Sept 18 2010 WB TransAtlantic Pirates/Capt Jacks Re-Repoing Repossession Cruise Pt.9

[su_kraft]

Hi guys -

just getting last minute details. Which cabin will have the cabin changes posted outside?

Thanks!

That is me, us - whatever! Cabin 8548. I will have the master list of all things swap. I will bring about 50-60 copies of it, so help yourself. They will be in an envelope in my fish. On the outside of the envelope I will have a copy of it that people can put the changes on. So, you grab a copy, look for changes and then correct your copy.

 

[birkner]

Oh Gosh - dealing with DCL on the phone is almost as painful as calling for tech support with my computer company. When we received our docs from DCL there was a page that indicated they still needed the flight info for my DH. On-line it indicated that all check-in info was complete for both of us. I called DCL and they said disregard as everything was complete. My TA called me this morning to confirm she had made final payment on our PCanal cruise. She said while she had Disney on the line she confirmed our 9-18 booking was ok. They told her we still needed to complete our immigration forms? She could not get on their site so she asked them what they were talking about as she had checked a couple of days ago and it said all our check-in forms were completed. DCL told her we needed to go on-line and complete the forms but weren't any more help. She told me she would continue to look into it. I told her I would too. I finally got my reservation to come up and it looked completed so I called DCL. After the "press 121 if you need to be transferred to the suicide prevention center recording merry-go-round" I got a women in the Documents Area who looked at my reservation and said she had to transferred me to reservations - she disconnected me. Called back and got someone who said I hadn't printed out the contract and payment authorization form and I needed to do that before they could note I had completed everything. I asked why I should print the forms when they had sent them to me with my documentation book with pages that can be riped out and signed. She sighed and said "we need you to print them out so you can read them" I told her they are in the docs DCL sent so why would I print out 10 pages of the same stuff they have printed and what if I didn't have a printer. She responded, that is why we send them. At that point I gave up. It shouldn't be this hard.
I did ask her to confirm the dining rotation, just to see if I would get a different answer. She said there has been a change this week, and quickly said "you know - it is subject to change." Formal nights 2 & 8, semi-formal 13, pirates night 11, villians night 6. The CD Brent. At the end of the call I got a call back, not the usual survey - a recording asking me to rate the call and if I wanted a supervisor to call me regarding the service I received. I pushed no - maybe I should have talked with her just for more pain. val

Sounds like my call to DCL a few days ago whereupon I was told that the DCL shipping WOULD NOT accept any packages from stateside from cruisers as they do in Port Canaveral. After telling her I knew for a fact that someone has had a package received in Barcelona by the Concierge staff, she snottily told me that probably if you are a concierge guest, you could make special arrangements but I as a Cat. 4 could do no such thing. She said she spoke to the people who are in charge of shipping traffic in Barcelona who gave her that information.

Needless to say, I decided not to risk shipping to the port though I was pretty sure all would go well.

I am terrified of calling about our linked dining ressies for fear they will screw things up!!

Just my thoughts for today on the DCL customer non service people.

 

[birkner]

Laura just saw the Naked Man of Barcelona

I asked if she had her camera.....she said it was her small one but it did the job!!

I saw her post as well on FB and the ? if she is going to post the picture!!

 

[birkner]

What is the Fat Loss of Idiots diet? Thought I had heard and tried them all. I have been on a "sensible diet" (according to my stupid doctors) for 3 months and lost almost nothing. The last 7 days I have been on the cabbage soup diet and lost more then I did in 3 months - I know it is probably water loss but I'm not going to listen to reason. I would love to know about another diet - unless it has the word cabbage in it. val

You can PM Jodie (AlexandNessa) Of course, you should remember that
there is always the tried and true, Scarsdale diet!!

 

[Terapin]

That is me, us - whatever! Cabin 8548. I will have the master list of all things swap. I will bring about 50-60 copies of it, so help yourself. They will be in an envelope in my fish. On the outside of the envelope I will have a copy of it that people can put the changes on. So, you grab a copy, look for changes and then correct your copy.

Wow, thanks Sue!

 

[birkner]

It definitely would have been better to mix it up--one night in each.

Sue--I think one time it was posted which dinner menu would be served each night. I like the Lumiere's rotational dinner and don't want to go to Palo that night. I thought the rotational dinners were nights 4,5, and 6. Does your friendly concierge know?

I just realized that I need to get DS's pants hemmed. They take a week. Aarrgghh... The pre-vacation stress is starting!

