Congrats JoAnn!!!!! I love happy stories

We're going to use Regent Air. Since we have AMEX miles and usually go Delta, we don't want to transfer them since we don't want to risk a loss of miles. Delta cancelled its regular flight ATL to NCE and is now JFK-NCE.

Oh Kathy - I know that b/c our friends Neil and Carol want to use Delta too and upgrade and I thought you had said there was a flight ATL/NCE, but couldn't find it and saw that it was NY/NCE, which I have to work for them on the 6th. Thanks for letting me know I hadn't totally gotten it wrong! :eek:

What is your air out of LAX Kathy? Are you upgrading? If so what did RSSC quote you? It was expensive for Dick and Nancy, and the upgrade they quoted me was like double.

Congrats, JoAnn -- talk about moving FAST! Glad you got the flights you wanted. I have no idea what we will do. The options because of open jaw aren't so great, as everyone knows. But once we are within the dates, I will jump into the fray and see what I can figure out.

Thanks Joanna - we have been so hoping to actually get the seats and we did - couldn't believe it.

Priscilla, you should be within a day or two of being within those dates, by calling the airline, I realised they were about two days ahead of what I could see on the website, but since we need to use a "partner award" to get to Nice, we had to call them anyway.

We haven't actually booked it yet. I am still researching. I emailed Ngaire.

Great news, JoAnn. Each step makes CROSS more of a reality.

Maybe Dick and Nancy will end up on our flights since we'll both be LAX - NCE

JoAnn: Say "HI" to Dick and Nancy for us -

Kathy - probably not, they will fly out on the 2nd and arrive on the 3rd and go straight to the ship.

Joanna - will do!

Denise - agree, as I said above, its like real now!

Well, we decided to try to see if we could get air using mileage and we scored Business Elite non stop LAX-CDG. Now tonight I can book the CDG to NCE part. We're going in two days early. To buy those seats OW was $4700! Frank wanted to save the miles, but, for what? There is a 20% bonus for transferring miles from AMEX to Delta. We got them for 90K miles but we had miles on Delta in the bank from flying last year and then with the bonus it was not much more than a domestic flight WHOO HOOO

Wow, that's great, back to Monte Carlo! Do you know where you want to stay in Nice yet, you lucky people!

Yay Kathy!!

I was really surprised at how much air was thru Regent from LAX, Dick and Nancy are, at the moment at least, booked thru RSSC and the coach fare is $1929 per person. Upgrading was basically double that, yet from here it was pretty reasonable.

Tomorrow I can add our segment from LHR to NCE and it will be done. We will just purchase a one way from FLL to Washington on JetBlue as soon as it opens for booking, which with them is only about 6 months ahead, but I'm not really worried about it. Like I said a few posts back, we have our hotel in Provence for 2 nights and I will book with the transfer service that Kathy used last year.

We haven't decided where to stay in Nice. Not staying in Monte Carlo - too pricey there and we saw as much of MC as we were interested in seeing. The two days in Nice ought to be just about right. Was trying to convince Frank that we should spend two days in Paris and then the day of sailing head to Nice.

Well, as you know, we really enjoyed Nice. There is, however, a fair amount of construction happening downtown--building a major tramline--hopefully most of that will be done a year from now.

It's quite a charming city, the old section, the food, the flower market. It will be quite different in November of course, but probably still charming, and devoid of tourists, which is a biggy. It will also be warmer than Paris almost certainly--I was in Paris in November once, and it can get pretty darned cold.

Well, let's hope for weather like we had on WAVE!

Google some average temperatures--in November Paris has about 45 degrees, Nice about 55 degrees.

Thanks, Wendy. Maybe Nice is the better option.

Just purchased our upgraded tix for CROSS, including 3 full days of touring Nice and surrounding areas!!!!!

Hooray! It's for real NOW! We're going to France and then heading home via Voyager!

YUP! :banana: <img border="0" alt="[vhappy]" title="" src="graemlins/icon_vhappy.gif" />

Well I have now confirmed our flight from London to Nice on Nov 1 - so we will do 2 nights at the Four Seasons in Provence and see you'all onboard!!

Who knows Denise, we might run into each other at some cute little cafe' in Provence, since we are not that far from Nice.

So at some point guess we should plan a boarding day get together, but obviously we can wait a few months.

