Sept 18 2010 WB TransAtlantic Pirates/Capt Jacks Re-Repoing Repossession Cruise Pt.3

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Thanks Mrs. Mork and Krista!!! Mrs. Mork - looks like we were both on the WB PC 2008 cruise. I love the repositioning cruises - more bang for my buck. I may even book the Los Angeles-Vancouver repo cruise in 4/11. The prices for this cruise are great.

You should totally do it.
I'm not saying that because I'm biased, AT ALL! (haha- we're on the Vancouver repo cruise 4/11 b2b with the first Alaska cruise)

nope, not biased at all. hehe

shucks- I read back a few pages and it seems others are using USairways... so maybe I should just bite the bullet and go with the cheapest way to fly. We'd be on the same time/742 flight- but it would be on the 14th.

What do those using USair for that flight time/etc. plan on doing from 8 something in the morning until check in time where they are staying? I'm curious what we'll do for like 6hrs lugging our luggage around with us.......

Someone mentioned insurance after mentioning non-refundable... but insurance would only pay if you couldn't go on the trip at all for medical/etc. reasons- right? It won't cover you if you've paid for the flight and then the airlines goes bankrupt or something like that, right? That's the only thing I'm really worried about. Didn't that happen to some people who booked already thru some other airline and just lost the money when it went bankrupt before they flew?

 

[paulasillars]

Well I did it... I booked my flights so I'm now flying direct to Barcelona - 33 hours with brief stops in Sydney, somewhere between Sydney and London (Heathrow) and then onto Barcelona.

Robert is going to go about 10 days earlier and than me and visit with his sister in the UK and he will arrive the day after me in Barcelona.

Mum will also go to the UK a few days before me and to visit her family and then travel on the same flight as Robert to Barcelona.

I have just been looking at accommodation and I like the look of the Praktik Rumbla too so have emailed asking them about a triple room which some of the third party booking sites offer but they don't seem to list them on their booking engine? Odd... might end up with a single and double room in that case.

So what else to do? I have booked my travel insurance, Robert needs to do his once his flights are confirmed (mine are done). Need to modify our DVC booking in the 7 month window and then book the MCO/LAX flight and thats about it... just waiting, waiting, waiting

 

[LittleDisneyLovers]

I think you forgot Moro bars! They are delicious!



LOL we don't tip our taxi drivers at all here in New Zealand - you pay the exact amount on the meter and they give change - I'd better look this one up!



:

Oh Yes, Moro bars, Yummo! Similar to our Mars bar right?

I know, the whole tipping thing is mind blowing! Why can't they just a price and thats it, It is so hard to get your mind around it. And remember to factor it into all your budgets!

 

[woody73]

I know, the whole tipping thing is mind blowing! Why can't they just a price and thats it, It is so hard to get your mind around it.

Don' forget to add the sales tax.

When our European friends visit, they are taken aback when we go to a restaurant. Start with the price of the meal. Add 9.75% tax. Then tip 15-20%.

It can be very confusing.

Woody

 

[TotallyAngelic]

Well, took the plunge and booked the hotel room for Friday night before the cruise! Joining the praktik ramblas group!!

I've been stalking flights from Washington DC to Barcelona, but they've been about $1000 or more for the one way trip, which was the same that DCL wanted, unless I went through a consolidator.

Imagine how excited I was this morning when my fare alert said USAir had dropped the price to $371! ($401 after taxes.) So for $1600, I got our 4 tix, with just one stop in the US just like I wanted! Woo Hoo!!

Thats an excellent price for your flights and a great feeling to have it all booked.

Congrats!
What a great price! Looks like prices are moving down now.

I have noticed that too .... maybe should have held on for a bit longer and ended up with a better deal

book my airfare today and hotel. $459.00 for direct flight to Barcelona from Philadelphia on us air. We are staying at Praktik. It look like the dis boarder are taking over both hotels, One thing we should look in to is maybe renting a bus to take us to the port instead of us all taking taxis, since both hotels are 6 blocks apart.


