4/24/2010 Med cruise: Friends, Romans, Countrymen lend me your Ears

[skoi]

Thanks mehaul. We're definitely doing Rome on our own. We were in Italy back in 1999 and spent four days in Rome, but the kids were so little, they don't remember. They both have agreed on Rome on what to see, more or less. It's just a matter of organization

We'll definitely consider the Florence on your own with Disney. They want to see the Duomo and the Uffizi. They're not interested so much in seeing David.

They're really not interested in Pompeii, they want to see the catacombs, the Archaeological museum, eat pizza, and buy soccer shirts in Naples.

Tunis is the port they're most interested in. I'm thinking maybe I should just take them there, or to Morocco, but they're set on the cruise.

Julie

 

[friend of tinkerbell]

Hey all!

Just checked the Disney Cruise Line website and noticed a SPH room is available this evening. Room 5520, is a catagory 10 stateroom. However, it's actually an old catagory 8 that became a 10 due to a slight obstruction of the window. Thus, a room with a window for $1000.00 less than the surrounding rooms. So, if your in a room without a window, you might want to check it out!

 

[friend of tinkerbell]

Sorry!!! It's secret porthole room #5020 that is available for the April 24 cruise, not 5520.

 

[shushh]

[Hi Michelle2 and mehaul, was wondering if you could let me know how disembarkation went in Barcelona? We have very limited flight options as we have to catch the interconnecting long haul flight back home to Sydney. We're trying to avoid staying in Barcelona for an extra night as it is so expensive. And the hotels in Europe are not like those in America or Australia where getting a triple or a quad is not such a big deal!

Mehaul, by the way, your site is fantastic! Very helpful!

Is anyone staying at Barcelona pre-cruise?

Belinda

 

[skoi]

Belinda-
We'll be there one day prior. What about you?

We have no idea where we'll be staying, what we'll be doing, just that we'll be there. I would be too worried about arriving the morning of the cruise. As it is, I'm worried about arriving the morning before.

Julie

 

[mehaul]

[Hi Michelle2 and mehaul, was wondering if you could let me know how disembarkation went in Barcelona? We have very limited flight options as we have to catch the interconnecting long haul flight back home to Sydney. We're trying to avoid staying in Barcelona for an extra night as it is so expensive. And the hotels in Europe are not like those in America or Australia where getting a triple or a quad is not such a big deal!

Mehaul, by the way, your site is fantastic! Very helpful!

Is anyone staying at Barcelona pre-cruise?

Belinda

Thanks - glad you found the site helpful
we have 2 nights booked in Barcelona prior to the cruise.
In 2007 we flew out of BCN to Heathrow
and took a 11:30 flight. We used the Disney transfers.
I'm not sure why they are telling people they have to leave in the PM
Barcelona is a moderate sized airport. It was fairly easy to
checkin and go through security.

 

[shushh]

Julie,

At the moment, we are planning on arriving 3 days before. I too was worried about arriving too close to sailing date. With 3 littlies, 2 LONG flights and extra interconnecting flight and jet lag, I hope I'll cope! Having to travel such a long way, we wanted to see some of Barcelona. Currently, we have reservations at a 3 bedroom apartment near the port and Ramblas. Flights home are giving me headache. Disney have been so unhelpful about disembarkation info. What has been like for you on other cruises? I know Florida isn't quite the same...but some sort of vague idea on what actually happens would be helpful!

Belinda

 

[shushh]

In 2007 we flew out of BCN to Heathrow
and took a 11:30 flight. We used the Disney transfers.
I'm not sure why they are telling people they have to leave in the PM
Barcelona is a moderate sized airport. It was fairly easy to
checkin and go through security.

Mehaul, out of interest, what time did the ship arrive in Barcelona and what time did you get to the airport? Our flight is at 1050. Am I being hopelessly unrealistic here?!?!??!

Belinda

 

[skoi]

Belinda-
When we had early dinner (and therefore early breakfast) we were always off the ship very early-- among the first people because when they clear the ship, you just walk off. When we had late dinner (and breakfast) we were still off pretty early.

You can also skip breakfast and leave whenever they clear the ship. I don't know how customs/immigration work in Spain. All I know is that in the US all non-citizens have to clear immigration before the debarkation begins. On our last cruise (not Disney) several people didn't show up and the ship was held.

I found Disney's debarkation to be the best of the three lines we've cruised.

Julie

 

[friend of tinkerbell]

Hey all,

Just called DCL. They are running a special for our cruise! Kids sail free with 2 adults. We called disney, and they dropped our cruise price by $1190.00
With this reduction, our cruise has dropped $2200.00 in the last 6 weeks!
If you haven't done so yet, call them!!! They will re-book your trip with the discount.

