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

[LittleDisneyLovers]

We are at the Holiday Inn Express too, as well as PJ and Marilyn. You are in good company!

Is anybody staying at the Novotel Barcelona City? Anybody........

 

[TotallyAngelic]

Now to cheer things up a little, how about the Monday question. Which this week is Tuesdays question, but next week we can make it Sundays question then it would balance everything out to Monday.

In the unlikely event that we get stranded on a uncharted island, which disney character would you want to be stranded with?

Definitely Captain Jack Sparrow ..... he would definitely know where there was some rum hidden and once we decided to get off the island ...... sea turtles mate !!!!!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Pilk--thank you for the update on your stepfather. I was wondering how he was doing as I drove Rio to school jsut now. I am sorrt the news is so bleak

In the unlikely event that we get stranded on a uncharted island, which disney character would you want to be stranded with?

Great question I think Tarzan would be good for all the reasons allready listed. The first thing that popped into my head was the Genie. He could make it fun AND get us off the island if we wanted

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

:
How exciting that many people are getting hotels booked. We will not know for a while if we are arriving Friday night or Saturday morning so we cannot book yet. BibbidyBobbidyBoo you absolutely have the right idea with staying in an apartment. I am sorry but I cannot help you with the area you are asking about. We satyed in the gothic quarter last time and felt very safe and had a lovely time. I notice afew people are going to DisneylandParis first. We went lat May for 4 days and I wrote a trip report with photos on our website (linked in my signature) if anyone is interested. We enjoyed it very much; it is quite different than WDW.

Thanks! I may have to check out the trip report. I wish we could go to DLP before this cruise. *sigh* Well...... I still say 'someday' maybe it'll happen. LOL

I talked with my TA about the area and I went ahead and booked the apartment. Now I have to wait for 'confirmation' on the apt AND THEN start dealing with deviating Disney flight (since so far I don't see it less expensive on my own.)

Did anyone else happen to notice that on DCL website where they list each port of call's excursions- that when you look at Barcelona excursions it says it's available on both the EB and WB transatlantic? Does that mean we can book excursions with DCL before we even get on the ship?! That doesn't really make sense to me since we haven't checked in on the ship yet- but I suppose if you're paying for it with CC ahead of time- maybe they are really doing this? Or do you think it's a mistake on DCL website? Just curious..

I know Lynne has booked an apartment. When she gets back from skiing she will probably give you some information about where she has booked.

Thanks! I hope so.

Just got back from taking Candida to the airport in Hamilton. Unfortunately, she is not on a vacation or work related trip. My step dad has been up and down with his health for awhile now. He has been bouncing in and out of the hospital for just over a month now. Last week he had to be taken back in. When he commented to the doctor that he was planning on doing something in a month the doctor replied " You won't be alive that long". So, my step dad decided to check himself out and in his words, "Die at home"

Since, Candida doesn't work she decided she would head to North Dakota to help out my mom. Not sure how long she'll be there, for my mom's sake I hope it is awhile, for my sake I hope it is not long.

Thanks for listening,
Jon

Hi,
I'm so sorry to hear this. I recently went thru a similar situation with my father, except he was seemingly in perfect health until up one day he wasn't feeling well and went to the hospital. Long story short was cancer pretty much everywhere and they gave him 3mo to live no matter what they did. So the same as your father- he decided to just go die at home. Unfortunately he didn't make it 3mo- within 2.5wks he was gone.
I say this just to let you know I can certainly sympathize with you and I wish I could do more than a cyber hug {{{hugs}}}

Hi there from another old geezer and an slightly older geezer hubby!!!

Wait- how old do we need to be to be considered a geezer? Cause I know I'm never gonna be one (LOL) but DH is slightly older so we can call him a geezer... maybe. LOL

another Praktik Rambla booking .... Disney Magic cruisers are taking over the hotel

It sure looks that way! I wish we could have booked there- but it's really just not as much of a bargain for our family of 5 plus we'd be cramped up with a rollaway in one of the rooms. We booked an apt- not confirmed yet- but it's less expensive plus a ton more room.
We'll just have to take the metro or something to that area since that's where all the cruisers will be. LOL

Definitely Captain Jack Sparrow ..... he would definitely know where there was some rum hidden and once we decided to get off the island ...... sea turtles mate !!!!!

