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

[gydell]

Is it possible to do the CHOCOLATE FACTORY on our own?

 

[first timers]

Gosh, Laura, I hope you are not too close to the fires. There are several brush fires going around central Florida, too. But they seem to be mostly north of the city this time, instead of near us. ( we are on the south side of the city)

We are on the north side of Orlando. Last night as we ate dinner we watched a fire burning about three miles from our house. The smoke died out in about 2 hours, but everything now smells smokey and there is a smokey fog this morning. We can smell the smoke in the buildings at work. It will be nice to be out to sea in 4 days. Alex

 

[Brooklyn]

So last night (when I could not sleep) I started searching DCL to see if I could find a room closer to DM and DD's. I found rooms that were almost directly across the hall from one another. Well b/c of the time change DCL had long been closed. I woke up as early as I could this morning and one of the rooms was already taken .

Oh well, I guess it was not meant to be. I guess that just means more resonsibility for my DM and less responsibility for me. Well atleast she can't tell me that I did not try!

 

[newgeneb]

WOW only 2 days i can hardly belive its here

 

[taxtracker]

Is it possible to do the CHOCOLATE FACTORY on our own?

yes, it is possible to do the chocolate factory on your own.... and chrissy and i would be glad to do the factory with you. check out www.pastisseria.com (on the bottom of the webpage -- is a link for english). the cost is cheap 3.8 euros each and children are free -- there is also an option to do the "make your own chocolate"

i am a bit concerned that disney did NOT contact me that this excursion was canceled as they contacted others. were you contacted? it is still showing up on my reservation.

chrissy is all packed and ready to go --- now for me to get myself ready!

bettie

 

[NHdisneylover]

The fires so many of you are near sound just terrible. I hope htey are all under control soon with little more loss of nature of property and no loss of life. I do have to say, I am looking forward to two weeks out of the real world and all the problems and concerns that ensues.

 

[taxtracker]

Is it possible to do the CHOCOLATE FACTORY on our own?

hi - are you packed and ready to go?

yes, it is possible to do the chocolate factory on your own.... and chrissy and i would be glad to do the factory with you. check out www.pastisseria.com (on the bottom of the webpage -- is a link for english). the cost is cheap 3.8 euros each and children are free -- there is also an option to do the "make your own chocolate"

the other suggestion i have for barcelona - is las ramblas (the mime's are incredibly interesting for children and adults alike) and the gaudi church.

i am a bit concerned that disney did NOT contact me that this excursion was canceled as they contacted others. were you contacted? it is still showing up on my reservation.

chrissy is all packed and ready to go --- now for me to get myself ready!

bettie

 

[AuntyBrat]

Sorry to hear that - are you guys safe??? Be careful...please....

I had to rush my favorite kitty to the Animal ED last evening - he is in renal failure - we were not sure he would survive the night. Well, the vet called this am -he is doing better but not out of the woods yet. I may have news just as we sail...I am worried, but not obsessed - my GF is not going on the 14 day - she is meeting us in Barcelona - so she will be here for Merlyn. He has lost so much weight - he was 18 pounds 2 yrs ago - now he is 6.4. His brother died suddenly and he just hasn't been the same.

I had my last medical test today - all is well!!! My tummy should be able to handle all the foods I throw at it!! HHHOOOORRRRAAAYYYY!!

Tonight is the last night I will sleep at home. I work tomorrow night, then immediately off to EWR and WDW!!

DCL managed to cancel all our excursions - we have been on the phones all day yesterday and today trying to re-instate them all. Finally tonight at 9pm they got the last one re-instated. that ShoeBox issue is really starting to get my ire up....oooohhhhh they have just got me so _issed off......ugh.

enought - I won't be able to post until at the WDW I think....so - to everyone have good flights!!! See ya at OKW on Friday!!!!

We are safe. Not the worst fire we have been through. Although seeing the fire so close to the Griffith observatory is kind of scary. Only one house caught on fire, of course it has/had a wood shake shingle roof.

