The MAGIC is Back!!! - 6th Sept 2014 WBTA - Come & join the fun! - PART 2

[WDW Princess 71]

I'm waiting for DCL to release their port excursions but typically I do adventure type trips such as scuba diving, hiking, biking, canoeing, etc.

Sounds like fun! There was a kayak type adventure in Antigua called Paddles but they said they would have to get back to me closer to sailing to let me know if they could accommodate our short port time. Maybe DCL will offer something similar. I try to do different things in each port.

 

[NarrabeenSteph]

I'm sort of waiting for the DCL excursions to be released. I sent them an email last week asking when the port adventures will be online, but only got a generated answer others already got before, saying that they are working on it.

We want to visit Loro Parque on Tenerife. It's a 30min drive from port to the park and renting a car sure is an option. But with two young kids in tow, I would prefer an organized excursion rather than going on our own. I don't want to miss the ship before we're even across the atlantic

For St.Kitts we're hoping for the Scenic Railway Tour someone mentioned earlier.

On St.Maarten we'll most likely take the two countries tour. Shame that the DCL tour doesn't offer a stop at Maho Beach. I'd love to see the airport.

Antigua will be a beach day. We need to enjoy those caribbean waters at least once

It's a shame, that a lot of excursions aren't suitable for small children and infants.

 

[wayneg]

We want to visit Loro Parque on Tenerife.

25 years ago(on our honeymoon) since we visited Loro Parque,

 

[ShellB8585]

Hi all, It's with a heavy heart we will be leaving this cruise due to finances - we're renovating our home too and it's all getting a little too much and we'd rather get the house finished. instead we have pushed back to the EBTA in 2015 so we can really enjoy it. It's been nice meeting you all and I hope you have a fantastic cruise!!

Can you all please remove us from any lists we may be signed up to? Thanks

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

Sorry to see you go Shelley and Carl.

But I'll see you on the EBTA in 2015!

 

[NJA]

We'll miss you shelley and carl.

 

[lilpooh108]

Hi MandyGirl!

I'm sad to say that I won't be joining you all on this cruise

Please remove me from Palo Brunch Group #6. I think you're on the May 2014 Wonder though, right? Maybe I will meet you then.

Have a nice cruise everyone!!!

 

[DISNEYFAN_SD]

Only 155 days I am getting so excited. I wanted to thank everyone again for planning all the events.

 

[Namsupak]

We were waiting to see what kind of excursions Disney offers. But we're open to private companies too. We're still trying to decide what kind of things we want to do. We may wait until a lot closer so I can have a better idea of what the kids will be like and able to handle.

I'm sort of waiting for the DCL excursions to be released. I sent them an email last week asking when the port adventures will be online, but only got a generated answer others already got before, saying that they are working on it.

It's a shame, that a lot of excursions aren't suitable for small children and infants.

I know what you mean about a lot not being suitable for small children. We have actually left the kids on the ship quite a bit. It took us a few cruises before we decided to do it but it's worked out better for all of us. The kids don't get bored and hot. We get to enjoy more adult adventures.

 

[Sparky47]

Dena, I hear you. Looking up airfare on our own for my dad and I, it was about $2000 each with 1 or 2 stops each way, which was ridiculous. He will be flying from Philadelphia and me from Phoenix. I have never done DCL air before, but for this trip DCL air even with the $75 deviation fee we had to pay to pick our own flights, came in far cheaper than what we could find on our own. It came in around $1200 for my dad nonstop both ways to/from Philly, and $1300 for me with just 1 stop each way to/from Phoenix. The good thing too is that for my outbound flight I connect in Philly so I will be on the same flight over to BCN with my dad. It still stings though that the tickets are that much $$$ when we only paid not even $1500 total for us for the cruise itself. Airfare sucks!

Nicole, I'm curious to find out what you mean by "paying $75 deviation fee to pick your flights." I also booked our airfare through DCL because it was by far cheaper than anything I could find to Barcelona and home from San Juan (from/to Cleveland, OH) without multiple stops. Are you saying that I could contact Disney now and for $75 per person pick the flights we want to take rather than waiting until July when they assign our flights and we get whatever we get? THANKS for your help!

Linda

 

[ludari]

Sounds like fun! There was a kayak type adventure in Antigua called Paddles but they said they would have to get back to me closer to sailing to let me know if they could accommodate our short port time. Maybe DCL will offer something similar. I try to do different things in each port.

I agree it is fun doing something different at each port but I book all my port adventures through DCL to avoid any potential problems.

 

[NarrabeenSteph]

I know what you mean about a lot not being suitable for small children. We have actually left the kids on the ship quite a bit. It took us a few cruises before we decided to do it but it's worked out better for all of us. The kids don't get bored and hot. We get to enjoy more adult adventures.

I was thinking about leaving the kiddos on board as well, but I am not sure how they will cope with it. DS1 will be 4 and a half when cruising, and despite growing up in Australia the first 18 months in his life, I have no idea how he will do in the kids clubs, where they usually only speak English. There is a chance, that he doesn't want to go there and then we're stuffed
And as DS2 will be to young for the kids clubs, they couldn't spend that time together as well.

