We arrived in Cabo a bit ahead of our selves to a glorious sunrise. Once again, we were the only cruise ship in port that day. Gary had signed us up for the catamaran cruise and Jim and Jan B joined in the fun. It was about as good as a catamaran ride gets. Not too many people, kick-*ss guacamole and chips and up close sightings of humpback whales. Along the way, we saw flocks of pelicans, seagulls, seals (could smell them from quite a distances) and a few dolphins.

We got back around 11:30 and walked up into town. After a quick lunch it was nap time. We saw Suzanne when tea time trivia rolled around. Another victory for us! Suzanne won her first token and met Marge. Marge, a serial world cruiser, was very interested to learn she has been introduced to the LCT community. She wondered if we were trying to marry her off. She is toying with the idea of posting a personal ad here. Serious inquiries only, please! We then headed down to clean up for Suzanne’s welcome aboard party.

The sail-out of Cabo was magnificent. A golden setting sun, a small floatilla of party boats playing tunes as they escorted us out (pirate boat included), a last glance at the whales and the most amazing flock of birds I've seen. It bordered on the scene from Hitchcock's movie "The Birds".

Capt. Dag, no less, did us the honor of reading Joanna’s Ode to Suzette without his reading glasses. Thank goodness he's got long arms or I'm not sure how easily he could have read the poem. All of us enjoyed the party very, very much. We heard how wonderful the pirate ship excursion was from those who embarked and imbibed.

We had our rescheduled dinner with Jamie and Dana Logan, the cruise directors, and then headed off to Voyager Lounge. Debbie challenged Arnold to make her his signature cosmo and we joined in the cheering as Arnold worked his magic. Every bit as good as promised. Around that same time, Suzanne changed to Suzette. The party girl extraordinaire had indeed arrived. We danced to a few tunes and then it was the moment we were all waiting for .. ALEX APPEARED and met Suzette. A match made in ??

Today we have the steak & lobster grill on the pool deck for lunch and a lovely sea day. It’s our last formal night tonight. Tomorrow is San Diego where we are looking forward to meeting Michele and Don. The 60 or so world cruisers will head off the ship and spend the night at the welcome aboard party in Los Angeles.

Cheers, Anne

It all sounds wonderful Anne - wish we could have been with all of you - thanks for all the seamail - it helped to make some gray days bright! I hope you plan to post some pixs! Sorry I could'nt have held Capt. Dag's reading for him :rolleyes: :rolleyes: ;)

Suzanne's Welcome Aboard Party

LCT Members

Captain Dag reading Joanna's Ode To Suzette

Captain Dag & Suzanne

Not much to add to Anne's post. I think we are getting it down, Anne posts, Ken post pictures. We make a good team. We had a wonderful night and it was a fun party as everyone is so well acquainted now it was nice to get the whole group together.

Today we have two trivia opportunities we are winning most of the time now, our team has become fine tuned. I do enjoy trivia it is a lot of fun.

Today is Suzanne's actual birthday and the ship is serving steak and lobster for lunch. Couldnt be better.

Suzanne had a great time last night with Arnold. He truly is a star Radisson employee!! Everyone adores him and he is all over the ship. How one person manages to be everywhere all the time is beyond me.

GREAT staff here. The entire team is outstanding and could not have been more accommodating to our group. It has been fabulous. I look forward to sailing with these people again and I think anyone who gets Steph as their Hotel Director is indeed fortunate. It appears that he may be on the June 19th Voyager trip although things are always changing. I think about 70 people are in the group right now.

That is the next time I will be on the Voyager and I am really looking forward to returning.

Ngaire, these are great. Everyone looks so happy. But why shouldn't they. SHE is finally on board!

Ngaire, love the pictures! I can tell how much fun you're having! I'm with you the staff is so great.....They have the very best of the best on for the pre-WC & WC. I love Steph, just wish he were coming on the Mariner with us! I know Suzanne is lighting up every room she enters! She is amazing!
Congratulations on the Trivia wins! Tell Marge I'm sorry she's not winning at Bingo anymore....she was the all time big winner last year!

Anne, you're doing a great job with the seamail....you're so great at making us feel like we're there with you!

OY!

My aching feet...I hooted with the owls until 3:45 this morning. I am way too old to be acting so young, but I have a reputation to uphold.

I have just been reminded that it is again time to go strap on the feedbag. Lobster? Oh, ok that works!

