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

[kpros]

Happy New Years everyone!

Shari and our daughter spent the day yesterday putting flowers on some of the floats for the Rose Parade. They worked for about 10 hours on the Kaiser float. So when you see it, remember that a fellow Med cruiser helped put it together.

Ken

 

[NejTheLion]

Got back from the 10-night holiday cruise, which was awesome! I won a sketch of Cinderella from Don "Ducky" Williams, and we all had the rare opportunity to pass by the Wonder on Christmas Eve because of the unusual itinerary. We were all screaming our heads off, and both ships blew their whistle at each other.

While on the cruise, I took pictures for a scavenger hunt that we can all play on our med cruise.

Kpros - that's great to hear about the lanyards! We still use ours from the PC cruise. Best lanyards we've ever gotten - thin, lightweight, and soft.

Movies - How can they not show Pirates 3 as the movie prem-ear at sea? We'll be extremely disappointed if they don't. We're already wondering if it's opening in Spain on May 25 as well. We may go find a theater if it does!

Tours - I would assume that any tour includes a guide unless it says that the tour is unguided. Every Disney tour we've taken has had a guide.

 

[milestogo]

DisneySpirit: Man you guys have had a tough fall. I'm glad to hear that all is back on track. Our thoughts are with you on your loss.

NejTheLion: Boy is it a small world, I went to West Springfield High School, where are you from in Springfield? My mom still lives there.

 

[winotracy]

Tracy, please check if we are on your roster.

Tom and Lynn

Hi Tom and Lynn, you are on the list. Sorry for everything you went through in October. That sounds like too much, but glad things are turning around

 

[baileysgm]

Delta just changed the time of their BCN-JFK flight from afternoon to 10 am, which means there is no way we can make it. There was another flight that left a little after 1pm routing through ATL but as of yesterday it was overbooked and they won't isue anymore tickets. I bet that's the one that Disney is using. Seats will probably free up at the 90-day mark, but i'm not willing to wait that long. Kayak has a bunch of really good fares going through London (Gatwick), but whenever you try to purchase it, it's no longer available and the new price is over $1,000. Grrrrrrr.......
We positively CAN'T stay another day since this vacation is way too much time off for both of us. Between this and the high price of the excursions, I'm almost tempted to bail out. Delta says they will refund our non-refundable tickets since we'll be on a cruise ship and it's out of our control. dealing with airlines is not fun anymore. Sorry to vent, but right now I'm so frustrated.

My family of four is on that flight leaving at 10am and I just happened to find out about it...Delta did not notify me. Delta said they had 3 tickets on the 1:05 flight but we need four--no other options on Delta. I booked really early and will end up paying at least another $2000.00 to change flights. Disney is saying we can probably make the 10am flight since it's only 30 minutes before the deadline if we make sure to let guest services know when we board that we need to be on the first group out when we return. Does this sound workable? If we go through customs before we disembark do we have to go through again at the airport?Thanks for any help, I really don't know what to do now.

 

[littleowensmommy]

My family of four is on that flight leaving at 10am and I just happened to find out about it...Delta did not notify me. Delta said they had 3 tickets on the 1:05 flight but we need four--no other options on Delta. I booked really early and will end up paying at least another $2000.00 to change flights. Disney is saying we can probably make the 10am flight since it's only 30 minutes before the deadline if we make sure to let guest services know when we board that we need to be on the first group out when we return. Does this sound workable? If we go through customs before we disembark do we have to go through again at the airport?Thanks for any help, I really don't know what to do now.

I bet you'll be fine on the 10am flight. In my experience DCL always seems to give themselves plenty of cushion when they give a suggested departure time. Our Continental flight departs at 10:55am. It was originally scheduled for 11:10am but it too has since been moved up. I hope it doesn't change again. Would it be possible for you to stay an additional day in Barcelona and catch the Delta flight on the 7th? I think Delta should be more helpful to you as this is their fault. Good luck!

Kathy

 

[NejTheLion]

NejTheLion: Boy is it a small world, I went to West Springfield High School, where are you from in Springfield? My mom still lives there.

Hey! I went to Thomas Jefferson in Alexandria, but West Springfield is my local high school. Live off of Sydenstricker near the parkway.

 

[Hygiene99]

My family of four is on that flight leaving at 10am and I just happened to find out about it...Delta did not notify me. Delta said they had 3 tickets on the 1:05 flight but we need four--no other options on Delta. I booked really early and will end up paying at least another $2000.00 to change flights. Disney is saying we can probably make the 10am flight since it's only 30 minutes before the deadline if we make sure to let guest services know when we board that we need to be on the first group out when we return. Does this sound workable? If we go through customs before we disembark do we have to go through again at the airport?Thanks for any help, I really don't know what to do now.

I would just leave it !!
but that is me, just 2 adults! no family involved!

Hi NejTheLion

 

[milestogo]

baileysgm: Our flight options back to LAX all leave at 9:50am and DCL told me NO WAY! So, we've been trying to decide if we want to stay another night in Barcelona and take the next day flights or fly up to Paris for a couple of days since we've never been there. The flights at 9:50 are only $575 pp compared to $1072 that DCL offered us. We're making a decision today!!!

 

[renegade7]

My family of four is on that flight leaving at 10am and I just happened to find out about it...Delta did not notify me. Delta said they had 3 tickets on the 1:05 flight but we need four--no other options on Delta. I booked really early and will end up paying at least another $2000.00 to change flights. Disney is saying we can probably make the 10am flight since it's only 30 minutes before the deadline if we make sure to let guest services know when we board that we need to be on the first group out when we return. Does this sound workable? If we go through customs before we disembark do we have to go through again at the airport?Thanks for any help, I really don't know what to do now.

