Calling All Teachers/Summer Cruisers

[montgomeryfamily]

Since teachers are locked into specific vacation times which are dependent on the school calendar and so have to travel during "peak season", then take advantage of group discounts and sail on a Cruise Critic Group cruise. This is also a great option for those with school-age chldren or others who need to travel during school vacations.

 

Looking for such a CC group cruise? Then look no further!! Join us on the August 19, 2006 Caribbean Princess Cruise Critic Group Cruise.

 

In addition to getting the group pricing, the group members also receive several other amenities. Plus, we're going to have a group sailaway party, a CC meet and mingle, and perhaps other parties/activities depending on what the group would like to do. If teachers in the group would like to have a special get-together or activity, then we'll arrange that too.

 

Also, onboard educational opportunities are offered through the Princess Scholarship@Sea program. Princess offers a number of onboard courses, some of which are complimentary and some which have a small fee. You can increase your computer skills with computer courses or take a fun leisure learning course like cooking or mixing drinks. Princess has also advised that they are willing to try to offer a specific course onboard if the course is requested in advance and enough passengers commit to taking it and an instructor can be located. So we can facilitate this through the group if there is sufficent interest in a specific course.

 

Want to forget about the classroom and just have a lot of fun and relax? The Caribbean Princess offers lots of activities onboard, including various games, trivia contests, Movies under the Stars, evening shows, and theme nights. And the children and teens will love the special programs and activities just for them. There is a sizeable library with books to check out to passengers, so you don't have to bring your own books, a world-class art collection, a card room/game room and an internet center. Other facilities include a well-equipped gym, freshwater pools and hot tubs, a nine hole putting green, golf simulators, and the luxurious Lotus Spa. There are also lounges/clubs where you can just listen to music or you can dance the night away.

 

This seven day cruise also has a fabulous itinerary, visiting St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and the beautiful private Princess island, Princess Cay. These islands offer lots to do on your own, including many free beaches, or you can book a private excursion or a tour through Princess shore excursions. Plus St. Thomas is one of the very best places to shop in the entire Caribbean. Since usually on this itinerary the only tender port is Princess Cay, this itinerary is ideal for disabled passengers as well.

 

So come aboard and join us!! Click on the links below for booking or other information. You can also contact me at kacruiser@ev1.net for any questions or requests for additional information.

[Pam in CA]

Since teachers are locked into specific vacation times which are dependent on the school calendar and so have to travel during "peak season", then take advantage of group discounts and sail on a Cruise Critic Group cruise. This is also a great option for those with school-age chldren or others who need to travel during school vacations.

 

Looking for such a CC group cruise? Then look no further!! Join us on the August 19, 2006 Caribbean Princess Cruise Critic Group Cruise.

A 8/19 cruise would return on 8/26 so I guess I'm confused. All teachers I know of (my daughter is one of them) are back to school that week in teacher conferences, classroom preparation, etc. In many parts of the country, schools are back in session in early August. Do you mean July?

[Fantazy]

I agree with Pam....my 10 year old daughter starts school on August 16th, and the teachers have to be in class for prep, conferences...etc the week before that.

[Coral]

Schools are often back 2nd or 3rd week of school in August where I live. Teachers, before that. In Florida - they are often back the first week in August.

[montgomeryfamily]

This particular group cruise is in August, 2006. School schedules vary by location. So this cruise will accommodate the schedule of teachers who are in school systems/college systems that begin later than those schedules you describe.

 

There are several CC group cruises that will sail in June and July of 2006. So if you need to sail earlier and would still like the advantage of group pricing, I encourage you to check the Cruise Critic Member Cruise forum. You'll get the group pricing and have the fun of sailing with other Cruise Critic friends.

[Coral]

Group pricing on CC groups seems higher then booking direct with a TA. Though to each their own.

