CC GROUP Grand Med May '06 with $100 Deposit pp Thru 4/29/05!!

[muse_clio]

Grand Princess Mediterranean Cruise 16 May 2006

Grand Mediterranean Itinerary

Venice-to-Barcelona

 

We're heading for the blue waters and spring breezes of the Med

and we want you to join us!

 

$100 reservation deposit per person thru 29 April 2005

(No Grand Illusions!)

 

 

We're ready for our "first cruise of a lifetime" ;) and we'd love for you to join us in the Mediterranean in May 2006. It was enough that we came up with a boatload of reasons (pun intended-- grin) to cruise the Med in May. (Check 'em out at the bottom of the email.) But then boy, oh boy, has CruiseCritic made it a sweet deal. By the way, it appears we're missing two of the rates we were quoted, so let me know if you don't see the category you're wanting. I'll drop a line to Laura about it too....

 

Not only do we have some fantastic rates (Click here for prices and itinerary details), but we just found out today (as LauraS was getting ready to post our page) that our TA was able to get our CruiseCritic group a $100 per person deposit. According to our TA, this deposit is fully refundable if you cancel prior to final payment date (around the first of Feb 06).

 

The reduced deposit is good only Monday, 25 April through Friday, 29 April 2005.

 

Read that line up there again, will ya? After 29 April 2005, the deposit goes back to $600 per person, the normal Princess 12 day cruise deposit.

 

Reasons our group has already come up with to book the 16 May 2006 Grand Med Grand Princess cruise:

 

1. I want to hear my DH holler "I love this woman" in San Marco Square.

2. Provence in May. Need I say more?

3. May crowds are smaller compared to summer season. Maybe I can SEE the Sistene Chapel this time.

4. The weather averages 65-75 degrees farenheit in the Med in May, depending on locale. The weather is NICE then.

5. The pollution in Athens might be less irritable since the humidity will be lower than July or August.

6. Leaving the kids at home. Won't European children still be in school?

7. Honeymoon.

8. We'll visit 10 cities but unpack once. That's a no brainer for me.

9. Can't wait to see Mediterranean gardens.

10. Mediterranean food. Give me walking tours so I'm REALLY hungry!

11. Shop on that bridge with the gold merchants in Venice.

12. The best together -- the Grand Princess and the Med in Spring

13. It's shoulder tourist season. I think rates for hotels and tours are lower than later in the year.

14. Celebrating 30 year anniversary.

 

Please visit our cruise forum (see the link below) and "drop us a line!"

Let me know if you need more details. We'd love for you to join us. Maybe you'll be the one who can come up with a catchy group name!

[AliMar]

Hi Tracey,

 

As you know from our past conversations, we are very much interested in joining you next year! We leave today for the Mexican Riviera on the Diamond. So I guess we will miss the $100 deposit special this next week. However, we plan on doing a couple onboard bookings and apply them when we return. We have been contemplating doing a Med cruise for quite some time and are really looking forward to it. Here's to planning ahead and doing our research over the next year!

 

Cheers!

[laurieb]

if you make an open booking onboard the Diamond this week, you can still get the 100pp deposit rate, and onboard credit!

[muse_clio]

if you make an open booking onboard the Diamond this week, you can still get the 100pp deposit rate, and onboard credit!

 

Hi laurieb,

Alicia emailed me this morning just before she got on the Diamond, and said that she and her DH were going to do just that! I can't wait til I can take advantage of the advance booking benefit for Princess return cruisers. Alicia explained it briefly, but can you give full details on how it works?

[cusyl]

We were booked on the May 16th 2006 cruise, but switched to June 6th as I understand the weather is better at that time. Celebrating our 50th anniversary.

[muse_clio]

We were booked on the May 16th 2006 cruise, but switched to June 6th as I understand the weather is better at that time. Celebrating our 50th anniversary.

 

Cusyl,

WoW! Congratulations on your 50th anniversary. :) And what better way to celebrate than a cruise to the Med?

