May 12, 2007 -- Taking the Magic to the Mediterranean -- 14 day Repo Cruise! Part 2

[EpcotKilterFan]

To all the new people. I have updated the roster and deck plans!

I have never had a gty room... when will you all find out what room you have?? And when that happens be sure to post it so I can update the roster.

On the Panama canal repo cruise, we had a few cabins that were "message boards" where you could learn about room changes, activity changes etc. Would anyone like to volunteer to be a keeper of the messages? Just a few folks and try to spread them out on the ship

It did come in handy when we had room changes and those folks that were delivering gifts knew where people may have moved to.

Debbie

 

[wrabitdad]

FYI - I just added a "toddler" shirt to all the stores. These are smaller then the kids sizes.

Ken

Thanks Ken, us small guys appreciate it !!

Gordy

 

[wrabitdad]

Bob, do you come up to the Lakes Region, New Hampshire much (seems like most of Mass heads up nearly every summer weekend ).

Not often. DW and I have water quality related jobs that tend to be intense during the summer, so summer weekends are usually spent trying to hide.

Besides, aren't vacations made for Disney?

Supposed to finally warm up this weekend, maybe we will have a spring after all.

Bob

 

[NHdisneylover]

To all the new people. I have updated the roster and deck plans!

I have never had a gty room... when will you all find out what room you have?? And when that happens be sure to post it so I can update the roster.

On the Panama canal repo cruise, we had a few cabins that were "message boards" where you could learn about room changes, activity changes etc. Would anyone like to volunteer to be a keeper of the messages? Just a few folks and try to spread them out on the ship

It did come in handy when we had room changes and those folks that were delivering gifts knew where people may have moved to.

Debbie

Deb--We would volunteer to be a message door, but since we are GTY no one will be able to find us
I've never booked a GTY before either, but from what I can find out it seems we should have rooms #s about 25 days out. Nonetheless, it sounds like even those can somtimes change very last minute. We must be making your record keeping insane! Sorry.

Ken--Thanks for spending your weekend on name badges.

Went from 4 degrees to 36 degrees in only 3 hours today Hurray for spring!

 

[KarenNY]

I've never booked a GTY before either, but from what I can find out it seems we should have rooms #s about 25 days out. Nonetheless, it sounds like even those can sometimes change very last minute.

I've booked GTY on DCL and received room assignment when the docs arrived.
DD booked GTY on Celebrity and got her stateroom assignment in her docs too(she booked a cat 12 and got a cat 10).
I booked a GTY on RCCL and didn't get a room assignment (an upgrade) until we checked in at the port.
Hopefully your stateroom number will be on your docs (if you don't find out sooner).

 

[misseulalie]

I'm GTY, too and my TA told me we should know by the time our doc's arrive. Our first cruise we were GTY, we were then upgraded from
a 12 to a 9, but our rooms changed again at the port. (though we stayed 9)

 

[NHdisneylover]

Thanks for the info. Karen. Yet, I think I will still feel compelled to log into my reservation every day to check and if it says anything different!

Bob, vacations are absolutely made for Diseny (weekends are a different story). If you do end up comming up North any time pre cruise, let us know. We'd love to meet up with you for a bit.

 

[Michelle2]

We will probably stay at the Residence Inn or Country Inn and suites at the port the night before. We also will be staying an extra night in Barcelona after the cruise....anyone have any suggestions for a hotel there? Pat??


Michelle2, we have booked the Marriott Renaissance in Barcelona, right near the airport, for Saturday night after the cruise. I saw another post on here where somebody else is staying there as well. The rate was about $150 for one night. It looks new, nice, it's a brand name and it seemed convenient being near the airport for an early departure the next morning. They also provide airport transportation.
Chris

That is exactly what I am looking for. Thanks Chris!
By the way, on the cruise roster I noticed you are in Las Vegas. I was born and raised there. I have not lived there for about 16 years, but all of my family still does, so we go and visit all of the time.

 

[AuntyBrat]

I figure at the rate DCL is trying to sell and book this cruise, and since they can take ressies up until 3 days before the cruise, those stateroom numbers are going to keep changing.