More later.
Thanks for the voicemail Sheri! I am drinking for both of us so you may have a touch of a headache this morning!

3:45 AM!!!! :app: :app: :app: :app: :app:

Bet Suzanne was in bed and Suzette was the night owl?????

Hi,
We are on segment 3 of the world cruise and would really appreciate some info. Is Robert the Concierge on board? I just heard a rumor that he is no longer with RSSC. He has been so helpful to us on our past cruises that we will miss him terribly if this rumor is true. Thanks in advance,

-------------------------------------------------
Doris

Doris, Robert was on the Voyager when we were on it in October. Never heard he was leaving?? Ngaire will be back Tuesday so I guess she will be able to confirm one way or another.

Olivia, I love your blue outfit in the latest pictures, it looks beautiful on you!

Anne,

E-mail corrupted, no fix yet. Tequila is fine here. Hug Ron and Flo, please, for us before they leave. Steak and baked potatoes OK for dinner? Soft and hard drinks of choice? Sorry for the brevity.

See you soon, Mary Ellen

P.S. Great sea mail!

I can tell that ya'll are having so much fun. PARTY is the perfect name for this cruise. Anne, your seamail makes me feel that I'm right there. Add Ken's pictures and Ngaire's comments and I REALLY want to be there! Suzanne/Suzette, what a perfect birthday celebration. Thanks for all the reports.

What a great celebration! Suzanne - you look like you're having a great time - enjoy it to the fullest!

Masaki

Super photos! Continue to have a fantastic time!

Marcie, Robert was on with us in September, and we made plans for dinner in Hong Kong on Feb 24th the day we board the Voyager. Hope the info I got was wrong. Looking forward to meeting you on board in the near future, we are booked for 12/18/06 and hoping for a room to open up for the Africa leg of the wc next year........

-------------------------------------------------

Doris

Great photos and sea mail everyone. Glad to see that a good time is being had by all!

Anthony

Mary Ellen - Steak and baked potatoes sound great. Diet 7 up/sprite, water & wine will keep us well hydrated. Can't wait to see you guys again! We'll definitely give Flo & Ron a hug. How in the world did Gary & I miss them on our South American sailing? They are great, and want all the news from Lake Tahoe from you two!

Cheers, Anne & Gary

Ever been to a birthday party where the guests all have at least as much fun as the birthday girl and the party runs all day long? That sums up yesterday.

We awoke to another sea day filled with ocean swells. The return of winter winds and temperatures resulted in a fantastic fashion parade. Every style and color of warm-up suits, sweaters and anything warm could be seen around the ship. Our very own Debbie put together a well coordinated white sweater and matching bunny slipper look.

The day dawned early with passengers roaming the back half of the ship, laundry bags in hand, searching for the elusive empty washer. When none appeared, it was time to post the daily blog on LCT and then head for breakfast. We saw Suzanne around 9 am up in La Verandah. Gary headed off for a game of paddle tennis. Suzanne and I decided that it was just as fun to close the restaurant for breakfast as it was for dinner. Afterwards, a washer opened up so in went the skivvies. While we waited for the spin cycle, we chitchatted with Marge and met Gladys, another world cruiser. Marge, Gary and I opted in for the church services in Latitudes. We enjoyed speculating about what the sommelier would be serving for communion wine.

Unfortunately, while Marge, Gary and I were engaging in a communal prayer of confession, the rest of the trivia team was doing our penance. They were shot down by the number of spikes in the Statue of Liberty’s crown and the name of the first author to submit a typewritten manuscript for publication. ARRRGGG!

Patrick and his team heroically prepared a steak, rib and lobster grilled lunch on the pool deck in biting cold and serious wind conditions. We enjoyed our meal and the communal plate of steak fries (extra ketchup, please) under cover with Jim, Jan, Bing and Carol. My bed was calling, but I misplaced my camera so nap time was shelved in favor of retracing my steps from earlier in the day to find the thing. It was then time to wrap the birthday gifts we had gleefully purchased for the birthday girls, Suzanne and Suzette, in Huatulco and Acapulco. Just think … a one-way elegantly inappropriate gift shower opportunity!!

