July 26 2014 Barcelona

July 26 2014 

The Magic arrives into Barcelona about 4:30 in the morning.  I am awake and have a hard time sleeping.  Decide to get up at 5:30 a.m.  Am planning on meeting Ken and Christie in the atrium at 7 a.m. to get off the ship.  We are skipping breakfast as we want to get to the airport in plenty of time for our flight.

The ship is cleared by 7:30 a.m. and we are off the ship in the first group and head right into the terminal to gather up our luggage.  Even though there are hundreds of bags in the terminal, it is well organized and we find out luggage right away.

Delta Airlines is the only airline that has check-in at the port, so I make my way with my two bags for check in (had to walk about 25 feet).  I am the first person to check in at Delta.  Ken and Christie are right behind me.  By the time we are done there are about 30 people in line.  There are 3 agents to check in guests.  I have my boarding passes and my luggage has been taken so at this point all I have is my carry on and backpack!  That is so convenient for check-in.  Makes it totally easy.  There is no customs to go through at the port.

Ken, Christie and I get a taxi to the airport.  It is Saturday, the traffic is low and we are to the airport in about 15-20 minutes.  Taxi fare was 30 euros.  We took a smaller car, but there were plenty of taxi vans at the port also.  It is a beautiful morning in Barcelona.

We are at the airport by 8:30 a.m. and we don’t need to collect any VAT refund or anything, so we go through security.  The terminal at Barcelona was under construction last time I was here, but everything looks completed now.  They even have signs at security showing the waiting time to get through. The sign says 6 minutes.  You do not have to take off your shoes.  I also did not have to take my laptop out of its’ case.  

After security is passport control.  There was no line there either.  However, it is not really clear (even though there are signs) that you cannot get to the food court after you go through passport control.  I know it says “Point of No Return”.  But I am thinking that once you go through passport control you hit the food court.  Not true.  So if you want to get any real food (because I haven’t eaten anything for the last 30 days) you have to go down the escalator and do all that before passport control.

Once through passport control (took about 10 minutes) you can go straight to your gate.  There is one location where you can get food, but the line was long and there was only one person working.  It was very slow.  Mostly self serve items.  Croissants, rolls, drinks.  

There were two Delta flights out from the terminal, the  one to New York left about 10:45 a.m.  Anyone from the cruise on this flight would not have a problem getting to the airport on time.  Our flight was scheduled at 11:40 a.m.  But we were delayed under 12:15 p.m.

Ken and Christie were on stand by and unfortunately they were unable to get a seat on the flight, so they ended up in Barcelona and did sightseeing.

I am posting a couple of pictures here, from last year with my daughter Jamie, just because I can!

 

The flight went pretty fast even though it was 9 hours.  Saw 3 movies.  Took a couple of naps and Delta served lunch and then before landing served a quick sandwich which was pretty good.  Even though our departure was late, we arrived in Atlanta on time.

As an American Citizen, you do not have to fill out a customs form.  Now you go through Passport Control and they stamp your passport.  Then you get your luggage.  Then you go to these new kiosks and put your passport in and it prints out a picture and form for you.  Then you go through customs and then drop off your luggage at the Delta baggage collection point.  After that you get in line to go through U.S. security.  So, that free bottle of water I just got on my Delta flight now has to be thrown away since I can’t take it through security.  Doesn’t make a lot of sense to me since I just got off a Delta flight and haven’t left a secured area.  Oh well……

The security line is very slow.  They only have a couple of machines open.  I have plenty of time though, so I am not worried.  I am going from the International Terminal to Terminal B.  After making it through security I hop on the underground tram and am to my gate in no time at all.

I get on my computer at the gate and reactivate my cell phone and text Shari to let her know my arrival time into Orlando.  Make a couple of phone calls to family to let them know I am alive and back in the United States and will be home in a couple of hours.

Flight to Orlando is on time and I got a first class upgrade for my last leg of the flight.  (That would have been really nice from Barcelona).

Arrive on time and Shari meets me in the terminal.  Boy it is sure good to see her!  Gather my luggage and Ken meets us at the curb for the 30 minute ride home.

All is well at the condo.  There has been a lot of rain in Orlando in the last month and the backyard looks like a jungle.  I am always amazed at how fast things grow here.  So it looks like I have some weeding in my near future.

