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Title: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by jminmilwaukee on Sep 9th, 2003, 8:25am It seems the response to cigs, booze, sex and coffee has warented the following post. I propose a Cluster Cruise for the fall of 2004. If we are going to live together on an island I thought we should have a trial run on a 7 day cruise to the carribean. If we get enough people together we shouold be able to work out a deal with one of the cruise lines. I am shooting for fall of next year to give people time to save and plan for such a venture. Also, you can pay off a cruise a little at a time for the next 12 months which makes it even more affordable. SO.....give me a head count and I will do the research. jmin |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by ShariRae on Sep 9th, 2003, 9:20am That sounds like wayyy to much fun!! Count me in..but do it soon so I can save my pennies!! Shari |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by Jimi on Sep 9th, 2003, 9:20am :) I don't think that I would want to be on a cruise in the fall if you are thinking of a bahama area cruise. Hurricane season gets started at the end of summer, early fall. Those cruises are usually better in early summer. IMHO :) |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by Cooked Brain on Sep 9th, 2003, 9:35am like a love cruise on a love boat :) |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by taraann on Sep 9th, 2003, 9:50am Any idea on approximately how much it would cost? Cause I would LOVE to go, I have ALWAYS wanted to take a cruise and there wouldn't be a more awesome cruise thana clusterhead cruise lol. |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by jminmilwaukee on Sep 9th, 2003, 10:21am A seven day cruise can be done for as little at $700 for an inside state room. I personlly like to spend a little extra, like $1200 for an outside room with a balcony. There are other requirements such as double occupancy and the dreaded bar tab at the end. I would recomend Carnival as they have the most affordable cuises with the most avail balcony rooms. Also, they are not as uptight about "party people" as some of the more senior centric cruise lines. Airfare to Miami is normally cheap and everything is included exept for liquor and gambling. I have found that even though they do not allow it, you can smuggle on a few bottles in your luggage to ease the bar tab. I will do some more research and throw out a couple of dates / destination to consider. jmin |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by vig on Sep 9th, 2003, 12:56pm It sounds like fun, but I'm thinking this is like the boat cruise from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. A bunch of CH'ers on a ship? It's going down! sign me up anyway. |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by cootie on Sep 9th, 2003, 1:05pm A large group of our freinds do a cruise every year early summer...yeah hurricane season is upon us now and not the best time ta plan one. They have a blast but they blow big bucks......I think there bar tab for the group was over $ 800.00 (you can charge everything to a credit card to as you go)....but they said they got alot of stuff free cuz of the large group. They had danceing....different bands in different areas for different likes....and a pool on the ship and you name it plus gambling....they have a BLAST !!! But addin air fair and the cruise plus spendin money is gonna add up to quite a bit fer sum ona tight budget.....still no reason suma can't go ahead and plan one anyhow for those that can go and maybe a regular convention like last year at a resort or hotel fer the mass with speakers ect. One can be a reunion and one can be an official convention ? Pam on the USS CH-tantic |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by jminmilwaukee on Sep 9th, 2003, 1:11pm Yeah, I'm not suggesting we replace the convention and yes, it can add up. Shore excursions, airfair, drinks and the cruise itself can run $1500 or more. This is why I suggested next fall. Gives anyone interested time to pre pay as much as possible. THe way I look at it, $100 to $150 a month for a week in the tropics is not bad at all. More to follow |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by UnsolvedEquation on Sep 9th, 2003, 5:16pm Quote:
LOL... Count me in. I'd love to be able to go ( If I can afford it ) PS...Who's bringing the oars ? |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by BobG on Sep 9th, 2003, 9:11pm Just to keep this string going I copy/pasted some from another discussion about a convention. from nancyc: Maybe a dumb suggestion but with cruises so cheap now and free food, etc...why not get a group booked and let's get a great deal and to to Hawaii or the Bahamas...what a convention that would be...just a suggestion ....smiles,nancyc from BobG: I like Nancy’s suggestion. A 4 day-3 night cruise to the Bahamas can be had for $500 or less per person. A 7 day cruise to the eastern or western Caribbean is about $700 to a $1000. That includes air travel to Florida and return home, all meals and buffets, nightly entertainment, swimming pools, hot tubs, work out spa. If the group is large enough (about 50 or more) they will usually toss in a meeting room and a bunch of freebies. Any good travel agent can arrange this sort of thing. We’ve been on Carnival Cruise lines, Princess, an Italian ship line that I can’t remember the name of, thank goodness, it sucked big time. And just 3 weeks ago we were on the Norwegian Sky to Alaska. Carnival is a great party line. Good for the 35 and under crowd. Great service. Princess is very good with beautiful, huge ships. Great service. Norwegian has beautiful ships. Mostly older, 45+, crowd. I’ve never seen more gray hair and wrinkles in one place in my life. The favorite item at the buffet was prunes. If a convention was held in Nashville for example, how much is air fare, hotel room costs, all meals, entertainment, maybe a car rental going to cost for someone from NY or California? Compare it with the cost of a cruise and I think you’ll find more bang-for-the-buck with cruisin’. from Mark C: Hey Bob, Didnt you take a crusie on one of those great big boats this year? What was the name of that thing..as I remember it was HUGE!...I think I like this idea alot.....I like boats! from don: Nancy, That is a super fuckin idea! from cootie: A cruise would be super cool tho I admit...do they have vacines for Norwalk virus yet ? from Mr.Happy: (No cruises, no islands. Sorry folks.......one taste of that life, and I'd never come home. Besides.......have you ever seen the BAR TAB on a Luxury Liner?) from BobG: Mark C……Yeah, it was a big sucker, about 2500 passengers, but that’s about average size. Last month we took the Norwegian Sky from Seattle up through the inside passage to Ketchikan, Juneau, Sawyer Glacier and Skagway. Then turned around and came back along the outside passage with a stop in Victoria, BC. If you’ve never been to Victoria then you’ve missed a most beautiful city. We were there only one day and plan our next vacation to go back again. My high school class had our 25th reunion on board a Carnival Lines ship to the Bahamas. 75 of us (out of 125) left Florida on New Years Eve and had the Mother-of-all-parties. The cruise line gave us the use of a meeting room each day for three days at no charge. They also threw in trays of food, bottles of wine, and a keg of beer at no charge. Mr Happy, the bar tab on a cruise ship isn’t what you would imagine. The drinks are about the same price as your local saloon. Surprised me too. And the coffee bars are about the same as Starbuck$. There ain’t no porch but you could pee off the deck. And it’s open all night. And the (free) buffet’s are usually open until midnight. My motto is “No pain, no gain. Eat til it hurts!” How about cruisin’ on the Mississippi. Pricey, but St. Louis to New Orleans would be cool. |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by cootie on Sep 9th, 2003, 9:57pm My friends said it ran them close to $ 5,000.00 fer the both of em for air fair, cruise, food (they had free luncheons I think tho).....drinks and souveneers and bit of gambling total. Few single people went and said there totals were closer to bout $ 3,000.00. Suppose not everyone could swing that kinda dough ech ? But the ones that can sure will have a GREAT as hell time no doubt !!! Just thought I'd add the info......a cruise is of course a great idea but costly less'n there are cheaper ones..I think they took Carnival cruise line. Bout 12 of em went this year........not as many could swing it and go last time. I like a quiet resort type setting idea with a porch if possible or hang out area with no time frame ta close up......even one that mite have entertainment.....but for the most part everyone jus wanted to be tagether and sit and yuk it up in NY....we had a nice view of the water 'n so peaceful there. Our room overlooked the river with deck on back. We'd of had fun in a cardboard box actually me thinks ! There was alot of other stuff ta do there too. Whatever ya's all decide is cool. Pam that is jus addin details |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by Lone_Wolf_FLA on Sep 9th, 2003, 11:17pm Caribbean Guys, you're spending WAY TOO MUCH!! You don't have to have a $1500.00 stateroom with a balcony. Don't misunderstand, you can if you want, but you don't have to have one. If you use the right TA (Travel Agent) and book a block of rooms, you can generally catch upgrades (gratis), for advance and block purchaces. I have cruised nearly every year I've been here in FLA. Spent the big $$$ on the first one, was never in the room except to fall into bed at 3:30 a.m. just to be back up at 7:30-8:00 a.m. and off on something else. So why did I spend the big $$$? The last several cruises we've been on "Mrs. Wolf" has booked, generally around $280.00 per person, double occupancy. I'd recommend Royal Caribbean, Vs Carnival, having sailed both. Royal is way more laid back, much less pushy with their "extra" marketing, and offers some