Freeper Caribbean Cruise May 31-June 6, Staterooms As Low As $610 Per Person For Entire Week!

Free Republic Network | 01/07/2003 | MinuteGal

[DoughtyOne]

Free Republic Network

Proudly Presents

FREEPS AHOY!
a Freeper Cruise to the Caribbean
 

A sunset photo of Carnival's cruise ship Triumph.
 

Cruise Line: Carnival
Ship: Triumph
Length: Seven Nights
Departure Date: Saturday, May 31, 2003, 4:00 p.m.
Return Date: Saturday, June 7, 2003, 8:00 a.m.
Port: Miami Port Terminal
Ports of Call: Cozumel, Mexico - Grand Cayman Islands - Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Cabin Rates: Start at only $660 per person plus tax, port fees and tips for entire week
Includes: All meals and entertainment
In Addition: There will be FRN Activism meetings aboard ship

Stateroom Availability is Limited

Don't delay!  Register today!
 

Presented to you by the FRN Cruise Committee

MinuteGal, Chairman
BobJ
Diotima
Dittomom
DoughtyOne
Seeking the Truth
Strela

More Crew to come...
 

Carnival's cruise ship Triumph docked at St. Thomas.
 

Ahoy, Freepers!  Why not make your next year's vacation a FREEPER CRUISE? Can't think of a better idea!
United we stand for conservative activism AND some good old-fashioned fun, too!

This cruise thread will be running right up until embarkation day.  It'll be packed with lots of information.
Post your enthusiastic comments here.  Links are provided below for stateroom/fares information, registration form and
the Bahama Mama Q&A thread devoted solely to answers for all your cruise questions and to provide you with smooth sailing.

We strongly urge you to register ASAP.  We need a certain number of registrations by a mid-January cutoff date
to ensure our reserved block of cabins with Carnival.  From many communications we've received since last year's terrific cruise,
we're certain the interest is out there.  We don't want to have to deep-six this event if we don't get enough registrations in a timely manner.
PLEASE NOTE to hold off on making your air tickets reservations until we give you the go-ahead.
We have more than ample lead-time for this cruise and you'll be able to get good air-fare bargains in plenty of time!
Since some air-transportation tickets are non-refundable, we don't want anyone to be left holding the ditty-bag.

As an incentive for early registration, the first 20 Freepers to get their reservations into the travel agency
will win their choice of five (5) sheets of Ocents.com stamp sheets (go to that website for Seeking the Truth's array of terrific stamps!)
They will also receive a usflagballoon.com pin courtesy of Abner (check out Abner's usflagballoon website
to view the colorful pin and some excellent pictures of the US Flag Balloon!)  Registrations will be dated and time-stamped by the agency.
Winners will be notified and they'll receive their gift stamps and pins via mail.

We've got a great contest planned for later.  A lucky winner will receive a FREE cabin for two!
Last year, the contest was won by our Freeper pal, Taxman.  This time it may be you!

Bookmark this thread.  We'll keep you posted as plans evolve.  Register now for this fun-filled getaway in the sun!
Informal FRN meetings will be held on board which will be full of information and idea-sharing for effective conservative activism.

Rock the boat with your fellow Freepers!  Climb aboard today!
 

This page is for general comments about the cruise.
If you have questions, do not post them here.
Use the Bahama Mama link and ask them there.
Thank you!
 

Freeps Ahoy Links

Ask Bahama Mama - Please, questions only here
Cruise Staterooms, Categories and Rates
Registration Form
The Carnival ship Triumph
More about Cruise Staterooms
Deck Floor Plans
Cruise Map
Destinations
More about Triumph

Cruise Announcement Thread Two - Please read only and make comments back here.  Thank you.
Cruise Announcement Thread One - Please read only and make comments back here.  Thank you.

[Bob J]

Is that why my bill was so high last cruise?

[The Shrew]

Little gnomes are busy, even as we speak ...

Being rather gnome like or dwarf like whatever your predilictions are I would love to contribute to such a gift bag! Just let me know, how many!

Regards,

TS

[Interesting Times]

Is that why my bill was so high last cruise?

