Trip started out great - Astros win!!!!!!! And then flight from IAH to JFK, 3 seats all to myself. Met a fun group in the Delta lounge at JFK starting on a 2 week Oceania. A little too much wine flowed.
Then minor problems appear. Arrived in Nice - no RSSC driver or van. Long story but finally made it to Monaco. The tour desk is packed right now, but I intend to get some sort of compensation, since i bought the transfer separately. I was not happy.
Checked into my fancy hotel - those considering ever booking it - don't bother. I finally got into a room with air conditioning after 6 hours. 1st room had choice of heat or open window. View from window was a drain pipe. "Madame Whitehead, you don't understand. We are between seasons and the air has been turned off. Your travel agent should have told you." Ended up in nice room with air and a balcony that look down on the YSL & DIor shops. Was awaken around 2 AM with lots of fairly overserved, but happy people leaving the casino. Fun to watch. They do have Hermes shampoo and hand lotion in the rooms. I didn't even know Hermes made anything but scarves.
Ate dinner at Cafe de Paris - Joann's recommendation. Reasonable. Wine only 6 euroes, compared to Hotel, 18 euroes per glass. As I left the cafe I noticed that were starting an Octerfest celebration and there in the flesh was Prince Albert to welcome everyone. Got so excited to see a celeb, stepped off the curb and turned ankle. Nearly paniced, but seems OK now. Just some swelling. Never made it inside Casino after watching all the Octoberfest activities. But was able to peek inside. Back in the hotel lobby was the real show. Older, wealthy men with more trophy wives or arm candy than I have ever seem. And please, if I had to look at one more women's rear view clevage, I thought I would gag! I sure live in a different world.
Woke up to rain, but the 007 crew were waiting for me. It was great. Finally got to meet Karen & Olivia in the flesh, along with the others. They looked like they were still ready to party in Nice tonight.
Knut has decided to have the sailaway at 9:30 since we are so close to 1st port, so it should be great having it at night with Monaco all lit up on a Saturday night. Already met some great people and decided to blow off the cocktail party for singles.
John & Priscilla looking great & we are meeting for dinner in 20 minutes. Joanna already told you how we met. What fun!
Love my room stewardess - Rose Marie from France. She has volunteered to help me with my pathic high school french, that only did me a little good in Monaco, but it was fun trying after all these years. I told her we better stick to English.
Hopefully sea mail tomorrow. I am touring the gardens & villas of Lucca. John is doing highlights of Lucca. Priscilla & Joanna are still deciding. Tony probably in the laundry room. I haven't met him yet.
Did I mention - Go Astros!!!!!!

Betty,

How great to hear from you! You really had me LOL with the lobby description of the "arm candy and rear cleavage!" :ohmy:

Glad to hear you met the others; look forward to more mail!!

Betty - Good to hear from you. I agree with another Kathy - your description of the "arm candy and rear cleavage" was hysterical!! I had all those same thoughts, however, you put it in a nutshell.

We like the Cafe de Paris too, thought it a pretty good deal overall. Guess you've made up our minds about ever staying at Hotel de Paris, Frank liked the Fairmont, which is right behind the casino, and actually when we walked thru the gardens and park on our way back to the ship, we were walking on top of the Fairmont until we got to the road that starts down the hill.

Have a great trip!

Betty, You are a hoot!!!!Thanks for your report. Glad you made it there safe and are ready for a great cruise. Hope you will post often!

Betty

Betty, good to hear refreshing and truly humorous reports.....by the shore sounds more fun than sea mail from the ship but can't wait to hear your version of that too! ;) Thanks for the laughs

So glad to hear you've all made it to "008." Have a fantastic time!

Sorry to hear of your difficulties, Betty. However, the best is yet to come! Wishing you all a fantastic time! Your post, as always, was very funny and colorful!

And, Betty, thank you so very, very much for your private message. Your words mean so much and Alan and I are deeply touched!

Lots of hugs from us to you, Priscilla, John, Joanna and Tony!

Loved the report...Last time I saw arm candy and bimbos with older men was in Beverly Hills at the Meridian.

How does Albert look?

