RSVP Feb 9-16, 2013 - Eurodam

[BayAreaBC]

Deep breath... the Mardi Gras Splash party at the Floris Suite Hotel, with go-go dancers and the butter boys. ;)

 

 

 

 

The excursion is surely contracted by HAL with the hotel for at a certain price with a minumum number of participants. HAL won't lower the price and tahe a hit on the xcursion, they will cancel it instead. Like cruise lines often do with some excursion. I have had scuba excursions canceled.

 

Does HAL hire the butter boys too? That would be an interesting request for them to handle.

[absolutboy20]

Monumax,

 

It's interesting that this year Atlantis seems to have stepped up in getting information/theme parties/videos of previous cruises out earlier than RSVP. I got my upcoming theme party cruise info from Atlantis five weeks prior to sailing, which last year I heard on some cruises were being released two weeks prior to sailing. Granted, my cruise is a complete recycle of the same theme parties/destinations as 2010 trip, so it probably makes getting the info out easier.

 

And if RSVP follows last year's schedule pamphlet, you're only going to get dates of specific events and no specific timetables. For actual times, they make you wait for the Daily Compass newsletter on board the ship.

[absolutboy20]

Boytjie/Peter,

 

Are you going to try and do a review or live blog of the cruise this year? I tried doing a review of last year's cruise and was doing well up until day 3, and then pooped out on it and went unfinished onboard and sitting in my laptop drive. I think you've mentioned in the past of doing one.

[Boytjie]

Boytjie/Peter,

 

Are you going to try and do a review or live blog of the cruise this year? I tried doing a review of last year's cruise and was doing well up until day 3, and then pooped out on it and went unfinished onboard and sitting in my laptop drive. I think you've mentioned in the past of doing one.

 

I have never done a live blog of a cruise - there just is not enough time for that while on the ship! I have done a few reviews after the cruises but never got around to do one for last February's cruise.

[BayAreaBC]

Note the Floris Suites hotel is a gay hotel with a gay bar (Rainbow Bar). Thus even if the pool party is canceled you could catch a cab to it. It's on Piscadero Bay not far from Willemstad. The beach there isn't the best and it's near an oil refinery. The beaches further north are better.

 

The gay beach is Mambo beach near the Seaquarium. Snorkeling there isn't the best either.

 

http://www.gaycuracao.com/eng/parties.php

[Typhoon1]

I'm pretty sure it's the pool party at the Floris Suites. Jeff should drop prices if he's worried about attendance.

 

Agreed, that will be a tough sell even though it includes an open bar. I did some research on the Floris Suites.

 

Very nice place. It is open to straights, I suppose he has to reserve the pool area for the RSVP crowd.

[BayAreaBC]

For anyone interested in exploring the gay scene in Curacao, the following websites have a lot of info. There are 3 gay friendly beach bars at Mambo Beach as well as the Rainbow Bar at the Floris Suites

 

http://www.gaycuracao.com/nl/parties.php

 

http://www.gayscout.com/queerguide/c43.3g234.218/Curacao-Island/Cruising-Saunas---Bathing

 

http://www.worldrainbowhotels.com/LiveSiteAsset/out-about/WRHFLORI-Floris-Suite-Hotel.pdf

 

Note we are most likely going to rent a car on Curacao and beach hop to Cas Abou, Porto Mari etc. prior to the Mardi Gras excursion. If anyone else is interested we could split a van.

[Boytjie]

Not sure if it has been mentioned yet; someone created an iphone app for the cruise. Check it out in the app store: search for 'rsvp caribbean cruise 2013'.

[dontom4fun]

My partner and I have done a couple of regular cruises, but this will be our first RSVP. We'll be on the ship with 8 other friends from Massachusetts and are really looking forward to it.

 

Sounds like many of you do this frequently and know each other. Can someone give me the lowdown on the Carnival excursion with the reserved area along the parade route? Is it worth the price?

 

Thanks,

Tommy and Don

[gimme_woof]

Sounds like many of you do this frequently and know each other. Can someone give me the lowdown on the Carnival excursion with the reserved area along the parade route? Is it worth the price?

