way, it's double help - we can get both our TA and DCL "on the case." I'm watching airfare for this one as I know what DCL wants to charge me and I have a price-point in mind that only if airfare is less than that would it be worth it to me to take on the "worry factor" that I'll have

 

[tashaschindel]

We just got back from a wonderful trip to WDW and a Western Caribbean Cruise on te Magic!

The 4 of us are very excited! My DD will be almost 12 and my DS will be almost 10.

Should be a fantastic trip!

 

[nzdisneymom]

We just got back from a wonderful trip to WDW and a Western Caribbean Cruise on te Magic!

The 4 of us are very excited! My DD will be almost 12 and my DS will be almost 10.

Should be a fantastic trip!

Welcome to the group! We just love the Magic and are so excited to be sailing on her again.

 

[carpenta]

We just got back from a wonderful trip to WDW and a Western Caribbean Cruise on te Magic!

The 4 of us are very excited! My DD will be almost 12 and my DS will be almost 10.

Should be a fantastic trip!

Welcome Tashaschindel!!! Our daughter will be the same age and having sailed in 2007 and 2010 there is the perfect number of kids on board for them to have a great time in the kids club. We also were in Calgary last year on our Adventures by Disney and had a wonderful time in Banff and the Canadian Rockies. Absolutely beautiful country.

 

[jel0511]

We are back from the Fantasy!!! She is AWESOME!!!!! We had a GREAT time. I did try to reshop my cat 11b, but unfortunately they are sold out so I couldn't do it. So what I did was book two cat 5c's. we decided we like the kids right next door and will pay the difference for it. So we are now in 6620/6622!! We are also thinking of booking the 12/23/12 Wonder sailing. So who knows have to decide on that one. Any questions on the Fantasy ask!!!!!!!

 

[LyndaC]

Booked a 7A navigators cabin today, one of the ones with the plexiglass rather than the white wall. I cancelled my 11A because I knew that my claustrophobia would run rampant.

Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports is available for Kindle for $12.99

 

[elm95376]

Just a note t all. Karen has promoted myself to admin so I'm also allowed to approve requests to the FB group. I request that anyone who wishes to join to please PM myself and Karen (kmitchel) here on the DIS with your full name so we can match you up. I'd really like to keep the FB group to DIS'ers only since there is more personal information available there.

Thanks!!!

Also, Cindy if you could add this to the first page I'd appreciate it!

Hi, I just requested to join your facebook page, but I can't send you a PM or email as I haven't posted enough times on the board.
Janet...

 

[elm95376]

Booked a 7A navigators cabin today, one of the ones with the plexiglass rather than the white wall. I cancelled my 11A because I knew that my claustrophobia would run rampant.

Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports is available for -

Hi Lynda,
I just ordered the paperback book. Can't wait to get it and start planning. Have you been on a Disney Cruise before. I am new to this. I will be going with my two daughters and two granddaughters.

Janet...

 

[nzdisneymom]

Booked a 7A navigators cabin today, one of the ones with the plexiglass rather than the white wall. I cancelled my 11A because I knew that my claustrophobia would run rampant.

Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports is available for Kindle for $12.99

Lynda - sounds like a good choice in changing the cabin.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Bumpy-bump-bump!

Hope you all are doing well.

 

[1stDisneyCruiseForUs]

Greetings! We are booked on this wonderful adventure too! I'm still considering moving it to the WBTA when it comes out, but we will likely stay put and join you all.

We have 3 sons - who will be ages 11/12 (he will be celebrating his birthday on the ship), and twins who will be 8.

We were on the Magic (Eastern Caribbean) in October 2011, and will be on the Fantasy (also Eastern Caribbean) in October 2012. The idea of a longer cruise to get to know our fellow cruisers and the staff, as well as visit some amazing ports that the kids will remember forever is just too tempting to pass up!

Looking forward to getting to know you all!
Steph

 

[nzdisneymom]

Greetings! We are booked on this wonderful adventure too! I'm still considering moving it to the WBTA when it comes out, but we will likely stay put and join you all.

We have 3 sons - who will be ages 11/12 (he will be celebrating his birthday on the ship), and twins who will be 8.

We were on the Magic (Eastern Caribbean) in October 2011, and will be on the Fantasy (also Eastern Caribbean) in October 2012. The idea of a longer cruise to get to know our fellow cruisers and the staff, as well as visit some amazing ports that the kids will remember forever is just too tempting to pass up!

Looking forward to getting to know you all!
Steph

Welcome aboard! We love a longer cruise and have found that dinners are more relaxing, our fellow passengers are less stressed out, the crew doesn't seem quite as exhausted because they aren't having to turn the ship over as often and learn new guests' quirks as often. And to go to some new and exciting ports is fun!

 

[nzdisneymom]

I checked the price for a Cat 5C today and find that the price has gone up $336 for a family of four. So that's about $84 a piece. I wonder if that's something from fees or if it's the rate that's gone up.

 

[MrsScooby]

I am new to DisneyCruise lines and am planning on making reservations for this cruise. Is there any advantage/disadvantage of booking through AAA verses Dreams Unlimited. I see several people mention Dreams Unlimited but in the past for trips I have used AAA.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Janet

Welcome Aboard
We use Dreams Unlimited for the onboard credit. Depending on the cruise it can be hundreds of dollars so worth it to us. The cruise docs come straight to us as well. The only drawback is that you have to rely on DU to act as your go-between with DCL (at least prior to the cruise). So far I have not had any problems with DU-their TAs have been great about getting back to me quickly and I do think they have an 800 number for emergencies if needed.

