We've posted some, but I don't know if we ever really introduced ourselves. We live in Portland, OR with 3.5 cats and 1 dog. (The .5 is really our neighbor's cat, but he spends most of his time at our house and we love him like our own.)

We own a computer consulting business together. Lis works in the business and Mary works for the VA.

We've only been on one cruise, on the Navigator, a month ago.

We don't really remember exactly how the cruise bug hit us - it's probably more accurate to say it hit Mary. We think it was probably after a lovely vacation at the Four Seasons in Vancouver where we enjoyed our room service dinners so much but worried about how much money we were spending. We started to think how lovely an all-inclusive cruise would be. We started researching and soon discovered that most cruises aren't all-inclusive.

Mary felt that it was imperative that she go on a cruise, and soon. Lis thought it was imperative that if she had to go on a cruise it had to be a really nice one. We're not formal people at all and Radisson just seemed like the best match for us.

We both love to travel. Lis loves luxury and Mary worries that Lis will someday become unwilling to stay somewhere that isn't luxury. However, Lis always reassures her that one of her favorite places is the Ester Lee Motel, a fairly divy place on the Oregon coast with the most amazing views.

We also love planning vacations. As soon as we return home from one vacation we generally spend a day sitting side by side, each with her own laptop, planning the next vacation or fantasy vacation. We love to find little wonderful places that no one has ever heard of. We can waste an entire day this way and sometimes we wonder if there's something wrong with us.

While we were on the Navigator we booked a Mexican Riviera cruise for this December, but then decided that it was too soon as we are saving money for some other things. We asked Ngaire to move the reservation over to MUSH and now we are excited to be cruising with you all. We have also talked my father and his wife into joining us and are really looking forward to travelling with them, too.

Well, that is probably more than anyone wanted to know...

Hi Mary & Lis,

I'm new here too. Nice to meet you. I hope you'll post a photo so we can put a face with the interface! :)

Year's ago I worked for a company based out of Portland and would get there about 3 times a year. It's a great city and I always enjoyed my visits there. I always found it to be a very livable city and along with some fine restaurants, you have the only museum of advertising in the country.

Look forward to seeing you around the board!

CJ

Hi, Mary and Lis----I was also drawn to RSSC because I wanted the luxury without a stiff, overly-formal atmosphere. Sounds like you'll love it!! And, hey, LOL, I've got you guys beat in the vacation planning department...I'm trying to plan my 2006 vacation before I've even taken my 2005 vacation, LOL....

Mary & Lis, now that you have been "bitten" by the bug, thanks for your introduction! Seems there are a lot of people on MUSH bringing on friends and family. I am bringing on a brother, sister, cousin and spouses, and a friend and his wife. No way will this group fit into Ngaire's suite for a party! On MINT, we were many, but much less than this one. One night, Ngaire reserved one whole side of the Verandah for cocktails and dinner. Liz, you're right, no stuffiness on any Radisson ship.

Hey girls! I am very happy to hear that you will be on MUSH! I am looking forward to meeting both of you.

Hi all. Thanks for the welcomes, and we really look forward to meeting those of you on MUSH as well! CJ - we love Portland. In fact I was just reading a Portland travel guide last night (picked up during an obsessive trip to the library which involved checking out way too many books on Alaska) and said to Mary, "Gee this Portland sounds like a really great place!" I've never been to the Advertising Museum, though. Maybe we should check it out.

Liz - we're busy planning 2006 also - and beyond. We're not sure when we're going to fit in Amsterdam, England, Hawaii, plus that full week at some Four Seasons that is my fantasy... :)

We'll try to get a photo up maybe. I don't photograph well. If any of you ever saw the episode of Friends where Chandler has to get his picture taken, that is me.

Lis

Thanks for the introductions, Mary and Lis! I gathered some of the information from your review but it's nice to fill in the blanks! And welcome to MUSH!

Masaki

Welcome Mary & Lis!

Our older daughter and her family live in Tualatin, OR. Portland and the outlying areas are beautiful.

Glad to see you have joined us on LCT and hope you will post often. Once the cruising/travel bug hits, you can't free yourself...and, who would want to?

Hello Mary and Lis, glad you've introduced yourselves. I have the cruising bug really bad and constantly annoy my hubby with tales from this board and new traveling plans. So, beware, LCT will lead to wanting more cruises, meeting fun people and taking up much of your time!

Mary & Lis, welcome to LCT and nice Navigator
review with pics too..r/wes

Welcome Mary & Lis,

thanks for the mention of the Ester Lee Motel. Your timing was great. I've been looking into a trip to the Oregon coast & was having trouble finding a place that would allow smokers. Do you usually stay in the motel section or the cottage section? If the cottages, any tips on whether to get a street level or patio level cottage?? Would a single female feel safe there?

Liked your review of your cruise.

Vickie - We always stay in the motel section (we've only ever stayed in one room, actually.) We've peeked into the street level cottages, but I'm not even sure where the patio level ones are. I would ask the people who take your reservation where the best view is. That's how we found our wonderful room.

I think you would probably feel safe there. I always have.

Hope you love it as much as we do!

Lis

Thanks Lis,
I will give them a call & ask. Another question, if I may - approx how long does it take to drive to Lincoln City from Portland airport. Whenever I've travelled the coast, I've always been coming from the south, never from Portland. I also can't believe that there is no commercial air into Salem!! I can fly into Coos Bay/North Bend but not the capital of the state !

Hi Vickie - I think it usually takes us about an hour and a half - so maybe 2 hours from the Portland airport?

That is kind of funny that you can't fly into Salem. What part of Arizona are you in? I lived in Tucson for 3.5 years.

Lis

Lis,
I live in Mesa & work in Phoenix. I go down to Tucson frequently when I just feel like taking a drive.

2 hrs drive to the coast isn't bad, somehow I thought it would be longer.

Thanks for your help. I may have more questions later.

Mary & Lis,

Welcome to LCT!!!! I read your review of the Navigator and truly enjoyed it. It was fun reading. Especially since the Navigator was our very first ship. We'll always have a special place in our hearts for it.

Can't wait to hear future reviews from you and will look forward to reading your posts!!!

MaryLis,
Thanks for your introduction, and welcome to LCT!!

Betty

Thanks again for all your welcomes. Vickie - I'll be happy to answer any other questions you have.

Lis

Welcome aboard Mary and Lis..
You wrote:
Quote :[ We can waste an entire day this way and sometimes we wonder if there's something wrong with us.]

Hello there.. join the club kiddo...daydreaming and making travel plans is very, very good..