Crossing The Pond by Disney Magic: Pre-trip Report

[wickesy]

Cast:
Me – David (41)
Dad – Ray (66)


In June 2010 Dad and I did a cruise around the Baltic on the Disney Magic and got bitten by the Disney cruise bug. In March of last year we were lucky enough to be on the maiden cruise of the Disney Fantasy and whilst on board we decided to book our third Disney cruise. I have always wanted to go to Venice and, since Disney had announced just before our cruise that they would be going to Venice in 2013, a Disney cruise seemed to be the ideal way to do it. Unfortunately the Disney itineraries were just too expensive and so we ended up booking for the Eastbound Transatlantic leaving from Galveston on the 18th May 2013 and ending up in Barcelona on the 1st June 2013.

Once we got home I started looking for flights to Galveston but because we only needed one way flights everything I looked at was extremely expensive (around £2,000 EACH!) and I began to think of booking a return flight and just not using the return portion. In the end I realised that we had a load of Avios points (air miles) that we might be able to make use of but at that time flights using air miles hadn’t been released, so I checked for the nearest dates I could find. I found that by buying some more air miles we could get a reasonable one way flight so I sat back and waited for flights to be released. By spotting the pattern in the way flights were released I was ready on the 28th May when ours were available and, after buying 13,000 Avios points for £223, I was able to get flights for the two of us for 37,500 Avios plus £911.38, which I was more than happy with. That flight leaves Heathrow at 10:25 on the 17th May, arriving in Galveston at 2:35pm.

At the beginning of July I started looking at flights from Barcelona to London and they were coming in at around £75. There was no rush so I decided to wait and see if prices would come down at all. They dipped as low as £51 but then started to rise and rise, so on the 25th August I booked the flights – we ended up paying 147 Euros, which was somewhere around £125, so much for waiting That flight leaves Barcelona at 1:55pm, which I thought would give us plenty of time to have breakfast, get off the ship and get to the airport, and arrives in London at 3pm.

Everything then went quiet until the 16th December when I had an email informing me that the flight time of the Barcelona flight had changed and the flight was now departing at 10:30am! That seemed a bit tight to me so I phoned BA who told me that the original flight had been cancelled but they booked me on the flight leaving at 2:55pm instead which I was happy with.

I had been looking at hotels and since a lot of people on our cruise meet thread were staying at the Tremont Hotel in Galveston I booked a twin room there. The hotel is right next to the port so we’ll actually be able to walk to the ship on the morning of the cruise.

I’ve also booked a night at the Travelodge at Heathrow – we like to get our holiday started the night before we fly and it makes things so much more relaxed on the day of the flight.

On the 13th February my attentions turned to sorting out t-shirts for us to wear on boarding day – it’s become a bit of a tradition for me to order personalised t-shirts for boarding day and thanks to a mention of a site called tagxedo and the talents of somebody on our cruise meet I ended up creating and ordering this from Vistaprint.

Front


Back

On the 17th February we reached the 90 day point on the countdown, which meant I was able to do online check-in for the cruise and I managed to get an 11:00 boarding time so we’ll be onboard nice and early. Later that week I decided it was time to organise transport from Houston Airport to the Tremont and I ended up going with Texas Airport Car, which cost us $135 for a private car.

So this is how things look at the moment:
Thursday 16th May – Taxi to the Travelodge at Heathrow Terminal 5
Friday 17th May – Fly from Heathrow to Galveston and transfer to the Tremont Hotel
Saturday 18th May – Sail from Galveston at 4pm
Sunday 19th May – At sea
Monday 20th May – At sea
Tuesday 21st May – Castaway Cay
Wednesday 22nd May – At sea
Thursday 23rd May – At sea
Friday 24th May – At sea
Saturday 25th May – At sea
Sunday 26th May – At sea
Monday 27th May – At sea
Tuesday 28th May – Madeira, Portugal
Wednesday 29th May – At sea
Thursday 30th May – Gibraltar
Friday 31st May – At sea
Saturday 1st June – Arrive in Barcelona at 7am, have breakfast, leave the ship and travel to the airport, flight leaves at 2:55, arriving in Gatwick at 4:10pm, get a taxi home.

You will have noticed there’s a lot of sea days in the middle there, which is both good and bad – good because it makes a nice, relaxing holiday and bad because in July of last year I met my girlfriend. We live about an hour’s drive away from each other, see each other every weekend and speak on MSN every night so a week of expensive ship’s internet or satellite phone charges means we’re hardly going to have any contact with each other but I’m sure we’ll survive.

So all that’s left to do now is sort out my fish extender gifts and then it will be a case of sitting back and waiting for departure day.

[RDP]

Sounds wonderful, can't wait to book our next cruise. Our recent trip on the Dream was amazing. We sailed on the magic 8 years ago, it's a beautiful ship. Look forward to your TR.

1999-Swan, 2001- Grand Floridian, 2002-Yacht & Beach Club, 2003- Animal Kingdom Lodge,2004- Grand Floridian&Disney Cruise,2006- Off site, 2008- Dolphin, 2009-AKV Kidani, 2010-Saratoga Springs ,2011-AKV Kidani ,2012 - Port Orleans, DCL-Dream & Beach Club, 2013 - AKV Kidani

[wilma-bride]

Sounds great David. As usual, am jealous of yours and Dad's plans

Oh, and so chuffed you met somebody, will you be bringing her to the next Tony Roma's meet?

[wickesy]

Thanks Joh. Yes I am hoping to bring her to the next Tony Roma's meet

[izzie-wizzie]

Sounds amazing - all that time on a Disney Cruise would be so relaxing!!

I've never done a Disney Cruise but having read so many amazing trip reports about them - I am looking into a 4 night Dream Cruise next year. Looking forward to your Trip Report to convince me even more

[irongirlof12]

I love the t shirts and your plans sound great

[stephensmum]

Sounds like a another great trip, I'm looking forward to reading all about it. Is your girlfriend a Disney fan?

[wickesy]

Originally Posted by stephensmum

Sounds like a another great trip, I'm looking forward to reading all about it. Is your girlfriend a Disney fan?

Thanks Sharon. She doesn't class herself as a Disney 'fan' but she does like Disney films, we've been to see a couple of them together and she would like to go to WDW with me.

[wilma-bride]

If it gets serious and you start travelling with your GF, David, let me know if Dad needs another travelling companion

[dixonsontour]

Great plans I always enjoy your trip reports

[wickesy]

Originally Posted by wilma-bride

If it gets serious and you start travelling with your GF, David, let me know if Dad needs another travelling companion

will do Joh

[Linda67]

Hi David

I'm very late but count me in for this TR

Your plans sound wonderful

[Chilly]

Loving the t-shirts.

Was only thinking this morning about another Tony Roma's meet.

[wilma-bride]

Originally Posted by Chilly

Was only thinking this morning about another Tony Roma's meet.

Must be because you're craving ribs

[Chilly]

Originally Posted by wilma-bride

Must be because you're craving ribs

I think I am