Rollcall 10/30 NCL Sun

[stoneybeach1]

Hey Folks!!! Anyone on the Sun out of New Orleans for Halloween????

 

We are a straight couple (non-breeding breeders;) ) who are joining a group of our gay/lesbian friends on an Aquafest cruise. Its a mixed cruise but I believe Aquafest has a slew of cabins, like 100+, and all kinds of extras... entertainment, Halloween party, mistress-of-ceremonies==>Bernadette, etc...

 

We all sailed the Sun last summer for an Alaskan cruise (17 cabins) and had a blast. We took over the Champagne Bar and renamed it "The Fruit Bowl". It became a communal gathering place each night... we had a standing rule that 7pm and 11pm were social hours, so if you felt like hanging out SOMEONE would be there. After the first night I think we were the only straight-folk hanging out there.

 

Hope to see some of you there!!!!

 

See Ya, Ted & Ann Marie

[kristy1277]

Hi there!

My wife and I will be on the Sun Oct 30th. We tried booking with Aquafest but those cabins went very fast. Instead we booked with GayTravel.com which offered the same sailing at a slightly higher price. We were disappointed but OH WELL, we have never been on a gay cruise, a gay hosted cruise....much less even a cruise lol! I am so excited, I am so glad that I found this message board. One of the reasons that we decided on this cruise was the fact that it was a mix of straights and gays, makes things interesting. We werent sure how we wouldve done with a ship of ONLY gays, might've been a little overwhelming since it will be our first cruise. Well sorry to ramble on so much. Nice to meet you!

[stoneybeach1]

Hi Kristy,

 

You and Lisa will enjoy the NCL Sun. Nice ship for a first cruise. The Freestyle dining thing is nice... no set dinner times, variety of choices, you can pay a little extra for even more diversity (Italian, steak, Pan-Asian, etc...)

 

I'm sure we'll meet up with you both. As the cruise gets closer we'll exchange info and where we can meet up. Our crowd (only 8 or so, so far) is getting to New Orleans on Friday... apparently its thee hottest gay-place to be for Halloween--- circuit parties, shows, DJs, etc...

 

You should both feel very comfortable on this cruise. As I mentioned before, we took this same ship to Alaska last summer with a bunch of our friends and (maybe I'm jaded) no other 'straight' passengers seemed to give our group a second look... except for a few guys hanging around the outskirts of the Champagne Bar whom we think were looking to earn a toaster or two;).

 

Looking forward to a good, relaxing time. Ted & Ann Marie

[kristy1277]

So, how many cruises have you two been on? We wanted to do something really exciting to celebrate our 1st year being married. We were 1 of the first to be married in MA last year. We thought that a cruise would be the perfect celebration. Have you eaten at the specialty restaurants on the Sun? I was thinking about trying out the sushi place, we can't get enough of it. Where did you find out that New Orleans is the place to be during Halloween? That sounds exciting. We're going to be flying in Thursday because we wanted to spend a few days there before the cruise, we have never been to New Orleans either. Have you received any info about what kind of private excursions that your group is going to offer? I was just wondering because I haven't recieved anything yet. I wanted to plan our excursions but I don't want to book anything until I know what the private excursions options are going to be. I wonder just how big the gay groups are going to be...maybe enough to take over the ship lol.

[dallastexasguy]

Hey guys/gals-

 

This cruise should be a lot of fun from what I hear. This will be the first cruise for me as well as for the other friends joining me. I can not wait to enjoy all of the festivities and meet lots of new people. I also am looking forward to seeing Bernadette!!

 

As of right now, the Texas contingent is growing. 4 confirmed and 4 waiting to book. I know the cabins are selling quickly.

 

Talk to you all soon!

 

Chuck

[stoneybeach1]

Hey Kristy/Lisa/Chuck,

 

Kristy, we have only been on 2 cruises so far: NCL Sun-Alaska 2004 & Celebrity Infinity-Alaska 2002. We have only been to 1 surcharge restaurant on the Sun--> East Meets West. It has a Pan-Asian restaurant/Sushi bar and Japanese Teppanyaki Grill. We heard raves about the others, especially Le Bistro. As far as New Orleans being a hap'nin' Gay Halloween destination... check out www.gayhalloween.com or use any search engine... I had no clue!! I haven't heard about any 'private' Aquafest excursions as of yet. Usually, as with any cruise, you won't receive your paperwork/documents/luggage tags until approx 10 days to 3 weeks before sailing. My friend Scotty spoke to someone at Aquafest the other week and she said there are something like 100 cabins booked thru them so far... probably more to come... we (family And family-friendly) may just take over, as you said:).

 

Looks to be a great time... if you like to party till the wee hours--- you can. If you want a more laid-back experience and want to kick back somewhere with a good view--- you can. We tend to mix a little of both. I have a strange feeling the Champagne Bar will again become "The Fruit Bowl". Cool.

