AlaskaNurse

7 minutes ago, Travel Junkie Judy said:

 

This is an interesting question.  I have run and helped run quite a few M & Gs.  Several were very large, with the largest one being attended by over 250 guests!  This was on the Dawn around 10 years ago.  We had a committee run it.  It's too late now to add some of the fun activities that we had, but in the future you could do some of them.   Our biggest undertaking was a horse race. Folks set up teams before we boarded.  Each team had a name, a horse, a jockey and supporters.  Some horses were people, some were "props".  We had the help of the cruise director who called the race.  We did have betting.    The Captain, Hotel Director and most officers were in attendance to watch.  We did this horse race on 2 or 3 cruises.  We had a very large slot pull (0ver 50 people) which required lots of planning.  We had a Cabin Crawl with Poker (more betting and lots of planning).  We had a sail away party and we had a Cruise Critic luncheon - they set it up in the smaller main dining room because there were so many of us.  Our M & G was in the dining room also.  We had a large gift exchange at the M & G.  We also had R-L-C games on sea days.  Those brought in as many as 35 people.  (more betting).  If you've never played Right, Left, Center, look it up.  It is a fun, past paced game and doesn't cost much.  Each person bets $3.00 per game and we played one or 2 games.  When 35 or more people, one game was about all we had time for.  I can tell you more about these activities next week on The Sun.  I will look around and see if I have any trinkets to add to your drawing.  We've done that also.  I had a large roll of double tickets that we used for the drawing.  If I find the roll, I will bring some.  

Judy

I've been crazy busy with setting up the multiple tours, the 2 meet and greets, bookings for my lodge, working full time as a charge nurse and starting a new Mobile IV hydration business! Luckily I'm a very organized person! We were planning on just bringing some cut 3x5 cards to have people write a name and cabin number on for the drawing we are going to do. Planning on 10 drawings for the Panama cruise and 6 for the Alaska cruise meet and greet. If you have some little things you want to add we would certainly be ok with that. I also contacted NCL and they will include some SWAG things we can put in the bags for the drawings as well. Getting excited. I've heard about the LRC before and there are usually several people who are interested in that. If you wanted to see about setting that up, I'm sure you would have a lot of participants. I believe there is someone who is setting up the slot pull, so that's not something I'm involved with. I've talked to people in the past and the gift exchange is usually a very low participation so I didn't even bring it up for this one. I'm fine with the organization and running the meet and greet with my husband, just thought I'd see if there were some cute last minute ideas. Looking forward to a great cruise.

Tamera

I've set up meet and greets in the past but never had this many sign up. Right now it's at 159 that are signed up. I know not all will actually show up, but even then there will be a high number. My question for those that have organized or attended meet and greets in the past, what activities did you do or wish would have been done? How would you as a member like to see the meet and greet done? I have had professional invitations printed to give to the officers which has always been well received in the past and gotten additional officers to show up. We are also bringing some gifts (purchased by husband and I) and holding a drawing for those things (Not a raffle, no money exchanged) Just for something fun. Any other ideas? I just want everyone to have a nice time and it's more challenging with this number of people. - Also doing the second part of the cruise (doing B2B) but that one will be more manageable with only 47 signed up.

Thanks for any suggestions. Cruise is in one week on the Sun.

Tamera 

Following. Daughter and I are supposed to be on the Sun starting July 14.

Dawn as of Oct 9

 

Capt Martin Hormquist

 

HD Alain Mangier (par excellence)

F&B Tony Winkler

CD Richard Matic

Hskpr Jose De Jesus

Guest Serv. Michelle Grace

Exec Chef Baiju Ravindran

Bev Raj Rodrigues

Does anyone know how long Richard will be on the Dawn? Have a cruise planned Jan 7, 18.

1) Getting back home and having to cook my own dinner again (and knowing it just won't be half as good as the ship dinner's were)

2) Getting to Florida port from Alaska....those flight times are brutal!

3) No chocolates on my pillow when I get home...sigh.

But certainly not enough to keep me from going back. Just got home from 15 day Panama Canal cruise, going on Western Caribbean in Feb. and yesterday booked a 2 week relocation cruise for Oct!!