Now I just have to hope that Laura doesn't get pregnant (well yes that would be fine) and be due in November (that would be a problem).

Can't wait to see everyone onboard, but it is 11 months away - but anticpation, best part, well one of the best parts!!! everyone!

JoAnn,

No Provence for us this time around. Provence will be a trip in and of itself someday, as there's too much we want to see and not nearly the adequate amount of time for us to do what we'd like.

If you happen into a nice little cafe in Nice there's always the possibility we'll be there as well!

NICE is so NICE.....enjoy all!!!!

I'm sure it will be lovely, Joanna! Thanks!

We are really looking forward to the 3 day visit to Nice and surrounding areas, then 8 days of non-stop, port-intensive touring, followed by 8 beautiful days of relaxing on the TA crossing! Perfect!

Home Run Denise - perfect!!!

Denise - when you said "surrouding area" I thought maybe you meant getting into Provence a little. Oh well, lets just plan on running into each other onboard!!! :D :D Like that will be difficult!

Hope you enjoy NICE. We know we can only touch on a small area of Provence, but there are several small towns and villages within 1/2 hour or less from the Four Seasons, so we will concentrate on a few of those.

We too are looking forward to the 8 days of ports, and then 8 days of relaxation, food, wine, fun, and enjoying all the LCT'ers onboard.

Hotel La Perouse in Nice is all booked now. Just need to book a tour and arrange for transfers.

Sounds like plans are starting to come together, for all of us!

Very exciting plans, JoAnn!

We changed our booking at Le Grimaldi from our MC/Dover cruise dates to CROSS pre-stay dates and we're firmed!

Upgraded air, except for FLL to SNA segment, booked, through Lufthansa (love Lufthansa), upgraded through United's Mileage Plus, which was quick to confirm our upgrades! Le Grimaldi booked! We're well on our way!

Denise - good choice upgrading on Lufthansa - we flew Lufthansa from Rome to Washington, booked thru RSSC last year, in business class and it was fantastic!!!

We are only doing AA this time because we had a ton of miles we had been saving so we could fly First Class, the annoying part is we have to fly Washington-Chicago-London-Nice, I would much rather fly non stop from here to Europe and then just have to do one connection -- oh well guess the sacrifice is worth it for First Class on a 777 - hopefully it is! :D :D

JoAnn,

The only thing that matters is getting there, right? Flying First Class or Business Class certainly makes the long journey palatable.

I agree - Lufthansa's Business Class is first rate!

Denise, congrats on getting the upgrade!

Nancy

I know it is big relief to get those FF and/or upgrades in place - I stress over that chore -

Boy, you guys are soooo good, getting everything in order all ready. I think we will be ready as soon as we get back from SAND to get everything in place. After our cruise it will be great to have something in place to plan for.

Thanks, Nancy! We've both had a good week, haven't we? ;)

Joanna, When travel planning comes together, it's a beautiful thing!

Texas Don, Ya know you and Diana wanna do both segments of CROSS! Hoping! Hoping!

Denise, it is always a wanna. It's more of a canna! LOL

Now, if we cancel our May Med cruise on the Silver Wind, maybe we canna! We have two more weeks to decide on our May cruise before the penalties set in.

BTW, if anybody would like to help out in a charitable way, we are gladly accepting donations! Just make your checks payable to the Don and Diana Grand Cross Fund! It is fully tax deductable on your state income tax in the following states: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming! LOL

oh, Don - aren't you clever. I am available to prepare the tax returns for those of you who want to file them for the states that Don mentioned (lol)!

And besides, if you do the full crossing on RSSC just think, you'll have us to tag along with.

Don,

I can guarantee you'll have more fun with the CROSSers than you will on that May cruise! Hope you will decide to spend some quality 16-day time with some quality LCTers!

Maybe a telethon is in order for us all to build up our funds! There's also the possibility that Kathy can find some "creative" tax loopholes!

Don,

Isn't that Murder Mystery really a Get Rich buying Real Estate (ahem) seminar you are hosting trying to get all of us to buy swampland in Texas? Ha! Tax Deductible Travel then!

Denise,

Maybe you can give us all a lecture on the in and outs of staying at various hotels and which one is best for us in the Luxury Cruise Market?