-=*September 10 2011, Westbound Transatlantic from Barcelona to Port Canaveral*=-

[goofieslonglostsis]

Good to read you're doing better, Karen.

It's a major hub. No nonstops to BCN, but nonstops to London, Frankfurt, Paris...

Ah, all of the nice transfer airports, grin.

The cheap Lufthansa airfare disappeared tonight and almost doubled out of Milan. grrrrrrr We are into culture and architecture. Hoping for a call from Curt's sister this weekend about Barcelona though. I know we can spend time there and thoroughly enjoy. Maybe it's all the pickpocket stories recently tainting my vision. I have become a little more overprotective since having children.

Do you know kayak.com? You can set your own limits and if a flight comes out, they'll alert you through email. Has gotten many people great prices before. As far as LH goes; you might very well find their flights cheaper through UA or CO websites. Don't mind the flightnumber being a possible UA or CO but watch who's carrying out the flight if you're desiring LH. Flights into Frankfurt are a very very good bet they'll be done by LH. Esp. UA's website has been offering much nicer prices for LH flights than LH themselves for us Europeans. Maybe it'll work the same for you guys?

It's a bit nutty, but I've found with that combo it can be cheaper to find a flight performed by airline A on the website of airline B not airline A's website. Goes for both eco and business class. Only CO seems to have stuck until now; I've always found the cheapest prices for them on their own website.

Also check out Aer Lingus. They've been offering great rates incl. for one ways (still more expensive as half a roundtrip but cheaper than a roundtrip). Don't know if they fly out of your area so if it's helpfull? I do remember all of the threads popping up for previous TA cruises where folks on both sides of the Atlantic got quoted very good prices. Their business class prices definately could not be beat even "close" by any other airline this year on my search. Very competative!


Welcome aboard, Middleofamerica! I'll leave the London tips up to our UK-friends on this thread, much more knowledgable than me. Allthough last week I watched a tape of a young boy watching the changing of the gards. Too funny; the boy was totally into it, repeating each and all movements of the gards. Apparently loved by some kids.

 

[MandyGirl]

Hi! We are also booked on this cruise. We are a family of 5, kids will be 9,7, and 4 on the cruise.
MandyGirl, we wanted to mention that we booked the Novotel Barcelona City, they have family rooms that accommodate 4. They are supposed to be kid friendly according to their website. It was about $125 a night. We are coming in on Thursday, flying through Dallas on AA to London, then to Barcelona. We found great rates on 1800flyeurope.com. The prices have been going up in the last week, but some good ones are left for around $500 one way.
We will have 8 hours in London between flights. We want to take the Tube to Central London where we think we'll have about 4 hours, does anyone have recommendations for what to do with kids? Harrods toy department? Sight seeing on the double decker buses? We have been to London, just not with kids.
Thanks!!

Very cool! Right now we are set to go through JFK on Tuesday (tix on hold) arrive Wed. Harrods..... mmmmm.... chocolate bar!! And thanks for the hotel suggestion!! I've thought of routing through London for that same reason - so DD1 can see it - but no AAdvantage seats that routing. She turns five that week, so we hope to celebrate her birthday on embarkation day.

 

[MandyGirl]

Do you know kayak.com? You can set your own limits and if a flight comes out, they'll alert you through email. Has gotten many people great prices before. As far as LH goes; you might very well find their flights cheaper through UA or CO websites. Don't mind the flightnumber being a possible UA or CO but watch who's carrying out the flight if you're desiring LH. Flights into Frankfurt are a very very good bet they'll be done by LH. Esp. UA's website has been offering much nicer prices for LH flights than LH themselves for us Europeans. Maybe it'll work the same for you guys?

Thanks for the tip on Kayak! I'm looking at nonstop flights Milan to BCN --- EasyJet, RyanAir, Lufthansa. Lufthansa is better on checked bags (or we ship ahead). Curt is off today, so after church we're going to check out the local book store (good reason to get out!!).

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Have fun at the bookshop.

Not that much into the loop about Milan-Barca but I do know for our AMS-Barca flights not all airlines have their schedule open yet. You can compare it a bit to SW opening their schedule later than an airline like for instance AA. It might be worth it to find out if there are any airlines that do the same for Milan-Barca as sometimes a better price gets offered later on. What I did was play with the dates and used a date within 3 months from "now". That way I could see all the airlines flying into Barca. Obviously that only gave me the winterschedule but it does give a good idea of what could be possible.

