May 14, 2011 - Eastbound TransAtlantic

[WClayton]

Thanks for the info - very helpful.

We have a 9:10 AM flight out of BCN on Swiss Air to our first leg in Geneva. Getting off the ship and to the airport is the only aspect of the trip that I am sweating.

Should I take a taxi and are they easily available? or
Should I use Disney transport from port to airport? or
Should I spend the night at an airport hotel to ensure I am there to check in at BCN bright and early? Anyone else doing this?

How early do they allow you to depart the ship on your own the morning of debarkation? The two us can easily handle our luggage ourselves (and prefer to).

Thanks!

 

[mom2tcdx2]

Thanks, so we'll be joining you at 5am

So may I ask what state are you from? We live in Virginia.

 

[WClayton]

Thanks for post info.

My wife and I are on the same flights from BCN to Geneva to Washing Dullus. Count us in the 5:00 AM group too.

 

[TxMermaid1]

This schedule is shown in the first post of this thread.

LOL.. thanks... I think I am losing my mind at this point! I knew I found it somewhere....

 

[turtlesmom822]

So may I ask what state are you from? We live in Virginia.

Maryland We are 2.5 hours from dulles, so we have a long long day. Probably booking a hotel near the airport and getting picked up the next morning!

 

[turtlesmom822]

Thanks for post info.

My wife and I are on the same flights from BCN to Geneva to Washing Dullus. Count us in the 5:00 AM group too.

Yay, lets all plan a car service/van together so that we all are assured of making it!

 

[KrisannB]

thanks for all the great info Krisann. I thought I had read a trip report where someone said they were able to UPS stuff home prior to getting off the ship, does anyone know about that?
Any idea if we can check our bags onboard?

yes it was a Mailbox, etc. type thing but it was VERY expensive, like $400-500 if I remember correctly! We would have done it if it had been like $100 but not the rates they were asking! It would have been cheaper for pay for an extra suitcase on the plane PLUS buying the suitcase with Disney!

No checking bags onboard - Delta was in the port terminal last year but that was a last minute thing I think. I will go back to the thread and ask if anyone used it - we flew KLM so did not get to do it.

Very helpful info on the flights. We leave on a flight at 9:10 I believe. We so far have been told that we can't purchase Disney transfers that the time was too early. Not sure if that is something we could possibly take care of once on board? We were just told to go to the front desk and inform them that we had to leave at like 5:00 am.

I didn't know about the carry on weights, I will need to look into that.

Thanks!!!!

We did a flight early and had the transfers - they may have changed things but it was much easier - the good thing is if you cannot and need to book something local we are there for a full day!

Thanks for the info - very helpful.

We have a 9:10 AM flight out of BCN on Swiss Air to our first leg in Geneva. Getting off the ship and to the airport is the only aspect of the trip that I am sweating.

Should I take a taxi and are they easily available? or
Should I use Disney transport from port to airport? or
Should I spend the night at an airport hotel to ensure I am there to check in at BCN bright and early? Anyone else doing this?

How early do they allow you to depart the ship on your own the morning of debarkation? The two us can easily handle our luggage ourselves (and prefer to).

Thanks!

Because we are actually in port for a whole day we are already cleared and I know some people actually left on Friday. I would not do a hotel at the airport - they are expensive and you already paid to sleep on the ship.

I think we left at 5:30 am - and that will still get you there 3 hours ahead of your flight - the airport is like a 20 minute drive I think - not long like getting to PC from the airport.

 

[MSH from Norway]

My plane back to Norway is 10am, and we have to be at airport around 8am.

...and my big question is, what about breakfast??
Anywhere anything to eat on the ship, or we have to find something at the airport?

 

[owensjro]

Wow, I just had to read 10 pages to catch up again

Sorry to see some had to leave us and happy to see all of the new people who are now cruising!

The schedule in the first post was taken from the last EBTA so it should only be used as a rough guideline. A lot of people were wondering when to book Palo dinners so I wanted to have it up there.