much better deals on pre purchases at boarding. They don't mind "party people" either. Extras can eat you on a cruise. The only free drinks are water, coffee, and tea onboard. Sodas are extra, this is where Royal is good as for $10.00 (per person) at boarding you can get unlimited sodas. Some shore excursions do cost, but you don't have to take them, once you are in port you can do what you want without paying big excursion $$. I guess I'm saying you can make it as expensive as you'd like or as economical as you'd like. Either way you're sure to love it, and gain about 100lbs!! BTW- Take 1 bottle of your favorite beverage, and only 1. Not because the ship will frown on it, while they will, they won't say anything unless you get REAL stupid. Just take the one to get you into international waters, once there they open the duty free stores. Liquor in the duty free store on board ship is a fraction of your local liquor store!! Example Kaluha, med bottle here= $20 to $30, larger bottle on board = $14.00 in the duty free shop. BTW2- If you suffer from motion sickness, you may very well get seasick despite what the cruise line says about all the modern advances. If you have motion sickness problems DON't run out and buy dramimine. Go to the Pursers desk right after boarding and tell them you need some seasickness pills. They are free and VERY effective. They don't publicize this service, but the ships meds are 500% more effectve than OTC motion sickness meds. No good for biz with seasick passengers. Storm season is the best, rates get even cheaper, and the ships stay 1000's of miles from them, you'll bareley notice. |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by head_darts on Sep 9th, 2003, 11:22pm count me in! with a big enough group we might even get a deal. no doubt our family memebers will ask the captain to be sure we never come back! |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post #1 Post by BobG on Sep 10th, 2003, 12:08am Hi Pam, You’re right, a cruise can be costly. If you want it to be. But it doesn’t have to be. Lone_Wolf_FLA hit it right on the nose. Great information. Listen to this guy. Take a deep breath…….this is going to be long. So long in fact that I have to make 2 posts of it. But, I want to explain why jim started this string and what you can expect. For those that haven’t “cruised”. Let’s use a cruise to the Bahamas as an example. Price per person………$500 to 1000+. 1. It all depends on where you go. Cruisin’ the Hawaiian Islands is expensive. A cruise to the Bahamas is probably the cheapest. 2. It depends on how you get to the dock. Fly from California to Florida? Take the train from NY to Florida? Have a friend drive you? Greyhound? 3. It depends on your meals? Will you be eating all your meals ashore? Or on the ship? 4. It depends on what you do when you get to the islands. Are you going shopping for diamonds and Rolex’s? Are you going on sightseeing tours? Golf? Scuba? Casinos? Bar hopping? Or will you be remaining on-board? 5. Depends on which cabin on which deck you prefer. Inside cabins (no windows or balcony) on the lower decks are the cheapest. As the cabins get bigger and higher in the ship, the higher the price. Outside cabins with a balcony are the most expensive. Number 1 is self explanatory. Number 2: When you buy your cruise ticket the price of the airplane is included to and from home (or you can make your own arrangements). With some cruise lines the price of the train trip can be included. Number 3: ALL meals are included in the price of you cruise ticket. Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. All ships have a dining room. Some have open seating, meaning you can eat breakfast anytime between 6am and 9am or Dinner between 5pm and 8pm. Some ships have assigned seating meaning you always set at the same table with the same waiters for all your meals. If you are not there they will not give your seat to someone else. These usually require you to “dress” for dinner. Sport coat and tie or dress/suit. One night will be the Captain’s Dinner. That is Tux and Gown night (but not required). But the coat and tie rule does apply. Usually about 60% of the passengers enjoy the tux/gown part of the cruise. In the dinning room(s) you choose your food from a menu. There is always breads/crackers/snacks on the table. For each course you can select from (usually) 4 different salads, 4 different potatoes, 4 different soups, 4 different meat dishes and 4 different desserts. A wine steward is always available but you pay for this service. From the menu you can have any selection you want or you can have all the selections at no extra charge. You they have steak and lobster you can have as many steaks as you want. If you only want the lobster you can have only the lobster, or 3 or 4 of them if you want. Every day the dinner menu changes. All ships have buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Eat all you want as many times as you want. No extra charge. You can, if you want, go straight from the 4 lobster dinner in the dining room to the