How many Florida cruisers are out there?

[RMS Olympic]

Sunshine, a pool ,a pool bar..the heck with all the rest. Now eye candy and a cosmo.....I will do Tampa cruises...especially if there are good last minute deals.

Th crew will never know what hit them...you have heard of Rogue waves...how about Rogue passengers.

Hey Crystal 808...how long does it take you to drive down to Tampa?

And Unadilla cowboy......since you can drive to Florida...what about you?

[crystal808]

Sunshine, a pool ,a pool bar..the heck with all the rest. Now eye candy and a cosmo.....

 

Hey Crystal 808...how long does it take you to drive down to Tampa?

 

Too long for these tired old legs! But I can still get there...:D

 

Paul ;)

[WorldofTnT]

We Live in Tampa Fl. we usually put together small group cruise just for us and our friends. Neither myself or my husband are in the cruise/travel industry. we just use a local cruise specialty agency that I have worked with for over 10 years to do all the work for me. next trip is a 10 night cruise on November!

 

We usually also take a group of friends on the 2 nite century sailing that takes place every January out of Miami.

[ehfl]

5 of us (so far) are doing the Majesty of the Seas on Sept. 19, 2008. Anyone else going?

[RichardE954]

We usually also take a group of friends on the 2 nite century sailing that takes place every January out of Miami.

 

How is that 2 night sailing on the Century? Normally I wouldn't consider such a short trip since you leave Thursday night and come home Saturday morning. Is it worth it? If a bunch of family members are on board, it may be fun for us locals. Can you provide more details?

[RMS Olympic]

I never thought about taking a cruise that short...but it could be fun.

Please post more about this idea.

Well one more step closer....the movers hauled off my stuff on saturday...so the house is empty. Got a 4 month lease on an apartment till the end of the year.

Closing is on friday and Sat I fly down to drop off the initial check to start the house. Then it will be the long wait till the house is completed.

I plan to leave here at the end of December...and beat the bad winter....thank heavens.

Still cant believe I am going to be a Floridian!

FLSPEEDO...we shall have to get together early next year should you head my way to see the relatives.

Crystal 808......I'll buy a flaot for the pool with a drink holder so you can lay back and work on your tan line.

Maybe next year we could plan a Florida Cruise Critic weekend event someplace to all meet...talk about past and future cruises.....rekindle old frienships and start new ones.

One question...has anyone attended gay days at Disney World...if so is it worth attending if you are not into the late night parties...but just to be a big kid all over again.

Tom

[crystal808]

Well one more step closer....the movers hauled off my stuff on saturday...so the house is empty. Got a 4 month lease on an apartment till the end of the year.

Closing is on friday and Sat I fly down to drop off the initial check to start the house. Then it will be the long wait till the house is completed.

I plan to leave here at the end of December...and beat the bad winter....thank heavens.

Still cant believe I am going to be a Floridian!

 

Great news, Tom! Hope all goes as planned Friday....

 

I'll buy a flaot for the pool with a drink holder so you can lay back and work on your tan line.

 

Make sure you buy 2...you know, I don't like to share! :D

 

Well, maybe with a hunky former Marine...!;)

 

Paul :)

[Host Dan]

Welcome to Florida Tom!!! I moved here in '85 and never looked back!! :D

 

Host Dan

[flspeedo]

RMS Olympic, we will have to definately meet up once you get moved! Would be great to finally meet! Any questions on Florida, let me know - born and raised here!

[pandaruth27]

Welcome to Florida. I live in Orlando (Florida Mall area) and my boyfriend of 7 1/2 years lives in Brooksville/Springhill area (pba20493). I have lived here for about 13 years. I haven't attended Gay days at Disney but it seems like it was small this year. We will be going on the Miracle out of fort lauderdale on November 13 of this year then we are thinking of the Legend around the same time next year then doing the cruising with the crazies on the Dream not sure if it will be november or october of 2010. I love cruising just wish one of my jobs will lighten up and let me cruise longer times. We had two european cruises lined up but Office Depot said no way you are going to loose your job. My other job is cool my boss says "Take all the time you need". I would to get together when the house is built so we can party. :D

Pam

Orlando

[diknjoe]

Dick and Joe here from Winter Haven!

[DoubleAguy]

Wow we have a lot of Florida Cruisers posting here. Nice to see that!!! I'm a fairly new FL resident (Feb 07) and I love cruising. My BF Jason and I are both local in Fort Lauderdale although he lives closer to the port, and the beach, than I do. We are both in the cruise industry, but thankfully we work for two different companies. In his office I'm known as the "Conflict of Interest" lol. I actually work at Port Everglades so I get to see all of the great ships on a regular basis. We are taking our first cruise together as a couple on Oct 15 which is a 3 day Eurodam quickie. Hopefully we can make a few friends from here and sail and meet up on future cruises!- Alan

[jpolar]

Hey Rotterdam,

 

My partner and I are also interested in purchasing a home on Miami Beach.