 

[Pinky166]

Morning Claire.

Good afternoon Maz, how was your day yesterday.

 

[granmaz]

Good afternoon Maz, how was your day yesterday.

Pretty good actually thanks. John's mum wasn't too bad, though extremely frail. She was quite chirpy to be honest and conversation wasn't too difficult. She really is fed up, had enough, and wants to go. Sad isn't it?

The journey went well, and we both slept like logs last night. I had a lot of pain meds, so I think they had an effect there.

Watching the F1 now.

 

[Pinky166]

Pretty good actually thanks. John's mum wasn't too bad, though extremely frail. She was quite chirpy to be honest and conversation wasn't too difficult. She really is fed up, had enough, and wants to go. Sad isn't it?

The journey went well, and we both slept like logs last night. I had a lot of pain meds, so I think they had an effect there.

Watching the F1 now.

It is very sad, I would hate to be like that. It must be very hard for John & you to see her like that too.


I don't really watch the F1 but have been flicking over & checking it today, I really want Lewis to win. He is from my hometown.

 

[granmaz]

It is very sad, I would hate to be like that. It must be very hard for John & you to see her like that too.


I don't really watch the F1 but have been flicking over & checking it today, I really want Lewis to win. He is from my hometown.

No, I don't want to be like that either. Neither did she of course.

I think Lewis will be second. Good result, but would have been nice of course if he had won.

 

[karentan]

i really want to be able to join in all the talk about flight prices but still waiting!

its done nothing but rain here today, i had every intention of going out to hoover my car today but i'm easily put off so i've stayed in the warm watching tv instead! not a bad way to spend an afternoon!

 

[squitty]

Pretty good actually thanks. John's mum wasn't too bad, though extremely frail. She was quite chirpy to be honest and conversation wasn't too difficult. She really is fed up, had enough, and wants to go. Sad isn't it?

The journey went well, and we both slept like logs last night. I had a lot of pain meds, so I think they had an effect there.

Watching the F1 now.

Pleased you had a good journey Maz...not so good to hear your MIL is fed up. It's very sad when they reach that stage

It is very sad, I would hate to be like that. It must be very hard for John & you to see her like that too.


I don't really watch the F1 but have been flicking over & checking it today, I really want Lewis to win. He is from my hometown.

Well he didn't win, but he did come a respectable second

i really want to be able to join in all the talk about flight prices but still waiting!

its done nothing but rain here today, i had every intention of going out to hoover my car today but i'm easily put off so i've stayed in the warm watching tv instead! not a bad way to spend an afternoon!

I don't blame you for staying where it is nice and warm..

Fingers crossed you will be booking flights soon

I am looking at car hire from the port and a hotel for 1 night off site as DH is watching football.

 

[Pinky166]

i really want to be able to join in all the talk about flight prices but still waiting!

its done nothing but rain here today, i had every intention of going out to hoover my car today but i'm easily put off so i've stayed in the warm watching tv instead! not a bad way to spend an afternoon!

Hope you get to know either way asap! It must be driving you crazy.

Well he didn't win, but he did come a respectable second

I am looking at car hire from the port and a hotel for 1 night off site as DH is watching football.

Yes I watched the end, glad he & Jensen both finished in the top 3.

We are watching the footy too (Chelsea V Sunderland).

 

[squitty]

We are watching the footy too (Chelsea V Sunderland).

I ended up watching bits...good result for Sunderland wasn't it?

Anyway, back to researching

 

[Pinky166]

I ended up watching bits...good result for Sunderland wasn't it?

Anyway, back to researching

Not when your a Chelsea fan! Not a happy house here tonight!

Good luck with the research. I booked our car hire the other day, I used USrentacar.co.uk (Dollar) we are picking it up at Port Canaveral & return it to Miami airport, it was about £110 for 4 days.

 

[squitty]

Not when your a Chelsea fan! Not a happy house here tonight!

Good luck with the research. I booked our car hire the other day, I used USrentacar.co.uk (Dollar) we are picking it up at Port Canaveral & return it to Miami airport, it was about £110 for 4 days.

