:app: :app: :app:

Gee Kathy, I can see you're not counting the days! :cool: Looking at your cruise counter, I see they aren't all that early!

Well, Wendy, if the truth be told, I've already started the packing process. Of course, it only sounds early, but, since I've done so much travel this year, I've kept a bag with the toiletries packed and did the refill when I got home last weekend. I am actually pulling out some clothes this week that I am sure I won't be needing. I have a lot going on here demanding my time. Ready for that lounge chair and a nice tropical drink in hand. If anyone wants to fan me with palm fronds, (Frank?) I will accept!

I am tired of staying up late the night before a trip to finish packing.

Good for you, Kathy! I always pre-plan too, although I admit I'm looking at this trip as a relaxing one with a lighter luggage load than the last couple.

I have to dig up David's bathing suit, it seems to have mysteriously disappeared since Tahiti, so I may have to buy him a new one. And see what clothes I can fit into (everything's a tad tight these days!) And dig up my mask and snorkel.

This is very much a de-stressing trip for us, I will be so ready for it, I won't care what I look like, really, at least that's the plan.

Looks like I may be doing two dances this weekend. The father/daughter dance at her wedding and the doc dance! :app: :app:

Oh wow Don, this is the big weekend! Have a great time!

Don,

Our best wishes to the happy couple. Hope you will post photos of the wedding!! Have fun!!

Don, As we say here, Mazel Tov! Congratulations. And just think, we're dancing with you!

I just got an e-mail from Debbie at B&K. Docs are on their way.....WOOOOHOOOO!!
I feel like dancing....dancing!!!!!!!

Let me know when they arrive Betty so I can put my Barry White tape on stereo, dance, and sip some wine!!! One of these days we will cruise with you and Larry - Joanna :3smile: :3smile:

Joanna,
Get ready, Girlfriend, you may hear me WOOOHOOO in Ponte Vedra, when my docs arrive!
Barry...some nice wine..oh yeah!

Simply gotta make that cruise happen, with you guys someday soon!!!!!

Betty, I wanna come, too, when you are on a cruise! Not trying to hijack this SAND thread. We are just going to hang on for pictures from Kathy, Don, Karen, Wendy and others! I would love nothing more than to be so organized to take a cruise this close to Christmas!

Olvia -

It's an excuse to go shopping for Christmas! And the gift is to yourself - relaxation and fun all rolled into one.

Olivia,

Ya know what....I think it'll just force me to get off my you know what, and get my act together early. Not to mention, a nice break before the Holidays, will be swell.

By the way, I really do want to cruise with you one day soon also!!!!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by jhp:
[QB] Betty, I wanna come, too, when you are on a cruise! Not trying to hijack this SAND thread. We are just going to hang on for pictures from Kathy, Don, Karen, Wendy and others! I would love nothing more than to be so organized to take a cruise this close to Christmas!

All the photos in from Mush???

I think it's a good excuse to skip putting up the tree this year! We spend Christmas Day at Mark's parents so I will still be festive for me.

I will decorate the rest of the house inside but skipping that chore will be a relief.

I was asking about Mush as wanted to order pixs for Xmas -

My Christmas shopping needs Best Buy, Nordstrom, Banana Repbublic,and other such assorted stores to work! I am crazy. Have to have gifts under the tree that they have pre-selected and I wrap. I need to get beyond his, and just go away! I need to stop believing in Santa Claus!

Olivia -

Shop by internet! All those stores have websites. The UPS Man comes and you can wrap. You can shop in St. Thomas for the little baubles.

Kathy, part of the fun for me, I guess, is coming up to where they live and being with them to do this buying and walking through the malls and getting the spirit! We always end the shopping with a dinner together, that is fun for everyone. For now, I'm just not ready to go totally internet! Now, one of these days when THEY would trade that and come with me, I'M IN!

Then it's not the gifts - they're not a surpise - it's the family time. Yes, can't trade or buy that - it's priceless.

Postcard from Regent.