We have found one high rise that we are interested. Contact me if you would like to chat about it. Does anyone have any pros and cons?

 

jpolar

[RMS Olympic]

More people for me to visit and more people to visit me.

House is under construction up in Citrus County......I cant wait. That means I get out of Pa late December and no more cold winters.

Once settled I intend to throw a get together for cruise critic family that want to meet.....it will be out in the nature area of Florida..not the big city like Ft Lauderdale or Miami......but maybe a great way to meet.

[RichardE954]

How about we all just take over a guesthouse in Fort Lauderdale one weekend??

[RMS Olympic]

Sounds like a great idea.

Considering the number of Florida cruisers on this thead, a guest house could be filled up. Maybe late spring when rates are down and guest houses are not so full taking one over could be doable.

In fact, that isn't a bad idea....talk to a guest house and see if they would want to schedule a Cruise Critic gathering in their schedule of events.

I am going to be trying out the Schubert the weekend of Nov 21st...and see if the place is nice. Tried the Grand last feb......so so in my book. Pineapple Point...is over the top but pricey.

So I am open for suggestions from other posters on this thread.

But I think your idea is a winner....I would attend.

Everyone could wear a t shirt from their favorite cruise line or ship....then get a group photo and send it to cruise critic...."The Florida Gang".

[Jaxxgent]

Hi gang! Anyone interested on going on the brand new Celebrity Solstice out of Ft. Lauderdale on November 21 for a 2-night pre-inaugural cruise to no where? If so, send me an e-mail, link in my signature. :)

[JDRMYS]

We put our Manhattan co-op on the market in March and have just now accepted an offer to sell it. We're hoping that the deal will go through. At the same time we are renovating our South Beach condo. There isn't much money left over for cruises this winter.

 

Once all of our real estate transactions are finished, we plan to spend much of the winters in South Beach and much of the summers at our house in the Pines. I'm a real estate broker and will probably try to get into the business in south florida as well as working as much as possible in New York. My husband is fully retired.

 

We are thinking about a January or February Carribean cruise on HAL, Regent or Celebrity and have booked a westbound TA on the QM2 and an eastbound TA on the Seabourn Odyssey for October. I've taken more than 50 TAs and cruises and I get withdrawal symptons if I stay away from a sea going ship for too long.

[racindave]

wow...so many cruisers here. I have not been on this thread for awhile, but seems like lots of cool people have been chatting on here. My name is Dave and my partners name is Jeff. We have been together for about 5 years and love to cruise. We are both teachers here, so we only get to cruise during the breaks in school. We are currently booked on the NCL Pearl for thanksgiving week this year and then the next one is the innaugural cruise of the Oasis of the Seas. We love meeting new people and hanging out, whether it be one a ship or just around time. Anyone else in the area like to hang out too? If so, let us know!

[RichardE954]

RMS - while you're at the Schubert, check it out for our CC gathering! A weekend at a guesthouse, group dinner out somewhere, drinking at Alibi, sounds like the perfect cruise-alternate weekend.

[RMS Olympic]

Lucky you....to sail this new ship without paying big bucks.

I am happy for you, but I must admit it makes me very unhappy with Celebrity.:mad:

I fought to get a cabin on the original maiden voyage (Dec 14) and had to pay a premium price as compared to subsequent sailings. Then the maiden voyage was moved up three weeks....it cost me more to make travel plan changes to switch to the week of Thanksgiving. Air fare that week wasnt cheap. :mad: Yet Celebrity kept the premium price for this new maiden voyage date. The explanantion was that the premium was charged to those that wanted to be on the first cruise for paying passengers.:o I realized that preinaugurals for the trade were common so it did not get to me. But when it was announced that there was a preinaugural and open to the general public.....then what is the premium price for the "maiden voyage" which isn't the maiden voyage. Seems like a bait and switch.:confused:

To those that can take the 2 night cruise you have mentioned I think is wonderful for those that want to experience the ship for a small amount of money. But for me as a "charter member" level past passenger it seems like a bad business choice and leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

I hope you have a great time on board.....although displeased with Celebrity, I am looking forward to a great experience on the Solstice.

[Rotterdam]

For years Celebrity has had horrendous management & customer service...and thats when customer service got the repeaters back time after time.....

 

In 1996 I took my Aunt & parents to Bermuda on the Zenith...yes I take responsibility for booking during Hurricane Season(my Aunt was slipping deeper into Alzheimers & I wanted to see her back on a ship one more time...she was my "Auntie Mame")...but what occurred & the decisions made by Celebrity were unprofessional & inhumane!!!!

 

A couple of days before we sailed 3 storms were gathering in the North East...I called Celebrity several times in the days befoire we sailed & explained my situation...I would of cancelled rather than put my parents & Aunt through those storms....

