ROLL CALL: 2/25/07 Caribbean Princess

[monumax]

My chest congestion and hacking cough that I got the last two days of the cruise is still lingering but getting better. When I tell people back home about my allergy problems and then getting the cold, they can't believe how I still rave about what a great time it was.

Bob & I are happy to hear that so many of "our gang" will be returning next February. (Sorry to hear you can't make it, Christopher. I was hoping we could sing some more duets! But maybe at Christmastime! ) I am disappointed at the few excursions listed on the Holland America site for some of the ports, especially Roatan, and have been researching some private companies on the island (I know....too early!). It would be fun to have another group excursion, and Bob & I would like to try ziplining combined with a beach stop at Roatan. So keep that in mind!

Bob met a guy on the cruise that was filming all the shows for promotional purposes(not for the RSVP DVD). He has some of them posted on the following website: www.JustCircuit.com He is sending us a DVD of everything he filmed (hopefully). If we do get it, and if anyone would like a copy of it, let us know. I will also be posting some of my pictures somewhere soon.

[2cruisinchiks]

A Baltic cruise is planned (14 days-or 2 7 days) in June and a Tahiti sail.

 

Hi Max, we would love to do the zip line too.

 

Tom, can you get us your e-mail. We wanna keep in touch.

[MattInFLL]

I have been having a tiny bit of congestion, and the ocassional cough...nothing like being full on sick. I thought it was just the climate changes.... there are flu outbreaks going around everywhere now it seems.

[jimnbillnpa]

Unbelieveable week. Thanks everyone for posting pics. I took the wrong camera and only got 20 pics. Downloading all my buddy's cards out of their cameras. I can't believe it's been a week already. But here's what's up for Bill and I: 90% sure on RSVP Alaska in September. Not my pick, but since Bill couldn't make Caribbean Princess (and he even picked one of the best balcony mini-suites, last one starboard on Emerald-double size) I think I owe him one. He wants to go, so Alaska it is. (He also got a pretty nice ring from St. Thomas). AND with discounts and everything, 2008 Caribbean is impossible to pass up so will book that this week.

 

Dendren-Tell me more about Lazy Bears/Mexcian Riviera? Are you expecting an RSVP announcement or is this a different charter?

 

Donny-great meeting you-if you're on Carib next year would be awesome to spend more time with you and Mark. Felt bad we only got to chat the last morning.

[Tim-n-Rick]

Good Afternoon Everyone!

Today is my first day back at work and I have decided that Ricky and I need to win the lottery so we can purchase a yacht and cruise us all around the world non-stop.

 

Over a week later I still miss you all. We have decided to book for the Caribbean next year. The stops are locations we have dreamed of since Ricky's sister took an Olivia cruise to the same spots. Zip line over the rainforest sounds too good to pass up.

 

I'm still sorting through pictures and videos and will post them as soon as I'm done.

 

Feel better to all those who are sick and chin up to everyone who is back in the real world.

[RMS Olympic]

The first thing on my list when I win the lottery.....for me a Berger boat!

Tim and Rick.....I'll join you on the zip line. I did it in Costa Rica.....scared the you know what out of me and I loved it! I am red ta go!

 

Cruizy chick babes....e-mail: t.o.schaefer@erols.com

When are you ladies doing Tahiti? I'm going end of Nov if the money doesnt get totally spent on the August trip. What ship are you sailing on?

 

Best wishes to everyone...its almost half way though March....this year is starting to speed up already..........Zuiderdam is coming.

[RMS Olympic]

The first thing on my list when I win the lottery.....for me a Berger boat!

Tim and Rick.....I'll join you on the zip line. I did it in Costa Rica.....scared the you know what out of me and I loved it! I am red ta go!

 

Cruizy chick babes....e-mail: t.o.schaefer@erols.com

When are you ladies doing Tahiti? I'm going end of Nov if the money doesnt get totally spent on the August trip. What ship are you sailing on?

 

Best wishes to everyone...its almost half way though March....this year is starting to speed up already..........Zuiderdam is coming.

[Boytjie]

Finally got them uploaded; trying Google's Picasa.

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/Boytjieny

[dendren]

Dendren-Tell me more about Lazy Bears/Mexcian Riviera? Are you expecting an RSVP announcement or is this a different charter?

