Topic Wiki

Points Used:

UR: 133K
MR: 40K
SPG: 90K
AA: 148K
UA: 95K
Hyatt: 4 free nights
Marriott: 146K and 2 free nights (still waiting for some points to post and then change cash res. to points)
IHG: ~130K (still haven't decided which hotel in Belgium to stay at)
Melia: 22K
BA: 4.5K
And 1 BRG :)

Desired Locations: (Strikethrough means booked)

Israel
London
Paris
Zurich

Rome (Car rental booked FCO-FLR-PSA-VCE)
Florence
Pisa
Venice
Madrid (RT train booked to Toledo)
Barcelona
Seville
(Car rental booked SVQ-GIB-SVQ)
Gibraltar
Bruges/Ghent (Belgium) (Have to book trains within Belgium and RT to AMS.)
Amsterdam

Days Scheduled in Each Location
In no order in particular...

Rome 3.5
Florence .5
Pisa .5
Venice 4.5 including Shabbos (although others said it can be done in less time)
Israel 12
Amsterdam 2
Paris 4 including Shabbos
Dublin 1.5
London 4 including Shabbos (although others said it can be done in less time)
Zurich 1 (b/c it's the United <24 hour stopover, but I'm sure there's more than 1 day's worth of activities there)
Belgium 1
(Amount of days in the different Spain cities are short and were very calculated based on suggestions, as I wanted to save any "extra" days I had for other countries.)
Madrid 1
Seville .5
Gibraltar 1.5 including Shabbos
Barcelona 1.5
« Last edited by @Yehuda on June 08, 2014, 06:26:36 PM »

Author Topic: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon  (Read 107987 times)

Offline @Yehuda

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Oct 2013
  • Posts: 9693
  • Total likes: 187
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #640 on: May 30, 2014, 03:25:43 PM »
T-Mobile just announced their next Uncarrier event 5.0 will be on June 18. I wonder what benefits it will bring? Maybe free calling internationally? Here's hoping (even for a limited amount of minutes).
Cool! Could be very exciting.

Offline @Yehuda

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Oct 2013
  • Posts: 9693
  • Total likes: 187
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #641 on: May 30, 2014, 04:35:15 PM »
How do you pay tolls when driving in Europe? Can you just give euro bills or do you need coins?
Is there a toll crossing into GIB? Would I need GBP on hand for that?

Offline Yehoshua

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 10172
  • Total likes: 213
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Los Angeles, CA
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #642 on: May 30, 2014, 04:44:58 PM »
How do you pay tolls when driving in Europe? Can you just give euro bills or do you need coins?
Is there a toll crossing into GIB? Would I need GBP on hand for that?
I heard that they take coins in Italy (although the people I spoke to didn't remember if they took bills also). They mentioned that it was ticket system similar to the NJ turnpike, and it got a bit confusing at the end when they needed to pay. I know it's not going to be the case for all of your drives, but it may be worth it to take some side roads through Tuscany. It will take a little longer to get to Florence, but from what I hear it's a whole lot prettier. The Autostrada del Sole looks just like an American highway, not too pretty.

Offline MC

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Aug 2013
  • Posts: 1730
  • Total likes: 49
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: NY
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #643 on: May 30, 2014, 04:48:33 PM »
When I drove from Paris to Normandie they took bills too but coins are easier since they're in smaller denominations.

Offline Yehoshua

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 10172
  • Total likes: 213
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Los Angeles, CA
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #644 on: May 30, 2014, 05:04:55 PM »
This video should help your in Italy. If you don't get it after watching you shouldn't be driving there  ;D  ;)

Offline @Yehuda

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Oct 2013
  • Posts: 9693
  • Total likes: 187
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #645 on: May 30, 2014, 05:23:13 PM »
This video should help your in Italy. If you don't get it after watching you shouldn't be driving there  ;D  ;)
Amazing! You shouldn't be driving anywhere if you can't understand that video. That's actually really comforting to see, thanks for the vid!
I feel like taking side roads is gna be confusing esp if the GPS doesn't say to use them and keep trying to get me back on the highway.
When I drove from Paris to Normandie they took bills too but coins are easier since they're in smaller denominations.
Thanks good to know!
« Last Edit: May 30, 2014, 05:32:56 PM by @Yehuda »

