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

[gismo1554]

Hi all!

Haven't posted on here since I first booked. I wasn't really sure if we would be able to go, so I thought I would stay away until we knew for sure!

We have arrangement with DCL to book our flight and hotel, but I am hoping to do it myself a little cheaper!

I went ahead and booked the AC Barcelona for the night before the cruise. It was 120 euros for 2 adults. Including VAT, about $187. DCL had us at the Hilton Diagonal Mar for $415 per night!

I will have to look at flights in a couple of weeks when the booking window opens. Has anyone used vayama and cheapoair before. The prices are good, but are they reputable?

Right now though, I am busy thinking about our first trip to London!!!! DH had to go on business and I had a flight voucher that was about to expire, so it was meant to be.

I hope to do all the proper cheesy touristy stuff!

I went to our local Wal-Mart today and a busload of Japanese tourists had stopped there and were taking pictures of the Wal-Mart. I laughed a little, then stopped and thought to myself that I will be doing the same thing in London! What is commonplace to me can be something exotic to someone from another country.

I will probably be popping in and out of the thread for the next couple of months. We have a lot going on right now, but I will try and check in.

Hi Kathy. Glad you are joining us. Good job on getting the hotel down! As for the airlines, sorry haven't used either. Hope you like London! Definatley go to to the museums as they are free. The Natural History museum is the best! Oh and if you want a really classic British thing to go and be a tourist at - try Tescos! lol

 

[gismo1554]

We are currently booked on the Eastern Transatlantic but we may have a few problems with the dates. I would like to hear from anyone that has done both the Eastern and the Western. Obviously the route is in reverse, but what are the other differences - good and bad? I would love to hear your input so it can help us make up our mind. So far we like the schedule of the Eastern, but we have a lot of things going on during that time and I am already feeling the pressure.

Thanks

I did both. I actually prefered going back as you gained an hour each day lol. Also on this one you get slightly different ports. On the last EBTA we did "Castaway, Tenerife, Cadiz, Gibralter and Barcelona for 2 days" I think on this EBTA 2010 is going to Maderia instead of Tenerife but other than that its the same. It was nice because you got 2 days in Barcelona at the end but the loosing an hour each day was a nightmare for me! I preferred gaining the time! Also on this one its like getting a TA mixed with a Western cruise as we are going to "Barcelona, Gibralter, Madeira, Tortula & St Marten". For us this works a lot better.

 

[gismo1554]

How is anyone booking flights already?
Honestly how are you booking the hotel already? Are you just finding it somewhere and then booking it by calling BARCELONA? (do they have 800#'s or are you guys calling long distance international to book these?)

I can't get anywhere to show the dates before WBTA yet. I figured people were finding a way to book the rooms but some have booked flights already too? How?

I have our flight to Barcelona booked. Flying with BA at 8:10pm on the 17th Sept. Booking hotel online as don't speak enough Spanish to attempt to phone directly. Most chains like Marriot or Hilton allow booking this early. Its only smaller ones or travel companies like Expedia that don't allow it until closer to the date.

 

[gismo1554]

We have such issues with dining times. We tried late dining first cruise- and it didn't work out well for us (primarily due to the kids activities were more "fun" during the late dining so we spent each dinner with the kids rushing to finish their food and one of us taking turns taking them to the club/lab as soon as they finished).
Then we tried late again- not forcing the kids to eat with us (except for a few nights on a 15nt cruise). Really didn't work well then either- DH is not a late night person and eating that late just tended to make him want to go straight to bed since his tummy was all full that late. LOL I was not happy with this because I don't want to go see show, eat and go straight to bed! LOL

Last cruise we ended up with early dining (didn't say a preference and got main dining) and we only did it once- then gave it away for someone to take that was hoping for it and ate in the room the entire cruise (we had a cat 3- but it was bargain upgraded at the port and we can't afford to do that every cruise.) That really worked best for us though. Way easier to eat when we wanted and just round up the kids to come eat- with no one having to get dressed up either! It was great! LOL

we'll see how main dining works though because we don't have a cat 3 this time and I can't see us eating "everywhere else" instead of the dining room every night. We thought late dining would give us more time- but it really doesn't because you still have to get all ready (and there) for the show before late dining anyway. Plus I think with late dining the dinner tends to take longer sometimes and I think that's part of the problem for us- we're really not into dining for 2hrs. (probably partially due to the fact that our family of 5 always ends up at a table for 6 by ourselves!) So we're thinking maybe main dining will be a little more sped up since they need to get us out for the late dining time.