 

I'm expecting an RSVP announcement... at some point. It will be a regular RSVP cruise, but will Lazy Bear will be doing another one of there "Lazy Bear Week at Sea" events like on the cruise last October. The Alaska cruise in September is also a Lazy Bear cruise. People get confused by this... it is a regular RSVP, but Lazy Bear partners with RSVP and ups the bear population by about a 3rd. On the cruise last October it really was like any other RSVP cruise, just a bit more bears than usual, and a few "Lazy Bear" events such as a t-dance and dance party, that everyone was invited to... bear or otherwise. I just like the Lazy Bear cruise with RSVP because I know a whole lot of people on them.

 

As to why there has been no announcement, I'm not sure... this is the first time I've ever seen RSVP not announce their whole next year schedule at one time. I suspect it's because they have had a harder time selling the cruises of late they don't want to saturate their market at all. The only way that I know about the October 2008 cruise is I'm friends with one of the guys who runs Lazy Bear and he was working with RSVP on this last cruise to finalize the 2008 LB cruise.

 

Again... I hate just calling this the Lazy Bear cruise, it's an RSVP cruise for sure. Last October I think there were about 800 - 1000 bookings through the Lazy Bear group... considering it was a ship of 3000 there were still plenty of every group from circuit boy to bear to gay & gray... whatever :)

[Tim-n-Rick]

Tim and Rick.....I'll join you on the zip line. I did it in Costa Rica.....scared the you know what out of me and I loved it! I am red ta go!

 

Ok Tom! We will hold you to it. Anything it scares out of you will only fertilize the rain forest!:)

[RMS Olympic]

Heaven knows I have enough to saturate the place.

 

dendren.....I thought having bears around the pool area was great! The added eye candy was wonderful and with no attitude!

 

My guess for 2008...in addition to the 2 Caribbean cruises already known...there will be a European cruise (Baltic/Scandanavian cruise), the Mexico cruise in the October time frame and then some European river boat cruise. Me, I wish for a Hawaiian cruise, but Atlantis seems to be doing it on NCL.

I have to think RSVP is going to stick with smaller ships that are easier to fill...maybe a switch to Celebrity which has some less than 3000 pax ships....especialy with the purchase of a former Rennaisance ship.

[marjoe1]

Great pics!!!!

[monumax]

Great pictures, Peter!

 

I have over 300 of my almost 1000 photos posted in two folders on Snapfish. Here is the link: http://www2.snapfish.com/photolibrary/t_=47227373

 

Enjoy!

Max

[monumax]

I've been told that the above link to my photos doesn't work (except for me, because it reads my password). So instead of giving out my password, I have sent everyone in Tim's nifty Cruise Critic booklet an email invitation to view my photos, and that should work. If you do not receive the email and want to view the photos, let me know at : monumax@verizon.net

Max

[Boytjie]

I have over 300 of my almost 1000 photos posted in two folders on Snapfish.

Max

 

So, when do we see the rest, or are they private?! :eek:

[dendren]

dendren.....I thought having bears around the pool area was great! The added eye candy was wonderful and with no attitude!

 

My guess for 2008...in addition to the 2 Caribbean cruises already known...there will be a European cruise (Baltic/Scandanavian cruise), the Mexico cruise in the October time frame and then some European river boat cruise. Me, I wish for a Hawaiian cruise, but Atlantis seems to be doing it on NCL.

 

I have to think RSVP is going to stick with smaller ships that are easier to fill...maybe a switch to Celebrity which has some less than 3000 pax ships....especialy with the purchase of a former Rennaisance ship.

 

Oh... I am *definitely* up for more bears around the pool (grin). But, I also know that if a cruise was all one type or another that would inevitable alienate someone. That's the main reason I was trying to be clear this wasn't an all-bear cruise :)

 

I believe that RSVP has contracts with Holland America and Princess for a set amount of cruises. I think the number I heard was that RSVP has a contract with Princess for 8 cruises. I doubt we'll see RSVP switch to Celebrity or another line for a while. I do agree that hopefully they will stick with the mid-size ships like Holland America's "dam" ships or one of the similarly sized Princess ships. I think the sell for the large ship is hard *and* honestly, 3100 people on a ship is just too much. Often it was very difficult to find those I was traveling with and with a ship that size you lost quite a bit of intimacy and cohesion that is still present with the ships around 1800 people. It will be very interesting to see what direction RSVP tries to go with this.

[MattInFLL]

I have such wonderful memories - but I am depressed! This is the time in the semester where it gets tough and we count down to finals.. so never a particularly happy time... thinking about next year does help. Ralph today was trying to figure out a way I could take another week and do the Med cruise, but I just don't see it happening at $2K/person and my school schedule... but would be nice :)

 

And Peter - what great photos! When do we get Richard's analog prints? :)

 

Max, I have to follow your link and check yours out.