By the way, I hope everyone has already got their passports, the state department is now quoting a 10 week wait to get them!! Fortunately my friend ordered hers about 4-5 weeks ago so hers should be getting here soon...

 

[Michelle2]

OK, we narrowed it down to Prince John, but we didn't have any references in the house. We finally broke down and looked it up online (broke my own rule) Peter Ustinov also King Richard. It's funny, Prince John was in our first round, but we did not remember him as the king as well. I think we got it, but flunked the process.

I was just going to answer this. I am a huge fan of Peter Ustinov, so I knew it without the internet! How sad is that???? I love him as Hercule Poirot in all of the Agatha Christie movies, and as Blackbeard's Ghost....one of my favorite classic Disney movies.

 

[cquick]

What games are you taking for those long days at sea?

Some we like are.

Pictionary
Trivial Pursuit
Balderdash
Chess
Backgammon

Anyone interested in a penny ante poker night or two ?

OH SURE Poker is fun! We are bringing Sequence, Dominoes and Disney Uno. OH, Yeah, I am still trying to get a group going for Bunko!

 

[cquick]

Deb--We would volunteer to be a message door, but since we are GTY no one will be able to find us
I've never booked a GTY before either, but from what I can find out it seems we should have rooms #s about 25 days out. Nonetheless, it sounds like even those can somtimes change very last minute. We must be making your record keeping insane! Sorry.

Ken--Thanks for spending your weekend on name badges.

Went from 4 degrees to 36 degrees in only 3 hours today Hurray for spring!

We could be the "message: room....we know what stateroom we are going to have for sure! AND I'll have my FISH HANGER! Connie

 

[Kissimmee]

I figure at the rate DCL is trying to sell and book this cruise, and since they can take ressies up until 3 days before the cruise, those stateroom numbers are going to keep changing.

By the way, I hope everyone has already got their passports, the state department is now quoting a 10 week wait to get them!! Fortunately my friend ordered hers about 4-5 weeks ago so hers should be getting here soon...

Speaking of Passports... My DD's expires in August and I heard that some ports won't enter you if it has less than 6 months left?

We will get a new one as it is expiring anyway but is the 6 mo rule real?

 

[Kissimmee]

OH SURE Poker is fun! We are bringing Sequence, Dominoes and Disney Uno. OH, Yeah, I am still trying to get a group going for Bunko!

Poker got several positive responses. I'm up for it. Next question where on the ship is an appropriate place away from the kiddies?

Who has the Roy and Walt suites?

 

[NHdisneylover]

Speaking of Passports... My DD's expires in August and I heard that some ports won't enter you if it has less than 6 months left?

We will get a new one as it is expiring anyway but is the 6 mo rule real?

Yes it is a real rule. I don't think they will even let you on the ship if yours expries within 6 months of the END of the trip (see quote from DCL below). I have seen people denied boarding a plane out of the country for this reason. The rule has someting to do with you are generally technically entering on a 6 month tourist visa whenever you go somewhere.

I would suggest renewing ASAP as even renewals are taking much longer now with the scramble to get passports that is going on.


Here is a quote from the DCL website:
"Mediterranean Cruises
All Guests claiming United States citizenship, including children, must provide a valid, unexpired United States passport. Passports must be valid at least six months after the sailing has ended. Copies of passports are not acceptable."

 

[tazzmacd]

Anybody find any information on what the weather will be like while we are crossing the Atlantic? I am assuming that it will be some what warm through the day but it will get cool in the evening. DW is starting to look for a new cruise wardrobe and she was wondering.

Also, the formal night, are those dates firm now? DW wanted me to ask if she should be getting a real formal dress or something else that she could wear everyday. Ladies can you help me.

Tea with Wendy, is there an official sign up for this on the ship or do you just show up?

Deep freeze is starting to lift up here, supposed to get as high as 10C, about 52F today. That will feel really nice.

Cheers!!

Pat

 

[NHdisneylover]

Good morning Pat,

You can tell your wife that formal nights runs the gamit from those who ignore it completly (jeans, t-shirts) to those in full black tie. Most people seem to fall somewhere in the middle.

