A Little Trans-Atlantic Magic... PTR About This Page:

[disneyfreeeak]

This is so exciting!! Can't wait to hear all about the trip!

[DrDolphin]

Originally Posted by lauriep

I'd forgotten that her report was on her blog page. Maybe she'll see this thread and pipe in with some info. I do recall that they had some rough seas to contend with!

Piping In!!! I sent her the corrected link to the blog. Apple discontinued their website for personal use about a year ago and we had to move the blog... guess I need to update that TR - huh??

Great news on your cruise - and starting from Galveston (I went to college there - before cruise ships sailed from there).. how cool is that?

[Principessa_di_Fata]

Originally Posted by lauriep

I'd forgotten that her report was on her blog page. Maybe she'll see this thread and pipe in with some info. I do recall that they had some rough seas to contend with!

I'm actually a little excited about some rough seas, weirdly enough. I mean, I don't want them ALL the time, but a day of it might be something interesting to remember (as long as I'm not throwing up all day).

Originally Posted by disneyfreeeak

This is so exciting!! Can't wait to hear all about the trip!

I have so much research to do...

Originally Posted by DrDolphin

Piping In!!! I sent her the corrected link to the blog. Apple discontinued their website for personal use about a year ago and we had to move the blog... guess I need to update that TR - huh??

Great news on your cruise - and starting from Galveston (I went to college there - before cruise ships sailed from there).. how cool is that?

I read all of the blog updates about the trip - it sounded great! And I loved the photos! Great tips about the monkeys in Gibraltar (re: stuffed animals and bags and food and such)! Love it!

I AM SO EXCITED!

[Principessa_di_Fata]

I still can't believe this is happening. I keep talking about it, but it's still not at all real to me. I think once I check in, make my ship-board reservations and get my itinerary in Barcelona nailed down, it will start to become real. Maybe?

Here's my "to-do" list for the trip (as far as I can think of right now - I'm sure there's much more):

* Figure out what spa treatments I'm going to book (these have to be paid at time of booking, yes?)
* Figure out what day to do Palo dinner and Palo brunch for me and mom
* Find hotel in Barcelona
* Create itinerary for Barcelona (need to research things to do - feedback always welcomed)
* Choose flight to return home from Barcelona...
* Make parking reservations for Houston

I can, fortunately, check two things off my list...

1) Tammy has graciously agreed to be our shuttle from Houston to the port in Galveston! I looked up the Disney transportation... and yikes... it's $60 per person! I told Tammy I'd much rather pay her gas and treat her to a scrumptious breakfast, if she were able to pick us up at our hotel in Houston and drive us to the port!! Thank you, Tammy!!!

2) I found a long-term parking place - it's actually at a hotel in Houston, and we can park there for 3.20 per day. Since we'll be gone for roughly 20 days, it's so much cheaper to do this than to park at the airport! There's 24 hour shuttles to and from the airport, so we will be able to get to the parking lot from the airport whenever we fly back in to Houston from Barcelona (coming through Newark, I believe). I still need to make the reservations, but I don't want to do that until I nail down our exact dates of travel.

Packing is going to be interesting, as well! I'm going to have to pack for all kinds of weather! Bathing suits for Castaway Cay and the Caribbean portion of the trip, and for Madeira... 2 fancy dresses for formal nights, some nicer (but not as fancy) dresses for semi-formal night, some sun dresses and cute pants sets for casual nights, a pirate outfit for Pirate night... and then jeans and tshirts / sweatshirts for the crossing! I'm thinking Meri and I will each need our own suitcase, and then we'll need a third suitcase that we will fill with dozens of books! We figure we'll blow through all of the books in 14 days, and then we can leave them for the crew library.

I can't wait until it's time to pack! I'm going to get out my suitcase soon, and just leave it on my dresser in my closet... that way I can throw things in there as I come across them! Anything you can think of - just mention in here! Water and wine, of course... and I read somewhere that I should pack a nightlight, so we have that on the list as well! I really need to order my new PassPorter and a few sets of PassPockets! And I need to get a folder going of documents and notes and such! I think I'll grab a folder and notepad before I leave the office today, and work on it on the drive home tomorrow.

