Have you every tried to attach a luggage tag to your bag before your cruise? They send you this paper thin sheet that you cut into ribbons and they ask you to fold them and staple them to your luggage. Well, you know that they won’t stay there as you fly from home to the cruise terminal because the airport luggage handlers will either tear them off accidentally, or they will get wet and fall off. So, you plan to attach them before you head for the cruise terminal. Well, did you bring a stapler with you to attach them. No!! Who carries a stapler on a cruise. Apparently I was not the only person who thought that system sucked.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
As I said in my earlier post about going with the backpack style carry-on bags, I would do a follow-up story to tell you how it went.
First, a little more background on my efforts. I did a sample pack with enough clothes to make up 20+ outfits. Packed it and left it for 3 weeks then opened it up to check to see how wrinkled the clothes were. I packed 8 short sleeved shirts, two long pants, 2 shorts, underwear for a week and my DOP kit. I used the techniques shown on RickSteves.com. Best of all, the total weight was about 22 pounds. I can carry that and it will fit in the overhead of any airline that we planned to use during our trip to Europe in the spring of 2014.
Since we planned a week in Malta and a couple of days in Barcelona, prior to our 12 day cruise on the Mediterranean, we split our packing into two parts. First of all, we packed a 24″ roller bag with our cruise clothes. Both my clothes and my wife’s clothes. I pre-ordered the rental of my tux on the ship so that I did not have to pack a suit or sportcoat and slacks. All of my wife’s dresses would take up less space and weight less than one sportcoat, so I figured that it would be well worth the cost. Since it was a 12 day cruise, we needed enough clothes for a dozen outfits for each of us and a pair of dress shoes in addition to the shoes that I would wear to Malta. Also, since we had our carry-on backpacks from the week in Malta, we would have some extra clothes there as well. The roller only weighed in at about 35 pounds. Quite a drastic reduction from two 48 pound roller bags the year earlier.
We were not going to be using the “cruise clothes” in Malta and since we did not want to haul the roller bag to Malta and back, we made arrangements to drop the roller bag off at Citadines, the hotel we were using when we returned to Barcelona the following week. I planned a 6 hour layover in Barcelona before heading to Malta so that we had time to put our carry-on bags in the locker at the airport, take the R2 train into downtown and the L3 metro to our hotel to drop off the roller bag. The staff at the Citadines locked our bag in their secure storage room and it was there waiting for us when we returned a week later. We even had time to walk the La Rambla and enjoy some tapas and a cold beer before heading back to the airport.
As many of you know, most timeshare condos have a laundry room or a washer and dryer in the room. The place in Malta had a laundry room, so, on the night before the last day at the condo in Malta, I put on my bathing suit, and went to the laundry room and washed everything else. That meant that we would have week’s worth of clean clothes to add to what we packed in the roller bag and left in Barcelona.
I know you are just waiting to hear how it went. It went great but I know that we can go lighter next year. I still had too many shirts and pants and not enough underwear. My wife had a couple of outfits that she didn’t wear as well. Doing the week in the timeshare before the cruise worked out well because we had access to a washer and dryer which meant that we could get along with fewer clothes. The other thing that worked out well is that by sharing one checked bag and having a week’s worth of clothes in our carry-on bags, we did not have to worry about a lost bag. Fortunately we did not have a lost bag and could change clothes as often as we wanted during the cruise.
Already looking forward to next year’s vacation, especially since we will be going to Africa for a couple of weeks before we spend a week in Myrtle Beach for a family re-union. That means that we will need one set of clothes for the safari and an entirely different set of clothes for a week on the beach because it will be winter in South Africa and summer in Myrtle Beach.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
I noted in a post last year about how to get the best use of the Metro when travelling in Paris. This year, we traveled to Barcelona and after doing my homework, we were ready.Of course, I printed out the map for the local trains and the metro so that I had them in hand when we arrived in Barcelona. I also downloaded the RENFE application to my phone before the trip. It provides info on the train schedule in Barcelona.
I knew that we would take the shuttle from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 to catch the R2 train into Barcelona. We would get off on the 4th stop at Passeig de Gracia. You should know that the name you see on the map is not always the name that you see on the board on the train. For example, our stop showed up as pg Gracia not as Passeig de Gracia. I always count stops so that I don’t miss my stop. A couple we met from Grants Pass missed their stop, the one at Sants, before our stop at Passeig de Gracia. We helped them off the train and over to the platform to get them back to their stop before we proceeded on to the Metro.
My wife saw some pickpockets getting ready to put the squeeze play on the man and she rushed them and shouted at them to leave the man alone and they snuck off into the crowd. Another thing that we noticed when we got on the train was the “helpful” man that assisted people with their luggage, placing it on the far side of the train, out of sight of the “victim” where their partner in crime could take the bag while the victim was still getting their other bags onto the train. Another reason that we opted for smaller and lighter bags for our trip.
