Jewel of the Seas 4/15/2007

[wingsrcl]

We are so jealous you guys are getting to sail with our friend Juan. We had the pleasure of his company on the Constellation transatlantic last year, he is a gentleman and a delightful person. We are one day behind you this time, on the Brilliance of the Seas to Barcelona departing April 16. Have fun!

Ruy and Dennis

[rienreiter]

Hello Ruy:

 

You are almost making me blush. Thanks for the compliments. I wish you and Dennis another great crossing!

 

Juan

[lyonrm]

Juan

 

I know the time has gone by so fast and now it is here and we are ready for it. We have now booked for the 15 day cruise leaving Barcelona in Dec 07 and ends in Gal. Tx. on Dec. 23rd. This is our Christmas present to each other. You should check into it it has some great ports where it will be stoping at and the thought of 15 days at sea is wonderful.

 

 

Russ & Donnie

[JMHinSEA]

Actually, on Princes they played the "Sail Away" by Enya at sailaway - sort of cool. Along with Andrea Bocelli and a few others.

 

Anyway, we're in the FINAL days of countdown - HURRAY!!!!!!!!!

 

I'm even already packed - SERIOUSLY!!!!!!

 

I'm going to ask each of you to do me a HUGE favor, if you think you are going to be able to drop by our cabin for a sailaway toast, please drop me an email at dwntwnseaguy@hotmail.com so I can see how many bottles of bubbly and glasses we need to have :)

 

Looking forward to seeing and meeting all of you!

 

By the way, I'm sure most of you already know this but I generally find that a great way to meet OTHER family members on board is to TAKE THE SPA TOUR! I can't tell you how many gays I've met on cruises by doing that :) In fact, generally Steven and I board around noon, have lunch in the buffet along with everyone else, and then I head DIRECTLY for the spa tour. They aslo generally have drawings for free spa treatments - which I never win. But like I said, it's a great way to bump into fellow family members :).

 

See you in the STEAM ROOM!!!!!!;)

 

Cheers!

john

[rienreiter]

Russ and Donnie: I'm sure that your cruise has a great itinerary. December is not a good month for me. I know you'll have a great time.

 

John: You already know that I'll be at your sailaway party. That is very nice of you guys. I have taken the spa tour a couple of times. The Radiance class has quite a nice spa area. And yes, I've often spotted "family" taking the spa tour also.

 

Juan

[MiamiBob]

Hi - just found this FOD thread - great - ! From reading it one might think that family members must occupy 85% of the GS - we were fortunate to snag one that came back into inventory last July 26th. Anyway we are traveling with our close friends of many years, Thom & Randy (Coral Gables) who are veteran cruisers like us and terrific travel companions. We look forward to meeting you all aboard.

 

And thanks for the tip about the SPA tour - yes, we actually do exercise! <G>

 

Bob

[JMHinSEA]

Welcome Bob & Partner & Thom & Randy!!!!

Glad you found our festive thread!!!!

 

First of all, I know what you mean about GS. We started out with a junior suite and I kept checking the RCI webiste everyday and when I saw one come available, I called my Travel Agent immediately and had her snag it for us.

 

Looking forward to meeting you guys. Would love to have you stop by our cabin for a sailaway toast. Drop me a line at dwntwnseaguy@hotmail.com if you think you can come.

 

Hope to hear from you!

John in Seattle

[BlondyX]

My countdown has reached single digits! :D I am leaving for Toronto a week from Thursday so my g/f and I can fly together to Fort Lauderdale and home from Amsterdam.

 

Glad you found the thread over here Bob.

 

We aren't flying in until Sunday morning so we aren't making any sail away plans just in case we are delayed for some horrific, cosmic forces working against us reason.

 

But we are looking forward to meeting everyone!

[rienreiter]

Hello MiamiBob:

 

Glad to see that you have found our thread. I had planned to send you an email tonight to bring it up to your attention but no longer have to do that. I am looking forward to meeting Walter and you as well as your good friends Thom and Randy from Coral Gables. I hope that you guys can make it to John's sailaway festivity.

 

Juan

[MiamiBob]

Hello MiamiBob:

 

Glad to see that you have found our thread. I had planned to send you an email tonight to bring it up to your attention but no longer have to do that. I am looking forward to meeting Walter and you as well as your good friends Thom and Randy from Coral Gables. I hope that you guys can make it to John's sailaway festivity.

