Fred, you will have to do all the "French" talking for me! I'm still working on the clothes and what to bring. Who has time to learn French? :D :D

Yes, Wendy, 2 more weeks from Tues!!!!! I can NOT believe it is almost here!!! We'll meet all of you soon. I got to meet Kathy today and she's a doll!!! Frank is pretty great too!! We PIPSTERS will all be fast friends by the end of the cruise.

I just wish I could join all of you on your pre-cruise plans, however they turn out. You'll have lots of fun, whatever you do.

Freddie, I hope you and Pat take good care of #723. We'll be with you in spirit!

So far, Freddie, I think the last roll call should be pretty current. We're still in 623, right below you, but we are thinking of upgrading on boarding.

Cyndi, We think you are pretty special too. Flying for 8 hours in the adjacent seat ought to be very fun! We're in 22 A & B in each direction.

Wendy - Looking forward to meeting you and David (and every one else)

I am going to research restaurants in Papeete. While the Roulottes sound okay for lunch (Petite Dejuner ??? my French Lessons ended over 30 years ago - say la vie!) I am not sure trying them for dinner.

Freddie, just FYI, I went back and found the roll call that Kathy posted on March 9th. I have added our pre-cruise destination. Here it is:

Suzanne #413 PIP #1 Pre-Beachcomer
Sheri #413 PIP #1 pre at the Tahiti Beachcomber
Marc & Arlene # 621 PIP #1 pre at the Tahiti Beachcomber
Wendy & David #421 PIP B2B - 2 nights pre Radisson
Bob & Frances PIP #1
The Kimmi's #715 PIP #1-2 Nights Pre Tahiti Beachcomber
Ngaire & Ken #TBA PIP #1
Peter & Mark #725 PIP #1
Lynette # PIP #1
Anne & Gary #719 PIP #1
The Seagurls #817 PIP #1 (Suzanne's parents, Mason and Maggie!)Precruise - Tahiti Beachcomber
Cyndi & Tom #706 PIP #1 (precruise at Hotel Bora Bora)
Kathy & Frank #623 PIP #1 (Pre Beachcomber Tahiti)
Fred & Pat #723 PIP B2B
Michael and Heather #414 -Precruise-Beachcomber

Kathy, if you like I'll post some info on Papeete restaurants from Hidden Tahiti. I'll read up on it tonight, and then you can tell me what you are looking for. What I have read about the Belvedere is that it's a fair distance from your hotel, and there is a drive up a mountain to get there. That the food is okay, but the view is spectacular. Not sure, there may be transport included to get there.

Wendy - thanks for posting the list. I'm so happy for you about the 2 nights pre-cruise at Radisson. You are going to have the perfect vacation with the pre and then the B2B. We are all green with envy!!

Wendy -

Changes to the roll call -
Fred and Pat are pre-cruie at ICB - 1 day
Seagurls cancelled - (Suzanne's parents)

Thank you for the restaurant info. I'd most welcome it.

Only two weeks to go for Cyndi and Tom and us!

Yeah!!!!! Too excited for words!!!!! Time to start packing. <img border="0" alt="[hula]" title="" src="graemlins/hula.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[hula]" title="" src="graemlins/hula.gif" />

Cyndi, by the time I meet you on the ship, you will have gone completely native after 4 nights in BB. You lucky pair! I remember feeling a bit smug after our stay on Manihi--so relaxed, t-shirt and pareo on display, definitely relaxed!

Did we ever really settle where we're all going to meet up? Was there a consensus? The sailaway party, right?

Wendy,

We are having a party in our OWB at the ICB on Friday night -can you cab over?

We may be your neighbors at the ICB also. We're in a OWB on Friday night. A progressive cocktail party sounds like a great plan. Not sure if we'd be into the big Friday night dinner/show, but we'd be willing to meet up for cocktails and possibly an offsite dinner.

We arrive at 6pm on the Thursday ATN flight from LAX.

Kathy, great idea, and thanks for the offer. I'll talk to David, but I expect we won't. We, unlike you guys, are not night-owls, and will be recovering from 3 extra hours of jet-lag. I suspect we will just loll around our end of town. Plus there's supposed to be a dance show at the Plaza as well, so who knows? We also may decide to visit our favourite little restaurant, at the hotel where we stayed last time. But thanks, if we get inspired, I bet we can find you all!

John,

You will be on the same ATN flight with a number of us (Wendy and David, Kimmi and John, and Sheri and myself) (did I leave any LCTer out?). We will start the Conga line after the seat belt sign is turned off (and drinks are served). That is if we don't start it somewhere in the departure lounge!