Offline SamKey

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Mar 2013
  • Posts: 3310
  • Total likes: 30
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: If I'm there I can't be here and if I'm here I can't be there
  • Programs: National EE; Hertz PC; Sixt Plt; Avis First; Hilton Gold; Priority Club Plt; West Bestern DE; Carlson Club GE; Accor PLT
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #646 on: May 31, 2014, 02:05:11 PM »
How do you pay tolls when driving in Europe? Can you just give euro bills or do you need coins?
Is there a toll crossing into GIB? Would I need GBP on hand for that?
No toll going into GIB  but you want to have GBP on hand for parking. In Spain there are tolls (IIRC 1) and you can pay them in cash but they were a bit pricey

Offline @Yehuda

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Oct 2013
  • Posts: 9693
  • Total likes: 187
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #647 on: May 31, 2014, 09:39:05 PM »
No toll going into GIB  but you want to have GBP on hand for parking. In Spain there are tolls (IIRC 1) and you can pay them in cash but they were a bit pricey
Thanks appreciate it. Not sure where I'll get GBP beforehand, but there's gotta be an ATM in GIB somewhere. Maybe hotel (Eliott) has parking

Offline SamKey

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Mar 2013
  • Posts: 3310
  • Total likes: 30
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: If I'm there I can't be here and if I'm here I can't be there
  • Programs: National EE; Hertz PC; Sixt Plt; Avis First; Hilton Gold; Priority Club Plt; West Bestern DE; Carlson Club GE; Accor PLT
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #648 on: June 01, 2014, 02:27:23 PM »
Thanks appreciate it. Not sure where I'll get GBP beforehand, but there's gotta be an ATM in GIB somewhere. Maybe hotel (Eliott) has parking
Not free but there is a free parking lot here- 2-4 Red Sands Rd, Gibraltar

Offline @Yehuda

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Oct 2013
  • Posts: 9693
  • Total likes: 187
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #649 on: June 01, 2014, 02:55:25 PM »
Not free but there is a free parking lot here- 2-4 Red Sands Rd, Gibraltar
Nice tip! Thanks!

Offline @Yehuda

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Oct 2013
  • Posts: 9693
  • Total likes: 187
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #650 on: June 02, 2014, 04:21:25 PM »
Just changed my cash reservation to points for AC Hotel Sevilla-Torneo. 10K Marriott a night and it's about 15 min from airport and 10 min to Hertz which is good for picking up the car to drive to GIB for Shabbos.

Offline @Yehuda

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Oct 2013
  • Posts: 9693
  • Total likes: 187
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #651 on: June 08, 2014, 08:05:27 PM »
Latest update:
On the way to Israel we were booked EWR-FRA-MUC-TLV in business class for $70, which was pretty sweet although 2 stopovers isn't fantastic. But, I just this minute saw a new flight open up and was able to knock out FRA, so now it's EWR-MUC-TLV in business and not only didn't they charge me the $200 change fee which they should/could have, they gave me a refund as this flight has less fees.

We're flying iy"h one way to Israel in business class for $33!!! 33 freakin dollars!!
« Last Edit: June 08, 2014, 08:10:17 PM by @Yehuda »

Offline Yehoshua

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 10172
  • Total likes: 213
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Los Angeles, CA
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #652 on: June 08, 2014, 08:24:39 PM »
Latest update:
On the way to Israel we were booked EWR-FRA-MUC-TLV in business class for $70, which was pretty sweet although 2 stopovers isn't fantastic. But, I just this minute saw a new flight open up and was able to knock out FRA, so now it's EWR-MUC-TLV in business and not only didn't they charge me the $200 change fee which they should/could have, they gave me a refund as this flight has less fees.

We're flying iy"h one way to Israel in business class for $33!!! 33 freakin dollars!!
Awesome! That's amazing!