We'll see... we're hoping it works for us.. hope hope hope.

Sounds like Main might be a good option for you fingers crossed. We've only ever done late and out of preference thats usually when we eat at home (well 7-8) so it works out nicely. Not having kids means no kids club issues!

 

[gismo1554]

Hi Sharon! You're right - planning is half the fun! I am really looking forward to starting work on my door designs, FE gifts etc etc.
and with only 11 months to go I had better start thinking about it pretty soon - last time I was sooooo last minute!

We were happy with the inside cabin - so it is only a bonus if we get it.

Exactly! I do keep checking my room number just incase but very happy with our room too

How annoying - that must be a real pain. We also have to book all of our annual leave for 2010 and up until April 2011 by the end of October 2009 - it means booking last minute bargains is difficult as your annual leave is more or less fixed once you have booked it unless you can swap with someone. Perhaps your colleagues will swap with you to give you the dates you need once you have the time accumulated. It sounds a complicated system - makes me appreciate working for the UK NHS a bit more.

Help! Everyone is booking things and I have to wait! Why do I have to live in such a out of the way place! Bring on November and then I can book some flights and everything will seem much more real!

Have to admit since booking our outward flight it does seem all that more closer! Can't wait! 352 days according to DCL site

$415 Pleased to hear you got a better deal! Hope you have a great time in London when you visit? We do touristy stuff when we visit London and we live in the UK !!!!!

I'm with you on this one! Even when I go to London with work I still have to have a momentary tourist moment walking through Exmouth Market!

[QUOTEI wish we could get the long flight over at the beginning - that said the avantages of the WB still outweighed the EB for us, and I wanted to spend time in the Caribbean at the end of the cruise and the one day in MK which will make leaving the Magic less of an ordeal.

Do you know I never actually thought of that - that's a real bonus [/QUOTE]

The time gain is fantastic! Even with the flight back I don't mind! I'm with you on the Caribbean end to the cruise. That definately sways me!

 

[TotallyAngelic]

The time gain is fantastic! Even with the flight back I don't mind! I'm with you on the Caribbean end to the cruise. That definately sways me!

I suppose the only downside to cruising from the Med to the Caribbean is that the clothing will be coming off as the weight is going on! By the time we get to wearing swimwear in the Caribbean we will have been cruising (and therefore eating) over a week and the lbs will be creeping on ..... oh what the heck!

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Now that I have the funds pretty well in hand.....i am worried I will not be able to get the time off!!!!!!

The hospital has REALLY cut back....we will lose one week of CTO (combined time off.) I had colitis a few months ago, and that really ate into my time bank. We have to book all of our time off for 2010 on Dec. 1st, and I won't have enough time saved up by then. I will have the time by the cruise, but if those days are already booked by people that have the time now, I am SOL!

Oh well, I have until May to figure it all out!

Fingers crossed for you,

Evening all

BA flights booked flying out from Gatwick at 9.30 approx on 17th.

Hotel booked - 1 night in Hotel Continental Barcelona (following a recommendation on this thread).

Just need to sort out the hotel in FL, car hire and flights home.

Hi all!

Haven't posted on here since I first booked. I wasn't really sure if we would be able to go, so I thought I would stay away until we knew for sure!

We have arrangement with DCL to book our flight and hotel, but I am hoping to do it myself a little cheaper!

I went ahead and booked the AC Barcelona for the night before the cruise. It was 120 euros for 2 adults. Including VAT, about $187. DCL had us at the Hilton Diagonal Mar for $415 per night!

I will have to look at flights in a couple of weeks when the booking window opens. Has anyone used vayama and cheapoair before. The prices are good, but are they reputable?

Right now though, I am busy thinking about our first trip to London!!!! DH had to go on business and I had a flight voucher that was about to expire, so it was meant to be.

I hope to do all the proper cheesy touristy stuff!

I went to our local Wal-Mart today and a busload of Japanese tourists had stopped there and were taking pictures of the Wal-Mart. I laughed a little, then stopped and thought to myself that I will be doing the same thing in London! What is commonplace to me can be something exotic to someone from another country.

I will probably be popping in and out of the thread for the next couple of months. We have a lot going on right now, but I will try and check in.

Cheesy stuff is good.
When we were staying in switzerland, the japanese tourists used to get of train and start snapping, they never even looked where they were going, god bless them, I DO NOT KNOW how nobody got killed.