There is always hem tape for emergencies!!

 

[birkner]

Ok, I know you can all beat me with a stick when you see me, but I just have to say this:

I have worked in the hospitality industry before and EVERYTHING you do is subject to change. There is no cruise ship, hotel or even a football event that caters to a group like ours. We work around them, they (DCL) don't work around us. I just want to say that and no, I do not work for DCL, but to give them the benefit of the doubt, it may seem that they are trying to ruffle our feathers or mess with us, but trust me, in the long run, they are probably doing something that makes the trip better that we are not even aware of.

Okay, back to the regular disboards and I hope no one hates me!!

No beating with a stick but I will be willing to give them the benefit of the doubt if we didn't get so many different stories. Just stick to one story and I will be a happy camper. Give me the facts, ma'm!!!

 

[paulcrsb]

Also, cruise ship news - what cruise ships are doing to look out for big waves because there have been some problems. The video they showed was all the furniture went from one side of the ship to the other. Then, the big question they raised after that, "Are cruise ships really safe?" Ahh! I was like - are you kidding me? Anybody else see it??

Looked like fun!

Paul

 

[Hoagie Pie]

No beating with a stick but I will be willing to give them the benefit of the doubt if we didn't get so many different stories. Just stick to one story and I will be a happy camper. Give me the facts, ma'm!!!

So glad the squishy was painless and let's hope they do NOT call you back!!! I am glad you won't beat with a stick

Sue, is your FE big enough for my magazines? I will have 5 to put in there by Day 1. If not, just let me know. I don't want to overwhelm you!

 

[Disney Sweetie]

I was looking at my reservation to see if I could change my Palos reservation since it now falls on MMC Night......and I dont have a Palos reservation!!!! It was somehow cancelled. Luckily I was booked at a table for 4 with Laura and Steve and they can see that on her reservation so now they are trying to get me back on it...... ..... now on hold listening to Aladdin music

On a happier note, I just went and got all my Euros and Pounds!

 

[granmaz]

Sounds like my call to DCL a few days ago whereupon I was told that the DCL shipping WOULD NOT accept any packages from stateside from cruisers as they do in Port Canaveral. After telling her I knew for a fact that someone has had a package received in Barcelona by the Concierge staff, she snottily told me that probably if you are a concierge guest, you could make special arrangements but I as a Cat. 4 could do no such thing. She said she spoke to the people who are in charge of shipping traffic in Barcelona who gave her that information.

Needless to say, I decided not to risk shipping to the port though I was pretty sure all would go well.

I am terrified of calling about our linked dining ressies for fear they will screw things up!!

Just my thoughts for today on the DCL customer non service people.

Well I thought a few people had shipped things. I suppose we are talking to a whole host of different DCL agents so perhaps difficult for them to know everything. they just like to make you think they do.

 

[limmy]

I'm really curious - just how many of us on this cruise are using Tracy W as your TA? I know Mrs Mork and I are, but who else is booked through her? She said there were quite a few of her clients onboard.

Us too!

 

[valbob89]

Laura just saw the Naked Man of Barcelona

I asked if she had her camera.....she said it was her small one but it did the job!!

Oh bad bad valerie - I am sure it is just my nasty mind. val

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Back from the annual female squish-a-gram. Actually was the easiest and least painful one I have ever had done by a technician. Of course being a natural pessimist, my first thoughts were she probably didn't do it right and they will want me back for another one. Sure hope not!!

From FB:

Paula Sillars can confirm that earplugs and sleeping with a pillow over your head goes a long way to ignoring earthquakes. And I almost missed the 4.2 we had a short while ago by trying to avoid an early morning cold, wet dog nose in my ear.
28 minutes ago

I did not see the cruise video, where did you see it?

glad it was ok.

 

[limmy]

For all of us who got the ESTA letter from DCL:

I had gone to print off the confirmation page a few days ago and thought the information on it a bit useless: authorization code and date of expiry only.

When I went to the ESTA website today to print off my children's confirmations, they have updated the page to include the passport number and country of issue. No name and date of birth but at least something to better identify each form!

So it may be worthwhile going back to the ESTA site to print them off again.

Still think there will be long queues at check in: will the US and non-US passport holders be separated at check in?

 

[Candy Apple]

UUGH! why do they make it so hard? I hate the conflicting answers and the run around as well.

Not to add confusion - but I thought that Brent was NOT on the Magic? Or is he back on now but then getting off for a stateside job?