My father and I are on this flight as well. We can't change it as the later flight to ATL is sold out. Disney said flights after 10:30 but the way they read it to me sounded like if you were to do regular disembarking.

Are you using Dinsey transfers from the port to the airport? I am updating our travel information on the cruise site now.

BTW - I sent a complaint email to Delta about these time changes. I have had 2 flights in the last 3 months on Delta - they have all had time changes and 4 flight cancelations. I just hope they exisit come May.

 

[Hygiene99]

BTW - I sent a complaint email to Delta about these time changes. I have had 2 flights in the last 3 months on Delta - they have all had time changes and 4 flight cancelations. I just hope they exisit come May.

Not Very happy with Delta either!

They change another flight to a later departure time!!
70 minutes later!

After I called and told them this did not work for me!
They refused to cancel the non refundable flight, stating they would not refund the flight unless it was 90 minutes!

The reason it did not work for me is, Airtran had an air sale, and I could have gotten the flight I wanted for half the money !!
paid $130 delta Airtran $59 bucks.

Multiply that time 8 tickets

Just to let you know they make notes on there computer!!
Called like 4 times, one Agent said as you have been told before! No

 

[milestogo]

Ouch!!!!

 

[baileysgm]

My father and I are on this flight as well. We can't change it as the later flight to ATL is sold out. Disney said flights after 10:30 but the way they read it to me sounded like if you were to do regular disembarking.

Are you using Dinsey transfers from the port to the airport? I am updating our travel information on the cruise site now.

BTW - I sent a complaint email to Delta about these time changes. I have had 2 flights in the last 3 months on Delta - they have all had time changes and 4 flight cancelations. I just hope they exisit come May.

Thanks to everyone for their input. I am also really angry with Delta so I'm now waitlisted for air from Disney just to see what their price will be. After staying on hold for 25 minutes with Delta last night they did tell me they have 4 first class tickets on the 1pm flight...$1800 more but I'm tempted. Beats having to change everything plus beg for a refund and still have to pay out the nose to a different airline. I am using the Disney transfers from the ship to the airport...I'm thinking if I do end up staying with the 10am flight it will be quickest way to go.

 

[Hygiene99]

Thanks to everyone for their input. I am also really angry with Delta so I'm now waitlisted for air from Disney just to see what their price will be. After staying on hold for 25 minutes with Delta last night they did tell me they have 4 first class tickets on the 1pm flight...$1800 more but I'm tempted. Beats having to change everything plus beg for a refund and still have to pay out the nose to a different airline. I am using the Disney transfers from the ship to the airport...I'm thinking if I do end up staying with the 10am flight it will be quickest way to go.

YIKES, that is a large chunck of extra cash!!

Maybe it will change again?

 

[renegade7]

Maybe it will change again?

The Delta agent I spoke with said more than likely it will change again. However, we don't know if it will be for the worst or better.

Anyone else who is flying on this Delta flight, I urge you to use their online comment form to complain about this time change. Maybe if there are enough of us they will push it forward to 10:30.

I am going to play it by ear and wait and see... Not sure there is much more that we can do with out paying through the nose.

 

[NejTheLion]

I think we finally have our flights nailed down. We have enough air miles with United to get us business class to Barcelona. Unfortunately, we have to fly out of Newark (we live near DC), and it's using TAP Portugal through Lisbon. I used to live in NYC, so taking the train to Newark is very familiar and pretty easy. I haven't heard the best things about TAP, but we will be in their top executive seating rather than economy, and that looks to be okay. I figure we just need to smile and think about the money we're saving, even though it's not ideal.

 

[milestogo]

Does this sound a little odd to anyone? Too good to be true? I’m trying to look at ways to go to Paris for a couple of days after the cruise then gets back to LAX and I found:

Spanair to CDG $139
Air India LTD to Newark $383 Has anyone every heard of this airline? Do we fly like Fred Flintstone on the wing?
Continental to LAX $174
Total $696

Thoughts?

 

[kpros]

Hi Everyone

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am still working on a t-shirt design for the first med cruise. I had a little trouble with Disney over the design of the Eastbound Repo t-shirt so I had to rethink the first med cruise design. I should be getting close.

Ken

 

[Hygiene99]

Hi Everyone

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am still working on a t-shirt design for the first med cruise. I had a little trouble with Disney over the design of the Eastbound Repo t-shirt so I had to rethink the first med cruise design. I should be getting close.

Ken

Thanks Ken...

Hugs to the Marathon girl!

 

[kpros]

Hi Everyone

I received my sample T-shirt from Cafepress with the repo design. I'm very happy with the results. Cafepress uses a printing process instead of a heat transfer process so the image looked great.

If you go to www.cafepress.com/firstmedcruise you will find lots of different items with the logo. I have put the logo on the front of all the shirts except for one. On that one, I've put a small logo on the front and a large logo on the back. If you would like to have the logo on the back of some of the other shirts, or if you know of some other styles that are not included in the store, please let me know. While I can't have two different layouts on the same shirt in the store, I can open another store with a different layout on the same shirt i.e. image on the front in one store and image on the back in the other store.

The sample shirt I received is a standard Hanes t-shirt. I have no idea about the quality of the other shirts. So please don't hold me accountable for them. Thanks.

One final item - Some of you know that each year I ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles in support of the Arthritis Foundation. The point of the ride is to raise money for the Arthritis Foundation. I'm trying to raise $10,000 this year. I've now starting my fundraising campaign for the year. I hope no one minds, but I've marked up each item by $.50 with the money going to the Arthritis Foundation. I don't make any profit from these shirts - only the $.50 that goes to the Arthritis Foundation.

This is the first time that I've done t-shirts for a cruise, so I hope everyone likes them. But please don't think that I'm trying to force this design on anyone. If someone else has an idea for a design, please go for it. The whole idea of this cruise is to have fun!

Ken