We are currently booked on the Eastern Transatlantic but we may have a few problems with the dates. I would like to hear from anyone that has done both the Eastern and the Western. Obviously the route is in reverse, but what are the other differences - good and bad? I would love to hear your input so it can help us make up our mind. So far we like the schedule of the Eastern, but we have a lot of things going on during that time and I am already feeling the pressure.

Thanks

I totaly agree re extra hours, I reckon thats is so good, If I lived in usa I would def get the flights out the way first, but we really like the ports on this cruise much better than the other cruise.

 

[gismo1554]

I suppose the only downside to cruising from the Med to the Caribbean is that the clothing will be coming off as the weight is going on! By the time we get to wearing swimwear in the Caribbean we will have been cruising (and therefore eating) over a week and the lbs will be creeping on ..... oh what the heck!

LOL! I look awful in swimsuits anyway so doesn't make a difference for me!

 

[MagicMe]

We are currently booked on the Eastern Transatlantic but we may have a few problems with the dates. I would like to hear from anyone that has done both the Eastern and the Western. Obviously the route is in reverse, but what are the other differences - good and bad? I would love to hear your input so it can help us make up our mind. So far we like the schedule of the Eastern, but we have a lot of things going on during that time and I am already feeling the pressure.

Thanks

Come join us!!! We have a great group!!!!!!!!

This is a great point about about having that long TransAtlantic flight at the BEGINNING of the trip (if you live in the US, that is----for our sailing mates from across the pond it's different, of course) rather than at the end.

Another advantage of doing the western instead of the eastern is the time difference----headed East you lose an hour each day at sea while you're sailing and so you end up getting up an hour earlier every day (and even though your'e on vacation, you'd be surprised but you actually DO miss those hours!!).....doing it headed West it's like you get 6 hours of extra vacation at NO EXTRA CHARGE!!!

I suppose the only downside to cruising from the Med to the Caribbean is that the clothing will be coming off as the weight is going on! By the time we get to wearing swimwear in the Caribbean we will have been cruising (and therefore eating) over a week and the lbs will be creeping on ..... oh what the heck!

Sooooooo true

 

[manascarfan]

Anyone else having a problem seeing the Black logo for our cruise?

 

[birkner]

TA has us booked on this cruise last year. DH thinks it sounds fun. I have ready have used Starwood points to book hotel the Le Méridien Barcelona, but waiting for United to open up flights so we can use miles.

We are still debating about the trip. We are John (65) and Noel (58) and this would be out 5th DCL cruise.

Anybody going that is around our age?

 

[MagicMe]

TA has us booked on this cruise last year. DH thinks it sounds fun. I have ready have used Starwood points to book hotel the Le Méridien Barcelona, but waiting for United to open up flights so we can use miles.

We are still debating about the trip. We are John (65) and Noel (58) and this would be out 5th DCL cruise.

Anybody going that is around our age?

If I remember correctly (and given the age that's debatable ), there are alot of us "age challenged" adults on board. Me - 56 on sail date.

 

[jewelmicky]

Hi Heather,

Booked 3 nights at Le MERIDIEN

Maybe we can do Dinner ...

Walt

We are booked at Le Meridien for 3 nights prestay!...(most likely, tho we have Casa Camper and 1898 booked too) can't decided!

Hi all!

Haven't posted on here since I first booked. I wasn't really sure if we would be able to go, so I thought I would stay away until we knew for sure!

We have arrangement with DCL to book our flight and hotel, but I am hoping to do it myself a little cheaper!

I went ahead and booked the AC Barcelona for the night before the cruise. It was 120 euros for 2 adults. Including VAT, about $187. DCL had us at the Hilton Diagonal Mar for $415 per night!

I will have to look at flights in a couple of weeks when the booking window opens. Has anyone used vayama and cheapoair before. The prices are good, but are they reputable?

Right now though, I am busy thinking about our first trip to London!!!! DH had to go on business and I had a flight voucher that was about to expire, so it was meant to be.

I hope to do all the proper cheesy touristy stuff!

I went to our local Wal-Mart today and a busload of Japanese tourists had stopped there and were taking pictures of the Wal-Mart. I laughed a little, then stopped and thought to myself that I will be doing the same thing in London! What is commonplace to me can be something exotic to someone from another country.

I will probably be popping in and out of the thread for the next couple of months. We have a lot going on right now, but I will try and check in.

I can't wait to do the Touristy stuff too! Staring up at the cathedral spires with mouth wide open!

