Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas April 6 2013 From NOLA to ROMA -- Where y'at?

[T-Boy67]

Hey there from Toby and my hubby, Tom.

 

We are an English couple taking the Navigator transatlantic with you guys.

 

We did Independence transatlantic in November and rather than buy a single airfare home from Ft Lauderdale, we bought a return (which is the same price as the single or is sometimes cheaper) into NOLA on the off chance that we'd be able to do the Navigator.

 

Looking forward to making new cruise friends.

 

Toby

[Boca del Verita]

Hey there from Toby and my hubby, Tom.

 

We are an English couple taking the Navigator transatlantic with you guys.

 

We did Independence transatlantic in November and rather than buy a single airfare home from Ft Lauderdale, we bought a return (which is the same price as the single or is sometimes cheaper) into NOLA on the off chance that we'd be able to do the Navigator.

 

Looking forward to making new cruise friends.

 

Toby

 

Oy, Toby and Tom! Great to hear from ya'll! So when do y'all arrive in New Orleans and is there anything I can do to help your visit along?

 

If you've not been to New Orleans before, you're in for an absolute treat: it is the most unique city in the United States, nay..the continent...a place where banana trees form arches over French cafés and Italian gelaterie that are slap yo mama good, a place where the drift of the warm sun on pastel stucco walls and the slow drip of absinthe fountains keep pace with the jazz musicians practicing a set in a courtyard that should be somewhere in Seville. Here, the gay venues don't bother closing on the weekend; movie stars jostle café au lait belles on the cracked pavements of the French Quarter; calliope music still pours forth from paddle wheel steam ships tied up at the dock, and Mardi Gras can last most of the year....ah! New Orleans!!!

 

Before I get too wound up, let me tell you that we'd love it if you might be able to join us for the meet and greet the night before we sail..(there's a poll to that effect at the head of the thread to RSVP--and my email too in case you need it)

 

looking forward to meeting y'all!

Fred in New Orleans

[Mrbp1]

Byron from Nevada. I am all set for this cruise. Looking forward to meeting everyone at the meet and greet.:D

[RlrCstr]

Greetings to all who have joined on here since my last postings.

Looking forward to meeting everyone in 85 days.

 

I still am seeking 1 or 2 that would like to share transportation

to Rome after the cruise. My hotel has a deal for me on this,

and will allow one additional stop besides the one for me to

my hotel near Vatican City.

 

Fred--

I will be in your city, at a hotel in the French Quarter, for

a work meeting, from 18 to 22 January.

Any hints on some good places for jazz? Prefer the places

the locals might go to hear good music.

[Boca del Verita]

Byron from Nevada. I am all set for this cruise. Looking forward to meeting everyone at the meet and greet.:D

 

Hey Byron!

Great to see you on here! I sent you a reply yesterday evening and will look forward to having you and Doug join us for dinner and drinks at our Bon Voyage meet and greet the night before we sets sail!!

 

Speaking of which, I'm still looking for suggestions for a good place to eat with you fantastic group of intrepid sea salts!

Fred

[Boca del Verita]

Greetings to all who have joined on here since my last postings.

Looking forward to meeting everyone in 85 days.

 

I still am seeking 1 or 2 that would like to share transportation

to Rome after the cruise. My hotel has a deal for me on this,

and will allow one additional stop besides the one for me to

my hotel near Vatican City.

 

Fred--

I will be in your city, at a hotel in the French Quarter, for

a work meeting, from 18 to 22 January.

Any hints on some good places for jazz? Prefer the places

the locals might go to hear good music.

 

How wonderful! I hope that you'll allow me to take you myself! I would suggest The Three Muses for supper and music on Frenchmen St. This is a great place for both. Vaughn's music club is way out Dauphine st in the Bywater but they have some of the best jazz in the city. It's pretty much a hole in the wall, but Kermit Ruffin sometimes plays there on Friday nights. Also, if you're interested, there are carnival balls going on that weekend as well --the 20th I think--need to check my calendar. It you can bring your evening clothes (it's strictly formal), I think I could get you an invitation to Petronius's ball. Please Let me know by email ASAP.