 

We wavered between May and June, but got some feedback from a couple looking at booking with our group. They traveled extensively in Italy in mid May 2004, and said the weather during their stay "could not have been better." In fact, since most of their touring was on foot, they reveled in the weather because it wasn't too hot or humid, or too cold and rainy. Without their input, we might have chosen June too. I’ll see if I can’t get one of them to post their weather experiences….

 

 

From what several websites indicate, weather in both May and June is excellent for the port cities of the Princess Grand Med cruises.

 

Precipitation wise…In southern Italy, it rains less in late May (when we're cruising) than in early May It rains a bit less in June than in May. Rain showers tend to be brief. Check out http://www.summerinitaly.com/planning/temperature.asp In Athens, it rains an average of .75 inch in May and about .25 inch in June. Precip not a show stopper there.

 

Temperature wise…in Naples, for example, high temps tend to be low 70s in May and edge higher towards June. June high temps runs about 80 and edge higher toward July. Lows in May mid 50s and in June about 60. Temps for Rome are similar to those of Naples (rainfall is less for both months). For a comparison of average temps and precips:

 

London May 17C/63F 2” rain

June 20C/68F 1.9” rain

Paris May 18C/64F 2.2” rain

June 22C/72C same rainfall as May

Southern Maryland, USA, we get about 4.2 inches of rain in May, and 3.9 in June.

 

 

Check out http://www.roadtoitaly.com/info/weather_naples.htm. They have a handy menu to the left of the page to check the average highs, lows, and precips of Italian cities by month.

 

For a good basic chart of weather averages in European cities, check out http://www.eurometeo.com/english/climate/city_LGAV/id_GP/meteo_athens%20greece and use the city selection box at the top of the page.

 

 

For a good basic millimeter to inch converter, see http://www.easysurf.cc/cnvert.htm#mi1 and for a temperature converter, see http://www.onlineconversion.com/

[muse_clio]

Anyone been married on a Princess Med cruise???

[muse_clio]

lordy, i'm so excited. the travel agent just emailed me the info. We'll be officially booked in a few minutes.

 

Does anyone have photos of the Grand's C752 balcony??? Someone was kind enough to offer webshots photos, but i couldn't get to them.

thanks!

[Fabulous2B50]

I have booked the Golden Princess for June 3,2006. Can I get an onboard credit still? If so, my online TA did not mention this, so I need to try to get it before the week is over! Thanks!

[muse_clio]

I have booked the Golden Princess for June 3,2006. Can I get an onboard credit still? If so, my online TA did not mention this, so I need to try to get it before the week is over! Thanks!

 

Hi Fabulous2B50,

 

Love your moniker!

 

I may be misunderstanding your comment. It sounds like you're hoping to get an onboard credit for the Golden sailing you've booked. Is that right?

 

The onboard credit mentioned in the cruise critic group details for the 16 May 06 Grand Princess Cruise to the Med is a benefit for cruise critic group members on that cruise only. That is, it's only available if you book the cruise critic group cruise on the Grand. That's a benefit we get as a cruise critic group (a group is 8 cabins). :cool: You need not book this week to get the onboard credit. You only need to book this week to get the $100 deposit per person benefit. You'll need to check with your TA, as you mention, to determine if any benes, like onboard credits or low deposit rates, are available for your booking on the Golden. Did you book as part of a group? If so, the group may have benefits, which may or may not include an onboard credit.

 

If for some reason I've misunderstood you, and you're wondering if you can move your booking from Golden to the Grand Med cruise, by all means, YES. And would you get the onboard credit? Yes, YES! :D

 

Again, love your moniker. Still making me smile.:)

[muse_clio]

Seems like we've got plenty of folks in our group, but everyone's shy!

Anyone wanna say hi?

[jnc411]

Hi , question please, What is the airfare price for a trip like that . From either Fort Lauderdale or West Coast, anyone know ??? Thanks

Cori

[muse_clio]

Hi , question please, What is the airfare price for a trip like that . From either Fort Lauderdale or West Coast, anyone know ??? Thanks

Cori

 

Hi Cori!