Sorry... I'll try to play better this time.

[dittomom]

Time for a Monday Cruise Bump!!!

[Luis Gonzalez]

Hey!

Someone sent me a picture of you and Dio cutting a rug on the last cruise!

[MinuteGal]

Carmen Miranda:

"Hokay, theese time make with the careful! No Marxists on board the Freeper cruise! Eef I see one, I'll take one banana off my head and I will make heem the flat pancake!"

Groucho Marx:

"Look, if you don't like my politics, you can leave in a huff. If that's too soon, you can leave in a minute and a huff. If you can't find a huff, you can leave in a taxi".

Leni

[Luis Gonzalez]

ROTFLMAO!!!

[Action-America]

MinuteGal, regarding your "Cruise Fast Facts", there is one other question that FReepers might ask. "Is there Internet access in all the cabins?" Unfortunately, that is a question that I cannot answer about Carnival. I know that the more upscale lines offer in-cabin Internet access in all cabins. Maybe someone who is familiar with Carnival can answer that question about this ship.

Just imagine keeping a bunch of FReepers away from the Internet for a week. They would have to carry them all of the ship at the end of the week in straight jackets. :-)

[Colonel Jim]

See you on the Boat if I dont end up in the Desirt first, lol.

[DoughtyOne]

I'll be hoping for the ship option, in the Caribbean that is.

[MinuteGal]

Hi, Action-America. Love your screen name!

There's an Internet Cafe aboard our ship, the Triumph. Details can be found on the Bahama Mama Q & A thread, reply #31. Link is at the top of this thread.

Passengers are never info-deprived on a cruise. In addition to the availibility of computers, there's a daily wire-service newsletter delivered to your cabin every morning with all the latest news, sports, stocks, weather in the States, etc. Also, there's round-the-clock international news on the TV in your cabin.

I can't imagine anything more fun, interesting and informative than discussing and dissecting breaking news with fellow freeper passengers. Wow!

Many thanks for your comment.

Leni/Bahama Mama

[Action-America]

Bahama Mama, I think that all cruise ships now have Internet Cafes. The problem there is that the cost quickly becomes prohibitive for people who might use the Net as much as FReepers might be expected to use it.

The important thing is whether or not Internet connectivity is available in the cabins. On the cruise lines that I usually travel, the per minute charge for use of the Internet Cafe will pay your whole daily In-Cabin Internet Access charge in the first 5 or 6 minutes of use. I don't know about you, but I would go into severe withdrawal if I only had 5 or 6 minutes a day on the Net.

I seem to recall that where it is available, In-Cabin Internet Access only costs about $10 per day. The Internet Cafes charge something more like $1.00 to $2.00 per minute. For people who use the Net a lot, that's a big difference. I know that all of the higher end cruise lines provide In-Cabin Ineternet Access. My question concerns whether or not Carnival provides In-Cabin Ineternet Access.

Even if only a few FReepers brought laptops, I'm sure that they would let other FReepers come by their cabins to use them for more than just a few short minutes at a time. Everybody would benefit. But, those with laptops need to know if it's even going to be worth their effort to pack a laptop. If In-Cabin Internet Access is not available, then a laptop only means extra weight in your suitcase.

 

[MinuteGal]

You're question was answered already. In my reply # 751 above, I referred you to reply # 31 on the Bahama Mama Q & A thread for details on computer access, including rates, aboard this Carnival ship. The first sentence reads, "There are no computer hookups in cabins".

We didn't have cabin computer hookups in cabins on last year's cruise aboard the Royal Caribbean ship, either. It had a computer cafe like the Triumph has and as most other cruise ships have. Perhaps we could have booked this year's cruise on an upscale cruise line which might have this cabin hookup availibility. But keeping fares low so that as many freepers as possible could afford this vacation was our first priority.

Most people on vacation cruises utilize the cafes to briefly check their emails or whatever, and the cost is much cheaper than the rates you say are charged if there were hookups in cabins.

As I pointed out before, there is an over-abundance of breaking news on every cruise ship.

An alternative would be heading for libraries or similar facilities in the Island port towns for access when the ship docks. They are available. The cruise director will be able to help you on this.

