ROLL CALL: 2/25/07 Caribbean Princess

[kenth59]

 

Hi Kent and Andy--you are in our part of the woods!

 

M&D

 

Hi Guys,

Yea just down the road from us! :) When are you leaving for Ft. Lauderdale? We are flying in on the 22nd. If you are interested maybe we could find some time to meet for dinner before the cruise.

 

Kent & Andy

[RMS Olympic]

I fly in the morning of the 22nd.....and will be at Pineapple Point.

Let me know if there is somewhere evryone would like to meet.......in addition to the CubbyHole Bar the night before the cruise.

Waiting to board the ship and seeing familiar faces is so much more fun than looking at strangers and trying to meet and greet.

Me, I am thinking of getting a T-shirt with my Cruise Critic log in name on the back......to wear on boarding day. Last cruise I did not get to meet anyone at the designated bar top side before we sailed.....meeting was by chance during the cruise.

Let me know what everyones plans are. Hey Matt...any suggestions...where to meet, where to eat, or a watering hole? Alibi, Cubbyhole, street corner?

Tom

[mikec5426]

We are going to be flying in on the 24th. We will be at the CubbyHole bar and can't wait to meet everyone! :)

 

We are staying at the Comfort Suites (our travel agency we booked with had some rooms there).

 

What is Pineapple Point?

 

RMS- we are going on both cruises! Please e-mail me at mikec5426 at AOL

 

See you guys soon!

[NYC95]

I'm so happy. I thought I wouldn't be able to go on this cruise but my TA was able to get me a good deal so I'll be joining you guys. I'm real excited about seeing the DCCOWBOYS. They look major hunky.

 

Hey Capt Tom, I guess we'll be having that drink sooner than I thought.

 

Wear something clingy and low cut:-)

[RMS Olympic]

Just because you are buffed to a high sheen.......dont think we all are. I know how New Yorkers are...buffed buffed buffed.......tight jeans, tight tank tops, and a selection of speedos.......LOL

Lets see...clingy and low cut......how about a wet paper towel and a pair of flip flops.....

Matt...help me out here...you know people that will measure up to NYC95's demands. I'll get him primed with cocktails....you set him up with a hot number...wink wink wink.

Boy, do I need a vacation.

NYC...are you traveling solo? In a share? I like to match people up on the ship, so be prepared........I'll introduce anyone.....and on these cruises its so easy since there is so little attitude. If there is some...I avoid it like crazy.

And yes NYC...I owe you a beverage of your choice...maybe more.

Off to the gym.

Ciao for now.

Tom

[GregFL]

Hey all....just a note to let you know that there is a new site that is 100% dedicated to RSVP travellers....message boards and photo galleries where you can create your own album and upload pics from your vacations!

 

http://www.rsvpcruisers.com

 

Be sure to check it out! See you all on the Caribbean Princess! :)

[NYC95]

Yes Capt. Tom, I'll be traveling solo.

 

Because this cruise wasn't selling out my TA was able to get me a 2 for 1 deal. I wanted to go on this cruise but the last roommate share wasn't so great so I wasn't too keen on doing it again. His snore was something akin to a donkey's bray plus he placed a inappropriate novelty item (non-sexual) in my bed. I complained and got a room to myself which was great. I've done the program before (7 times) and that was the first time I've had to switch cabins.

 

Tom, sweetie, I must live in an undiscovered part of,New York, because I am no where near in shape, As a matter of fact, I'm joining,Weight Watchers,this week to get ready for the Meditteranean cruise.

 

CAN I GET AN "AMEN!!!" BROTHERS AND SISTERS?

[RMS Olympic]

2 for 1......and to think I am paying double the rate as a single......my credit card is not a happy camper. Next time I wait to book. I am doing a share on the Rome cruise....I have done a few shares in the past......some great, a few OK, 1 not so good....and one...well lets just say things had to be handled by RSVP.

I am going to chance the Rome cruise as a share......but if there is any sign of a 2 for 1, I will cancel and rebook and travel single for the same price.....if they let people do that.

I realize RSVP has to fill the ships to keep from losing money.....but for those paying double.......ouch.

Anyway...this cruise should be a great time for all. Now to get reservations for the steak house..........I am carnivor, hear me roar!

[hotbidudepa]

Hey guys coming from pennsylvania, not really looking forward to the share program, but thought maybe some one else might be out there looking for a cool roommate. Hit me up at mr082565@aol.com if you are looking for a roommate, and any of those out there wanting to hang out while on the trip, im coming alone.