Phew, so many thoughts running through my brain right now!!!

[chezp]

Any help you want with Barcelona, just shout! I did a trip report in summer 2007 when we did the Med cruise, then another in September 2008 (I think that's right ) when we went back to Barcelona, and our trip in September 2010 also covered our visit to Montserrat. It's a beautiful city, but I will warn you, there's a heck of a lot to see there.

[lauriep]

Samantha Brown did a good show on Barcelona a couple of years ago. Maybe you can find it on the Travel Channel website. It's a wonderful city! I did the same thing with books on the Panama cruise. Just left them in the little library in Cove Cafe. Now I travel with a Nook, so I always have unlimited reading material! The Passporter guide has the measurements for suitcases that will fit under the bed. If you can manage it, use suitcases that fit the depth measurement. Helps so much to keep them out of the closet. I'd add a small power strip to your suitcase so that you can charge more than one phone, laptop and camera at a time. I'm facing similar problems right now packing for South Africa, except my weight limit is 35lbs!!

[lfredsbo]

Holy SMokes!!!!! What an amazing opportunity!!!!!! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOjealous!!!!

Can't wait to hear all the details!!!!

[Principessa_di_Fata]

Originally Posted by chezp

Any help you want with Barcelona, just shout! I did a trip report in summer 2007 when we did the Med cruise, then another in September 2008 (I think that's right ) when we went back to Barcelona, and our trip in September 2010 also covered our visit to Montserrat. It's a beautiful city, but I will warn you, there's a heck of a lot to see there.

*shouting* I will go back and dig up your trip reports... I know there's much to see, so I really want to narrow down the top sights... unfortunately my list grows and grows...

Originally Posted by lauriep

Samantha Brown did a good show on Barcelona a couple of years ago. Maybe you can find it on the Travel Channel website. It's a wonderful city! I did the same thing with books on the Panama cruise. Just left them in the little library in Cove Cafe. Now I travel with a Nook, so I always have unlimited reading material! The Passporter guide has the measurements for suitcases that will fit under the bed. If you can manage it, use suitcases that fit the depth measurement. Helps so much to keep them out of the closet. I'd add a small power strip to your suitcase so that you can charge more than one phone, laptop and camera at a time. I'm facing similar problems right now packing for South Africa, except my weight limit is 35lbs!!

Power strip - yes yes yes! Great reminder!

Originally Posted by lfredsbo

Holy SMokes!!!!! What an amazing opportunity!!!!!! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOjealous!!!!

Can't wait to hear all the details!!!!

I am really excited about this (you're going to read those words a LOT) and I can't wait to share it all!!! LOL!

[Dlandmom2]

Oh my goodness, the things I miss when I don't check in for a while!

I'm so excited for you! I also finally checked in to Facebook and realized you're off on another adventure (or at least that's what it sounds like!).

I'm loving this awesome trip of yours! 14 days?! Sophia really wants to do Orlando this year, so I'm trying to save like crazy for the next few weeks to see if it's even going to be possible! Then I'll have to save save save for the rest of the year to do a year end trip!

[cubfancolleen]

The best thing to bring for the cruise is an over the door shoe holder. I bring 2 and put one on each side of the bathroom door. Inside the bathroom it's for toiletries: deodorant, toothpaste, hair stuff, brushes, etc. the one outside the door is for sunglasses, sunscreen, the bottom row for flip flops, anything I don't want junking up the place!

[DrDolphin]

You've gotten some great recommendations. One thing I would add - a travel blowdryer - the one on the Disney ship leaves MUCH to be desired. Also - if you plan on doing laundry - get some purex laundry/dryer sheet combos - I forget the official name - but you throw one in the laundry when you wash, and then transfer to the dryer where it works like a dryer sheet - no liquids, no need to buy anything onboard. I would also bring a mesh laundry bag to take dirty and clean clothes to and from your cabin.

Also - you do NOT have to pre-pay for your spa treatments - they are billed to your ship acct and you settle that before you leave the ship.