Stephen

Another excellent flight price ( definitely should have waited ) and
more DISers at the Praktik Rambla ..... I didn't realise it was such a big hotel !!!



Talking of flights has anyone ever flown with United Airways and do they have a good reputation / seat back TVs etc ???? We booked with BMI but obviously they code share as our flight info states we are flying with United Airways from Orlando to Washington DC and then onto Heathrow in London.
Actually it doesn't really matter what the reputation is as I am stuck with them ..... non-refundable flights but it would be good to be forewarned if anything is lacking.

 

[woody73]

In '09, we flew on United from L.A. to Sydney, and Vancouver to L.A.

The flights were fine and ontime. The planes had seatback TVs. Meals were just okay.

We would fly with United again.

Woody

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I have just been looking at accommodation and I like the look of the Praktik Rumbla too so have emailed asking them about a triple room which some of the third party booking sites offer but they don't seem to list them on their booking engine? Odd... might end up with a single and double room in that case.

So what else to do? I have booked my travel insurance, Robert needs to do his once his flights are confirmed (mine are done). Need to modify our DVC booking in the 7 month window and then book the MCO/LAX flight and thats about it... just waiting, waiting, waiting

Are all 3 adults?
I can tell you that when we originally were looking at Praktik that I emailed them about this (and they emailed back very promptly) and they said that there would be a free extra bed or cot for a 3rd person that is under age 12. If your 3rd person is over age 12, email them and see? That might have just been the response I was given because I asked if we booked 2 rooms for our family of 5, if the 3rd child could be in one of the rooms with us.

I went ahead and booked our flights as well. I just couldn't resist the price- it's $2320 less than what we had booked with Disney!
ended up total for one-way (1 stop) to BCN and one-way (nonstop) back to DFW afterwards total was $552 each!
Not too shabby- considering we've paid over $350 for roundtrip simply DFW/MCO for previous vacations before (generally $250+ each flight, but yeah- once it was $350 each and x5 people was quite hard to swallow LOL)

(we booked with USair on the way there- booked thru USairways and AA on the way home- booked thru travelocity. I checked on airfare.com and it was slightly more expensive there even for the exact same flights)

Well, accomodations and flight booked- on to the next thing..... transportation/etc. LOL

 

[TotallyAngelic]

In '09, we flew on United from L.A. to Sydney, and Vancouver to L.A.

The flights were fine and ontime. The planes had seatback TVs. Meals were just okay.

We would fly with United again.

Woody

Thanks Woody I am not too worried about the meals as the long flight is overnight and I don't really eat on those flights, and we will probably pick up something in the airport when we transfer flights. I do rely on the seatback TV though, to distract me from the fact that I am up in the air

 

[gismo1554]

Youve all been far too busy today booking things lol. Congrats all! Seems more like its really happening now

 

[nordkin]

I've been stalking flights from Washington DC to Barcelona, but they've been about $1000 or more for the one way trip, which was the same that DCL wanted, unless I went through a consolidator.

Imagine how excited I was this morning when my fare alert said USAir had dropped the price to $371! ($401 after taxes.) So for $1600, I got our 4 tix, with just one stop in the US just like I wanted! Woo Hoo!!

What airport are you leaving from? I have been watching as well, but the lowest I have seen is $1400. I have to admit I have not checked since Monday because my grandmother passed away and I have been busy helping my mother with all the arrangements.

Donna

 

[HallsofVA]

What airport are you leaving from? I have been watching as well, but the lowest I have seen is $1400. I have to admit I have not checked since Monday because my grandmother passed away and I have been busy helping my mother with all the arrangements.

Donna

We ended up booking the flight out of DCA. We live right by Dulles, but there was only one flight option out of Dulles and it was 2 hrs earlier making for an even longer layover in Philly. You can also book the fare out of BWI, but it's a bit higher than DCA or IAD. Coming from Bethesda, DCA probably works best for you anyway. We're on the 1:54 or so flight out of DCA on 9/15 if you want to join us! These fares just started yesterday.


