May 26, 2007 (5/26/07) "First Magical Med Cruise!!" (The M&M's!)

[icunurse_celeste]

Celeste, that is what they all look like until 12:01 west coast time and then they all change. You can then start booking one at a time from your wish list. That's how it worked last week anyway. It was my first time booking this way so I'm hoping it looks the same this week.

Also, What kind of price did you get for your train back from Florence? I'm getting nothing every time I try to check a price on trenitalia. I can get the times, but not the prices. I'm torn between doing Florence and Pisa on our own by train or going on the very expensive trip via bus. Because of the train change in Pisa, it is about the same time, but I'm guessing about 1/8 of the cost. Plus we don't have to do the scheduled stops with DCL. Thoughts?

I can't take the train from Florence, DCL isn't going to let me get off of the ship in Rome. It's a long, long story and I'm finally going to give up...I have so, so many things in my life that need me attention right now.

I regards to Pisa/Florence- I am going to book a private trip with some of our fellow disers that will take us to Florence and then to Pisa via private car. It costs less than 100 Euro per person and it will allow us to see the David and the tower @ Pisa. I don't know why DCL didn't offer something like this? For the driver and getting back and forth- the money is worth it to me. I also think we will get around faster via vehicle than we would be bus or train.


You can't get prices or book tickets on Trenitalia until 60 days prior. To get an idea of prices, go to the same day of the week, a month from now. The price for a train from Florence to Rome or vice versa was between 33 E and 56 Euros depending on if you went second class or business class.

 

[padalyn]

Hey Celeste - I think Sue may have hit the nail on the head with the legal issue. Leaving the fold of the ship can present all types of issues for Disney I would guess.

About the phone issue - I suggest you do a lot more research. Two of my traveling companions had GSM phones in Ireland - according to the Irish carrier they should have worked, according to Cingular they should have worked - well they didn't!! They both tried all kinds of things to make it happen - at both ends without success.

I am going to tell everyone to use email as my contact - if it is life or death - they can phone the ship and leave a message on the room phone if I am out of the room. This is a life/death emergency only - otherwise - email me!

Since my grams is turning 101 next week - anything to do with her is a phone call of course

 

[icunurse_celeste]

Hey Celeste - I think Sue may have hit the nail on the head with the legal issue. Leaving the fold of the ship can present all types of issues for Disney I would guess.

I love being treated like the adult I am...

 

[milestogo]

Cayla, you must be very tired right now!

 

[winotracy]

All done! Got everything I wanted. Time to go back to bed.

Night

 

[misseulalie]

AAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

How can brunch be gone after 20 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????

Nothing!

I was lucky to snag a Tea and Dinner, but no bunch...something's not right... there can't be THAT many of us up at 3am!!

I got all my excursons..
I was even able to book my in-laws who have never sailed before, I guess they link them to us.

 

[Hygiene99]

Day 1 - Barcelona, Spain - Saturday, May 26, 2007
No Activities are reserved.

Day 2 - At Sea - Sunday, May 27, 2007
No Activities are reserved.

Day 3 - Palermo, Sicily - Monday, May 28, 2007
Palermo and Ballaro Market
PETER
JENNIFER
8:15AM 12:45PM

Day 4 - Naples, Italy (Pompeii) - Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Pompeii, Sorrento and Capri
PETER
JENNIFER
7:30AM 6:00PM

Day 5 - Olbia, Sardinia - Wednesday, May 30, 2007
No Activities are reserved.

Day 6 - Civitavecchia, Italy (Rome) - Thursday, May 31, 2007
No Activities are reserved. Taking the train with the Disers

Day 7 - At Sea - Friday, June 1, 2007
Palo Dinner
PETER
7:30PM 9:30PM

Day 8 - La Spezia, Italy (Florence, Pisa) - Saturday, June 2, 2007
Portofino and Santa Margherita
PETER
JENNIFER
8:00AM 4:30PM

Day 9 - Marseille, France - Sunday, June 3, 2007
Chateau Neuf Du Pape and Avignon
PETER
JENNIFER
8:30AM 5:00PM

Day 10 - Villefranche, France (Monte Carlo, Cannes, Nice) - Monday, June 4, 2007
Nice and Eze with Wine and Cheese
PETER
JENNIFER
1:45PM 6:15PM

Day 11 - At Sea - Tuesday, June 5, 2007
No Activities are reserved.

Day 12 - Barcelona, Spain - Wednesday, June 6, 2007
No Activities are reserved.

 

[renegade7]

Got everything booked. Good Night All!

 

[DisneySpirit]

Got all our excursion first choices and Palos reservations to boot!

 

[jeanneg]

Tracy: how come you had everything booked BEFORE 3am EST? TA privilege?

