May 28, 2011 - 11 Night Mediterranean Sailing from Barcelona

[kaceyisme]

DopeyFan1966
Can you please add us to your Roll Call on the website?

Shirley
Peter
Matthew (16)
Late Dining
Celebrating 20th Anniversary

Also can you please add our tours to the Private Tours section? We are looking for 3 more people to share these tours with us in each port.

Naples - RomeCabs
Rome - RomeCabs
LaSpezia - RomeinLimo
Villefranche - TBD (working on it)

Thanks!
Shirley

Shirley - what's your tour like for La Spezia? We planned to book with DCL, but I would be interested in hearing about what you have planned. As you know, we are four people, so I don't know if you have room for four

Karen

 

[annichan]

Is this something you booked on your own or is it a Disney excursion? I really haven't looked at the excursions since last year. And if you booked it yourself, how are you getting there from the port?

Yes, we booked it on our own on maltaticket.com, it is not a Disney-led excursion. I got the idea here, where another Disney cruiser tells about how they went there: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2538173

As I have been to Malta before and know how easy it is to get around with buses, I immediately thought this was a good idea so I booked the tickets, but I admit I haven't researched the exact transport options until a minute ago

This is what I have just come up with (from a Fodors forum):
"Take Bus #11 or 12 or 13 from Valetta to Paola.
From the main square in Paola (by the bus stop) go uphill (it's a slight incline) about three blocks and turn right on Cemetery Street (Triq ic-Cimiterju). Watch for the Hypogeum sign on the wall with an arrow so you know which street to turn down. The Hypogeum is on the right side. The tour is 1 hour. "

 

[kaceyisme]

Yes, we booked it on our own on maltaticket.com, it is not a Disney-led excursion. I got the idea here, where another Disney cruiser tells about how they went there: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2538173

Thanks for this great info! I booked us for the 11:00 tour. We will take a cab there and probably get the bus back.

Karen

 

[Maltese5]

Hi Karen,
We are looking to do a private tour out of LaSpezia because we want to visit Pisa and Florence and thought this would be the best use of our time there. We can book a larger vehicle if you decide to join us. That is not a problem. They have an 8 passenger van that would work. Let me know what you think.

Shirley


This day excursion is designed for those who wish to enjoy the highlights of PISA and FLORENCE.

You will be greeted at the Port of La Spezia, and will make your way to the small city of Pisa. Here you will spend a portion of your morning at the Leaning Tower and the main square. Continuing on along the scenic route in the Tuscan countryside, before arriving at the Renaissance city of Florence.

You will explore the Church of Santa Croce, the Duomo and Baptistery, the Ponte Vecchio, the Pitti Palace, and the Piazza of Michelangelo prior to lunch. Moving on, you will stop at the Accademia*, which houses Michelangelo’s famous sculpture of David. The day will conclude at the Uffizi Gallery* and you will be returned to the Port of La Spezia.

 

[Yvet]

I'd really like info on Pompeii/Vesuvius. Anyone know about doing it on your own?

Going from the port to Pompeï is pretty simple.
You can look here for information how to get from Naples to Pompeï:
http://www.europeportreviews.com/Naples5.htm
The way this is explained makes it simple for everybody to do it on your own.
Prices are maybe outdated but it gives you an idea.

On the same site there is more info on the other ports.

 

[kaceyisme]

Hi Karen,
We are looking to do a private tour out of LaSpezia because we want to visit Pisa and Florence and thought this would be the best use of our time there. We can book a larger vehicle if you decide to join us. That is not a problem. They have an 8 passenger van that would work. Let me know what you think.

Shirley


This day excursion is designed for those who wish to enjoy the highlights of PISA and FLORENCE.

You will be greeted at the Port of La Spezia, and will make your way to the small city of Pisa. Here you will spend a portion of your morning at the Leaning Tower and the main square. Continuing on along the scenic route in the Tuscan countryside, before arriving at the Renaissance city of Florence.

You will explore the Church of Santa Croce, the Duomo and Baptistery, the Ponte Vecchio, the Pitti Palace, and the Piazza of Michelangelo prior to lunch. Moving on, you will stop at the Accademia*, which houses Michelangelo’s famous sculpture of David. The day will conclude at the Uffizi Gallery* and you will be returned to the Port of La Spezia.

Hi Shirley - What was their quote, and would they get advance tickets to David?

