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  1. M

    Fall 2021 ABD River Cruises

    Had something similar. ABD assigned their own confirmation number, but there will be a Delta confirm # somewhere, you may have to ask ABD for it. You can use that Delta # to log in to Delta's website and change/cancel the flight and get credit for future travel on Delta
  2. M

    Fall 2021 ABD River Cruises

    Which airline? Don't all carriers have a waived change fee right now? At worst, a $75 charge?
  3. M

    Switzerland may begin allowing vaccinated Americans on June 28th...

    We are doing a Rhine trip in September also (Scenic River Cruises) We've both been vaccinated, but plan to get a COVID test a day before we leave, just in case they ask for a recent negative test result. I believe Swiss are requiring only one or the other. I don't think a negative <PCR> test...
  4. M

    ABD Placeholder Question

    Use the placeholder funds to book an Adults-only ABD trip (maybe a less expensive one). Pushing back your deposit just devalues what you put in (you're giving ABD a zero interest loan), so figure a way to use it up. Then start saving for your dream trip with the whole family! Financing a...
  5. M

    Europe ABD with 6 year old

    We waited until our youngest was 9 to take our ABD Italy trip & glad we waited. Everyone knows their own kids best, but we waited for multiple reasons: If you go when your child is at the youngest of age limit, there's a good chance they will be the ONLY child that age (it was for our trip...
  6. M

    Italy - how much time in Orvieto?

    We climbed the clock tower in the middle of town for a great view & did some shopping. Eat lunch at the café right across the street from the clock tower. Best Panini of our whole trip! If it's hot, or you like archeology, consider visiting the well (Pozzo della cava). You climb down into...
  7. M

    Ideas on pre-day in Rome before Viva Italia ABD

    When we did Viva Italia, we were really ambitious and upon arrival, dropped our bags @ the ABD hotel, took a carry-on bag & rode the trains to Sorrento. We stayed in Sorrento for 3 nights and did the Amalfi Coast & Pompeii on our own. Another thing I'd consider doing is walking to St Peter's &...
  8. M

    Ideas on pre-day in Rome before Viva Italia ABD

    Q: First time in Rome/Europe & how comfortable are you navigating European cities? I'm a fan of doing anything outside on arrival day. I think it helps reset your jetlag clock. I'd definitely head to the hotel first and ask about early check-in. Don't call ahead, just show up (harder to say...
  9. M

    First International Trip

    We're doing Greece this summer (by Clipper ship)! Now that we've traveled a lot, I'm still convinced that Italy is the perfect first trip to Europe (and especially with ABD!) If you can swing it, a short layover in another country is a great add-on.
  10. M

    First International Trip

    We had the same dilemma, but decided on Viva Italia for 2 reasons: 1) A first trip to Italy that doesn't include Rome (and to a lessor extent, Venice) just didn't seem right. 2) The itinerary of the Amalfi tour is much easier to do on your own. We arrived 3 days early & did a big percentage of...
  11. M

    First International Trip

    We did exactly what you're doing as our first trip to Europe, except in reverse order. We did the ABD Italy trip and then flew from Venice to London and spent some time there on our own before returning home (we also took a few pre-days to see the Amalfi Coast/Pompeii). Our thinking for the...
  12. M

    Lodging arrangement - family of 5

    On our trip, the family of 5 often got the BEST room. They had 2 reservations and would be 2 connecting rooms in the cities & in the rural areas had a really spacious mega-suite that had a large sitting area and 3 BR.
  13. M

    kids only events on ABD trips?

    Realize that the kids activity is usually right next door in many cases. I don't think kids at the wine-tasting would be appreciated by the rest of the group. Don't be afraid to skip altogether and explore on your own if the activity doesn't appeal to you. We had one couple that didn't drink...
  14. M

    Trying to pick the right trip for our family....

    The Vatican day is about the only time I'd call museum-heavy. Most of the other days focus on seeing the "big ticket item" ie seeing David in Florence. My family isn't big into museums either, but even my youngest was glad we saw the Sistine Chapel and David. They still love talking about...
  15. M

    Trying to pick the right trip for our family....

    We did ABD Italy as our first Euro trip with our kids (they were 14 & 11). We all loved it. We actually visited Amalfi/Pompeii on our own & did a layover in London before returning home and it worked great! At the time, just signing up for a British Airways VISA earned a bonus of enough miles...
  16. M

    Booked our 1st ABD trip, Italy June 2018

    We went on our own and it was quite simple. You can hire a private local guide right at the ruins, join a group, or explore on your own (Rick Steves has a decent audio guide). A day trip would be doable, but exhausting & staying the first couple nights in Sorrento is quite a bit cheaper that...
  17. M

    ABD and Chase Sapphire question

    Don't forget that the Sapphire Reserve will cover your Global Entry/TSA pre-check. The Priority Pass is great for long layovers/delays!
  18. M

    Italy tips

    Nothing is served as cold as we're used to. Bottled water ("sin gas" if you want flat, not sparkling) & milk always available. Gelato places everywhere, some serve smoothies. We had gelato at least twice a day. We did pizza often (thin with less toppings, but awesome! usually 7-10 euros &...
  19. M

    Italy tips

    Sounds like a great plan! Your hotel is in a great location for the trains (and subway for first day). Lots of good eateries near there. Since you dont have to worry about flight delays, you should be able to book your train to Naples ahead of time and save quite a bit. First class has a...
  20. M

    Italy tips

    Bummer. Hard to believe they wont accommodate this. I'd try emailing the hotel directly, tell them the situation and what a hardship it'd be if they can't, even offer to pay a fee. Maybe you'll get lucky and get someone sympathetic to reply. Really no reason to stay their on your arrival...
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