*OFFICIAL CC GROUP - SPIRITing to the Majestic Land of the Midnight Sun on 5/11/10**

[anamanxs]

Good evening, almost morning LOL Just got home from work. Dan just called. they sent him to the mountains this afternoon. He'll be home about 2:00-2:30am. I'll wait up. We'll go out for a really late dinner.

I just realized Annette, if you fly out 1 day early, we may fly the same plane out! Not sure which airline we will be using yet.

Johna called me today. Dan has the credit card :rolleyes: I'm going to be talking with her Monday!! I have until then to decide...Inside or Balcony. Me and Dan disagree on it LOL I say inside and he says balcony. We had inside on the Glory and I LOVED it. It was low, no motion and we slept soooo good. I told Johna i'll let her know Monday what I decide.

Elmer said inside, I said balcony. So I booked the balcony. May change before I pay the rest of the deposit in November. I have been on the inside also it was fine. So, if you turn on the TV you see what is going on outside form the web cam. I may change and save the money for a really GREAT tour. They say there are almost 18 hours of daylight in May.

 

I am definetly going the day before - no way I trust the planes with the delays and all, and never been to Seattle so I might like to see a liitle of it. I am off on weekends so I will be off.

 

I ahve been fighting with the website I am doing - better get to bed! Have a good dinner. We wouldn't find anything open in Roanoke at 2am!

 

They do say lower is better for motion. Guess they think more people stay in their cabins in the Alaska cruise...NOT US - we are going to show them what spirit is!

[Purplehaze21]

Good Night Annette. We have a few places to choose from here. Were going to a place called coffee house. YUMMY!

We will fly out 1 day early to. Read to many horror stories on people flying same day. I checked flights out (as far as the site will let me) and looks like some flights get in as early as 1:00pm. That would leave me and Dan time to see some of the city.

I'm going to check Charlotte and Greensboro when its time to get airplane tickets. Greensboro is uaually cheaper. We'll see when it gets to be that time.

[MikeNKim]

I booked a inside once and hated it. Didn't help that we had gale force winds....we caught the northern end of TS Gamma. I was so sick, but by dinner time the next day we had beautiful seas and I was hooked on cruising. I also found we slept alot because it was always so dark so now we only book balconies.

 

Also I would hate to miss some of the scenary on a Alaskan cruise so must have balcony.

 

Glad to see there are so many on this roll call already and you are all as chatty as me:p.

[Purplehaze21]

I get motion sickness easy. Thats why it took Dan 25 years to get me on a ship lol. On Glory, I asked for lowest and closest to the center. I did really well. I told Dan last night I wanted inside, he said balcony LOL Maybe we will do balcony, I don't know :confused:Alaska is for the scenery and I would hate to miss it also.

Me and Dan got home from late dinner at 4:00am and I was back up at 8:00am. I tried to sleep in, no luck.

[anamanxs]

Good Morning All,

 

Today is going to be crazy - Last minute running to check out everything. The person we going to stay with in Baltimore next Sunday didn't work out so last minute looking for hotel. But, did Great 3 block from Harbor and suppose to be able to see the ships from there.

 

Have to run to the Pet store to stock up on cat food. Did anyone chek out the ***** Roll Call?

 

I see Kathi and Phil, - Great to see you! I still have to paste mine and Elmer's pic, but I think my grandson was so cute - I thought I leave him for a day or two. Not a proud NANA or anything; but my daughter made me wait forever to be a "NANA". Told me it was never going to happen....... Go to the home page and check out my URl. I started our "ALASKA" page but don't think I can link here until we get our cruise folder.

 

Hope everyone has a GREAT DAY!

[anamanxs]

I get motion sickness easy. Thats why it took Dan 25 years to get me on a ship lol. On Glory, I asked for lowest and closest to the center. I did really well. I told Dan last night I wanted inside, he said balcony LOL Maybe we will do balcony, I don't know :confused:Alaska is for the scenery and I would hate to miss it also.

Me and Dan got home from late dinner at 4:00am and I was back up at 8:00am. I tried to sleep in, no luck.