 

Fred

[Ted Johnston]

Hi Fred, thanks for that BIG hello lol. I sent you a message about 4 days ago to your Meet Me Onboard account, but haven't heard back from you yet. I guess you don't sign in to that website as often as you do here, so I am giving you a "heads up" that there is a message waiting for you. Hope you're having a great weekend! :D

[hotdog647]

Hope everyone is looking forward to New Orleans and the Navigator Cruise as much as I am. I bet Fred has some choice things for us to do before our cruise. And from reading some of his ideas for onboard fun, well, let me just smile with anticipation.

 

Let's all join together on the Navigator and make it our most memorable cruise ever. Doug

[Boca del Verita]

Hi Fred, thanks for that BIG hello lol. I sent you a message about 4 days ago to your Meet Me Onboard account, but haven't heard back from you yet. I guess you don't sign in to that website as often as you do here, so I am giving you a "heads up" that there is a message waiting for you. Hope you're having a great weekend! :D

 

Hey there! I have tried to check that site pretty often, but I have been really busy at work and at play (MARDI GRAS IS HERE!!!!). I will get right over to the Meet Me On Board site and answer you immediately, sir!

 

And weekend's are pretty fun...this one especially! A torchlight parade and a gay mardi gras ball plus an opera concert. Who has time for work?

 

Ciao for niao!

Fred:cool:

[Boca del Verita]

Hope everyone is looking forward to New Orleans and the Navigator Cruise as much as I am. I bet Fred has some choice things for us to do before our cruise. And from reading some of his ideas for onboard fun, well, let me just smile with anticipation.

 

Let's all join together on the Navigator and make it our most memorable cruise ever. Doug

 

AWww Doug, You are gracious as always! I'm hoping that our get together will be fun! I think we'll have about 8 to 12 guys at least, if everyone shows up!

 

In any case, I'm getting really excited; but oddly enough, no one has given me any feedback on anything, so I don't know if I'm going in the right direction or not! I DO take constructive criticism right well!

Fred:p

[Boca del Verita]

 

Hey Byron!

Great to see you on here! I sent you a reply yesterday evening and will look forward to having you and Doug join us for dinner and drinks at our Bon Voyage meet and greet the night before we sets sail!!

 

Speaking of which, I'm still looking for suggestions for a good place to eat with you fantastic group of intrepid sea salts!

Fred

 

Sorry.. I meant JEFF! Let's see...so far I've had yes's from Erick, Doug, Jeff, Byron, Jeff*, Dave, Jerry, Jack, Erin, (Dan* is a maybe) and myself.

 

Fred

 

*coming to the Bon Voyage meet and greet, but not going on the cruise

[hotdog647]

Sent you a message on *************. Doug

[hotdog647]

wow. didn't know we couldnt say the name of a board with a ship in the heading where you talk with people. no it's not the on referred to with letter after E and A. Doug

[Mrbp1]

Ted Johnson:

 

I see where you were looking for someone to sit with at MTD. I have MTD and you can always sit with me.

[RlrCstr]

Hello again to all of you guys going on this cruise.

I met Fred today--the most wonderful of hosts and tour guides

and had a lovely day.

Sorry that I can't arrive early for the pre-sail get together,

but looking forward to seeing you all on the Navigator.

 

BTW--the Navigator was here on Saturday, and I watched

her sail away for a 7-day.

I was sort of sad that I was watching sail-away from land,

rather than from on the ship.

 

I mentioned to Fred today about all of us meeting up onboard

either for sailaway, or later that evening, say in the Shcooner

or Champagne Bar?

 

Doug...hope you are well...as your quote about memorable

cruises, the one we were both on was that, so we will have

to make this one is even better.

