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Magic in the Mediterranean 2013

Tigger71
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Re: Magic in the Mediterranean

Postby Tigger71 » Tue Jul 30, 2013 1:05 pm

I also want to add that if you get the chance to visit Dubai you must do two things - visit the Lost Chambers aquarium - free for Atlantis hotel guests but US$37 for non guests! Just beautiful and much more intimate than the mega mall offerings. And also Ferrari World in Abu Dabi - the cab ride was well worth it and we squeezed 9px into an 8 seater van for the hour long trip! We only went there as we saw the building of the Formula Rossi roller coaster (still the fastest in the world) on foxtel (I don't really watch that much TV...) and we asked a friend from Dubai and he said we HAD to go there! Whole park is indoors (derrr - the temp outside is 46 degrees) except for the actual track of the two main coasters. Barely anyone in Dubai does anything before 1pm so park didn't open until 11.30am and you pay according to height. Forget all the strict rules we have in Aussie theme parks, the kids could do anything! There isn't 101 attractions but what is there is so good you will want to repeat them more than a few times. They had a ball and we did too!
Past Disney vacations...

DLR - 1995, 1998, 2002, 2015, 2016
DLP - 1998, 2013
WDW - 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2017
TDR - 2010, June 2012
HKD - 2010, Oct 2012, 2015
DCL - 2013,2015
Aulani - 2015
SDR - 2017

Tigger71
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Re: Magic in the Mediterranean

Postby Tigger71 » Tue Jul 30, 2013 1:19 pm

As for Villefranche, almost everyone we spoke to said they did their own thing as the train is just at the top of the hill (buses are filled near the half way point and it's very cramped - I have no idea why people try to park in such difficult locations). It is a steep trek to get up there but then it was as easy as deciding which stop to hop off at. We spent US$129 per adult and $89 per child to visit about 6 stops. US$1081 for 9px - Not worth it. We should have gone the private van/guide route but we really had no idea what a DCL tour would actually give us. Turns out the difference was WAITING for ignorant peeps who think they can be late, Shutter's photographers on each bus and a guarantee that DCL would get us back to the ship or pay for us to get to the next port. Any special performances put on for DCL guests can be seen by anyone. No special pins like ABD tours or the old Grand Gathering offerings. A private guide also will answer more personal questions that we posed like easiest way to get to XYZ or best café for ABC. We also asked about general incomes, lifestyles, real tipping culture, local food places, whether they had always lived in the area and what they do for entertainment, scandals! Curiously, the waiter at lunch on out Turkey day was from Melbourne! If we ever met anyone from Australia our code was "They're from our street" - lol.
Past Disney vacations...

DLR - 1995, 1998, 2002, 2015, 2016
DLP - 1998, 2013
WDW - 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2017
TDR - 2010, June 2012
HKD - 2010, Oct 2012, 2015
DCL - 2013,2015
Aulani - 2015
SDR - 2017

churros
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Location: The Shire

Re: Magic in the Mediterranean

Postby churros » Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:35 pm

Well with 7 of us a private tour seems the way to go. We were not keen in Ephesus to see "Mary's" house which seemed unavoidable on every tour but sound like we will do the same for Villefranche

Tigger71
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Re: Magic in the Mediterranean

Postby Tigger71 » Fri Aug 02, 2013 1:57 am

Mary's house is really not that far from the other ruins of Ephesus. It's located ten minutes from DCL's lunch stop (which we had included even though we hadn't paid for it)!
You can always use the stop as a restroom/drink break even if you are not interested in viewing the site. There are always the market stalls to look at!

FYI - we paid US$429 TOTAL (through DCL, paid for just to my on board account eg cannot be split between guests) for a New model Mercedes 12px van with driver AND a guide - there were 9px of us - 4 adults, 17, 14, 12 & 2x 7year olds and we had heaps of room. Driver told us to help ourselves to an esky (chilly bin/cooler/ice box) filled with drinks anytime. The smaller vans on offer through DCL cost MORE! I have no idea why but I emailed twice and received a stock standard reply to phone DCL...I didn't but I told a screen shot for reference in case they did try to charge more. As lunch was not supposed to be included we tried to tell the driver that we didn't want to stop for lunch where the cruise line does as we knew that there was a carpet making demonstration on with carpets for sale...no room in my luggage for that! But our driver said lunch was FREE - know I like the sound of that. Lunch was fantastic!!!! Even if we had been asked to pay - it was worth it. So fresh and tasty - Turkish stuff and fresh salads, fruit and the best meat balls. After lunch we were ushered near the carpet weaving ladies...and we were treated to traditional dancing and the kids were all given (free) instruments (maracas & cymbal sticks). It was lovely. NOTE - another cruise line tour bus showed up just to watch the dancing and they were not given any instruments (and they didn't stay for lunch).
Past Disney vacations...

DLR - 1995, 1998, 2002, 2015, 2016
DLP - 1998, 2013
WDW - 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2017
TDR - 2010, June 2012
HKD - 2010, Oct 2012, 2015
DCL - 2013,2015
Aulani - 2015
SDR - 2017

churros
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Joined: Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:35 pm
Location: The Shire

Re: Magic in the Mediterranean

Postby churros » Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:53 am

Sounds like a bargain! I had been reticent to move away from the DCL tours only because they would ensure you got back to the boat in time. But I really like the idea of being able to say "I've had enough lets leave here now" or "take me back to the boat a need to sit on a sun lounge by the pool for the rest of the day."


kuchnie Czeladź

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