The Holidays on the Explorer: My Diary

[maxs mom]

Hey Gary!

Great cruising again with you guys, too. It was fun, wasn't it? Keep us posted on when you are crusing again.

[houlacruiser]

Jane - it's funny that you mention the lack of a holiday cruise on Explorer this upcoming year, because every year when I read your review, I check for a Holiday cruise! This year I found nothing. I did find the Celebrity holiday cruise out of Bayonne though. As always your review leaves me longing for the next 28 days to go by until I'm on board. I don't like to wish my life away, but I just can't wait!!!

[The Big Booper]

Jane - it's funny that you mention the lack of a holiday cruise on Explorer this upcoming year, because every year when I read your review, I check for a Holiday cruise! This year I found nothing. I did find the Celebrity holiday cruise out of Bayonne though. As always your review leaves me longing for the next 28 days to go by until I'm on board. I don't like to wish my life away, but I just can't wait!!!

 

We booked the Silhouette 12/12 out of Bayonne because the pricing on the 12/24 - 1/6 was absurd. If the pricing on the 12/24 goes down to a reasonable amount we'll try to shift the booking, if not, well 12/12 will have the decorations up.:)

 

At our age, we can't wish our lives away so a lot on our plate until Dec 2011.

[maxs mom]

Yes.....I'm just really mifffed by this lack of holiday cruises this year. We are looking at Celebrity Equinox out of Fort Lauderdale. I have to work until the 20th this year and that leaves out the Silhouette.....which looks nice. Not sure that we want to go out of Bayonne again, though. John is not convinced about Celebrity, but I'm working on it! We are expecting a snowstorm tomorrow.......wish I was getting back on a ship to get outa here!!

[houlacruiser]

We booked the Silhouette 12/12 out of Bayonne because the pricing on the 12/24 - 1/6 was absurd. If the pricing on the 12/24 goes down to a reasonable amount we'll try to shift the booking, if not, well 12/12 will have the decorations up.:)

 

At our age, we can't wish our lives away so a lot on our plate until Dec 2011.

 

I noticed that ridiculous pricing! It's always more, but c'mon. :eek: Like you said, if there is no shift in price, the decorations will be up. I always say that I would love to take a holiday cruise... Maybe I'll start with Thanksgiving and work my way up to Christmas/New Year's.

[The Big Booper]

Yes.....I'm just really mifffed by this lack of holiday cruises this year. We are looking at Celebrity Equinox out of Fort Lauderdale. I have to work until the 20th this year and that leaves out the Silhouette.....which looks nice. Not sure that we want to go out of Bayonne again' date=' though. John is not convinced about Celebrity, but I'm working on it! We are expecting a snowstorm tomorrow.......wish I was getting back on a ship to get outa here!![/size']

 

Equinox and Silhouette are like.......Radiance and Serenade. Same basic ship. And you start in NC.

 

You and John would love a Celebrity "S" ship, check out my photo album.

[LTyler]

Great review and great pictures I want to book an Explorer cruise so badly just got to talk my husband into leaving out of NJ he's always getting sea sick UHG!! :)

[marci22]

I noticed that ridiculous pricing! It's always more, but c'mon. :eek: Like you said, if there is no shift in price, the decorations will be up. I always say that I would love to take a holiday cruise... Maybe I'll start with Thanksgiving and work my way up to Christmas/New Year's.

 

Are you talking about the Christmas/NYE 2011 7 night? Are they doing the same itinerary 2x in a row? It's a horrible itinerary, nevermind the price. I imagine there will be a lot of last minute discounting going on.

[maxs mom]

Great review and great pictures I want to book an Explorer cruise so badly just got to talk my husband into leaving out of NJ he's always getting sea sick UHG!! :)

 

We've cruised 4 times from Bayonne (twice in the summer and twice in the winter) and there was never a problem. Don't let that stop you! I am prone to sea sickness and I was fine.

[maxs mom]

Are you talking about the Christmas/NYE 2011 7 night? Are they doing the same itinerary 2x in a row? It's a horrible itinerary, nevermind the price. I imagine there will be a lot of last minute discounting going on.

 

I think she was talking about the pricing of the Sihouette. You're right....the 7 night itineraries on the Explorer are horrible. I can't imagine anyone wanting to go on those with cold weather on each end of the cruise.

[nyer]

Great review and great pictures I want to book an Explorer cruise so badly just got to talk my husband into leaving out of NJ he's always getting sea sick UHG!! :)

 

I am also prone to sea sickness and I have cruised twice out of Bayonne. I always take ginger before and during my crusie and have never had a problem. Good luck.

[wenabre]

Jane,

Wow what a great report you've done up on the cruise. You took so many photos and glad to know we made it in a lot of them. I didn't take any near the amount of photos. I missed quite a bit with all the resting I was ordered to do.

I also feel I was out in ' left field' being on the meds to help with the pain. If we ever cruise again and I really hope we do...I think I will just follow you guys to all those lovely beaches you have found, I just won't go near the water!!:rolleyes:

I did have an ultra sound the other day and they found two large hematomas and I have been told to rest and return in a month for another one as they can't even see the ligament damage for the blood. When I do something, I do it well!! :(

Glad you guys made it home OK, was the Puppy as glad to see you as ours were?

