London / Paris Here We Come!!! 9/2 - 9/10/11

[DisneyKevin]

I have just handled all submitted payments with ABD.

A whole bunch of folks are now

PAID

IN

FULL

 

[k5jm]

WooHoo!!!

 

[sayhello]

I'm just a little excited!

Sayhello

 

[MinnieGarden]

The Paid in Full Dance

 

[Chropistopy]

For those of you that sent away for tickets to the Ceremony of the Keys, did you have an awful time finding International Reply Coupons? I finally just ordered them from the USPS website. I thought it would be faster to actually go to the post office and take care of the coupons and shipping all at the same time. Evidently, all the postal workers I've dealt with have decided that the coupons don't exist any longer without even looking. It's funny that it took me only a couple of seconds to find them on their website. FRUSTRATING!!!

 

[Chropistopy]

I have just handled all submitted payments with ABD.

A whole bunch of folks are now

PAID

IN

FULL

YAY!!! We're going to Europe...We're going to Europe!!!

 

[sayhello]

For those of you that sent away for tickets to the Ceremony of the Keys, did you have an awful time finding International Reply Coupons? I finally just ordered them from the USPS website. I thought it would be faster to actually go to the post office and take care of the coupons and shipping all at the same time. Evidently, all the postal workers I've dealt with have decided that the coupons don't exist any longer without even looking. It's funny that it took me only a couple of seconds to find them on their website. FRUSTRATING!!!

I seemed to have lucked out. I went to the Post Office near work (because I, like you, thought it would be easiest to take care of it all at once). They told me a guy who gets them regularly had bought close to 50 of them just the day before, and luckily, they still had a few left; he hadn't totally wiped them out. So I was able to buy 2 with no problems, and sent my request off. I'm not sure if that's normal or not! They totally knew what I was asking for.

Sayhello

 

[BriarRosie]

For those of you that sent away for tickets to the Ceremony of the Keys, did you have an awful time finding International Reply Coupons? I finally just ordered them from the USPS website. I thought it would be faster to actually go to the post office and take care of the coupons and
shipping all at the same time.

Evidently, all the postal workers
I've dealt with have decided that
the coupons don't exist any longer
without even looking. It's funny
that it took me only a couple of
seconds to find them on their
website.

FRUSTRATING!!!

Dang. I knew I should have posted
my drama from last week! I went to a post office branch near my
house, and they said they stopped
selling them "a long time ago". And
suggested I try the main branch.

I went to the main branch, and
they told me they stopped selling
them, too.

I found them immediately at
usps.com. The Ceremony of the
Keys website encouraged people
to go to usps.com. I should have
taken that suggestion.

My International Reply Coupons
arrived last Thursday, and I mailed
my request this past Saturday. For
a "free ticket", I paid close to $20
in postage inbound and outbound.
And it isn't guaranteed.

I will wish us both luck. Oh. Want
to hear the kicker? I am finally
looking at the Rick Steves London
guidebook I checked out from the
library. He has a small blurb in the
Tower of London section about
Ceremony of the Keys. I nearly fell
over reading that some readers
are reporting difficulty finding
International Reply Coupons, so
we should try usps.com. LOL!

 

[Chropistopy]

Dang. I knew I should have posted
my drama from last week! I went to a post office branch near my
house, and they said they stopped
selling them "a long time ago". And
suggested I try the main branch.

I went to the main branch, and
they told me they stopped selling
them, too.

I found them immediately at
usps.com. The Ceremony of the
Keys website encouraged people
to go to usps.com. I should have
taken that suggestion.

My International Reply Coupons
arrived last Thursday, and I mailed
my request this past Saturday. For
a "free ticket", I paid close to $20
in postage inbound and outbound.
And it isn't guaranteed.

I will wish us both luck. Oh. Want
to hear the kicker? I am finally
looking at the Rick Steves London
guidebook I checked out from the
library. He has a small blurb in the
Tower of London section about
Ceremony of the Keys. I nearly fell
over reading that some readers
are reporting difficulty finding
International Reply Coupons, so
we should try usps.com. LOL!

I'm sorry that you had trouble too. It makes me feel better that I'm not the only one though. May be a stupid question but with the coupons, do I need to include an envelope for the ticket to be sent back? The website said to enclose a self-addressed envelope with British postage but is it the same with the coupons? It was not very clear. What did you do?

 

[MinnieGarden]

I sent in a self addressed envelope with the coupons. When the ticket came back, it was in the envelope I sent with a British stamp that had been exchanged for the coupons that I had sent. I also FedEx'd the request. Our postal service scares me for domestic mail, so I wanted to make sure this got there! And, it was processed the day it was received at the Tower of London. Good luck!

