Mariner of the Seas Around the Horn of South America

[TPKeller]

Just a quick post to subscribe to the thread... hope to follow along the whole way!

 

Just for kicks... how many of you triple-leggers used the tip calculator to deliver the bad news for your tip budget!? ;) I think it will handle 46 days correctly.

 

Theron

[Prdancer]

Bob Voyage to All of the Horn Blowers especially Paul & Judy. We will catch-up with you in Rio.

 

Carol & Paul (prdancer)

[rubrrick]

Just a quick post to subscribe to the thread... hope to follow along the whole way!

 

Just for kicks... how many of you triple-leggers used the tip calculator to deliver the bad news for your tip budget!? ;) I think it will handle 46 days correctly.

 

Theron

 

Theron...........your tip calculator is great!! However, most had to pay for the fuel surcharge @$140.00 pp............which is so close to what the tips pp are for a 15 night trip........so the news for many is not that bad!!

 

Rick

[rubrrick]

Rick........just have $131.00 ready when you land in Santiago. They like 50's............no 100 dollar bills!:D

 

Thanks for the tip Patti. I heard that they like $20.00's........I'll take some more $50's!!;)

 

Rick

[scubapro48]

Bon Voyage to all.

We have so many friends that are on this cruise. Have a brilliant time. We will be seeing Marylyne and John ( Newcruiser176) for a bon Voyage meal on Tuesday before they leave. Have fun everybody.

 

Heather

 

Thanks, Heather, WE WILL :D Wish we were in a GS for THIS trip!!!

 

Mariana and Bill

[travelgoddess1]

And to think that June 1, 2007 I started this thread http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=564794&highlight=interested+doing+repo+mariner in anticipation of the Mariner going to the West Coast............and now it's really happening.:)

 

In 6 days you all are going on the cruise of a lifetime. You survived getting your Visas (see I told you it was painless) and your YF shots (for those that decided to get them).

 

Have a wonderful cruise and I hope you bring back wonderful memories to last a life time.

 

Patti, to think that two years ago this was all just speculation, and in 6 days it will become reality. We have already been on a long journey, and we haven't even left home yet!:) We are looking forward to being with a great group from cruise critic, and we thank Paul for getting the whole thing started, and keeping us headed in the right direction.

[Hamburg Avon Lady]

:D:D AMEN TO THAT !!!!!!! And a BIG THANKS to all other makers of lists: Roger, Patrick, Carol, Len & Letty, and anyone else I have overlooked. :cool::cool: See you all in 6 very short days. :)

[petesweet]

 

 

Hornblowers Mariner of the

 

 

Seas Around the Horn Cruise

 

 

Well, here we are with one week to go before we board the Mariner of the Seas for the epic 46 day around the horn of South America cruise from Port Canaveral to Los Angeles beginning 4 January 2009.

 

We have a roll call of about 200 people, most of who are cruising all 46 days. There are also folks cruising only one leg, be it first, second or third. Then there’s the 2 leggers on either first and second or second and third. Most of the states are covered, along with Canada, England and Australia.

 

We all have our Brazilian visas, our yellow fever shots or waivers due to age or health and various other injections for typhoid, Hep A & B and tetanus/diphtheria as needed.

 

Some are packed, some are still agonizing how/what to pack for so long a cruise and others will throw things in a suitcase at the last minute and hope they picked the right things.

 

There will be various folks contributing to this thread. So, you will get different perspectives of the same cruise. There will be reviews of many different excursions, both private and ship.

 

It’s about 50/50 sea days and port days.

 

That’s all there is for now.

 

Popping in just to subscribe to this thread. Also following Merion Mom's report on this cruise we had hoped to take. Have a great time!!!

[Sandel]

Bon Voyage to you all.

 

Several of you who just got off the Voyager TA, we'll want to hear from you as we will follow in April. ;)

 

We know you will all have a wonderful adventure. :cool:

[petesweet]

Just a quick post to subscribe to the thread... hope to follow along the whole way!

 

Just for kicks... how many of you triple-leggers used the tip calculator to deliver the bad news for your tip budget!? ;) I think it will handle 46 days correctly.

 

Theron

 

Ah, but the fuel surcharge was canceled.:D

[petesweet]

Don't understand the pre-inaugural. What's the story with that? Are they calling it that just because it is the first trip out of the new home port? Anything really special planned?