Heyyy, that stinks that they do it that way!
DH has to book all time off at the beginning of the year so he can use THAT years vacation time for what time he books to have off. True, if he hadn't "earned it" yet he would have to wait till he earned it then try to book it and hope the time wasn't taken already. But that's only like if he passes a 'milestone' year (meaning he was hired in June- and let's say that's a 5th year or 10th year or 15th year where another extra week of vacation is added, for example. He'd have to wait till june- to get that extra week off).

But in most cases he can just book off all his vacation time at the beginning of the year- the vacation time he gets THAT year. So they cut back on time off and you have to book it before you have it. That's a bummer! I hope it works out for you though!

How is anyone booking flights already?
Honestly how are you booking the hotel already? Are you just finding it somewhere and then booking it by calling BARCELONA? (do they have 800#'s or are you guys calling long distance international to book these?)

I can't get anywhere to show the dates before WBTA yet. I figured people were finding a way to book the rooms but some have booked flights already too? How?

I spoke with my Senior today....he said not to worry....we have plenty of time and Sept is not all that popular for vacations. June, July, and August would be hard!

I have our flight to Barcelona booked. Flying with BA at 8:10pm on the 17th Sept. Booking hotel online as don't speak enough Spanish to attempt to phone directly. Most chains like Marriot or Hilton allow booking this early. Its only smaller ones or travel companies like Expedia that don't allow it until closer to the date.

Le Meridien has a kewl feature on website.....you put your phone number in, and THEY call you!
The others you can just book on the site, and email any questions....Casa Camper called us back and gave us ALOT of info on stuff to do with kids and talked along time about the city!

TA has us booked on this cruise last year. DH thinks it sounds fun. I have ready have used Starwood points to book hotel the Le Méridien Barcelona, but waiting for United to open up flights so we can use miles.

We are still debating about the trip. We are John (65) and Noel (58) and this would be out 5th DCL cruise.

Anybody going that is around our age?

If you go to the 1st page, there is a link to a website for this cruise....it has alot of information and a list of people going. I am sure it is incomplete and some have bailed...but will give you and idea.
Don't forget....the weather is likelier to be a bit better on the WB...if history repeats.

 

[MrsMork]

TA has us booked on this cruise last year. DH thinks it sounds fun. I have ready have used Starwood points to book hotel the Le Méridien Barcelona, but waiting for United to open up flights so we can use miles.

We are still debating about the trip. We are John (65) and Noel (58) and this would be out 5th DCL cruise.

Anybody going that is around our age?

NOEL!!!! DrHug (Dennis) and I are on this cruise! We would love it if you joined us!! You know that we are in the Geezer group!

 

[MrsMork]

Noel, our DS, Jeff, still talks about how much he enjoyed talking with John at the DIS meet at Storytellers.

 

[granmaz]

TA has us booked on this cruise last year. DH thinks it sounds fun. I have ready have used Starwood points to book hotel the Le Méridien Barcelona, but waiting for United to open up flights so we can use miles.

We are still debating about the trip. We are John (65) and Noel (58) and this would be out 5th DCL cruise.

Anybody going that is around our age?

We are onboard, for now anyway!!!

NOEL!!!! DrHug (Dennis) and I are on this cruise! We would love it if you joined us!! You know that we are in the Geezer group!

Woohoo, Geezers!!

 

[TotallyAngelic]

TA has us booked on this cruise last year. DH thinks it sounds fun. I have ready have used Starwood points to book hotel the Le Méridien Barcelona, but waiting for United to open up flights so we can use miles.

We are still debating about the trip. We are John (65) and Noel (58) and this would be out 5th DCL cruise.

Anybody going that is around our age?

Hi John and Noel - hope you decide to cruise with us! We will be 48 and 46 at the time of the cruise!

I spoke with my Senior today....he said not to worry....we have plenty of time and Sept is not all that popular for vacations. June, July, and August would be hard!

Thats a relief - hopefully you will have no problems booking the time off!

 

[Belle1997]

I think the demographics are different on a trans atlantic seems to be lots of couples travelling leaving the kids at home My hubby will be 49 on the cruise and I will be 46

Our son is 27 but is not going on the cruise and yup still lives at home ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I know a few are celebrating there 60th birthdays. So I think this would be a great cruise to go on

 

[birkner]

NOEL!!!! DrHug (Dennis) and I are on this cruise! We would love it if you joined us!! You know that we are in the Geezer group!

Who are you guys dining with? Are you going a few days early to sightsee?

 

[birkner]

We are onboard, for now anyway!!!

Please stay!! I would love to cruise with you guys!!


Woohoo, Geezers!!

No Geezers for us!!