 

Enjoy, Ted & Ann Marie

[Smooth Sailing]

We will also be on the 10/30 NCL Sun cruise - I started a Roll Call sometime ago - think it got lost on the back pages. Katie and I have been to New Orleans many times - one of our favorite places - it's so decadent.

[kristy1277]

Is anyone still posting on this board? It seems deserted.....

[rwslv]

Hi Kristy and Lisa, my partner (of thirteen years) Colin and I will be abord the Sun on this cruise. We also booked through Aquafest and are excited about the possibilities on board. I am hoping that all goes well in New Orleans and that we are still able to leave from thier port. We have reservations at a gay B&B for that Thursday -Sunday. I hope it is not under 12 feet of water! Also, have you checked out the festivites for Psycho Cinéma Diabolique? It is three days of gay Halloween events in N.O. From what I understand it is the largest event held in the City. My hope is the city will rebound from this recent devistion and we will all be able to attend these great events and drop a bucket load of cash while we are there. For now we are in Cabin 9003. Looking forward to meeting everyone!

[stoneybeach1]

Hey Kristy,

 

We're still here!!! There is a roll call for this cruise in the 'roll call' section, but after reading the posts, some of the folks appear a bit 'phobic'... if ya know what I mean:( . I'll stick to this roll call.

 

We are also arriving early (Friday) and staying at the Royal Sonesta on Bourbon St. According to the website, they only sustained minimal damage and should be good to go by Sept 9th. Here's to hoping the rest of the Quarter is that fortunate.

 

Still awaiting the Aquafest excursions (and the NCL ones too!).

 

Can't wait!! There is ALOT happening that weekend... the town is packed. There is a Saints/Dolphins game, Natl Assn of Convenience Stores Conference (20,000 people), Steel Pony Express (biker show), Gay Halloween... of course, VooDoo Music Fest (Nine Inch Nails, etc...). People who haven't gotten a room yet are stuck paying high prices near the airport or in Metarie... the Quarter is all booked up. If the Hyatt (and others I've seen on TV) can't get up and running by then it may mean a lot of displaced tourists. I hope everything works out for all who are affected.

 

See Ya in New Orleans,

 

Ted & Ann Marie

[kenth59]

Hi Everyone,

 

You will have a great time. We cruised with Aquafest in Feb and they did a great job, very professional and organized. We would have loved to go this time also except that we had already booked with another company going out of Galveston on the Rhapsody. This will be our third time on Rhapsody and it is a really great ship.

Take care and enjoy your cruise!

Kent

[kristy1277]

Hey all,

We just talked to NCL today to find out what was going on, they said that they would have the info on the port by Wednesday. So, as of today, nothing is official yet.....

[rwslv]

Thanks for the update. We made reservations in both Houston and Galveston just in case!

[kristy1277]

NCL just posted today that the cruise will sail out of Houston. Also, they changed the itinerary :( We will only be spending ONE day in Mexico. Tuesday will be Playa from 8AM-10AM, then Cozumel 12PM-10PM. This really puts a damper on our plans. Also, we lose an hour in Belize but gain 2.5 hours in Roatan. Oh well! We won't be cancelling, NCL will give anyone booked $50 per person onboard credit. What are everybody else's plans? Tomorrow, I have to spend the day cancelling hotel and flight, hope I don't run into problems....

[rwslv]

We are still going. We called the airline today (American Airlines) to see about changing our tickets. Not only did they change them without any additional fees, but waived the 8.00 phone charge and also refunded $136.00! We asked if they could somehow keep the difference and donate it to some sort of travel fund to help the victems of Katrina but unfortunetly they weren't able to do that.

 

We booked a gay B & B in New Orleans for three nights pre-cruise. The owner was only able to get out of town with one suitecase and his two cats. He made it to Florida to stay with relatives and one of his cats ran away. My heart aches. In an email he offered to return our deposit (we pre-paid all three nights) but we felt that we would just let him keep it and to use it to buy himself whatever he needs. Those poor folks that ran the B&B's we loved in New Orleans not only lost their house but also, for most their only source of income. Most are not sure if they will be able to rebuild.

 

We will fly into Houston on Saturday and are REALLY looking forward to the cruise and looking forward to meeting y'all in Texas! :)

[dallastexasguy]

Houston will be a lot closer for us coming from Dallas/San Antonio. We may just drive down in the morning and park. Hopefully there will be decent parking!

 

While In Houston, be sure to go to the Guava Lamp for some drinks. It is a very cool looking place and not your typical boomboom music blaring so loud. It has moved recently, but the new place is the corner of Waugh and Allen Parkway. We had a blast. Good mix, everyone is welcome.

 

Oh, anyone going to take the tubing excursion? I think that will be a lot of fun and not bad for $89.