Thanks for the seamail, Betty! I had some mental contortions trying to imagine the rear view cleavage! <img border="0" alt="[naughty]" title="" src="graemlins/naughty.gif" />

Masaki

Betty that is the second time an arranged transfer in Nice has not turned up - it happened to Lawrence too. So sorry that happened, we will deal with that when you get back.

I often find these very expensive hotels turn out to be a little bit of a disappointment. They are usually nice rooms but when you consider the cost you really have to wonder. Then the rates for everything, food drinks etc are sky high. When you look at a cruise per day and what that includes in comparision to some of these high end resorts it really makes cruising look like a bargain. I remember the same experience in a fancy hotel in Paris, cleavage front and back and arm candy everywhere.

I know you loved meeting the LCT'ers you had not met before. That is always great.

Have a great cruise - look forward to your sea mail.

Betty,

Your post was sooo funny! I hope your ankle is not swollen or anything and you can do some serious dancing onboard.

Have a great sailaway party!

Well, it the first day of the cruise. Betty, Hope the jetlag was left in Monte Carlo and that they restocked the bar after the LCT Official Drinking Team disembarked. Time for some seamail! Waiting for the morning report.

Hello all -- Joanna is sitting across the room in club.com. We'll be having dinner tonight. Great finally to meet in person. Betty, John and I had a fun dinner last night, and Monte Carlo was pretty, all lit up, as we sailed away.

John and I had a wonderful time in France before our cruise. Great guide (I'll post the recommendation), and we saw lots of Provence, which is a lovely, beautiful and charming area.

It's relaxing to be onboard, and the ship is as beautiful as before. John has gone on an excursion to Lucca this afternoon. He will enjoy the trip, and I will enjoy a quiet afternoon. Tomorrow we are taking a train into Rome and spending a long day, and I want to be ready for that.

Ah, here comes Betty now! LCTers take over club.com!

More later ....

Forgot to add -- our favorite waiter, Edwin, has been promoted to Head Waiter in the Compass Rose. He was the first person we saw as we drove up to the ship, and he recognized us before we got out of the car. Fun!

Priscilla, we too love Edwin! He was on the WC with us. Luis is also just great if you have a chance to meet him.

Also, take the time to meet a few of the bar staff....Garreth and Felimo are bar tenders and Arlene and Dolce are bar maids. They're just wonderful! I'm so glad that you and John had such a nice pre-cruise stay!

Hello to all! Wonderful to hear that you're picking up where 007 left off. Have a great time and post often, if you can. As we all say, next best thing to being there!

We, too, had Edwin as our server numerous times. He's the best!

Betty, hope your ankle is doing better so you can dance the nights away!

Priscilla, So wonderful to read your posts and get your email! Can't wait to hear more about Provence and, of course, the rest of your trip. Have a relaxing day so you can do the town (Rome) tomorrow. Hope John had a great day in Lucca. Please give our very best to Gennaro (Sorrento), Michael (Rhodes) and Emek (Kusadasi).

Wishing great days ahead for all my friends! Take care and make lots of memories (right, Priscilla?).

Berry, hysterical...........Hope your ankle heals in time to capture other moments to replay for us!! Have a wonderful time with Joanna and all the gang. Take good care.
Cindy

Edwin is onboard? :woh: He is our FAVORITE. I hope he will still be onboard in two weeks. So happy to hear that he has been promoted to head waiter. He brings my coffee with Bailey's for desert without me even asking!

Betty, you are a hoot! Hope your ankle is feeling better and that you are having a wonderful time.

Priscilla, get plenty of rest for your Rome excursions tomorrow.

Thanks all for reporting in. How appropriate that some of you met for the first time in the computer room!

Thanks for the stories Joanna, Betty, Priscilla & Marcie! We're all enjoying reading the "party animals'" postings. Betty, I'm trying to hold on to the Astro's for you! You're better off being there & pampered. Just keep on having a fantastic time there for us. Marcie, your travels continue to entertain us. Tks for sharing your adventures!
Don especially liked the arm candy/ensemble stories....hum...
LCTers (like Donna & I) will have a very hard act to follow on Voyager 11/6.. :ohmy: - Michele

You're right, Michele. Don't know if we can live up to the OO7 crowd. We can try though. Maybe Ngaire should sponsor a cruise with Marcie, Tom, Joanna and Tony giving their exertise on drinking, gambling, dancing, laughing and ironing! Would be fun ;)