Offline Emkay

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 14295
  • Total likes: 376
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Where I ought to be
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #653 on: June 08, 2014, 08:37:12 PM »
Latest update:
On the way to Israel we were booked EWR-FRA-MUC-TLV in business class for $70, which was pretty sweet although 2 stopovers isn't fantastic. But, I just this minute saw a new flight open up and was able to knock out FRA, so now it's EWR-MUC-TLV in business and not only didn't they charge me the $200 change fee which they should/could have, they gave me a refund as this flight has less fees.

We're flying iy"h one way to Israel in business class for $33!!! 33 freakin dollars!!
how many miles was it?

Offline @Yehuda

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Oct 2013
  • Posts: 9693
  • Total likes: 187
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #654 on: June 08, 2014, 08:38:38 PM »
Awesome! That's amazing!
:)
how many miles was it?
Stayed the same at 60K pp.

Offline sky121

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: May 2011
  • Posts: 11513
  • Total likes: 168
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 12
    • View Profile
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #655 on: June 09, 2014, 10:04:46 AM »
Btw Rome2Rio is a great site when you're looking at options to get from one place to the next. Should have mentioned that earlier...
maybe it'll still come in handy.
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline @Yehuda

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Oct 2013
  • Posts: 9693
  • Total likes: 187
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #656 on: June 09, 2014, 10:11:10 AM »
Btw Rome2Rio is a great site when you're looking at options to get from one place to the next. Should have mentioned that earlier...
maybe it'll still come in handy.
Thanks, looks cool. I wonder how accurate it is with it's cost estimates.

Offline @Yehuda

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Oct 2013
  • Posts: 9693
  • Total likes: 187
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #657 on: June 10, 2014, 12:44:16 AM »
And the last hotel... Crowne Plaza Brugge (Belgium) - 30K IHG. They say Brugge is Ma'ain Olam Habah. I'll try to let you know. ;)
Can't believe it. Just waiting for some points to post to change my London Marriott Marble Arch reservation to points and then it's done.
32 nights in Europe, all for free.

Tomorrow's the big day! CANNOT BELIEVE IT'S FINALLY HERE!!

Although I didn't post about it too much in this thread, the day-to-day itinerary was almost as hard as booking flights which was almost as hard as opening CC's and collecting points. Lesson: all of this is hard and takes a lot of work. But it can be done.

Just a short 9 months ago...

Anyway, this will probably be my last post in this thread. Thank you all who contributed here with help figuring out flights, teaching me what a OWE was, choosing destinations, and all the random trip tidbits you threw my way. 650 posts helping a guy plan a trip. You guys rock.

For future reference, the TR will iy"h be created here.

Offline Yehoshua

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 10172
  • Total likes: 213
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Los Angeles, CA
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #658 on: June 10, 2014, 12:57:40 AM »
And the last hotel... Crowne Plaza Brugge (Belgium) - 30K IHG. They say Brugge is Ma'ain Olam Habah. I'll try to let you know. ;)
Can't believe it. Just waiting for some points to post to change my London Marriott Marble Arch reservation to points and then it's done.
32 nights in Europe, all for free.

Tomorrow's the big day! CANNOT BELIEVE IT'S FINALLY HERE!!

Although I didn't post about it too much in this thread, the day-to-day itinerary was almost as hard as booking flights which was almost as hard as opening CC's and collecting points. Lesson: all of this is hard and takes a lot of work. But it can be done.

Just a short 9 months ago...

Anyway, this will probably be my last post in this thread. Thank you all who contributed here with help figuring out flights, teaching me what a OWE was, choosing destinations, and all the random trip tidbits you threw my way. 650 posts helping a guy plan a trip. You guys rock.

For future reference, the TR will iy"h be created here.
YAY!  So exciting. Now all your hard work is a lot to pay off. See you soon!

Offline @Yehuda

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Oct 2013
  • Posts: 9693
  • Total likes: 187
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: @Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon
« Reply #659 on: July 06, 2014, 02:40:05 PM »
Just updating as we just finalized our last hotel booking. London Marriott Marble Arch for 40K/night. Made this reservation with cash a while ago and finally the points all posted so I was able to convert it to points.