studhilo

I'll be on board. 

Russ

Scottsdale, AZ

Looking forward to meeting friends on board.

Russ

Hi Rod & Barry,

I just booked. Look forward to meeting.

Russ

On this cruise from San Francisco to Sydney.

Hello All,

Just signed up for this segment. Thought I'd start a Roll Call.

Hello All,

Just signed up for this segment. Thought I'd start a Roll Call.

This is my third TA with Celebrity. Am part of the Pied Piper group. I'm from NY, and my buddy Brian is also along from DC. I think I'm in 1676 and not sure what cabin Brian is. Love the Alcoves on Silhouette and Reflection, this trip can't come soon enough

Glad to see at least one more posting on this board. I'm with Pied Piper as well. Have you received your final invoice yet?

Hello All,

I just booked. Cabin 1651. Look forward to meeting the group.

Russ

I prefer Cunard. The service is good, the food is quite good, and there is usually a more diverse/international passenger group. As I board, I feel at home - less glitzy than Celebrity and others, but comfortable. There is usually a well attended FOD group almost every day that is catered with free appetizers is a more quiet bar where you get a chance to talk and meet people.

Cunard tends to be a bit more expensive, so you need to shop for deals. The best prices seem to be about 6-9 weeks before departure.

Hello,

I just booked and didn't see a roll call so thought I'd start one. First time on Princess for me. The fare was so low, I thought I give them a try. Sounds like a good ship.

Russ from Arizona

Hi everyone -- Almost 2 months to the day of embarkation!

 

I'm quite envious of Bill (imwmflyme)... I keep checking The Pier website and it always says no availability for the 23rd! Lucky men. I'm still stuck in the Premier Inn budget motel (what Peter has termed the "double wide")... :-(

 

Anyway, I had another question for those who've done a TA at this time of year... what are the temperatures usually like on the crossing sea days? Just trying to get a sense of what to pack... The route seems to be far enough south to warrant shorts and T's on deck most of the time?

 

Any advice welcome.

Thanks,

Chris (who is presently suffering a 48 degrees Celsius day in the Middle East...)

Hi Chris,

Weather should be OK - maybe mid 20's as we head out of Lisbon to upper 20's near Florida. Try ringing the Pier. Tee site showed full but when I called, they had a room.

Russ

Hey All...Bill and Kevin here. Booked thru Pied Piper for this cruise and we cant wait. We have done dozens of cruises but this is our first TA...cant wait to meet the group and so looking forward to meeting everyone...were going over on the 22 and staying in Harwich since its just for one night. Got a room at the Tower Hotel....anyway just wanted to say hi and see if I can get any better navigating this sight...not a very big fan so far.....see you all soon in the martini bar...ciao

Welcome to the group. There are also several of us staying in Harwich the night before. Some of us will be meeting for coffee the morning of the cruise, probably at the Pier Hotel. See you then or on board.

@Peter... well, the "double wide" budget motel will still be a step up from the tent in the desert that I will have just left to take this trip... :-)

 

@Russ... thanks for the dinner offer for the 23rd in Harwich. Unfortunately, I will not even arrive in Harwich from Heathrow until around midnight or so. At which point, I will have traveled for about 22 awake hours... so am planning to just crash. (@Peter, so the "double wide" will be tolerable...). Might walk around Harwich a bit the next morning before making my way to the pier... maybe can meet those of you at the Pier for coffee before going to the ship?

Chris

Meeting up for coffee the moring of the cruise sounds like a good idea. Any of the other Harwich/Pier folks interested?

Silly me, IGNORE THE PRIOR POST. I must be getting senile, loosing y marbles and confused the Cabin price that Howard is paying to what we had actually reserved for ourselves

 

PROFOUND APOLOGIES to Bruce, Derek and all the wonderful Guys at Pied Piper

 

Peter

Haven't seen mine yet - but went through Out & About Travel, so perhaps needs to get forwarded by them.

Sounds like Chris will be staying in a double wide at the Harwich Trailer Park, besde the shipping containers at the Port...most unwise

 

Peter

Chris, why don't you join me, and any others of the Harwich group that may be interested, for dinner Wednesday evening? Sounds like the Pier has good food.

Russ

To be, and to be seen, in Harwich, the night before the cruise, will be the highlight of the trip.

Hi Peter, Judith, and everyone --

 

Thanks, Peter, for the information about Pied Piper's groups. I contacted them and during the course of the last couple of days was able to cancel my Celebrity direct booking and re-book the same stateroom with PP. Derek at PP also gave me a better rate than I had gotten from X directly!

 

It was a little more complicated than expected because I had already paid Celebrity in full -- which prevents transferring the existing booking. Had to cancel the trip and now wait for X to credit my visa... but, all-in-all, was a smooth process.

 

I will thus be a PP group member now! Much obliged for the advice!

Best,

Chris

Great news. Look forward to meeting.

Russ

Don't worry, we aren't wishing the summer away, just excited that a trip booked so many months ago is now getting relatively close!

Do worry - I am wishing the summer away. Autumn can't come fast enough. 117F this weekend here.

Is that wise ? RENFE the spanish railroad company tells time using a sundial and it is cloudy most of the time in Galicia. I guess you could meet the boat next day in Lisboa. Keeping a timetable for trains is a foreign concept in Spain.

 

Sadly you Guys do not seem to be up for my on my knees tour of Santiago....

 

Peter

You may be right. Looks like the train schedule (assuming they are on time) are not too friendly to cruise passengers. You would only have about 1.5 hours there before you would need to return. I think I'll hang out in Vigo and explore there.

I think I'll take the train from Vigo to Santiago de Compostela. It takes about 1.5 hours. Probably much cheaper, more fun, and more comfortable than the tour bus. Perhaps we can get a group to go. Anyone interested?

Russ

I booked today. Have been with Pied Piper a half dozen times or so--looking forward to it, but...this is the first time I've sailed solo. So hoping for the friendliest of groups!

Welcome to the group. Seems to be a friendly bunch. Quite a few solo's in the group, including me.

Also quite a few posts from us on the other Thread for the cruise under the Celebrity Roll Calls. Seems

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1595127

Russ

Hi Russ

 

Welcome, we are starting to look like we are going to be a great group. Are you booked with Pied Piper ?

 

Hugz

 

Peter

Thanks,

Yes I booked with Pied Piper. They always seem to have a good group.

Hello All,

I just booked this cruise. Much more fun than flying across the Atlantic.

Russ from Arizona