lilpooh108
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2010
- Messages
- 4,357
The 2013 Med cruises are almost over Since there is so much amazing information in this thread and in the TRs, I compiled links to the info below. Feel free to let me know if I'm missing anything. This first page is a work in progress.
Barcelona Pre-cruise Hotel Thread/Recommendations
Helpful Discussion on Med Ports for Mobility Challenged Folks
Interesting Discussion re ABD v Private Med Excursions
Recommended/Referenced Barcelona Transfer Companies
Barcelona Day Tours
Spanish Trails
Barcelona Airport Transfers
Suntransfers
AeroBus BCN (only 5.9E one way ticket)
Barcelona Attractions/Info
Sagrada Familia tickets online
Casa Batllo
Bus Turistic HOHO (Blue Bus)
Grayline HOHO (Red Bus)
Barcelona Cathedral (free in mornings, small charge in the afternoon)
Picasso Museum
Parc Guell (free prior to Oct 25, 2013, fee for admission after Oct 25, 2013)
Fat Tire Bike Tours
Runner Bean *Free* Walking Tours Barcelona (Tips Accepted)
Discover Walks *Free* Walking Tours Barcelona (Tips Accepted)
Villefranche
Ingrid from Kultours
***Please PM me if you have recommendations or more info***
La Spezia (Florence/Pisa)
Art Viva (link to Rick Steve's discount page)
Florence Cooking Classes
Your Tour In Italy
Rome in Limo
Website to Purchase Pisa Tower tickets
Informational Website on Cinque Terre
Website for Ferry Company w/Service to Cinque Terre
Status of Cinque Terre Trails
Lucca (Wiki Travel)
Lucca With Kids" (A Great Read)
Lucca, Beautifully Preserved (Rick Steves Short Clip)
Civitavecchia (Rome)
Recommended touring/transfer/guide companies
Rome in Limo
Rudy's Touring Service
Walks of Italy**
Angel Tours
Through Eternity**
Your Tour In Italy
Can't Be Missed Tours
**Rick Steves discounts available
Website to Purchase Colosseum tickets (and tickets to Underground Tour)
Website to Purchase Vatican tickets
Rome Gladiator School for Kids
Blog Description of Gladiator School
Rome ToolKit's detailed summary of the cruise port
Heatherbelle's Explanation for Rome On Your Own (with itinerary)
Tom's Port Guide Rome
Naples
Your Tour In Italy
Rome in Limo
Walks of Italy**
Can't Be Missed Tours
Tom's Port Guide Naples/Sorrento
Venice
Tom's Port Guide to Venice (PDF)
Palazzo Ducale's Link to Secret Itineraries Tour
Doge's Palace website link to different tickets & museum passes
Walks of Italy's Secret Itineraries Tour
Mykonos, Greece
Tom's Port Guide to Mykonos
Thndrmatt's summary of DIY at all ports
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=48812510&postcount=756
Celestine's Recap of DIY at all ports
7-Night Med Trip Reports
Realbetis' TR
Disney Helen's TR
Disney Mam's TR
Lilpooh108's TR
Lilpooh108's Bathroom roundup for 7 night Med
Abayaflowers' TR (mostly DIY)
Kikids' TR (mostly DIY)
Pandanasbearz's TR
TexasGirl29's TR
RuaDisneyfan2's Summary (used Rome in Limo for all 3 Italian Ports)
Debsters41's Summary recap
12-Night Med Trip Reports
MelCatfish's TR
Scraptographer's TR
disprincess4ever's TR
MinnieDiva's TR
Deb in IA's TR
EBTA TR
Gotomu212's EBTA TR
*****Original Post*********************************
OK, ok. I know lot of people have pre-trip reports, planning reports, etc. I can't go through them all ! So I'm looking for a few quick tips for summer 2013 Med cruisers like me!
We are on the June 1, 2013 cruise and so I've got to finalize our plans very very soon. Where are you guys all in the process? We all have recommendations of tour guides to use, but what about tour companies to AVOID?
I ask because I've been communicating with a certain company and they asked me to post a tripadvisor review before I've even taken the tour, you know, about our "booking process." Uh, no thanks. I figure tips like these will help us avoid pitfalls, etc.
Here are my questions.
1) Got all your flights booked? Inter-Europe flights booked? Where do you plan on storing your stuff before/after the cruise? We have a late flight out of BCN to CDG. What do we do w/luggage? How is EasyJet at BCN? Crowded, well managed, etc?
2) My family has an odd number of 9 people. We can't save money by booking a minivan with a private tour company, and every company I've contacted wants to put us on a minibus (thereby eliminating any savings).
What to do? Just book through Disney? Does Disney waste alot of time? I hate waiting around on the ship for people to disembark w/the Disney Excursion. Precious time wasted. Will it be bad to just book through Disney?
3) Any family friendly restaurant recommendations in any of our Med port cities, or for London, Barcelona and Paris? We have 7 adults, 1 infant, 1 toddler. We've done Europe as adults, but never with kids. We will be a hassle to seat, I'm guessing. My days of "get up and go" are over
4) Any typical tourist things to watch out for w/kids? Touring w/kids is very different than touring with adults. Any places that surprisingly don't allow strollers? Any weird things I should know about before I get there (to do with kids)?
5) How do I manage a 12 month old and a 4 YO? Double stroller (prob not)? 1 stroller and 1 baby carrier? Ask DH to wear a hiking carrier and let 4YO walk? I'm considering jet lag, and might just bring 2 $15 umbrella strollers and throwing 1 away if it gets to burdensome.
6) How much should the cab fare be from Barcelona central to the port?
What do you plan on doing? Help! Thanks everyone! I'm hoping to get a good discussion going.