Tea time arrived with the pressure on to reclaim our trivia crown. The team spontaneously showed up sporting our most colorful pastel warm clothing. We looked like a half dozen Easter eggs. Christopher Columbus’ sailing ship replica, the chalk horse and the Greatest American Hero conspired to rob us of our last team token try. Gary shuffled off to the redemption table and happily swapped his stash for a visor and a travel alarm.

We had to change the rendezvous location for the birthday gift shower in the Observation Lounge as there was an unannounced Bingo opportunity in the Horizon Lounge. The gifts were stunning, but the most creative prize without a doubt went to Chetuan. She purchased a miniature whale-shaped mouth organ with magical properties. Suzanne had to learn how to blow through its tail while playing a tune by 10:30 PM.

We got all gussied up for our fourth formal night. Scarlett O’Hara put in a special repeat appearance for the birthday girls. The crew show was really great. The party moved to a fantastic Signatures birthday dinner. Suzanne then shared her wardrobe malfunction with those of us at the table. She speculated Inspector #3 must have had a liquid lunch before approving THAT pair of pantyhose, proving once again you must always travel with the back-up pair of hose. We settled in up in the observation lounge. Frankie started to play “Zorba the Greek” and we tried to do a team grapevine. It wasn’t working, so Olivia split off with the rest of the girls to review the five formal ballet positions while Scarlett entertained the crowd with a solo grapevine-cum-Nutcracker-Suite performance.

The clock struck 10:30; it was time to test the whale's blow hole. Its hot spot radius was limited to the confines of the Voyager Lounge. Suzanne took up the challenge and outdid Lauren Bacall’s best whistling effort EVER. Arnold, like magic, appeared at her side on bended knee calling out “Your wish is my command, your majesty!!”

This morning has brought the confirmation of our long-hoped for Return of Scareoke night. Since we seem to be having trouble with ship’s time, it is alternately reported as 9:30 in one place in the daily program and 10:30 in another. I’m going to pack this morning to get that odious task out of the way and concentrate on Scareoke options and costumes.

Despite all of the effort by the boys on the bridge, we’re expected to arrive a few hours late in San Diego. Best guess is we won’t be cleared to leave the ship until around noontime. Our world cruisers are headed off to LA for their launch party overnight and sadly Chetuan disembarks today. Perhaps we can have a gang luggage tag burning ceremony at the gangway??

Cheers, Anne

WOW, what fun reading all of this! Anne, you are such a talented writer!! I love your descriptions of all the activities....who knew that laundry and lunch could be so entertaining to read about???? :app:

Thanks again Anne for some great seamail - I think Party was appropriate name for your cruise - Joanna

Birthday Party!!!

Anne
Did you actually think you could get by with only a passing mention on laundry in skivvies & Suzanne's wardrobe malfunction? Details!
Have loved all your seamail. You really have carried all of us along with you.

What a wonderful commentary on obviously a perfect trip. You given smiles to an awful lot of people. Thank you Anne and Ngaire......
Cindy

Anne you are the best!
What a fun cruise this has been for all of us too.
Thanks!
I love the gifts for "Suzanne/Suzette.. SYBIL
perhaps? lol
Esp. the picture of her with the upside down orange bikini top on..
too hilarious.

In a fitting tribute to General McArthur, Marty and Bette completed their long-awaited transit of the Panama Canal. To honor their courage and spirit, Marty received his Seven Seas Fishing Company t-shirt with the one that got away in Acapulco the last time:

Fabulous reports and photos!

Anne, is Suzette instructing you in the finer details of pole dancing?????

Don't know if anyone on board will see this, but there is a post on CC from PaulaJK who is onboard and says there have been several "behavioral" episodes, including a fist fight in the dining room!!! Anyone know about it?? :eek:

This has been the best seamail ever. You guys don't want the PARTY to end do you? Come on, stay another segment to keep the party going (and to keep me company) <img border="0" alt="[vhappy]" title="" src="graemlins/icon_vhappy.gif" />

Kathy: On the Radisson CC board?? - I couldn't find it -

Yeah, I read about it there and was going to ask here but then forgot.

Joanna found the post so I copied it here. Any PARTIERS have further information? We saw you on the deck!

*****From CC******

I am on Voyager as I read this announcement re: improved computer services. What a joke! There have been multiple satellite outages...
and we only travelled from FLL to LAX. Also, if you write a [normally]
long email, the system times out on you and you often end up unable to
send it.

