Bon voyage, karen kween

[durangoscots]

This was my dream cruise too (although I have done some of the ports in the past)..... and it is sailing without me. However, I am sure Karen will keep us updated and all I can say is HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME!!!!!

 

Susan

[WISCruiser]

Have a 'Super' voyage, Karen... I'll be following your blog with great anticipation.

[lazey1]

I just spotted this thread......what fun!

here is my website where I will be reporting all along the way.....please do travel along WITH me:

http://dreamcruise.kweenkaren.com/

 

BON VOYAGE KAREN and thank you for providing this link to your website. I have bookmarked this site so I can travel along with you in my dreams. :cool: Jane

[Kween Karen]

My Dream Is Coming True

 

I've dreamed of sailing away all my life

Of sailing oceans so deep and blue

Of seeing places far and wide

I've dreamed of seeing old and new

 

I've lived my dreams every night

As I planned this, my Grand Voyage

Reading of the all the magical sights

Of clothes, and tales, I'll have no shortage

 

I've researched my ports of call

Plan to meet with Red Hatted Sisters

And will take pictures of them all

No vacation could be any better

 

I'm counting down to that wonderful day

When I'm on the ms Amsterdam

Saying finally, this is My Dream Day

As I sail away on a ship loving called "DAM"

Have a Wonderful time Karen!!!

 

I wanted you to know just how special you have become to all of us. And we are so happy to see this dream of yours coming true in just 10 more days.

 

Joanie

 

Thanks for the poem Joanie......that was nice of you.

[brucory]

Kween Karen,

 

Will look forward to checking in on your blog. You have become quite the celebrity around here!!! Bon voyage and have a wonderful dream cruise!!!

 

Bruce.

 

:D:D:D

[suse]

Blessings for a wonderful trip! We'll be thinking of you with much affection!:)

love, Susie

[Two@Sea]

So many "dreamers" are sailing in spirit with you! Enjoy every moment!

 

(I started a Ten~Nine~Eight~Etc "Countdown" thread for you today, before I saw this one, but just skip that now, as this one has waaaay nicer sentiments from SO many who wish you Bon Voyage!)

[NMLady]

With just 5 days to go, I'll bet your lists are getting dog-eared from being checked and re-checked.

 

Have an awesome trip and think of us green-with-envy dreamers you're leaving behind -- keep your blog updated.

 

I'll bet as soon as you're aboard, or at least as soon as the ship is actually sailing out, you'll feel like kissing the plankboards that it is finally all safely realized. Head for a lounge, have a drink, and ENJOY!!

 

Happy Cruising.

[mamaofami]

Karen, hope your cruise is wonderful. You deserve it.

[MISSYLOU]

Happy Sails Karen.

 

I love your mother's photos. Her spirit will be with you on this wonderful adventure.

[lindalans]

Wishing you all the best for your dream cruise and adventures on the way. I too will be following your blog closely.

 

Linda

[RMLincoln]

Blessings for a GRAND cruise!

 

We'll be getting on as you get off. Ours will be a 21 day cruise, our longest - we're building up to the Grand scale :)

 

Enjoy it all, and we'll be listening!

 

Maureen

[ger_77]

Karen, I can't think of anyone who deserves this cruise more than you after all you've been through. Throw caution to the wind and enjoy every moment of your Grand Voyage.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

Gerry

[Storylady]

Thanks for your good wishes.

This is the link to "Agency Issue" thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1025166&highlight=agency+issue

 

 

BON VOYAGE KAREN,

I know that you will have a wonderful time aboard the Amsterdam. I am sorry to hear that you had such a nightmare close to departing---after all part of the fun of a cruise is planning, booking and anticipating the cruise.

 

We had something similar happen to us last year, although we were luckier than you. I can visualize how sick you must have been---$8,000!!! And the agent denying that he hadn't sent the money to HAL.

 

I had booked my upcoming Panama Canal cruise with one of the largest online cruise brokers last October. We also booked a shorter Christmas cruise just a couple of months before we booked the Panama Canal cruise. Time passed so quickly that I didn't realize that it was 3 weeks to the cruise and NO CRUISE DOCUMENTS. One evening after HAL offices had closed for the weekend, I typed in the agencies name into Google (fortunately for me/us, I had not bookmarked the website). As I was just about to click onto their website, I saw another link that said large cruise broker just declared bankruptcy. I then realized that we hadn't received our cruise documents. I quickly looked at our Visa statements and noticed that they didn't forward the payment to HAL but to their agency for the Panama Canal cruise (other cruise was paid to HAL). I was just sick the whole weekend. I should have had a clue that something was wrong when they asked for a huge deposit---$3,500 (more than half the price of the cruise and were giving away travel insurance if you signed up for the cruise). I tried calling them. They didn't answer and they didn't return our calls. And there wasn't anything on their website that indicated that it wasn't business as usual.

 

I have just registered for Cruise Critic so I didn't even have Cruise Critic members to console me. It was a very long weekend before I was able to call HAL and found out that we were extremely lucky. They had transferred the money after probably holding it for a couple of weeks. So HAL took over our account and they sent our Cruise Docs for the upcoming Christmas cruise that had been paid in full.

 

Having been almost burned, I wish that I had been signed up on Cruise Critic and that I had read the article under planning---How to Avoid Cruise Travel Scams.

 

I can see now after the fact how important this board is. I am glad that you had such wonderful support Karen. And now I am looking forward to following your adventures aboard the Amsterdam. Have the trip of the lifetime. And then when you return---start planning the next trip of a lifetime, even if it is several years away.

[Candy]

I just spotted this thread......what fun! Thank you ALL for your nice greetings and wishes. That means a lot to me. Several of you mentioned....come back and report.....well...here is my website where I will be reporting all along the way.....please do travel along WITH me:

http://dreamcruise.kweenkaren.com/

 

I'll definitely be following your blog... I have in-laws sailing with you [Jerry (bamajab) and Greta from Area 51]. You'll find Jerry picking up the winning prizes at the Trivia games.

 

Have a 'dam fine time!

 

Candy and Sir James