[montgomeryfamily]

I can't speak for the pricing of the other CC group cruises, but I checked the individual pricing of this August 19, 2006 Caribbean Princess CC group cruise with twelve different travel agencies-- ten internet and two major brick and mortar--to make sure that the group pricing we were getting was the lowest. I also checked on the pricing with Princess directly. I only found one (at an internet only agency) that was lower and that was only by a few dollars, but that pricing did not include any amenities or shipboard credit. With just the shipboard credit added in, the group pricing we have for this August 19, 2006 cruise is even cheaper than that agency. Plus we have the value of the other amenities.

 

If anyone finds any lower pricing, I would be interested in knowing about it. In addition, the travel agency handling this group cruise has assured us that if the Princess price goes down before final payment, our price will be lowered also. If the price goes down after final payment, he will try to get an adjustment, but that is very much dependent upon Princess.

[DannyMac]

A group cruise for teachers would be nice, but I am on duty July 25, so that leaves me out. Since I have 125 sick days and 32 yrs decided to take a week off during non peak times, 2 personal days and 3 sick days, I plan on doing this once a year to start using up sick time before retirement. Our district does not pay you for unused sick time so I am not going to leave them any.

[Cindy]

A cruise for teachers sounds like fun, but that's way too late for us Texans! This year, the students at my school start Aug. 16th...teachers come back the 10th.

[montgomeryfamily]

Cindy, I suggest that you contact the group leaders of one of the CC group cruises scheduled in June or July and see if they would be willing to put together something for teachers, if there is enough interest. Just go to the Cruise Member Cruise section of the board and look at those cruises--the group leader is listed on each. Sorry your timing doesn't work out for our group cruise--we'd like to have you aboard.

 

DannyMac, as long as you are allowed to use your sick days like this, I don't blame you for using them up if you aren't getting paid for them. Not getting paid for sick days doesn't seem fair. Of course, a cruise may just be what the doctor prescribed! :) What better stress reduction! :cool: Did you know that some companies and school districts allow employees to donate sick days to employees who have a chronic or catastrophic medical problem and not enough sick days. Perhaps you could suggest that to your school district, since it doesn't seem like you will be able to use all of your sick days before you retire by using only three days a year on cruises.

 

Just to clarify, this group cruise is not a teachers cruise, as such. It is a group cruise open to anyone. We were just offering to provide some group activities for teachers because the timing of this cruise does work for some teachers and students in schools which are on a schedule that begins later and some interest in that had been expressed to me. If there are others with particular interests or professions (for example, nurses), then we would certainly be willing to coordinate some group activities for them, if there is sufficient interest.

 

If many schools do start earlier, then this will not be a typical summer cruise that will have the hundreds of kids on shipboard as are on the spring break, June, and July cruises, although I'm sure there will be a fair number of kids. So if the school/work schedule permits, there could be some advantages of cruising during this time. :)

[cruzisme]

I am newly retired so I don't have to work around schedules anymore!

 

Anyway, here in B. C., we start on the day after Labour Day, and I think that most districts throughout Canada follow this. Of course, there will be district here and there that might start in late August, etc.

 

For the number of teaching days, we teach approximately 180 up to over 190 days a year, so we usually end June 30th.

 

There is the occasional district that has opted for 'year round schooling' but that plan did not fly here in my district.

 

When we retire, we do not get compensation for any unused 'sick days' either so when I retired, I had over 120 days. Wish I could have used them for 'travel time'! :)

[wwwaters]

Wife is also a teacher here in Ga , back in school 1st week of Aug

[montgomeryfamily]

Thanks Cruise6, but that was one of the agencies I had checked and their pricing is not cheaper than the group pricing we got for the CC Group cruise. In fact, they were not cheaper than several of the ones I checked.

 

By the way, we are not allowed to recommend any travel agencies by name on the Cruise Critic board. So I expect that your post will be deleted by the forum host. Since you haven't got many posts, I assume that you aren't aware of that restriction. I just wanted to make you aware of that rule, especially if you check back on this thread and find your post is gone. But keep posting--we are glad to have you on the board.

