May Med Magic - May 15 2010 - Meet thread

[sarahgirl]

Finally got my trip all set. I had looked into many different options this trip as I think it will be a once in a lifetime opportunity and I've decided that I'm going to be going on a Contiki 12 night tour right after I get done with the cruise. The airfare doesnt look to be too much more and I'll be flying out to London as soon as I get done with the cruise on Aug 26th. Im really excited because this tour will include the places that I am dying to go to but are too far inland that you have to do a land tour. Best of all there is no overlap from where we are going on the cruise. So after I get through with this 11 night cruise I am hitting: London, Amersterdam, the Rhine Valley, Munich, Tyrol Austria, Venice, Lucerne (Swiss Alps) and finishing up my tour and my trip of a lifetime in Paris. I am so excited!!! Best of all I got this trip for less than Im paying for my disney cruise at $1234.

In other news I'm still looking for a good price on airfare and checking out different websites about 10x a day (yes it has become like a job to me).

Also still checking out different hotels to stay at in Barcelona the night before.

Right now I'm looking at doing mostly halfday excursions (except for Rome and Pompeii) and just doing my own thing for Corisica and Malta.

This week starts the beginning of the biggest saving adventure that I have ever done. Wish me luck!

 

[Jeff Spencer]

We've decided to do the cruise after all and just have my son's diploma mailed to him after graduation.

Regarding the tours, we'll be coordinating private tours in Malta, La Spezia (Florence), Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples and Villefranche. What I do is check into the various cruise discussion boards, TripAdvisor and other resources to find out the tours that are the top rated by fellow cruisers and then contact the tour companies directly to check their availability and prices. We also plan to use the many of the same companies and guides we LOVED on this cruise 3 years ago.

Regarding private tours, what we've found is that we get to see much more on these tours for the same amount of money (or much less) than cruise ship tours. Also, we're typically a group of 4 to 8 riding in a nice van with a personal guide versus 40-50 riding in a bus.

We're leaving Wednesday to drive down to WDW to run in the Disney World marathon. I'm going to start setting up tours when we return. I'll post what we've arranged here to see if any of you are interested in joining us. Happy New Year!

 

[Florida Princess]

Jeff
Glad to hear that you are aboard !!!! Now that the holidays are over it's serious planning time for us !!!
Glad to hear you are doing the Disney Marathon !! My husband did the 6K
Race for the Taste (I did only the 3K !) and the 13K Terror of Tower Race in October. He has signed up for the half marathon in Oct. 2010----
The weather has been cool so hopefully by next weekend it will be perfect race weather !!!
Have a safe trip and enjoy your disney stay !!!!

Jean

 

[IndyDisneyFan]

We've decided to do the cruise after all and just have my son's diploma mailed to him after graduation.

Regarding the tours, we'll be coordinating private tours in Malta, La Spezia (Florence), Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples and Villefranche. What I do is check into the various cruise discussion boards, TripAdvisor and other resources to find out the tours that are the top rated by fellow cruisers and then contact the tour companies directly to check their availability and prices. We also plan to use the many of the same companies and guides we LOVED on this cruise 3 years ago.

Regarding private tours, what we've found is that we get to see much more on these tours for the same amount of money (or much less) than cruise ship tours. Also, we're typically a group of 4 to 8 riding in a nice van with a personal guide versus 40-50 riding in a bus.

We're leaving Wednesday to drive down to WDW to run in the Disney World marathon. I'm going to start setting up tours when we return. I'll post what we've arranged here to see if any of you are interested in joining us. Happy New Year!

Jeff,

Wow, I wish that I had the time to do so much research! We are definitely interested in finding out more about your tours. Thanks for including us, and good luck in the marathon!

Laura

 

[Foo Family - Canada]

Hello Jeff,

Yes, thanks for the info on the private tours. We'd be interested as well in finding and/or joining these tours if there is space availability.
Best of luck in the marathon.

Also, any guidance in the hotel situation? Challenge is to get 4 to a single room without paying at least $400U.S./night....!

 

[Travelbee]

We've decided to do the cruise after all and just have my son's diploma mailed to him after graduation.

Regarding the tours, we'll be coordinating private tours in Malta, La Spezia (Florence), Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples and Villefranche. What I do is check into the various cruise discussion boards, TripAdvisor and other resources to find out the tours that are the top rated by fellow cruisers and then contact the tour companies directly to check their availability and prices. We also plan to use the many of the same companies and guides we LOVED on this cruise 3 years ago.

Regarding private tours, what we've found is that we get to see much more on these tours for the same amount of money (or much less) than cruise ship tours. Also, we're typically a group of 4 to 8 riding in a nice van with a personal guide versus 40-50 riding in a bus.

We're leaving Wednesday to drive down to WDW to run in the Disney World marathon. I'm going to start setting up tours when we return. I'll post what we've arranged here to see if any of you are interested in joining us. Happy New Year!

I guess a free trip to the mediterrean is a pretty cool graduation gift! We'd also be interesting in private tours so please do share your research. We're traveling with another family, so there'll be 7 of us and probably enough to do a tour on our own. But we can probably use the same companies?! And good luck with the marathon.

Hello Jeff,
Also, any guidance in the hotel situation? Challenge is to get 4 to a single room without paying at least $400U.S./night....!

Ditto.