I think either would be fine. If you would rather be inside then go for it, I know on most cruises you are not in the cabin much. I have never had a balcony before until next week. Know more after I return. I was told I could change my mind but MIGHT cost $50 to downgrade if I chose later on. So, I am just leaving my options open and grabbing the $25.00 deposit and the rate.

 

Now, I will be dependiing on you guy to keep the board front and center while I am out to sea. I am taking my laptop but depends on how slow the internet is if I can get on much!

[Lyncoya]

We are Official! We will be Sailing on the Carnival Spirit to the Majestic Land of the Midnight Sun on May 11, 2010.

 

 

Special $25.00 Deposit for a limited time. Join US!

 

This is the first R/T for the Spirit out of Seattle

 

Cruise Itinerary

 

Tue Seattle, Washington 4:00 pm

 

Wed At Sea

 

Thu Cruise Tracy Arm

 

Fri Skagway, Alaska 7:00 am - 9:00 pm

 

Sat Juneau, Alaska 7:00 am - 3:00 pm

 

Sun Ketchikan, Alaska 7:00 am - 1:00 pm

 

Mon Victoria, British Columbia 7:30 am -11:59 pm

 

Tue Seattle, Washington 7:00 am

 

 

We will soon have our Group site. Until then To Go North to the "Majestic Land of the Midnight Sun" with us, contact :cool:Annette for pricing and details.

 

I'm booking on Monday. My husband and I. I'm TOO excited :D

[Purplehaze21]

Welcome Lyncoya! I am so excited also about this cruise. I didn't think we would ever go to Alaska. Annette did a great job getting us this cruise and pricing is so great! I now wish it was May 2009 instead of 2010.

I checked out ***** and added me and Dan. Cute grandson Annette! We went and picked up our grandson today. He is spending the night, even tho I have to work today. It will be a guys/little guys night. He just turned 5. Planning on taking him to nebraska with us for 2 weeks this summer. Fun road trip.

[anamanxs]

I'm booking on Monday. My husband and I. I'm TOO excited :D

 

Welcome, We are so glad to have you. We think it is really going to be a GREAT Trip! Here is Johna number - To book this Cruise Critic Group Member Cruise, please contact Johna at Crucon.com at 1-800-493-6609. Please be sure to state that you are interested in booking into the OFFICIAL CRUISE CRITIC GROUP CRUISE for this sailing.

 

 

I just went to the Dollar Store and bought stupid silly stuff to decorate my cabin for my cruise this time (have never done before) and I saw all the silly stuff and I am thinking "Oh, that would be so cool for our Alaska Trip". Little gift boxes, oh I am not a big drinker, (actually usually the DD) but everyone says I made a mean rum ball (give them as gifts at Christmas) - so if we want rum balls I will be the official rum ball maker. You have to let me know what kind you want - since they have to age.

[anamanxs]

Welcome Lyncoya! I am so excited also about this cruise. I didn't think we would ever go to Alaska. Annette did a great job getting us this cruise and pricing is so great! I now wish it was May 2009 instead of 2010.

I checked out ***** and added me and Dan. Cute grandson Annette! We went and picked up our grandson today. He is spending the night, even tho I have to work today. It will be a guys/little guys night. He just turned 5. Planning on taking him to nebraska with us for 2 weeks this summer. Fun road trip.

OK, I just check out your pic ....Glad to put a face to a name. So, tell me about the Bahamas. That's where I go next week and have not booked a tour yet. Can't decide. Thinking about glass bottom boat in Freeport due to time and maybe doing our own thing in Nassua? So what is the must do! Already swam with Stringrays in Camen's

 

Oh, I saw an inside cabin on the Spirit on one of the other site's it looked plenty big, and very nice.

[Purplehaze21]

Rum Balls sounds interesting. Never had 1. When we went to Coco Cay last year, we had a drink called Coco Loco! It was made with rum and it was soooooo good! I need to find my recipe because my 3 brothers and there wives and my kids are all coming over tomorrow for a cook out. Going to make them for the adults.

