Roll Call: Caribbean Princess 9/9/06

[bilgeboyPa]

Hey Jake,

I see it isn't much better over here either. Dump this cruise and do the Millie with us in Jan. GREAT inside prices. Maybe we can get a few from your last cruise to join in too :rolleyes: . At least it would be fun.

I just got back from Bermuda last Saturday. You think your group is a bunch of duds. WOW. We only hung out with 2 people from that group. Ann and Allan. Very kewl people. We closed the Martini bar every night!!:D

 

Hope your bunch livens up

 

Jeff

[CruisinMaterial]

Hey Jeff,

 

Well the group has livened up somewhat, all my yelling paid off. They finally have come up with creative names for our cruise group, now we're voting on them! Hopefully we'll have a name by June 17th!

 

Boston PRIDE this weekend... can't wait! :D

 

If our Cruise Critic group doesn't want to do anything, that's fine by me. I'll make my own fun. I always do! :) As for dumping this cruise, no can do.. final payment was put down last night. Plus, next year I want to do a more exotic cruise although Ross has been bugging me like crazy to the 2007 RCCL JOS repositioning from Boston to FLL.

 

Closing the martini bar isn't a bad thing!! ;)

 

~Jake

 

P.S. WHERE ARE ALL YOU GUYS?? I know there's still a TON of staterooms available during this sailing but come on now, this is rediculous! You guys afraid of a little rain and wind?!?!

[winstons dads]

Hello,

 

There are 2 more that will be on this cruise. I left a message on the roll call too last week. Just made my reservations then. It is Paul and Scott from Iowa. Can't believe I still have to wait 3 months to go.

 

Paul

[CruisinMaterial]

Hi Paul & Scott!

I saw you on the regular (hetero :eek: :rolleyes: :cool: ) roll call thread and was wondering but I'm not about to ask over there. It's not my place to. Glad to have some "family" onboard!

 

Ready to conquer the discos! :D

~Jake

 

 

Jeff - You having too much fun at PRIDE?

[CruisinMaterial]

Hey Again Paul & Scott,

 

I was rushed during the last posting... now that I have more time... here's a little about me...

 

I'm 24 from the recent water logged city of Lowell, MA. I'll be sailing with mom on this particular cruise. Onboard, I'll probably be in the disco most nights. During the day I play hide and seek from the sun generally, usually opting for activities inside the ship that are good for meeting and mingling.

 

So I know you guys are from Iowa, tell me about ya! I'm just very glad there is more gay guys coming along. I thought I was going to be the only one! :eek: Feel free to ask questions. I notice you are new to Cruise Critic. Are you new to cruising completely?

 

Princess is usually good with hosting FOD parties too so good cruise line choice!

 

~Jake

[winstons dads]

Jake,

 

Hello. Well, I just turned 40 on Friday. Scott will be celebrating his 36th birthday while we are on the cruise. Our last cruise was 3 years ago on Royal Carribbean. We did the west coast of Mexico. We also went on the Norwegian Norway which was kind of neat. My family and I went on another Roayal Carribbean cruise some years ago from San Juan and also a short Carnival cruise. I went on critic before our Mexico cruise but I had no idea what my name or password could be so just started over. Hoping won't be so long till the next time I want to use it. We live in the very southwest corner of the state. Scott works in Omaha, NE which is about an hour away. He will most likely be in a lot also. He is a red head and very fair skin so a little sun is all he can take. He will be red the first day. I am lucky not to have that problem. Nice talking with you and will continue to till we go.

 

Paul

[CruisinMaterial]

Hey Paul & Scott!

 

I don't have too sensitive of skin. I just don't like staying in one place for very long period of time unless I'm sleeping! So a deck chair would work if I wanted to fall asleep. Otherwise, I'd just be around the ship some where. The sea days are the challenege to me. The trivia game is way over my head and I'm not that much into Bingo so there's a gap in the day's activities. I am not much of an artsy guy (mostly because I have no place to put it) so the art auctions are out to.

 

Sometimes just sitting in the atrium with a drink at the bar listening to a nice string band is always good. It depends on what entertainers they have onboard their ships though. I haven't seen a good string band in a while on any of the ships. Harps don't count to me.

 

I've done 8 cruises thus far, all since 2001. Four of them were all-gay Atlantis Cruise voyages. I've left them after the Olympics cruise, which was the highlight of my cruising experience so far. I'd love to go to Beijing in 2008 with them but with the Human Rights issues over there, I doubt they're going.