 

I was guarenteed that the itin would change if there was a threat to the ship & passengers....even the morning we sailed & was calling.....

 

We boarded on a beautiful day in NYC....the QE2 and a NCL ship were tied up next to us & also going to Bermuda....we sailed first ...by the time we reached the Verrazano Bridge we saw the RCCL ship that did the Bermuda run coming into NY a day early(Song of America I believe).......

 

The next day we were rocking & rolling...by dinner time(late seating) the dishes were crashing to the floor along with the large vase of flowers next to our table in the dining room....we made it upstairs & were wondering what to do when a 35 foot wave hit the side of the ship & evrything & everyone got tossed....believe me its not fun to see a piano skid across the floor & then head back towards you..seated people were holding onto the cocktail tables & they were ripped from the bolts & floor....all the shops were shattered glass..people started to get hysterical & the crew came up from the lower decks wearing life jackets...finally an officer got on the PA & tried to reassure the passenger all was well...too late....the casino was set up as a hospital(after they cleared the fallen slot machines & cleared the broken glass...I found help getting my parents & Aunt to our staterooms only to find broken mirrors & drinking glasses all over the floors......then I saw the water coming down the corridor floor....2 stateroom windows had broken and the sea water was just running in( we were midships - the cabins w/ the broken windows were all the way aft). During the entire evening there was barely an officer to be seen or crew organized to help...and almost nothing over teh PA from the bridge.

 

When we finally made Bermuda many passengers flew home..On the day we sailed from NYC, Cunard had kept the QE2 from sailing as did NCL their ship.

 

There were many broken bones, cuts & bruises on our ship & it was reported a man died when he fell down the stairs on the NCL ship....

 

The captain was eventually fired....and we were offered a 25 OBC & 15% disc on our next Celebruty cruise...even after a lawsuit brought by the passengers....I never wanted anything from Celebrity...but I have not stepped on a Celebrity ship since.....

 

 

Now that times are tough lets see what happens.....Buyer beware!!!

 

Lucky you....to sail this new ship without paying big bucks.

I am happy for you, but I must admit it makes me very unhappy with Celebrity.:mad:

I fought to get a cabin on the original maiden voyage (Dec 14) and had to pay a premium price as compared to subsequent sailings. Then the maiden voyage was moved up three weeks....it cost me more to make travel plan changes to switch to the week of Thanksgiving. Air fare that week wasnt cheap. :mad: Yet Celebrity kept the premium price for this new maiden voyage date. The explanantion was that the premium was charged to those that wanted to be on the first cruise for paying passengers.:o I realized that preinaugurals for the trade were common so it did not get to me. But when it was announced that there was a preinaugural and open to the general public.....then what is the premium price for the "maiden voyage" which isn't the maiden voyage. Seems like a bait and switch.:confused:

To those that can take the 2 night cruise you have mentioned I think is wonderful for those that want to experience the ship for a small amount of money. But for me as a "charter member" level past passenger it seems like a bad business choice and leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

I hope you have a great time on board.....although displeased with Celebrity, I am looking forward to a great experience on the Solstice.

[RMS Olympic]

You mention times are getting tough....just what I was thinking. with not only our economy in peril , but the world economy as well I wonder what the impact will be on cruise lines. Since the mass market lines insist on building these immense ships, what happens as they dont fill. I always thought small to mid size ships were the way to go, but how to fill these mega ships week after week as discretionary spending cuts back.

Even though I have been able to budget adequately in the past, I have begun to think about cutting back sailings and stick with one special cruise here and there.

If the mass market ships that cater to the middle american families start seeing a rapid drop in bookings, I wonder if ships will be taken out of service.....heaven knows the impact to an idle ship.

As for Celebrity.......I understand that its bottom line...and profits rule, but how changes are handled should not be forgotten. NCL tcked me off twice, and I have never sailed them since. We shall see about Celebrity in the near future. Funny thing, a small operator like Star Clipper has a much better way of dealing with customers...the big guys should take lessons from the small guys. Once again it goes to show size isn't everything;)

[ehfl]

The mega ships are MUCH cheaper to operate. They are much more efficient in terms of fuel per passenger, and have fewer total employees per passenger (you don't need more captains on larger ships, even if you do need more stewards, etc.). Even in these times, they are still filling the largest ships. If anything, it will be the smaller ships that will get harder and harder to fill. If chosing between 2 cruises of the same length, why not go with the ship that has more entertainment, more open spaces (so you feel less crowded), more ammeneities, etc?

 

There are lots of people that prefer smaller ships....but the reality is that they are not very efficient (and they're not environmentally friendly). Like it or not, the industry is moving towards larger, more efficient ships.

[RichardE954]

Anybody going on any holiday cruises?