We enjoy dressing up so David will have his tux (I don't know if he is bringing his tails or not) and I will likely have a nice tea length dress which I can also wear to Palo. Though, if I can get back into my "Barbie Dress" (hot pink, floor length satin gown with a small train!) I WILL bring it and wear it. My daughter will be in my old homecomming dress (dressy) and I will probably break down and buy a tux for our son as he was so sad when he didn't have one on the last trip (had previously always found them at used stores).

For other nights, we always dress for dinner (change into fresh button down shirts for the boys, dresses for hte girls). Again, it is soemthing we enjoy, but plenty of people will be there in jeans or capris as well.

So, if you like to be foraml GO FOR IT. If you hate it DON"T WORRY you won't be the only non comformists.

 

[roserae]

OH, Yeah, I am still trying to get a group going for Bunko!

Hey I am definitely up for Bunko! This is an excellent way to get to know people. We should plan it near the beginning of the cruise. Easy, brainless game and lots of fun too!

 

[Scott H]

Welcome Aboard To All The New Cruisers !!!!!

Man lots of catching up to do….games seemed like the hot topic. Trivial Pursuit for me, maybe. I have found as you get older people ask you how things were rather than how things are.

I wonder if they are going to do a DVC member thingie???? You know the buy more points meeting. They usually give out some pretty Kewl prizes. Maybe some Kewl info on AKV. Looks like we have quite a few DVC members going on this cruise.

Weather looks dreary today here in SE Wyoming. So I should get my but in gear and do the taxes. We will see about that. Warm and sunny starting tomorrow.

Glad this past week is over and kinda have a weekend off. No travel next week, after that looks like I will be on the road a good bit. The OT is great and I get to accumulate comp time so, that is a good thing. The past couple of weeks has netted almost enough time for this vacation. KEWL

Yes the Passport rule is true. If you have a passport center close by you might go there and cut down on the turnaround time. My team leader got his wife’s passport in an afternoon at the Passport Center in the Denver area. I think you need to have an itinerary with you showing you are leaving soon.

Ken, have a great ride, may the wind be at your back and all roads be down hills. (it is a nice thought, but it never happens) Great job on the name badges. “badges, we don’t need no stinking badges” yes we do…

Thanks Debbie for keeping up the roster, Thanks to all who have photos there, it really helps put a face to the names.

Enjoy the weekend....

 

[milestogo]

Well, believe it or not it will be in the low to mid 70's here today and going up to 90 and the 80's this week (just darned uncomfortable!) This is way out of our norm. So, Mother Nature's plan must be to send it your way guys!!!

Michelle2 - you are technically the winner because all I figured out was the prince John part, I totally missed the King!

Pat - We have had this discussion many times on this thread about the whole formal night thing and it seems that the range is wide. I'll summarize for you:

Men: Some of the men are renting tuxes and shoes, some are bringing their tuxes. Some are wearing a jacket and nice pants. Some think their grass skirt will suffice! The big issue for many is the luggage space and weight flying from overseas - esp. the b2b'rs. Some of the men are wearing their dress shoes on the plane to save space and weight.

Women: Several of the women plan to wear mix and match blacks (for various nights)- skirts, blouses and sweater combos with nice jewelry. Some are bringing full formal dresses because they are planning to go to the Monte Carlo night in France (b2b.) Some are bringing dress pants with nice blouses.

So, it is really varied. But overall the important thing is to bring what works for you and your packing. Not only is nobody going to get kicked out of the restaurant, but nobody else will care. Its a vacation and for some dressing up isn't a priority on vacation and others it's the only fun time they get to dress up.

Debbie: you can put us down for a message door. We will know at the port and I'm bringing little slips of paper to let everyone know where we are. You'll be able to find us since we will have the book bag and a very decorated door with daily sign changes. I know we'll be on deck 5,6,or 7. Look for the fun door signs! I will put our disboard name (Milestogo) but not our names on the door. You can also find us because we have a beautiful yellow and orange Mickey fish extender!