We went to Nassua last feb. We did not book an excursion. We went off on our own. 1st stop was McDonalds! I craved a great cup of coffee :D We were on RC and we didnt like the coffee.

We went shopping and you can't beat the deals there. After you get off the ship and go thru the building, we went to the right. We kept walking and went past some big fancy hotel. A little ways past, there was a free beach. It was nice for pictures. The locals do ask you to braid hair and such, we just said NTY and they were not pushy. I would love to go back to Nassau.

Freeport is where i wish we booked an excursion. We caught a cab and went to the market place. I was really disappointed. Prices were high and every shop had the same exact thing. We ran into friends we met on CC from Canada. We shopped but bought nothing. We all walked to the free beach and got some pictures. We ended up at a outside bar and had a couple of drinks.

I wished we stayed on the ship but we know next time, book an excursion.

[anamanxs]

Coco Loco recipe

 

Highball Glass

 

 

1 oz dark rum

1 oz light rum

1/2 oz vodka

1/2 oz creme de bananes

1/2 oz pineapple juice

1/2 oz coconut cream

1/2 oz sugar syrup

 

 

 

Pour the rums, vodka, creme de bananes, pineapple juice, coconut cream and sugar syrup into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, and strain into a chilled highball glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge, and serve.

This is a recipe I found for the drink.

 

another one

1 whole coconut, in shell

1 oz. tequila

1 oz. rum

1 oz. gin

1/2 oz. grenadine

 

1. Cut a 3-inch hole in the top of the coconut.

2. With juice of coconut still inside, pour in tequila, rum, gin and grenadine.

3. Add several ice cubes and stir.

4. Garnish with a slice of lemon or lime (squeeze in juice and then throw in)

5. Drink with a long straw.

 

If you prefer to drink from a glass, drill two holes in top of coconut, and drain liquid in a mixing glass over several ice cubes, all liquors and grenadine and stir well. Then pour into a goblet or highball glass. Add lemon or lime.

 

 

When I drink, that sounds like something - I would like!

[Purplehaze21]

TY for the recipe :) It really is a good drink. I still have alot of flavored and regular rums from our trip to Nassau.

Sadly, time for work :( I should be happy about it tho. My checks for now will go twords the trip.

Everyone have a great day!

[anamanxs]

TY for the recipe :) It really is a good drink. I still have alot of flavored and regular rums from our trip to Nassau.

Sadly, time for work :( I should be happy about it tho. My checks for now will go twords the trip.

Everyone have a great day!

 

 

I would love some good coconut cream but I have not found any like they have in Jamica!

[happylady]

First off, welcome to our group Lyncoya!! :D Is this your first time to Alaska? Where will you be traveling from?

 

anamanxs - Annette & Elmer - 2826 miles

happylady - Kathi & PHil - 3293 miles

MikeNKim - Kim & Mike - 2587 miles

MikeNKim - DBIL Ron and DSIL Maureen - 1273 miles

purplehaze21 - Cheri & Dan - 2964 miles

cajungal - Sonya & DH - 2645 miles

BCFD2357 - Jenni & Steve - 2763 miles

BCFD2357 - DFIL

BCFD2357- DS & DIL

Lyncoya - Lyncoya & DH

 

Annette - two years ago Phil and I sailed on the Sensation from Port Canaveral to Freeport and Nassau.

 

In Freeport we went on the Bahamas Jeep Adventure. We took a bus to a secondary location where the jeeps are parked. Each jeep carries 4 people with a radio (for communication) and A/C. Since the weather was bad (one of those palmetto pounders), the jeep tour company put the vinyl/canvas tops and sides on all of our jeeps so we would stay dry. The tour was fun for my husband driving off road, going through rain puddles and mud! We did drive a lot off road and on back roads. I wish we would have driven through Freeport so we could have seen the town.

 

In Nassau we took the Atlantis Adventure which was a ferry ride from the dock over to Atlantis. You could then walk around the resort, go through the aquarium and visit the restaurants and casino. When you were ready, you just walked back to the dock and waited for the next ferry. We chose to hang around after the last ferry and catch a cab. It was very cheap at $4 pp. I was in Nassau about 15 years ago at a resort on Cable Beach. When we wanted to go into town we caught one of the buses for $1. On one of the other threads someone said they're still running and very, very cheap. It was a great way to see the island.

