Ellie

BON VOYAGE, YOU LUCKY CRAZIES!

DEBBIE: You can book the Sept. 2011 cruise and tell him it's a birthday present for 2 years in a row, as well as anniversary present for 2 years and Christmas! How can anyone complain about that AND you don't have to buy him any presents for the next 15 months! And if you wait, your price will go up......"he who hesitates is lost" they say. Must have been a travel agent who said it!

KEITH: I don't mind the double posts. I think you're TWICE as funny that way!!

I feel like I'm living in the Dark Ages. All this talk about i-pod, i-phone, i-pad.....WOW! But since Suri Cruise has an i-pad, I want one too. Now all I have to do is find someone who will show me how to use it and what it can do!!! That really would be so neat to have for an upcoming cruise. Thanks, Steve!

Frank didn't like cruising somewhere "not hot" but I think come next September, we're going to be looking for an escape to cooler weather. That mont can be brutal!

I VOTED TOO!!!! Thank you, Ma'am!

KEITH: FBI-MAN is booked for a cruise in January 2011. Don't think he'll be going twice in one year. Guess we'll have to find another FBI-MAN. ROSE: That was a good idea putting the crazies cruise name up to votes. Good Job!

Did I mention "Crazies Go North" and I was the only one who gave a reason....does that give me "extra points"?.......HAHAHAHA!!!!!

OMG! Was that a probable YES or a definite MAYBE? K&R...gotta get the Emerald Gang back together, even if we're missing one couple. We can easily replace them you know....have a contest, see who wins the pleasure of being in our gang. HAHAHA! I kinda like "Crazies Go North".....reminds me of one of those old Royal Canadian Mounted Police movies of about 100 years ago (well, maybe just 50).

I don't think this "surprise" is exactly what he would have in mind as being wonderful! He's pretty much...."whatever you want"....when it comes to planning anything. In the past, I would not make commitments until he was willing to agree. Now....after all these years....if I say we're going, we're going....and he always has a good time! If I left the planning up to him, we'd never go anywhere.....except out to dinner or the movies.

We're the kind of cruisers who prefer to stay in the tropical climates but I must say, I do have an interest in meeting all of you who will be going. Rose: Are you & Howie willing to put up with both of us on another cruise? Will I be able to get "the perfect banana daiquiri" on the 2011 Crazies cruise? Of course, I will have to see how things go with Frank's health in the next few weeks/months. I know he won't be crazy about having to fly up to NJ to cruise, especially since we have 4 embarkation ports in FL. Guess I'll just have to book it and tell him sometime in the summer of 2011. Gives me plenty of time to set aside another "travel fund". Count us in as a "Probable Yes".

CONGRATS, TIM!

Sure would like to have that info on Princess. Would a TA be of help in obtaining this info? That being said.....I'm OK with Explorer.

HI, NEIGHBOR!

We didn't like the lack of "elegance" on Carnival. I felt like I was hanging out at the local fish camp at times. Both of us enjoy getting dressed for dinner, even on non-formal nights. So we won't be sailing Carnival again.

That was a great observation, Sarge! I never would have thought about that. COOL!

Sounds like you & your family will have a fantastic cruise! Don't worry...be happy!

DUH! I intended to post only the comment about the Silverseas cruise....then ended up rambling...wanted that to go on our Daily Dock. What a knucklehead I can be sometimes!!!

SORRY, Steve....I was the one who booked the Presidential Suite. Just couldn't help myself....that price is such a bargain. Frank and I plan to take a second mortgage on our house so we can pay cash for this cruise. I agree - Celebrity comes off the list. We had a great time last night. The bar was all decorated for SPD, and the food was wonderful! I had the corned beef & cabbage with potatoes and carrots, as did 4 others in our group. Frank had Irish beef stew (I think the stew I make is better....), my friend Sharon had Shepherd's pie. She liked it. They had a group of musicians who played Irish music. There were kids from an Irish dance class (didn't even know they existed in FL)....they were fantastic. The youngest was about 6...a cute little boy, and the oldest about 16. Sharon got pulled out into the dancers to be his partner...she was ecstatic. Too bad we didn't have a camera. BUT - NO GREEN BEER!!!! I don't drink it anyway....the lime in my vodka & tonic was the green in my drink! Can't remember the last time we went somewhere where we clapped to the music, sang along....they just don't have those kind of places around here. Only 55* right now with a high of 72. Tomorrow is Frank's big day (pacemaker)....hope he can sleep tonight. I'll be the one waking up every 2 hours thinking about it. The time change is going to be a killer...it will feel like we're waking up @ 4:30 instead of 5:30. Have to keep him busy today....going out to cut down all the dead stems in our landscaping. Been waiting for the landscapers to do it....guess they're too busy. Our community has a terrible company for landscaping....and we pay for this in our homeowner's assoc. dues. Our robellini out front is dead with no hope of saving it. Last year's frost did damage, but there were signs of life. It did well after I cut it back, along with the other plants. This year it looks like a big tumbleweed in front of our house. with smaller tumbleweeds all over. Feels like we're living in Tombstone Territory. Happy Sunday, Everyone!

NJ sounds good....so does Baltimore....Ocean view is the same price too. Enchantment was fully refurbished back in 2005 and smaller (2446 passengers as opposed to Explorer's 3114), if that makes a difference to anyone. It also has more to offer (Solarium with indoor/outdoor pool, open atrium for shopping, and a specialty coffee house featuring Seattle's Best Coffee). Did I mention the bungee trampoline? I'm sure we have a few daredevils in our crowd, right? Explorer's maiden voyage was in 2000....kinda old. A lot of details to consider.....good thing we're planning far ahead. Thank You, MaryLou, for all of your efforts to organize this cruise.

I agree with you, MaryLou....14 days is a long time, especially for those of us who are employed. Have not heard many good reports about NCL. Just my opinion. Good thing we have a year to plan this....looks like it isn't going to be easy. Good Luck!

Thanks, everyone! It was a cool surprise to get that message from Jason telling me I won. Looks like I have to go shopping again!!

How cool is that, Deb? Maybe Cheryl (GC) will be able to have a 4-course dining room lunch with any of us who sail out of Fort Lauderdale on the specified dates! The only problem might be she may not get off the ship. I think that's a nice promo for people to book on Princess.

DUH! Rank us up there with the people who don't lock their luggage....at least we're in good company with K&R! Seriously though, I never put anything in the luggage that anyone would want.....only clothes & shoes....and the only valuables we take are jewelry and our camera....in carry-on bags. Never had anything missing....maybe just lucky!