[Jules1]

My husband is a college professor and always back to school Aug 20-24 each year. This cruise doesn't work for us, either.

[montgomeryfamily]

Cruizisme, congratuations on your retirement! Now you can cruise anytime you want.

 

Thanks for explaining that most of your school systems in Canada begin after Labor Day. Wow, that is a long school year to end around June 30. The teachers really do need a nice rest before the school year begins again. :)

 

Like most of your school systems in Canada, there are some schools in the US which begin after Labor Day, although it appears that many schools in the US begin earlier. But there will be some US teachers aboard. I'm sure they would enjoy meeting their Canadian counterparts.

 

We certainly welcome all of our Canadian Cruise Critic friends to join this Cruise Critic Group cruise. In fact, I always like to play trivia having at least one or two Canadians on the team, as they are usually the only ones who can answer the hockey questions. :) Seriously, I have always enjoyed meeting cruisers from Canada. They have always been very nice and quite fun. One of the great pluses about cruising is that you have the opportunity to meet people from other countries that you may not otherwise have had the opportunity to meet.

 

So to all the Canadian Cruise Critic members out there, come aboard and join the fun!! :)

[DannyMac]

Keep the information coming concerning future educator group cruises. I am sure at some time the date selected with match up with most people.

 

Yes you are right about the sick days but I am planning to use plenty during the next few years before retirement. We do have a "sick day bank" and yes I do contribute.

[pamwinn]

I would love to cruise with a group of teachers. I am in the same "boat" as some of the others though. I am in Georgia and I have already completed a week of planning. Tomorrow (8/1) the kids come back.

 

We are on a modified calender and have a week off in September that I am looking forward to already. If Alaska prices drop enough, we'll be there for one of the last sailings.

[yarlenna]

Most schools in Fla are getting back in soon. Aug is also part of the hurricane season - one of the worst parts. Another month might be nicer.

[myangel]

The teachers here ( Panama CIty, Florida ) start back the last week of July and the students start back August 4th...........too late for us!

[cruzisme]

I think it would be great to be on an 'educator cruise' in order for people from all over the country (countries) to compare teaching methods and curriculum (or is this too 'serious' during vacation time?) I always feel that all of us have upteen ideas that we take for granted, and yet, for another person, wow, why didn't I think of that--does this ring a bell for you?

 

Quite often teachers under rate themselves when it comes to teaching ideas etc. Anyone agree?

 

But as already mentioned, I received my 'retirement school bell' in June--it now is on display in my living room.

 

Back to cruise news: I am putting some stuff into the suitcase so that I won't forget: binoculars, snorkelling stuff for DH, OTC meds, etc.

[montgomeryfamily]

I know that there are a lot of locations in the US where the schools start around Labor Day, so the dates of this August 19, 2006 group cruise would work for all of those teachers in such systems and for others who have to travel within those school calenders. So if there are any teachers who would like to come aboard on this group cruise and have some specific activities for teachers, then just let me know.

 

Also, to reiterate, this is not just a cruise for teachers--it is for everyone who wants to join us. In addition to all of the fun Princess activities, the CC group is going to have at least a couple of parties/meetings. And depending on the interest of the group members, other activities can be arranged.

 

Since several people who have expressed interest of a teacher's cruise are in school systems that begin much earlier than Labor Day and can't join this one, I am considering whether there might be sufficient interest to have a 2007 group CC cruise (on the Caribbean Princess or other Princess ship doing a 7 day Caribbean itinerary in 2007) which would especially focus on educators. Of course, any CC member could join and there would be activities for everyone, but also there could be activities specifically for educators, like a teachers meet and mingle. Since it appears that Canadian teachers are in school until the end of June and some US schools begin as early as late July, then perhaps a cruise over the first week of July would accommodate most people's schedules. This would include both Canada Day and Independence Day holidays, so I'm unsure whether folks would want to cruise then. Anyway, if you are interested in this possibility and/or have any suggestions, then please email me at kacruiser@ev1.net. If there seems to be sufficient interest, I will email Laura and ask her about it.

