What fun things have you done with your M&M group?

[makethegrade]

I taught HS math for 9 years... then started a private tutoriong company 14 years ago which I still operate today in the Phila PA area (not far from you)

 

Hence we cruise mostly around childrens vacations these days.

[cruiselvr04]

We had a great group a couple of years ago. It helped make that cruise the best out of ten so far. Most of us were first to arrive at the pier so we started meeting right there in line. At one port of call one guy in our group had planned ahead and arranged jeeps for all of us. We had a jeep tour around Aruba. So much fun!!! He even made a dvd for us to watch in our rooms for what we would see and supplied an island CD for us to listen to in our jeeps. The last night of the cruise some had a final farewell dinner in Portifino's. Although I have lost touch I know some of them planned another cruise together.

[bikn4fn]

Has anyone done a cabin crawl with activities?

 

We added "draw poker" to our cabin crawl. It was really pretty easy. Depending on how many people you have "crawling" and how many "showing", you will probably need a couple of decks of cards. Everybody puts their "entry fee" in the pot. A deck of cards is in each of the cabins on the tour. Everybody grabs a card as they walk through the cabin. The player with the best hand at the end of the crawl wins. WE did our cabin crawl on the Radiance. We started and ended in the centrum (on different decks). The common areas near the centrum made for a good gathering place.

 

The other activity was a PJ breakfast (for women only). This was a lot of fun. The cruise was to Alaska so we called ourselves the Polar Bears. Most of the women found PJs or nightgowns with Polar Bears. They all wore the PJs/nightgowns and went to breakfast together. They were able to work out a schedule with the M'D in the dining room for a specific time and day. Before breakfast everybody met in the centrum for pictures. It was great. Most of the women also brought along white boas. They wore the boas as they boarded on the first day and at the M&M.

 

If you don't mind spending some time and money here are a few other things our group did. As you can probably tell, we had a VERY active M&M group. One member made up name/luggage tags with our cruise logo (a Polar Bear), the itinerary and CC screen name. I made up special door signs for each member of the group.

 

I hope this give you a good idea of what kind of things you can do. With a little imagination (and time) you can do almost anything.

[brmoqueen]

Tom...........slight correction on the PJ breakfast.........NOT for women only!!!! We had quite a few men join us even some in their polar bear jammies......and thanks to Murphy (who booked the great event for us) we were led into the dining room by the Concierge......

 

We definitely were a spectacle and have had a blast.....

 

"Do you still keep in touch with people after the cruise?".......YES would be the answer........when you make friends on these boards and at the M&M you keep in touch.....either on other sailings, email, blogs, or whatever....

 

Agreed SPB'S??!?!?!??!?!?!

 

I personally look forward to each cruise as someone is on it that I've met before at a M&M.

 

jul :)

[Fun@C]

Steve, does your tutoring venture out to clients in South Jersey?

[makethegrade]

to a small degree yes (to NJ)... but mostly the suburban Phila area.

 

http://www.makethegrade.net

[p2lockhart]

On several cruises we have had a precruise dinner or drinks the night before departure so we could meet and be able to recognize each other onboard.

 

We usually have a pre &/or post muster gathering at the pool bar.

 

Several of us arranged with the cruiseline before departure to have the same dining table all week.

 

We arranged a cabin crawl that took place immediately following the M&M.

 

We booked a murder mystery dinner at the specialty restaurant and all sat at the same large table.

 

We have had gift exchanges at some of our M&M's.

 

Sometimes we book excursions together or share a rental car and go to the same beach.

 

One cruise we all prepaid for and booked an open bar party through the cruiseline before debarkation.

 

And we have done Quest together.

 

Sometimes we decorate our cabin doors and have name tags or wear leis or beads so we can recognize each other.

[bikn4fn]

Tom...........slight correction on the PJ breakfast.........NOT for women only!!!! We had quite a few men join us even some in their polar bear jammies......and thanks to Murphy (who booked the great event for us) we were led into the dining room by the Concierge......

 

We definitely were a spectacle and have had a blast.....

 

"Do you still keep in touch with people after the cruise?".......YES would be the answer........when you make friends on these boards and at the M&M you keep in touch.....either on other sailings, email, blogs, or whatever....

 

Agreed SPB'S??!?!?!??!?!?!

 

I personally look forward to each cruise as someone is on it that I've met before at a M&M.

 

jul :)

 

Sorry - 20 lashes with a wet noodle. It was MOSTLY the women.

 

I've said HI! here and there when I've seen some of our fellow Bears on other posts. I don't have many of their e-mails.

 

As long as you are here; have you had any experience with the new "My Time Dining" RCCL is trying out? There's a thread out there. A lot of negitve feedback.

 

We're scheduled for Greece, Turkey & Egypt for April '09.

[shellito1012]

My group all wore mardi gras beads so that when we saw someone wearing them, we would know that they were in our roll call group. Then we met in the Viking Lounge for a sail away party. One of the members of our groups made little handbags (not really, but for lack of better word) and we also had a gift exchange at our real m&m....was a lot of fun and we did schedule shore activities with each other too. The bottle of wine idea sounds great!

[makethegrade]

We had a group where we made awards. most concerning posts on this board prior to the cruise.

 

that was fun.

[LouisvilleDon]

On the Mariner Halloween cruise last year we had a guy make a booklet with everyone's picture and a little bio of everyone. Then he sent it to each of us by email. We all met at Grill's the night before at the port. Then we all put up $20 and after the M&M we went to the casino and each had 4 pulls on a $5 slot machine. We were going to split the pot, but you know we lost it all.

It was a great group.

[makethegrade]

the booklet is a great idea, and easy to do these days with email etc...

 

the collective slot pull is a good idea as well... better luck next time.

[Tucker in Texas]

We've done the slot pull three or four times. Never come out ahead but had an hour's worth of entertainment. Each person put up $20. We picked a $1 machine and played $3 at a time (maximum--go for the throat (lol). Everyone got three pulls but, if they were hot, they got an extra pull. We put the money through one time and divided up what was left. The low has been $13, the high $18. One of these days, we may come out ahead.

 

On the poker run (which was combined with a cabin crawl) the first time we participated we suspected there was some "hanky panky" going on whereas people "pooled" their cards to come up with a good hand (the winner got over $200). Too many good hands showed up at the end to be "random." So the next time we did it, one of the "losers" the first time organized it and plugged that leak by having people draw a card at each of five cabins and it was "logged" in on a sheet at the time they drew. The winner had two pairs vs. a lot of full houses, flushes, etc. the first time around.

 

Gift exchange and wine tastings have also been successful. We've done wrist bands so we could identify other M&M people on the ship, door decoration contest, recipe exchanges, chocolate exchange.

 

Tucker in Texas

[boomhaursgrl]

Let's see.....there was the belly flop contest in a hula skirt, high chairs at the dinner table, bananas and black balloons (don't ask),

 

Good times.

 

I've got to ask... what the?????

 

I danced and drank with until 5 am with a few of my M&M buddies I met... does that count?

 

I also did the mardi gras bead thing the last time I sailed. We actually sailed during Mardis Gras, a Canadian lady, who is now a good friend of mine from CC, called them Jerry beads (i.e. Jerry Springer)... that name just stuck from then on

[makethegrade]

we are planning a mini-tournament now for our group.

[makethegrade]

anyone have a 'gameplan' for a scavenger hunt?