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Posted on 12/22/2003 8:52:51 PM PST by DoughtyOne
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Many Americans have been avoiding travelling in the past two years. Now, they want to hit the road (and the high seas) again.
If you've always wanted to take a cruise, this is the time to do it. Cruise fares are already on the rise and next year they'll be even higher.
Our freeper group fares are locked in and will not change. You know right now how much your vacation will cost. Anything you spend over that sum for extras on the cruise is at your own discretion.
With the cost of gas projected at 3 bucks a gallon by summer, a pre-paid cruise package deal looks best to the canny vacationer. Outrageous gas prices will mean higher prices for everything, no matter where you go to vacation.....but your freeper Caribbean low getaway package with lodging, food, entertainment, and most everything else provided will remain inviolate at today's group rate right up till the moment we sail.
Just as Sophie Tucker was the "last of the red-hot mamas", this cruise may be one of the last of the red-hot cruise bargains. The Wall Street Journal notes that cruise lines are today selling cabins for 15%-18% more than last year. Look for more increases next year because of pent-up customer demand, as well as travellers' preference today for vacations that are captivating, hassle-free, safe and secure.
We here at FRN got in under the wire in our FReeps Ahoy 3 rates. We fortunately registered for our group just before the prices started climbing.
Freeper friends, I'm quite serious. Holland America is one of the most popular and classy cruise lines in the business today. The breath-taking Zuiderdam will be filling up. My recommendation is to book NOW if you want this affordable, fun, intriguing cruise to experience a dream that may be much harder to fulfill next time.
Leni
This new feature on Holland America ships is a beautiful, intimate restaurant that wraps around the Zuiderdam atrium on one side and incorporates a bar where guests may enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail.
The Odyssey is very popular because the food is prepared to order and is delicious. It features exclusive Northwest cuisine, with a signature seafood and steak menu, high-quality ingredients, fine wines and elegant presentation.
The wine menu offers carefully selected wines at its granite-topped bar from renowned Pacific Northest vineyards such as Chateau Ste. Michelle, Canoe Ridge, Willamette Valley and Tualatin Estates. In addition, guests may sample specially created adult beverages such as a Northwest Apple Martini.
(Hey, Hoosier Mama, if they don't have chocolate martinis, here's an alternative!)
To commence the culinary experience, guests will immediately be served an hors d'oeuvre - possibly a pastry puff of Salmon Caviar and Creme Fraiche....or a spoonful of Sesame Tuna Tartare with Soy-Ginger presented in an Asian procelain spoon.
A typical evening's menu provides a wide selection of choices. For starters, diners can choose from dishes that may include an array of Cold Smoked Northwest Seafood with Cranberry Marmalade, Dungeness Crab Cakes in Brown Butter with Haystack-Fried Onions, Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon, or Venison Carpaccio.
Two signature soups will be offered, one a tomato-base Smoked Salmon Chowder and the other a Washington State Baked Potato Soup with Applewood Smoked Bacon.
The salad course features a Pinnacle Salad of mesclun greens, candied pecans and roasted Washington State Apples in an Oregon bleu cheese vinaigrette. The salad is tossed at your table.
The entrees may include Sesame Crusted Halibut with Ginger Miso, Roasted Salmon with three sauces, Peking Duct (!) Breast with Blackberry Sauce, or Northwest Rack of Lamb. In addition, you can select from the steak list which includes hand-selected cuts of bone-in Delmonico rib-eye (that's for me!), center-cut T-Bone, and two sizes of Filet Mignon.
(I can barely continue, I'm so hungry now......)
Side dishes will feature such choices as Washington State Spuds au Gratin, Grilled Asparagus, Sauteed Button Mushrooms or a Honey Maple Three-Bean Stew.
Delectable Desserts (oh man, I can't stand this) feature Washington State-grown Bing Cherry Fritters with Vanilla-Ginger ice cream, a Warm Rhubarb Flan, and a Not-So-Classic Baked Alaska, (mmmmmm).
In addition, an array of cheeses will be presented tableside, with choices that include Oregon Bleu Cheese, Chevres, and Washington State Aged Cheddar.
To conclude their memorable evening in the Odyssey, guests will be presented with an assortment of freshly baked mini-cookies.
Yep, there's a charge for this gourmet adventure, but it's only a modest $15 per person. The dinner is well worth it.
Since this is a popular feature on the ship, reservations must be made in advance. Information will be in your cabin.
I must go down to the sea again, and I must try this tantalizing restaurant some night. Let's talk about this at our first dinner in the Vista Dining Room and we'll see who wants to do the Odyssey some fine night later in the week.
Leni
Leni
I've sailed Holland America numerous times and have always loved the food, the entertainment, the friendly staff and my accomodations.
I even hit the jackpot on the H/A Noordam once. Oy, I wish I had popped in three quarters instead of one! But what I won paid for almost half my cruise.
In my estimation, H/A slots pay better than those on other cruise lines, and I have no complaints even if I don't hit the big J.
OK, quick roll call of the class. We just got our documents from Wanda after our final payments, showing our cabin as #5087. Rumor had it on another political thread that Dubya and Laura were going on the cruise with us, and I had replied that I already knew that, that they had our adjoining cabin. Well, all joking aside, I was just wondering who my neighbors will be, are we smack-dab in the middle of FReeper row? I heard that the balcony's have a partition that is unlockable, so when we want to throw a party, we can link up however many balconys as we want to conga our way into and out of ports. Since Holland America allows passengers to bring all the wine and champagne on board that they wish, I'm gonna have plenty of beverage to party with. Y'all are invited!!
Anyone else know were they're gonna be? FReepmail me if you don't want to post it here.