I also am less than thrilled w. the notion of cell phone access. I have
heard a few folks speaking on them while in the diningroom!!! [I have no problem w. private conversations.] There was also a bad behavioral incident on deck,influenced by a man on his cell phone. [The problem,of course was the man, not the phone.]

On the whole this has been a very pleasant cruise and I will report when we return. However, I also note that there were a few behavioral
episodes, including a fist fight in the diningroom, that really were
upsetting. No high end line can afford to permit this to go on. I was somewhat discouraged to see that the general staff did not step in immediately...and feel this is an area that needs to be addressed. It was a pax who called to the Captain/bridge for one of the episdoes.

WOW ... a fistfight - YUK! None of the emails I got from anyone mentioned any trouble - guess we'll have to wait till they return - editing to say I felt news, good and bad, traveled fast while cruising Joanna

A fight? You have got to be kidding me!

I can almost bet you (if it did occur) it was members of a group whose company paid for them to be there. Probably just like one of the groups on MINT who we reprted having 'fruit wars' over varying balconies.

What a bunch of morons.

Anthony

This is NGAIRE not Suzanne, she logged on under off topic and I did not change it.

There was a problem in the dining room with a baby that was crying and a problem associated with that. Actually I heard about it but it did not affect the majority of the passengers. I think unless you were close to the incident you hardly knew. The problem on the deck I "think" was the man from the same family but I am not sure. A man wanting to talk on a cell phone and I "think" the kids were too noisy. So they moved the kids to the staff pool. I guess that it can happen from time to time but it was not anything that caused us any major problems at all. We just heard about it - you know how rumors can run through a ship with the speed of light.

Well we had a nice day today.

Michelle and Don came aboard and it was so great to meet them before we all head off on ROAR. It look a long time to get everyone off so they did not get onboard until about 1.20 pm. The full world cruisers left in 35 limos early afternoon on their way to the gala evening in Los Angeles. More lamb for me on my final night.

After Michelle and Don boarded we were off to lunch and then we opened two bottles of champagne and finished those off toasting all of you watching us on the webcam.

Anne and Gary went bike riding (of course) and Don lent them bikes for their excursion

Michele sat in our trivia team while Don joined the opposition. We still won. Our final trivia contest we were victorious!!!!. I gave all my tokens to Marge she is on the full world cruise she will have tons of them by the time she disembarks in April.

We wished Don and Michele could have stayed on board - it is Karoke tonight so we will have a great time as usual. There are not as many Kenettes now with Marge and Cheutan disembarking today but we will prevail.

I am off to change for dinner, Ken will post some final pictures tonight. So sad to leave it has truly been a wonderful trip. Enjoyed everyone in the group immensly.

The crew have been incredible.

Pictures from San Diego:

Great seamail, you all. So sorry your PARTY is almost over. I sounded like the most perfect cruise. I love the webcam salute. How fitting, with champagne. Safe journey home, everyone.

What a great time we had spending the afternoon on the Voyager with Ngaire, Ken, Anne, Gary, Suzanne, Olivia, & Bette. I had traded many cell phone calls with Anne while we waited with much anticipation for their arrival. It was an exciting experience to finally board & see their beautiful smiling faces, champagne in hand in true PARTY fashion! I immediately recognized dear Anne, sporting a terrific red shirt & mardi gras beads! Ngaire, Ken, birthday girl-Suzanne, & Olivia were right there also, ready to wisk us off to lunch. We practically had the ship to ourselves; thus, it was wonderful to be able to give my daughter a tour. Thanks so much for the lovely afternoon. It was a perfect day! - Michele & Don P.S. We loved waving at you all on the Web Cam!!

Just a quick note. Donna, I wish we could stay aboard and keep you company. There are a lot of lovely people aboard that we are just getting to know.

I am so delighted we could find the time and space to have such a great PARTY with each other and share it with all of you. All of our cruises have been great in one way or another; this one was exceptional in terms of comaraderie and giving us a much-needed mental health recharge.

Our scareoke plans were abruptly upended when we heard Gary's mom is back in the hospital last night. There's a good chance it's a false alarm but it still reminds us how fragile life can be. If you've got to be living through these kinds of ups and downs, how much easier it is when good friends are there for you, either aboard or in LCT.

So .. we'll have to arrange the next scareoke trip. Ngaire and Suzanne are still wondering exactly what kind of costumes were on deck for the evening.

Cheers, Anne