Well, the time has come...it's here!

Glad we booked the Baltics for 2005 - the price has gone up considerably!

Will check it out - thanks for the heads up.

Thanks, Denise! I noticed that everything appears to hae gone up. I printed them, just in case they disappear again. LOL

Betty

Haven't spotted PG 2006 Tahiti schedules yet -- am axiously waiting for them.

Just found it. Now I can make my plans and decide on whether to MUSH!

Don, if you decide to MUSH before Ngaire returns from Africa, then please send me an email or call.
Julie

Ngaire, you mentioned in an earlier post that SSS discounts and on-board booking discounts were being eliminated for certain (or most) 2006 cruises...where does that information appear?
Tim

Julie, did we get all our cabins we needed for MUSH?

Yes, the bookings from RSSC are all coming in this morning. Ngaire faxed them the list last Thursday evening. All looks good so far, but I have yet to compare the bookings to our list. I doubt there is any problem though. You LCTers are always on top of the game.

We decided on the 21 day Navigator Caribbean back to back over Christmas and New Years. :D

Now all we have to do is find the vacation time and a way to pay for it. :eek:

Anyone interested in joining us for a long holiday cruise? :3smile:

Denise,

You're right about the prices. Those prices in Voyager are scary!

I also found interesting that they have the Navigator doing the Baltics at the same time as the Voyager. I would have thought that there is a lot of demand for the Med in the months of June/ July but RSSC won't have a ship there at that time.

Marc, what year? haha....I'm booked out until 2007

December 2006!

We get to visit seven new countries/island groups (for us) including Guatemala, Honduras, and Belize.

I dunno if my suggestion of more San Francisco departures was ever heard, but glad to see them on the Mariner's schedule!!!!

Not only the prices, but I find the itinaries to be the same old, same old. Although I hate to not cruise next year, I am glad I have a big land tour scheduled. The only thing that interested me was a crossing or the west coast of Europe. Will be keeping my eyes on the SS schedule more closely. I would also like to know which cruises won't have the 5% discount for SSS.
Or I can look at it this way. Less money to spend & more to spend in 2007.

We are really struggling to find a Radisson cruise that will fit our schedule in 2006. Paige wants warmer climates and I would prefer Sept/Oct/Nov as these times are a bit slower in terms of the practice. The Caribbean cruises during these months are not very good.

On the other hand, Silversea has a great cruise in Nov. Decisions, decisions!!!

Anthony

Anthony, there is an 11 night Caribbean cruise over Thanksgiving on Navigator. Ports don't show up online yet but you can get the itinerary by calling Radisson.

As Radisson doesn't bring the ships back from Europe until November, you are always going to have a hard time finding choices for Caribbean in the fall.

Marc,

I keep telling Paige that but at least for 2006, she is very much set on a Caribbean cruise to islands she has not been to.

We really want to do a European cruise, but with 2 very young children, we are hesitant to do so right now.

Anthony

We're considering the April 28th Voyager crossing. Marc, i know you and Arlene had a great time on that one. I don't remember, did you continue on or did you come right back home?

Kathy:

We took the return trip. We started in Barcelona with port visits the first week and 8 days of bliss over the crossing.

I have not done an eastbound crossing but I know I would prefer westbound. Primary reason is that you get 6 25 hour days. Eastbound you get 6 23 hour days. That would be too tiring for me.

My mother and other friends that sailed with us on the crossing last November are making the return on the Voyager next month. I will ask them for their comparison. They are doing the 19 days...8 days to Funchal and then 11 to Rome.

Anthony, we have already talked about this, but if Silversea gives her what she wants, I say go for it! Warm weather cruises have such a different focus than the others.

The more I cruise, the more I realize they are selling cruises to people who have NOT been there, done that. It is their decision where to book their cruises, of course. Perhaps most people want what they give them, so no reason to change. Too bad for us who are constantly looking for new ports. I don't want to call Radisson to find out what their ports are for 2006 sailings. There are lots of ports between, for example Monte Carlo and Rome, and I look into which are new ports to me if I book again. If I don't know what is available in a "click", it is not easy. I like to be able to see the itinerary right on the website.

