June 8, 2011 – Mediterranean

[Zoom]

We have just selected this cruise and the ABD add on and we are so excited as this is our first Med cruise. We love DCL and this is our fourth cruise. Anyone doing the ABD add on?

Just found this forum. We have booked this cruise for 8th June and i'm so excited i'm actually not sleeping because of it!!! We have never cruised before and have a little girl who will be a month off turning3. Can anyone give me some reassurance that there will be enough to do for her, she'll be ok in kids club (they are allowing her even though she hasn't turned 3 yet). The cruise was pretty pricey so we haven't a fortune to spend on excursions... which ones do you think we can do ourselves/which are the best ports to book Disney excursions?

Thanks guys - look forward to meeting with you soon!

 

[GenieDana]

I think there are a few that's interested of doing FE..... if you want I can add FE on the roll call list.

What is an FE ?

FE stands for Fish Extender. The thing by the door is the fish, and you extend it by hanging a purchased or homemade hanger with pockets, typically decorated with Disney motifs. Then you coordinate an FE exchange with others on your cruise -- you deposit little gifts into the FE.

 

[janey2000]

Welcome! We will be traveling with a 3 year old DD as well.
We took her on a 4 night Bahama cruise at 2 and a half and she loved it. At 2 and a half she couldn't go in the kids clubs yet but she had just mastered the potty so she was able to swim and she was used to her big girl bed at home so she slept well on the sleeper-sofa. She loved the character interaction and watching the stage shows. Overall it was a great experience.

This time we will put her in the kids club some but mainly so that she can hang out with other kids. We plan to bring her on all of our excursions.

Speaking of shore excursions are our plans so far:
Malta - private tour
Palmero - probably on our own
Naples - Disney tour Pompeii and Sorrento
Rome - private tour
Florence - on our own - train ride to Pisa & Florence
Corsica - on our own
Villefranche - on our own

Thanks Amy
You seem to have it all worked out! I'm still struggling as there is just so much to organise. Can I ask the companies you have arranged your private tour with? I was thinking of doing Pisa on our own but think it is a fair walk to the train station or at the other end? I need to research more I think but have been on internet every evening for a fortnight!!!

 

[RoseW]

Thanks Amy
You seem to have it all worked out! I'm still struggling as there is just so much to organise. Can I ask the companies you have arranged your private tour with? I was thinking of doing Pisa on our own but think it is a fair walk to the train station or at the other end? I need to research more I think but have been on internet every evening for a fortnight!!!

We are dling Rome on our own, and just looking for more to make 15 in Naples and LaSpeaia (Florence and Piza). So far we have maybe 4 teenagers and some adults.

 

[amyren]

Thanks Amy
You seem to have it all worked out! I'm still struggling as there is just so much to organise. Can I ask the companies you have arranged your private tour with? I was thinking of doing Pisa on our own but think it is a fair walk to the train station or at the other end? I need to research more I think but have been on internet every evening for a fortnight!!!

I've been planning for a few months so I guess I kinda have a head start on you I still have a lot to plan, like the logistics of getting to Florence, what exactly we are going to do in Corsica etc… The 4 night Bahama cruise we did in the fall really put me at ease as far as the boat is concerned not I just need to finalize our plans at the various ports.

Regarding the private tours, we are using:
www.touringmalta.com
www.romeconnection.com
Both companies came recommended by a fellow DISer. I think private tours are ideal traveling with a little one. They are expensive but more flexible than Disney tours. We are traveling with my parents so that helps offset the cost…. and the 4 adult to 1 child ratio should be optimal.

Good luck with your planning! There is lots of helpful info on the Dis. Spend some time looking at other people's trip reports and you can get a good idea of what to expect.

 

[Tod&Copper]

I am so excited, can't believe the time has passed so quickly and I get to book my spa treatments, palo etc this week!!! Woohoo!!!

 

[RoseW]

Amy, We are using Romeinlimo for the Florence/Piza and Naples.
RoseW

 

[Zoom]

I am so excited, can't believe the time has passed so quickly and I get to book my spa treatments, palo etc this week!!! Woohoo!!!

Wow!!! 2 more weeks for me!! I will add you to the roll call list... 2AD 1CH? how old?

 

[amyren]

Amy, We are using Romeinlimo for the Florence/Piza and Naples.
RoseW

I've heard good things about Rome In Limo.
We are going to attempt Florence on our own and we are doing a Disney excursion in Naples!

 

[mehaul]

Just found this forum. We have booked this cruise for 8th June and i'm so excited i'm actually not sleeping because of it!!! We have never cruised before and have a little girl who will be a month off turning3. Can anyone give me some reassurance that there will be enough to do for her, she'll be ok in kids club (they are allowing her even though she hasn't turned 3 yet). The cruise was pretty pricey so we haven't a fortune to spend on excursions... which ones do you think we can do ourselves/which are the best ports to book Disney excursions?

Thanks guys - look forward to meeting with you soon!

We did the Med cruise in 2007 when our kids were 3 and 6, this time around they'll be 7 and 10. We left both of them on the boat in 2007 for the large ports (i.e. Rome, Florence, Naples).
They had a much better time on the boat than they would have being dragged across Rome in 80 degree weather.
We did Rome last time on our own. It is very easy to walk to the train station at the port. Florence is very tricky to do on your own. You have to take connecting trains. I didn't check the pricing this time, but the difference in using Disney's transportation - "Florence on your own" and doing it truly on your own was negligible. There was a substantial savings of doing Rome on your own.

