Cruise Chat....

[Chef Ken]

Originally posted by goin' cruisin':
Oh, the horror! I thought organizing an 11 person cruise was a nightmare!!!! Raffles, you're elected....by default. I think you and Alex should be cabin mates, or at the least, sharing the same dinner table (traditional, not freestyle).

What do you think, maybe a September cruise? Let's say Princess.

[tncruiseman]

September prices sure look pretty good. One of these cruises should be on either the smallest or the biggest. Carnival Holiday or Freedom of the Seas?

[Dave]

Of course, the thing is that I cannot go in September since school starts in early August in Alabama (don't ask me - it is stunningly silly).

Lisa I think there were 5 cruise bashes although the last one was sparsely attended. We were only able to go on one - CBIII on the Mercury in October 1999.

[Cruise Fanatic]

I'm afraid the difference in a Freedom 7day cruise and a 4/5 day Holiday would be quite considerable. I would be willing to organize a Fundraising cruise. I have wanted to do one since 1996 when my mother died from Leukemia.
Several cruise lines have fundraising programs. Carnival's seems to be the easiest. How is usually works is the cruise line gives you a rate for a group, you increase the rate by say; $20 per person. That is a charitable donation (Check with your tax person). The cruise line would match that $20. ($5 per day on a 4 day.) That then gives you $40 per person or $80 per cabin to donate to the charity. 10 cabins x $80 = $800 for the charity, 20 cabins x $80 = $1600 for the charity. Etc. Etc. In order for the cruise line to do the fundraising match you use the group amenity points which the cruise line assigns the group. A fundraising cruise with Carnival uses 5 amenity points. Most cruises that have that many amenity points assigned are cruises during the off seasons.
The biggest part to organizing this is just getting a consensus on a date and which charity you would like to donate too.

[goin' cruisin']

September! I'm in!

[Dwayne]

This year or next? Besides, Dave said he can't go in September and I prefer not to as well.

Just throwing this out there for thoughts, how about sometime next March when school is out, or at least a few weeks out of prime hurricane season?

That would be funny though, a bunch of cruise know it alls caught in a hurricane and re-routed

I like Carol's idea of us all booking as a group and doing the charity thing. It would be awesome if we could do that.

Carol mentioned Leukemia, any other ideas for charities? I am thinking on charities that are not Government supported as well and really need our help.

Cruise for fun and get to meet everyone, and do some good. I am all for this. We actually should make this an annual event so everyone can plan.

Thanks Raffles for getting this idea going

[Cruise Fanatic]

Originally posted by IslandCruz:
This year or next? Besides, Dave said he can't go in September and I prefer not to as well.

Just throwing this out there for thoughts, how about sometime next March when school is out, or at least a few weeks out of prime hurricane season?

That would be funny though, a bunch of cruise know it alls caught in a hurricane and re-routed

I like Carol's idea of us all booking as a group and doing the charity thing. It would be awesome if we could do that.

Carol mentioned Leukemia, any other ideas for charities? I am thinking on charities that are not Government supported as well and really need our help.

Cruise for fun and get to meet everyone, and do some good. I am all for this. We actually should make this an annual event so everyone can plan.

Thanks Raffles for getting this idea going

It's Jan not Carol
If everyone is serious about doing this and you want to make it affordable, then spring break time is not the time to do it. Cruise cost and airfare both are a lot higher at that time. If cost isn't a factor to the majority than you can do it at anytime.

[Dave]

We also have a fall school break which is not as widespread like the usual spring breaks - this year it is the week of October 6th I think.

Dwayne....Carol is Cruise Specialist. Jan is Cruise Fanatic.

[f-mattox]

I think it's all a great idea; I'm in--any line, any itinerary, any charity (well just about), any time except early April next year.

[Jim C.]

Sounds like a great idea, but this summer is already shot...

Dave sounds like you have the school schedule that TX just dropped. We used to get out late in May, go back early August and have a fall break in October. But they went to a "normal" school year so the entertainment industries (i.e. Six Flags and SeaWorld) could hold onto their summer workers longer.. how's that for priorities?

So, it would have to be a summer cruise (not just for the kids, but having a school teacher wife, we are doomed to be have the school schedule dictate the vacation schedule.) As late as mid August for us.

I'd be in.