While Ken and Shari are here, I open the front door and there is a Federal Express package for me from Disney Cruise Line.  It is my Golden Mickey Statute for celebrating my 50^th cruise.  What a great surprise to finish my trip.

I stay up as late as possible to try to get used to the eastern time zone again.  But finally call it a night.    

     

I will post a final recap with my thoughts on the cruises and my 30 days in Europe in a couple of days.  It was a great trip.  Wish I could have stayed longer.

Goodnight from Orlando!

July 25 2014 The very last Sea Day

July 25 2014

I can’t believe the day has arrived.  It has gone so fast.  Today is the last sea day of my 30 day adventure in Europe and tomorrow we will be in Barcelona and I will be headed back to the United States.  The time flies by on the ship no matter how long you are on for. 

Today is packed with activities, so got lots of things to do and places to go.

No breakfast this morning as we are going to Palo for Brunch, so will save up my appetite for then.

Ship is quiet this morning.  Either people are sleeping in or packing.  There are about 2550 guests on board.

I did find out there are 600 youth from 11-17 on board.  I hear more from the tweens than anything else.  Some of the parents seem to just let them run loose from the time they get on the ship.  I don’t know how many kids have been running in the hallways late at night, but there are many and all it takes is one troublemaker to get a group to follow…….That’s the thing with these long cruises in the summer, there are a lot more tweens and teenagers on board.  Like I said, it’s the tweens, not the teens that seem to be the problem.

Bingo is at 10:45 a.m. and we are out in full force.  I win the first game of Bingo (along with 7 others) so the cash payout was nothing to go running to the bank with!  However, it was better than not winning at all!

As soon as Bingo is done, it is time for our brunch reservation in Palo.  Am looking forward to Chilled Strawberry Soup and Chicken Parmigian.  We are all in the Private Dining Room for our final brunch.  We spend about 2 hours in Palo for brunch.  Palo brings a birthday cake for Michael as we are celebrating his birthday (July 30).  We are all so full that Michael decides that we will have it at dinner tonight.

It is now time to go to the Walt Disney Theater to see the 2:30 p.m. performance of Junnk.  Junnk is a percussion group from England featuring comedy and rhythm.  They are four young men who are hysterically funny.  I saw them last year in the Mediterranean when the Magic brought them on for the first time.  They are well received by the guests.  They do a whole Michael Jackson segment using their drums (55 gallon barrels) and other instruments (empty bottle 6 paks that they blow into to make musical sounds).  It is great.  They receive a standing ovation at the end.  Tonight there will be an adult show.

Better hurry to the next thing.  Time for the final Jackpot Bingo.  I win the 1^st game again splitting the winnings and bringing home $43.  The final game, Michael ends up being one number away.  I was two numbers away.  The final jackpot was $9,904.  Didn’t know the family who won.  They were obviously excited.  However, everyone else was disappointed. LOL  Michael decorated our Bingo area again and I brought Olaf along for good luck.

The day was warm, but overcast.  Captain Robert said we may get rain during the day, but he has avoided the storms and we have had no rain.

After Bingo, went back to the stateroom and finished packing.  I have my suitcase, a duffel and a carry on along with my backpack for the trip home.  Got my luggage out before I went to the show.

Disney Dreams is the show in the Walt Disney Theater.  My favorite of course.  It is sad seeing the cast perform for the last time during my 30 days on the ship.  I am invited to visit with the cast later on this evening before they go out for Til We Meet Again in the Atrium.

Now it’s is time for dinner.  It’s the Til We Meet Again menu.  I have my butternut squash soup for the last time.  So sad….For dessert I have Baked Alaska, a guest favorite.  Time to say goodbye to Hilash our server and Eder, our assistant server and Deneval our Head Server.  They have taken very good care of us.  We celebrate Michael’s birthday (July 30^th) at dessert tonight.  

I go up to D Lounge and visit with my friends from the cast and get a last picture with Mickey and Minnie.  I am going to miss them.  We are going to meet up in September and have some cookies and milk together.  Have my farewells with Emma and Jeanna too.  Will be looking forward to seeing them this fall.  They hope that Jamie can somehow work in her schedule so she can come also on one of the cruises to see them.

Then it is time for the Til We Meet Again Party in the Atrium.  Lots of people getting last minute pictures with all the characters and different performers.