 

[guynwdm]

The Med cruises are not booking up like they did the last time for Disney. I am wondering if there are going to be more price cuts to come. Not traveling with kids (unless you count me and I am over 40 lol)

I think I have a way to get more time off of work by doing some work on Saturdays. I am wanting to fly in at least a day ahead of the cruise to get my body on their time zone. (and to give my 76 yr old father a chance to get the kinks out from the flight) It will also give us a chance if for some reason the luggage does not make it with us that we can get something to wear on the ship until the luggage is found. It would be easy to recognize me if I wore the same shirt for 12 days. Actually you would smell me coming would be my guess. LOL That way we can get a chance to do a day tour of Barcelona. After the cruise I am thinking we will fly to Paris and go to Disneyland and see some of Paris. The main draw for me is the parks there, I did the site seeing things in college. We will be there a couple of days and then fly back home.

 

[shushh]

Nice to hear that a few of us will be there a few days beforehand. We will probably bump into each in and around town. It seems as like Barcelona is a very "walkable" city.

If the ship isn't filling up...then I will eagerly look for the price cuts! Do you simply look up the official Disney site?

 

[friend of tinkerbell]

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/special-offers/kids-sail-med-free/

Kids sail free with 2 paid adults in same stateroom. The Disney Cruise website says this is only for new bookings. However, if you call them, they will cancel your existing cruise, and immediatly re-book the identical cruise and stateroom at the reduced rate! We did it yesterday afternoon.

 

[NC_Tink]

Just thought I'd pop in and wish everyone a happy weekend!

 

[shushh]

Is it always this quiet? Or is it just that it's still a few months away from sail sate? or is that they cruise isn't filling up?!?!?

Finally made the international call to Disney and insisted on speaking to one of the supervisors who confrimed that the first disney shuttle is scheduled to leave at 0700. This means that we should be ok to catch our 1050 flight. I am so relieved!!!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

 

[skoi]

It's been a quiet thread. I think for months there was just us. I was starting to think we'd have the entire ship to ourselves.

Glad to hear your return flight schedule was worked out. I haven't even looked. After seeing how inexpensive last minute flight were from the US to Europe this summer, I decided to wait until after Christmas to book ours.

Next week this time, we'll be somewhere in Florida. Our vacation to welcome dh back officially from Afghanistan (even though he's been home for months) starts next week when we get on the autotrain to go Disney World. So we have to get through one more week of school, Tae Kwon Do, and Arabic lessons before we go on Sunday morning.

Julie

 

[shushh]

Ahhh...Florida. Lucky you! Although I suppose it must be difficult to be at home while your husband is in service, so a very well deserved welcome home holiday! We have been wanting to go to Disney world for a LONG time. Been to Disneyland many many times but never WDW. We will save that for 2011 when my youngest is a bit older.

I think in the states, you have the luxury of choice in terms of flights. It is so expensive to fly to Europe, the cheapest at the moment is around AU$2100 return. That's around US$1765. There is supposed to be a "drop" in prices because of some new deregulation laws. So I am waiting for that to happen! But with 3 little ones and flying so far, I wanted to make sure that I know which flights are available out there.

Does anyone know if the kids sail free on the med cruise deal is over? I couldn't see it on the Disney site anymore. We have friends who are interested.

Belinda

 

[NC_Tink]

Good morning everyone!

Julie - enjoy your trip! What a great way to celebrate your husbands homecoming!!

Belinda - great news on your debarkation travel. I was looking at hotel prices in Barcelona and wow are they pricey! I don't think we're going to be as lucky with travel back to the states, most flights leave way too early -- we'll probably end up spending one more night after the cruise (my DH cringes every time I try to "warn" him about the prices).

Just think ladies -- we'll be cruising the Mediterranean in 235 days!!

 

[shushh]

I was looking at hotel prices in Barcelona and wow are they pricey!

When I was first given the quote by Disney for their pre-cruise hotels, I nearly had a heart attack! They seem to have added "extra" to already expensive rates for tiny rooms and tiny beds The cost was ridiculous when you are trying to find accommodation for 7.

Have you tried looking at apartments? There is such a wide range and it is MUCH cheaper.

 

[skoi]

Thanks all. We're really looking forward to the trip.

The kids still think we're going on a different cruise line (I think, we almost slipped up a few times and the older ones are pretty smart, they might have caught it). Hopefully our surprise will hold until we pull up to the Magic!

Roll call is updated. We're really moving now.