Who's in for GREECE and TURKEY, June 15 2003????

[nzdisneymom]

Thanks for the reminder I forgot already about the 6/13 meet and we are staying at the Renaissance!
Sue

No worries, Sue - as it gets closer to travel time, we'll firm up the time and I'll send out a reminder. We're going to hang out in the lobby on the evenings of both the 13th and 14th for a bit so there are a couple of opportunities to get together. WE have so enjoyed that on other cruises and it's been a great way to share and learn about what others did during the day (and others have shared great tips about places to eat, ways to beat the crowds, etc.). In London, DH and I went to a pub around the corner from the hotel because another DIS family had been there the night before - it was out of the way and wonderful. And another DIS family told us when we went to the Tower of London to go straight to see the Crown Jewels to beat the crowd - we followed their advice and they were right - as we were exiting the area, the queue was backed up!

 

[MoonDaughter23]

I found this on the Tripadvisor Travel Forum

A Dry Climate--Pack an "Ocean" before you go!

Before you leave, run to the pharmacy and purchase a bottle of "Ocean" sodium chloride for each person in your traveling party, and lip balm. The air, especially in Athens is very dry---think Arizona or Denver, and a squeeze of these nose drops a few times a day can improve your trip considerably. Pack away plenty of sunscreen (30+), since it is very expensive to purchase in Greece.

Thank for this tip. Very helpful.

As someone who lives in AZ, I love the "think Arizona or Denver" part.

 

[abayaflowers]

There's a product called "Ayr" that can be found at your local drugstore. It comes as a saline nasal spray as well as a gel that you can put on a q-tip and lubricate the inside of your nasal passages. I used to live in Colorado Springs (2000 feet higher in elevation than Denver) and I'd get nosebleeds all the time. Not sure you'd need it for a day or two, tho...but on the airplane would be good, too. Better to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, then hydrate some more.

Nice to know, because I could not find the product "Ocean" at our local drugstore.

Thanks!

 

[Deb in IA]

For any of you not on FB:

There are a few meets formed up:

June 13th and 14th in the evening at the Renaissance Barcelona. nzdisneymom is coordinating this one.

June 15th: day of embarkation. 3pm in the Promenade Lounge. Should be early enough to be able to meet up before boat drill.

THANKS!!

I am not on Facebook, so I appreciate the reminder!

Are there any meets at the Barcelona Hilton Diagonal? We are staying there for 2 nights before the cruise, and 1 night after.

 

[mindelmouse]

THANKS!!

I am not on Facebook, so I appreciate the reminder!

Are there any meets at the Barcelona Hilton Diagonal? We are staying there for 2 nights before the cruise, and 1 night after.

Im staying there the night after the cruise as well

 

[nzdisneymom]

THANKS!!

I am not on Facebook, so I appreciate the reminder!

Are there any meets at the Barcelona Hilton Diagonal? We are staying there for 2 nights before the cruise, and 1 night after.

I think there are a few folks staying there - so you could host

 

[Boomerang4]

The bag discussion has prompted me to add two cents on something not to be missed regarding travel/convenience/security. Simply an amazing product line, about which I can not provide enough kudos. Saves you a carry on and keeps everything to hand, and particularly appropriate for Europe. Coats, vests, trenches, rain gear, fleeces with tons of hidden pockets and utilitarian tricks. These coats have made me a ver happy traveler...

http://www.scottevest.com/

 

[Deb in IA]

OK, I just bought the following anti-theft stuff, because we are paranoid about pickpockets:


Travelon Luggage Anti-Theft Cross-Body Bag

Pacsafe Walletsafe 100 Secure Travel Wallet

Lewis N. Clark Luggage Rfid Waist Stash

Rick Steves Silk Money Belt

 

[abayaflowers]

For any of you not on FB:

There are a few meets formed up:

June 13th and 14th in the evening at the Renaissance Barcelona. nzdisneymom is coordinating this one.

June 15th: day of embarkation. 3pm in the Promenade Lounge. Should be early enough to be able to meet up before boat drill.

Thanks! Since I am not on FB, this is good to know. I think and hope that we should be awake for the 13th & 14th to meet with everyone.