 

Juan

 

Wow, wow, wow, you guys & girls are busy! Blondyx -Juan and John in Seattle - thanks.... now, how can we attend both the "Meet & Mingle" and the sailaway in John's festivities as well?? We'd love to attend! Man, this is just like "Prom night".

 

Question: when Queen Beatrix ascends to the big castle in the sky - how will her heir apparent son, married with children) celebrate Queenday?

 

Maybe if one of his two brothers is a "family member"??

 

Her full name is: Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands (born as Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard van Oranje-Nassau, Prinses der Nederlanden, Prinses van Oranje-Nassau, Prinses van Lippe-Biesterfeld) (born January 31, 1938) has been the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands since April 30, 1980.

 

Her late husband Claus was a member of the Hitler Youth but in time became a very popular member of the Royal Family and was widely mourned on his death in 2002.

 

Fascinating family - see here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatrix_of_the_Netherlands

 

 

Wish I owned something that didn't clash with orange! Any ideas?

 

Safe traveling everyone.

 

Bob

[rienreiter]

Hi Bob:

 

So you stay up late too, huh? I had already noticed some of your late night posts so I can tell that you are a night owl. On the cruise, we'll have to find out who stays up the latest.

 

The "Meet & Mingle" will probably take place on Monday, our first day at sea. If RCI doesn't post it on their website, we should receive the invitation in our cabin. John's sailaway festivities will take place on Sunday as we depart Fort Lauderdale. Hopefully, your friends Thom and Randy will come too.

 

After waiting since December when I booked this cruise, I am very much looking forward to meeting everyone.

 

Juan

 

PS Can you believe that lady having 28 minutes to change planes? I would be a nervous wreck just wondering if I will make it! Not worth the hassle. I would have flown in the day before.

[MiamiBob]

Hi Bob:

 

So you stay up late too, huh? I had already noticed some of your late night posts so I can tell that you are a night owl. On the cruise, we'll have to find out who stays up the latest.

 

The "Meet & Mingle" will probably take place on Monday, our first day at sea. If RCI doesn't post it on their website, we should receive the invitation in our cabin. John's sailaway festivities will take place on Sunday as we depart Fort Lauderdale. Hopefully, your friends Thom and Randy will come too.

 

After waiting since December when I booked this cruise, I am very much looking forward to meeting everyone.

 

Juan

 

PS Can you believe that lady having 28 minutes to change planes? I would be a nervous wreck just wondering if I will make it! Not worth the hassle. I would have flown in the day before.

 

Oh - -but in the other larger thread they list this: Sail away meet and mingle at the Skybar, Deck 12. Time: Sailaway

 

??? Are there two "M & M's"?

 

Yes, a night owl - but turning in now - with sweet dreams of Atlantic crossing just ahead. Because of Cobh, and the Titanic chatter here, today I was reading the "Sway of the Grand Saloon" by our late Key West friend John Malcolm Brinnin - and the open sea and its traditions beckon....... http://www.uta.edu/english/tim/lection/041220.html

 

Bob

[rienreiter]

Bob:

 

OK, I see where the confusion comes in.

 

The M & M at the Sky Bar at sailaway is an "unofficial" one. Someone came up with the idea of meeting there at sailaway for drinks and meet some of our group prior to the "official" M & M. I will be there for only a few minutes and will then go to John's "family" sailaway in their cabin.

 

The "official" M & M will be announced later by RCI. We may not know until we arrive in our cabins.

 

Will have to read up on that link later. I'm sure it is interesting.

 

Juan

[JMHinSEA]

Thank you to all who responded to my invitation for a sailaway toast in our cabin!

Whether you responded or not, please feel free to drop by anytime from 4:00 - 5:00 or so for a toast and our very own "family" meet and greet.

As I stated above, we are on Deck Ten in GS1032.

 

So, I've been thinking what lounge we should "claim" for our FOD pre-dinner cocktail gatherings. Looks like the Crown and Anchor lounge would be ideal! It's intimate and and the very top of the ship - is that correct?

For those of you like Juan who have sailed on the Radiance class ship quite a few times maybe you know how crowded (or not) that bar is during the early evening hours and whether it would be a good spot for us.

 

Also, does anyone know about this "bulletin board" that supposedly exists to post notices of meetings, etc. From what I've read it seems that RCI no longer posts FOD meetings in the daily paper - is that correct?

 

I'm wondering is there a "form" that the ship supplies for the bulletin board that one completes and tacks up or is it a "free for all" where I can print up a colorful announcement ahead of time with "fill in the blanks".