Brent was going to be off for a while and then come back for a while. The question was when he was coming back. Maybe we have our answer.

That is me, us - whatever! Cabin 8548. I will have the master list of all things swap. I will bring about 50-60 copies of it, so help yourself. They will be in an envelope in my fish. On the outside of the envelope I will have a copy of it that people can put the changes on. So, you grab a copy, look for changes and then correct your copy.

Is this on the navigator?

There is always hem tape for emergencies!!

Yes, but then I have to measure, fold, iron straight, and then hope he doesn't pull the hem tape off accidentally. Ironing a straight fold is a skill that I don't possess. Just have to get there tomorrow. No time today. Well, we'll be picking up DH's suit and DS's pants on the day before we leave. No stress, right? Aarrgghh... I think I need a brownie. Adam (DS10) made some today.

 

[Belle1997]

Poor DCL customer service. Seems most of us are not having a fun time with them. When I found out that air travel provided with Disney did not include them making sure the airline knew there were accessibility issues I lost it. Well I was still nice but not happy.

After talking to the right air travel person who said the same thing I would just have to wait. Then I got a message on my machine that they had moved me up in the sp category and I could have my flight info now. Did not change much as we who all booked DCL air found that he planes were full.

So at least they tried. Still will not fly DCL air again. Though they do guarantee to get us to the ship if we have air travel issues. Forgot to ask if the guarantee my scooter also.


And lets not forget a year ago the fiasco of them giving away our 11 accessible room. Now that was a very stressful 2 weeks.

The supervisor once he figured out what had happened was awesome He assured me that he was working on it. And trying to figure it all out. Then after a week or so ( though it seemed like months said we definately had a guaranteed accessible room.

I said ok and got off the phone and went DUH!!! That is how we got into this mess in the first place we had nothing in writing. So I call him back and ask for it is writing.

I got a lovely letter. So I do know they do try. But I think in reality they really need to work on training a little more. The pixie dust meter is just not rising as high ?)

That said I will take DCL over WDW customer service any day!!!!!!

 

[goiu]

Disney Magic please take me away!!!! So, I was in the ER most of the night last night with my DD 4 yr old. She has croup and couldn't breathe! It was so scary!! They put her on breathing treatments and gave her steroids. Then we went to the pediatrician today and gave her more. They said she should be fine by next week. I'm just praying that our DS 1 yr old won't get this! They said it will be much more serious if he does. My DH flew out this morning. I'm so glad it was before he left for a few days. Well, I'm literally just dreaming of the Magic!!!

 

[NachoMama]

First and foremost, why not get a quote from Barcelona Taxi so you have an idea of what the cost might be for you guys.

For example, here is what they quote me in red below:

rom: BARCELONA TAXI VAN <info@barcelonataxivan.com>
To: Noel Birkner <nbirkner@yahoo.com>
Sent: Tue, June 1, 2010 11:09:54 PM
Subject: Re: travel from airport to Le Meridien

Hello
Thank you for contacting BARCELONA TAXI VAN
Price for requested service is Euro 40. This is a closed price which includes taxes and luggage.

Kind regards,
BARCELONA TAXI VAN

----- Original Message -----
From: Noel Birkner
To: info@barcelonataxivan.com
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 12:51 AM
Subject: travel from airport to Le Meridien

Gentlemen:

Would you please quote me what the charge would be from the Barcelona Renaissance hotel to the Le Meridien Hotel leaving 9/17/10 at 8:00 AM for 2 persons with two carry ons and three suitcases?

Thank you,

Noel C. Birkner
Yes, I have heard it can be expensive to eat in Barcleona but you can find less expensive places to eat. Check out these two articles, first eating cheaply in Barcelona and another article on eating cheaply in Barcelona grocery store locations and eating for less.

This was VERY helpful! Thank you!

 

[Belle1997]

Brent was going to be off for a while and then come back for a while. The question was when he was coming back. Maybe we have our answer.
Is this on the navigator?


Yes, but then I have to measure, fold, iron straight, and then hope he doesn't pull the hem tape off accidentally. Ironing a straight fold is a skill that I don't possess. Just have to get there tomorrow. No time today. Well, we'll be picking up DH's suit and DS's pants on the day before we leave. No stress, right? Aarrgghh... I think I need a brownie. Adam (DS10) made some today.

Well I took 3 pair of pants to get hem. Hubby almost lost it asking how much it cost. And I never really told him the real amount

I have also gone with the iron on hemming. But when it only costs $10.00 a pair it is worth it to have it done right!!!!