 

I asked the same question. :) Check back on pages 20-21 of the roll call for people's answers. Based on the strength of those, we booked it!

 

Don

[monumax]

My partner and I have done a couple of regular cruises, but this will be our first RSVP. We'll be on the ship with 8 other friends from Massachusetts and are really looking forward to it.

 

Sounds like many of you do this frequently and know each other. Can someone give me the lowdown on the Carnival excursion with the reserved area along the parade route? Is it worth the price?

 

Thanks,

Tommy and Don

Welcome Tommy and Don,

Go to gaycruisepictures.com and look at pictures from past RSVP cruises. If you go to the 2010 cruise (which has the same itinerary as this year's) and go to my pictures (Max), you can see pictures of the viewing stand and the parade.

[Boytjie]

My partner and I have done a couple of regular cruises, but this will be our first RSVP. We'll be on the ship with 8 other friends from Massachusetts and are really looking forward to it.

 

Sounds like many of you do this frequently and know each other. Can someone give me the lowdown on the Carnival excursion with the reserved area along the parade route? Is it worth the price?

 

Thanks,

Tommy and Don

 

Welcome to RSVP and to Cruise Critic!

 

Yes, some of us have gotten to know each other over the years and even hang out between cruises! I met Max here on Cruise Critic before our first cruise and finally met in real life on the ship. Our first excursion was in St. Maarten and my partner and I were just going to catch a ca to Orient Beach. We ran into Max and Bob at the taxi stand and shared a cab there. We have hung out with them in Rehobeth Beach and in New York, in 2009 we did a Pied Piper cruise on QM2 together.

 

Do come to the meet-and-greet and met this merry bunch of people! Scroll back a bit and you will see how to contact me to RSVP for that.

 

As for the Carnival excursion... is it worth the price? It's difficult to tell someone else whether something is worth the expense but we thought it was one of the funnest excursion we have done on a cruise. We booked it again this year. :)

[Typhoon1]

My partner and I have done a couple of regular cruises, but this will be our first RSVP. We'll be on the ship with 8 other friends from Massachusetts and are really looking forward to it.

 

Thanks,

Tommy and Don

 

Looking forward to meeting you.

[STRSSD]

STRSSD, you won't be the only one -- this is only our second cruise so we're just getting the hang of it too. Best advice I ever read was "don't try to everything" and it's true. Of course, on our first cruise we did try to do everything and that's why we need to do a second one. :)

 

Just booking excursions now. Yeep, I keep forgetting how those add up!

 

(Hey STRSSD! I just noticed you're in Toronto too!)

 

Don

 

Ah man you had me checkin' history! I thought you were a newbie but then realized you're a *somewhat* newbie!

 

yup! The T dot! The big SMOKE! We've never gone to a pitbull party! I'm guessing that's your scene. (no judgement!!!) I've tried to figure out how to send you a private message on here and can't. Maybe if you've communicated with Boytjie he can flip you my email address.......Or perhaps if he's added me to the meet and greet I'll meet you there! (that's if you're going to that....)

 

As soon as I discuss it with the man, I think we're going to book that Carnival too!

[gimme_woof]

Ah man you had me checkin' history! I thought you were a newbie but then realized you're a *somewhat* newbie!

 

Ooo, I've graduated to *somewhat* newbie! We did an Atlantis cruise to the Mexican Riviera in 2010 (Long Beach to Puerto Vallarta) and I discovered Cruise Critic back then. Actually I think maybe I discovered it even earlier when we first thought about booking a cruise and I knew so little I wasn't even clear that the prices were per person, not per cabin (DOH!).

 

Actually we haven't been to a Pitbull event since a couple of the early ones, but thanks! (I think! ;) ) And yes, going to the meet and greet, but drop me a message before the cruise if you want to -- gimme_woof at mac dot com.

 

Don

[dantobey]

Been a member of Cruise Critic for a long time and usually look at Roll Calls when we book a non-gay sailing. Never looked for one on this sailing. Partner Jack and I, from Philly/ Rehoboth Beach signed up the first week this sailing was announced. Good friends Frank and John from Lincoln Park, NJ/Ocean Grove, NJ are joining us. While I have been on 9 RSVP cruises from '88 to '01 it is a first for the other. If will be great doing one again. In fact he are on the July 29th River Cruise sailing as well with another couple, Josh and Ed also form Philly/Rehoboth Beach.

