Constellation 9/10/05

[vesselvirgins]

Thanks Jim - didn't get the email yet, but we're looking forward to it.

[Troy1_98]

If you haven't heard from them you should probably e-mail Derek. He may not have your proper e-mail address. He answers on the web site email address.

 

Jim

[royal_celebrity]

I have just booked today. I know...talk about last minute! Marc and I have done this westbound crossing the past two years, and last year's was a blast. I agree with Blazerboy's comment earlier in the thread. Unfortunately Marc will be on business in the South of France when this cruise is taking place so I am traveling alone.

 

I know a number of folks sailing on this cruise already, and I know i will have a great time.

 

I am looking forward to meeting you all.....I am not booked through Pied Piper.

 

David

[Troy1_98]

Welcome Aboard David.

 

Never too late until the ship sails. This thread has been pretty quiet. We have met many others not travel with a group. From what I have seen there are a number of guys traveling without their partners.

 

Did the prices drop pretty good so close to the sailing? Right after 9/11 we took our first cruise with PP. The prices dropped so low we could not resist going. Thank god we did as I have become addicted to the sport of cruising (ships that is).

 

Jm

[royal_celebrity]

Thanks for the welcome

 

I see there is another thread going for this cruise that is very active. Not the same though. I am sure we will bump into one another somehow onboard.

My user name here and email address on yahoo are the same. It indicates that we too are avid cruisers on Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. The days at sea are the best, as you do get a real chance to unwind, with 6 of the days lasting 25 hours after we leave Le Havre. Have you ever sailed the other way across the Atlantic when the days are only 23 hours long! Wow, you certainly notice the difference!

[Troy1_98]

Hi -

This is our first Trans Atlantic. For many years I was adamently against the thought of even getting on a cruise ship. Needless to say it only took one cruise to get me hooked. We were based in Dublin for 3 years and I had to commute to San Francisco once a month - I guess I always saw speed as a preference to relaxation. We do enjoy the sea days... ports are sometimes incidental.

 

Iain, my BF is Scotch (but is now a US Citizen), lived in Glasgow, Dublin, London and Amsterdam. Amsterdam is probably our favorite city - we have a tendancy of spending a week there after our Christmas visit to his parents in Glasgow. For me it is a very romantic city -.

 

The other thread here is a very active thread - I have never really connected with the conversations.

 

I am sure you will be able to recognize us. On one of the formal evenings we will be in Kilts. I haven't figured out which one but probably the one after Cork.

 

Jim

[royal_celebrity]

I somehow do not think your BF is Scotch...that is a drink! LOL.

 

I went to the University of Glasgow, so it does have a special charm. My kilt stopped fitting me years ago and I have been too mean to go and buy all the gear again

 

I look forward to meeting Iain...maybe we will know a lot of people in common. I too am now a dual citizen.

 

BTW you can email at my yahoo address..same as here and I can let you know stateroom etc.

[Troy1_98]

Iain's family is from Ayre and has been in the US for 30 years now so has very little accent unless he talks with family. His mother was rather hard of hearing and unless he spoke with his strong brough she didn't understand what he was talking about.

 

He did not know that he had dual citizenship until we were moving to Dublin. He thought he had given up his British Citizenship when he got his U.S. He called the British Embassy to inquire - The receptionist in proper style said "Dear, one a British subject always a British Subject, come down and see me and I will fix you up with a new passport.

 

I am sure we will meet. We have a tendancy of enjoy quiet drinks in Michael's before dinner and late in the evening.

[royal_celebrity]

Well I know Ayr well. I was born in Gourock just up the coast. I will poke my head into Michael's sometime then. It is so much better since they stopped it being the cigar place. Are you Main or Late dining. We always do late. I am eating with friends who are doing late also.

 

With regard to the dual status, you are right, the UK always allowed it. It was not until about 5 years ago that the US changed their rules for Brits and officially allowed people to keep their Dual status. I confess I have a British passport but it remains locked away in the safe.

[Troy1_98]

Ahh so your up Greenook way. Iain's Aunt who we are very close to lives in Kilwinning.