 

Perhaps at the sailaway gathering in our cabin we can decide on the time and location to post for a ships FOD gathering. We should have the first one no later than our second day at sea to gather those who don't know about Cruise Critic. And as several of you have pointed out, that is generally quite a few.

 

Cheers to you all and see you soon aboard the Bejeweled of the Seas :)

[JMHinSEA]

Thank you to all who responded to my invitation for a sailaway toast in our cabin!

Whether you responded or not, please feel free to drop by anytime from 4:00 - 5:00 or so for a toast and our very own "family" meet and greet.

As I stated above, we are on Deck Ten in GS1032.

 

So, I've been thinking what lounge we should "claim" for our FOD pre-dinner cocktail gatherings. Looks like the Crown and Anchor lounge would be ideal! It's intimate and and the very top of the ship - is that correct?

For those of you like Juan who have sailed on the Radiance class ship quite a few times maybe you know how crowded (or not) that bar is during the early evening hours and whether it would be a good spot for us.

 

Also, does anyone know about this "bulletin board" that supposedly exists to post notices of meetings, etc. From what I've read it seems that RCI no longer posts FOD meetings in the daily paper - is that correct?

 

I'm wondering is there a "form" that the ship supplies for the bulletin board that one completes and tacks up or is it a "free for all" where I can print up a colorful announcement ahead of time with "fill in the blanks".

 

Perhaps at the sailaway gathering in our cabin we can decide on the time and location to post for a ships FOD gathering. We should have the first one no later than our second day at sea to gather those who don't know about Cruise Critic. And as several of you have pointed out, that is generally quite a few.

 

Cheers and see you all soon aboard the

"Bejeweled of the Seas"!

[rienreiter]

Hi John:

 

I just hope that at my tender young age I can remember that you guys are in cabin 1032. I'll find a way to force myself to remember.

 

I have never been to the Crown and Anchor Lounge (actually called Starquest Disco on Brilliance OTS) during early evening / pre-dinner hours so I don't know how crowded or not it can be. I have only been there during the late night hours.

 

The Champagne Bar on Deck 6 can be nice and is intimate. Likewise, the elegant Colony Club at the very end of the ship on Deck 6 also can be a very nice venue.

 

The "bulletin board" thing is quite new to RCI. It will either be at the library which I think is on Deck 8 facing the centrum/lobby (my deck too!) or it will be at the reception desk in the lobby. This is what I have heard other family members say on other threads. We may have to ask to find out exactly where it is located on our ship.

 

Wow! Ten days to go! I am really looking forward to meeting everyone.

 

Juan

[MiamiBob]

Thank you to all who responded to my invitation for a sailaway toast in our cabin!

Whether you responded or not, please feel free to drop by anytime from 4:00 - 5:00 or so for a toast and our very own "family" meet and greet.

As I stated above, we are on Deck Ten in GS1032.

 

So, I've been thinking what lounge we should "claim" for our FOD pre-dinner cocktail gatherings. Looks like the Crown and Anchor lounge would be ideal! It's intimate and and the very top of the ship - is that correct?

For those of you like Juan who have sailed on the Radiance class ship quite a few times maybe you know how crowded (or not) that bar is during the early evening hours and whether it would be a good spot for us.

 

Also, does anyone know about this "bulletin board" that supposedly exists to post notices of meetings, etc. From what I've read it seems that RCI no longer posts FOD meetings in the daily paper - is that correct?

 

I'm wondering is there a "form" that the ship supplies for the bulletin board that one completes and tacks up or is it a "free for all" where I can print up a colorful announcement ahead of time with "fill in the blanks".

 

Perhaps at the sailaway gathering in our cabin we can decide on the time and location to post for a ships FOD gathering. We should have the first one no later than our second day at sea to gather those who don't know about Cruise Critic. And as several of you have pointed out, that is generally quite a few.

 

Cheers and see you all soon aboard the

"Bejeweled of the Seas"!

 

Hi John: Usually, and I mean, usually, the FOD parties are in the daily newletter that is published by the ship, normally written by the CD and his/her staff.

 

This is true on Cunard, NCL, HAL, Celebrity and I would imagine on RCL.

 

Lovely family jewels by the way!

 

Bob

[rienreiter]

Hi Bob:

 

RCI does not post FOD meetings on their daily newsletter. The "bulletin board" was born out of an escalating issue when RCI started to say that it was against company policy to host FOD meetings but they did have daily "Friends of Bill W" meetings. So to make everyone happy, all meetings or get togethers bringing together groups of people who have something in common were eliminated. It is now up to the passengers to post such get together "notices" on said bulletin board.