[Boytjie]

And Peter - what great photos! When do we get Richard's analog prints? :)

 

We'll print contact sheets and mail them to everyone.:D

[Typhoon1]

Oh... I am *definitely* up for more bears around the pool (grin). But, I also know that if a cruise was all one type or another that would inevitable alienate someone. That's the main reason I was trying to be clear this wasn't an all-bear cruise :)

 

I believe that RSVP has contracts with Holland America and Princess for a set amount of cruises. I think the number I heard was that RSVP has a contract with Princess for 8 cruises. I doubt we'll see RSVP switch to Celebrity or another line for a while. I do agree that hopefully they will stick with the mid-size ships like Holland America's "dam" ships or one of the similarly sized Princess ships. I think the sell for the large ship is hard *and* honestly, 3100 people on a ship is just too much. Often it was very difficult to find those I was traveling with and with a ship that size you lost quite a bit of intimacy and cohesion that is still present with the ships around 1800 people. It will be very interesting to see what direction RSVP tries to go with this.

 

And there were'nt even 3,100 onboard. RSVP would like you to believe there were. A Princess rep at embarkation informed me the number was more like 2,500.

[NYCBri]

3100 homos was a bit too much.

 

I was on the Atlantis Cruise last year with Celebrity... and that had 2400 people I think... or less... and that was the perfect size...even smaller would be better.

 

As for Celebrity, the boat was much nicer... not that I found anything wrong with Princess... but I definitely preferred Celebrity.

[promenadedeck]

Now that I'm almost over the mind-numbing realization that our fantastic cruise is over and went by in a flash, I want to say hello. It was a pleasure to meet you all, and for those I didn't get to meet, perhaps we'll meet on the next cruise.

 

Thanks Paul for the laughs. Thanks Bill and Tom for the conversations we had. Thanks Robert for inviting me to your party.

 

Brian, we never crossed paths again after that first night, but CB is a big ship and the same thing happened with others I met only once. I don't recall seeing you at the CC meeting that I told you about.

 

Steven

[Tim-n-Rick]

Hi All,

 

I am hopelessly lost on the internet looking for even more travel opportunities. I did stumble across this disturbing tidbit on the Passport site about gay Jamaicans http://www.passportmagazine.com/ActionAlert/Alert_March2007.htm

 

I feel especially close to them now that we at least visited near their corner of the world.

 

Still missing you all here. Let's pool our money, buy an island and create a gay Utopia.

 

Anyone ever travel with Pied Piper, Aquafest or some of the small companies? Also, has anyone ever been to any gay all inclusive resorts that they would recommend?

[Boytjie]

Hi All,

 

Let's pool our money, buy an island and create a gay Utopia.

 

 

Would we have to limit it to less than 3,100 homos?

 

<ducks>

[mikec5426]

I have such wonderful memories - but I am depressed! This is the time in the semester where it gets tough and we count down to finals.. so never a particularly happy time... thinking about next year does help. Ralph today was trying to figure out a way I could take another week and do the Med cruise, but I just don't see it happening at $2K/person and my school schedule... but would be nice :)

 

We would LOVE to see you guys on the Med cruise!!!! :-)

 

Is your friend Matt still going?

 

I am still depressed to! It was such a great time!!! :) :)

[MattInFLL]

Tim n Rick - I have done Pied Piper and a number of organized groups. It's a very different experience. You get the traditional cruise experience, but then you generally all eat together, there's at least one or two special events like a cocktail party... and organized excursions. Since I just love being on the open ocean, I think it's a great way to go, too. But Ralph did one Pied Piper with me on Queen Mary 2, and then our first RSVP together, and I know he would only prefer to do all gay now. And there is something to be said for the freedom to be exactly as you want to be without thinking someone is going to be offended.

 

There are a number of "resorts" that are more like gay hotels on a tropical beach... but since there are a limited number of guests, you might get a "fun" week or a not so fun week. The Domincan Republic has a few, as does the Pacific side of Costa Rica. But really for this, you would want to do one of the Atlantis land vacations where they take over a Club Med for a week... I did the Puerto Vallarta one in 2000 and it was fun.

 

Mike - it is looking less and less likely. I'm crossing my fingers for an opportunity at school, and if I get it, my summer will be crazy. I didn't know Matt and Bill were booked on that one? They'll be here for dinner over the weekend and I'll ask.