TheSkipper

We have NEVER booked directly with a cruise line. Why? I have no idea. Always have used a TA one way or another, but usually the TA is web-based.

Joey: Where is Azamara, my new favorite cruise line????

No problems, Jenn. It was pretty smooth. Did not even use the wrist bands we purchased for this cruise. Weather was perfect for the entire two weeks, never saw a drop of rain, just sunny skies. We even had a lot of Canadians aboard!! BTW, even though the beds were quite good and looked fantastic, they were not as good as the "Comfort Beds" on the Spirit IMHO. Crazie behave well this time. Sat in our window a lot watching for land.

For me it is always the last one we visited. Which makes it Corsica at the moment!! JohnG, I like this one in spite it being a French port!

Morning Gang, Got in last night following our flights of over 16 hours from Rome to Las Vegas. We're up about 28 hours when we finally crashed in our own bed. Review later, but in a few words the best cruise we have every had!! Azamara is awesome. Crazie had a ball, even got to hang out in the Royal Suite. All the Port of Call were great, Azores, Spain and Corsica. Crazie has a new pin from Spain to celebrate her first transatlantic crossing. Joey, you're gonna love Azamara. All the little touches such as "fresh squeezed" orange juice. Squeezed in front of you while you wait! The quality and presentation of the food was the best we have ever seen. Entertainment was great and the Cruise Director the very best in our 52 cruises. Enough for now. Just had to relight the hot water heater and replace a battery in one of our smoke detectors. Now, I think I'll open the suitcases and let the fun begin.

Atta Girl. We are down to two hours prior to our pickup for our drive to the Airport. So, I guess as we used to say back in the day..."We're too short to sweat it." Enjoy your cruise. We will be enroute to your state shortly.

Carmen, We'll race you to Europe!! Bon Voyage

Jenn: Just have about four drinks before you board and it will be the "shortest" airplane trip you ever took. But, don't open the windows. Anytime there is vote on a cruise site, you will sailing out of Florida. It is a great law of the universe!! The "Chad" people just don't want to leave the State. Is Hugh OK with flying?? Hey, just remembered you flew to Las Vegas!! Just another hop, skip and a jump and you're in Florida. Roe and I will be taking that hop, skip, and jump tomorrow as a matter of fact. Dinner in Miami.

Works for me!! I guess they will do the same with the Azamara ships, but not in time for our sailing on Saturday. Crazie hates smoke, so for her sake I hope there is a lot of clean air. I can't remember being bothered by smoke on Celebrity, but it's always good to see a good thing get better.

Not on our "To Do" list yet. Perhaps if we run out of more exotic ports of call. Cruised the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers and that was fantastic.

As others have said it all depends. Have done them every way possible. Most shipboard excursions are somewhat of a rip off. Except on Azamara where they seem quite reasonable, so we will most likely do some of them. We have done everything from hiring (in advance) a stretch limo in Dublin to walking around a port on our own. Last year in Rome I hired a limo to pick us up at the airport which turned out to be the right thing to do. When we arrived all the cabs were on strike, but our limo was there and waiting for us. Used the same company to get to the port the next morning. Research is always the key, IMHO.

So far, so good for us.

We usually do not pose. Just say "No Thanks" and keep moving. With all of our cruises, we know we are not going to buy another boarding picture. In all our years we only framed two. Our Honeymoon Cruise and one boarding Silver Wind in Haifa. Since our cruise this Saturday is aboard Azamara, a new cruise line, we will probably pose, but I doubt we will buy unless it turns out to be something very special.

Silver Seas Cruise line's Silver Sea. No question about it.

Two weeks should do it. And I would request that only those who think there is a possibility of their going on the cruise do the voting. There are many who know they cannot or will not go, so their votes only confuses things. IMHO.

Thanks Joey. I signed up too. Was hoping Roe would want to go on the Soaps cruise, but no luck. I'll do anything to go on a cruise.

Joey: I think you meant "overhaul" and I agree. Princess has a much better Captain's Club program IMHO.

NO Jackie, Carnival just recently switched to those cheap looking nasty luggage tags. They are bad, But, having said that we join you in your doc dance. Great isn't it??

My first impress was "It's not the Love Boat." But, it was great. Roe had to go down the hall to a special room to use her hair dryer, room current would not support that kind of surge. But we fell in love with cruising and 51 cruises still looking forward till next Friday and our sail-away aboard the Azamara Quest.

Isn't putting a group cruise together just too much fun?? Option 1 on HAL. Joey, you also need to be looking at what the various cruise lines are going to offer us as a group. Every eight staterooms should get us a free berth or in our case the cash equivalent which can be used as a rebate to all the cruisers. TA's should be competing for this business it generates considerable revenue for them. PM me an I'll provide you some info on what to look for.

I guess the shows would come first, followed participating in Trivia contests or just wandering around the ship, exploring and people watching.

Good to hear! And I agree with those who said "It's about time."

Me Too.

I'm surprised that Silverseas handled it this way. I've always had good relationship with them. IMHO, a discount predicated on a future cruise is nothing.

For us it is itinerary first, followed by ship (which includes cruise line), then cabin type and location. We have sailed in everything from an inside cabin to a suite. What type we book depends on the itinerary and the "deals" being offered. For example on our upcoming Azamara cruise after I'd seen it offered for a very good price, I called our Agent who said "If one of you is a Senior you can move up 4 categories and lower the price by $400 per person. That was a "no brainer."