Kaighley is back at work in the emergency dept and doing all sorts of shifts. Today she is off and we are going to see a bungalow for me and then suit shopping for her interviews at the end of the month.

My Daughter is St. Lucia has decided that I will be best 50 meters back from the waves in a lounge chair with a 'house specialty' drink called the Boiled Frog, reading, with my Grandson doing wheelies around me in his walker. With my luck, I'll fall over getting up and he'll run me over while I am down and leave walker welts on me :eek:

Thanks again for the great report...

Wendy

[maxs mom]

Wendy......great hearing from you. Yes.....you really did a good job on your leg. I hope you will heal and have no further problems. That was a memorable day for sure!

I hope we can cruise together again, too. Thanks for co-ordinating the gift exchange and the cabin crawl. Both great events! Can't wait to hear about your trip to St. Lucia.....another of my favorite islands.

Keep in touch!

[tonythewop]

GREAT JOB on your 14 day diary Jane !! :D

 

Love your pictures especially the one of that handsome italian gentleman you met at Valley Church beach ! :rolleyes:

 

We've only been home a few days and we miss the cruise and our new friends so much. :(

 

Need to book another cruise to relieve the depression. ;)

[The Big Booper]

GREAT JOB on your 14 day diary Jane !! :D

 

Love your pictures especially the one of that handsome italian gentleman you met at Valley Church beach ! :rolleyes:

 

We've only been home a few days and we miss the cruise and our new friends so much. :(

 

Need to book another cruise to relieve the depression. ;)

 

Don't worry, another album is coming!

 

We booked three cruises on the ship as part of the December Diamond event with low deposits, $100 pp per trip.

 

And we have pictures of......wait for it......"Who Wants to be a Millionaire" wherein a handsome Italian stallion is aided by his noble "Phone-a-Friend" to win.....a whole pile of cruise stuff.

[The Big Booper]

Jane, how is the snow in NC today? That storm is projected to drop 5-10 inches on us Tuesday night so we will be dog-sitting DS's piebald dachshund Tuesday since CNBC will put him up at a hotel near the studio complex in Englewood, NJ (near the GW Bridge) so he doesn't have to drive Tues PM and Wed AM.

[maxs mom]

GREAT JOB on your 14 day diary Jane !! :D

 

Love your pictures especially the one of that handsome italian gentleman you met at Valley Church beach ! :rolleyes:

 

We've only been home a few days and we miss the cruise and our new friends so much. :(

 

Need to book another cruise to relieve the depression. ;)

 

Thanks, Tony.....you handsome devil!! Glad I was able to run into you at the beach! That was a great day.

[maxs mom]

Jane, how is the snow in NC today? That storm is projected to drop 5-10 inches on us Tuesday night so we will be dog-sitting DS's piebald dachshund Tuesday since CNBC will put him up at a hotel near the studio complex in Englewood, NJ (near the GW Bridge) so he doesn't have to drive Tues PM and Wed AM.

 

They cancelled school today, but the snow is missing us. Now I have to go to school on Saturday!!!

[tonythewop]

Don't worry, another album is coming!

 

We booked three cruises on the ship as part of the December Diamond event with low deposits, $100 pp per trip.

 

And we have pictures of......wait for it......"Who Wants to be a Millionaire" wherein a handsome Italian stallion is aided by his noble "Phone-a-Friend" to win.....a whole pile of cruise stuff.

 

That was a blast ! Thanks again in helping me win all those "incredible" prizes. :rolleyes:

[Puffinater]

Thanks for the great review and pictures.

[Yes we are cruising again!]

Jane - what a FANTASTIC review! I'm sitting at home after twisting my ankle running at the weekend and have spent a very pleasant hour reading through your diary and enjoying your photos.

Now we know exactly what we missed!!!



Hope we get to meet up on a cruise one day. Although we can't get away for Christmas this year, 2012 is on the cards!:)

[maxs mom]

Sue......glad that you could cruise with us vicariously! Sorry about your ankle. Hope that we can meet up at another time. You will love the Panama Canal if that's what you are doing next. Keep in touch.

[cruise wizard]

Jane - great review. We last cruised with you on the Adventure in 2008 out of SJU - maybe we will cruise together again. Up next for us is the Oasis followed by B2B's on Allure starting in mid Feb. Have a great 2011 cruising!!!

[CDNcruisers]

Jane,

 

Wonderfull review!! I've been reading it the last few days and just love all those pics (maybe because my gang is in a lot of them, ha!). It sure was great to meet you both and all our cruise critic buddies and share so many good times on all the different excursions and meetings.

 

Hope to cruise with you again,

 

Louise

[The Big Booper]

Jane, thanks to you and the "Diva" for all the beach comments in your reports. Gave us some ideas for the next trip. But we are not counting the crazy motorboat trip in the DR.

Edited January 10, 2011 by The Big Booper