We just got back from a wonderful trip to WDW and a Western Caribbean Cruise on te Magic!

The 4 of us are very excited! My DD will be almost 12 and my DS will be almost 10.

Should be a fantastic trip!

Welcome Aboard
We have our first Western Caribbean itinerary this June, any advice???
What excursions did you book?

Booked a 7A navigators cabin today, one of the ones with the plexiglass rather than the white wall. I cancelled my 11A because I knew that my claustrophobia would run rampant.

Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports is available for Kindle for $12.99

I have the paperback version too
It makes waiting in lines and such so much easier

Hi, I just requested to join your facebook page, but I can't send you a PM or email as I haven't posted enough times on the board.
Janet...

Janet you're on now, right?

Greetings! We are booked on this wonderful adventure too! I'm still considering moving it to the WBTA when it comes out, but we will likely stay put and join you all.

We have 3 sons - who will be ages 11/12 (he will be celebrating his birthday on the ship), and twins who will be 8.

We were on the Magic (Eastern Caribbean) in October 2011, and will be on the Fantasy (also Eastern Caribbean) in October 2012. The idea of a longer cruise to get to know our fellow cruisers and the staff, as well as visit some amazing ports that the kids will remember forever is just too tempting to pass up!

Looking forward to getting to know you all!
Steph

Welcome Aboard
The longer cruises are great
They can make it hard to go back to the shorter cruises though

I checked the price for a Cat 5C today and find that the price has gone up $336 for a family of four. So that's about $84 a piece. I wonder if that's something from fees or if it's the rate that's gone up.

mmm, sounds like a port fee or something like that

 

[MrsScooby]

Only went back one page so an additional to any new folks that have joined us recently

 

[MrsScooby]

I gotta admit I went to price the RCCL med cruises and was tempted to switch because they were cheaper...
but I was just not happy with the swapping of Ravenna for Malta. Malta just has so much more of what I want to see.
Plus here is a weird thing...the things you take for granted, this particular RCCL ship does not have self serve laundry
On both of my previous long cruises we did several loads of laundry-it was the only way we could keep the suitcases down to a minimum.
You could have the cruise ship do your laundry for you, which saves time right?, but the cost
I just have a hard time paying hundreds of dollars for a load of laundry
I'm not complaining that RCCL laundry costs too much because I know DCL charges similar prices to do your laundry, but I don't really mind doing laundry on the ship ....it's a "much rather have the money for something else" kind of thing for me.

I know we will do RCCL at some point but it is hard to switch as I have become so comfortable with DCL.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Laurie - we always do laundry on DCL, and even though we should be able to each have one bag fly free up to 50 lbs (flying Delta, and international lets you have one bag each - unless they change it), well, we just don't have the wardrobe to not have to do laundry. We usually plan out how many days we'll go between laundry so we know how much to pack and not be over on our luggage limit, leaving room to bring things home, too. When we sailed on Carnival at Christmas, even though they have a self-service laundry, I'd read it was very limited in the number of washers and dryers plus the cost was $3 per load to wash and $3 to dry which is more than DCL when we sailed last summer (at $2 per load). What we do from a practical standpoint is take three pop-up hampers - one for underwear and socks, one for light clothes and one for dark clothes. If a hamper is full, it goes to the laundry room. And I have to say that I've met some of the nicest people in the laundry room at all hours of the day and night! I've seen some obnoxious people there, too, but for the most part, the rest of us just get a big belly-laugh when they leave!

 

[MrsScooby]

Laurie - we always do laundry on DCL, and even though we should be able to each have one bag fly free up to 50 lbs (flying Delta, and international lets you have one bag each - unless they change it), well, we just don't have the wardrobe to not have to do laundry. We usually plan out how many days we'll go between laundry so we know how much to pack and not be over on our luggage limit, leaving room to bring things home, too. When we sailed on Carnival at Christmas, even though they have a self-service laundry, I'd read it was very limited in the number of washers and dryers plus the cost was $3 per load to wash and $3 to dry which is more than DCL when we sailed last summer (at $2 per load). What we do from a practical standpoint is take three pop-up hampers - one for underwear and socks, one for light clothes and one for dark clothes. If a hamper is full, it goes to the laundry room. And I have to say that I've met some of the nicest people in the laundry room at all hours of the day and night! I've seen some obnoxious people there, too, but for the most part, the rest of us just get a big belly-laugh when they leave!

I've had only good experiences with DCL laundry rooms (although we are not as organized as you are with the hampers ) I have read stories though so I guess we were lucky
Yes, it gets crowded on sea days, but we just work around that.
I'd rather have extra room in our bags to bring home souvenirs, especially when the ports are really interesting.

I was going to ask some of the previous Med cruisers if you opted to do a FE exchange while in the Med. We did one for our Baltic cruise (albeit a small group of maybe 20-25). My Fantasy cruise this summer has over 60 cabins in the FE exchange which is okay for this summer's cruise, but I know I would not want this big of a group for the Med. I think I'm really gonna need to relax as much as I can in between the Med ports.
So how did others manage on the Med ?