So sorry to hear about your grandmother. Condolences to you and your family.

 

[sandiedvc]

What do those using USair for that flight time/etc. plan on doing from 8 something in the morning until check in time where they are staying? I'm curious what we'll do for like 6hrs lugging our luggage around with us.......
(

Well, you get in at 8 am, but you still have to get off the plane pick up your luggage and get thru customs. You also still have the travel time to the hotel, so you are really looking at being at the hotel maybe 2 to 2.5 hr later? (I don't know how long it takes to do those things in Barcelona. It took a good 40 min just to get our luggage at Heathrow and we got in late to boot.)
So you are really looking at a 4 hour gap before a 2 pm check-in.

When we went to London, we just left our luggage at the Bell Hop. It was a very good hotel, and we knew that it would be secure.

For an apartment.... Here are some ideas off the top of my head.

1. Just pay for the early check-in. Even if you have to pay for another whole day, you are still ahead financially.

2. Turn the transfer into a tour of Barcelona so you get an overview of what the area looks like!

 

[pilk]

I have to admit I have not checked since Monday because my grandmother passed away and I have been busy helping my mother with all the arrangements.

Donna

Sorry to hear,

 

[sandiedvc]

Did you book that direct with us air? When are you flying out? Asking cause we live north of phila and would love to find a direct flight at a decent price since my DIL really doesn't like to fly.

You may already know this, but the only non stop out of Philly is the one on USAirways.

If you can drive to these other airports, they also have non-stops: Newark (Continental), JFK (two different airlines-- one was Delta, I have forgotten the other).

 

[HallsofVA]

What do those using USair for that flight time/etc. plan on doing from 8 something in the morning until check in time where they are staying? I'm curious what we'll do for like 6hrs lugging our luggage around with us.......

I figure by the time we get luggage and get through customs, it could be 10am or so. We're planning on taking the hotel shuttle to our hotel (by the airport), checking in if we can, checking luggage at least if we can't, getting lunch and then wandering around until it's late enough for an early dinner or until we're ready to pass out. We're not currently planning any must do items for Thursday, since we're using that day mainly to acclimate to the time shift. Who knows how the little ones will do with the change.

 

[HallsofVA]

You may already know this, but the only non stop out of Philly is the one on USAirways.

If you can drive to these other airports, they also have non-stops: Newark (Continental), JFK (two different airlines-- one was Delta, I have forgotten the other).

American flies to BCN non-stop from JFK.

 

[sandiedvc]

I know, we booked our airfare a week or so ago. But I still torture myself when I get emails from the airlines with all their sales. When people post their good deals, I still have to go check and see what they would have been for us!

Luckily for my sanity, the USAirways deal wouldn't have worked out of Houston because there were two stops and they were sold out for our day anyway. I need to step away from the airfare sites!

Sounds like a lot of us are going thru some difficult times... to all.

 

[HallsofVA]

Booking airfare is so stressful! I have been relying on the person who posted earlier in this thread (I think) that airfares have historically been lowest 8 months out, so I've been planning to buy in January though I've been watching fares since before the booking window opened. I was getting very concerned when I didn't see fares dropping, and had been actively been comparing consolidators when the US Air fares dropped.

Thank you to whoever gave that advice several months ago!

 

[gismo1554]

What airport are you leaving from? I have been watching as well, but the lowest I have seen is $1400. I have to admit I have not checked since Monday because my grandmother passed away and I have been busy helping my mother with all the arrangements.

Donna

Sorry for you loss Donna. My Grandad died just before Christmas and we had the funeral on Monday so I know this is the hard time. Big hugs for you all!

 

[TotallyAngelic]

What airport are you leaving from? I have been watching as well, but the lowest I have seen is $1400. I have to admit I have not checked since Monday because my grandmother passed away and I have been busy helping my mother with all the arrangements.

Donna

So sorry to hear your sad news Donna. It must be a difficult time for you and your family