June 5, 2016 - Magic Goes to England, Ireland, Scotland and France

[Leslie Hand]

Hi all,
I am a big DCL fan and I've been on 8 cruises so far. I live 6 miles away from Newcastle, so will be planning on visiting the port to say hi to the Magic. If you have any questions re Newcastle feel free to ask. I noticed many of DCL excursions go to the angle of the North, be warned there are major roadworks going on around the angel as they are widening the A1. Journey times might be a lot longer than stated. Traffic gets bad around there. To be honest I was so surprised that DCL seems to be heading South, Durham & Beamish are great, but I would have expected an excursion north e.g. to alwnick ( alwnick castle was used when filming harry potter) and the northumberland coastline for shea beauty. Any way feel free to ask any questions and I will try to help.

We have not book any excersions as of yet in Newcastle. Nothing really jumped at us. Do you have any suggestions on what would be the best things to see. Travelling with my sons age 12 and 22.

 

[MrsJobba1]

We have not book any excersions as of yet in Newcastle. Nothing really jumped at us. Do you have any suggestions on what would be the best things to see. Travelling with my sons age 12 and 22.

Hi What do your sons like?

In Newcastle city centre itself there are some great museums, for example the Great North Hancock or the discovery museum both of these are free to enter. Just google to find there websites as I don't think I can post links on here. You also have the Newcastle centre for Life - can't really explain this, its best to look st the website, this is science based , there is an entry fee coming in May 2016 there is a new exhibition called Animal inside out.

You can easily walk around Newcastle city Centre and there is some lovely architecture. Lots of shops and restaurants -

Beamish is a great open air museum (DCL has an excursion there) it is basically a village recreated brick by brick, it has a pub, mine, sweetshop, school, trams, dentist to name some of the attractions. (its been a few years since my last visit there).

Hope that helps a bit

 

[Leslie Hand]

Hi What do your sons like?

In Newcastle city centre itself there are some great museums, for example the Great North Hancock or the discovery museum both of these are free to enter. Just google to find there websites as I don't think I can post links on here. You also have the Newcastle centre for Life - can't really explain this, its best to look st the website, this is science based , there is an entry fee coming in May 2016 there is a new exhibition called Animal inside out.

You can easily walk around Newcastle city Centre and there is some lovely architecture. Lots of shops and restaurants -

Beamish is a great open air museum (DCL has an excursion there) it is basically a village recreated brick by brick, it has a pub, mine, sweetshop, school, trams, dentist to name some of the attractions. (its been a few years since my last visit there).

Hope that helps a bit

Thanks. Yes it helps. My thought was to take a cab into Newcastle and just check it out.

 

[Alohagirl73]

Just 11 weeks!!!

 

[casacoco]

Hi Everyone,
My name is Susan Thomason. My son Cooper (15) and I just booked this awesome cruise! So excited!

 

[Alohagirl73]

Welcome casacoco!

 

[Leslie Hand]

Thanks. Yes it helps. My thought was to take a cab into Newcastle and just check it out.[/QUOTE

Thanks. Yes it helps. My thought was to take a cab into Newcastle and just check it out.

i just booked the Beamish outdoor excersions with Disney. We and looked at it and was really impressed. Thanks again for your help.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Welcome Susan (casacoco). I have added you to the Who's Sailing list on the first page where you'll find other information about activities and how to sign up for Fish Extenders if you're interested in participating.

 

[interested]

Without going thru every page of this thread, can someone share if information regarding transportation to DL Paris has been discussed? I'm fairly certain that we want to take a train but am very confused on what pass to get and how to book.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Without going thru every page of this thread, can someone share if information regarding transportation to DL Paris has been discussed? I'm fairly certain that we want to take a train but am very confused on what pass to get and how to book.

I don't remember anyone posting about that yet. We're going to Normandy that day, however, so I may just not remember.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Don't forget that if you want to participate in Fish Extenders, be sure to send alohagirl73 a PM to sign up. Do this by the end of April!