However, we (adults) will be the only one meeting on the 15th. It's nice to get to meet everyone.

Are there nametags with our disboard names?

 

[ame]

Im staying there the night after the cruise as well

We're staying there the night after the cruise too.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Thanks! Since I am not on FB, this is good to know. I think and hope that we should be awake for the 13th & 14th to meet with everyone.

However, we (adults) will be the only one meeting on the 15th. It's nice to get to meet everyone.

Are there nametags with our disboard names?

I don't think we've had a volunteer to make them yet, but I am going to study-up on the spreadsheet before we go so I can try to remember some names to go with the DIS names. Some people I've already sorted out but I think of each of you by your DIS name and something about you from posting. Like abayaflowers, I think of you as the kids chocolate person because you're putting together the thing in BCN I have Sue (DL1957) because we're meeting up in ATL pre-flight.

My boys will be at the pre-cruise meets (probably) but likely not at the one on the 15th - they'll be doing their own thing by then - we usually stop after boarding and say "see you at x o'clock at y location" and off they go. We might pass by them at some point, or they might turn up in the cabin - usually with a plate of food, cup of ice cream, or some such thing.

One thing we do like to do as a family, and we'd be glad for anyone who wants to join us, is hang out in the Promenade Lounge before early dinner. They usually have chips/salsa out around 5 or 5:15 and most nights they have a duo performing. We like to find a spot on the aft side of the Promenade and catch up on our day before going to dinner (whether we eat at the main dining room or elsewhere, we like to relax there). So on days when we aren't out in port late, you are likely to find us hanging out there - we'd love to have folks join us, come say hi, etc. In fact, when we did our first Med cruise in 2007, that's when we started doing this. We had gotten to know another DIS family and would meet there every evening. Then we sailed together at Christmas in 2008 and did the same thing. After that, we've done it for every DCL we've done - in 2011, some friends sailed with us in Alaska and we had them doing it too - we liked that no matter how scattered we were during the day, we had a point in tmie and a place to come together each day.

 

[abayaflowers]

I don't think we've had a volunteer to make them yet, but I am going to study-up on the spreadsheet before we go so I can try to remember some names to go with the DIS names. Some people I've already sorted out but I think of each of you by your DIS name and something about you from posting. Like abayaflowers, I think of you as the kids chocolate person because you're putting together the thing in BCN.

Our family loves this chocolate from this Barcelona location.

One thing we do like to do as a family, and we'd be glad for anyone who wants to join us, is hang out in the Promenade Lounge before early dinner. They usually have chips/salsa out around 5 or 5:15 and most nights they have a duo performing. We like to find a spot on the aft side of the Promenade and catch up on our day before going to dinner (whether we eat at the main dining room or elsewhere, we like to relax there). So on days when we aren't out in port late, you are likely to find us hanging out there - we'd love to have folks join us, come say hi, etc. In fact, when we did our first Med cruise in 2007, that's when we started doing this. We had gotten to know another DIS family and would meet there every evening. Then we sailed together at Christmas in 2008 and did the same thing. After that, we've done it for every DCL we've done - in 2011, some friends sailed with us in Alaska and we had them doing it too - we liked that no matter how scattered we were during the day, we had a point in tmie and a place to come together each day.

What a great idea! If we make it back in time from our port excursions, we will try to make it.

So, our task as a family is purchasing tickets for all the museums during our DIY port excursions.

I try researching as much as I can when I am not working or taking care of family household stuff.

So, back to work and will check back later.

 

[DL1957]

One thing we do like to do as a family, and we'd be glad for anyone who wants to join us, is hang out in the Promenade Lounge before early dinner. They usually have chips/salsa out around 5 or 5:15 and most nights they have a duo performing. We like to find a spot on the aft side of the Promenade and catch up on our day before going to dinner (whether we eat at the main dining room or elsewhere, we like to relax there). So on days when we aren't out in port late, you are likely to find us hanging out there - we'd love to have folks join us, come say hi, etc.

This location is my DSIS hangout as well as her BFF and many times we are there at the same time so we might meet up with you there as well and we will know what each other looks like since we are on the same flight together! Working is getting very stressful right now so I am focusing on this awesome trip. I do have a week in SF April 4-11 for the opening of SF Giants baseball however DH will be staying home with our girls (the long hair daschunds on my photo) so while it will be fun I would rather he had more vacation time so he could go with me.

