Emerald Princess Feb 8, 2009 Roll Call

[TorontoTL]

My partner and I just booked this 10 day Eastern Caribbean cruise onboard the Emerald Princess. Anyone else here going to join us?

[SingerEsq]

We'll be there!

 

Me (Steven), my husband (Glenn) and our traveling companion (Beverly).

[TorontoTL]

Hi Steven, great to hear that you Glenn and Beverly are going to join us on this cruise. Fabian and I are traveling with my parents. It's great to see another gay couple on this cruise too. Where are you guys from, we're from Toronto. We're also flying down on Feb 5 and still undecided as to what we'll be doing or where we'll be staying prior to the cruise.

[SingerEsq]

We're from the LA area. We've just recently booked Embassy Suites. If you've never sailed out of Ft. Laurderdale before the closest hotels are the Renaissance and Embassy Suites. We've stayed at the Renaissance and it was very nice ... great linens and beds. We're going to try the Embassy Suites this time, only b/c we're getting in late the night before sailing and the 3 of us are going to stay in one room, so with Embassy Suite's 2 rooms, that seemed like a better idea for us. Plus, Embassy Suites is immediatly adjacent to a large grocery store and a GREAT wine store, if you're looking to stock up before boarding the ship.

[TorontoTL]

We've cruised from Fort Lauderdale before, we have just never stayed there for more than a day before. I'll looking into Embassy Suites, a friend also mentioned looking at the Holiday Inn Express as they have transfers from the airport and to the port included. We'll probably rent a car so being near a beach isn't all that important to us.

[TorontoTL]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.:)

[SingerEsq]

We started reserving some shore excursions today ... only 70 days! Have to start working out.

[TorontoTL]

We usually play it by ear and don't book any excursions ahead of time.

What are you planning to do on your excursions, have you heard of any that can't be missed?

[SingerEsq]

We usually play it by ear and don't book any excursions ahead of time.

What are you planning to do on your excursions, have you heard of any that can't be missed?

 

I had to work on Sunday while Glenn and Beverly planned ... but I heard them talking about some things. Everything sounded pretty generic, though something about swimming with the green turtles caught my ear. We usually just reserve a couple of things through the ship and then compare with shoretrips.com. The rest we just play by ear.

[TorontoTL]

We just booked a gay guest house by the name of Alcazar Hotel in Fort Lauderdale for the three days pre cruise we're spending there. It seems to be a reasonable price and a nice enough hotel. I'm really looking forward to seeing some of Fort Lauderdale as the most we've ever spent there is one day after a cruise.

[TorontoTL]

bump

[TorontoTL]

bump

[TorontoTL]

Bump

[SingerEsq]

Not much activity on this thread ... just the 5 of us, I guess.

 

New Year's Day in LA. It was a chilly 65 most of the day, but at least it was sunny. I did hear that some of the bands in Pasadena, marching in wool uniforms (of all things), were treated for heat and dehydration. Heat? I wore cashmere last night!

 

Anyway, just over a month until vacation ... cannot wait.

[TorontoTL]

Happy New Year Steve from Snowy and cold Toronto. I can't wait either, the next several weeks will feel like forever.

[SingerEsq]

Yahoo!

[TorontoTL]

Sooooo close now. I've emailed the ship's CD and requested FOD meetings. Hopefully we'll see them in the Patter, hope to meet you guys then :)

[TorontoTL]

Three weeks today we'll board the Emerald.:D There is going to be a meet and great for Cruise Critic on the 9th in Skywalkers @ 130 pm. Hope to see you guys there.

[SingerEsq]

Thanks for the heads up for the CC gettogether. I haven't been very active this cruise on the general Roll Call board. We're at sea on the 9th, so that shouldn't be too hard to make ... unless we're in a heated game of Bingo or Uno!

[TorontoTL]

Thanks for the heads up for the CC gettogether. I haven't been very active this cruise on the general Roll Call board. We're at sea on the 9th, so that shouldn't be too hard to make ... unless we're in a heated game of Bingo or Uno!

 

Do Bingo and Uno get heated.:p

[SingerEsq]

LOL! You'd be surprised!

 

The GLBT get-togethers we've been to on Princess have been pretty lame. We've actually just me more people out and about. And they'd often be set at off times. But, every ship is different.

[TorontoTL]

Some of the LGBT get togethers can be great others not so much, it really depends on the group of people that are on the ship. We've met some great people at those get togethers and as you said, outside of those meetings out and about on the ship.

[kimmo]

well, my roomy and me are leaving on april 9th same cruise, so you will have to let us know how it was ok when you get to St Thomas you just have to go to Paridise point to see the view and you have to have the chicken wings they are the best I have ever had, well I hope you guys have a great trip and cant wait to hear all about it.

 

We are staying on the Caribe deck they have the largest balconys

[TorontoTL]

Thanks for the bon voyage wishes. I'm sure it'll be a great cruise, it is only 17 days until embarkation now.:D

[TorontoTL]

I just heard back from the new CD on board the Emerald, a Paul O'Loughlin. He said that he will arrange the FOD meetings for us. I requested that they be scheduled on sea days in either the Wheelhouse Bar or the Adagio. Hopefully that will be the case.