buffet and pig out again. There is usually a late night buffet until around midnight. Or, you can order anything on the menu brought to your cabin. No extra charge, but please tip for the delivery service. You can leave and return to the ship anytime it is in port. If you eat on the ship instead of in town you will save a lot of money. Number 4: We’re talking about an OUCH gathering so I take it for granted that it will probably be for just 3 or 4 days. With a large group of people (friends) you will most likely be more interested in seeing them than going ashore. This will save you a bunch of money. You do not need the 6-for-$10 “I visited the Bahamas” T-shirts. Golf you can do at home. A Timex will keep time just a good as a Rolex. Save your money by NOT shopping ashore. There many shops on cruise ships and they are duty-free shops. If you just have to have that expensive perfume, buy it on the ship. There is a lot to do on board. Swimming pools and hot tubs. Golf driving (in a cage), skeet shooting, exercise spa (sometimes at extra cost, sometimes not), just sitting and talking to clusterheads. You do not need to go ashore when you are with a group of friends and may not even want to. If you want to sightsee the islands you can go back another time. Every night there is (Free, included in the price of your ticket) entertainment in the main show room. Singers, comedians, dancers, jugglers. The bars always have bands playing or audience participation games until late at night. There is plenty to do without ever leaving the ship. |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post #2 Post by BobG on Sep 10th, 2003, 12:09am Number 5: Lower decks/ inside cabins. These can have 2 twin beds or 4 (2 of them will swing down from the wall. These are the cheapest cabins but may be the best bet for a clusterhead(s) on a budget. And, if the cruise is for a cluster get together you will be spending very little time in your cabin other than a little sleeping (and I hope showering). Lower decks/outside cabins are the same as inside but have an extra-charge porthole to see out. As you move up in the ship the prices get higher. You can save money by choosing the lower decks. The service is the same on all decks, usually excellent. Let’s get to the $$$. For the cost of your ticket you get airfare to and from home. You get transportation from the airport or hotel to the dock. You get ALL meals. You get a lot of entertainment and activities. Depending on your arrival and/or departure dates you may get a night in a hotel before or after the cruise. What do you pay for? Anything you get from the bar. But, the prices are not out of line. If you run up a tab of $100 on a 3 day cruise then you have a drinking problem or your friends are sucking you dry. Coffee bar prices are fair and reasonable. Remember, you are on vacation. You have to pay your own way in the casino. You have to pay for some services such as laundry, massages and shotgun shells. When you first get on the ship you will be given a “credit card”. Everything you buy onboard will be on that “credit card”. No money is used on the ship. At the end of the cruise you will be required to pay your charges, either with your Visa, MasterCard, etc or cash. Each ship has it’s own “tipping” system. The tip may be on you list of charges or you may tip the service personnel personally. It’ll be around 10 to 15% of the total bill. Remember this, the service staff (waiters, cabin attendants, etc) DO NOT received wages or salaries. They depend on the tips from passengers. Cost? Florida to Bahamas. 4 days and 3 nights. The length of an average Cluster Convention. Lower deck/4 bunks/inside, per person, never leave the ship. $500 Upper deck with balcony, per person, never leave the ship. $800 And lastly, thought this would go on forever, huh? If you do go on a cruise be careful. There is a great deal of danger of falling in love with cruisin’ and you’ll want to do it again. And again. And again. We did. Next cruise. #5 for us…….the New England coast. ;D |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by UnsolvedEquation on Sep 10th, 2003, 3:16am yes....but is clothing optional ?? ;D |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by brain_cramps on Sep 10th, 2003, 7:27am on 09/09/03 at 12:56:29, vig wrote:
Yeah, mon. Now yer talkin. grant 8) |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by Lone_Wolf_FLA on Sep 10th, 2003, 7:28am As a matter of fact there is a "clothing optional" sundeck on ALL cruise ships UnsolvedEquation. ;D |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by Charlie on Sep 10th, 2003, 7:52am Steerage. A hammock shared with Ralph from Liverpool. Can't beat it for economy. Bring your own rubber ducky. Charlie |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by jminmilwaukee on Sep 10th, 2003, 8:12am 4- Day Western Caribbean prices from $179* or $9** per month. compare Fascination Sailing from: Miami, Florida on 9/15/2003 Itinerary: MIAMI, FLORIDA; KEY WEST, FLORIDA; COZUMEL ISLAND, MEXICO; MIAMI, FLORIDA I prefer Eastern Carib but for a short cruise and plans to make the most of the ship, this one looks like it fits the bill nicely. Plus, gives all one year to pay for it. No sticker shock if you treat it like a monthly bill. Let me know if this one looks good. If I get 10 or more YES, I will go, I will see if we can work a deal. jmin |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by jminmilwaukee on Sep 10th, 2003, 8:13am Scratch that, I picked a cruise for next week!!!!! Ooops, I'll be back. |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by jminmilwaukee on Sep 10th, 2003, 8:14am 4- Day Western Caribbean prices from $259* or $12** per month. compare Fascination Sailing from: Miami, Florida on 9/6/2004 Itinerary: MIAMI, FLORIDA; KEY WEST, FLORIDA; COZUMEL ISLAND, MEXICO; MIAMI, FLORIDA Price is per person/double occupancy Here you go. |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by catlind on Sep 10th, 2003, 10:02am Something else to consider in support of a cruise is the cost of even attending a convention. For the NY convention, rooms were $79 a night plus a shitload of taxes. That equaled approximately $300 for the 3 nights 4 days. Then the cost of a flight. Probably no less than $200 for most folks. You have just spent $500 for travel and lodging to attend a convention and you haven't even counted in food or drink. I would say that a cruise is equally cost effective and probably alot more fun than sitting in a hotel. Of course, we need a porch ;) Cat |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by Melissa on Sep 10th, 2003, 10:07am Isn't a cruise ship like one big giant porch? ;) |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by nancyc on Sep 10th, 2003, 10:34am I have never been on a cruise and always wanted to...could not think of a better group of people to go with than you guys and gals...I may even be able to find my rich millionaire with the orange cat (hell, I cant remember what else I wanted, Donna, Barb D, Bill, and Deb...help me out here...the topamax has stolen my brain LMAO)...smiles,nancyc |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by suzy617 on Sep 10th, 2003, 11:57am Most cruises do not cover airplane fares, especially the specials. After all how would they make money if they charged say 400.00 for a 4 night stay and your plane fare was 300.00? So in most cases you would have to pay airplane tickets seperately. But if they have a porch, I'm in... Suzy |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by BruceD on Sep 10th, 2003, 1:23pm What a coincidence... My wife was at a meeting at church last night and the speaker (an older gentleman) said that every husband & wife should go on a cruise. While Milwaukee would be loads easier (and closer) the cruise sounds fun. I've never been on one before, but I guess the SS Clusterboat would be OK. ;) Hopefully the boat won't capsize if we all get hit simultaneously and start banging our heads against the same side of the ship. ;D Take care BruceD |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by vig on Sep 10th, 2003, 4:21pm a three hour tour? on the S.S. Minnow? Skipper? Mrs. Howell? |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by ClusterChuck on Sep 10th, 2003, 6:59pm I am a confirmed "cruiser" !!! Great time!!! ... ... ... ... Oh ... ... ummm ... ... your were talking about cruising for chicks weren't you? Seriously, been on MANY cruises abourd Uncle Sam's cruise fleet, and one on Royal Caribbean. I prefer Royal to US Naval. If there is a group going, count me in! Can't wait for another cruise, and can't think of a better group to go with! An old, old, old, OLD salt Chuck |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by Mark C on Sep 10th, 2003, 7:18pm http://www.martintravelservices.com/images/carnival-fascination.jpg Fascination Specifications Gross Tonnage: 70,367 Length: 855 Feet Beam: 103 Feet Cruising Speed: 21 Knots Guest Capacity: 2,040 (Double Occupancy) Total Staff: 920 Registry: Panama Fascination Cruise Reviews (http://www.cruisereviews.com/carnival/Fascination.htm) |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by Mastifflvr28 on Sep 10th, 2003, 9:34pm on 09/10/03 at 13:23:16, BruceD wrote:
Does that mean I have to bring my husband? NAHHHHHHH :) Mean ole Mast |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by ClusterChuck on Sep 11th, 2003, 2:30am Michelle, will you accept this old fart as your "date"? Chuck, who is NOT bringing his wife. |
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Title: Re: Cluster Cruise 2004! Post by jminmilwaukee on Sep 11th, 2003, 3:31pm You do not need to bring a significant other BUT you do need to bunk with someone. Unless you would like to pay double the price is based on two per room. So whats it going to be? Spring, Summer or Fall? My girlfriend will probably want to join BUT I may be able to sneek a few of the single ladies onto the balcony! ;) Hell, she may even enjoy the extra company assuming you are a wacked as me. jmin trying to plan.......... |
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