[TPKeller]

Theron...........your tip calculator is great!! However, most had to pay for the fuel surcharge @$140.00 pp............which is so close to what the tips pp are for a 15 night trip........so the news for many is not that bad!!

 

Rick

Ah, of course, they are very close, the fuel surcharge was $10, tips are $9.75 (in non-suites). Didn't they cap the fuel charge at 10 days worth per cruise? ($140 pp)

 

Theron

[MomtoCCC]

Can't wait to hear more about this amazing trip! Thanks for posting the itinerary!

[TheMiz]

Thanks for the tip Patti. I heard that they like $20.00's........I'll take some more $50's!!;)

 

Rick

 

 

Rick

 

I also heard they want $20's instead of $50's

I think I also read somewhere they didn't want brand new 20's and they didn't want

old 20's in bad shape.

[TPKeller]

For those who are going to be on the ship, paying those exorbitant internet rates...

 

Here are the "print" links for these two threads, which don't include graphics or signatures. Just text. Probably save you quite a bit of time, which equals money!

 

These links go to the first page, but you can adjust your bookmark (assuming you're using a laptop) or just use the page link at the top to get to the end.

 

I tried using the "newpost" modifier, but it didn't seem to work with the print format.

 

Mariner of the Seas Around the Horn of South America (Print)

 

LIVE LIVE LIVE from the MARINER with MERION MOM for 53 DAYS!!! (Print)

 

Theron

[PH8]

Bon Voyage to Paul,Judy and all the lucky,lucky people going on this adventure of a lifetime...........I cant even imagine being a ship that long(but would try given the opportunity).........

 

Looking forward to hearing all about it...........

[mtcabin2]

Just wanted to catch the Hornblowers who haven't left yet ----- Have safe travels to FL, happy shopping in Walmart/Sam's/BJ's/etc., and may your boarding go smoothly. See you all in Rio!!

[sea-cruise]

Have a WONDERFUL cruise!!

[BobbyK]

Have a wonderful trip. Thanks so much for sharing with all of us. Later. Robin :cool:

[TPKeller]

With apologies to pjm327, here's a slightly more formatted version of the itinerary. Hopefully a lot easier to read. Borrowed and tweaked up a bit from one of those on-line agency sites. :)

 

Theron

 

DAY DATE   PORT                  ARRIVE DEPART
Sun Jan 4  Port Canaveral, FL           8:00pm
Mon Jan 5  Coco Cay, Bahamas     7:00am 5:00pm
Tue Jan 6  At Sea
Wed Jan 7  At Sea
Thu Jan 8  St. Maarten           7:00am 6:00pm
Fri Jan 9  St. Kitts             7:00am 3:30pm
Sat Jan 10 Barbados              9:00am 6:00pm
Sun Jan 11 At Sea
Mon Jan 12 At Sea
Tue Jan 13 At Sea
Wed Jan 14 At Sea
Thu Jan 15 At Sea
Fri Jan 16 Salvador, Brazil      9:00am 5:00pm
Sat Jan 17 At Sea
Sun Jan 18 Rio de Janeiro        3:00pm
Mon Jan 19 Rio de Janeiro        Disembark

DAY DATE   PORT                  ARRIVE DEPART
Mon Jan 19 Rio de Janeiro               8:30pm
Tue Jan 20 At Sea
Wed Jan 21 At Sea
Thu Jan 22 Montevideo, Uruguay   9:00am 6:00pm
Fri Jan 23 Buenos Aires          9:00am
Sat Jan 24 Buenos Aires                 6:00pm
Sun Jan 25 At Sea
Mon Jan 26 At Sea
Tue Jan 27 At Sea
Wed Jan 28 Cape Horn (Cruising)  4:00pm 6:00pm
Thu Jan 29 Ushuaia, Argentina    7:00am 5:00pm
Fri Jan 30 Strait Of Magellan (Cruising)
Sat Jan 31 Chilean Fjords (Cruising)
Sun Feb 1  At Sea
Mon Feb 2  Santiago, Chile       11:00am
Tue Feb 3  Santiago, Chile       Disembark


