Celebrity Solstice 11/28/10 Pied Piper Post Thanksgiving

[DavyB]

I think I'm going to get on board with this cruise. I've hear so many great things about the Solstice as well as PP...not to mention the price is unbeatable. Now, I just need to find a roomie and I'll be good to go. :-)

[TimATL]

DavyB, I hope you can come along. Keep us posted.

[philzyz]

We're looking forward to another PiedPiper group cruise. We did Radiance of the Sea a while ago(That's us boarding) ...so we've got great expectations. We'd be happy to hear from other men who'll be on the cruise

 

Phil- the big guy in the center, from Israel

 

Asher- the short guy in the yellow shirt, from Israel

 

David- the slim guy with a full head of hair, from UK via Israel

[dizi31]

good pic

 

 

We're looking forward to another PiedPiper group cruise. We did Radiance of the Sea a while ago(That's us boarding) ...so we've got great expectations. We'd be happy to hear from other men who'll be on the cruise

 

Phil- the big guy in the center, from Israel

 

Asher- the short guy in the yellow shirt, from Israel

 

David- the slim guy with a full head of hair, from UK via Israel

[the Prince of Liverpool]

Hey Guys

 

I am interested in going on this cruise but wanted to see if I could someone to Share a Room with since I will traveling alone. I know Pied Piper Travel has option for single travelers, but would prefer to try to find someone on my own first before I exercise that option. Anyone know of any friends that are considering gonig but in the same position as me?

 

My Bio: I am a fairly attractive 33 year old gay white male from Indiana. I am slim, 5’6”, 138#, brown hair/blue eyes. More of clean cut professional. I am very easy going and laid back. I am more of an organized and tighty person that picks up after themselves. I am outgoing person and I am not flamboyant.

 

I’ve been on about a dozen cruises, but all have been straight cruises. Thanks!

Hi, i am David from Liverpool.... due to join my great friends from Israel.... so maybe????

[the Prince of Liverpool]

We're looking forward to another PiedPiper group cruise. We did Radiance of the Sea a while ago(That's us boarding) ...so we've got great expectations. We'd be happy to hear from other men who'll be on the cruise

 

Phil- the big guy in the center, from Israel

 

Asher- the short guy in the yellow shirt, from Israel

 

David- the slim guy with a full head of hair, from UK via Israel

Who is this good looking guy on the left.... is he a prince or a queen??? xxx

I am looking forward to go on board with my best friends, yet again....

[jonisht]

My partner and I are booked on the dec.5th cruise but then saw the pied piper cruise the week before. we have never cruised with pied piper, and this is actually our first cruise together as a couple, celebrating my 32nd b-day and our 8th anniversary : ) i think after reading on the PP website and these posts about the experience, i am gonna call our AAA agent and have her set us up to be with the PP group, it sounds like a good time, like others are saying, a nice mix of partying and relaxing! Can't wait!

 

Jon & Martin

[TimATL]

Smart move, Jon & Martin. You'll have a blast on this cruise. Let us know once you're confirmed.

[jonisht]

Got the switch made to the cruise on Nov. 28th today, I spoke to the PP rep about getting with the group and basically I have to get my agent to be the one to call them just for ethical reasons, which I definitely understand with commissions involved and such, but I know PP pays some sort of commission to the agent who initially booked the reservation, or something like that. I left a message for my agent to follow up about it, but at least we will be on the ship with a friendly group, even if we don't get signed up with PP :-) We can't wait!!

 

Jon & Martin

[gregjm]

My partner Bruce and I found this PP sailing last night and booked it today...the price of AQ was too good to pass up. It will be our first group cruise.

 

We've been on Solstice before and it is one of our favorites--particularly the Martini bar.

[TimATL]

If the boat departs at 4:30pm, what time do you think boarding will begin?

[jonisht]

i saw a show that indicated that since the ships come in early a.m. and disembark, then the ship needs to be cleaned and restocked, that not to expect to get on the ship before noon or 1. that may not be 100% correct, and I have not taken a cruise before (except as a kid which i don't really remember), but that's what we're kind of planning on...

[bthom70]

Between Noon and 1 is a good rough timeframe for embarking. There have been times (in our 11 cruises) that we have been on board with a drink and eating lunch by 12:30. If Celebrity is as good at moving people as RCCL is then I don't foresee any problems in this being true.

[DavyB]

I'm ready to book my room for this cruise...just waiting on my friend to give me a definite answer. If my friend can't go, am I able to get a room by myself or will Pied Piper room me with someone else. If I had my choice, I would room myself. Nothing against anyone, it's just that you never know who you're going to get 'stuck' with. :D

[CrusingJoe]

I'm ready to book my room for this cruise...just waiting on my friend to give me a definite answer. If my friend can't go, am I able to get a room by myself or will Pied Piper room me with someone else. If I had my choice, I would room myself. Nothing against anyone, it's just that you never know who you're going to get 'stuck' with. :D

 

You can get your cabin just for yourself, but will pay for two. I think Pied Piper can set you up with a cabin mate should you want that. If I were you and have the $ now, I would book my cabin with the option to add someone later. Looks like this will be a very good cruise.

