May Med Magic - May 15 2010 - Meet thread

[amackay]

We just tried to book Brunch & High Tea. No availability at all. I guess we'll have to try our luck on the ship.

 

[peterpanstout]

grrrrr...so angry! the site is getting slammed. I logged in, got the excursion my son was dying for, then it logged me off. I tried to log back in and it says to try again in 20 minutes! WHAT!!!! Never seen that happen! Wonder if it saved it....

Sorry about your Palo.

 

[Travelbee]

Very strange because there's no openings for dinner either. I can't believe all 11 nights of dinner is gone within 5 minutes!

 

[Prinny27]

Well, we got all the excursions we wanted, and got Palo on our anniversary, but not until 9 pm. And same here - nothing for tea, which I was really looking forward to. Guess we'll have to try on the ship. Couldn't get any spots for a massage, either. The slots were all booked until late in the evening. Can you go when you board the ship to see if they have openings, or is it genearlly what they say online is what they're booked for?

 

[sayhello]

I got Palo dinner for the 23rd, but there were no teas or brunches available. (Good thing I have a backup! Thanks, jedijill!!) There were quite a few dinner spots open before I got tossed out.

I got tossed out twice. The system is definitely having some issues.

Sayhello

 

[Pinmeister]

We were not able to get brunch or tea either....able to get Palo on the 23rd.

 

[peterpanstout]

still can't get in....

 

[sayhello]

It just let me back in, and there are lots of dinner slots open for Palo.

Sayhello

 

[trampslady]

Darn it! I'm Silver Castaway Club, but no Palo brunch was available when we booked just over a week ago. So, here I am awake trying to book, and NOTHING! The same dinner availability as we've seen for a week or so. Oh well........

 

[abdmom]

I got all my shore excursions and my 2 spa appointments. Yippee! The system took my first two shore excursions and then wouldn't let me back on until 12:50. Grr. I'm going to bed now. I have to get up in 5.5 hours. I don't do well on that little sleep.

 

[tripodjw]

Sorry to hear everyone else was struggling too, although i'm kinda glad i wasn't the only one.

Having woken up early to do it i was starting to get paranoid (in my rather tired early morning state) that it was me.

They have some serious problems i can't believe that no Diser from today would have been able to get Bruncj or Tea.

I was planning on getting to port early anyway so will try onboard for Palo (like amackay said above).

Prinny27 - They make spa appointments onboard aswell. Not sure if they save them specifically like Palo - but they definately do bookings onboard (Rockin Bar D same place as the Palo ressies on embarkation day)

Wish i could go back to bed now (just lay awake fuming after not getting a brunch booking), but heigh ho its off to work...

 

[tripodjw]

Interestingly i popped over to the 24 April 11 night Med cruise thread. They had the same problems booking Palo especially but also system problems for spa/excursions.

Seems like DCL have a few bugs in the system.

As to Palo brunch/tea availability i'm wondering if the problems are a product of the change to castaway club levels. I reckon DCL release the same amount of reservations for booking online but that they are available at 105 days to concierge, platinum and gold members - whereas before only concierge could get in at 105 days. I think that means that all or virtualy all brunch/tea slots re being taken up by gold&platinum members and no more are made available at 90 and 75 days. it would explain why you can log in within seconds and find no availability.

I'm all for giving some priority to repeat customers but this seems an easy way of ticking off future repeat cruisers.

 

[ebony]

Hi everyone.
We are really moving up the posts now as the cruise gets closer.
Tried once again for Palo Brunch and High Tea with no luck .
Looks like there is going to be a big queue on embarkment day.

I have see that a lot of you have booked organised tours, have any of you ever done Rome on your own ?.
Myself and Carl are thinking about getting the train into Rome and then using the subway or even buses to get around. We just want to see a few of the main sites.
Disney has got an excursion wherby a coach drives you to Rome and you do your own thing while you are there, but I think its expensive just for a lift !.

So has anyone done Rome on their own or are thinking about it ?.

Jan

 

[tripodjw]

Hi everyone.
We are really moving up the posts now as the cruise gets closer.
Tried once again for Palo Brunch and High Tea with no luck .
Looks like there is going to be a big queue on embarkment day.

I have see that a lot of you have booked organised tours, have any of you ever done Rome on your own ?.
Myself and Carl are thinking about getting the train into Rome and then using the subway or even buses to get around. We just want to see a few of the main sites.
Disney has got an excursion wherby a coach drives you to Rome and you do your own thing while you are there, but I think its expensive just for a lift !.

So has anyone done Rome on their own or are thinking about it ?.

Jan

I have done the Rome in a day on your own from a cruise ship before. I was only a teenager and travelling with my parents so don’t know costs and can’t remember what time we left ship and arrived back but we did do it on the bus from the ship (equivalent to DCL’s Rome on Your Own). Doing the majority of the sights in one day is perfectly feasible – I seem to remember we walked everywhere and saw most of the main sights.

Cruisecritic is quite good for info on getting to Rome by yourself. I understand it is actually fairly simple by train although I’ve not done that particular journey. My previous experience of Italian trains elsewhere in Italy has always been very good (clean, quick, spacious, efficient and on-time) especially when compared to British trains.