We will see

 

[WDW Princess 71]

Nicole, I'm curious to find out what you mean by "paying $75 deviation fee to pick your flights." I also booked our airfare through DCL because it was by far cheaper than anything I could find to Barcelona and home from San Juan (from/to Cleveland, OH) without multiple stops. Are you saying that I could contact Disney now and for $75 per person pick the flights we want to take rather than waiting until July when they assign our flights and we get whatever we get? THANKS for your help!

Linda

My TA did all the DCL air arrangements for me, so I can't say for sure how it works, but in general yes paying the deviation fee for each person allows you to pick flights. However it isn't super easy. I originally thought I could just have my TA tell DCL which flights I wanted specifically, but that isn't how it works. Basically you have to submit your preferences, like what time you want to arrive by, max number of connections, etc and then they review and either reject your request or send you an offer as close to what you requested as possible, and then you have 2 days to accept or reject it. It took a little but of going back and forth. In the end I got exactly what I wanted but it was a but of a process, but worth it and the fee for me because we know we won't be flying with crazy connections or anything like that. I would definitely check it out if I were you; it's no obligation unless you accept it.

 

[Sparky47]

My TA did all the DCL air arrangements for me, so I can't say for sure how it works, but in general yes paying the deviation fee for each person allows you to pick flights. However it isn't super easy. I originally thought I could just have my TA tell DCL which flights I wanted specifically, but that isn't how it works. Basically you have to submit your preferences, like what time you want to arrive by, max number of connections, etc and then they review and either reject your request or send you an offer as close to what you requested as possible, and then you have 2 days to accept or reject it. It took a little but of going back and forth. In the end I got exactly what I wanted but it was a but of a process, but worth it and the fee for me because we know we won't be flying with crazy connections or anything like that. I would definitely check it out if I were you; it's no obligation unless you accept it.

Thank you, Nicole, for the information. Great to know there is no obligation unless we accept. We may have to check this out! Thank you!

Linda

 

[CastMember 02]

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[MandyGirl]

Hi MandyGirl!

I'm sad to say that I won't be joining you all on this cruise

Please remove me from Palo Brunch Group #6. I think you're on the May 2014 Wonder though, right? Maybe I will meet you then.

Have a nice cruise everyone!!!

I'm sorry to hear that! Thank you for notifying me - I took care of the brunch list. We have some who wanted to move around on our waitlist and will be able to accommodate them around PIF date if others have cancelled as well. No - not on the Wonder - would be nice though! Will be working (sigh).

Hi all, It's with a heavy heart we will be leaving this cruise due to finances - we're renovating our home too and it's all getting a little too much and we'd rather get the house finished. instead we have pushed back to the EBTA in 2015 so we can really enjoy it. It's been nice meeting you all and I hope you have a fantastic cruise!!

Can you all please remove us from any lists we may be signed up to? Thanks

Sorry to see you go, but YAY for EBTA 2015!!

Only 155 days I am getting so excited. I wanted to thank everyone again for planning all the events.

Appreciate the Thank You

I know what you mean about a lot not being suitable for small children. We have actually left the kids on the ship quite a bit. It took us a few cruises before we decided to do it but it's worked out better for all of us. The kids don't get bored and hot. We get to enjoy more adult adventures.

We finally left our's for the first time last summer in Croatia so we could do an excursion. Kids had a great time in the club for the day. They probably would not have wanted to eat oysters straight from the sea anyway...

 

[babydiver]

I'm waiting for DCL to release their port excursions but typically I do adventure type trips such as scuba diving, hiking, biking, canoeing, etc.

We are waiting for Disney to release their excursions too as Richard always goes on their 2 tank dives and he is hoping to do 2 or 3 dives whilst on this cruise.

 

[Namsupak]

Anyone staying in one of the cities around Barcelona? We were considering staying in Sitges so we could do a day at the beach before the cruise. Just curious if anyone has stayed here in the past.

 

[WDW Princess 71]

Anyone staying in one of the cities around Barcelona? We were considering staying in Sitges so we could do a day at the beach before the cruise. Just curious if anyone has stayed here in the past.

We are staying in the city at the same place we stayed last year because we loved it so much, a rooftop pool, and block from La Ramblas. My dad loves being in the city center. Plus we can walk over to the pre cruise meet at the Hard Rock : ). That said, we plan on a beach day when we arrive. That's how we like to beat the jet lag, by napping on the beach and getting the fresh air and sun. Last year we just did the Barceloneta city beach which we liked but it is known that this beach is not nearly as nice as those further from the city. So this year, we are considering taking the train to one of the beaches 30-45 mins away. Our tapas tour guide and Vespa guide that we loved last year both recommended Sant pol de mar. I looked it up and it looks really nice. In open to other beach suggestions as well if others want to share!

 

[MandyGirl]

For those with extra time in Barcelona, a day trip to Montserrat is easy to do and well worth it. No tour guide needed and plan a full day. Beautiful.