[MattInFLL]

MikeC - Pineapple Point is one of the nicer - actually I think nicest - gay hotels in FTL. When I first met Ralph, I lived in West Hollywood, so when I would fly in, we would often stay there, and I was always impressed. Generally lovely fellow guests, and very cute friendly staff attending to your needs by the pool (no, not *that* way).

 

And Tom - unfortunately, now that I back in school, and so out of the L.A./west coast loop - I'm not connected to all those buff boys any more. Actually, not unfortuntately, since my new life is far more rewarding. :)

 

And NYC - are you on Core or points? Law school stress had not been good for my waist line, so have been doing WW for a few months and love it. Ralph is the gym bunny/fanatic in this relationship.

 

Tom, as for meeting - I'm thinking we'll do the cubby hole, since that is where everyone is meeting. However, there is a "new" bar called Sidelines, a sports type bar, across from Tropics on Wilton Drive (very close to Alibi). It had originally opened as "Circuit" - a dance club - and failed, so they turned it into a sports bar, and I hear it is thriving and popular with the bear set.

 

This 2 for 1 princing thing is somewhat upsetting, but not surprising. It definitely will bring a lot more singles on board Tom - so maybe a boon for you :) I left a message for my travel agent tonight to see if he could do anything, maybe even an upgrade...but not counting on it.

 

Hotbidude - call your travel agent - maybe you won;t have to share.

[Tim-n-Rick]

Ok, I get the feeling that a few of you have done this many times before! Does RSVP always do a 2 for 1 to fill up the cruise? What does that mean for those of us who have paid for two already? I'd love a refund to apply to our bar tab!

 

We will be driving down and will get to Ft. Lauderdale the day of departure. What is the best time to try to board the ship? We will have a day in Ft. Lauderdale on our return. What is a bar / restaurant / club we should not miss?

 

Also, do any of you have pictures of door decorations past? We want to do something, but I have a tendancy of going over the top.

 

Thanks for indulging 2 cruise virgins!

[mikec5426]

Matt- Thanks for that info! We did get a decent rate at the Comfort Suites through the travel agency (I believe $150 for that Saturday night). We are typically Marriott or Ritz guys... but we got a great deal so we are going thrifty on this cruise. :D

 

The Mediterranean one is another story!! haha We have a balcony, business class and still looking for a gorgeous hotel in Rome!

 

We can't wait!

 

MikeC - Pineapple Point is one of the nicer - actually I think nicest - gay hotels in FTL. When I first met Ralph, I lived in West Hollywood, so when I would fly in, we would often stay there, and I was always impressed. Generally lovely fellow guests, and very cute friendly staff attending to your needs by the pool (no, not *that* way).

[monumax]

Tim & Rick:

Click here to see door decorations of a past cruise:

http://www.gaycruisepictures.com/rsvp2005caribbean/johnjay/doors/doors.html

 

Max

[Tim-n-Rick]

Thanks Max I don't feel so bad about my wreath now. I so cannot wait for this cruise. Rick and I will be celebrating our 13th anniversary together and we are hoping to make life long friends while we are on board.

[Tim-n-Rick]

:) Max, Do you know if the doors are metal?

 

My God, am I over planning or what?????:D :)

[gigand]

Hi Tim n Rick,

 

The doors are metal. At least on the cruises we have been on. That double stick two way foam tape works well and peels of easy at the end of the cruise:o . I was looking at monumax photos. Our door is picture 005. How funny it is to see our door in that set of photos. Happy 13th anniversary. We'll be in stateroom R411. Hope to meet you. :D

 

Jim & Terry

[Tim-n-Rick]

Thanks Jim and Terry! I'm like a kid at Christmas over this cruise. Maybe we could all get together over drinks.

[gigand]

Tim n Rick,

 

That's a good plan. What's your cabin #? We'll arrange a meeting point for drinks.

 

Jim & Terry :)

[monumax]

Congratulations on your anniversary, Tim n Rick!

If you look at door #157, you will see our pictures and that we were celebrating our 25th anniversary! Since that was our first cruise, we didn't know how elaborate some of the doors would be. Last year I took things several steps further. Very nice door #005 Jim & Terry! RSVP should actually give out prizes for door decorations.

Right now we are in Cabin B511, but hopefully that is about to change. :) I'll let you know when it does.