You may receive a postcard from Regent showing specials on Caribbean cruises that includes our LCT Sand cruise. Fares starting at $1998 "plus an exclusive surprise bonus". That bonus is a category upgrade offer if the cruise is paid in full at time of booking.

Just thought it would be easier to let you know the special that B&K offered is better than what is offered here so I would not get a ton of emails asking me about it.

Ngaire - at this late date, wouldn't you have to pay in full to book SAND?

Well many take an "option" and hold the booking for 72 hours that would not qualify. The cruise must be paid in full at the time it is actually booked. Not "held" or "deposited" but paid in full. That was my understanding today.

Also $1998 for an H cabin is the regular full fare at 2 for 1 pricing. The special bonus is an upgrade offer.

No Nordstroms certificates on these bookings either that promotion has ended.

I just got in with my booking in the nick of time! Can't wait to get my first RSSC documents....
Betty, your enthusiasm is contagious!

I'm sure we will put up a little tree when we get back, although I admit it's going to be a titch tight, what with going back to work that week, and Christmas being on the following Monday. As for gifts, there's just David and I and our son Chris, so not a big deal. We'll probably do something like buy Chris a cellphone or music gadget or something. I have it in mind to get David another new Levis jean shirt, he looks very nice in the black one I got him a while ago. But don't tell him I said so--he doesn't read this thread!

Well on the 24th, we're having about 50 people for dinner, so I have to decorate. Usually, I do a finger food/tapas type dinner and we all hang out everywhere. This year I am ordering trays. The laundry will barely be folded.

Oh wow Kathy, you are so brave!

Wendy, I have lots of help and usually I use real plates and silverware so it makes even more work. All my guests know that they are required to pitch in this year and they have to bring one dish to eat with them! And, for the first time, Frank's daughter has even offered to come and help me all day. That is a miracle.

We always gave our mongo parties in the summertime because the pool was open. But for 75+ people, I wasn't about to use real plates and silverware; about half of it would have ended up broken. Plastic all the way, baby!

I am so excited for all of you! I'm doing almost the same itinerary in February on Navigator, so leave some goodies in St. Thomas and St. Maarten for me.

Don, I hope this weekend was truly wonderful for you.
I think I'm going to reserver a room at the Sheraton Yankee Trader (thanks Kathy) for one night using Starwood points. Is the hotel close to the restaurant? If not, is it easy to get a cab?
I just looked at cruisecal.com. Boy, there are a lot of ships in Nassau the day we are there. I might not get off the boat!

Thanks Julie, it really was! Dad tried really hard to contain himself yesterday. Didn't completely work though. She was so radiant! I am so very blessed. I am uploading some pictures right now and should have them posted today.

We are going to be soooo ready for this cruise.

Gee, you're right, there's 2 others! It looks like the Carnival ship leaves at 2 p.m., which is when we arrive, so maybe it won't be so bad, we only have the Royal Caribbean ship to content with.

Wendy, I count 5 ships in port that day, including two Carnival ships?

yeh, but look at their arrival and departure times.

Can't wait to see the pictures Don!
This is my second day off work in fifteen days. I'm loooooooooonging for this cruise. I ordered some shorts and t-shirts from Nordies online. They arrrived yesterday. It's very odd to be buying white shorts in November! I also bought a large tube of Jergens self-tanner to go with those white shorts! LOL!

I hope you are right, Wendy. How they have the schedule set up, I was assuming that those am departures were the next day. It does make sense that they are departing in the am on the 17th, though.

Thanks for clearing the scheduling up. I was appalled to think of thousands and thousands of cruise passengers overwhelming a small island. When we went to Skagway on the Crystal Harmony, there were a bunch of ships in that day. The crowds completely filled the one main street to the point that it looked like a parade...shudder.
I went back to the ship within thirty minutes, ordered a BBC, and sat out on the empty deck with a book, in the shade of course since it was 91 degrees!

Well, we'll have barely enough time to run over to Atlantis and then head back!

Yeh, well I think Nassau is just like that. We'll probably just walk around town a bit. If it was me, I'd head over to Cable Beach for a swim, but David doesn't really care about the water, so we may just end up having a long nap that day!