I was just looking into airfare today. There are tons of options, and truthfully, I've just started looking, but here is what i'm finding out...

 

Princess wants about $1200-1400 for their air from here in the D.C. area. That would be flying into Marco Polo airport in Venice (VCE) and flying out of Barcelona (BCN). Our TA said we can do better on rates on our own....

 

I checked into the fares for the furthest dates advertised, which is the first half of March 06. Right now, published fares for DC to VCE and then BCN to DC are about 1/2 of what Princess is charging. $700.

 

The comparable rate I found on Expedia for FT Lauderdale to VCE and BCN to Ft Lauderdale is $723. The same trip except starting from LAX is $761/

 

Round trip from FT Lauderdale to VCE is $766. Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) has a 60 Euro fare from BCN to VCE so folks could catch a flight back to Venice and then fly home to their origination point. I don't know about Ryanair's reputation.

 

There might be better ways to go, or cheaper ways to go, or better AND cheaper ways to go... i haven't figured that out yet, but this will give you a ballpark figure. I also don't know whether flights are generally cheaper in March than May to Italy, so that's why i said this info is tentative.

 

I have found a $550 fare RT from DC to VCE. The fare from LAX RT to VCE is about $775.

 

There also is the option to fly into Trieste or Treviso instead of Marco Polo. Maybe someone could give us some insight into whether that's a viable option considering air transfers etc.

[jnc411]

Muse clio: Thanks so much for the great information, I didn't know you could get quotes that far out to March 06 already. Yes it certainly seems like getting the airfare on your own is less expensive, I do know that these open jaw tickets can be pricey. I have to take that into consideration when I book. And from LAX it is always more expensive by far. Thanks again.

Cori

PS. You might want to check Ryan air for the luggage weight restrictions, I know some of the smaller airlines charge a lot for extra weight on luggage, might make a difference for you.

[muse_clio]

PS. You might want to check Ryan air for the luggage weight restrictions, I know some of the smaller airlines charge a lot for extra weight on luggage, might make a difference for you.

 

Hi Cori,

Thanks for the tip on Ryanair. There's a thread with a bunch of posts on the airline, and they were cautioning exactly the same thing you did. I don't remember the weight limitation, but it's definitely a shocker. Some folks were saying they never got charged overages, some said they called ahead (sorta like outback-- call ahead seating) and got some sort of exception. One poster said their group was charged $600 for overages. Whoa Nellie.:eek:

 

Have you any suggestions for us newbies to European air travel?

[muse_clio]

Just a note to remind folks that if you'd like to book the 16 May Grand Med Grand Princess cruise with only $100 deposit pp, you've gotta do it today (4/28/05) or tomorrow. :eek:

[Lee from Texas]

Just a note to remind folks that if you'd like to book the 16 May Grand Med Grand Princess cruise with only $100 deposit pp, you've gotta do it today (4/28/05) or tomorrow. :eek:

 

<bump>

[muse_clio]

Thanks for the bump, Lee. :)

 

See details for deposit info. Today's the last day for $100 deposit per person for the 16 May Grand Med Grand Princess cruise leaving from Venice. Starting tomorrow, deposit goes up to $600 per person.....

[muse_clio]

Are you considering a Mediterranean cruise for '06? We've got a group headed there on the Grand Princess and we'd love for you to join us! Please come visit us at our member group forum. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=244. It's Princess' Grand Mediterranean itinerary leaving Venice on 16 May 2006 and also visiting Istanbul, Kusadasi (Ephesus), Athens, Mykonos, Naples, Civitavecchia (Rome), Livorno (Naples & Pisa), Marseilles (Provence) and Barcelona. (see www.princess.com in the Europe destinations for details on the itinerary).

 

For details on pricing, contact info, etc, see the group details page at http://www.cruisecritic.com/interests/groups.cfm?ID=74

 

We're already gearing up, and looking for more friendly folk! (Our group contains no grumps ;) -- they seem to gravitate towards other types of vacations!)