I'm gonna have to cosign that one, although I might not have thought of that character first on my own. But yeah, I'm gonna go with that one. If I'm stuck on an island- I'm gonna need some rum. fo sho

 

[granmaz]

I talked with my TA about the area and I went ahead and booked the apartment. Now I have to wait for 'confirmation' on the apt AND THEN start dealing with deviating Disney flight (since so far I don't see it less expensive on my own.)



Wait- how old do we need to be to be considered a geezer? Cause I know I'm never gonna be one (LOL) but DH is slightly older so we can call him a geezer... maybe. LOL

Which area did you choose for an apartment?(Sorry Angie, just fancy the extra room and a washing machine!!!) I am looking at changing to one, but there are so many areas of Barcelona to choose from.


Geezers - I don't think there is an official age - possibly over 55 ??????? For those slightly younger and who feel left outlmao we have the GIT"s, Geezers In Training!! You can help us Geezers get to where we are wanting to get to!!!

So, officially it is the Old Geezers and GITs group!! Meet for warm milk and cookies in Cove Cafe!!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Which area did you choose for an apartment?(Sorry Angie, just fancy the extra room and a washing machine!!!) I am looking at changing to one, but there are so many areas of Barcelona to choose from.


Geezers - I don't think there is an official age - possibly over 55 ??????? For those slightly younger and who feel left outlmao we have the GIT"s, Geezers In Training!! You can help us Geezers get to where we are wanting to get to!!!

So, officially it is the Old Geezers and GITs group!! Meet for warm milk and cookies in Cove Cafe!!

The one I chose is in Sants-Plaza d'Espanya. if I've spelled that correctly. :lol:
It's not right smack in the middle of things like Gracia/etc. are- but it's close to the airport and sorta to the port (closer than Gracia/etc.) so as long as the neighborhood was okay- I was fine with that. We'll need private transportation for all of us and our luggage to the apt and to the port later on- so those being the shorter distance--- and using the metro during our stay there (without luggage obviously LOL) to get to other things is fine with us.
I looked in the Gracia area and areas around that for an apt- but they were more expensive for our family AND didn't look as nice. Kinda cheap looking/etc. and a lot smaller. The price we're paying here is for a 4 bedroom -and it was more expensive for smaller apts near/in Gracia that says they sleep 5 but tiny rooms, single beds (even for us parents? LOL) in a lot of them and in all of those one would have to sleep on the pull out sofa as well. And most without a/c. We may not need it- but I like to have it if we do! Yes, I'm from Texas..... and we have a/c everywhere!

I hope we get confirmation of this apt because I have been looking and looking and going thru every hotel and apt imaginable and this one suited us best AND the best price. hehe Oh and it does have living areas, balcony, full kitchen (not that I think we'll even use it LOL) etc.

Oh and I guess we're GIT's because we're not 55 yet. LOL

 

[gismo1554]

Hi all

Catching up since the funeral so appologies for so many responses. The funeral went fine really. Glad its all over now and we can start to get used to things.

Hey Guys!

Haven't been on in quite a while but I just booked my airfare & hotels & I am super excited!!

We saw that flights to Dublin were pretty cheap, so we figured we'd connect there... long, long story short...

we're flying into Dublin on Tues, staying till Fri!!! Then on Fri we're flying to Barcelona. The airfare was great! We got our flight from JFK to Dublin on Delta for $510 (actually $450 after skymiles use) and then the connection to Barcelona on Aer Lingus for a little less than $200. We'll be getting to Barcelona at 10am so we'll have a full day on friday & then the half a day on sat to tour.

As of now it looks like we're staying Friday night in Barcelona at Hotel Regina & we'll be going to a flemenco show, The Tablao de Carmen.

Sorry for all the details- I'm just super excited & HAD to share it with someone who would be as excited as me!!

It feels so close!

Congrats! I don't blame you for being excited! I still am lol!

A note on books and Cove Cafe, they now have only brand new books that are on loan to cruisers, and CM are not allowed to borrow. Several times a day a CM will be in attendance to sign out books. There were about 25-30 titles, each having several copies, and it looked like most titles were what could be found on a bestsellers shelf at Borders etc.