[cubfancolleen]

Originally Posted by DrDolphin

You've gotten some great recommendations. One thing I would add - a travel blowdryer - the one on the Disney ship leaves MUCH to be desired.

YES!! Unless you enjoy styling your hair with something equivalent to an elf blowing warm air through a straw.....

Love those all-in-one laundry sheets for cruising!

[lauriep]

Yes to the laundry sheets! I also pack a few of the Shout Color Catcher sheets, so you can do one load, mixing lights and colors. (I've never used the hair dryers--actually, have never used one in my whole life!-- but I love your description, Colleen!)

[Coop]

Wow! Just Wow! That sounds like soooo much fun! Pardon my stupidity, who is the employee of the airlines and which airline? Just asking because my mom used to work for United. (and I got great deals on trips - that's how I managed to go to Australia) I was also going to suggest investing in a Nook reader. You can load a virtual library and not take up any space. So happy for you Mel!

[Principessa_di_Fata]

Originally Posted by Dlandmom2

Oh my goodness, the things I miss when I don't check in for a while!

I'm so excited for you! I also finally checked in to Facebook and realized you're off on another adventure (or at least that's what it sounds like!).

I'm loving this awesome trip of yours! 14 days?! Sophia really wants to do Orlando this year, so I'm trying to save like crazy for the next few weeks to see if it's even going to be possible! Then I'll have to save save save for the rest of the year to do a year end trip!

Yes I was on an exhausting adventure in VA - a brief trip to deal with some family stuff. But all is (more or less) well. Keep me posted on the Orlando thing - that sounds fun!!!!

Originally Posted by cubfancolleen

The best thing to bring for the cruise is an over the door shoe holder. I bring 2 and put one on each side of the bathroom door. Inside the bathroom it's for toiletries: deodorant, toothpaste, hair stuff, brushes, etc. the one outside the door is for sunglasses, sunscreen, the bottom row for flip flops, anything I don't want junking up the place!

Great idea, thanks!!!

Originally Posted by DrDolphin

You've gotten some great recommendations. One thing I would add - a travel blowdryer - the one on the Disney ship leaves MUCH to be desired. Also - if you plan on doing laundry - get some purex laundry/dryer sheet combos - I forget the official name - but you throw one in the laundry when you wash, and then transfer to the dryer where it works like a dryer sheet - no liquids, no need to buy anything onboard. I would also bring a mesh laundry bag to take dirty and clean clothes to and from your cabin.

Also - you do NOT have to pre-pay for your spa treatments - they are billed to your ship acct and you settle that before you leave the ship.

Ok good to know about the spa stuff. On RCC you had to prepay it so I'm glad to hear on DCL you don't! We definitely plan to bring our own laundry stuff - I'll get those purex sheets! I know we'll want to do laundry at least once!

Originally Posted by cubfancolleen

YES!! Unless you enjoy styling your hair with something equivalent to an elf blowing warm air through a straw.....

Love those all-in-one laundry sheets for cruising!

Laughed at that description... I never use a blow dryer but mom does, so I'll have her bring hers!

Originally Posted by lauriep

Yes to the laundry sheets! I also pack a few of the Shout Color Catcher sheets, so you can do one load, mixing lights and colors. (I've never used the hair dryers--actually, have never used one in my whole life!-- but I love your description, Colleen!)

Good call on the Color Catcher sheets too! Thanks!

Originally Posted by Coop

Wow! Just Wow! That sounds like soooo much fun! Pardon my stupidity, who is the employee of the airlines and which airline? Just asking because my mom used to work for United. (and I got great deals on trips - that's how I managed to go to Australia) I was also going to suggest investing in a Nook reader. You can load a virtual library and not take up any space. So happy for you Mel!

Mom worked for United for 29 years. We are considering an e-reader, but we are kind of fans of actually holding books in our hands, and I'm still not on board with it just yet, lol. Maybe I'll change my mind... I'm so old school on this ONE thing and it's hard for me to want to change my mind. I love the feel of a book in my hand. They really do make sense, of course. I'm just stubborn. But we are considering it, definitely!