December 2008

If you are lucky enough to be cruising during the month, please list your cruise and the date and we will do our best to stalk you along your journey to get a glimpse of your ship. Please list your dates and ports.

Regent Navigator. Me, DW, DS10 and DS5

Dec 18 - Ft. Lauderdale
Dec 19 - At Sea
Dec 20 - George Town, Grand Cayman
Dec 21 - Cozumel
Dec 22 - Cozumel
Dec 23 - Belize City
Dec 24 - Guatemala
Dec 25 - At Sea
Dec 26 - Costa Maya
Dec 27 - At Sea
Dec 28 - Key West
Dec 29 - Ft. Lauderdale

We somewhat impulsively just booked this Voyager "Spotlight on Chocolate" sailing:

Dec 1 Monday Ft Lauderdale, FL, U.S.A.
Dec 2 Tuesday Key West, FL, U.S.A. 08:00 14:00
Dec 3 Wednesday Cozumel, Mexico 12:00 19:00
Dec 4 Thursday Belize City, Belize 08:00 18:00
Dec 5 Friday Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala 07:00 18:00
Dec 6 Saturday Costa Maya, Mexico 08:00 16:00
Dec 7 Sunday At Sea
Dec 8 Monday Ft Lauderdale, FL, U.S.A.

Dena

Yeah, at last! We're on the Paul Gauguin again, from December 6th to 20th, the Marquesas itinerary. Our friend Jim is coming with us this time (first time cruiser), then we will spend some holiday time in L.A. with family, and visit Kathy and Frank, returning to Toronto on Christmas day:

Dec 6 Papeete, Tahiti
Dec 7 Bora Bora
Dec 8 Monday Bora Bora
Dec 9 Tuesday Rangiroa
Dec 10 Wednesday Rangiroa
Dec 11 Thursday At Sea
Dec 12 Friday Fatu Hiva (Omoa
Dec 13 Saturday Hiva Oa
Dec 14 Sunday Ua Huka (Vaipaee)
Dec 15 Monday Nuku Hiva (Taiohae)
Dec 16 Tuesday At Sea
Dec 17 Wednesday At Sea
Dec 18 Thursday Taha'a Motu Mahana
Dec 19 Friday Moorea
Dec 19 Friday Papeete
Dec 20 Saturday Papeete

BTW, Dena, we did a similar itinerary and timing last year on Voyager and had a great time!

Wendy, LOL, we did the 11 night Marquesas trip in December 2006. So we can exchange tips! You will love it. I think I have a review posted here or if you have any questions, let me know.

Dena

Thanks Dena! Ditto--we loved Guatemala and Belize, for instance.

At the moment we're signed up for every excursion we can fit in up in the Marquesas, since I figure this will be a one-time thing. Our friend Jim is even signed up for the helicopter ride, but that's too rich for my blood (and I'd probably just throw up anyways!)

My one doubt is Rangi, since everybody seems to think that the "aquarium" snorkeling is so-so, and the coral around the top end of the island is mostly dead. We've opted for the Black Pearl trip, since we did this on Manihi and really enjoyed it, and thought Jim might like it. Otherwise I'm just going to knock around shore I expect (we're there overnight, 2 half days.)

This being a "Spotlight on Chocolate"

COCOA - Caribbean Outrageous Chocolate Obsession Adventure. As the name for the trip, maybe we
will find a nice magent pin

But as Anne notes a chocolate teapot well....

Now .. on to that chocolate teapot. Wonderful idea. Here's a summary of recent scientific
experimentation, also found in the Annals of Improbable Research, of the old saying:
"about as useful as a chocolate teapot" http://www.plokta.com/plokta/issue23/teapot.htm Of
course, if one needs a supply of chocolate teapots to recognize someone's less than special
efforts, you can buy them here: http://www.chocopot.com/

We're on the New Years Panama Canal Voyager Cruise (with CruiserPK):

Dec 29 Ft Lauderdale, FL
Dec 30 Princess Cays, Bahamas
Dec 31 At Sea
Jan 1 At Sea
Jan 2 Cartagena, Colombia
Jan 3 Panama Canal Transit, Panama
Jan 4 At Sea
Jan 5 Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Jan 6 At Sea
Jan 7 Huatulco, Mexico
Jan 8 Acapulco, Mexico
Jan 9 At Sea
Jan 10 Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Jan 11 At Sea
Jan 12 Los Angeles, CA

SAMBA Plus folks on the Navigator will be enjoying these ports.

Dec 1 At Sea
Dec 2 At Sea
Dec 3 Rio de Janeiro
Dec 4 Rio de Janeiro
Dec 5 At Sea
Dec 6 Salvador De Bahia
Dec 7 At Sea
Dec 8 Fortaleza
Dec 9 At Sea
Dec 10 Belem
Dec 11 At Sea
Dec 12 At Sea
Dec 13 Barbados - Bridgetown
Dec 14 Roseau
Dec 15 San Juan
Dec 16 Grand Turk
Dec 17 At Sea
Dec 18 Ft Lauderdale, disembark and fly home ;-(

Beth, we're doing a similar itinerary next year, so I'm very interested. But how can the first day be "at sea"? Enquiring minds want to know (sorry, I haven't paid attention to the SAMBA posts.)