P.S. I have been checking Cruise Critic, but I love my DIS'ers. It's a familiar place here. Let's chat.
Barcelona Pre-cruise Hotel Thread/Recommendations
Helpful Discussion on Med Ports for Mobility Challenged Folks
Interesting Discussion re ABD v Private Med Excursions
Recommended/Referenced Barcelona Transfer Companies
Barcelona Day Tours
Spanish Trails
Barcelona Airport Transfers
Suntransfers
AeroBus BCN (only 5.9E one way ticket)
Barcelona Attractions/Info
Sagrada Familia tickets online
Casa Batllo
Bus Turistic HOHO (Blue Bus)
Grayline HOHO (Red Bus)
Barcelona Cathedral (free in mornings, small charge in the afternoon)
Picasso Museum
Parc Guell (free prior to Oct 25, 2013, fee for admission after Oct 25, 2013)
Fat Tire Bike Tours
Runner Bean *Free* Walking Tours Barcelona (Tips Accepted)
Discover Walks *Free* Walking Tours Barcelona (Tips Accepted)
Villefranche
Ingrid from Kultours
***Please PM me if you have recommendations or more info***
La Spezia (Florence/Pisa)
Art Viva (link to Rick Steve's discount page)
Florence Cooking Classes
Your Tour In Italy
Rome in Limo
Website to Purchase Pisa Tower tickets
Informational Website on Cinque Terre
Website for Ferry Company w/Service to Cinque Terre
Status of Cinque Terre Trails
Lucca (Wiki Travel)
Lucca With Kids" (A Great Read)
Lucca, Beautifully Preserved (Rick Steves Short Clip)
Civitavecchia (Rome)
Recommended touring/transfer/guide companies
Rome in Limo
Rudy's Touring Service
Walks of Italy**
Angel Tours
Through Eternity**
Your Tour In Italy
Can't Be Missed Tours
**Rick Steves discounts available
Website to Purchase Colosseum tickets (and tickets to Underground Tour)
Website to Purchase Vatican tickets
Rome Gladiator School for Kids
Blog Description of Gladiator School
Rome ToolKit's detailed summary of the cruise port
Heatherbelle's Explanation for Rome On Your Own (with itinerary)
Tom's Port Guide Rome
Naples
Your Tour In Italy
Rome in Limo
Walks of Italy**
Can't Be Missed Tours
Tom's Port Guide Naples/Sorrento
Venice
Tom's Port Guide to Venice (PDF)
Palazzo Ducale's Link to Secret Itineraries Tour
Doge's Palace website link to different tickets & museum passes
Walks of Italy's Secret Itineraries Tour
Mykonos, Greece
Tom's Port Guide to Mykonos
Thndrmatt's summary of DIY at all ports
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=48812510&postcount=756
Celestine's Recap of DIY at all ports
7-Night Med Trip Reports
Realbetis' TR
Disney Helen's TR
Disney Mam's TR
Lilpooh108's TR
Lilpooh108's Bathroom roundup for 7 night Med
Abayaflowers' TR (mostly DIY)
Kikids' TR (mostly DIY)
Pandanasbearz's TR
TexasGirl29's TR
RuaDisneyfan2's Summary (used Rome in Limo for all 3 Italian Ports)
Debsters41's Summary recap
12-Night Med Trip Reports
MelCatfish's TR
Scraptographer's TR
disprincess4ever's TR
MinnieDiva's TR
Deb in IA's TR
EBTA TR
Gotomu212's EBTA TR
*****Original Post*********************************
OK, ok. I know lot of people have pre-trip reports, planning reports, etc. I can't go through them all ! So I'm looking for a few quick tips for summer 2013 Med cruisers like me!
We are on the June 1, 2013 cruise and so I've got to finalize our plans very very soon. Where are you guys all in the process? We all have recommendations of tour guides to use, but what about tour companies to AVOID?
I ask because I've been communicating with a certain company and they asked me to post a tripadvisor review before I've even taken the tour, you know, about our "booking process." Uh, no thanks. I figure tips like these will help us avoid pitfalls, etc.
Here are my questions.
1) Got all your flights booked? Inter-Europe flights booked? Where do you plan on storing your stuff before/after the cruise? We have a late flight out of BCN to CDG. What do we do w/luggage? How is EasyJet at BCN? Crowded, well managed, etc?
2) My family has an odd number of 9 people. We can't save money by booking a minivan with a private tour company, and every company I've contacted wants to put us on a minibus (thereby eliminating any savings).
What to do? Just book through Disney? Does Disney waste alot of time? I hate waiting around on the ship for people to disembark w/the Disney Excursion. Precious time wasted. Will it be bad to just book through Disney?
3) Any family friendly restaurant recommendations in any of our Med port cities, or for London, Barcelona and Paris? We have 7 adults, 1 infant, 1 toddler. We've done Europe as adults, but never with kids. We will be a hassle to seat, I'm guessing. My days of "get up and go" are over
4) Any typical tourist things to watch out for w/kids? Touring w/kids is very different than touring with adults. Any places that surprisingly don't allow strollers? Any weird things I should know about before I get there (to do with kids)?
5) How do I manage a 12 month old and a 4 YO? Double stroller (prob not)? 1 stroller and 1 baby carrier? Ask DH to wear a hiking carrier and let 4YO walk? I'm considering jet lag, and might just bring 2 $15 umbrella strollers and throwing 1 away if it gets to burdensome.
6) How much should the cab fare be from Barcelona central to the port?
What do you plan on doing? Help! Thanks everyone! I'm hoping to get a good discussion going.
P.S. I have been checking Cruise Critic, but I love my DIS'ers. It's a familiar place here. Let's chat.