 

I HATE my picture on *****!! But it's the only one on the computer. :rolleyes:

 

Phil loves rum balls. Years ago my Mom made a huge batch for some extra Christmas gifts to the neighbors. She gave Phil a batch and he munched on them for a couple months....one here, one there, one every couple days!

[BCFD 2357]

Well my father in law called and Johna wont be back in the office till Tuesday. My stepson and wife will call her Tuesday and now my brother in law wants to go too so that will be 4 cabins for us :D

[Lyncoya]

First off, welcome to our group Lyncoya!! :D Is this your first time to Alaska? Where will you be traveling from?

 

anamanxs - Annette & Elmer - 2826 miles

happylady - Kathi & PHil - 3293 miles

MikeNKim - Kim & Mike - 2587 miles

MikeNKim - DBIL Ron and DSIL Maureen - 1273 miles

purplehaze21 - Cheri & Dan - 2964 miles

cajungal - Sonya & DH - 2645 miles

BCFD2357 - Jenni & Steve - 2763 miles

BCFD2357 - DFIL

BCFD2357- DS & DIL

Lyncoya - Lyncoya & DH

 

Annette - two years ago Phil and I sailed on the Sensation from Port Canaveral to Freeport and Nassau.

 

In Freeport we went on the Bahamas Jeep Adventure. We took a bus to a secondary location where the jeeps are parked. Each jeep carries 4 people with a radio (for communication) and A/C. Since the weather was bad (one of those palmetto pounders), the jeep tour company put the vinyl/canvas tops and sides on all of our jeeps so we would stay dry. The tour was fun for my husband driving off road, going through rain puddles and mud! We did drive a lot off road and on back roads. I wish we would have driven through Freeport so we could have seen the town.

 

In Nassau we took the Atlantis Adventure which was a ferry ride from the dock over to Atlantis. You could then walk around the resort, go through the aquarium and visit the restaurants and casino. When you were ready, you just walked back to the dock and waited for the next ferry. We chose to hang around after the last ferry and catch a cab. It was very cheap at $4 pp. I was in Nassau about 15 years ago at a resort on Cable Beach. When we wanted to go into town we caught one of the buses for $1. On one of the other threads someone said they're still running and very, very cheap. It was a great way to see the island.

 

I HATE my picture on *****!! But it's the only one on the computer. :rolleyes:

 

Phil loves rum balls. Years ago my Mom made a huge batch for some extra Christmas gifts to the neighbors. She gave Phil a batch and he munched on them for a couple months....one here, one there, one every couple days!

 

Yes...it's our first time to Alaska...4th time on a Carnival cruise. I'm TOO excited. My poor husband is probably more than sick of hearing about it already.

 

We are traveling from Milwaukee, WI. :)

[anamanxs]

Yes...it's our first time to Alaska...4th time on a Carnival cruise. I'm TOO excited. My poor husband is probably more than sick of hearing about it already.

 

We are traveling from Milwaukee, WI. :)

Jenny just said that Johna is out until Tuesday. She generally has to call you back so I would call or e-mail so you would get on her return call list.

 

Welcome to our little group soon to get bigger. We hopefully soon have our group section so we can do proper intro, b/d list and and plan activities. Kathi is doing a great job of keeping our group list for us! And the mileage we are all going to have to travel to get to Seattle.

 

I think most of us this is our first trip to Alaska for most of us which makes it even more special to all of us!

[happylady]

anamanxs - Annette & Elmer - 2826 miles

happylady - Kathi & PHil - 3293 miles

MikeNKim - Kim & Mike - 2587 miles

MikeNKim - DBIL Ron and DSIL Maureen - 1273 miles

purplehaze21 - Cheri & Dan - 2964 miles

cajungal - Sonya & DH - 2645 miles

BCFD2357 - Jenni & Steve - 2763 miles

BCFD2357 - DFIL

BCFD2357- DS & DIL

BCFD2357 - DBIL

Lyncoya - Lyncoya & DH - 1993 miles

 

:D:D

[happylady]

Finally changed the picture on *****. The new picture is from Freeport during a tropical storm like down pour. It lasted most of the day.

