The Med Thread - All Sailings - Mediterranean

[profdsny]

Following up on my post from about 15 min. ago. Just got off the phone with Air France who said they are not renewing their contract with American Express to use rewards points for flights. I know I was not the only one here looking to use those to save on airfare. Have to try another airline now. Hopefully it won't cost more money.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

If it helps, I will get extra ones and send them to whoever requests them. Send me a PM with your address and I will keep it.

Merry Christmas!!

That is very kind, but why should you do DCL's job, and pay all that postage, I hope the stop treating non USA guests in a poorer way, they have send information before, I had some for my summer DCL 2006 cruise, so lets see what they do,

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

merry Christmas To Everyone! Only A Week Away, Then One More Week 2007 And Closer To That Cruise.

 

[Skallywag]

Happy Christmas to you also - just think it is the shortest day soon and on the longest day we will be on the cruise - wishing our lives away again.

 

[funnybunny921]

If you need a pdf of the excursion descriptions pm with your email me it is a large file though (115pages)...

 

[littleowensmommy]

HELP!!! I need advice. We are currently booked for a midship Cat 3 on the 12 May transatlantic and a Cat 6 on the 26 May Med cruise. The initial price difference between the Cat 3 and the Cat 6 when we booked back on Day 1 was $2700. Now the price of the Cat 6 has dropped significantly for a family of 4 so the price difference between the two categories is now $5400!!! (The Cat 3 did not drop in price at all.) We could switch to the Cat 6 and stay in the same cabin for 25 nights instead of having to move from the suite to the Cat 6 on 26 May. My husband doesn't want to give up the suite. I'm thinking that the shore excursions are going to cost us about $2k more than I had guestimated so the savings is significant. We have never sailed in a Cat 3 before and my husband was really looking forward to the long stretch of sea days in his suite. What would you do? Please I need your opinions. I've got the Cat 6 on hold until Wednesday. Thanks. Kathy

 

[Doingitagain]

Few things I noticed on today's posts.

One, something about chartered flights? Sounds interesting, but, I would think IF they are going to do that, they better announce real soon.

The chartered flights are for DCL for people who booked airfare through them. They are contacting people shortly, they said.

 

[Doingitagain]

HELP!!! I need advice. We are currently booked for a midship Cat 3 on the 12 May transatlantic and a Cat 6 on the 26 May Med cruise. The initial price difference between the Cat 3 and the Cat 6 when we booked back on Day 1 was $2700. Now the price of the Cat 6 has dropped significantly for a family of 4 so the price difference between the two categories is now $5400!!! (The Cat 3 did not drop in price at all.) We could switch to the Cat 6 and stay in the same cabin for 25 nights instead of having to move from the suite to the Cat 6 on 26 May. My husband doesn't want to give up the suite. I'm thinking that the shore excursions are going to cost us about $2k more than I had guestimated so the savings is significant. We have never sailed in a Cat 3 before and my husband was really looking forward to the long stretch of sea days in his suite. What would you do? Please I need your opinions. I've got the Cat 6 on hold until Wednesday. Thanks. Kathy

Tough decision to make! I have stayed in a category 3, and the extra space and concierge service is nice. But $5400? Going to a category 6 after that might seem tough, but if you look at the itinerary, you will be spending most of your time in port on the second cruise.

How old are your children? Mine are teens, and the long repositioning cruise would be much nicer in the category 3. If they were younger (and smaller!) the category 6 and the monetary savings would be very persuasive.

On the other hand, do you have a special something coming up where you could use "coupons" for the extra $5400 instead of gifts for your family? Our first concierge cruise was a family Christmas gift.

 

[CareBlair]

EAT LIKE A LOCAL: Barcelona by Adrien Glover

Budget Travel Online
Tuesday, November 21, 2006

How about confections baked by Spanish nuns, or Mediterranean specialties prepared by the former personal chef of Rupert Murdoch, or tapas created by a former protege or the brother of Spain's culinary god, Ferran Adrià? Read about it here.....

http://www.budgettravelonline.com/b...6111001012.html?referrer=email&referrer=email

 

[EPCOT_VA]

This trip is getting vewry expensive! So far we have:

$13,632.00 Cat 5 room

$3,617.08 RT air from Huntsville, AL to Barcelona

Hotel in Barcelona: ~ $300

Shore excursions: ~$2,500

Tips, taxis, walkin' 'round money, souvenirs etc: ~$2,000

Estimated total: $22,000.00

Dang. No wonder my wife is upset with me for booking this thing. Oh well, it's just money right? Money has no value to you spend it…at least that's what I tell my wife.

~Mike

Mike, I did that same math. If I had actually thought ahead beyond the initial cost of the cruise, I might have thought twice. We are using 900+ DVC Vacation points for one adult and one child. So the cruise came to $6973 for a Cat 5 room. However, add on airfare from DC to London, and then London to Barcelona, the excursions, and all the other items that you mentioned. Now the trip costs in the high teens or low $20Ks.