 

[nzdisneymom]

Whew, I feel like I've been neglecting trip planning because we're in the midst of college planning. I think these next several weeks are going to fly by and then I'll be in a state of panic.
So to calm that ahead of time, I thought I should make a check list:


1. Pre-cruise travel arrangements made. Rental car reserved for trip to airport. Pre-flight hotel reserved.
2. Flight arrangements made. Remember to double-check the flight times about a week out and figure out online check-in. We're flying Virgin Atlantic for the first time. We did pay for seat selection early on because that's important to us.
3. Transportation from Gatwick to Dover confirmed.
4. Accommodations in Dover confirmed.
5. Transportation from Dover B/B to Port - B/B said they will arrange that for us after we get there.
6. Online check-in for cruise completed. Contract printed - still need to sign. Onboard payment set up. Need to have TA apply some "onboard credit" for us about two weeks ahead.
7. Port excursions are arranged for each port. Two of the three non-DCL's are paid for; arrangements for the other one are set for April. DCL excursions booked.
8. Transportation from Dover to Gatwick confirmed. Includes a sight-seeing component which still needs to be determined (Canterbury area)
9. Pre-flight hotel confirmed at Gatwick
10. Return flight confirmed.
11. Rental car reserved for airport to home.
12. Post-flight hotel reserved.

Need to exchange some currency before leaving home to have on hand when we arrive - we like to have enough local currency for the first day at least to give us time to pick up more once we get where we're going.

Fish Extenders - one portion of our gifts are already done; other part is decided but needs to be put together for travel purposes.

Camera memory cards are ready.
DCL app loaded on devices.
Need to make room on iPad to hold pictures.

Need to make "leaving the country" list of things to do for closing up the house, notifying the bank, stopping the mail, etc.

Ok, I guess I'm in better shape than I was thinking....

What else????

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Hello guys, hope you enjoy your trip to and around the UK.

Embarkation and disembarkation is a bit different at Dover, I have from the last 12 night cruise in 2015, photos, videos of Dover, with travel information here. Dover will be at the start and the end. I think it will help.

http://torussiawithmickeybars.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[Alohagirl73]

We are now in single digits! Just 9 weeks until we set sail around the British Isles!!!

 

[nzdisneymom]

We are now in single digits! Just 9 weeks until we set sail around the British Isles!!!

YIKES! I'm not ready. I'm not ready...... I mean I am, but I'm not!!!!

 

[Alohagirl73]

I know! I started a packing list (not of clothes) of items we need to bring. Trying to get ahead of the game but I know we will be rushing on the day we leave as we have an overnighter!

 

[nzdisneymom]

We are leaving home the day before we fly out - so if we forget anything, we'll still have a little time before flying to pick up whatever we need. And as DH reminds me, it's not like we're going to the ends of the earth. Disney will certainly have anything we need (for a price, of course). I was reading elsewhere about adapters / converters for the pre-cruise days in Dover. I think I'll check with our B/B to see if they have something on hand that we can use as guests. Otherwise I may borrow from a friend as we've done in the past.

 

[disneydafty]

Guys, I (Karen) am not cruising with you but my DH (John) and I are coming to watch you sail in and out at Greenock.

I have told all my Disney friends and they are all coming with us. We live just outside Glasgow so I couldn't possibly miss a Disney ship when she's so close to our home. We are DCL Platinum and we've been on them all multiple times, the Magic was our first.

I will be the 'nutter' with the Mickey hands, crying when she blows her horns. So wave to me, welcome to bonnie Scotland when it comes and have a great cruise xx

 

[nzdisneymom]

Karen - how fun it will be to have fellow DISers there to wave hello! We're planning to take the DCL transportation to Edinburgh that day - I haven't looked to see what the port area of Greenock looks like and if there are any shops or restaurants or places to hang out there or not --

 

[Alohagirl73]

Nzdisneymom- We too are doing DCL transportation to Edinburgh! Still need to get our castle tickets.