My parents are on the cruise now as well. They weren't going to but then my mom decided she really wanted to do it and talked to her boss (the principal of the school where my daughter goes) and he said to go for it. They now have the cabin next to ours so we both have sideways cabins on deck 6.

For the FE's I am not sure we ever made an official FE organizer. I am happy to handle group 1. I just removed some folks who hadn't responded in a long time/confirmed. We're down to 15 cabins and 33 people in group 1 but if y'all want to keep it closed that is fine with me. We have FE gifts for many more than that since we expected there to be more in that group

Jim

 

[Can't wait to cruise]

i am going to post this and it might be something to add to the first post or at least reference it for others (I am not sure if this applies to those not using disney transport to the airport - not air, but bus transport)

We arranged with our stateroom host to have luggage service for that morning, several days before. At the time we decided on, he showed up with a porter like cart, loaded our luggage and met us on deck 1 to disembark - he said we did not have to go to Rockin D Bar - and we did not! He met us downstairs, walked us off the ship (there was no customs like there is in Port Canveral) and he took our bags to the bus. We were not the first on the bus, but close to it. Now we did have to wait for all those people from Rockin' Bar D to come out and fill our bus up but that was ok.


We were on the 07 Eastbound and turned our bags in the night before getting off the ship. We weren't in any rush to get off the ship Saturday morning with a 2pm flight to Rome and took our time to have a niche breakfast, etc. When we got off, our son's suitcase was missing. Someone grabbed his bag as a look alike without checking the nametags and didn't discover the mistake until they got to the airport. Just left the bag curbside for the bus driver to worry about. We didn't connect back up with the bag until we got home and my son ended up gettting new clothes in Italy for a week.

We were looking at ways to not go thru that again with a 10am flight Saturday morning this time and think the idea of just keeping our bags if we can with arrangements with our cabin steward is a GREAT idea. Thank you!!! We're only going to spend one night on the way home in London but really don't want to go thru AWOL bags again. Since we're renting a car to get to the ship, we didn't do the Disney provided bus and will see what we can arrange on Friday at the dock for a cab early Saturday morning. Hopefully my flight crew ID will help me find some shorter lines to get thru.

 

[KrisannB]

For the FE's I am not sure we ever made an official FE organizer. I am happy to handle group 1. I just removed some folks who hadn't responded in a long time/confirmed. We're down to 15 cabins and 33 people in group 1 but if y'all want to keep it closed that is fine with me. We have FE gifts for many more than that since we expected there to be more in that group

Jim

The first two have 15 and 16 cabins in each which is a good number for cabins (I know a difference in people but some do cabin gifts)

I would like to propose to open a Group 3 up - and anyone who had extra gifts from group one can sign up in it as well as anyone new, etc.

Since I propose it I will be glad to be in charge of Group 3 - and group 2 if no one else wants to.

I love doing FE's so do not mind helping out!

Krisann (and yes I will sign up for group 3 too!)

 

[KrisannB]

My plane back to Norway is 10am, and we have to be at airport around 8am.

...and my big question is, what about breakfast??
Anywhere anything to eat on the ship, or we have to find something at the airport?

we did 2 things - one was to order some extra cereal and milk from the day before and keep them for that morning.

and we headed up to topsiders and grabbed something to eat before we headed out - it was a quickie breakfast but still something to eat - I was the last to get ready so I stayed behind and the family brought me some things to eat in the room.

 

[KrisannB]

LANYARDS!

I am stepping up and helping out Susan with the Lanyards. She is still doing the name tags for the FE groups but I, along with Bob(Zippety-Doo-Dah), are taking care of the lanyard part.

Bob is helping out with the ordering, layout and a great price – and I will be in charge of coordinating everything, from collecting money for them and setting up distribution system on the cruise and the name tags for those not in the FE group.