Click on the map to enlarge it.
From there,we would walk over to the L3 Metro, which was three floors below the train, and take it two stops to the Liceu station in the middle of La Rambla. Only a half a block to our hotel from there. My research also provided several additional tips to make it a more enjoyable vacation.
First of all, I discovered that there are lockers at Terminal 1 in Barcelona where we could store our suitcases while we went into town. I planned a 6+ hour layover because we wanted to leave our carry-on bags in the locker and take our 24″ roller bag to the Citadines Aparthotel, (the hotel where we will stay before our cruise but after a side trip to Malta). I had made contact with the Citadines hotel on La Rambla to make arrangements to leave our suitcase with our cruise clothes so that we did not have to haul them to Malta and back. If you remember my earlier blog about Paris, we stayed at a Citadines Aparthotel there and loved it. It was a 1 bedroom apartment in the hotel. The one in Barcelona, we chose to use, is a studio apartment in their hotel right in the middle of the action. They are a great chain of hotels and apartments. When we vacation in England in the next year or two, I have already picked out a Citadines that we will be using there.
Second, to make the process a little easier, we purchased the 10 ride metro ticket that was good on the train as well as the metro. My research told me that I would need to have some Euros in small denominations to use the machine to buy the 10 ride ticket. We used 8 rides to make it downtown and back to the airport. We picked up second 10 ride ticket at the same time so that were ready for our return from Malta without having to pick up the extra ticket during the rush. We had 6 rides left when we started our cruise and gave the ticket to a couple we met from Tazmania who were going to spend a couple of days in Barcelona after the cruise. Even with giving the left over rides away, it was still cheaper to buy the 10 ride tickets than to buy single ride tickets for each leg of the journey.
If you are thinking of visiting, you may also want to have a look at this video. We did not make it but want to share it with you.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
It is Friday, April 13th. I catch my flight to Fort Lauderdale tomorrow morning, but I am not worried at all. I followed my check list and I am ready to go.
ONE WAKE-UP AND I AM ON MY WAY!!!
A year’s worth of planning and it is almost time to take our cruise of a lifetime.
I guess I better get my checklist out and go over everything one last time..
Finalize packing, check!
Confirm flight times and print out boarding passes, check!
Confirm shuttle service, check!
Confirm hotel reservations, check!
Make sure to put your passports, confirmation paperwork and cruise docs in carry-on, check!
Set alarm and go to sleep.
I am still wondering about staying in touch. I have read everything that I can find, but I still wonder. I know that we will purchase a package of minutes of computer time so that we can stay in touch. Don’t expect my cell phone to work as anything but a camera until we make it to Puerto Vallarta. I have put everything that I need to have handy in my carry-on bag: Tickets, passports, confirmations, cruise docs, money, meds, cameras, books, e-reader, chargers, etc…
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
Today’s email from Norwegian Cruise Lines, “Ready, Set Cruise!”
ONE WEEK LEFT!!!
I cannot believe that we only have two weeks to go before we take our cruise of a lifetime.
I guess I better get my checklist out and go over everything to make sure we are ready.
Finalize packing list, check!
Extra batteries, chargers, memory cards, etc…, check!
Finish most of the packing, check!
Go through your wallet/purse and remove stuff you won’t need.
Make copies of your passport and leave copy with someone at home and put copies in your suitcases.
Confirm flight times, etc… Do this again the day before you go to the airport.
One of the things I read about a long time ago is to pack half of your stuff in your bag and half in your partner’s bag. Of course, half of your partner’s stuff in her bag and half in your bag. A very good plan, just in case one of the bags gets lost in your air travel or even lost between the airport and your cabin on the ship.
Also, you want to make sure that you have followed your checklist for the essential carry on bag so that you have your important documents, money, meds, cameras, books, e-reader, chargers, etc… in your carry-on bag. In my case, it is a lightweight backpack.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
Today’s email from Norwegian Cruise Lines, “Two weeks to go. Start packing your excitement!”
TWO WEEKS LEFT!!!
I cannot believe that we only have two weeks to go before we take our cruise of a lifetime.
I guess I better get my checklist out and go over everything to make sure we are ready.
Go over the cruise docs again, check!
Get the luggage tags ready, check!
Start packing, check!
Since I am still working, a little, I need to make sure to get everything organized for my friend, so that she can take care of business for us while we are gone. I will probably spend the next week or so doing that. I also need to notify clients so that they know who to call, if they need assistance. Wow, so much to do, maybe I should have started earlier.