 

[janey2000]

We did the Med cruise in 2007 when our kids were 3 and 6, this time around they'll be 7 and 10. We left both of them on the boat in 2007 for the large ports (i.e. Rome, Florence, Naples).
They had a much better time on the boat than they would have being dragged across Rome in 80 degree weather.
We did Rome last time on our own. It is very easy to walk to the train station at the port. Florence is very tricky to do on your own. You have to take connecting trains. I didn't check the pricing this time, but the difference in using Disney's transportation - "Florence on your own" and doing it truly on your own was negligible. There was a substantial savings of doing Rome on your own.

Thanks mehaul!

I wouldn't be able to leave her on the boat as could never relax knowing I wasn't there if she needed me. Rome we did a year before our daughter came along so this is the one we are going to stay on the boat for and have a quiet day! Thanks to Amy I have researched more on doing the ports on our own and some ports are easier than I thought and much cheaper than doing the Disney tour. I'm only looking at half days as dragging a 3 yr old around (who will no doubt be chanting 'I want to go back on mickey mouse's boat') is not going to be much fun for a whole day

So I think we will do

Valletta - Walk around on our own
Palermo - Mondello beach?
Naples - Pompeii on our own
Civitavecchia - Stay on boat
La Spezia - Pisa on our own
Ajaccio - Little train around town and then beach (any suggestions on which one or if to take train to illes Sang?)
Villefranche - Little train around Monaco/monte carlo. Back to walk around Villefranche and go to beach.

 

[Tod&Copper]

Wow!!! 2 more weeks for me!! I will add you to the roll call list... 2AD 1CH? how old?

Hi there

DD will be 16 when we cruise in June

 

[mehaul]

Thanks mehaul!

I wouldn't be able to leave her on the boat as could never relax knowing I wasn't there if she needed me. Rome we did a year before our daughter came along so this is the one we are going to stay on the boat for and have a quiet day! Thanks to Amy I have researched more on doing the ports on our own and some ports are easier than I thought and much cheaper than doing the Disney tour. I'm only looking at half days as dragging a 3 yr old around (who will no doubt be chanting 'I want to go back on mickey mouse's boat') is not going to be much fun for a whole day

So I think we will do

Valletta - Walk around on our own
Palermo - Mondello beach?
Naples - Pompeii on our own
Civitavecchia - Stay on boat
La Spezia - Pisa on our own
Ajaccio - Little train around town and then beach (any suggestions on which one or if to take train to illes Sang?)
Villefranche - Little train around Monaco/monte carlo. Back to walk around Villefranche and go to beach.

For the smaller ports the kids enjoyed just walking, or should I say strolling around - bringing a stroller was a lifesaver. In Palermo the adults went out in the AM for a walk about and visited the markets; then we went back out at noon with the kids.

 

[RoseW]

Hi there

DD will be 16 when we cruise in June

Are you interested in joining any smaller tours...we maybe have 9 and need three more (12) for Naples and La Spezia (Florence and Piza.
We have 13, 16, 16, and 14 year old girls in the group.
Rose Wilson under RoseW

 

[janey2000]

I've just discovered what Fe means and would like to participate ....

So if i'm on the roll call here does that mean I can I can send and recieve gifts? Do I just pick one person or a few? And should they be anon or do we put our names on?

 

[mehaul]

I've just discovered what Fe means and would like to participate ....

So if i'm on the roll call here does that mean I can I can send and recieve gifts? Do I just pick one person or a few? And should they be anon or do we put our names on?

Usually the FE list is much shorter than the Roll Call. Given how small the roll call is, the FE list should be tiny
Usually you put your room number on the items you leave in the FE.

 

[Tod&Copper]

Are you interested in joining any smaller tours...we maybe have 9 and need three more (12) for Naples and La Spezia (Florence and Piza.
We have 13, 16, 16, and 14 year old girls in the group.
Rose Wilson under RoseW

Hi Rose

That's a difficult one. We have been to Naples/Herculaneum/Pompeii etc and Florence/Pisa before and were just to take it easy and do our own thing those days. Weren't going to get involved in any tours. What did you have in mind?

Wonderful that you have girls the same age in your group. Would they be interested in contacting my DD so she has some friends before they go? Do they use facebook or msn messenger?

 

[RoseW]

Hi Rose

That's a difficult one. We have been to Naples/Herculaneum/Pompeii etc and Florence/Pisa before and were just to take it easy and do our own thing those days. Weren't going to get involved in any tours. What did you have in mind?

Wonderful that you have girls the same age in your group. Would they be interested in contacting my DD so she has some friends before they go? Do they use facebook or msn messenger?

We were going on a Romeinlimo with a few persons. My granddaughters 13, and 16 do have facebook. I do not have enough threads to do private messaging. I do not know how to get you to their accounts without doing too much revelation on this discussion board.

 

[janey2000]

Usually the FE list is much shorter than the Roll Call. Given how small the roll call is, the FE list should be tiny
Usually you put your room number on the items you leave in the FE.

Thanks mehaul - So where is the Fe list so I can get my name on it? I wondered if I just pick 1 person to give gift to or several as worried some could not end up getting anything?

 

[StephenKay]

We were going on a Romeinlimo with a few persons. My granddaughters 13, and 16 do have facebook. I do not have enough threads to do private messaging. I do not know how to get you to their accounts without doing too much revelation on this discussion board.

Definitely keep it to PM so that no info for the girls are on here. Only a few more posts and you will be able to PM and we can chat about it then

Oooop sorry Rose, the computer was lodged in on my husband's disname, didn't mean the post to be on his log-in. It's Tod & Copper here.

Mary xx