I've decided that I've been a "lurker" - I mean a "learner" way too long (Ngaire informed me that "learner" is now the correct word). I "learned" on Cruise Critic since 2001 and now on Luxury Cruise Talk for just a couple of days. This is a great new board. Glad to see some familiar names.

Now, thanks to Ngaire and all of you for your great input and reviews of the Paul Gauguin, my husband, Tom and I have just joined the PIP cruise!!! Yeah!!! This has been a dream of ours since we found out about the Paul Gauguin.

We've only been on one other cruise and that was the Radisson Navigator on the Australia - New Zealand segment of the 2002 World Cruise. In fact, Sherry was also on that same cruise with us. I don't know if you remember us, Sherry. I was the one who introduced myself as a "lurker" and Tom and I were with you on the Dunedin Otago Peninsula excursion. We were the ones sitting up front in the boat that toured the peninsula. Wasn't that a great day in Dunedin? And what a fantastic cruise that was. Another one of our dreams that came true. The good news is that we were wise enough to pick Radisson for our first cruise and the bad news is that we are now spoiled rotten.

Now we are counting the days until 5/21/05 and looking forward to meeting all of you that are also going on the PIP!!! I'm sure I'll be picking your brains during the next year. I've already killed a few trees with all the info I've printed off the boards regarding this cruise. I can't tell you how much of a help you all have been in helping me plan the Australia/New Zealand cruise and now this one. Thank you so very much.

Cyndi

P.S. You were all right - Ngaire is WONDERFUL!!

Welcome out of "learner" mode Cyndi!! I lurked at CC for ages before decloaking and now LCT can't get rid of me....

I'm glad I'm not alone. I think you are right. If learning mode was so addicting, I'm sure the real thing will be more so. Glad to see the LCT - much easier than spelling it out!

Sheri,

I just realized I spelled your name incorrectly in my post. Sorry! I've got it right now.

Cyndi

Oh Cyndi,

Wasn't that trip absolutely fabulous???? Ngaire actually had to twist my arm into going on that trip as opposed to the Paul Gauguin again...thank goodness she has more sense than me...not that I don't LOVE the PG, but that Australia trip was incredible. I would dearly love to go back to New Zealand!

Dunedin was such a neat excursion too!

I am so glad you will be joining us on PIP! I don't think you will experience the same "tremors" in the dining rooms as we did on the Navigator while crossing the Tasman Sea! THAT was quite an adventure!

Welcome to our fun group...you won't regret "coming out of lurkville"!

Sheri

Sheri,

Thanks for the welcome! I'm already hooked! Lurkville was way too lonely!

Yes, that was an incredible trip. I truly wish I could do it all over again. As long as it was, it went to fast. Hopefully, nothing will ever be like crossing the Tasman Sea!!! But, we did survive it.

Got to go to work now - boo! I'm sure I'll check in as soon as I get home.

Cyndi

Welcome Cyndi! It's so nice to see a former lurker come out of the closet! We were saving a seat, just for you!

Welcome to LCT Cyndi!

Glad you decided to join us and congrats on PIP.

Anthony

Welcome to the board Cyndi I am so glad you posted. You will find a warm welcome here and are in for a double treat with PIP. Beautiful desitination with fun people.

Hi Cyndi...let me add another welcome! This is such a friendly place. I'm sure you'll add to that spirit!

Wow! What warm welcomes! Now I really wish I would have come out of the lurker closet sooner. You are all making me even more excited about the PIP cruise!

Cyndi

Cyndi...There are lot of photos from Todd's (and other's) Paul Guaguin cruise posted on Todd's ofoto site. I know's there a link somewhere else, but here it is again.

www.ofoto.com

user name: cruise@yahoo.com
Password: cc

There are many albums there so you'll have to look around to find all the South Pacific pics. Todd even posted one album with photos of his cabin. Just looking at these photos makes me wish we were going back.

Welcome to the board and Welcome to the PIP Kimmi and I look forward to meeting you.

Margo,

Thanks for the link to Todd's photos. You read my mind as I was hoping to find some photos of the ship and islands. Bonus was seeing the pics of many of the board members. Faces with the names. Great group of people!! And I can see you know how to have fun!

Thank you to Todd for sharing these really good photos. Can't wait to take some myself.

Mr. Kimmi and Kimmi - Tom and I will look forward to meeting you as well!!!

Robert, Sheri, Karen, Anthony, Ngaire, Margo, Mr. Kimmi - I appreciate all of your very friendly greetings!

Cyndi

Cyndi,
Here is another PG review with lots of pictures.

Here is a little video, too.

Karen,

That's a really good one too!!! Thanks a bunch.

Cyndi

Cyndi - I'm away on a cruise right now - but welcome to PIP! We're going to have a great time! Will you be joining a bunch of us at the LAX Westin the night before?

Masaki

Cyndi - I'm away on a cruise right now - but welcome to PIP! We're going to have a great time! Will you be joining a bunch of us at the LAX Westin the night before?

Masaki

Masaki,

What cruise are you on right now? Whatever it is, I'm sure you are having much more fun than those of us at home!

I still need to plan our precruise (if any) so I need all the input, opinions and suggestions I can get. I'm not aware of the plan to stay at the LAX Westin the night before. When you get a chance, can you tell me the details? We live in San Diego so we are scheduled to fly out of that airport. I don't even know if we have a connection in LAX, but I imagine we do. Looks like I better get busy and make the precruise plans. Since I just booked the cruise a couple of days ago, I've got a lot of catching up to do! But I can think of worse things to do than plan a cruise - Ha!

Cyndi

Masaki,

Well you sure can tell who the new people are (me!). If I'd just taken the time to read your other posts I'd have known you were on the Navigator. My favorite ship but then of course it's my only ship so far. Tomorrow you'll be in Sydney? We were there for a total of 4 days on our Navigator cruise (2 Precruise and 2 on ship). We loved that city. Hope you enjoy it too.

Cyndi

Cyndi - my significant other reminds me that the plans for the Westin LAX was for yet another cruise we're doing. Sorry, didn't mean to confuse you (I'm confused enough for the two of us!). We're on the Navigator right now on a New England cruise and having a blast.

Masaki