****Live from the Gem Garden Villa****

Warning: If you don't like babble and backstory, stop reading now. I'm long-winded and like to tell stories :) Otherwise, welcome to what I expect will be a fun and crazy ride on the Gem.

This has been a trip, 14 months in the making. In February of 2015, Harriet (hpecoraria) and Geri (CasinoCruzGirl) posted here in Cruise Critic that it would be fun to grab a bunch of girls who liked to play in the casino and get a Garden Villa. A bunch of us responded and moved over to a FB chat group to organize it. One day I called us the Garden Villa Vixens and it stuck.

Since then, that FB chat group has become our home, and a safe place for us all to share our lives and it's also been a support group. So many of us have been through a lot in the past year, with divorces, work issues, two of us had breast biopsies the same week (both clear thankfully), and one of us has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing chemo. We started out as strangers, and are now family. We share everything and love one another and laugh at one another. So many different personalities, but it all works.

Yesterday, I flew into NYC from Ottawa, a 56 minute flight and it took that same amount of time to get through the traffic to my hotel from Laguardia. I'm staying at Ink48, which is one block from Pier 88. It's a beautiful hotel, with a roof top bar to die for. They skyline views of Manhattan are so amazing.

One of our group who cannot travel with us (Monkeybone), but has been a part of Vixens from the start and her friend who is an honorary Vixen, came to meet me a the hotel for drinks. We had lots of laughs and I felt like they'd been close friends of mine forever. Amazing to me that we'd never actually met each other :) Most of the Vixens have actually met in person, many of them went on a recent cruise to nowhere on the Anthem of the Seas. I have never actually laid eyes on any of them, until last night.

After J&T left last night, I watched some TV, ordered in some dinner and had a quiet night. My room is a corner room overlooking both the Manhattan skyline and the pier, so when I woke in the night, I kept looking to see if the Gem was here. I was checking around 6:50 this morning and saw her nose coming around the corner :) I watched her dock while chatting with a couple of the girls, Phyllis (WhenIsTheMidnightBuffet) and Cathy (iimmie). I'm not an early riser, so crazy I've been up for 3 hours already and it's not even 9:00 AM. I guess I'm too excited!

We're all meeting at the pier by 10:30 in the suites lounge, and it can't come soon enough.

I bought the "all you can eat" internet plan as I need to work a bit while on board, but hope to keep you all updated with our antics onboard. That's it for now, more when we board :)

Harriet is almost here we are on our way in 5 minutes

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Looking forward to hearing all about it.

Enjoy!!

Following along for the ride! Have a wonderful journey!

coka:D

Hi ladies.....Have a fabulous time...will watch for updates of your antics here and on FB. Kick some serious butt in the casino and fingers crossed you hit a big one in the Vixen slot pull!

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What fun!

It's a great idea.

How many of you are there?

(Did I miss that in the first post? If so, sorry.)

Have a wonderful time! I'm looking forward to following it!

Have a great trip!

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Enjoy. I remember seeing this plan when you first stated the idea here. Kudos to you gals for pulling it off - I'm impressed.

Safe sailing

Babble away....I want to hear all about it! I am jealous :-) There is nothing like girl trips and bonding.

Thank you for taking the time to post here. Look forward to reading about the fun, Villa and casino wins! Best of luck to all.

Subscribed - will be tuned in for any #breaking news - official ones on the "wind of change" and of course, the "gossip" channel with the vixen clan onboard, cheers & surely LOL. :D ;)

Looking forward to all the goods, the bads, the so so's and the unthinkable happening - and, please, be extra careful about those bathtubs & chemicals.

Years ago, we had a tour of the Dawn's garden villa, what a great place to spend a week (or more ... can't imagine even getting off the ship for those ports :p)

Did a quick marine forecast & oceanweather lookup on the ship's track - everything looks fine, might be a little choppy tonight into tomorrow, 10' to maybe 15' seas at worst and knowing this "clan" - all of you got great sea legs - have a great, happy & safe trip, bon voyage.