 

For those who cannot join our August 19, 2006 CC group cruise due to school schedules beginning earlier, I encourage you to check the CC member group forum as there are some group cruises in May, June and July, 2006 which may better fit your schedule. Perhaps even if you can't join us in 2006, we can all get together in 2007 on a sailing. :)

 

Thanks to all for your suggestions. Cruizisme, I think your suggestion relating to teacher crossfeed sounds exciting, especially with CC teachers coming from so many different areas (including international). By the way, did you really get a "retirement school bell"? That is such a good idea for a retirement mommento. :)

[mill231]

For those of you teachers that can't stand to see your sick days not get used up, I'm glad you're not my child's teacher. Yes, they should pay you for sick days. I'm a teacher and our district does pay us for unused sick days. We don't get paid for our 3 personal days per year if we don't use them and I've lost almost all of my personal days for the last 7 years, if that's how you want to look at it. I prefer to look at it as days that my students have gained. We get enough time off in the summer to vacation. It really irritates me when my co-workers take the last 2 or 3 Fridays of the year off to go fishing just to burn up personal days. What happened to all of the dedicated teachers that went into the profession because they care about the kids' education? Sorry, but I just had to put my 2 cents in.

[patches05]

The idea of many teachers on a cruise is a wonderful one! Even though I have a very supportive husband, it seems as if the only people who can truly empathize with a teacher is another teacher! :) I would need to take any extended vacation in late June or July, though.

 

In Michigan, when I was growing up we always started school the Tuesday after Labor Day. The year ended in mid-June. This was with 2 weeks off at Christmas and 1 week off at Easter. Many school districts in Michigan (especially SE Michigan) still operate this way, but many have also thrown in a 1 week mid-winter break in February.

 

The district where I teach in Michigan (also SE Michigan) starts back on August 22 and we end the year mid-June. We get slightly longer than 1 week at Christmas, a 2 day mid-winter break, and 1 week at Easter.

 

All of my long-term vacations must be taken in the summer. Even though I have a number of days saved up, we are not allowed to take more than two in a row without a Dr's note.

 

I have found that many students are pulled out of school by their parents during the year to take these extended vacations with their families (this is at the high school level.)

[DannyMac]

mill231, your post indicates that you are a dedicated and caring professional with the students interest at heart and that is to be commended. But, I take exception to your statements about educators using accumulated sick time at the expense of student learning.

 

"What happened to all the dedicated teachers who went into the profession because they care about the student's education" They are still there! Who is more dedicated, an educator that takes the sick time off during the school year or an educator that does not take off and elects to come to work everyday and allow the sick time to accumulate?

 

If a school district allows accumulated sick time, no one has the right to make an inference that said teacher is not dedicated just because they elect to use that sick time.

 

In 32yrs of teaching and coaching, I have learned not to complain about a coworker or their dedication to the profession. This is something that I try to pass on to new members of my staff and most follow that advice.

[cruzisme]

yes, Montgomeryfamily, our teachers organization (local union) does present a special engraved brass bell to each retiring teacher! It is about 7 inches tall from handle to bellmouth (does this make sense?) anyways, it is lovely and really sounds great when I ring it (to call in people to the dinner table...just joking)

 

It is engraved with our name, the date of retirement, and of course, our teachers' local name (ie ....District Teachers' Association)

 

Our district also hosted us with a lovely dinner and we were all presented with a rosewood clock!

 

June was certainly a fun month with all these activities (and a tea held in our school gym for us 4 retirees from our school) and of course, the children were wonderful to me too. They gave me a framed poem that they had composed...a very sentimental thoughtful gift indeed. Teaching has its ups and downs, but it is the ups that make us thankful for being teachers.

 

BTW, I was a grade 4/5 teacher and also part time teacher-librarian! :)