Alas, there is no backing out now. I'm pretty sure that my family would mutiny and toss me out the back window if I even suggested not going.

It is truly the trip of a lifetime for our family to share. My kids are old enough that I don't think they will ever forget it. An experience like this can also inspire them in school and show them that there is more to the world than what the see and do day in and day out.

Remember everbody, don't get caught up in the hassles of travelling and forget to make every moment fun for you and your kids. The kids have been waiting for the trip as long as you, and probably with even greater anticipation. Bring plenty of stuff to occupy the kids on the long flights. Make their trip fun from the moment they get in the car to go to the airport. You might just find that your experience is a lot more fun too.

 

[bellelinus]

All those who are concerned about the costs of the excursions, keep in mind that in most places it is quite easy to do the same excursions on your own for a fraction of the cost. In my opinion, a lot of the fun of travelling is in interacting with people, so you will have a lot more opportunities to do this taking a train or bus with locals.

 

[gydell]

We always give the CM's in the kids clubs gift card from Walmart. Do any of the ports even have Walmarts? I figure that they will have international calling on their cell phones so calling cards won't work. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Doingitagain]

We always give the CM's in the kids clubs gift card from Walmart. Do any of the ports even have Walmarts? I figure that they will have international calling on their cell phones so calling cards won't work. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks!

I believe that Walmart gift cards can be used online also, so it won't matter if they have one in port, as long as they have a shipping address that Walmart ships to. They could also save them for the end of the summer when they return to the US, DCL has a bus to Walmart for them when they are at Port Canaveral.

I am also considering VISA gift cards, but that might be too close to "cash" to be allowable. Plus many of them have expiration dates.

 

[gydell]

I like the Visa gift card idea. That way they could use it anywhere in Europe. I don't know what the difference would be since a Walmart gift card is money to the store. AX gift cards do not expire. I wonder if the Passporter would know. I will post on the other cruise board and maybe a CM will answer.

 

[Skallywag]

We here in England can purchase Inernational phone cards and assume that you can get the same from shops in Barcelona prior to the cruise. Would think any international phone card would work.

 

[MrsJobba1]

Hi all,

IM soooooooooo excited, I finished school yesterday and today I'm packing up for our Christmas trip away. For those who don't know (There can't be many). Dh and myself (+3 dogs) are taking our motorhome to Yorkshire for Christmas. We are leaving tomorrow so today its loading the van, so we can leave bright and early tomorrow.

I wanted to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Spectacular 'Disney' 2007!!

Thank you for all the help, and advice this year and I look forward to sharing lots of Disney talk next year.

All the best

Helenxxxx
Ps pray that there is no wind tomorrow so we can get the awning up ok

 

[Skallywag]

Hi Helen,

No fear of wind here I think with all this fog. Daughters both supposed to be flying in for Christmas from Jersey (Channel Isles) just wondering if they will make it. Also worried about the roads as visibility has been virtually nil.

What part of Yorkshire are you making for - one of my daughters is moving to somewhere near Leeds as manager of bank there.

Hope everyone has a great christmas and safe travelling to all.
Brenda

 

[profdsny]

Unfortunately After going through all the motions including booking my flights Air France called back & cancelled my reservations.

All flights must be complete by 6/30/06. I called AMEX & they refunded the points used for the certificates to my account! I was also told to try back after the 1st as that is when the contract would be renewed.

Untill then I will search for other alternatives.!

Hi, check with Swiss. They still use the AMEX rewards, and it is less than the Air France were. We're doing that, with a stop over in Zurich. And their cost per dollar is pretty good also.

 

[funnybunny921]

Just wanted to wish every one a merry christmas/ happy holidays/ safe new year.....

and if you contact me after today about the med excursion pdf I am not ignoring you i am just on vacation in St. Maarten..... I'll forward the pdf to any one who contacts me once i return.


Island here I come!!!

 

[Rogillio]

Periodically I've been going back to the DCL site and checking on the price of the cruise we booked back in April. It's been constant until now.

May 26, 2007 sailing, 2 adults/2 children, no trans, no insurance:
$13,904.04 Dec 22, 2006
$13,632.00 April 5, 2006
Cruise savings for booking early: $272.04

4 RT air from HSV to BCN on Continental
$4,234.40 Dec 22, 2006
$3,617.08 July 13, 2006
Airfare savings for booking early: $617.32

Total for cruise + air:
$18,138.44 Booking now
$17,249.08 Booking early
Total Savings for booking early: $889.36

OK, 17 grand for a family vacation still kinda boggles my mind but I same (some) comfort in knowing I saved almost 900 bucks for booking early! I'm hoping Disney goes way up on cruise prices so I really feel like we're getting a great deal!!

~Mike