All of you on ATN should switch to AF; we leave 12 hours earlier!!!!

Can't wait for the Party in Polynesia to begin!!!

Some of us on ATN leave even earlier,,,,,like two extra ddays worth....

John, You and Tonya are welcome to join us.

We're also meeting Fred and Pat about 8:00 on Friday night for drinks at the ICB after their flight comes in.

I think Ngaire said she has close to 60 people on this sailing! We ARE the sailaway party! After the rest of the passengers experience the pranks set up by S & S, they will either be scared away or Radisson sailors for life!

Anyone bringing their Venitian masks?

Wendy, you are making it all sound so good!!! Can't wait to meet you and David. We can be non-night owls together (for the short time before we retire for the evening, that is - :D )

Kathy, Marc, Suzanne, Sheri & John (and all the others staying at the IC Beachcomber) you'll have so much fun together!! Take pictures to share with the rest of us!!

Did Wendy have it right - we'll officially meet up at the sailaway party?

See you all soon!!!!

No, I am not bringing a Venitian mask, because I don't have one!

And the party starts the minute we arrive at LAX for departure. Various revelers will join us later, Cyndi! We can turn up the heat when we board and as the conga line gets longer!

I thought most of us will board on Saturday. We can have our first meeting at 6 pre-dinner for drinks and then have dinner together for those who want to join us to dine at Apicus.

I always like to start in the alternative dining restaurant - you can often go twice that way! Since I plan to board the ship as soon as they let us on, we can make a reservation when we board. Just post here and I will count heads!

Ah, Apicius the first night! That's an idea! I'll ask David and see what he says. We have really enjoyed the menu there.

Oh, but Kathy, I just looked at my old "Ia Orana" (like Passages), and it says that Apicius and the Pacific Grill are only open for dinner Sunday through Friday (edited to add: but of course the sched could have changed--maybe a recent cruiser can confirm.)

Well, I think there's enough of us who will recognize each other from our avatars, that we will stumble across each other. There's afternoon tea from 3-5 in La Veranda, Cocktail hour from 6:30 to 8 in La Palette, and then there's the sailaway party.

If we manage to bump into each other early enough, then perhaps we can arrange to have dinner together. But we have the whole week.

Wendy--
You are correct, Apicius is not open on Saturday evening. At least that was the case in February when we were on board. Hope this helps.
Jacki

Add Heather and me to the list at the Beachcomber on Friday night. After the $27 pair of MaiTais last time, I think I will bring some Mt Gay Rum or partake in Hinano's by the pool.

Well, then if Apicus is not open, then we will have to eat at l' Etoile (did I get that right).
Then I would propose we meet at 6:30 for pre-dinner drinks at La Palette for those who want to dine and those who do not can meet at the sailaway party.

Michael - I've added you and Heather to the list of ICB LCT Friday Nighter's Progressive Party in Polynesia!

This will be fun.

I wish we could join you 2 days earlier on the flight!! Anyway, we will definately join everyone for drinks on Friday night. I can already taste the Mai Tai's and Cosmo's.

Now I have to switch gears and get ready for my Kentucky Derby Party this Saturday. The Mai Tai's will have to make way for the Mint Julips this weekend!

Kathy, you will like L'Etoile. The food is outstanding. We will definitely see everybody for cocktails at 6:30!

Embarkation day is our anniversary. I have to talk to David about that--we may want to have a romantic dinner alone that night. Or, we may just decide that Friday night will be that celebratory night. We'll see how we feel. David really enjoys a big table for dinner, and the conversation that ensues.

Kathy, I promised you some restaurant ideas, from my tour guide. (You could also try tahiti-explorer.com).

Restaurants around the ICB:

- Casablanca, outdoor restaurant at the Taina Marina, Punaauia. French and Tahitian. Lively and informal, mostly frequented by locals. Moderate.

- Admiral de Bougainville (in the Sofitel). French-Tahitian fusion, great reputation, Tahitian dance show on Fridays. Deluxe-Ultra Deluxe

- The ICB itself. The author stresses that if you stick with a la carte items, the restaurants, especially the Hibiscus, are fairly reasonable. E.g., an omelette for breakfast.

In Papeete (some moderate ones, no deluxe):

- Roulottes recommendations:
- Vesuvius (thin crust pizza)
- Chez Jimmy (Chinese)
- Chez Robert (steak)
- Tikipeue (rated the best)

- look for budget restaurants around the area of the market and the Vaima centre.