 

We are dining on the late seating also. Iain would never dine before 8:30. Actually at home I am not allowed to have dinner on the table a minute before 7:00. Unless he is working late at quarter ends then no earlier than an hour after he gets home. My office is only 3 blocks from our house so I have a more controlled scheduled to handle the cooking.

 

The PP group is about 125 - I think. They have us all seated in a block. Hopefully you will be seated nearby - I am sure that a group of 125 queens won't be hard to spot.:D

[royal_celebrity]

Well, it is less than a week and I will be in the UK. I am sure I will see all you guys in the San Marco Restuarant. The group will certainly stand out. There are usually also Friends of Dorothy get togethers on the Constellation, as well as whatever PP lays on.

[Gnome]

Has everyone signed up for the Cruise Critic Party. Last I heard there were 170 people signed up for it!

 

Another week to go and I'll be heading out to London for a little sight seeing!!

 

Brad

[Troy1_98]

We are signed up for the Cruise Critic Party also. I got a confirmation e-mail today from Celebrity.

 

We will not be flying over unitl Friday the 9th arriving on cruise day.

 

Jim

[Troy1_98]

Good news. Xpress Pass just became available for our sailing. I was able to fill out the forms and print my Xpress Pass Boarding Pass. Really neat. It is suppose to cut down the boarding process.

 

You access it from the My Celebrity - If itinerary is not there put in Itinerary Number etc and it is a breeze from there.:D

[Gnome]

Good news. Xpress Pass just became available for our sailing. I was able to fill out the forms and print my Xpress Pass Boarding Pass. Really neat. It is suppose to cut down the boarding process.

 

You access it from the My Celebrity - If itinerary is not there put in Itinerary Number etc and it is a breeze from there.:D

 

Just did this myself!!

Hopefully this saves a lot of stand around time!!

Although I'm going to see if I can upgrade our cabin at check in.

 

Can't believe it's finally here!!

[Troy1_98]

How do you upgrade. Do they offer it at an additional fee (if so - is it cheaper than if you had booked earlier?).

[Gnome]

How do you upgrade. Do they offer it at an additional fee (if so - is it cheaper than if you had booked earlier?).

 

I've never done this...but I'm told you just ask at the pier. There is a fee to upgrade, sometimes the difference between the cabin grades sometimes its less. I've heard that some people have gotten excellent upgrades for an extra couple of hundred dollars. I've also heard other people that have paid the difference in cabin grades, which would be the same had you booked that cabin in the beginning. It's a crap shoot, but worth asking!!

 

Brad

[Troy1_98]

Interesting to hear.

 

I can't believe that the cruise is coming on so quick. A week from tomorrow we will be out of here. We were going to figure out this weekend what else we may need to buy before we leave. About all I think I would like to pick up is a new pair of walking shoes.

 

When are you flying to LHR?

[Gnome]

Interesting to hear.

 

I can't believe that the cruise is coming on so quick. A week from tomorrow we will be out of here. We were going to figure out this weekend what else we may need to buy before we leave. About all I think I would like to pick up is a new pair of walking shoes.

 

When are you flying to LHR?

 

We're leaving on Wednesday night arriving on Thursday morning out of Boston. We're staying at Rubens at the Palace, right across from Buckingham Palace, for 2 nights.I've never been to London, so I'm excited about visiting there, although it's turning out to be on the expensive side!

 

I'm pretty much all packed at this point. I just need to decide on shoes and jewelry.

 

When are you supposed to be getting to England??

 

Brad

[Troy1_98]

We are flying SFO-LHR non-stop Friday arriving Saturday at 0650. I use to live in Ireland and had to fly to London for staff meeting once a month. I use to say -London is one of the few places you can pay the price of a 5 star hotel and get a motel 6 quality room. I think London is still one of the top 5 most expensive cities in the World. I am sure you will have a great time. The city is full of energy and has so much to offer.

 

Instead of gabbing a fast food lunch try going into virtually any pub and lunch hours and grab a pub lunch. Great home style cooking and great dishes. You can get a 3 course meal for about the price of McDonalds.