 

Let's see, what else? I work up the road from where I live. I used to work in Beantown (Boston). Cruising and keeping track of the cruise community is a hobby. I like to hang out in the Wheelhouse Bar (depending on the entertainment) because the nostalgia of the place gives you a flashback to the days of steamliners (wood paneling, pictures of old ships).

 

Like I said, feel free to ask away! Book your shore excursions yet?

 

~Jake

[winstons dads]

Hey,

 

We have no trouble just laying around so sea days won't bother us at all. Sounds kind of nice right now actually. Haven't booked shore excursions yet. Still trying to figure that one out. Want to get it done soon though. Did that before our last cruise and was so nice to have everything done when you got on board. Is there a wide variety of people on the all gay cruises also? Have looked at some but never found the perfect one to try I guess. My family wants to do one next year I think. Have one brother with wife and 3 girls and then my parents. Hard to fine everyone to agree. Suppose better go. Winston is our dog. He is a 7 month old Welsh-Corgi. Hardest part about doing the cruise will be having to be without him.

 

Later,

Paul

[CruisinMaterial]

Hey Paul,

 

Awww. That's cute about the dog. Hopefully your dog is obedient. My mom's scottish terrier is a barker and very annoying. I'm more of a cat person now, they don't need to be taken out and they feed themselves without eating it all in one setting!!

 

As for shore excursions, I figured you might have mentioned something over on the regular roll call thread. I didn't want to get into details over there, although if any of them come over here they'll see what I'm typing to you.

 

Jamaica is a very bad place for the GLBT community. Not to mention the fact that the island in and of itself to a regular tourist is risky business but to the gay community, they simply do not have any civil / human rights there. They are very mean spirited folks. I've been to the island myself once and vowed from that day forth I would never get off the ship in Jamaica unless it was to go to Margaritaville - that's only if we docked at the right pier.

 

I'd watch yourself at Dunn's River Falls. It's great to go climbing up them but make sure you are wearing shoes with good traction or sandals with good traction because you can slip on the rocks and get hurt. Also, when trying to leave the Falls, you will encounter a "market" where everyone wants to be your "friend" to sell you something. If you can make it through that market then you deserve a job on Wall Street. They are cut throat, everything is a "present" to you but it comes at a price. They are very annoying and very rude there. You turn them down and they make it personal. It's the worst island I've ever been to in the Caribbean. I've never been to a worse island and I've been to smaller islands like Dominica and places that are war torn like Haiti and Dominican Republic. Jamaica is a place to watch your butt at.

 

Now a quick note about the Cayman Islands too. They are very friendly there but they are also very religious there too. While they do not have a problem with human rights, they have a strong belief system against the GLBT community. They won't do anything to you though like Jamaica could but it was also worth mentioning.

 

Now that you know the politics of the ports we're going to, I hope I haven't scared you from the cruise!! :( I figured honesty and a heads up is a good idea since you've never been to any of these places before.

 

As for the question on gay cruising. I can only speak of Atlantis from experience. Atlantis tends to attract more of the circuit boy crowd. They cater to this crowd by having a party on deck every night and several daytime t-dances.

 

RSVP I heard is different and is more elegant and refined, while still having several parties each cruise. Depends on what you are looking for.

 

Then there's Rosies "R FAMILY VACATIONS" cruise. She has one per year and it's usually a blast and all families are invited, including families of gays and lesbians (like your mom, etc.). I was looking into that possibility for mom, dad, sis and I. That'd be sort of fun considering you'd be surrounded by the community the entire trip.

 

Stick with Princess for hetero cruising though. You can't go wrong. If you want more elegance than Princess, then you go to Celebrity. I've done elegant cruises and then went on carnival and I felt so sick by the time it got over... the ships are rust buckets and they are germ infested. Princess prides itself on cleanliness and keeping that nasty Norovirus off the boat.

 

Here's the shore excursions we're doing...

Jamaica - None - Staying on the boat or Margaritaville.

Cayman Islands - Jolly Roger Pirate Tour (land, not the cruise) & Atlantis Submarine expedition (mom loves doing those).

Cozumel - San Gervasio Ruins followed by Carlos N Charlies and Senor Frogs.

 

Princess Cays is an overglorified beach. It's just a small private island off the coast of Eleuthra Island in the Bahamas that they leased from Bahamas. There's not much to do there except a big beach buffet, they bring all the provisions from the ship and cook it there.