Here is what we would like to offer: Lanyards for everyone in our group! In order to do this I need to put together a lanyard team. The team would consists of people willing to help with the cost of the lanyards – this is much easier than everyone giving $2 or so. This has worked well on all the other cruises I have been on that we have had lanyards. The cost of the lanyards and printing of nametags, shipping, badges, etc. is going to be approximately $325 for 500 lanyards. I know we do not have that many people yet but since we are over 250 and we want to have extras for those who might come into the group late to be included, the cost is actually better to order more! And if we do have left overs they will be divided evenly with the lanyard team to give out to servers, CM’s, friends, ect. On the ship or to take home.

What we need is 13 people who are willing to donate a MAX of $25 – I say MAXIUM because if we have more people respond the cost will go down! So if 20 people say they are willing to donate the $25 then the total comes down to $16.50 per donation! So the more that are willing to donate the better!

Want to help? Here is what you need to do: email me (Krisann) at akblair@charter.net and let me know you want to be on the Lanyard team! I will let everyone know the next step is next week – so I will take team members until Monday. I will collect money one of 3 ways – you can send me a “gift” via paypal, bring me cash on the cruise or put an OBC on my account (using your credit card)

If you still want to donate but not the $25 please email me also and tell me the amount, and I will reduce the overall amount by that much for the rest of the group – so even if you want to just donate $5 we will take it!

Thanks in advance!

Krisann

 

[heatherb819]

http://www.orvis.com/store/product....m_mmc=Shopping.com*Prod_feeds*Prod_feeds*4489

Found a crossbody, slashproof bag for the cruise on sale for $24 if anyone is interested.

 

[sbassgva]

chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp...







Happy St. Patrick's Day

 

[kcashner]

DCL is handing out a lot of mixed info re flights...When I called to say "I'll have to wait till 30 days, right?" I was told they would be available at 60 days. When I tried to get them then, I was told it would be 45 days. Don't you wish they'd make up their minds.

And WHY can't I find the FE list just to double check it?

Breakfast on the last day is no problem. Last year they opened Topsiders early. They also had limited items in Rockin Bar D for those with flights leaving at 10 or before. The system in Barcelona was quite easy. They didn't weigh our carry ons.

 

[KrisannB]

DCL is handing out a lot of mixed info re flights...When I called to say "I'll have to wait till 30 days, right?" I was told they would be available at 60 days. When I tried to get them then, I was told it would be 45 days. Don't you wish they'd make up their minds.

And WHY can't I find the FE list just to double check it?

Breakfast on the last day is no problem. Last year they opened Topsiders early. They also had limited items in Rockin Bar D for those with flights leaving at 10 or before. The system in Barcelona was quite easy. They didn't weigh our carry ons.

I don't know why some of us have gotten our flights and others have not - I called Tuesday morning and they had mine and my MIL's (and she had only booked on Monday!) They gave me the info over the phone and I had them give me my confirmation number and went and plugged it into my skymiles account and everything showed up! I even changed all our seats on all our flights and requested the kids meals for the kids (still thinking I will request one for me too!)


For the FE information go to the first post on the first page - it has a link to the Google spreadsheet, then look across the bottom and you will see the FE's


Delta will not weigh the carryons - it is the European companies that do - that is one thing I am glad about flying Delta this time. after the EBTA last year we flew KLM and Air France (we went to Disneyland Paris) did weigh them and it was terrible! They were so picky and stuck to their guidelines.


I am glad to here Delta was there for the early flights. It will make things easier!

Krisann

 

[Symans3honeybees]

Do you think we will get to see the premiere showing of Pirate of the Caribbean 4 - 3D while onboard?? It's showing nationwide on 5/20.

 

[KrisannB]

Do you think we will get to see the premiere showing of Pirate of the Caribbean 4 - 3D while onboard?? It's showing nationwide on 5/20.

YES!!!! And it will be fun to see if they do something fun to celebrate this - maybe that will be pirate night????


Krisann

 

[Symans3honeybees]

YES!!!! And it will be fun to see if they do something fun to celebrate this - maybe that will be pirate night????


Krisann