May 28, 2011 - 11 Night Mediterranean Sailing from Barcelona

[kcashner]

By the way, I got a really nice letter from Disney Cruise Line yesterday telling me that we won't be visiting Tunis but Palermo. Not exactly breaking news anymore

But anyway, it's always nice to get mail from DCL!

Yesterday? I thought they were far behind when I got the letter about 2 weeks ago!

OK....I will spend less time on line and more time getting something accomplished. I will repeat this statement at least 10 times each day.

 

[DopeyFan1966]

A couple little tidbits of information:

If anyone is interested in sitting together during the cruise you can PM each other with your reservation numbers and then contact Disney and request that you are seated at the same table.

If you have been on the Magic before and you really liked your waiter from the last time you can contact Disney with your reservation number and request the same waiter, if you can remember their name.

There is a mandatory life boat drill at 1600 (4pm). They do take roll call for each section, not sure what will happen if you don't show up.

You can take your own alcohol on the ship, but it has to be in your carry on. Though the drinks on board are reasonable. You can buy a beer mug for about $15.00 and get if refilled for the price of a smaller beer. If you do not want to carry your mug around, you give it to the bartender and he/she will give you a beer chip to get another one later. Then you have a souvenir.

DON'T FORGET YOUR SUNSCREEN. Bring a light jacket or sweater sometimes it is chilly on the upper deck in the evening.

Buy extra batteries for you camera, if you have a rechargeable battery, bring two so you always have a charged battery. Bring extra memory cards for your camera.

Photos are expensive on the cruise. You can buy small packages and pick and choose which photos you want. If you pick a photo and then want to get a different one, you can turn in the one you picked and take the new one. Not positive, but I think if you can take your camera to the photo booth they will put your photos on a CD, for a small fee.

When I think of more I will post them. Those of you who have been on the Magic before, please post other tidbits for those who haven't been to help them out.

Thanks,

Cindy

 

[annichan]

A couple little tidbits of information:

If anyone is interested in sitting together during the cruise you can PM each other with your reservation numbers and then contact Disney and request that you are seated at the same table.

If you have been on the Magic before and you really liked your waiter from the last time you can contact Disney with your reservation number and request the same waiter, if you can remember their name.

There is a mandatory life boat drill at 1600 (4pm). They do take roll call for each section, not sure what will happen if you don't show up.

You can take your own alcohol on the ship, but it has to be in your carry on. Though the drinks on board are reasonable. You can buy a beer mug for about $15.00 and get if refilled for the price of a smaller beer. If you do not want to carry your mug around, you give it to the bartender and he/she will give you a beer chip to get another one later. Then you have a souvenir.

DON'T FORGET YOUR SUNSCREEN. Bring a light jacket or sweater sometimes it is chilly on the upper deck in the evening.

Buy extra batteries for you camera, if you have a rechargeable battery, bring two so you always have a charged battery. Bring extra memory cards for your camera.

Photos are expensive on the cruise. You can buy small packages and pick and choose which photos you want. If you pick a photo and then want to get a different one, you can turn in the one you picked and take the new one. Not positive, but I think if you can take your camera to the photo booth they will put your photos on a CD, for a small fee.

When I think of more I will post them. Those of you who have been on the Magic before, please post other tidbits for those who haven't been to help them out.

Thanks,

Cindy

Thanks for all the tips! I thought of two more things that really came in handy for our first cruise last October. I know they have been mentioned heaps of times on the DIS but I hope you seasoned pros will forgive me for repeating them yet again for any newcomers:

- The best advice ever was to bring an over-the-door shoe holder with many small compartments. We hung it over our bathroom doors (fit perfectly) and didn't use it for shoes but rather for all the small stuff you don't want flying around, camera cable, seasickness tablets, tissues, waterproof camera, pen and paper, lanyards ... Really helped keeping our cabin look tidy, and not spend too much time looking for things.

- Bring some kind of lanyard to wear around your neck, you can put your room / charging key card in there and won't need to carry a purse everywhere you go. (Only if this is your first DCL cruise - if you have taken a cruise with them before, you will be given a lanyard as a present anyway).

 

[disneymom13176]

I have booked private tours for all Italy stops. I have openings for up to 3 people at each location. I also have added private guides for the Vatican and Pompeii. If you are interested please send me a message and I will send you details and pricing.

- Civitavecchia - Full day in Rome seeing all of the main sites with private guide for the Vatican.

- Naples - Heading to Capri, Sorrento and Pompeii. Private guide scheduled for Pompeii visit.

- Palermo - Visiting Cefalu’, Monreale, and Palermo.

- La Spezia - Visiting Pisa and Florence.

These private tours allow you to see so much more of the country than the Disney tours. Splitting with my party of 5 also makes this very cost effective with the benefits of a private tour.

Feel free to PM me with any questions or thoughts.

Thanks!
Amy

 

[kaceyisme]

Our Palermo tour is now full. Thanks!

 

[livelovelaugh06]

Just wanted to make sure I don't miss anyone for the FEs. Are there really only 14 families (including ourselves)?
Rachelle

 

[DopeyFan1966]

As of right now, those 14 are the only ones that have expressed interest in participating in the FEs.

DON'T FORGET EVERYONE THAT THE CUTOFF TO JOIN THE FE IS 31 MARCH.

Cindy

 

[DopeyFan1966]

Our Palermo tour is now full. Thanks!

adjusted it on the website and is now under closed tours.