 

[MoonDaughter23]

Has anyone been to the Magic Fountains in Barcelona? We're thinking about doing this and the cable car Wed or Thurs night before the cruise. I've read the Rick Steves' and Lonely Planet descriptions as well as Trip Advisor reviews. Now I'm looking for opinions from any of you who have been there.

 

[Meum]

Has anyone been to the Magic Fountains in Barcelona? We're thinking about doing this and the cable car Wed or Thurs night before the cruise. I've read the Rick Steves' and Lonely Planet descriptions as well as Trip Advisor reviews. Now I'm looking for opinions from any of you who have been there.

we want to see those as well, we didn't get a chance when we went there for the trans atlantic cruise.

I don't think we've had a volunteer to make them yet, but I am going to study-up on the spreadsheet before we go so I can try to remember some names to go with the DIS names. Some people I've already sorted out but I think of each of you by your DIS name and something about you from posting. Like abayaflowers, I think of you as the kids chocolate person because you're putting together the thing in BCN I have Sue (DL1957) because we're meeting up in ATL pre-flight.

i'd be willing to make the nametags buts since I haven't been to a meet before, i would need some guidance of what to put on them.

see ya, marianne

 

[mindelmouse]

Has anyone been to the Magic Fountains in Barcelona? We're thinking about doing this and the cable car Wed or Thurs night before the cruise. I've read the Rick Steves' and Lonely Planet descriptions as well as Trip Advisor reviews. Now I'm looking for opinions from any of you who have been there.

I wanted to go there, perhaps if they are running when we return, but we're only there a day before and I think by that night we'll all be exhausted from the time change

 

[abayaflowers]

Has anyone been to the Magic Fountains in Barcelona? We're thinking about doing this and the cable car Wed or Thurs night before the cruise. I've read the Rick Steves' and Lonely Planet descriptions as well as Trip Advisor reviews. Now I'm looking for opinions from any of you who have been there.

We stayed at the Fira Palace Hotel in Aug. 2010 & just walked over 1 block after dinner at Napoli.

Absolutely beautiful @ night.

Lots of people.

Everyone will enjoy it.

 

[Boomerang4]

Has anyone been to the Magic Fountains in Barcelona? We're thinking about doing this and the cable car Wed or Thurs night before the cruise. I've read the Rick Steves' and Lonely Planet descriptions as well as Trip Advisor reviews. Now I'm looking for opinions from any of you who have been there.

We went on the night before embarkation in 2011. I remember that it started quite late; the start time is dependent on the sun...it has to be mostly dark before the show will begin, and I think it started at 8:30 or 9:00. We had read a different time and showed up way early. But it was really nice, there are lots of open tables and chairs around the fountain, and kiosks selling beer, wine, soft drinks, snacks and ice cream. We just hung out and let the boys run around and explore a bit. We ended up sharing our table with a family of Americans who were headed out on a different cruise line as a graduation present for their daughter; very congenial environment. The fountain and music are the same as many of it's type all over the world (think Vegas), but you get the chilled out ambiance of coastal Spain.

We took the metro there; it was very easy to find. I would give it double thumbs up, but perhaps not a "must do."

 

[meb51]

Has anyone been to the Magic Fountains in Barcelona? We're thinking about doing this and the cable car Wed or Thurs night before the cruise. I've read the Rick Steves' and Lonely Planet descriptions as well as Trip Advisor reviews. Now I'm looking for opinions from any of you who have been there.

We did this the last time we were on a MED cruise out of Barcelona. I would definitely recommend it.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Has anyone been to the Magic Fountains in Barcelona? We're thinking about doing this and the cable car Wed or Thurs night before the cruise. I've read the Rick Steves' and Lonely Planet descriptions as well as Trip Advisor reviews. Now I'm looking for opinions from any of you who have been there.

I had to look up the Magic Fountain. Here's the link for those like me who didn't know what it was. We may have to figure that into our time in BCN - probably at the end of the trip rather than the beginning.