I think I will log on and book some more dinners and excursions. Don’t want to miss out on any fun.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
Today’s email from Norwegian Cruise Lines, “Do this, Do that, Do it all!”
Yes, we are less than a month away from our cruise. More excited everyday.
Back to the checklist…
Cruise documents, check!
Double check with the State Dept to see what is happening with the places we will visit.
Go through the packing list again. It is time to start removing things from the pile. I really don’t need all those clothes. (My wife doesn’t necessarily agree <grin>)
Time to double check to make sure that any necessary prescriptions are up to date.
Just for the fun of it, I go back online to the Norwegian Cruise Line page to check out the dining options and excursions. I think I will book a couple more so that they are out of the way and we don’t have to worry about missing out if they get booked up. We really want to do the zipline excursion in Costa Rica. Don’t want to miss that one. Better pre-book online.
I am sure you remember my blog post about excursions. Yes, you can often get them cheaper if you book them off the ship or through independent vendors online. My biggest concern for an excursion is that it takes the whole day, and the possibility of getting back to the ship late and missing the departure. If I book it through the cruise line, they get to worry about me getting back to the ship. I don’t want to have to worry about that.
Only about 3 weeks left to go.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
Today’s email announces, “We have a world of entertainment on board for you.”
Well, only 31 days left before we board the ship in Miami.
In fact, only 30 days before I catch the plane to Florida. Want to be there the day before we board so that we don’t have to worry about a late flight.
So, we go online and check out the links to all of the onboard entertainment. Can you imagine it? We will be enjoying dinner and a show every night while on our cruise. Wow!!! That’s living.
But, back to the check list and planning.
Arranged for transportation to Sacramento International Airport on the 14th, check!
Shuttle service booked from Fort Lauderdale to Miami on the 14th, check!
Room booked at Miami on the 14th, check!
Get out the luggage and start laying out the clothes in the spare bedroom, check!
We will be staying at the Holiday Inn at the Port of Miami. Looking forward to having a leisurely evening, strolling around the port, and having a nice dinner overlooking the water.
We are counting down the weeks!
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
Just received another email from Norwegian Cruise Lines(NCL). 38 days before departure with “Roam, ramble or relax. How do you want to explore?”. The excitement builds as we count down the days. Time to think about booking excursions.
We get out our checklist and mark a few things off. Fortunately, we don’t have to worry about child care or having someone watch the house, since our 18 year old son will be holding down the fort.
Print out packing list for each of us, check!
Start laying out clothes, check!
Pre-book excursions, check!
Pre-pay gratuity (tip), check!
Since we don’t want to miss out on the city tour in Cartegena, we book it online. Nice to have it booked and paid for in advance.
We also paid the “Tip” online so that we have less to deal with on the last day of the cruise. Each ship handles tipping a little differently. At NCL, they collect a tip/service charge that is divided up between the various service staff who provide service to everyone. That does not mean that we won’t tip staff who provide excellent service though. In fact, we will tip our cabin steward on the second day so that he will really want to provide excellent service, every day, for the 14-day cruise.
Boy, do they know how to get you excited about your trip. But, they also know how to get you ready.
Just a little over a month to go.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
We started our planning over a year ago. I am sure you remember reading our blog post about the planning process. I remember looking up the weather at the places we were going to visit because my wife wants to be prepared. You remember the weather link on our website, right? As for me, I figured that it would be warm and that I would be wearing shorts and my guayabara shirts. We are ready to go, other than packing, I think. I get out my checklist to make sure:
Passports, check!
Cruise booked and paid for, check!
Air travel booked and paid for, check!
Travel insurance in place, check!
Get walking shoes and start walking to get in shape, double check!
I go through my checklist, one item at a time.
As I am thinking about writing this blog, not sure exactly what else I was going to write, when I received an email from Norwegian Cruise Lines. “Forty-Five days until departure, So Many Dining Options, Reserve Now”.
We were already excited about the great adventure, but getting that email really got us pumped up. Our plan on this trip was to try out an excursion at each port and to sample each of their specialty restaurants onboard so that we could share our experiences with all of you on our blog. I even go back and change the title to this blog.
We read through all the the information on the dining options. Well, yes, we had read all of it last year when we booked our cruise, but we read it all again. It made me hungry just reading about it.
We decided that we would book the Italian restaurant, La Cucina, on our first night so that we would be all set considering all of the confusion that would be associated with embarcation.
We are counting down the months. Only a month and a half left to go.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Don’t hesitate to email us when you return from your trip with any suggestions that will make this document better for you and your fellow travelers!
Look for our cruise travel packing guide, our packing lists and many other travel tips on our website, www.TeamEdwardsTravel.com