 

We were disappointed because we would not be going to Mardi Gras but now sort of glad for Carnival.

 

I'll have to make the time to read all 25 pages and catch up on this thread.

 

Dan

[dantobey]

Perhaps she has gone into lurk mode. :eek::eek:

 

yes, winter has arrived in most parts of the country. Hope she leave quickly.

[dantobey]

Another reminder for the meet-and-greet.

 

What is it?

It is a chance for the people that are Cruise Critic members to meet each other in real life. It is usually the ones that have been following this roll call thread for this cruise, no matter how active they have been.

 

What happens there?

We hang out for an hour or so the first day at sea to get to know each other - or catch up after a year apart.

 

I arrange with RSVP to have a time and location to meet and they arrange it with HAL. There may be some staff from HAL in attendance to meet us and there may be some refreshments provided - it can be anything from coffee and cookies to an open bar. It all depends on what HAL wants to provide (Hotel Manager and/or Beverage Manager).

 

I will print up name tags for everyone that RSVPed and have blank ones for those that decide last minute to attend.

 

When and where will it take place?

I have asked for Noon on Sunday, the first day at sea in the Silk Den. I am waiting for confirmation from RSVP on that.

 

What do I need from you?

An email at boytjieny at yahoo dot com providing me with you Cruise Critic id, names of the people that will attend and your cabin number(s).

 

About 30 people have RSVed so far.

 

Glad to see there is going to be a Crusie Critic Meet and Greet. Please sign us up. We have done them on several other non-RSVP cruises and they are fun. Four in our group; Frank & John plus jack & Dan.

[monumax]

Glad to see there is going to be a Crusie Critic Meet and Greet. Please sign us up. We have done them on several other non-RSVP cruises and they are fun. Four in our group; Frank & John plus jack & Dan.

 

Welcome Dan and Jack, and Frank & John. Nice to see more Rehoboth Beach representation in the group! Bob and I fly out of Philly on Wednesday the 6th.

[Boytjie]

Glad to see there is going to be a Crusie Critic Meet and Greet. Please sign us up. We have done them on several other non-RSVP cruises and they are fun. Four in our group; Frank & John plus jack & Dan.

 

Can you please email me the info? :)

[jimnbillnpa]

You all must listen to Peter and Max! They know of what they speak!

 

Sorry we're not joining you guys! Been spending as much time as possible in St. Pete and leaving for Las Vegas Saturday.

 

And the BEST part of Carnival is when the Carnival Queen float passes 500 queens in the stands! Just hope you don't have to listen to Black Eyed Peas twenty times! LOL "tonight's gonna be a good, good night..."

[Boytjie]

You all must listen to Peter and Max! They know of what they speak!

 

Sorry we're not joining you guys! Been spending as much time as possible in St. Pete and leaving for Las Vegas Saturday.

 

And the BEST part of Carnival is when the Carnival Queen float passes 500 queens in the stands! Just hope you don't have to listen to Black Eyed Peas twenty times! LOL "tonight's gonna be a good, good night..."

 

Thanks, Jim! You will be missed.

 

But it WAS such a good, good night! :D

[monumax]

Just hope you don't have to listen to Black Eyed Peas twenty times! LOL "tonight's gonna be a good, good night..."

 

I will always remember the Carnival when I hear that song! I loved their "island rendition" of it.

 

We will miss you, Jim and Bill!

[mikeange]

Any word on when the daily schedule will be available? Any word on when the entertainment line up will be announced, of course absent the name of the double super secret headliner whose identity won't be divulged till after we set sail?

[dantobey]

Welcome Dan and Jack, and Frank & John. Nice to see more Rehoboth Beach representation in the group! Bob and I fly out of Philly on Wednesday the 6th.

 

Thank you for the welcome. Jack and I are flying out the same day as you guys. We are on an 8:00 PM with US Airways to Fort Lauderdale.

 

Dan & Jack