Cruise Meet-up Thread?

[mechteach]

Unfortunately, I'll be out of the country during the excellent Cruise Do from San Francisco, but that event started me thinking: it seems somewhat likely that there may be multiple FTers on any given cruise. It's possible to meet other general cruisers using the Cruise Critic meet-up threads, but it would also be fun to be able to chat with folks who enjoy both cruising and flying.

What do you all think about a thread where we can post our upcoming cruise plans, as a resource for possible casual FT meets? There are similar threads for flights on US and visits to the RCC with UA (and probably with other airline threads as well), so I think this could work.

Edited to add:

I've now created a webpage for the Cruise calendar. It's at: http://ftcruisers.wikidot.com/

If you don't have access to the site, the default view is just the calendar list. If you create an account with wikidot**, PM me and I can send you the site password, and you can do your own editing of the calendar (add cruises, link to cruise descriptions, etc.). For members, I have also created a photos page, where people can put pictures (or links to pictures) of past FT cruise meet-ups, if they want to do so.

** No one HAS to join the wikidot site, of course. I know that I am always leery of creating a new account at an unknown website. I will say, though, that I have been using these guys for about a year (for webpages for my classes), and I have received NO spam at the e-mail account that I specifically created to set up my account on the wikidot site.

[ak333]

I like this idea. As we were departing the Rhapsody of the Seas in HKG a couple of weeks ago, I spied a bag with an FT tag on it. So I know we weren't the only FTers on board.

[Ripper3785]

Interesting that you bring this up. We booked a cruise a couple weeks ago, and afterwards I signed up on the 'roll-call' over on cruise critic. There are 21 'cruisecritters' on our cruise. I thought "fantastic, hopefully this will be as fun as the FT DO's I've attended". Come to find out that people who sign up for 'roll-calls' on CC, don't necessarily want to meet up with each other. It made me wonder what the point of all the roll calls were. Of the 21 CCers on our cruise, only the roll call OP & spouse are interested in meeting up. What's up with that?

We're sailing Diamond Princess, Alaska Southbound 5/17/08.

[boxo]

Originally Posted by mechteach

What do you all think about a thread where we can post our upcoming cruise plans, as a resource for possible casual FT meets?

Excellent idea. It wouldn't be as active as the other meet-up threads, but would still serve a great purpose. Maybe it could even be a sticky.

Originally Posted by ak333

I like this idea. As we were departing the Rhapsody of the Seas in HKG a couple of weeks ago, I spied a bag with an FT tag on it. So I know we weren't the only FTers on board.

Wow! Amazing!

Originally Posted by Ripper3785

... Come to find out that people who sign up for 'roll-calls' on CC, don't necessarily want to meet up with each other. It made me wonder what the point of all the roll calls were. Of the 21 CCers on our cruise, only the roll call OP & spouse are interested in meeting up. What's up with that?

What's the point of them Roll Calling then?! Makes no sense.

[Tenerife]

Really strange -- on our last cruise (NZ/AUS on Celebrity MERCURY about 3 weeks ago!) we had 120 sign up for the get-together on ship. Probably about 75 turned up and it was a great group. On our last transatlantic (last March from FLL to Southampton), our roll-call group was about 75 (who all got together onboard), and 15 of us met up the night before sail-away in San Diego. We had a fantastic evening. (But, there are always a few you decide to stay away from, after meeting them once!)

Ripper3785 - we're also on Diamond Princess, but a few months later than you (Sept. 20) from Whittier, AK to Bangkok ...32 days. Have a great time in Alaska (the scenery is overwhelming!).

[mechteach]

Okay, great! I'm glad that there is some interest in this. I'll post our planned cruise:

Carnival Splendor, 8/6/08, from London through Northern Europe

[ladiflier]

I'll join in. Sailing the QE2's final Eastbound Transatlantic October 16 2007.

As for the get togethers, we sail mostly Celebrity and the cruise line actually organizes a get together on board of all members of Cruisecritics that sign up. It's usually a tea/coffee and pastries gathering and includes several staff members from the ship.