I am confused, the crossing is 8 days???

The crossing is 8 days to Madeira or Canary Islands, then one more day to get to Europe. During that time, you have a six hour time change. Therefore, on six of the transit days (five before Funchal and one after), you will either lose or gain an hour.

Doug Burns is probably the expert on Radisson crossings; he has done a number of them and has gone both directions.

Thanks, Marc.

Is there a way to tell if the SSS discount applies? Also, where is the info on single supplements - I can't find it either.

Just saw this over at Cruisemates:

Interesting about the 10-17 day PG itineraries and also the 96 day Circle Pacific; neither described on RSSC website yet.

Very interesting. When I talked to Radisson earlier this week, they told me that the contracts for the PG cruises were not finalized yet. The person with whom I spoke said it could still be a week or two. I wish Marcie could have gotten the "scoop" from Conroy.

Dreps

First remember that there is more misinformation than can be believed. Until it is ON THE RSSC WEB everything is subject to change. Here is the proposed longer cruises but as I said this all could change. This is the PG

07-Jan-06 Sat Papeete Brisbane 10 Out of Service
17-Jan-06 Tue Brisbane Brisbane 12 Drydock
29-Jan-06 Sun Brisbane Papeete 17 South Pacific/Tahiti
15-Feb-06 Wed Papeete Papeete 10 Society Islands and Tuamotus
08-Apr-06 Sat Papeete Papeete 14 Marquesas/Society Islands/Tuamotus
10-Jun-06 Sat Papeete Papeete 11 Marquesas/Society Islands/Tuamotus
21-Jun-06 Wed Papeete Papeete 10 Society Islands and Tuamotus
18-Nov-06 Sat Papeete Papeete 14 Marquesas/Society Islands/Tuamotus
18-Nov-06 Sat Papeete Papeete 14 Marquesas/Society Islands/Tuamotus

If the Grand Circle is not on the web site yet they must be making some changes to the itinerary but it will take place starting on September 20 and going until 11/30.

Don't know if this is the right thread to ask this question, but could someone please comment on the Monte Carlo to Copenhagen Navigator cruise on 3 June 2006. It seems to be a good deal when compared with the Copenhagen to Stockholm on Voyager on 1 July. I haven't been to any of the ports and don't know if they're worthwile or not. I know this is a hard question, but how would either of the above compare with MUSH? I realise they are completely different and that it would be an individual choice, but any comments would be appreciated.

Also, what would be the likelihood of rough seas for all of the above.

Lee

Lee,

Which ports are you most interested in seeing? We are going to take the Voyager on June 9th. It's a bit shorter, but, we thought the ports were perfect: Monte Carlo, Spain, Portugal, France and England. There are a few of us on that one. The Voyager is a newer ship, a little larger than the Navigator and has the best features of both the Mariner nad Navigator. It's a great deal as well.

Lee,

I agree with Kathy. Unless you want to go to Amsterdam, Hamburg and end in Copenhagen, rather than in London( nothing wrong with that! :) ) I would recommend the Voyager. Both itineraries are very similar and the Voyager, IMO, is a better and newer ship.
Comparing the per diem of the lowest price balcony cabin in Navigator with the lowest price cabin in Voyager yields a difference of $27 more PP in Voyager, which I consider negligible.

Don't get me wrong. I like the Navigator. As a matter of fact I'm going back in June. But the decision to go back was driven more by the itineray than the ship. If the same or similar itinerary was being offered in the Voyager with price differentials as shown above, I would have picked Voyager.

Editing to add: The Voyager's itinerary includes a stop at Honfleur, France. In addition to being a lovely port on its own, you can do the excursion to the Normandy D-day beaches, cemetary, etc. . I can't say enough of this experience. It's VERY SPECIAL. I sooo wish I could take this cruise but, unfortunately, the timing for us is not right.

Kathy, do you think I'd get an extra 5% off this cruise if I did an onboard booking while on PIP?

Yes, I think you would. Actually, I am going to see if I can do an open booking and then have them apply it, since I booked so close to sailing. Sometimes you just have to ask.

Wendy, it would be great if you joined us!