[kristy1277]

Hi dallastexasguy,

We won't be doing the tubing thing in Belize, we're going to do the snorkeling in shark/ray alley thing with Coral Breezes (http://www.coralbreezelimited.com). They also offer the tubing excursion for much less than the cruise ($59). I have heard good things from their company. Also, you could go with X-Stream (http://belizecruiseexcursions.com) for $60 or Reggie (http://www.regtour.com/index.htm) for $50. All of these companies have MUCH smaller tours than the ship, and they take you to extra caves. I think in Roatan, we'll be doing the catamaran cruise, that sounds like fun. Since we basically have to choose between Playa or Cozumel because of the new itinerary, we pick Playa to go to Xcaret, then ATVing. I can't wait! What is everybody else doing for excursions?

[pmckibben]

Hi everyone,

 

My wife Sarah and I (non-phobic, don't worry!) will be joining you all on this cruise. With the port change to Houston, it threw our plans for a loop--we were originally going to drive to NOLA from Atlanta, but now that it's moved to Houston, we're planning to fly.

 

We're planning to arrive in Houston on Saturday. Does anyone have recommendations for places to stay or things to do. We've been going around in circles on this, but our tentative plan is to rent a car at Hobby on Saturday (surprisingly cheap--Alamo has a deal for under $20/day), stay in the Galleria area Saturday night, return the car to Hobby on Sunday, and take a taxi to the pier (sounds like the fare will be at least $45 + tip, according to this fare calculator: http://www.yellowcabhouston.com/fare_info.html).

 

We'd prefer to have a little nightlife available wherever we stay, which is why we chose the Galleria area. We'd also consider downtown, but have not heard much positive about that area yet. I also heard the Kemah area is close to the port, but there's not much to do around there other than the Boardwalk Inn, which is expensive and looks a little touristy (not that it's a bad thing--we are tourists after all). But logistically it's tough because there's no place to return a rental car over there that I could find (it doesn't make much sense to me to pay for a rental car while it's parked at the pier).

 

So what are everyone else's plans? Any Houston natives that can offer recommendations?

 

Thanks, and look forward to seeing you all on the cruise!

 

--Paul

[kristy1277]

Hi Paul,

I would also like some info on the Houston area. I had to switch my flight to Houston but not I have no clue where to get the hotel at. We were thinking of the Boardwalk Inn also but like you said, it's pricey. Another option that I have come across is the South Shore Harbour resort (http://www.sshr.com/specials.html). According to Mapquest, it is about 12 mi from the port. This resort offers a shuttle from Hobby for $20 per person. They also are having a cruise special for $88 which includes breakfast. Or we could stay at a hotel near Hobby with free shuttle service, then take a cab.....choices choices. We still have no clue what to do. Any suggestions anybody??

[pmckibben]

Kristy, that South Shore Harbour resort looks like a great find!

 

As for us, Sarah and I finally made a decision: we're using Hilton HHonors points to stay at the Embassy Suites in the Galleria area on Saturday night, and using the cheap rental car from Alamo that day. That gives us the most flexibity--we have a nice place to stay, and we can still get to wherever we might want to go in the Houston area on Saturday. On Sunday we'll return the car and take the $45 cab ride from Hobby to the pier.

 

--Paul

[rwslv]

We are staying at the Wyndham Greenspoint Hotel which is about 21 miles from the port. We got a great deal on car rental from National $21 per day. We are going to Great America Freight Fest Saturday night before we take in a few bars. We will return the car on Sunday and either take the NCL shuttle or private limo to the pier. Haven't decided on the excursions yet, but will probably do one or two of the Aquafest choices. I know that they are also setting up a meet and greet on Saturday night so we will try to stop in to that as well.

[AnnapolisCruises]

Hello everyone, Try this private car transportation company. The price really isn't that bad at all

 

http://www.TEXASAIRPORTCAR.com

[nashkan]

My partner & I are bringing our 9 year old Grandson on this cruise with us. Is anyone else bringing their children? It would be nice to meet up for dinner so they have other kids to talk to...

[bobar]

he y'11 2 more texans here.Came about this through the back door.Did not know it was a gay cruise when i heard the sun would be sailing out of houston.

Wanted to take my new partner on his first cruise.called agant. got an amazing deal on a balcony and then got on cruise critic and low and behold finally on a ship with my community.after 25 cruises this should be great.Then as it turns out i know Bernadette and have never seen her perform. i hope we can be included in other events since we didn't book through a gay company.If we have to pay or make a donation or something that would be fine. Also have done this itinerary on the old norwegian sea 5 times so pretty well versed on the ports.

in Belize definately cave tube with xtreme.. great guys and a lot of fun and they'll start you out in a place where you can jump off cliffs.Anyway look forward to meeting everyone...Robb here .:cool:

[BCrumby]

Hi Kristy and Lisa -

 

This is Brian Crumby with Aquafest GLBT Group Cruise Events. I am sorry to hear that you were unable to book with us directly. Unfortunatley to maintain integrity, we can only allow those who booked through us access to our events.

 

However, we can allow you to join in on all of our group activities for a event charge of $200 per person.

 

Please let me know if you are interested. Also, please contact me next time you are interested in cruising, and we will get you space!

 

Brian.Crumby@cruisecenter.com

Aquafest GLBT Group Cruise Events