[Boca del Verita]

Hello again to all of you guys going on this cruise.

I met Fred today--the most wonderful of hosts and tour guides

and had a lovely day.

Sorry that I can't arrive early for the pre-sail get together,

but looking forward to seeing you all on the Navigator.

 

BTW--the Navigator was here on Saturday, and I watched

her sail away for a 7-day.

I was sort of sad that I was watching sail-away from land,

rather than from on the ship.

 

I mentioned to Fred today about all of us meeting up onboard

either for sailaway, or later that evening, say in the Shcooner

or Champagne Bar?

 

Doug...hope you are well...as your quote about memorable

cruises, the one we were both on was that, so we will have

to make this one is even better.

 

Yikes! I can't believe it's over a month since posted here! My first Mardi Gras was a blast, (wish y'all had been here!)-- I can't believe how much was going on these last weeks.

 

Now that Lent is here, I'm turning my attention towards finalizing our New Orleans dinner and Bon Voyage party on ''the Night before Navigator' (Friday, April 5, 2013). Hopefully by next weekend I'll have all the arrangements nailed down and will post them here.

 

After meeting David (who was delightful himself) I'm thinking that if all of y'all are just as great, I'm not going to want to get off the ship at the end of the cruise!

[Wjcruiser]

I have cruised many times, but never tried using a message board to meet other "like minded" people. looking forward to April 6th Navigator crossing. I hope to meet you guys. Meet & greet in FQ sounds awesome!

[Mrbp1]

WjCruiser:

 

There is another roll call under Royal Caribbean that has over 200 people registered. There are all kinds of activities that you can join if you want.

 

All of the people I have been in touch with have been super fantastic. I signed up with 2 other guys on their private tour in the Azores. They will be hiking around a lake (2 hour hike) and do some site seeing. The cost will only be about $40 total for a good 8 hour day. They do have room for one more if you are interested.

 

There is a spreadsheet with all of the activites listed at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvALy0xAGQcddFBuMTU3RGxFenNhUUkxZnR0c3FOLVE#gid=0

 

Go check it out.

 

Welcome aboard.

[Boca del Verita]

I have cruised many times, but never tried using a message board to meet other "like minded" people. looking forward to April 6th Navigator crossing. I hope to meet you guys. Meet & greet in FQ sounds awesome!

 

Hey WJ!

 

Glad to have you on board...we don't have two hundred folk, but I think we're pretty fun! Will you be available to join us for dinner and for the bon voyage party?

 

Fred

[Boca del Verita]

Hey WJ!

 

Glad to have you on board...we don't have two hundred folk, but I think we're pretty fun! Will you be available to join us for dinner and for the bon voyage party?

 

Fred

 

the Dinner and Party plans for the "Night before Navigator".

 

I need your help with the final decision for dinner. For the DINNER part, I've talked to several restaurants about bringing 12 to 18 guys for 6 pm on Friday, April 5, and the top contender is...

Court of the Two Sisters which has an ENORMOUS and varied table d'hôte (like a buffet) for $45 (not including drinks and gratuity) and is also a venerable restaurant with patio dining on Bourbon St. It would be a good way to experience traditional dining experience in New Orleans in one of the most historic courtyards in the city.

 

I've also talked to...

Pat O'Brien's Courtyard (no prix fixe, but cheap cocktails--for New Orleans) The trick is that when things are à la carte they can add up quickly. They do have a $15 sampler trio on their menu, for example but the portions are very small)

I also liked...

"Tujagues" which is the second oldest restaurant in the City (1850s) and is facing the French Market. They can give us private room leading on a private upstairs balcony and provide us with a "prix fixe" five course menu (seafood, soup, appetizer, entrée and dessert+ a beverage) for $40 a head, but it doesn't include wine or the gratuity. I ate there this past weekend to check it out and found that the wait staff was excellent and the food was pretty good--very old world New Orleans, though unimaginative for Creole cuisine.