- Lou Pescadou (italian food, wood-fired pizza), lively atmosphere

- Jack Lobster, Vaima Centre. Informal, varied menu

- Sushi bar, upstairs from above, floating sushi bar

- Morrison's Cafe, top of Vaima Center. Terrace, French cuisine

- Les 3 Brasseurs. Microbrewery/restaurant, hip watering hole

There are lots more listed, including the higher-priced options. If you want any more specifics, like exact locations, let me know.

Great info, Wendy. All printed for taking!

Wendy - congratulations in advance of your anniversary on boarding day!!! And I think you said your birthday was during the 2nd week of PIP. You have a lot to celebrate, besides just plain having fun!!!!

See you at 6:30 boarding day, if not sooner!!

Thanks for the congrats, Cyndi. It's a pretty romantic way to do an anniversary--we did our 20th there, and that's how we caught the flu. Watch out, you will catch it too.

Yes, my birthday's the day we disembark and fly home :(

How about everyone celebrating an anniversary or birthday post here so we know.

Don't tell Arlene but we are celebrating her birthday this cruise. Actually, it is the week after we get home but it is more fun to celebrate onboard.

May 23 is our 30th wedding anniversary. We had planned to be on PIP.

Unfortunately, we've had to cancel.

I work for United Airlines. I got laid off from a sales position ( management ) in San Francisco in March 2003. Finally got back on in Seattle reservations, June 2004.

On April 5, they announced they are closing the Seattle res center effective June 5. They claim it isn't due to outsourcing, but when you look at the profiles on each office, Pune and Mumbai each have about 100-125 people now, and will be up to 325 each by Sept. Pune goes to 24 hours a day operation on June 5.

Coincidence? There are about 325 of us being laid off. We were offered the opportunity to transfer to Chicago, Washington DC, Detroit, or Honolulu.

I chose to be laid off, but I am applying for and interviewing for other jobs within the company.

I am eligible for early retirement in one year, six months, 25 days.

Frances

Good idea, Ngaire. Just to reiterate our celebrations:

25th anniversary, May 21st, embarkation day
My birthday, June 4th, debarkation day (after most of you have gone home!)

Our wedding anniversary is May 22nd.

Sounds like we'll have a lot of celebrating to do - in addition to just being there. Congratulations, everyone!!!

I also wanted to mention I am requesting two dinner functions and thought I should let people know so they dont make dinner plans and then get all messed up. These cannot be completely confirmed until I am onboard but this is the preliminary plan.

Just keep Monday and Wednesday nights open without dinner plans and I will confirm things once we are onboard. The last night I am trying to squeeze in our "gift exchange". Time and open space on board is tight that last night but we will fit it in somewhere. Once I get my two social chicks aboard, the Suzanne and Sheri twins, and they flash their smiles at the Hotel Director, Phillipe, we will figure this out.

Also on the subject of dinner, we normally arrange a place to meet before dinner and then those that want to can all pal up for dinner companions for the evening. It is not possible to eat with everyone in a week when there are so many of us so this often works best. It is nice to eat with different people and usually tables of 4 to 8 work best otherwise the tables are too big. There will always be table companions if you want to eat with others. Probably La Pallette will end up being our hangout on this ship. We will fill that little room up. It is lovely at sunset with the option of sitting outside or inside listening to Hal Fraiser at the piano. (He is always there I dont think he takes a vacation).

Ngaire,

That sounds very nice! But, what is the Gift Exchange? I take it that it is something funny that we do with stuff we either have brought with us or obtain for that evening on purpose?

That sounds wonderful, Ngaire!! Do I understand correctly that the gift exchange is getting more and more bawdy with each LCT trip????
Oh, sidebar, are we supposed to bring a bottle of wine or booze for the pre-dinner drinks at the hotel? What was the final word on that? We will do drinks on Friday night?

Kathy, the buzz word for the gift exchange is "tacky", and you can pick something up in the ports. It was also rather "bawdy" on MINT because of the many terra cotta "items" available.

This was Suzanne and Sheri's brain child and is always a lot of fun. You can spend up to a maximum of $5 per gift and it must be bought during the trip on shore. One gift per person, wrapped anyway you can.

The haul we had from MINT was amazing. We actually donated it all to the crew and the wonderful bartender we had was going to do a similiar exchange with the staff at a staff party. He was pretty excited about it and trust me there was very little there anyone wanted to take home. It was nice to make the bartender so happy as well.

Kind of becoming a tradition. It got extremely noisy on MINT and I have warned them I need a private area I just dont think that they quite get how this event normally goes. We will find a private spot somewhere. It is best that way so we dont disturb other passengers.

If MINT was any indication, you're going to need a hermetically sealed vault on the PG to contain all of the noise and commotion that we can cause! :)

Masaki