 

[Jeff Spencer]

As most of you who have been looking for hotels have determined, finding rooms for two or even three isn't a problem; however, accommodations for four is a problem for most European hotel rooms, which tend to be on the smaller side anyway. I checked into various apartments and sublets but could not find any willing to book for a single night.

On our trip in 2007, we booked a triple room (my son Brian didn't make the 2007 trip as he was taking classes that summer) at the Regencia Colon Hotel and liked it, so I booked two double rooms there for our party of 4 for this trip. Total cost, including the 7% VAT tax, was 135 Euro per room.

 

[jojo6617]

Hi guys
We have just booked this one, where from north england in the UK, i'm really looking forward to it. there will be myself joanne age 40 hubby michael 42 and son perrys age 12.
regards joanne

 

[sayhello]

Hi, everyone! I am now officially booked on this cruise! I'm also doing the ABD add-on. Looking forward to getting to know folks & share info & planning & stuff!

Traveling solo, Cat 12 GTY
Late seating
Celebrating my birthday in Villefranche/Monaco!

Sayhello

 

[hawky7]

We cancelled this cruise yesterday, I just can't make it work. And I only had till the 15th to cancel. I'd have to take an unpaid week off of work, then with airfares being outrageous, I just can't justify it, BUT I'm keeping hope that maybe just make airfares will drop SOOO low, I could rebook. Doubtful, but a girls gotta dream right?? Anyways, I hope you all have an amazing time, I'm staying on this thread, just IN CASE something changes!!

 

[pilar7]

Traveling with my husband (Miguel Angel) and our son (aged 3).
Late seating.

 

[abdmom]

I've got the hotel booked, the airfare purchased and as of this a.m., I've got Rome in Limo booked for Rome and Pompeii. Shoot, I just realized I've got most of the planning done. I just have to wait until shore excursions open up.

 

[sayhello]

I've got the hotel booked, the airfare purchased and as of this a.m., I've got Rome in Limo booked for Rome and Pompeii. Shoot, I just realized I've got most of the planning done. I just have to wait until shore excursions open up.

Congrats, abdmom! I have the hotel booked, but no airfare yet. If it doesn't go down soon, I'm buying it anyways. I'm not good at waiting for that kind of thing. I'd rather get the flights I want.

Sayhello

 

[abdmom]

Congrats, abdmom! I have the hotel booked, but no airfare yet. If it doesn't go down soon, I'm buying it anyways. I'm not good at waiting for that kind of thing. I'd rather get the flights I want.

I hear you. I got good times and aircraft, except for perhaps the timing of the return. I got a good price too. I get totally OCD when I'm looking for airline flights though. I was spending waaay too much time checking airfare websites.

 

[nanaguide]

Hi Jeff, I'm sure you and Susan are asleep - good luck tomorrow! I can't believe how cold it is here in Orlando. The runners this morning said it was sleeting at 6. You are brave souls!!! I worried even more about you two in your camper - I hope it has a heater. We spent the day at Epcot in Innoventions to stay warm and we had no trouble getting on Soarin. The crowds were thin after the race.

We are sailing on the 5/15 Med trip. If you have room on your private excursions please keep us in mind. I read your entire blog from your 2007 trip and I was impressed with your tours. So please add us to your list if there is room. If not - maybe you will share your sources so we can book with the same companies. This will be our 6th Disney cruise. We did the transatlantic in 2007 - absolutely loved it! I cried when we got off the ship. We are flying in a day early so we can do Montersatt - that was the biggie we missed last time. Cruising will be my husband, Carl, and I (Anna).

 

[Florida Princess]

Jeff and Susan---just saw live broadcast from the Marathon !! Hope you had a safe, good race !!!! Having Donald and Goffy at the finish line was very cute !!! When my Husband did the 13K in Oct. they had Chip and Dale at the finish !!!

NanaGuide---my Niece flew down this weekend (from New Jersey) to go to the parks. She drove down here Friday night for dinner and laughed at how we were bundled up !!!
Did you get your air yet ? I am still searching for that "deal" --maybe this week !!!!
Stay warm and maybe we'll hit 60 degrees later this week---LOL !!!!!

 

[twf999]

Our family is going on a different Med cruise and I have been combing your Meet for ideas. Great ones!

Does anyone have a reasonably priced hotel booked in Barcelona that will accomodate a family of 5?

Thanks

 

[abdmom]

Well, at 450 Euros, I wouldn't necessarily call it reasonably priced, but the Renaissance Barcelona Airport Hotel has 2 bedroom suites that will accomodate 5.

 

[IndyDisneyFan]

Well, with the final payment due on this cruise we did some number crunching and decided to cancel. With the dollar to euro exchange being terrible, the cost of airfare and hotel accomodations, and the fact that we can do a 7 night eastern plus spend a week at WDW with dining for less than the price of our cabin alone we are doing that instead next month. We will explore the option again for next summer. Hope that everyone has a wonderful time (how can you not!) and I will be checking out your trip reports when you return!

Laura

 

[sayhello]

So I bought my plane ticket today! OMG, I'm really doing this!

It probably wasn't the best price in the world, but I'm visiting Israel after the cruise, and their weren't a whole lot of options. I wanted to buy before my options dried up.

Now all I have to do is actually pay for the cruise!

Sayhello