We all then hurry off to Fathom’s for the last adult show with Junnk.  They do a separate adult oriented show on the cruise from the family one in the Walt Disney Theater.  Fathom’s is packed and their show is awesome.

Do a little dancing and then decide it is time to call it a night since I have to be up at 6 a.m. so I can get off the ship at 7 a.m. and check in for my flight from Barcelona.

Go back to my stateroom (2046) for the last time.  The door looks so bare when there are no magnets and no fish extender out.  So sad when it is time to go home.  However there is a gift sticking halfway out of my door at the bottom.  It is the litho for 2014 that Don “Ducky” Williams created.   A gift for my 50^th cruise.  A nice surprise.

Well, for the last time this cruise, Goodnight from the Disney Magic!

July 24 2014 Valetta Malta

July 24 2014

Today we are arriving in the port of Valetta, Malta.  Jamie and I visited Malta twice last year, so it is my third visit to this city.

Valetta, Malta is one of the most beautiful ports to cruise into.  Malta is officially the Republic of Malta.  It is a small densely populated island nation comprising of seven islands, three of which are inhabited.  It is located in the Mediterranean Sea just 5 miles south of Sicily.  The island is 17 miles long and 9 miles wide.

We are arriving in port about 6:15 a.m. so it is an early morning in order to see the sunrise and sail into the port.  

I figured since most of the guests were getting off the ship first thing, I would get my laundry done while there wasn’t a wait for washers and dryers.  The plan worked great.  Had all my laundry done by 10 a.m.  and then got ready for the day.

Went out to the port at 11 a.m. and met up with Michael, George, Kathy, Jason, Noel and Kathryn for the Hop On Hop Off Bus.  Cost was $15 euros and picks up right outside the port down the walkway on the right.

Rode the bus through the city (it is an extremely hot day and a little humid).  Went through many of the small villages and saw plenty of sights right from the bus.

Here’s a picture of my daughter Jamie from last year’s visit to the fishing village

Next stop is the Blue Grotto.  Here’s a picture with Jamie last year and then this year’s picture of the same place

 

Here’s some additional pictures from the Blue Grotto.  It is a beautiful little boat ride.  You ride the little boat for about 5-10 minutes before you get to the Grotto.

Jason, Noel and Katherine (and our skipper):

While waiting for the Hop On Hop Off bus, got a gelato and a couple of souvenirs:

Continued on the bus to the Old City and went shopping and enjoyed a traditional Maltese treat – a Canolli from the local bakery.  (I had one from here last year, and it was on my list of must do’s for this year!)  The Wembley Bakery makes these fresh while you wait, putting the cream inside the canolli and the nuts on top while you wait.  Delicious!

Went by the city walls on my way walking back to the ship:

This is looking at the ship from the city walls before taking the Barrakka lifts down to the street level to get back to the port.  (The Barrakka lifts are elevators that take you from sea level up to the old city.  Very nice so you don't have to walk the huge hill to get up there).

Now it is time for all to be aboard (4:45 p.m.) and we will be making our way back to Barcelona.  We have beautiful views of the city as we leave Malta.

I ran into Jake the Pirate in the atrium and there was no line, so wanted to get a picture for Jamie’s since she is friends with Jake.

Tonight in the Walt Disney Theater is the Magic & Illusion of Kyle Knight and Mistie. They do an excellent show, fast paced and audience interaction is involved which makes it fun.

Next it is off to Bingo, but no winning tonight.

Next is dinner in Carioca’s.  My third favorite restaurant on the Disney Magic.  My favorite is Animator’s, followed by Lumiere’s and then Carioca’s.  So you could say it is my least favorite, but instead, I say it is my third favorite. LOL

After dinner, we wander over to Fathom’s for 80’s Flashback night.  Michael of course has all his 80’s props, including the Michael Jackson gloves, so we have tons of fun playing the 80’s flashback musical game.

Back to the room to call it a night.  We receive our final gift from Disney Cruise Line for the Inaugural Voyage we are on  Sorry, I didn’t take a picture, but it is a flat bowl and then you can roll up the sides and clip in the edges to make it a bowl.  Kinda a cool gift.

Tomorrow is our last sea day.  Have a really busy day planned. Before you know it, they will be kicking us off the ship….

Goodnight from the Disney Magic!