 

Annette here are some pictures from the Freeport jeep excursion:

 

[anamanxs]

I saw the new pic, it looks like a tropical storm. I had looked at the jeep option. Did you stay in a group or off my yourself? I would feel better if we stayed in a group since the time we have is so limited.

[Purplehaze21]

I haven't seen any pictures of the spirit. I need to see some. I thought the Glory was pretty. Is the spirit same size or smaller? My SIL was on the Spirit last year. It was her 1st cruise and she went to Alaksa.

When I have time, maybe tomorrow, I want to look at excursions so I can see what will be offered. I'll be clueless on these. I have plenty of time to decide what we will be doing.

[happylady]

I saw the new pic, it looks like a tropical storm. I had looked at the jeep option. Did you stay in a group or off my yourself? I would feel better if we stayed in a group since the time we have is so limited.

 

We drove in a line with the guide up front. He stayed in contact with us by radios. If you click on the picture, you can see the line of jeeps. Sorry about the blurry pictures...with the rain and the ruts in the road...I had a hard time getting anything in focus!

 

Towards the end of the tour we stopped at a cute beach side cafe and were given conch fritters and a non-alcoholic beverage as our snack. Some of us elected to purchase some other items off the menu like rice and beans, fried plantains and something different to drink ;). The sky still looked threatening but we had time to walk down to the beach to take a few pictures. At a few of our stops, we only slowed down due to the weather. At the first stop, one lady was so upset about the weather that she and her husband elected to have a cab pick them up and return to the ship. The weather was bad, but the rest of us hung in there and laughed about our luck with the weather.

 

Well, off to my second job. I call it my fun job. I work on Sundays at a local Jo-Ann's Fabric and Crafts. Like Cheri says...this paycheck pays for the cruise.

[anamanxs]

We drove in a line with the guide up front. He stayed in contact with us by radios. If you click on the picture, you can see the line of jeeps. Sorry about the blurry pictures...with the rain and the ruts in the road...I had a hard time getting anything in focus!

 

Towards the end of the tour we stopped at a cute beach side cafe and were given conch fritters and a non-alcoholic beverage as our snack. Some of us elected to purchase some other items off the menu like rice and beans, fried plantains and something different to drink ;). The sky still looked threatening but we had time to walk down to the beach to take a few pictures. At a few of our stops, we only slowed down due to the weather. At the first stop, one lady was so upset about the weather that she and her husband elected to have a cab pick them up and return to the ship. The weather was bad, but the rest of us hung in there and laughed about our luck with the weather.

 

Well, off to my second job. I call it my fun job. I work on Sundays at a local Jo-Ann's Fabric and Crafts. Like Cheri says...this paycheck pays for the cruise.

That would definely, be a fun job! I booked the jeep tour last night. Going to leave Nassua open.

 

Cheri, there are lots of fun things to do at Alaska. They are on the prices side but looks to be action packed. I want to see all I can. Did you check out the my URL on ***** - for now that is where I am putting info. It is under my picture. Still have lots to put on! But, a couple good videos for whales under the bottom section.

 

I will look of the Spirit. It is the sister ship to the one I will on next week. I will try to check out an inside cabin there, if I can.

[MikeNKim]

Yikes, you where all chatty.....WOW

 

I have been packing for my cruise next week!!! Can't wait. Cruising with 6 other friends going to be a blast.

 

I love the Spirit Class ships, I have been on Miracle and Legend and was suppose to be on Pride until they changed the ships and now I am on Liberty. Not sure if I will like the bigger ship or not but hey any cruise is a good one right!!!!

 

I am on deck 5 midship and DSIL is on deck 5 in one of the aft wrap arounds....lucky girl!!!!

 

Hope you are all having a fabulous weekend!!!