May Med Magic - May 15 2010 - Meet thread

[MPS516]

we have 2 spots left on our Pompeii, Sorrento and Positano tour in Naples, here is the full description:
http://www.benvenutolimos.com/se_detail.asp?ExcCode=NA4

and our Florence and Pisa tour out of La Spezia
http://www.benvenutolimos.com/se_detail.asp?ExcCode=LS2

If you are interested in joining our group PM or e-mail me and I will explain the pricing.

Rome tour is now full

 

[abird]

Anyone out there that still needs a flight to BCN? Vayama.com has great deals....I'm soooo frustrated that I didn't wait. (Can't get a refund now) RT air from Louisville to BCN is $492/pp.....total $519 w/tax & fees/pp.!!!! I would have had to stay an extra night (which you have to) but with that savings who cares!!! The dates were 5/12/10-5/27/10. I need to quit looking and making myself crazy!!!!

 

[Picket Fence]

we have 2 spots left on our Pompeii, Sorrento and Positano tour in Naples, here is the full description:
and our Florence and Pisa tour out of La Spezia


If you are interested in joining our group PM or e-mail me and I will explain the pricing.

Rome tour is now full

Hi Mike,

Thank you for your message we have actually made plans for Naples and in La Spezia; we are thinking about just doing or own thing. If something changes we will let you know.

Thank you,

Jamie

 

[Jeff Spencer]

Anyone out there that still needs a flight to BCN? Vayama.com has great deals....I'm soooo frustrated that I didn't wait. (Can't get a refund now) RT air from Louisville to BCN is $492/pp.....total $519 w/tax & fees/pp.!!!! I would have had to stay an extra night (which you have to) but with that savings who cares!!! The dates were 5/12/10-5/27/10. I need to quit looking and making myself crazy!!!!

Don't second guess yourself...the fares could just as easily have gone up. Hindsight is always 20/20. Here you go.

 

[Florida Princess]

Hello Fellow Cruisers !!!!
We have some good news today---

We have 2 more Cruisers joining us !!! They are Jean and Nate (my Aunt and Uncle) and they also have a GTY cabin and late seating dinner !

Additionally, we all booked our air last evening-----Tampa to Barcelona via Philadelphia ! Went down to $622 (total price) and we decided to just go for it !!! We are set to go now--hotel , air and the Disney Magic!!!

Jeff--fantastic job on the website !!!!

 

[Jeff Spencer]

So are you named after your aunt or is that just a coincidence? Congratulations on the airfare and thanks for the kind words on the website. I'm actually quite enjoying putting it together.

 

[nanaguide]

Jeff, The currency converter is the BEST!!! Thanks so much. I can stop using all my little post-it notes figuring out how much I'm really spending.

 

[JoeUK]

Hi,

I've been reading these boards for the last couple of months, and thought it was about time I signed up and posted!

I'm Joe (19) and GF Jess (18). Cat 12 GTY , Late Seating.

Booked on DCL tours : Tunis - 4x4 Jeep Adventure, Naples - Pompeii Half Day, Citavecchia - Jumping back into Eternal Rome, La Spezia - Pisa Climb the tower and Villefranche - Highlights of Monaco and Monte Carlo.

Flying in from Doncaster Sheffield on the 14th.

Wonder what the American / European split will be like on the ship? Sorry if I've missed it but what are peoplpe doing regarding currency in Tunisia?

 

[Florida Princess]

Jeff---yes I was named after her----guess my Family lacked originality way back then---seems like most of us were named after an "elder" relative !!! Funny thing is we both have had to go thru life as Big Jean and Little Jean----LOL !!!!!

 

[JoeUK]

Just a bit of info, I had to check with Disney what dinner seating we were on as we booked through a TA and didnt get told and I got this response:

And, I am happy to confirm that you will have second dining, which
will begin at 8:30 pm, and it gives you plenty of time to enjoy the
amazing Mediterranean ports. We are unable to provide you with
your dining rotation as it is finalized by the day of sailing. You will
find your dining tickets with your seating times, table assignment, and
rotation schedule in your stateroom on embarkation day.

I saw someone guessing what times dinner seating would be, so hope this helps.

Thanks Joe

 

[Jeff Spencer]

Jeff---yes I was named after her----guess my Family lacked originality way back then---seems like most of us were named after an "elder" relative !!! Funny thing is we both have had to go thru life as Big Jean and Little Jean----LOL !!!!!

My mom told me I was named after a soap opera character.

JoeUK: Welcome to the cruise! Thanks for the confirmation on the late seating time. Sounds like it'll be the same as 2007, with Early Seating at 6:00 pm and Late Seating at 8:30 pm. On the American/European split, I've included in the Roll Call listing on the web page where people are from who've provided that information. Doing a quick count (may not be exact) there are 9 staterooms for Europeans (including yourself), 30 for Americans, 23 staterooms where no location has been specified and 2 from Canada.

 

[tripodjw]

My mom told me I was named after a soap opera character.

JoeUK: Welcome to the cruise! Thanks for the confirmation on the late seating time. Sounds like it'll be the same as 2007, with Early Seating at 6:00 pm and Late Seating at 8:30 pm. On the American/European split, I've included in the Roll Call listing on the web page where people are from who've provided that information. Doing a quick count (may not be exact) there are 9 staterooms for Europeans (including yourself), 30 for Americans, 23 staterooms where no location has been specified and 2 from Canada.