Hi...not on your cruise...just butting in to let you know I'm on board right now and the crew is really excited about going to the Med so you should have a great trip! Wishing you fun and excitement!

Debbie

That's so cool...I am hoping the excitement starts to build up here...

And I was going to post a link to Frontline…. That will teach me to be nice.

I completely forgot about that. No fuss and no evidence!!! Just what she needs!!!

We are on the north side of Orlando. Last night as we ate dinner we watched a fire burning about three miles from our house. The smoke died out in about 2 hours, but everything now smells smokey and there is a smokey fog this morning. We can smell the smoke in the buildings at work. It will be nice to be out to sea in 4 days. Alex

Nothing better than your whole house smelling like a smoker!!

So last night (when I could not sleep) I started searching DCL to see if I could find a room closer to DM and DD's. I found rooms that were almost directly across the hall from one another. Well b/c of the time change DCL had long been closed. I woke up as early as I could this morning and one of the rooms was already taken .

Oh well, I guess it was not meant to be. I guess that just means more resonsibility for my DM and less responsibility for me. Well atleast she can't tell me that I did not try!

When you check in at the port, see if there is anything the agents there can do. May have to play go find the luggage a little later, but they might be able to be more flexable than the phone reps. I believe today is the last day DCL can accept ressies because they have to submit the list 72 hours ahead of the cruise to Homeland Security.

The fires so many of you are near sound just terrible. I hope htey are all under control soon with little more loss of nature of property and no loss of life. I do have to say, I am looking forward to two weeks out of the real world and all the problems and concerns that ensues.

No kidding!!! I will second those statements and raise you an Advantage for Kids!!!

 

[Ready to Travel]

I know this has probably been posted before , but here it goes again. I called my bank and credit card company. Did you know that Discover is not good in Europe.
I'm all packed except for the paperwork lots to print and just odds and ends. I can't keep up with all the postings. Just when I think I'm caught up there's another 10 pages.
Can't wait just 2 more sleeps.

Martha

 

[misseulalie]

I just got an email from my brother who is sailing with RCCL in Europe. He said the ship right before his sailing came from Florida and supposedly the water was pretty rough.

He said bring lots of dramimine.

great.....

now I really need that puking smilie because that's what I'm going to be doing all 14 days!!!

 

[newgeneb]

Have No Fear the Seas will be calm

 

[AuntyBrat]

I just got an email from my brother who is sailing with RCCL in Europe. He said the ship right before his sailing came from Florida and supposedly the water was pretty rough.

He said bring lots of dramimine.

great.....

now I really need that puking smilie because that's what I'm going to be doing all 14 days!!!

You know different ships handle seas differently depending on how they are built and the stabilizers they have. During hurricane Hillary in 2005, we had some really high waves and we skipped Cabo because of the seas. (apparently the people with Ocean View Cabins were seeing the ocean up close the waves were so high!!) The ship did have some motion, but the medical office had bonine outside the door, and we picked up a couple of those and were good to go.

 

[AuntyBrat]

Ok, my OCD is really kicking in. Yesterday I went to the bank with a spreadsheet from the cruisetip calculator and got the money I needed for tips by the types of bills I wanted. Then this morning before work, I sat at the computer and sorted it all and put it into envelopes, and labeled them. My euro's are all sorted into even amounts of money for each port. EVERYTHING is packed and dusted and vacuumed and washed. One last load of laundry tonight and then there will be nothing left to do!!! My kid is going to have to hit me with a tranq gun to get me to go to sleep!!!

ONE MORE SLEEP!!!!!

 

[Michelle2]

Hi...not on your cruise...just butting in to let you know I'm on board right now and the crew is really excited about going to the Med so you should have a great trip! Wishing you fun and excitement!

Debbie

Wooo hooo! Thanks, so much! I love hearing that.