On my Feb '09 cruise, we asked our stateroom host if the crew would be interested in our finished books, it was a resounding yes.

Pj

Oh so leaving them for crew at the end is a good idea! Well I don't mind being the storage point for books if people want or if anyone else wants to? We just put a string bag outside the room on the fist extender with a cable tie so no one could steal the bag.

35 weeks to go !!!!!!!

My God its going quickly isn't it?

 

[gismo1554]

What the heck is the deal with the pricing on the EBTA? As of this morning cat 12s were pricing at $699pp!!! Wow do I wish I could swap my dates... Do any of you previous Transatlantic cruisers remember if this happened before on the westbound? Or was it just the eastbound that had trouble filling?

On the EBTA last time about 5 weeks before they dropped the prices. I had booked the week before and paid in full so called and asked for the reduction. They then gave me OBC for the difference. The WBTA last time was earlier and had massive discounts when we booked it on the EBTA so I think once that one happens its worth looking to see if there are any reductions! When the WBTA first came out it was $999 for the Cat 12 so big difference in price!

Hi all!!

We booked our hotel yesterday!!!!

I'm not sure who exactly mentioned the Praktik Rambla but thanks since this turned out to be a good deal! We booked 4 nights in a double for $595.00 and the location is great!! If anyone else is interested...
http://www.hotelpraktikrambla.com/en/hotel-in-barcelona

The plan is to book our airfare around Feb 1st since that's when I get paid again. Right now British Airways is about $570 each for a one way, do you think it will change much in the next 2 weeks?

Anyway, we are also in for the 25 people FE idea!! I'm in the US but I love AERO bars from the UK, especially the mint ones!!! I'll have to think of something clever to bring since Reese's Peanut Butter Cups were already mentioned.

I think the last question of the week was the last movie we saw:
In the theaters it was Avatar 3D on IMAX (good enough that we saw it again).
At home was 500 Days of Summer which I thought was well done and interesting but left me feeling annoyed. lol.

Have a good weekend!!!

Chasity (& Gus)

Oh Aeros are lovely! The Aero bites are nice too - like round balls of Aero! Peanut Butter Cups I love and there aren't many over here (Tesco occassionally has some but they are expensive).

Ok, so no one claimed FE as theirs, so it is mine, all mine!!! And I way want smaller groups! I want to try and make something, and making 100 of anything would just be too daunting! So groups of 25 it is.

Here is the plan... Sign up if interested. Encourage people not on the meet thread to join and sign up! welcome Come March 1st. I will start dividing people up. I will put 25 cabins to a group and assign a color to the group. I won't do less than 10 in a group. So, if we have 50 people we will have two groups; 63 people will be 2 groups of 25 and a group of 13. As I get groups of 25 cabins solidified, I will close the group and send the info out to the people involved. If we get to June 1st and we have our groups of 25 and a small group of less than 10 I will ladd them across the groups of 25. Hopefully this wont be too painful for the groups that were closed off early. Around June 10th all of the groups will be announced.

Anyone that signs up before June 1 will be automatically in a group. Anyone that signs up after June 1 will be wait listed. I haven't figured out wait listing at this point - but think that it will be that people that sign up in June will be in a group and then July and August will be a group. If those groups go above 25 then I will break them up following the same set of 'rules' as I did for the early groups. If we only get a handful of people that sign up after June 1, we will have to revisit and see if they can be absorbed into another group.

Now, I haven't done a FE exchange before so this could sound like I am high on something (only on life, I promise - I haven't even had a glass of wine as yet...). Please - if what I am planning is a bad idea, please speak up!!!

Oh - I know we have a couple of people that are in room mate situations and that there will be 2 FE's to those cabins. Please, if you are in that situation, when you sign up drop me a PM. Also let me know if you want to be grouped in the same color grouping as your roomies!

Sounds good to me!

Can I pack yet?
Our kids start the school year next week (we do Jan-Dec), have to do all the boring things like buying new school shoes and uniforms, covering books and getting haircuts....Would rather be packing for the cruise!