Following!

Stay healthy, SuiteCruiser - you're overdue for a victorious cruise! :)

This is awesome! Can't wait to read about your adventure.

Enjoy and have a safe and wonderful trip. Will watch the gem from the rockaways as it sails by

The Gem may never be the same! Thanks for taking us all along for the ride.☺

You guys should have told people in advance you were going. This is news to everyone. :p

Have fun ladies! Win big!

Have a good time.

Will we be seeing this trip on reality tv in a few months?

Have a great time girls!!!!!!!

Win big and enjoy!!!!!!

This should be good! Several of my favorite CC reviewers all together:D

Have a great time. I remember when this was first being discussed here before you even had people signed up. I've been wondering if it ever happened. So happy that the cruise has finally arrived. Can't wait to hear all about it.

Have fun and good luck in the Casino!

Hope you have a wonderful time! We will be on the Gem in September to Canada. I wasn't aware that there was an unlimited internet package. How much is it on the Gem for a week? Keep us posted!

Congrats, gals! :) Have a wonderful trip & "break the bank!" ;):D

Warning: If you don't like babble and backstory, stop reading now. I'm long-winded and like to tell stories :) Otherwise, welcome to what I expect will be a fun and crazy ride on the Gem.

 

This has been a trip, 14 months in the making. In February of 2015, Harriet (hpecoraria) and Geri (CasinoCruzGirl) posted here in Cruise Critic that it would be fun to grab a bunch of girls who liked to play in the casino and get a Garden Villa. A bunch of us responded and moved over to a FB chat group to organize it. One day I called us the Garden Villa Vixens and it stuck.

 

Since then, that FB chat group has become our home, and a safe place for us all to share our lives and it's also been a support group. So many of us have been through a lot in the past year, with divorces, work issues, two of us had breast biopsies the same week (both clear thankfully), and one of us has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing chemo. We started out as strangers, and are now family. We share everything and love one another and laugh at one another. So many different personalities, but it all works.

 

Yesterday, I flew into NYC from Ottawa, a 56 minute flight and it took that same amount of time to get through the traffic to my hotel from Laguardia. I'm staying at Ink48, which is one block from Pier 88. It's a beautiful hotel, with a roof top bar to die for. They skyline views of Manhattan are so amazing.

 

One of our group who cannot travel with us (Monkeybone), but has been a part of Vixens from the start and her friend who is an honorary Vixen, came to meet me a the hotel for drinks. We had lots of laughs and I felt like they'd been close friends of mine forever. Amazing to me that we'd never actually met each other :) Most of the Vixens have actually met in person, many of them went on a recent cruise to nowhere on the Anthem of the Seas. I have never actually laid eyes on any of them, until last night.

 

After J&T left last night, I watched some TV, ordered in some dinner and had a quiet night. My room is a corner room overlooking both the Manhattan skyline and the pier, so when I woke in the night, I kept looking to see if the Gem was here. I was checking around 6:50 this morning and saw her nose coming around the corner :) I watched her dock while chatting with a couple of the girls, Phyllis (WhenIsTheMidnightBuffet) and Cathy (iimmie). I'm not an early riser, so crazy I've been up for 3 hours already and it's not even 9:00 AM. I guess I'm too excited!

 

We're all meeting at the pier by 10:30 in the suites lounge, and it can't come soon enough.

 

I bought the "all you can eat" internet plan as I need to work a bit while on board, but hope to keep you all updated with our antics onboard. That's it for now, more when we board :)

Have a blast, ladies! Remember, I WAS invited as an honorary!

Funnily, I've met 4 of you in person too, all on separate occasions. (Hi Phyllis, Harriet, Sally & Cathy!)

My friend Tracy (TracyE) is leaving today on the Escape, too.

Everybody cruising, but me. :(

Stephen

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