 

[Chropistopy]

I sent in a self addressed envelope with the coupons. When the ticket came back, it was in the envelope I sent with a British stamp that had been exchanged for the coupons that I had sent. I also FedEx'd the request. Our postal service scares me for domestic mail, so I wanted to make sure this got there! And, it was processed the day it was received at the Tower of London. Good luck!

Thanks! I think I'll do the same.

 

[MinnieGarden]

I've listened to Pete, Walter, and Theresa's podcast segment this week and their trip sounds FABULOUS!

And it's got me thinking about a couple of things....... it sounds like there are two main guides for the group (that get a gratuitity at the end of the adventure) and a couple of others that sounded more specialized. Do they get a tip too?

And most importantly, I happen to know there are a few wine drinkers in our group... is wine included at meals for us too? That would be a huge thing!

 

[BriarRosie]

I'm sorry that you had trouble too. It makes me feel better that I'm not the only one though. May be a stupid question but with the coupons, do I need to include an envelope for the ticket to be sent back? The website said to enclose a self-addressed envelope with British postage but is it the same with the coupons? It was not very clear. What did you do?

I noticed my last post had been weird because it's a PITA to post with quotes on the iPhone via ETicket. Anyway, I thought of the International Reply Coupons as "postage vouchers" good for postage exchanges anywhere in the world.

I did not send it Fed Ex, but I paid some sort of Priority Mail thing with a customs doc on it. I hope it goes through.

I've listened to Pete, Walter, and Theresa's podcast segment this week and their trip sounds FABULOUS!

And it's got me thinking about a couple of things....... it sounds like there are two main guides for the group (that get a gratuitity at the end of the adventure) and a couple of others that sounded more specialized. Do they get a tip too?

And most importantly, I happen to know there are a few wine drinkers in our group... is wine included at meals for us too? That would be a huge thing!

Specialized guides don't get a tip, as far as I know. Only the two main guides. And I heard about the wine and beer during Pete/Walter/Teresa's podcast and thought of you. Well, and I thought of me, too.

 

[sayhello]

I've listened to Pete, Walter, and Theresa's podcast segment this week and their trip sounds FABULOUS!

And it's got me thinking about a couple of things....... it sounds like there are two main guides for the group (that get a gratuitity at the end of the adventure) and a couple of others that sounded more specialized. Do they get a tip too?

And most importantly, I happen to know there are a few wine drinkers in our group... is wine included at meals for us too? That would be a huge thing!

I haven't had a chance to listen to the podcast yet, but I can confirm it's a FABULOUS trip!

As far as the local guides (and bus drivers) are concerned, their tips are included in the cost of the trip. So you don't need to tip them yourself (obviously, you CAN if you feel they deserve an extra tip, but it's not expected). The 2 Adventure Guides are the only people you're expected to tip.

Sayhello

 

[k5jm]

So, today United Airlines raised its second bag fees to Europe form $0 to $70 each way. I may have to call and gripe. I know it will not do any good, but it will make me feel better.

 

[jcb]

So, today United Airlines raised its second bag fees to Europe form $0 to $70 each way. I may have to call and gripe. I know it will not do any good, but it will make me feel better.

The person that wrote the webpage for United's baggage fees needs to be sent back to basic technical writing but if I read the chart correctly, the second bag fee should be $50, not $70.

You might also check into United's "Presidential Pluss Card." I have Delta (AX) and gold skymiles card holders don't pay baggage fees. The annual fee is $95 but that cost is offset by one trip per year by two people with one bag each. (2x25x2). Having an additional promotional credit card might not be palatable for some, but it was a no brainer for me since I already had a Skymiles card.

 

[k5jm]

The person that wrote the webpage for United's baggage fees needs to be sent back to basic technical writing but if I read the chart correctly, the second bag fee should be $50, not $70.

Thanks, Jack.

Here is the information from the United page. They need to get their acts together.

 

[sayhello]

So, today United Airlines raised its second bag fees to Europe form $0 to $70 each way. I may have to call and gripe. I know it will not do any good, but it will make me feel better.

Is it retroactive? Usually, if you've already purchased your ticket, you are grandfathered under the policy that was in place when you bought it.

Sayhello

 

[sayhello]

THREE MONTHS UNTIL OUR ABD STARTS!!!!!!



Sayhello

 

[k5jm]

Is it retroactive? Usually, if you've already purchased your ticket, you are grandfathered under the policy that was in place when you bought it.

Sayhello

It is $70 for any trips booked after today. Anything before June 1st is $50 for the second bag. That is how it is worded on United's site. I hope Continental at least updates their pages to reflect the same.

I think those fees are absurd.