Clay Clayton

Oh, so you are one of those...just watch and won't join in :confused: I suspect I will have the second worst balcony on the ship...since it was apparently the next to the last one!

damn! that's a lot of exlamation points! Sorry!<grin>

Excited here also! Just booked, yesterday! Can't wait until November!

So Vibe are you suggesting that one should only get an inside or OV cabin:p

but you just did!:rolleyes:

Thanks guys...I was a little worried about getting flamed...appreciate your resonses....once I hear from Paul, we will decide if we can afford to go. We are doing NCL for 14 days in March so given this is so close to Christmas....we shall see.

Just to clarify, there is some "fun" that goes on right....just behind closed doors...I am not a prude afterall!<evil grin>

Considering booking this cruise -waiting for pricing from Paul at the moment. FYI, his email last night to me said he has OV, Balcony and Suites left.

I am hoping some of you Chumley repeaters can alleviate my only real concern with the cruise - Having having been a regular on the Bear Run circuit back when I was young and pretty <grin>, I am concerned with some of my hirsute brethen who - hope I don't offend anyone here - just don't know how to act (IMHO) in public.

When a Bear Run had the whole hotel, then I had no issue with any of the activity going on in the lobby, pool, etc...however, when the bear run was only a few floors of an otherwise occupied hotel, I had issue with the extent of the PDAs going on....not talking about a quick kiss or hand holding....this was more of the groping while riding the elevator with other guests sorta of thing. Trust me, I can grope with the best of them...and love it when it can happen, but I also don't know if I want to be one of 300 or 400 who potentially make the other 1600 guests uncomfortable.

Some will say, so the straights just have to get over it - we have been dealing with them for years.... but I don't think I feel that way....I guess if I was on a cruise and there was a group of 300 - oh I don't know - lets say, Right Wing Religious folk on board and they held a revivial out by the pool everyday while I was trying to relax and enjoy the sun, I woudn't enjoy my cruise very much - I don't want to be guilty of something similar to others. Anyway, is my concern unfounded? Here's hoping it is!

Thanks for your thoughts and sorry for being so long winded when I am not even sure I am going yet.

Just won Doubletree San Pedro on Priceline for a bid of 72.00 - and I purchased the insurance of 5.00 for a total 94.79. The hotel website says a grand total 162.00 with taxes if i booked directly with them! I am happy. Now I just have to worry about being able to go to the store in the am to get soda and water before we go to the ship!

Allison

The Doubletree Shuttle will take you to Von's for groceries - we had them drop us at the egg and waffle for b'fast, walked down the block to Von's, bought sodas, tonic and limes (don't ask how we got the gin onboard<G>) and then called the shuttle and had them pick us up. Very easy and friendly, just cost us a tip.

FYI, be sure and sign up for the cruise shuttle as soon as you check in, it was filling up fast when arrived and we got the last one before 1pm when we got there.

Have a great cruise....if you want more info check out my review.

Clay

a report on the Doubletree (we are here now)

Nice hotel, tasty cookies, clean room, definatly using something in the lobby to create a smell when you enter so suspect they have a moisture problem they are trying to cover up...so if you are bothered by smells, you might want to not spend much time in the lobby. Very friendly and easy to get signed up for the shuttle to the cruise - be sure to do that as soon as you arrive, it is filling up fast. Also, it doesnt appear it is going to be a problem to make a run to get pre cruise sodas to carry on board.

I faxed them ahead of time with a room request for two beds but that didn't get into our portfolio but they didn't have a problem in finding us one.

Lobby has two computers which is what I am using to post this, buffet b'fast - haven't had it yet.

Clay

Understand but if you were euphoric at 47.6%, what would you be if you were liike most of the other folks who typically get this hotel at 35-40% off?<grin>

Clay

FINALLY, got Priceline to accept a bid for San Pedro for the Friday night BEFORE Thanksgiving. After literally a month of trying every 24 hours, they accepted an $85 bid. Works out to be $100/night with all the fees and taxes...which is about what we had reserved at Holiday Inn without the taxes so nicer hotel for a little less money...I am pleased...not thrilled like I would have been if I could have gotten the $65 or $75 rate, but still happy!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Clay

After weeks of trying I am about to give up...can't seem to get a winning bid for San Pedro for Nov 21st. Anybody else doing better? IF so, what did you win with?

Thanks,

Clay

I'm completely new to Priceline. We're also needing one night on November 21st. My family is all traveling on the Sapphire for Thanksgiving week. I'm trying to book 4 rooms and keep getting declines with each bid, starting (like you) at 65, then 70. I'd like to bid 75, but the site says i need to wait 24 hours before re-bidding? This seems kinda painful. Any advice???

Only way around the 24 hour period is to sign in as a different user and try two more times. You may need to sign in on a different computer also so that Priceline doesn't recognise you. I guess given its a pre holiday weekend, there must not be much availablity as I am up to 85 bucks and still no winning bid. Looks like we may end up using our backup resdrvations at the Hoiday Inn!

Clay

Just bid 65 and 70 for San Pedro at 3.5 stars..both declined for Nov 21st....when did they get to 3.5 stars rather than just 3?

Clay

Well Shirley, unfortunately I haven't lived in Key West in about 1 year and half.....the high price of living in Paradise, combined with a job transfer i couldn't turn down moved me back to NC....though due to the slump in the housing market I still am a home owner - let me know if you want a beautiful renovated vacation home! Anyway, regarding locals...la Dionosia (gosh I wish I could spell) was very much the locals place when I left...but don't know how it is now under the new owners.

Clay

A former Key West Local

Kal

I am hoping the regular pie maker was on vacation!

I stick by my guns that I prefer the pie at Dionoscia (spelled way wrong) Cuban Bakery on White Street over Blonde Giraffe. However, I will add a caveat - the pie I bought last week was not nearly as tasty as they have been in the past. Not sure if the regular maker is away on vacation or what, but I was sorta disappointed...that being said, the $8 buck pie was still better than the 30 buck one from Giraffe if I look at the cost.....and any of them are better than the one from Publix!

Clay - a key west local

Pier B is the pier right beside Mallory Square...its owned by the Hilton...which means the city only gets 25% of your port fee...rather than all of it like we do from those that dock at Mallroy Square....

Clay - a key west local

It is one block east of Mo's and Faustos....pink building located between Catherine and United on White Street

In my humble but very well experienced opinion, you can't beat La Dinoschsa's value...the pie is 8 bucks compared to 16 or so for blonde giraffe and as far as I am concerned there is no comparison in taste...the cuban bakery is the real thing! One word of caution, they close by noon or so and sometimes run out, so put it on your early morning to do list...they are open before 7am.....White Street between Catherine and United.

Clay - a key west local