We are doing the Panama Canal 15 night cruise on the Island Princess in December. Have booked excursions for 3 of 5 stops but haven't figured out just what we want to do in Puntarenas, Costa Rica or San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua. Anyone have any recommendations of a great excursion either through Princess or privately? Thanks in advance.

Tamera

Hubby and I have a panama canal cruise booked for December. I seem to have hit a wall with the scale. I am not cheating at all and it kills me to watch all the goodies my hubby eats. He is one out those who can eat anything and not gain. I can just look at what he eats and gain. It's so not fair. Oh well. I'll keep trying. Have daughters wedding in September so I want to look good for that. I have a feeling that once I get on the ship for cruise that all bets will be off for 15 days. Ha!

Thanks...I'm continuing to do well. I keep boiled eggs handy for snacks and really like the Atkins shakes which I have almost every morning for breakfast. I work full time as a nurse and also own/run a B&B/lodge here in Alaska and currently have 31 guests! So anything quick and easy is the key! I make breakfast for the guests but always something I can't have...although my husband loves the summers when he gets great breakfast options. He is one of those that eats constantly and never seems to gain any weight...I can look at what he eats and gain weight..SOOOOO not fair! Looking forward to our Panama Canal cruise in December!!!

I've been back on the Atkins diet for 10 weeks now and have lost 23 pounds. I have 24 more to go to reach my goal before my Panama cruise Dec. 5, 2015. I am planning to have some formal pictures taken that I actually won't hate! I have a history of Cushing's disease which caused a huge weight gain before I had the brain tumors causing it removed in 2007. That with having hypothyroid has always caused me to be bigger than I would like. Would love to share with others who are working toward looking better for their upcoming cruises!

Tamera

I try to get a list of the senior officers from the co-ordinator a week before the cruise and do letters of invitation and envelopes before we leave. Failing that I take a number of blank letters and get the names from the Patters and fill in the names. Regardless which way it happens I take the letter to the PSD and ask them to put them in the officers mail boxes. I can provide you with a template of the letter I use if you email me.

Hi. I sent an email - it would come from our business email: reservations@alaskariverview.com

Thanks again.

I have been on cruises before, but this is the first time I volunteered to organize the meet and greet for our CC group. We will be sailing on the Island Princess on Dec. 5. I have contacted the coordinator and have the date/time set up. My question is for those who have done this before....the invitations for the senior officers (I plan to have them printed), but how should I word the invitations? I was informed by coordinator that I can have them distributed the date of sail. I appreciate any assistance on this.

Tamera

If you really want to see the Northern Lights, a cruise is not the way to do it. Go to Fairbanks in the winter (make sure to time it with the Ice Carving Festival) and then book 4 or 5 nights at Chena Hot Springs. I did that and I had 4 days of clear cloudless moonless nights with wonderful aurora. Or else, book a trip to Iceland at the same time. With either option, make sure to book several days at least at wherever you go to make sure that you have a greater chance to see good aurora.

 

When you decide when to go, make sure to pick days when there will be little or no moon out as the moonlight can interfere with the best aurora viewing.

 

DON

As a Alaska resident I certainly agree with the above. Fairbanks in Feb/March is the best time to see the Northern Lights and the Ice Carvings are not to be missed!

What type of tour was Marelvy Pena? Is there a website? Thanks.

http://www.ranchochilamate.com/

Here is the link I found.

This is where we went in San Juan del Sur.... http://http://www.ranchochilamate.com/horseback-adventures/

 

Fabulous time....would love to go again.

The link doesn't work?

Nevermind...I managed to find it, thanks.

Hi. Hubby and I will be on the Island Princess starting Dec. 5 for a full transit Panama Canal Cruise. Our stops are Aruba, Cartagena (Columbia), Puntarenas (Costa Rica), San Juan Del Sur (Nicaragua), and Cabo San Lucas (Mexico). We are interested in suggestions for shore excursions in those ports. Either ship recommended or through private tour companies. We have been looking at some zip lining and snorkeling but would love to hear what adventures others have taken and how they liked (or disliked) those trips. When we went to Europe for a cruise we set everything up through private tour companies just for the smaller groups and more personable guides. We found others on the same ship through cruise critic and that worked out well, so we are certainly open to doing private tours with others on the ship with the same interests.

Thanks in advance.

Tamera and Robert