May 5, 2010 Magic of Barcelona

[Goofy Mum]

@Goofymum



How do you know you pay less taxes than those that live in the USA?
Can I ask how much taxes you're paying for this trip?

Hi. I don't know how much it was supposed to be. The DCL agent just said it's discounted because I'm not a US resident. I'm paying $121.60 all together for taxes and cruise fees. Not bad considering I would pay about that price or more for tax and charges for a flight back to the US.

 

[sabrecmc]

I'd love to go to a beach in the Med one day so if anyone has suggestions on which day and how to do that I'd appreciate it.

We would like to do a beach trip as well, just to say we've been swimming in the Med, I suppose (we live on the Gulf in Florida). However, and here's where my prude shows, I've noticed that the beach excursions I've looked at include a warning about people possibly going topless or nude. I don't have a problem with that, but I'm not thrilled about having my 4 year see that. Maybe I'm being too American, but there you go. If anyone has any thoughts on the best excursion for avoiding or lessening that, I'd love to hear them!

 

[cj'smom]

Yes, topless or even nude beaches are pretty common in Europe.
Funny story - "CJ" was asking if we could PLEASE go to a beach on this cruise...I said I would love to but would have to warn her about something and explained about girls not wearing their bathing suit tops. She said, "oh, that changes my mind". Then, when I told her that some people go completely nude, she exclaimed - "That's disgusting! I think I would throw up if I saw that."

I'd be OK with the topless ones but not with the nude. Of course, I'd really prefer a more modest beach where people keep tops and bottoms on. I wonder if the beaches in Malta or Tunisia would be more modest?

 

[sabrecmc]

I wonder if the beaches in Malta or Tunisia would be more modest?

I think it was the Tunisia beach excursion that did not have that warning. I don't remember about Malta. I just really wanted to go to Carthage! I mean, I can do a beach excursion anytime...I'm still thinking we might do the Corsica beach excursion and take our chances. Maybe in early May, people won't be so inclined to let it all hang out???

 

[Goofy Mum]

I used to worry about the topless beach issue with my sons also. They'll be 5, 8, and 12 when we set sail. But what you have to understand about living in Europe (EU) Is there's nudity all around us. Naked rear-ends on TV so much you don't even blink anymore and after 9pm nearly anything goes. Topless, topless and more topless and LANGUAGE. Even in some of our newspapers there's "page 3 girls" who are just topless women posing. Dare I say my kids have become desesitized about nudity
So since we live in the EU I decided not to shelter them about it because chances are this is where they're going to live for the rest of their lives. But for folks living in the US/Canada I can undersand your plight.
As for nude beaches...they're few and far between and they're reserved for 'naturalists' only. I'm not sure but I think it may be illegal to go nude on a public beach. I never heard of it anyway.

 

[fitnessmouse]

@ Goofymum,
Thanks. I'll ask my TA if she knows anything about that.

@ sabrecmc
I've been to Tunesia about 20 years ago, when i was a teenager and topless sunbathing was allowed even then. I do believe that nowadays, people are more aware about the dangers of sunburn and keep more covered up.

Nude beaches are something completely different and usually are seperate sections of the beaches. I don't think you'll "accidentally" be at a nude beach.

 

[downtick]

I am booking my airfare today...$641pp rt to barcelona...going 5 days early too to check out barcelona...all the major airlines are around $900pp, we are going on air europa..wanted to use frequent flyer miles, but of course AA raises the amount required from 40k to 60k round trip way ahead of the time they are suppose to!

 

[Goofy Mum]

It's a shame I can't give someone my AA miles. I have nearly 11,000 that are probably going to expire pretty soon. I've never used air miles in my life!

 

[downtick]

who cares about topless...we go to miami beach, it is EVERYWHERE here, and i mean EVERYWHERE...i am more worried about the thieves trying to pick pocket you..i know about this personally in rome! luckily i grabbed the gypsy and pushed her down to the ground..any of these people approach you, get away from them as fast as possible.

 

[downtick]

oh you can, i will take them!! i only have to pay AA to transfer the miles from your acct to mine!!

 

[Goofy Mum]

oh you can, i will take them!! i only have to pay AA to transfer the miles from your acct to mine!!

Well they're yours if you want them.

 

[sabrecmc]

Nude beaches are something completely different and usually are seperate sections of the beaches. I don't think you'll "accidentally" be at a nude beach.

Thanks fitnessmouse, that is kind of what I was hoping to hear! I honestly don't have a problem with it myself. Goofymum, I lived in London during school and have been to Europe many times...I hear you on becoming desensitized! It is all over the place and much more out in the open than over here. And, actually, I find the European mentality refreshing for the most part...but I find that I have different standards for my 4 year old!