Should I admit I spent the last month trying to find a bag that I needed and then found I had started packing at some point last year and put it in a bag with about 3 t-shirts and sun lotion for the cruise? I think Im going mad!

Just got back from taking Candida to the airport in Hamilton. Unfortunately, she is not on a vacation or work related trip. My step dad has been up and down with his health for awhile now. He has been bouncing in and out of the hospital for just over a month now. Last week he had to be taken back in. When he commented to the doctor that he was planning on doing something in a month the doctor replied " You won't be alive that long". So, my step dad decided to check himself out and in his words, "Die at home"

Since, Candida doesn't work she decided she would head to North Dakota to help out my mom. Not sure how long she'll be there, for my mom's sake I hope it is awhile, for my sake I hope it is not long.

Thanks for listening,
Jon

Jon my thoughts are with you all! My Grandad died before Christmas suddenly and we buried him on Monday. Its a horrible time but we were grateful that he didn't suffer. I hope that things go as well as they can and keep your strengths up as best you can!

Is anyone thinking of doing the 5k on Castaway Cay? I had trained for it before our October cruise, but never ended up doing it. I'd like to try again for the WB TA.

Krista

I think Lynne (Orlandothebeagle) is our 5K woman. She was keeping a list of those doing it but not sure how many people are. I think its quite a few.

 

[gismo1554]

I've been a lurker on disboards for a while, but finally took the plunge and signed on to this thread. DH and I are both geezers. We will be arriving in BCN a week before (Thursday 9/9) the cruise to see the city. I've booked a room at the Pratik Ramblas, so it looks like we will be meeting a lot of fellow cruisers. When we bought the transportation package we were told that if we make our way down to Le Meridien the morning of the cruise, we could use Disney transport to get to the ship. Hope to meet some of you Friday before the cruise.

Welcome Betty! Nice to see you over here.

(I'm sitting in a Risk Management meeting discussing infection control. I wish I were on the boat).

Where are all you folks today?

Light snow is falling ("pretty snow"). It's around zero degrees C (much warmer than usual).

The snows falling here again but thank god it isn't sticking! I haven't worked a full week since before Christmas thanks to this weather!

Thank you to our cruise friends for thoughts and prayers. My step dad's health is still failing. Nursing staff are giving him less than two weeks. Again, thank you.

Now to cheer things up a little, how about the Monday question. Which this week is Tuesdays question, but next week we can make it Sundays question then it would balance everything out to Monday.

In the unlikely event that we get stranded on a uncharted island, which disney character would you want to be stranded with?

I'll go with Goofy, just because the whole experience would be more light hearted then.

Jon big hugs coming your way.

I think probably dumbo because he could fly us out of their lol or Inspector Gadget!

Thanks! I may have to check out the trip report. I wish we could go to DLP before this cruise. *sigh* Well...... I still say 'someday' maybe it'll happen. LOL

I talked with my TA about the area and I went ahead and booked the apartment. Now I have to wait for 'confirmation' on the apt AND THEN start dealing with deviating Disney flight (since so far I don't see it less expensive on my own.)

Did anyone else happen to notice that on DCL website where they list each port of call's excursions- that when you look at Barcelona excursions it says it's available on both the EB and WB transatlantic? Does that mean we can book excursions with DCL before we even get on the ship?! That doesn't really make sense to me since we haven't checked in on the ship yet- but I suppose if you're paying for it with CC ahead of time- maybe they are really doing this? Or do you think it's a mistake on DCL website? Just curious..

I think they will do the tours from the pick up at the coach station or from the cruise terminal. Last time we over nighted in Barcelona so it made sense having the tours available. Not 100% sure how it will work this time. Have we got any Suite or Platinum people that can let us know the times etc.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Hi Sarah--I am sorry about your grandfather

Since i have been so out of it, can anyone tell me if there is a kids' thread for this cruise? DS is interested in it. Thanks.

 

[gismo1554]

Hi Sarah--I am sorry about your grandfather

Since i have been so out of it, can anyone tell me if there is a kids' thread for this cruise? DS is interested in it. Thanks.