Oops sorry Claire We're not Sunderland fans either. DH & DD support Liverpool.

I usually book via USRentacar, but we only need car hire for one day and the minimum they do is 2 days. Picking up at Port Canaveral, dropping of at either the Regal Sun or Doubletree, depending on we choose.
I've found I'm going to have to book directly with Budget or Dollar, they're both coming out about the same price.

 

[Pinky166]

Oops sorry Claire We're not Sunderland fans either. DH & DD support Liverpool.

I usually book via USRentacar, but we only need car hire for one day and the minimum they do is 2 days. Picking up at Port Canaveral, dropping of at either the Regal Sun or Doubletree, depending on we choose.
I've found I'm going to have to book directly with Budget or Dollar, they're both coming out about the same price.

No worries.

I didn't realise they only do minimum 2 days. Have you got your return flight booked?

 

[squitty]

No worries.

I didn't realise they only do minimum 2 days. Have you got your return flight booked?

No, I didn't either. I was trying our dates on the website and it was saying that there were no cars available. So I rang them and that's when I found out that they only did a minimum 2 day rental.

Yes, we booked our return flight with Aer Lingus a couple of weeks ago now. I couldn't wait any longer. I was going to wait till VA released their reward seats, but I could wait no longer. I had the cruise booked for a while and it didn't feel like we were going till we'd booked the return flight

Have you booked your flights?

 

[Pinky166]

No, I didn't either. I was trying our dates on the website and it was saying that there were no cars available. So I rang them and that's when I found out that they only did a minimum 2 day rental.

Yes, we booked our return flight with Aer Lingus a couple of weeks ago now. I couldn't wait any longer. I was going to wait till VA released their reward seats, but I could wait no longer. I had the cruise booked for a while and it didn't feel like we were going till we'd booked the return flight

Have you booked your flights?

Yes I booked a few days ago.

I wanted to use our VA miles & was holding out for VA Miles only flight from MCO but they hadn't released any at all for August or Sept so I figured they either weren't going to or if they are then not for a while yet and I couldn't handle the waiting as I was getting stressed out over it. I ended up booking Miles only from Miami to Heathrow. It feels much more real now.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Pretty good actually thanks. John's mum wasn't too bad, though extremely frail. She was quite chirpy to be honest and conversation wasn't too difficult. She really is fed up, had enough, and wants to go. Sad isn't it?

The journey went well, and we both slept like logs last night. I had a lot of pain meds, so I think they had an effect there.

Watching the F1 now.

Sounds like the trip went as well as it could've. Sad to hear she's so frail and waiting for life to catch up with her own sentiment and progress. How are you guys today? Any after results of the sleeping so deep, being on the go for so long or not that bad?

i really want to be able to join in all the talk about flight prices but still waiting!

We're just going to do a major group finger crossing, you deserve an answer as soon as can be. And a positive one at that obviously!

its done nothing but rain here today, i had every intention of going out to hoover my car today but i'm easily put off so i've stayed in the warm watching tv instead! not a bad way to spend an afternoon!

Why did you sent it our way? I know rain is no fun but couldn't you have sent it to France or something? We got hit big time by the end of the afternoon and all evening. Got drenched, eventhough my dad almost literally drove his car into the door leading to the main hallway. It was like 2 meters or something, still drenched. Yugh.

 

[granmaz]

Sounds like the trip went as well as it could've. Sad to hear she's so frail and waiting for life to catch up with her own sentiment and progress. How are you guys today? Any after results of the sleeping so deep, being on the go for so long or not that bad?

We are both good today thanks. In fact John is better than normal. i.e. staying awake instead of snoring!!!

We have had a lazy day really. i don't know where it has gone.

 

[karentan]

it has been raining from pretty much 8am this morning til now. made taking the dog out for a walk this afternoon really miserable. we need some sun! we just need to get winter out the way first, then spring will be here before we know it!
spent 2 hours earlier doing the one job i absolutely dread every year - writing christmas cards. normally i leave them til as late as absolutely possible, then i still put it off some more. but got them all (well most of them, got a few more to do, ran out of cards) done, so thats one job done for another year.
everyone on my facebook keeps saying that the coca cola advert has been on, so christmas is coming, i just cant get into the spirit yet, so i'm thinking bah humbug at the mo!