DAY DATE   PORT                  ARRIVE DEPART
Tue Feb 3  Santiago, Chile              9:00pm
Wed Feb 4  At Sea
Thu Feb 5  At Sea
Fri Feb 6  Arica, Chile          7:00am 6:00pm
Sat Feb 7  At Sea
Sun Feb 8  Lima (Callao), Peru   7:00am 6:00pm
Mon Feb 9  At Sea
Tue Feb 10 At Sea
Wed Feb 11 At Sea
Thu Feb 12 Pt Caldera Costa Rica 7:00am 7:00pm
Fri Feb 13 At Sea
Sat Feb 14 At Sea
Sun Feb 15 Acapulco, Mexico      7:00am 6:00pm
Mon Feb 16 At Sea
Tue Feb 17 Cabo San Lucas Mexico 7:00am 4:00pm
Wed Feb 18 At Sea
Thu Feb 19 Los Angeles, CA       8:00am

[cruisenfever]

Patti, to think that two years ago this was all just speculation, and in 6 days it will become reality. We have already been on a long journey, and we haven't even left home yet!:) We are looking forward to being with a great group from cruise critic, and we thank Paul for getting the whole thing started, and keeping us headed in the right direction.

Yes, it's hard to imagine how the time as flown................but you all have such a wonderful roll call.................you are going to have such a good time. I will be anxious to hear how Pete does in the "cooler" temperatures after you leave BA.

Thanks for the tip Patti. I heard that they like $20.00's........I'll take some more $50's!!;)

Rick

Rick

 

I also heard they want $20's instead of $50's

I think I also read somewhere they didn't want brand new 20's and they didn't want

old 20's in bad shape.

When we were there in March..............50's were not a problem. They don't like 100 dollar bills because they have taken in too many counterfeit ones over the years. They do like the bills to be clean and unwrinkled!:D

 

One note to both of you.............after you have paid your fee you will receive a 2 part form. Top copy is white, bottom is yellow (well, those were the colors last March). They will tear off the white copy after your luggage has gone through x-ray upon leaving the airport. Yes, you luggage is not only sniffed out by the dogs once you have retrieved it from the carousel, but has to be x-rayed before you leave the airport.

 

DO NOT lose the yellow copy......keep in in your passport. This you will hand in when you check in at the pier. The yellow copy is your exit out of Chile. I know that you will have the page stapled into your passport, the the reps at the pier need the yellow copy............if you don't have it............it just means more time spent for them to fill out a form and delay your boarding.

[glgolfer]

DAY TWO, MONDAY 29 JANUARY

Two of our group, Letty & Len, are driving from California to the Cape. They left Saturday with a first stop in Tucson and Sunday to Fort Stockton, TX.

We have most of our clothes on portable racks and carry-on things on a table in the family room. Since we live in Florida, we’re still wearing our summer clothes while all the northerners can pack theirs. We’ll pack Saturday. We have our list and will be checking it twice.

We have 2 from England, 4 from Australia and 32 from Canada on the roll call.

Based on all the information we can gather, it looks like the ship is only about 90% full.

Around 150 cabins are vacant scattered over all categories. RCI had sales events for 3 Tuesdays in a row with deep discounts on all balcony cabins down to interiors.

It didn’t look like they had much success selling them. With the economy the way it is, that’s not surprising.

New suitcase arrived today. I won a $50 Walmart certificate from an online contest and used it to buy a 25 inch spinner. That will make 2 large and 2 medium for the trip.

Bought a new laptop a while ago that didn’t fit in our computer bag, so we bought a new one today.

RCI started calling today with the D+ upgrades for both the 2nd and 3rd legs. Many happy people. We get to stay in the same cabin we were upgraded to the first leg for all three legs. A nice Christmas present.

[wrp96]

I had such a crappy day at work, if it weren't for that dang Brazilian visa problem, I would be tempted to quit my job and call RCCL and get myself a cabin.

[glgolfer]

I had such a crappy day at work, if it weren't for that dang Brazilian visa problem, I would be tempted to quit my job and call RCCL and get myself a cabin.

 

 

Wrona, we would love to have you. Go camp in the lobby of the Consulate and wave money. It just might work.

[rubrrick]

I had such a crappy day at work, if it weren't for that dang Brazilian visa problem, I would be tempted to quit my job and call RCCL and get myself a cabin.

 

Wrona...........don't quit your daytime job.........just take a short leave of absence!!

 

Tomorrow is the Tuesday WOW sale........some great rates for the last leg. Come join me...........and the others for a grand sail into Los Angeles harbor.

 

All that you (maybe) need is the Yellow Fever innoculation, a plane ticket, and $131.00 for getting into Chile.

 

Come on...........you can do it girl!!;)

 

Rick