Misseulie: Sorry about not getting brunch.....it wasn't me! We prefer the dinner to brunch and I was able to get that for Tuesday (Naples), the day I wanted. I opted not to do it on a sea day since that's when they usually have special menus and didn't want to miss my lobster tails!

I only had one glitch with my excursions. It won't let me book anything for Naples day because I'm holding a dinner ressie for Palo that day. Does anyone know what time people will be manning the phones? Going back to bed right now. I'll post excursions later. P&J, don't think we have any together......I opted for the Sights of Palermo over the Ballero Market because we'd rather be out walking than on a bus. We may decide to switch and join you though. Other than that, everything is different.

 

[konslerg]

We got everything we wanted EXCEPT (1) Palo Brunch and (2) the beaucoup expensive Vatican tour, but we got the second best one, so I'm only a little upset with myself ;-)

Good Night all. Glad this night is over!

 

[milestogo]

I got everything we wanted, but apparently the Palo res crashed. I logged on and it showed a lot of choices but only dinners, I reserved then logged back on for a brunch and it said there were no availabilities for anything within one minute. So, I'm guessing it crashed. Ken, Bob, Cayla, How'd you do this time around?

BTW: it was me asking about fav. characters for those who couldn't remember.

 

[CONNIEOSCI]

I Got Everything I Wanted. Got Palo's Dinner And Brunch.
Connie

 

[jeanneg]

This is crazy......I was just looking through the excursions and there is very little left! That's totally impossible. Does DCL only release a certain percentage of excursions to the CC members? I was actually going to book my Palo dinner and go back to bed. I'm glad now that I didn't wait!

 

[poconoboatniks]

Good morning fellow night owls,

Got all of our excursions and will post them later.

I tried booking brunch ressies before 3:05 am and was shut out. I'll be on the phone at 8:00 am to try to get those ressies.

Pocono

 

[konslerg]

This is crazy......I was just looking through the excursions and there is very little left! That's totally impossible. Does DCL only release a certain percentage of excursions to the CC members? I was actually going to book my Palo dinner and go back to bed. I'm glad now that I didn't wait!

I would hope Disney holds some ressies back for the 75 day folks. It would really suck swampwater if this was your first Disney cruise and you couldn't get any of the good shore excursions. In fact, if I couldn't get at least some of the good excursions, I'd probably cancel my cruise if it was my first time.

 

[padalyn]

Cayla, you must be very tired right now!

Not really - went to a business function tonight - then home to play until 3am. We got all our ressy done, all Palo done and are headed to bed now; 4:45am - almost time to sleep

My comment to Celeste was based not in implying she is not able to handle herself. I simply was making an observation that someone else had commented the legal issue may be why she is hitting so many roadblocks in her attempts to stay off the ship for the couple of days.

 

[icunurse_celeste]

Not really - went to a business function tonight - then home to play until 3am. We got all our ressy done, all Palo done and are headed to bed now; 4:45am - almost time to sleep

My comment to Celeste was based not in implying she is not able to handle herself. I simply was making an observation that someone else had commented the legal issue may be why she is hitting so many roadblocks in her attempts to stay off the ship for the couple of days.

I didn't take it that way....really. It was meant as a comment to DCL- I'm an adult and REALLY, only I am responsible for myself. Doesn't the legal department make us sign all of those papers saying we have to get ourselves back to the boat and they aren't to be held responsible if we don't do so....so, why can't I not get myself back to the boat on purpose?? (It's not knowing me- to know how my sense of humor is. It's very, very dry. If you knew me- you'd know the comment was at them. )


It doesn't matter at this point- I've got other fish to fry. I will be on the boat going to high tea that day and working out with the personal trainer to get my frustrations out.

 

[icunurse_celeste]

www.kayak.com
you can pick your price range!
we have found some decent rates! for under $150.00

Forgot to mention I found my hotel room there for $76 with tax and it is 0.7 miles from the port. It won't be pretty, but I dont' care. I just need somewhere to sleep.



Peter- do you get to go to WDW with Jenn for the marathon or is it a girls only weekend thing? There could be a serious mini meet if the whole PC clan comes. T- wanna come walk? I'm doing the full!

 

[NejTheLion]

Got all the excursions and spa treatments we wanted. It looks like Barcelona was only listing the options for "Embarkation Day," and a DCL rep told me before that anything on May 25 should be available. I don't think it's likely that EVERYTHING on that day is booked already by the repo cruisers, so that's going to warrant a call. And if that doesn't work, we'll probably find a local excursion or two to do there, or just do things on our own.

Yeah, it looks like Palo was a little screwy. I've never booked this early before and just seen dinner options. And strange times at that! Only 6:00 and 6:30 - usually those main times go quicker than later dining times.

Will definitely be giving DCL a call to check on those things.

Jen