So happy that you got all your tours full......it is so much fun going with people you have been talking too for a while rather than getting on a bus with 40 - 50 people that are somewhat strangers. You also get more out of your experience because you can actually hear what you guide is telling you, you aren't rushed from one spot to the other, and you don't have to worry about loosing your crowd.

Can't wait to meet all of you.....in 82 days

 

[kaceyisme]

adjusted it on the website and is now under closed tours.

So happy that you got all your tours full......it is so much fun going with people you have been talking too for a while rather than getting on a bus with 40 - 50 people that are somewhat strangers. You also get more out of your experience because you can actually hear what you guide is telling you, you aren't rushed from one spot to the other, and you don't have to worry about loosing your crowd.

Can't wait to meet all of you.....in 82 days

Thanks Cindy!

I was so nervous planning all of the tours, and wondering if anyone would join! In the beginning it was so slow, and all of a sudden we were full! I totally agree about having smaller groups. I will probably never take another ship's tour again! The only ship's tour we have booked for this cruise is the "Florence on Your Own" which technically shouldn't be too much of a cattle call once we get there.

I can't believe its only 82 days!! Can't wait to meet everyone too!

 

[Mog's Mom]

Just wanted to make sure I don't miss anyone for the FEs. Are there really only 14 families (including ourselves)?
Rachelle

We'd love to know what this means, what's involved in participating, etc. Please enlighten us!

 

[Mog's Mom]

Some of our own tidbits learned from past cruises...

- Get some heavy duty suction cup hooks, (check amazon.com for "Heavy-Double-Locking-Suction-Hooks"). We put them on mirrors, windows, and other smooth surfaces to hang hats, lanyards, etc.

- Reading lights + spare batteries!

- magnetic whiteboard + markers

- FRS radios for use ashore

- If you like the sound of more than one main course on the menu... order both! Same goes for deserts. If you don't eat it, it's just going to the fishes anyway... If you like something that's NOT on the menu - ask! (I've enjoyed a couple of great Indian dinners over the years, with a couple of days' notice.)

- Unless you want the same drinks every day, let your server know you want some variety. Otherwise, they'll do their best to anticipate you... by giving you what you ordered yesterday.

- (from our kids You can never eat too much Mickey Ice Cream.

It's getting close!

The Binghams

 

[livelovelaugh06]

We'd love to know what this means, what's involved in participating, etc. Please enlighten us!

Well, this will be our first time doing this so if I am missing anything, will someone please jump in? Those cabins that are on the FE (fish extender, named for the metal fish outside of the cabin doors) list will hang a cubbie type thing from the fish, and others on the fish extender list will drop off a "little" gift in the cubbie sometime during the cruise. Ideas that I have seen include, candy, bookmarks, homemade CD's of where people are from, stickers, pirate items, little notebooks, pencils, etc. I think it is like secret santa.

You can make your FE or purchase one one ebay, here is the link http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=fish+extender

Also, you can google fish extender for some gift ideas.

Rachelle

 

[RaglanRoad]

There is so much good advice on here and I really cant believe we are getting so close. Its exciting to think its almost here but now will be time to start making that list of things not to forget!

 

[DopeyFan1966]

If anyone is interested, htmlkid (Glenn) has offered to create a design for our cruise. After he has created it, I will post it on the website. If anyone would like to have the design on a t-shirt or any other shirt they have please PM me or him. He has offered to bring the design with him on iron-on transfers.

All you will have to do is bring the shirt you want the design on with you. Then get the iron-on from him and go to the laundry room and iron it onto your shirt.

Glenn has told me that there will be no charge for the iron-on if you want one. I for one am going to get 3 from him for us. We like collecting t-shirts for all the things we do.

Cindy

 

[disney_bob]

Wife and I just booked! Late comers to the party I know

First cruise for me and first out-of-country experience for the both of us.
Both from the Chicago area.

Rob - 26
Lindsay - 23

 

[Maltese5]

Welcome to the cruise Bob & Lindsay! You will have a great time.

 

[Maltese5]

All of our Private Tours are now full.

 

[kaceyisme]

All of our Private Tours are now full.

That's a great feeling!!

Wife and I just booked! Late comers to the party I know

First cruise for me and first out-of-country experience for the both of us.
Both from the Chicago area.

Rob - 26
Lindsay - 23

Welcome!

 

[kcashner]

Re the above long post of hints--

What happens if you don't show up for the mandatory safety drill is that you get a really nasty letter from the Captain. No, I didn't get one, but I have seen one.

There are huge long threads of tips and hints on the regular boards. My suggestion for this one would be that this cruise is very "port intensive" and there can be a lot of walking in the ports. Start getting in shape now! The good thing about the walking is that it allows you to enjoy the food without the guilt.

 

[Halo]

Just flagging that there is a strike threat to Spanish Airports, which could cause major travel disruption.

The dates given for the strikes are:

April 20, 21, 24, 25 and 30;

May 2, 14, 15, 19 and 20;

June 13, 23 and 30;

July 1, 2, 3, 4, 15 and 31; and

August 1, 15 and 31.


There's a good article on it here from a British newspaper.

Most of us on this cruise will, I think, miss the strike, but anyone planning to arrive earlier or leave later could be impacted.

It's only a threat at the moment, as negotiations will continue to seek to resolve the issue, but better to be prepared than not.









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