Posted on 10/21/2001 1:40:32 PM PDT by Bob J
The cruise was a great success and everyone had a wonderful time! I understand attendees are already searching the cruise lines for another in either late spring or early summer next year!
The weather was fantastic the entire trip! The only rain we got was some brief showers on Key West! The seas were calm and the sky was blue with lazy clouds wafting lazily across the sky. Many FRuisers arrived a day early in Ft. Lauderdale at Sheraton Yankee Clipper which is about 1/2 mile from the "strip". Some shopped in the afternoon and we gathered for dinner on Sat night right across from the famous FL beaches! Sunday night we were honored to have RM Dupree, Luiz Gonzales and Donato Dalrymple join us at the Sheraton for drinks and conversation.
Everyone departed late the next morning for the Port of Miami, with LurkerNoMore arranging a very nice limovan for the cruise committee so we could go over last minute details. Getting on the boat was pretty easy and we settled in, exploring the ship and taking in lunch up at the Windjammer cafe on the 11th deck. That evening, we had a private cocktail party in the Blue Skies Lounge. We handed out a "goody bag" for all attendees that included a nice cooler bag, gulpa mugs, sports bottles, lotion, chapstick, can coolers, coasters, etc., plus a VERY nice Network printed folder with note paper and Network business cards donated by the LNM and the Dallas Chapter. Gene MacDonald printed up cool nametags for everyone!
At the cocktail party, the weeks events were reviewed and it was announced that BadJoe and Willa had been married the week before, and, Slip18 and CyberLiberty were married in June! Joe and Willa put on a very funny skit with a noose around Joe's neck...heheh. Willa then put a apron on Joe and when he fliped it up it revealed a very large appendage...HA! CPAC and the ACU generously donated 2 platinum packages for the next CPAC and winners were drawn later in the cruise....LURKERNOMORE And DITTOMOM! Congratulations!
During the cruise, we had several informative and important seminars on Network planning and Reagangirl gave a 2 hour PR and Media primer presentation. All attendees are now very well informed on how to set up media interest and attendance at our events, write Media advisories and press releases, not to mention how to work them to get maximum benefit from our efforts!
Off the ship, we toured downtown Nassau and Key West and had a very nice day snorkeling, waverunning and playing volleyball on CocoCay! I'll let the other FRuisers chime in on all the particulars and our brushes with danger!
I would like to personally thank all the members of the Cruise Committee who worked so hard to make this event a success! Diotima, LurkerNoMore, Ms AntiFeminazi, MinuteGal, Seeking the truth, Ironjack, abner and hubby, Commonsense, BadJoe and Syncro! Thank you for everything! I'm can't wait for the next one!
Dang...I thought this was an update on the availability of Nicole Kidman...
I haven't had such fun and laughed so much in ages!
It was particularly exciting to meet so many FReepers who, up til the cruise, had only been screen names. There is so much to learn about one another!
Now it's back to reality in n.e. Ohio.
Cruises are the best!
Can't wait to see the video. Why don't you plug the video deal when you get back?
CL & Slip (The "gun" couple)
Want pictures, lots of pictures.
I dropped in at the Yankee Clipper Friday night hoping to find a few of you hanging out, but no such luck.
Next time!
Luis
Of course, when Freepers are together, it is ususally a combination of work and play...but, I do hope it was mostly play for you guys. Freepers have put in their share of work over the last few years battling the Clintons and helping to get Bush elected, etc. So, I for one am so happy that the cruise turned out to be a floating celebration. Like others on FR, I am anxious to see the pictures that will surely follow!
I knew it! I begged and pleaded with the others to wait for you. I said that you said you would be there on Friday night, but they said that when Ruthy and Donato couldn't come, Ruthy was supposed to call you. ARGH!!! I feel bad now. We waited until 8 p.m.
It was so nice to meet you. You did not seem like a stranger at all, but like someone I had known forever. I hope we meet again soon.
There were sharks. Ask LurkerNoMore!, Syncro, Mrs. Ironjack, and abner.
I saw a stingray with a fish riding on it's back right before I swam into some mating jellyfish. ouch.
Thats just too cool!! DD's da man. How is he doing?
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