Sometimes, when pulling into port in the morning, a cabin happens to be on the wrong side to see the docking. So if we see a freeper door open across the hall, we drop in with coffee in hand to watch the show on our buddies' balconies.
Yes, we DO visit each other early in the AM in 'jammies and robes (even curlers, blush).
But if I'm up late the night before, I sleep a little later even if the ship is pulling into the Pearly Gates.
Leni
RIGHT NOW is the time to book, guys and dolls, because you can take advantage of some limited-time-only offers.
1)- (Upgrading)....Book an outside stateroom for the price of an inside stateroom.
2) - (Upgrading).....Book a balcony stateroom for the price of an outside stateoom.
3) - You'll automatically receive a $50 benefit (per person, not per cabin) credited directly to your account. You can spend it any way you want on board, or apply it to your final on-board tab.
3)You'll immediately become eligible for the FReeps Ahoy 3 cruise committee's special drawing for registrants. You can win an additional $50 credit deposited in your on-board account if JimRob draws your screen name out of his Lord High Admiral's hat.
Winners so far are the Mycroft Holmes and the Dalereeds. The third drawing is coming up soon.
So phone Wanda immediately to take advantage of this budgetary window of opportunity. She's at toll-free 1-800-890-7583 (Pacific time). She'll patiently answer every question you have and work with you to find accomodations to fit your needs and your budget.
She can also book your air travel plus your Friday night hotel (we have a fantastic group package deal) if you're arriving in Fort Lauderdale the day/evening before sailing. A group of early birds from across the country will be at the Embassy that night. We'll enjoy a fun pre-cruise get-together, making new freeper friends and greeting long-time freeper friends.
PARADISE IS NOT LOST - WE'LL BE IN IT IN MAY! - SIGN ON NOW!
Leni
The link is at the top of this thread. Just click on the gorgeous, shapely freeperette cruiser you see sunning on that beautiful tropical beach.
On a future cruise, I'm going to ask Doughty One, our cruise webmaster and cruise thread designer to use a photo of one of our gorgeous, muscular freeper guys lolling on the beach.
Who wants to volunteer? Would our registrations double?
Leni
TODAY'S TOPIC: WHAT TO WEAR FROM WHERE YOU LIVE TO FT. LAUDERDALE PORT TERMINAL:
Wherever state you're flying from, remember that Florida will be very warm in late May. Forget the jackets, the sweaters and the sweat shirts. You'll never wear them all week on the cruise. You are heading for the tropics! At the most, bring a paper-thin, windbreaker or light sweater if air conditioning anywhere is a problem for you.
Saturday late morning we'll all be sitting in the H/A waiting room till our numbers are called to board. (Florida orange juice is served, hah).
Since folks in our group arrive at different times, our numbers get called at different times and we don't board as a group.
Once you are shown to your cabin by a steward, your luggage may or may not be waiting for you. Holland America is pretty swift with luggage, so chances are your bags are there. At any rate, you won't want to unpack then. You'll just want to refresh yourself and then hie to the Lido where a tasty lunch buffet (and probably other freepers) will be there in all glory. The lunch is served for a certain period of time only, so get yourself there in time.
You may want to explore the ship a little after eating or till your luggage arrives, or until mandatory lifeboat drill around 4 PM. Or you may want to visit or have a drink with other freepers in their cabins on Freeper Row.
So, the point is, when you leave home, wear nice, tasteful shorts, tops and sneakers if you desire so that you're cool, comfortable and casual during your first hours on the ship.
I arrive in shorts and a top. I carry two lightweight nylon duffel bags over my shoulders. Sometimes I also carry a piece of Bohemian luggage (paper shopping bag) up the gangplank if I have things bulky, like a Pepsi Six-Pac or a bottle of wine (you can buy this stuff at the last minute in a small duty-free store by the terminal). You don't have to be tres chic on embarkation day.
The shopping bag will come in handy later for storing island purchases in your closet or in a cabin corner.
Gals, leave all your clunky, heavy, hard purses home. You won't need them if you have the more practical and spacious duffel bags. I'll touch on purses later.
In your duffel bags (you'll carry them on with you and they go through a detector), you should pack the things you want to keep close to you or are more fragile:
Your cruise documents.....your eyeglasses and sunglasses.....your makeup, comb, brush, small deoderant, pills or medicines, camera, binoculars...any good jewelry, wallet with some cash, your credit card and a good supply of singles......your required personal ID.....your travelers checks, miniature spray cologne, small electric razor, ciggies and lighters.
This way, if your luggage is not yet in your cabin, you have everything you need right with you and you can go to lunch looking and smellin' good!
More suggestions and tips on what to pack in the clothing line coming very soon.
I'll do a piece on bringing liquor, soda, wine, etc. aboard when I obtain the latest info on H/A's beverage policy which has recently changed. I want to be accurate on this as I know I'll get harpooned if I'm not!
Bahama Mama
Most questions, answers and cruise info details will appear on Mama's pages from now on if she doesn't goof again.
The reason for two distinct threads is that the Bahama Mama one is confined to info and is kept condensed. This thread you're reading now is for great cruise chat and enticing cruise pictures.
Two separate cruise threads make it easier all the way around for myself and my alter ego, your ever-lovin' ever-caring, ever-goofing Mama.
Leni
Leni
Coming soon!.....relax on a beautiful beach, swim in warm, crystal clear waters, snorkle among colorful reefs, enjoy a tasty luau on a secluded islet, and shop in international, duty-free ports. Not to mention a terrific morning FRN activism program.....and best of all, fun, food, fellowship with Freepers from across the USA!
"Babay rankontre anko, manje bato!"......Caribbean Creole for "Register now, dahlings, see you on board, and eat all you want on the ship!"
Leni
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