 

I have not been on RCI since this policy was instituted so I cannot comment on how effective it is. Likewise, what I have just stated is based on comments posted on other threads by our "family" members.

 

Juan

[MiamiBob]

Hi Bob:

 

RCI does not post FOD meetings on their daily newsletter. The "bulletin board" was born out of an escalating issue when RCI started to say that it was against company policy to host FOD meetings but they did have daily "Friends of Bill W" meetings. So to make everyone happy, all meetings or get togethers bringing together groups of people who have something in common were eliminated. It is now up to the passengers to post such get together "notices" on said bulletin board.

 

I have not been on RCI since this policy was instituted so I cannot comment on how effective it is. Likewise, what I have just stated is based on comments posted on other threads by our "family" members.

 

Juan

 

Sheesh! That's so weird and prissy - on Celebrity - their other corporate arm - the FOD meetups are very matter-of-factly printed in the daily blab.

 

Ok, well RCL must have somehow been burned so they choose the bulletin board method of communication.

 

Now here is a great Amsterdam site - loads of info- and a description for Queensday for "family" http://www.vvvamsterdam.nl/

 

This trip really has the potential for some real fun!

 

Queen’s Day

On 29 and 30 April Amsterdam will be dipped in orange. There are also a few unique activities for gays, such as:

-The Pink Wester Queen’s Day is located on the Westermarkt near the Gay Monument. Visit this festival to enjoy music, entertainment and live acts.

-The areas around Amstel and the Reguliersdwarsstraat are a few of the most popular places to celebrate Queen’s Day. Over-the-top acts with orange drag queens are not an unusual phenomenon on this day.

[rienreiter]

Bob:

 

Can you believe how accommodating Celebrity can be but their parent company is just the opposite? Doesn't make sense, does it? I have been on Celebrity twice and on both cruises, FOD meetings were posted regularly.

 

Juan

[rienreiter]

This trip really has the potential for some real fun!

 

I agree Bob. And I'm sure that it will be.;)

[leoandhugh]

Juan, You are really getting to be a shortimer now Bet you are getting excited; I know i would be. As you know, I have been lurking here and seen the recent posts about the FOD meetings. On the BOTS in November, and I understand it is now this way on all ships, there is a bulletin board down close to the Guest Relations desk with a number of 3X5 cards. After someone decides where and when you want to get together, just fill out one of the cards with time and place embellished with suitable rainbows or beads and voila. Nothing in the daily program. The Crown and Anchor is a rather small area between the Hollywood Odyssey and the big lounge which overlooks the pool area. During the daytime it is normally used by the gal who books future cruises - title of whom escapes me - Loyalty something. Sounds like you guys have a fun group going.

Hugh

[rienreiter]

Hi Hugh!

 

You bet I'm excited. This is my first cruise after returning to the working class after travelling the world for 11 months. It's my first break and I'm really looking forward to it as I need it after only 7 months on the job. I can't believe that it has already been 8 months since the last time I went out to sea on the QM2.

 

Now that you have indicated where the Crown and Anchor is situated, I realize that this is not 1) on Deck 13 along with the Starquest Disco and the Hollywood Odyssey; it is on Deck 12, 2) this is where the Loyalty Ambassador books future cruises while on board, and 3) this is not a lounge at all (no bar, no drinks). So, this eliminates the Crown and Anchor as a pre-dinner meeting option.

 

Thanks for posting about the bulletin board. I was wondering how the system worked now. I'll be looking out for it and I'll tell the other ones.

 

Take care and say hi to Leo for me, Juan

[leoandhugh]

Juan, One last lurk and one last post to wish you bon voyage and a safe and fabulous trip. I know how long you have looked forward to this. Will you be posting anywhere while you are on board or do we have to wait with baited breath for your return?

Think I mentioned that Leo and I are booked on Voyager from BCN to Galveston in early December and are currently considering another RT Hawaii on either Serenade or Radiance in Ocober which we can do here from the Left coast with no air. We just love the Radiance class because they are so so accessible. Enjoy Hugh

[rienreiter]

Hi Hugh:

 

I am SO ready for this cruise. After my last day of work today I know I am more than ready. I won't be posting while on the cruise as I intend to do nothing but relax and enjoy myself. I'm sure that we will touch bases again after my return.

 

Juan