 

I'm now wondering if it wouldn't be better to arrange a space at...

Café Lafitte in Exile, the oldest gay bar in the US. (they have a smoke free bar upstairs with a wrap around balcony), and I could simply make some appetizers, a homemade chicken and sausage gumbo, rice, some salad, homemade bread, with guys buying their own dinner drinks at the bar. I think I could do this for about $15 a person including the cost to rent the private balcony bar. What do you think?

 

The AFTER DINNER PARTY will include a local dessert specialty--a dobosche torte, a many-layered chocolate cake (with a few surprises inside),some party favors and a couple of rounds of shots (my treat)--not only for us, but for the entire bar, to sort of help our group 'make friends with the natives'! We'll also start a cabin directory so we can find each other on board. I can have some copies made by boarding time.

 

let me know what y'all think ASAP!

Fred

[Boca del Verita]

Buongiorno, cari fratelli e suorelli, (Southern translation : "Howdy Bro's"...and sistahs),

 

It is with-a great-a joy that I announce you da final plans for our-a "Night Before Navigator Party"!

Even though Pope Francesco won't be there (and I'm sure he wants to be), I think we're gonna have a great time!

 

I thank you very much for your great (and very gracious) input. I finally pinned down (metaphorically speaking) Michael the event manager for the Café Lafitte's in Exile (901 Bourbon St) yesterday morning and he has kindly arranged for us to hold our dinner buffet in the new upstairs balcony bar at 6.30 pm on Friday, April 5, 2013, the night before we sail!

 

I'll have appetizers, a chicken and andouille (ie. cajun sausage) gumbo with rice, salad, and home-made challah bread (enough for us and for anyone else who's hungry!). All that hunky little Mr. Michael asks is that we buy a drink with dinner from Café Lafittes. In addition, after dinner we're still having the dobosche torte along with some New Orleans cake pulls (and fortunes) and you'll receive free drink tokens for well drinks (call brands are not included) at the downstairs bar that you can use and perhaps even some to share with those new friends that you're sure to make here! Before you leave the party to go to your hotel and rest (or out to another venue) don't forget to get your little gift bag! WELCOME TO NEW ORLEANS, my friends!

 

Now, here's a nice little LAGNIAPPE for you!! (lagniappe is French for "a little additional something") ---At 5.30 pm on that Friday before the dinner, I've arranged a walking history tour of Gay New Orleans for us. AND it's being given by the man who literally wrote the book on the gay life, past and present of the Crescent City, Mr Frank Perez. Frank also writes a column for the local paper as well. I've told him about y'all and he has agreed to give us discounted price for the 1 1/2 hour tour at $15 a person (normally it's $25). We will meet for the tour at Café Lafitte's. Just bring cash (and a tip at the end will be appreciated I'm sure). I've also invited Frank to join us for dinner too.

 

All I ask that you RSVP for the Walking Tour and the Dinner so that I know how many to prepare for. :cool:

 

getting excited folks!!:D

Fred

 

PS…please let me know if you're a vegetarian or need Kosher or Hallal meat.

[Boca del Verita]

I have cruised many times, but never tried using a message board to meet other "like minded" people. looking forward to April 6th Navigator crossing. I hope to meet you guys. Meet & greet in FQ sounds awesome!

 

WJCRUISER!

 

Great that you want to join us! Please email me so we can get you on the group emails that we're sending. My email is phledd3 sent to the gmail with a com on it.

 

Fred

[Boca del Verita]

I have cruised many times, but never tried using a message board to meet other "like minded" people. looking forward to April 6th Navigator crossing. I hope to meet you guys. Meet & greet in FQ sounds awesome!

 

WJCRUISER!

 

Great that you want to join us! Please email me so we can get you on the group emails that we're sending. My email is phledd3 sent to the gmail with a com on it.

 

Fred