I think there was one linked to the first post on the thread and thanks Hadley

 

[NHdisneylover]

I think there was one linked to the first post on the thread and thanks Hadley

Thanks I had scanned looking for it but missed it on that pass. Looks like it has long been dead and never had much going on but maybe the kids can revive it now that the trip is this year and seems more real

 

[sandiedvc]

Now I have to wait for 'confirmation' on the apt AND THEN start dealing with deviating Disney flight (since so far I don't see it less expensive on my own.)
[

Hi, I don't know where in Texas you are located, but I had good luck getting one way airfare with Lufthansa out of Houston. You have to connect in Frankfurt. But since the flight is all Lufthansa, you don't have to deal with picking up your bags or worry about intra-European baggage fees.

One way from Houston is a little less than $700. They also have a one way from DFW. It is $700. Both of those fares on based on leaving the USA on Thursday and arriving BCN on Friday about 3pm.

I was able to get one way fare back from MCO to IAH for $130. I am sure you could do better than that, but DH prefers Continental and it the long run we saved on baggage fees because we will get two free bags each due to his FF status.

So total airfare was $830. DCL was going to charge us $1014. Their total did include all transfers, but I know I can do those for less that the $184 pp difference in cost!

We have never flown Lufthansa, but they are part of the Star Alliance of airlines. To get those prices, you have to book online on the Lufthansa website. They don't show up when you look at Travelocity etc.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[sandiedvc]

Is anybody staying at the Novotel Barcelona City? Anybody........

No, we're all alone too I fear! We are at the Hilton Diagonal Mar.

Just took a look at the rates at the Holiday Inn Express. The AAA rate is great: 77 euro (about $110) for a queen bed/sleeper sofa with free continental breakfast. Not too shabby! Congrats on the good rate, y'all.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Kathy--I think you will like Lufthansa. It is always my first choice going transatlantic (but not their flights operated by United, their own flights).

 

[NHdisneylover]

I just cheked opodo.com (I go through their UK sight so I can read it and jsut keep a currency converter window open) and they have one way on Continental with one stop leaving on the 16th and arriving the 17th from DRW to CBN for 345 pounds which converts to $562. I think that is pretty decent if somone still needs Texas. I am sure you can pick up Southwest flight back from Orlando for a decent price.

 

[Walt & Di]

We are at the Hilton Diagonal Mar.

Changed our reservations to Hilton also after reading Trip Advisor...

See You There...

Walt

 

[sandiedvc]

Kathy--I think you will like Lufthansa. It is always my first choice going transatlantic (but not their flights operated by United, their own flights).

Good to know! It is a Lufthansa flight, not a codeshare. I am excited because it is a double decker plane. Not that we will be upstairs! We are in the steerage. But I have never been in a plane that big and this is only my second flight over the pond!

I just cheked opodo.com (I go through their UK sight so I can read it and jsut keep a currency converter window open) and they have one way on Continental with one stop leaving on the 16th and arriving the 17th from DRW to CBN for 345 pounds which converts to $562. I think that is pretty decent if somone still needs Texas. I am sure you can pick up Southwest flight back from Orlando for a decent price.

Interesting website. I like how they tell you if you will have to change terminals in the airport for connecting flights.

It is funny how different the costs of the same flights can be depending on what country's website you use to access the costs.

 

[sandiedvc]

Changed our reservations to Hilton also after reading Trip Advisor...

See You There...

Walt

Yea! Looking forward to it! (Wish I had a Texas emoticon!)

 

[NHdisneylover]

Good to know! It is a Lufthansa flight, not a codeshare. I am excited because it is a double decker plane. Not that we will be upstairs! We are in the steerage. But I have never been in a plane that big and this is only my second flight over the pond!



Interesting website. I like how they tell you if you will have to change terminals in the airport for connecting flights.

It is funny how different the costs of the same flights can be depending on what country's website you use to access the costs.

Oh you will have fun on the plane then. I love the thrill of the really big ones too
The different pricing for different countries happens for Disneyland Paris too. The price is nearly always highest on the US site and the best deals seem to alternate between Germany and the UK. When we went in May we bought a UK deal. We had to buy with a British travel agency that specializes in getting the UK deals for Germans by using their address It was about 40% cheaper--nothing to sneeze at.