 

[Welsh Girl]

We did Rome a couple of years ago and were dropped off very close to the Coleseum and lots of other sights are all within walking distance. I looked at the excursions this morning and am shocked by how much they want just for a lift!! We have been to all the places before and so are looking forward to just relaxing on the ship most of the time. We do want to go to the beach but the price for just a lift is unbelievable so might just try and get taxi?
Natalie

Hi everyone.
We are really moving up the posts now as the cruise gets closer.
Tried once again for Palo Brunch and High Tea with no luck .
Looks like there is going to be a big queue on embarkment day.

I have see that a lot of you have booked organised tours, have any of you ever done Rome on your own ?.
Myself and Carl are thinking about getting the train into Rome and then using the subway or even buses to get around. We just want to see a few of the main sites.
Disney has got an excursion wherby a coach drives you to Rome and you do your own thing while you are there, but I think its expensive just for a lift !.

So has anyone done Rome on their own or are thinking about it ?.

Jan

 

[Prinny27]

Sorry to hear everyone else was struggling too, although i'm kinda glad i wasn't the only one.

Having woken up early to do it i was starting to get paranoid (in my rather tired early morning state) that it was me.

They have some serious problems i can't believe that no Diser from today would have been able to get Bruncj or Tea.

I was planning on getting to port early anyway so will try onboard for Palo (like amackay said above).

Prinny27 - They make spa appointments onboard aswell. Not sure if they save them specifically like Palo - but they definately do bookings onboard (Rockin Bar D same place as the Palo ressies on embarkation day)

Wish i could go back to bed now (just lay awake fuming after not getting a brunch booking), but heigh ho its off to work...

Okay, good, I'm glad to hear it! There were spots available, but either for late at night or when we'd be on an excursion. I'll make sure I get in this line on embarkation day, and have DH in the Palo line to try and get high tea.

Oh, in case anyone is still looking to do a tour in La Spezia I have 3 spots still available in my tour with Pleasant Travel. We're touring Pompeii, and then we'll be doing the Amalfi Coast drive stopping in Amalfi, Positano, and anywhere else we have time for, and also doing a limoncello spot. Our guide is from that area, so he's going to show us all the 'good' spots. Just PM me if you're interested!

 

[k8e]

Did Rome on our own a couple years ago. It was quite simple taking the train into the city. You can buy a BIRG ticket, with which the subway is included (so it's one ticket for all the public transit you'll use). We saw a lot--Vatican City, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, The Pantheon, the Colesseum and Roman Forum. When I went in 2008 we were in port for 12 hrs. For this cruise I believe it's a little over 13, which should help.

Be advised that if you take the train back to Civitavecchia from the Termini station in Rome that the train leave from a platform kinda far back in the train station (it's a pretty huge station). We stopped to buy gelato at this place in the train station and ended up having to run to make our train as we didn't know this.

There is quite of information abour getting into Rome from the port at the cruisecritic boards.

Hi everyone.
We are really moving up the posts now as the cruise gets closer.
Tried once again for Palo Brunch and High Tea with no luck .
Looks like there is going to be a big queue on embarkment day.

I have see that a lot of you have booked organised tours, have any of you ever done Rome on your own ?.
Myself and Carl are thinking about getting the train into Rome and then using the subway or even buses to get around. We just want to see a few of the main sites.
Disney has got an excursion wherby a coach drives you to Rome and you do your own thing while you are there, but I think its expensive just for a lift !.

So has anyone done Rome on their own or are thinking about it ?.

Jan

 

[Crusin Momo]

tripodjw,

First of all, thanks for putting the info on page 1 of this thread. It's the best anyone can do with these types of threads and I appreciate your taking the time to do the updating.

Unfortunately, unless everyone was keeping up with all the posts, they wouldn't know to look there. Anyway, the page is set up! Here's the link. I'm not finished but it's close enough for people to take a look at.

http://5-15-10-medcruisers.weebly.com/

Wow the web site is great! Love the fire works picture and the pirates! Here is our info:
DG Rhonda 58, DG Dave 60, DD Amanda 31, DSon-in-law Jake 31, DGD Payton 5, DGS Tyler 9 mo. Early seating. Thanks for all your hard work.

 

[jenandmartin]

Hi everyone.
We are really moving up the posts now as the cruise gets closer.
Tried once again for Palo Brunch and High Tea with no luck .
Looks like there is going to be a big queue on embarkment day.

I have see that a lot of you have booked organised tours, have any of you ever done Rome on your own ?.
Myself and Carl are thinking about getting the train into Rome and then using the subway or even buses to get around. We just want to see a few of the main sites.
Disney has got an excursion wherby a coach drives you to Rome and you do your own thing while you are there, but I think its expensive just for a lift !.

So has anyone done Rome on their own or are thinking about it ?.

Jan

DH and I are probably going to Rome by train. I think he wants to skip the city and go to the countryside (we've been to Rome before) but I really love the city and it looks like it should be very easy to go by train on your own. There's a good website about it but I need 2 more posts to send links so...

 

[jenandmartin]

...sorry...trying to meet post quota...by the way..I logged in right at midnight and there were no brunch or tea options available...what's worse, they didn't have the only Malta excursion I really really wanted (Blue Grotto) so I'm bummed