[bio25dc]

Finally convinced my best friend to join me on a cruise. He wanted to do Atlantis or one of the other ones, but I insisted we do this one, Couldn't beat the price and certainly heard nothing by accolades about the ship. I am looking forward.

[bio25dc]

i saw a show that indicated that since the ships come in early a.m. and disembark, then the ship needs to be cleaned and restocked, that not to expect to get on the ship before noon or 1. that may not be 100% correct, and I have not taken a cruise before (except as a kid which i don't really remember), but that's what we're kind of planning on...

 

The only cruise experience I have was with Easy Cruise in Europe. It was a great cruise, and most of what they said was correct. We didn't arrive until late afternoon anyway and embarking was quite easy. That was a few years ago, but suspect that early to late afternoon is fine. as someone else said all depends on the cruise line.

[djg30084]

Hi!

 

We are soooo looking forward to this cruise!

It will be our 6th Pied Piper, and our 20th cruise.

 

Dennis & Richard

 

Costa Romantica, 4/1998

Celebrity Mercury, 4/1999

Celebrity Galaxy, 12/1999

Costa Victoria, 4/2000

Costa Atlantica, 4/2001, 4/2002, 4/2003, 4/2005

Costa Mediterranea, 4/2004

RCI Serenade, 4/2006

Golden Princess, 6/2006

Carnival Sensation, 10/2006

RCI Radiance, 11/2006

Carnival Holiday, 10/2007

RCI Jewel, 11/2007

RCI Grandeur, 2/2008

RCI Serenade 11/2008

Carnival Holiday, 10/2009

RCI Liberty, 11/2009

[ATLfuzzy]

I managed to get a group of 4 together....this should be a great sailing. There seem to be a few folk from Atlanta going.

 

Cheers!

[JoeAndMichael]

Just made reservation for Celebrity Solstice for post Thanksgiving 2010 with Pied Piper. ... I have never seen so many men in tuxes, looked like the March of the Penguins. We really know how to dress. .... Thumbs up to them.

 

At this point, I'm an intruder since we haven't yet booked this cruise. We have it on

our schedule, however. It'll take a really serious stock market downturn to stop us.

 

You are going to love Pied Piper. This will be our 5th or 6th cruise with them. We skipped

last year's Post-T'giving cruise because of the economy, but we're about 90%committed to this one.

 

I rave about PP cruises, but I swear to you, I have no financial interest in the company.

They simply are terrific. The hosts that run things are all wonderful, especially

Lyman, He has a great personality and sense of humor and hosts most of the

events.

 

There are always special events strictly for PP group members: one or two coctail parties

with several free drink tickets for each PP'er at each event. Previously there's been a

sing-along version of some movie where PP takes over the entire theatre and guests

can dress as one of the movie's characters. They'll probably reserve the pool deck

for a group party, usually a costume party that's a hoot (well, it's a gay group, isn't

it! How could it not be a hoot?)!

 

Sometimes they take over the movie theatre for a PP-only showing of a film you'll

love (like "Sordid Lives" or a Bette Davis classic). If you've never rented "Sordid Lives"

you absolutely MUST. They're not likely to show it again because they they don't tend

to repeat themselves, but I wish they would so I could again laugh along with an all-gay

audience at this low-budget cult classic.

 

If past experience holds true (as I said, we missed last year's T'Giving cruise) the PP folks will

eventually start up a Yahoo group message board prior to the cruise where guests share

experiences and ask questions of each other about shore excursions and share cruise tips.

This is their biggest cruise where PP offers their own shore excursion selections that compete

with the cruise company's stuff, and their excursions are hosted by a PP employee and

limited to PP-only passengers (like their parties - they give you a special ID to enter

these private events).

 

Michael and I (from San Francisco) are looking forward to it.

 

Joe (and Michael)

[DavyB]

I finally booked this cruise. This will be my first Pied Piper cruise and my first solo cruise. I don't mean to wish the summer away, but come on Thanksgiving!! :p

[TimATL]

Glad you're joining us, DavyB. I wonder how many people there will be in the group this year. Any guesses? There were 700+ people last year, I think. Do you suppose there will there be fewer or more?

[DavyB]

I just checked with Kay from Pied Piper to see if she could give me an estimate on how many folks have booked and she could not give me a figure but said that its filling up nicely and that Pied Piper should have a group similar to last year.

 

With this being my first Pied Piper group, I'm anxious to find out what all the hoopla is about.

[TimATL]

Last year's post Thanksgiving cruise the prices were so cheap though. We paid $585 per person for one of the higher category inside staterooms, and then prices dropped and we ended up with a $165 per person stateroom credit. So, ultimately, we only paid $420 per person!

 

We have a comparable inside stateroom on this year's post Thanksgiving cruise and we're paying $685 per person. I just noticed that the prices for all inside staterooms have since gone up by $100 per person. So it's likely that prices won't be going down from what we paid, meaning no stateroom credit.

 

Even though it's more expensive than last year, I still think this cruise is a excellent value. I just hope that the higher prices don't impact the size of the group. It's a smaller ship though, so regardless I'm sure our group will be a larger percentage of the overall passengers than last year.

[02143]

Even though it's more expensive than last year, I still think this cruise is a excellent value.

 

It's definitely a more appealing itinerary...