Downtick, that's a great fare. I'm finding prices holding steady around $900-1000 for us, but I have about $2000 in Amex points to use to bring the cost down. We're not near a major airport, so we will have to travel to a hub somewhere. Still hoping maybe a fare sale will happen within the next month or so.

 

[downtick]

Well they're yours if you want them.

i am calling AA now to see what is involved..thanks!

I called.. AA wants $150 to transfer 10k to 15k miles...how many miles do you have exactly, do you even know?

thanks

 

[sabrecmc]

EasyJet sale: Not sure if this would help anyone else, but I was able to book our intra-Europe flights for our pre-cruise travel on EasyJet today and they were having a great sale. I got our one-way Paris to Pisa tickets for 28.99 Euros each...wowsers! I wish we had those kind of prices stateside!

 

[downtick]

sabrecmc, how did you rack up 1k in OBC's? that's pretty good..

 

[sabrecmc]

I had a $400 OBC from Disney for booking onboard (plus 20% off) and $500 from my TA. Then we got the $100 per person OBC and we have 3 people in our room. That really helped with the cost, since we're in a cat 4.

that is nice of your TA! Mine didn't give me a penny..i only get $50 for using a disney credit card. How did you book on board? on a previous cruise

Yes, you have to book while actually on a cruise to take advantage of the special onboard deals. Usually its 10% off, but they were running a special promotion back when I cruised in September. You couldn't combine it with the Kids Sail Free, but it still worked out slightly better for us, though only by a little bit. If you plan on cruising again, it is smart to rebook onboard, even if you don't know the exact date. You can always transfer that booking to whatever booking you decide on and keep the discount.

My TA is Dreams Unlimited, and I love them (and their OBCs!). I think I will also get the $50 Disney Visa OBC and $25 online booking OBC...forgot about those.

 

[downtick]

I wish I knew of Dreams Unlimited before I booked! However, I got lucky with my TA and disney messed up my reservation and gave me the KFO offer by accident for cat 12, so even though I did not get the 250 OBC, i saved 1k off the price!

 

[sayhello]

I wish I knew of Dreams Unlimited before I booked! However, I got lucky with my TA and disney messed up my reservation and gave me the KFO offer by accident for cat 12, so even though I did not get the 250 OBC, i saved 1k off the price!

I thought on the other thread you said you badgered Disney into giving you the KFO discount along with your cat 12 even though they said you couldn't do it. Not quite the same as Disney messed up & accidentally gave it to you.

Sayhello

 

[sabrecmc]

Well, however you got your deal, you're still paying a lot less than me, even with OBCs. That's ok, though. We really wanted a verandah room and the extra space of a cat 4, since its 10 nights of living there. Plus, I'm anal about noise and night and wanted a quiet room. We're under the spa, so I'm hoping that will be relatively quiet at night. I really didn't want to be under the pool. I'm bringing a noise machine (bet security will love that). It did help last time.

I'm pleased with the deal we got and the OBCs certainly help. I'd rather talk about excursions and formal nights and captain's galas and such than money, though I'm glad so many got good deals.

I didn't get to eat at Animator's Palate last time...my daughter desperately needed a nap, so we just grabbed a quick snack and let her sleep while my mom and aunt went to dinner. I'm really excited to try that.

I did a spa treatment last time and it was a really good deal onboard. Way better than booking it in advance. I was thinking maybe they'd run some good specials on this cruise for the spa since its so port intensive. Fingers crossed, anyway.

On a totally different note, I was reading that the Medina in Tunis was kind of yucky...as someone else mentioned, skeevy men, haggling, not so clean...now I'm rethinking that tour. They also offer a Carthage and Sid Bou Said excursion that might be more our speed. Anyone actually been there? I hate to trust the Internets (ha!) and miss something, but I'll have my 60 year old mom and 4 year old daughter in tow. Maybe I should just do a beach day there and forget Carthage. Just not sure when I'd ever make it back to see it though. Will it just be overshadowed by Pompeii anyway? Feb. 4th seems just around the corner all of a sudden!

When is everyone thinking of doing Palo? I was thinking of perhaps the Corsica night...that should be a short day for us. When is Mothers' Day? That might be nice for something special, but I wouldn't want a Mothers' Day dinner without my daughter!

Can't wait to see Twice Charmed and Disney Dreams. My daughter is obsessed with Anne Marie and Peter Pan. If they'd sell that DVD, I'd buy it in a heartbeat! She just loved that show.

 

[downtick]

well, it was one of the two...i am starting to think it was disney that messed up, but my travel agent was the one working the deal, so the combination of the mix up between the two got me the deal, not quite sure which, but who cares..i am in with kfo.