It's up to each passenger how he/she wishes to utilize extra spending money on a cruise. Certainly, if sitting at the computer on vacation is a priority, we're happy to say that this option is available if someone so chooses.

We're all addicted to FR (including myself), but I don't recall any freepers throwing themselves in the sea because they couldn't be at a computer 24/7 while aboard. We were having too much fun OUTSIDE our cabins!

Plus, what could be more interesting than freeping LIVE with our FR fellow passengers day and night? We don't get many opportunities to do this!

Leni

[Lynne]

Just got back from a Celebrity S. Carribbean cruise. They charged $.50 per minute. There weren't many people at all on the net. The cabins did have internet access, and (cough) CNN International.

[dittomom]

The sunny Caribbean is calling!

[dittomom]

The sunny Caribbean is calling!

[MinuteGal]

Attention, cruisers! Bahama Mama has posted important information regarding cruisers' travel plans to and fro the Miami port terminal from where you live. It's on the Bahama Mama Q & A forum, reply # 152. The link to the Bahama Mama site is at the top of this thread.

Leni

[The Shrew]

Thanks for the info Bahama Mama!

If any Freeper's vacation plans had been focused on Europe for the summer they may want to rethink them and join us on this cruise!

Why eat frog legs and brats when the former is disgusting and the latter is better enjoyed in the fall watching American Football on Saturday afternoons! So, from both tourist and a culinary not to mention patriotic perspective this cruise is a deal!

Regards,

TS

[Action-America]

Just got back from a Celebrity S. Carribbean cruise. They charged $.50 per minute.

I think that Celebrity has come down on that price.  Although I always use their in-cabin Internet access, I did use their Internet Cafe once, to print something for someone else and I thought that it was closer to $1.00/min.  But that was at least 7 or 8 months ago and the cruise lines have been adjusting prices across the board, in order to entice more post-911 travelers.

I know that Royal Caribbean offers in-cabin Internet access in their suites on some of their ships, but I am not aware of any of their ships that have in-cabin Internet access in their standard staterooms. Though it has been many years since I cruised on RCCL, I did go on an RCCL FAM a few months back and that was where I got that info.

Personally, my favorite cruise line was Renaissance Cruises, so I am really saddened that they filed Chapter 11.  They were certainly the classiest of the superliners.  But at least, Celebrity is not that far behind, especially if you book a suite (lots of extra perks).  Also, their alternative gourmet restaurants are fabulous and they have one of the best wine and port lists that I have seen at sea.

My other favorite is Windstar Cruises.  Ultra high class and ultra laid back.  Their goal is "casual elegance" - no Tuxes.  I think that it's assumed that if you can afford to be on board, then you don't have to put on airs by wearing a Tux.  The only problem is that they are truly an escape cruise and did not have Internet access the last time that we were on board and at least for the next year, I can't afford to be incommunicado for a week or two.

At one point, we considered buying an apartment on the World of ResidenSea, but it's beginning to look like they may not be able to keep that concept going, either.  They still have a lot of unsold apartments.  What a bummer.  That really sounded like a great idea.  With all of the communications facilities that they have on board, you could easily run a business from on board.

I'm really glad that FR is doing 7 day cruises now.  Those 3 and 4 day jaunts are for the birds.  You come back more tired than when you left.  I will probably be out of the country on business when this FReeper cruise is underway, but if the next cruise is also a 7 day or longer cruise, I will certainly try my best to make it.  In fact, the opportunity to go on a FReeper cruise is probably the only reason that we will ever go on a commercial cruise again, since we are now in the early planning stages of building a yacht.  But make no mistake; I would gladly leave the yacht behind to join a bunch of FReepers for a week on a cruise ship.  This cruise just comes at a bad time for us.

So, have one of those little drinks with the umbrella in it for me and I hope that I'll be able to join you next time.

Enjoy!

 

[MinuteGal]

We'll certainly look forward to seeing you on the next Freeper cruise, if we have one. These cruises depend upon freeper interest and participation to continue. Thanks also for your interesting comments. You sound like quite a sea-lover!

Leni