[delacpa]

Well, then guess we are next:

Celebrity Mercury "Wine Cruise" (Vancouver to San Diego) October 13, 2008

Crystal Symphony "Jazz Cruise" (Mexican Riviera - rt Los Angeles) November 30, 2008

By the way, I'm "BettyNL" on Cruise Critic

[ak333]

I'll bite...here are our next few for '08:

Mar 23 Radiance of the Seas, Western Carribean
May 10 Coral Princess, 2 day repo. cruise (the cruise Do)
Jun 14 Golden Princess, Alaska
Nov 22 Norwegian Star, Mexican Riviera
Dec 28 Carnival Valor, Eastern Caribbean

[boxo]

Flyertalk's Movers, Shakers & Cruisers

2009
05 NOV 09 - Equinox (Celebrity) - TA Rome - FLL - Tenerife
05 NOV 09 - Celebrity Equinox - TATL (FCO-FLL) - delacpa
08 NOV 09 - RCCL Mariner of the Seas (from LA - San Pedro) flyastrojets
09 NOV 09 - Celebrity Solstice fr Rome - dundalkspur
14 NOV 09 - Carnival Glory - W Caribbean fr Port Canaveral (7 days) - EUG1K
28 NOV 09 - Enchantment of the Seas - 8d FLL - The Juiceman
29 NOV 09 - HAL Ryndam - W Caribbean from TPA - SEA777GUY

08 Dec 09 - Pacific Princess - South Pacific (10 days)- mahasamatman
12 Dec 09 - Crown Princess - mikeef
20 DEC 09 - NCL Jade - Med & Egypt - Fishbait
22 Dec 09 - Diamond Princess - Auckland-Sydney (13 days) - mahasamatman

2010
23 JAN 10 - HAL Eurodam - sonora

01 FEB 10 - Mercury (Celebrity) - Caribbean from Baltimore - Tenerife
05 FEB 10 - RCCL Monarch of the Seas (from Port Canaveral) - flyastrojets
26 FEB 10 - Grand Princess (14 Day Caribbean) - nlrjkr

21 MAR 10 - Regatta (Oceania) TA Miami-Barcelona - Tenerife

25 JUN 10 - Crystal Serenity - Venice to Athens - Linda VH
27 JUN 10 - HAL Oosterdam - Seattle-Alaska RT - delacpa

05 JUL 10 - Celebrity Equinox (from Rome Civitavecchia) - flyastrojets
11 JUL 10 - Star Princess (Baltic) - Lomapaseo

[SRQ Guy]

Here's mine:

13 SEP 08 - Carnival Glory, Eastern Caribbean

[JDiver]

29 MAR 08 MSY Wind Spirit (Lisboa, Portimão, Cadiz, Tangier, Cartagena and Motril)
(a couple of days prior in Lisbon, a couple of days after in Córdoba)

[Ripper3785]

Originally Posted by boxo

Flyertalk's Movers, Shakers & Cruisers

23 MAR 08 - Radiance of the Seas, Western Caribbean - ak333

10 MAY 08 - Coral Princess, 2d repo. (the cruise Do) SFO-YVR - ak333

14 JUN 08 - Golden Princess, Alaska - ak333

06 AUG 08 - Carnival Splendor, from LON through Northern Europe - mechteach

13 SEP 08 - Carnival Glory, Eastern Caribbean - SRQ Guy

13 OCT 08 - Celebrity Mercury "Wine Cruise" (YVR to SAN) - delacpa
16 OCT 08 - QE2's final Eastbound Transatlantic - ladiflier

22 NOV 08 - Norwegian Star, Mexican Riviera - ak333
30 NOV 08 - Crystal Symphony "Jazz Cruise" (Mex Riv - rt LAX) - delacpa

28 DEC 08 - Carnival Valor, Eastern Caribbean - ak333

I feel left out.

Cruise Meet-up Thread?

[boxo]

Originally Posted by Ripper3785

I feel left out.

All better.

[mechteach]

Thanks for pulling all of those listings together! I'm making a wikipage right now where we can keep track of all of these, and folks can post on their own, too. I have to go teach now, but I hope to post the link later this afternoon.