 

[Michelle2]

Ok, my OCD is really kicking in. Yesterday I went to the bank with a spreadsheet from the cruisetip calculator and got the money I needed for tips by the types of bills I wanted. Then this morning before work, I sat at the computer and sorted it all and put it into envelopes, and labeled them. My euro's are all sorted into even amounts of money for each port. EVERYTHING is packed and dusted and vacuumed and washed. One last load of laundry tonight and then there will be nothing left to do!!! My kid is going to have to hit me with a tranq gun to get me to go to sleep!!!

ONE MORE SLEEP!!!!!

Wow, I am so impressed! I am not even close yet, but am getting alot of important stuff done each day. I am jealous of those leaving tomorrow, too. I don't leave until Friday.

Does anyone have an opinion of which is the better exchange rate for getting euros. The ship, the MCO airport, or a bank at home. I would think they are all the same, but I could be wrong because it seems like everyone is getting them before the trip. Sorry, I am getting a little freaked out.

 

[Kissimmee]

OK in my many attempts to repack I accidentally took out my phone charger. Anyone have a Nokia phone charger they can bring with them? Not that we need our phones onboard, but for later or emergency. BUMMER.

I will have our Nokia 6133 phones and charger if yours is compatible your welcome to use us as a charging station. We are B2B so you'll have us on both cruses.

What is your phone type and I'll check if they are the same charger.

Cabin 2141

 

[AuntyBrat]

Wow, I am so impressed! I am not even close yet, but am getting alot of important stuff done each day. I am jealous of those leaving tomorrow, too. I don't leave until Friday.

Does anyone have an opinion of which is the better exchange rate for getting euros. The ship, the MCO airport, or a bank at home. I would think they are all the same, but I could be wrong because it seems like everyone is getting them before the trip. Sorry, I am getting a little freaked out.

I actually did a cost comparison study (did I mention OCD) and I got a much better exchange rate by ordering them through my bank. That being said, it take 3 days for you to get it. So in that area you might be out of luck. There are places that will do currency exchanges, but I didn't go to them because I had the time and the rate was worse. However, you may not have a choice now. Where are you at, and I will see if there is one in your area.

 

[Kissimmee]

I just got an email from my brother who is sailing with RCCL in Europe. He said the ship right before his sailing came from Florida and supposedly the water was pretty rough.

He said bring lots of dramimine.

great.....

now I really need that puking smilie because that's what I'm going to be doing all 14 days!!!

Careful or you might start a Suggestive Psychosomatic Epidemic... Sea sickness is extremely contagious.

Actually it's true.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Michelle--We have found the best rate (even factoring in fees) is to use our ATM in port (Dave does this on business trips and our friends do this when they go back and forth also). We are getting some Euros from friends just to have cash on hand in Tenerife in case we don't see an ATM machine right away in port.

Laura--My house was all clean. 2 girl scouts, and two science experiments later (string tie dye came out better than i expected and really not messy at all) it is ready to be cleaned again That will have to wait--heading to the weaving studio now.

On the agenda for tonight: coloring my hair. Also have to try to squeeze in an oil change this afternoon. Still hoping to do nails tomorrow. I found a place that has a coupon for BOTH for $35. Much better deal. Thanks to all of you for letting me know what the price should be so I would search it out.

 

[AuntyBrat]

Wow, I am so impressed! I am not even close yet, but am getting alot of important stuff done each day. I am jealous of those leaving tomorrow, too. I don't leave until Friday.

Does anyone have an opinion of which is the better exchange rate for getting euros. The ship, the MCO airport, or a bank at home. I would think they are all the same, but I could be wrong because it seems like everyone is getting them before the trip. Sorry, I am getting a little freaked out.

Ok, I looked you up and there is nothing really in Boise. There is a Travelex in the Orlando International airport. They do currency exchange there. Which might be good if you just want some money to take with you until you can find an ATM. Travelex is open from 8am to 8pm. $70 in Euros will run you about $103, plus service charges I believe. If you have a AAA card you can get a discount on the fees.