My feeling follows on from Jeff's maths. There'll still be a majority of Americans with a handful of Europeans (mostly Brits).

When we cruised DCL last year, we met a cast member who was from nottingham (like us) and he said that there were around 25 staterooms with Brits in (of which coincidentally there were two other families from nottingham).

And that was with basically no publiicty in the UK.

This year there's much more publicity (with Virgin selling the cruises, and i've seen them on the sky travel programme) so i think there will be many more Euroepans than last yr - but still not a huge number, as the recent deals have still only been made available direct from DCL and through US travel agents. I reckon maybe 25% non north americans (so 75% US and Canada)

As to currency in Tunisia - I am not bothering. Tunisia is a closed currency so you aren't supposed to be able to get it outside Tunisia. I'm doing a DCL excursion so don't need to pay taxi drivers etc. (actually this was one of the reasons i chose to do a DCL excursion in Tunis so i didn't need to worry about the odd-one out currency)

I've read that round Tunis many (but not all) places accept dollars or euros - so hopefully anything i might want i can make do with my other currencies.

Joe - which part of Nottngham are you from? We're Bramcote.

 

[tripodjw]

I have been messing (very basic) with photoshop tonight and here are a few cruise disigns.

Jeff - please feel free to put them up on the website.

Everyone is welcome to use them - you should be able to download the original sizes by following the flickr links (and choosing "all sizes")embedded in the pics:

 

[snackyx]

Crusin Momo,

There are no tour companies that provide tours for all ports; however, there are a number of well-reviewed tour companies that provide tours in multiple ports (typically Italian ports). Ones that I have found:

Rudy's Touring Service (http://www.rome-car-tours.com/tours.htm)

Rome In Limo (http://www.romeinlimo.com/)

Limo In Rome (http://www.limoinrome.com/)

All Around Italy (http://www.allarounditaly.net/)

Easy Italy Tours (http://www.easitalytours.com/)

Pleasant Travel (http://www.pleasantravel.com/tours_excursions.htm)

For private tours in Villefranche:

Dream Tours (http://www.dream-tours.com/)

Revelation Tours (http://www.revelation-tours.com/)

For private tours in Malta and Tunisia:

Malta Tours (http://www.touringmalta.com/malta_shore_excursions.htm)

Hope this helps.

Does anybody know what is "customary" for tipping at the end of a full day tour?

 

[jubes]

I want to go to the beach here as well. I have 2 kids 8 and 6. If you get any info on the taxi's or anything let me know

Natalie

Did you check out the info that Jeff Spencer placed a link for back on page 51? I looked at it and we have decided that it is definitely an option to beach it on your own. It looks like with a little planning it will be fairly easy.

 

[jenandmartin]

I have been messing (very basic) with photoshop tonight and here are a few cruise disigns.

Jeff - please feel free to put them up on the website.

Everyone is welcome to use them - you should be able to download the original sizes by following the flickr links (and choosing "all sizes")embedded in the pics:

[/IMG][/URL]

These are awesome, Thanks!!!

 

[Jeff Spencer]

Does anybody know what is "customary" for tipping at the end of a full day tour?

Hi snackyx,

Tipping in Europe is not as customary as it is in the US. After reading a lot of threads about it on cruise critic I concluded that a tip of 10% for excellent service is plenty.

 

[Pinmeister]

Hi,

I've been reading these boards for the last couple of months, and thought it was about time I signed up and posted!

I'm Joe (19) and GF Jess (18). Cat 12 GTY , Late Seating.

Booked on DCL tours : Tunis - 4x4 Jeep Adventure, Naples - Pompeii Half Day, Citavecchia - Jumping back into Eternal Rome, La Spezia - Pisa Climb the tower and Villefranche - Highlights of Monaco and Monte Carlo.

Flying in from Doncaster Sheffield on the 14th.

Wonder what the American / European split will be like on the ship? Sorry if I've missed it but what are peoplpe doing regarding currency in Tunisia?

Hi Joe,
I wondered the same about the currency for Tunisia. Living in the US things might be different for you.
I wanted to exchange dollars for Dinars. I called Travelex and they told me that it was illegal to have Tunisian currency. They do not deal in it. I was also told that currency can be exchanged in port but to exchange only what I would use in country as if found out any Tunisian Dinars would be confiscated once out of country.
Hope this helps.
Frank

 

[Jeff Spencer]

I have been messing (very basic) with photoshop tonight and here are a few cruise disigns.

Jeff - please feel free to put them up on the website.

Done! Those will be cool to use for door magnet decorations.

 

[Jeff Spencer]

Hi Joe,
I wondered the same about the currency for Tunisia. Living in the US things might be different for you.
I wanted to exchange dollars for Dinars. I called Travelex and they told me that it was illegal to have Tunisian currency. They do not deal in it. I was also told that currency can be exchanged in port but to exchange only what I would use in country as if found out any Tunisian Dinars would be confiscated once out of country.
Hope this helps.
Frank

I'm skirting the problem by taking our one and only DCL tour in Tunisia.
However, from what I've read on cruise critic, people that are doing it themselves get dinars out of nearby ATMs. From what I understand, the Bardo Museum for example only takes Tunisian currency.