I think she just included the ports/sea days that occur in December. The SAMBA cruise actually starts out in Capetown on November 21 and ends in Rio on December 4 which is also the beginning of the last segment of the Discovery Collection up the coast of Brazil and into the Caribbean to Fort Lauderdale.

We are sailing on the December 29th Voyager Panama Canal cruise with my parents, and Portolan (Judy and Scott) My parents are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary!
Cheers, Pam

We are booked on the Navigator Discovery Collection Segment 6 which is also a “Spotlight on Chocolate” from Rio – FLL:

December 4 - Rio
December 5 - At Sea
December 6 - Salvador de Bahia
December 7 - At Sea
December 8 - Fortaleza
December 9 - At Sea
December 10 - Belem
December 11 - At Sea
December 12 - At Sea
December 13 - Barbados
December 14 - Roseau
December 15 - San Juan
December 16 - Grand Turk
December 17 - At Sea
December 18 - FLL

Looking forward to meeting other LCTer’s and finally finding out what “pooch” is all about. I know there are quite a few doing SAMBA but who will be on the final segment to FLL?

Hi Sandee & Brian,

Looking forward to meeting you in Rio!!!!! I'll be able to recognize you both by your wonderful smiles. :D

For those who might be on either the Voyager or Navigator cruises departing 29 December from Ft. Lauderdale, I just noticed that we'll also be at Princess Cays together the next day.

The Voyager should also (nearly) pass the Mariner on the night of 1 January 2009 since the Mariner will have sailed from Cartagena that day and we on the Voyager will be arriving for a port call the next day (along with 4476 of our "closest" friends on the PCL Coral Princess and RCCL Jewel of the Seas...ouch!). Mariner is headed for Grand Cayman and we'll be arriving from Princess Cays so the route will be different unless they decide to stage a meeting.

Hi Beth!

Looking forward to meeting you, as well. That pic was taken while cruising on the PG. It was near impossible to not smile during that entire magical experience. There must be something in the polynesian air..... :D

Sandee

Sandee & Brian, I also will be on the full Discovery Collection, and am looking forward to meeting you. I went on the PG last year, and know exactly what you mean. It rained most of my cruise, and I still had the most wonderful time!

Crystal, WOW! You are set to have an awesome experience. Some day..... when we're retired....

Can't wait to meet you and hear all about your adventures leading up to the last segment. Looks like you're located near us. We are in Centreville.

Sandee

Ah, I just left you a message on another string. Yes, looks like we're NoVa neighbors. I once thought I'd have to wait until retirement to do something like this, but my workplace granted me a leave of absence for three months, so I'm doing this mid(ish)-career.

Me too, me too!

We are on the 7 day "normal" PG itinerary 12/20-27 for our honeymoon, embarking as Wendy disembarks!

It will be Mark's first foray into luxury cruising, so thought the PG would be an easy introduction.

Way to go Suzanne....what a wonderful honeymoon for you and Mark !!!

Suzanne you have Christmas, Mark and the PG in FP, you got it all!!!!!

Don't I know it!! :hug:

I agree with Karen what a great way to ring in the New Year!!!!

Perfect, Suzanne!

Suzanne, how great! Nothing like French Polynesia for romance! Don't forget to get a picture of you two during the honeymooon ceremony!

Suzanne, How perfect for you and Mark! I know it will be a wonderful honeymoon. :hug:

Indeed, what a great honeymoon!

What a whoop-de-doo way to close the year! Romance on the South Sea Isles :hug:

Suzanne, you picked a great honeymoon destination!

Congratulations Suzanne & Mark!

Who could ask for more? Gorgeous, romantic locale along with the decadent pampering you will receive on the PG. You are definately introducing Mark to luxury cruising at the top.

Our warmest wishes as you sail away into married life...

Suzanne - that's terrific news! As Karen says - you got it all, and I couldn't be happier for the two of you.

Cheers, Anne

While it looks like CruiserPK (Pam, Tom) and Pam's parents are the only other LCTers who are going to be on the Voyager Panama Canal transit cruise this December, I feel obliged to note that we are only 60 days away!

Scott,

We're actually eyeing this cruise for next year so would love to hear back about your experience. We were going to do the Panama Canal Holiday cruise this year but opted instead for the Navigator Rio to FLL but it's still on our list. We have duly noted your excitement at being only 60 days away from sailing. :D Today it is exactly 30 days until we leave for Rio and the excitement is really building for us, too.

I was on the Voyager Panama Canal cruise last year and it was fantastic except for the bad seas we had coming in to San Francisco. It looks like they are doing the same ports we did except stopping in LA and not going to to SF. Smart move in my book.

I'm flicking through this, maybe I'm overlooking a post or two...is anybody else on "Spotlight on Chocolate" December 1st Voyager?

Charlene

And Karen, thank you SOOOOOOOOOO much for adding the avatar of my two puppies! I appreciate that!

Charlene, your avatar is one of my favs!!!

Panama Canal, here we come!

For those (few) on the 29 December Voyager cruise through the "big ditch," today is the day that restaurant reservations open. Oops!, only the first 4 nights (of 14) are available to make reservations and only in Signatures, not Prime 7. Since the Prime 7 details have been announced, you'd think they could update the Latitudes text, rename the restaurant and take reservations. Oh, well.

I just got off the phone with Regent and was offered several nonsensical explanations for both issues complicated by the fact that the web site now gives an error message when I try to review the Signatures reservation made this morning. A disconnect here.

It'll still be a great cruise!