Max (and Bob)

[MattInFLL]

Tim n Rick - it used to be there was never a discount on a gay cruise, but as the ships get bigger, and RSVP and Atlantis compete so closely, it happens that sometimes they don't sell out now... and so they try to quietly offer these specials (so as not to p*ss off the existing guests). Last year this cruise was on the Westerdam, and had been planned as a Mardi Gras cruise. Of course Katrina took care of that, and suddenly they had to re work the itinerary and a lot of people cancelled. So we got an amazing deal similar to the one now, offered only to residents of the hurricane states. Hopefully we can all work some arrangement that makes up for it.

 

As for door decorations - well you've seen examples now. I thought the ones I saw last year on the Westerdam were tame compared to what I saw back in '99 with blinking lights and lots of nude pics. But it's hard to go over the top :)

 

There's no point in getting to the pier before 11am. Sundays are usually packed at the pier, and everyone has to get off before we board. http://www.broward.org/port/cruise.htm has all the pier info. Caribbean Princess always seems to be docked at the northern part of the pier, so you would want to enter off 17th Street Causeway.

 

As for your day in FTL at the end of the cruise. If you like clubs, Jackhammer is hopping on Sunday nights, however it is probably about to move to its new location over at another club owned by the same people, called Steel. They have not said exactly when, but the rumor is it going to move very soon. The Jackhammer crowd is more than likely to follow on over. Otherwise, there is always Georgie's Alibi. If you like Italian food, the best Italian restaurant I have ever been to - and I have been to Italy, and my mother is Italian and a gourmet cook and I would take her there - is Casa D'Angelo on N. Federal Hwy just north of Sunrise Blvd.

 

I hope we all can come up with a time to get together. Isn't our first full day onboard a sea day? Maybe in the latter part of the afternoon before dinner we could all meet. If there is a welcome Tea dance that afternoon, then maybe before that... once we have the schedule, we should be able to plan.

[gigand]

Max and Bob,

 

Thanks for the complement on the door. Yours was very well done too. I like the way you showed a before and after the 25 years. Congrats to you guys too.:D

 

Jim & Terry

[Tim-n-Rick]

Hi All,

 

Thank you for all your information!! We are in room B206 and I sincerely hope we can all get together for a cocktail. A couple of years from now I hope to be giving advise to cruise virgins just as you have.

 

Thanks!

Tim and Ricky!!!

[MattInFLL]

For those of you that are as fanatical as I am about planning - http://www.portofstmaarten.com/schedule.htm

 

Scroll to the bottom and you will see that there will be two other huge ships in port with us on St. Maarten - Navigator of the Seas and Carnival Triumph - both of which also hold more than 3,000 people. So it will be a busy day in port. If you plan on "doing your own thing" like renting a car/jeep, you might want to start planning. If it's been a while since you've been there, it's no longer a tender port. They built a pier farther out in the harbor...so it's a taxi (land or water) or 20 min walk into the main area of Phillipsburg.

 

We were there on Queen Mary 2 with a large gay group, and were supposed to have a special beach trip excursion. (This was back in the tendering days) Well the tour guide was hung over and cancelled, so suddenly there were a hundred very upset queens (us included) on the dock all scrambling to find something else to do. We made a dash for the main street, and found a car rental guy and got a jeep and drove the island ourselves, which turned out to be a lot of fun. But that day, we were the only ship in port and it felt crowded.

 

Also http://www.cruisecal.info/portal/

 

Very cool website for ship fanatics - you can see what ships will be with us in FTL that Sunday (the port is full as usual, and I am almost certain Caribbean Princess will be in her usual spot in terminal 1)...plus samples of the daily planners for the ship, etc.

[monumax]

Hooray!

Just got the official word today that we got an upgrade. Instead of inside cabin B511, we are now on the Caribe deck in balcony cabin C509. We had made our reservations just 2 weeks before the 2 for 1 deal was announced, and so our travel agent was able to work a deal for us.

I'm getting a little obsessed about this cruise (so says my other half). But I'm the planner in this relationship! He will reap the benefits of all my diligent research.

Max (and Bob)

[promenadedeck]

Hello All,

 

I'm new to cruise critic and what a great message board you have here. I'll be on the cruise, my fifth with RSVP, and would like to chat with and meet other cruise critic members before the cruise. I plan on attending the pre-cruise party at the Cubbyhole. Is there any way we can identify and meet each other there or on the ship?

 

Steven:)