 

[Maltese5]

Karen,
Looks like we would need to do an 8 passenger van which should be 700euro. I sent them an email to ask your question about tickets for David. Will let you know. That is important for us as well!
I noticed you are in Long Island. How is the weather up there now? I am in the Dallas, Texas area and we have about 2-3 inches of ice and snow today. Winds are howling at 40-50 mph! Crazy! I feel bad for all the people here for the SuperBowl this week!
Will let you know as soon as I hear back from the tour operator.
Shirley

 

[kaceyisme]

Karen,
Looks like we would need to do an 8 passenger van which should be 700euro. I sent them an email to ask your question about tickets for David. Will let you know. That is important for us as well!
I noticed you are in Long Island. How is the weather up there now? I am in the Dallas, Texas area and we have about 2-3 inches of ice and snow today. Winds are howling at 40-50 mph! Crazy! I feel bad for all the people here for the SuperBowl this week!
Will let you know as soon as I hear back from the tour operator.
Shirley

Thanks Shirley. I have been in touch with a tour guide that my parents have used twice. Here is what he sent me in an e-mail :

"From la Spezia to Florence, the quote
2-4 passengers,Euro 470in total
5-7 passengers Euro 550in total
8 passengers Euro 630 in total"

He said he can get us the David tickets in advance. As much as I would want to visit Pisa, I think we would wait until another trip. I think it would be too much to do in one day.

The weather here is AWFUL!!! Today we are experiencing every aspect of terrible winter weather at once - including snow, ice and freezing rain. I can't stand it anymore!!!

Karen

 

[Maltese5]

Hi Karen,
The tour company replied already and confirmed that they can do tickets to David in advance for us. We are wanting to see Pisa too and feel by doing a private tour we can do a little more that day. Let me know if you want to join us. If not, I understand.

I know you guys have had terrible weather up there. My in-laws are in Connecticut and they have "record" snowfalls already! I don't think I could live there! It is suppose to be 35 by Friday here but then Saturday and Sunday back into the 50's! Yea! In Texas they say if you don't like the weather today, just wait until tomorrow. It changes so quickly here.

Let me know on the tour.

Shirley

PS..who is the company you have worked with before in LaSpezia?

 

[micknstang]

Shirley,

We would be willing to do the Florence/Pisa thing with ya.

 

[kaceyisme]

Shirley,

We would be willing to do the Florence/Pisa thing with ya.

Guys, definitely go ahead and plan with Shirley (if she has the room) because we decided not to do Florence on our own. We are nervous about it being a tender port and not being able to get early tender tickets to get off in time. They will definitely get all the DCL tours off on the earlier tenders.

 

[Maltese5]

Micknstang
If you would like to join us on the LaSpezia tour of Pisa and Florence let me know. How many are in your group?
We are just the three of us (2 adults and 1 son (16)).
We also have tours planned in Naples & Rome if you are interested. I can't PM yet since I don't yet have 10 posts but I should be close to that now.

I noticed you are in Allen, TX. We are live in Southlake! Don't you love this weather?

Let me know what you think.

Shirley

 

[micknstang]

there is 2 in our party and we are ok on the other tours. We signed up with karen on those....sorry i think mother nature is upset at something. this weather sucks. I have not been able to get out for the past 2 days.

 

[Canadian_Koda]

Hey everyone,

I'm Rachel (25), and my mum and I will be on the cruise in stateroom 6303 with the late dinner seating. We were planning on doing a Disney Excursion in Rome but after reading some of your comments and looking it up online we would be interesting in speaking with you Shirley about joining you. Talk to you soon.

Rachel

 

[Maltese5]

Rachel,
We are happy to add you and your Mum on our Rome tour.
We are visiting all the major sites and doing a "private tour guide" in the Vatican. We can increase or decrease our numbers so right now with the two of you we would have 5 people going.
We still have room for 3.
We will need to purchase our tickets in advance for the Vatican and also the Colosseum.
You can email me directly at cwtravel@me.com since you cannot send a PM yet.
Shirley

 

[Canadian_Koda]

Thanks Shirley,

I sent you an e-mail, let me know if you don't get it.

Rachel

 

[Marymom]

Hi Everyone!

After doing some planning this week, this cruise is becoming more real! I have the family's appointment booked for our passports next week. I have made a reservation for the Novotel Barcelona City before the cruise and sent in our reservation for tours in Rome and Florence with DriverinRome.com. My credit card has taken a beating this week. Just to let you know, I contacted 3 tour groups and all 3 e-mailed me back that they were available. Hope this helps.
Mary

 

[micknstang]

Disney has canceled Tunis and new port of call is Palermo

 

[DaisyKate]

We're planning on going to DLP after the cruise. I noticed some of you guys are too. How are you planning on getting from Barcelona to Paris? This will be our first time in Europe so we're a little inexperienced. Thanks!

 

[micknstang]

we are planning to fly there land at CDG and take the train to DLP I think we will purchase our tickets for the train prior to leaving state side