 

Hmm... what else? :confused:

 

~Jake

[winstons dads]

Hey,

 

I am anxious to do the Princess cruise and so looking forward to having a balcony. That will be so nice. I have seen some Celebrity cruises I would also like to take. The R Family cruises seem nice too. I just wonder if there are tons and tons of kids. I saw the documentary. It was interesting. Would be good for a family though. I also looked once about Aquafest I believe where they just have a gay group on a regular cruise. Guess it doesn't matter. We live in a small town and not much in the lines of gay activity around here anyway. Are used to that.

 

Thanks for all the advice. I really do appreciate it. I had wanted to do the sub thing. Our group was late and we missed it. Got a refund and a god-awful bottle of champagne to make up for it but was still disappointed.

 

I have a cat also. She is about 14 or so. She has finally gotten used to the dog I think. I like cats too for all the reasons you mentioned. I like dogs though too but have never had one because I didn't have the time. I used to work nights at a hotel and then a part-time job during the day. Lost the night job so now just have the part-time day job. I manage an apartment complex for elderly/disabled people and take the dog to work with me. Mother and I also opened a floral/gift shop that is next door to my house alsmost 2 years ago. Take him with me there too so he isn't alone. Didn't want one to be stuck in a kennel for most of the day. Wouldn't be fair. So now have my baby and enjoy him a great deal.

 

Better be going for tonight.

 

Paul

[bilgeboyPa]

Hey Jake,

We have Pride this weekend in Allentown, but I am going to be in Pittsburg for a State bowling tourny. Oh Well..our pride is the pits anyway.

I booked for January28th on the Millie. Couldn't pass up the price. One day me and you will get to cruise together. I just don't like chancing hurricanes.

 

Talk to ya soon

 

Jeff

[capeboy96]

Hey Jake,

 

Long time no chat. Glad to see you have another cruise booked. Another cruise during hurricane season? I really enjoyed sailing that week last year but thankfully everything went very smoothly on the Golden.

 

Did you make it to Pride in Boston last weekend? One of these years I will make it. I was in DC instead for Pride last weekend. One of my best friends was in charge of the parade again this year and got talked into going and helping him out some. It was a lot of fun. Huge concert Sunday basically in the shadow of the Capitol but only artist I was familiar with was Kelly Clarkson. Really enjoyed her performance a lot. Am considering going to Pride in Providence this weekend. They're having an Illuminated Parade Sat. night that sounds kind of cool.

 

Think the last time we chatted I was getting ready to go on the RSVP cruise and you wanted a full report. The jury is still out on that one. It was a lot different from Atlantis. Definately had mixed reviews on the whole product. The ship, HAL's Westerdam, sucked big time which definately impacts things. For a ship that it less than 2 years old it is certainly run down and crew was very unfriendly. Hope this was just an off week for them (I really enjoyed my other 2 HAL trips on much older ships) and not a sign of Carnival screwing up a good product. RSVP definately attracted a much older crowd. At 31 I was probably one of the youngest. Was told that that was due to it being a Panama sailing. The week before was a Carribean sailing and had a younger crowd. It was definately more laid back, the passengers in general were more friendly, and very little attitude. Not a lot of people hooking up and definately no dark "anything goes" decks. They have dance parties on deck alternating between tea dances one day and night time dances the next. I was surprised to get the list in the mail beforehand and see the list of what they wer going to have: loin cloth dance, underwear dance, costumn dance party, a leather party, diva dance, and a sun hat dance. I was not happy at first with this list at all but it was very tame when I think of Atlantis and for the most part very tasteful.

 

Very little nightlife on this sailing. Dance parties end at 2:30A and the whole ship went to bed. The only thing open later was the casino and snack bar and those both closed at 3A. No late night disco. (I'm surprised, have never closed Skywalkers). The entertainment was ok. They brought on Michael Feinstein as the big guest star. Guess my grandparents would have liked him, I was way too young to know any of his songs. Crystal Waters was on one night but literally sang 2 songs at the Diva dance and was done in 10 minutes. They had Bruce Daniels on as a comedian. He was booed of the stage of the Atlantis trip in January but was a little better this time. They had a hypnotist who was pretty good one night. Only one HAL production show which was disapointing cause they did an amazing job and would have loved to have seen them again. They did have a caboret act that was amazing. This couple named Amy and Freddy. They are performing at Crown and Anchor in Provincetown in July and I will definately be driving down to see them again. Without them I think I would have actually been bored some nights. To be fair though HAL is definately not known for it's nightlife so that may have impacted things right there. Would love to take an RSVP cruise on Celebrity but Atlantis has exclusive rights.

 

Oh yeah, the other main differenc from Atlantis is dining. They did have open seating (a first for RSVP) but you have to go at your assigned time. My 8 friends all got late seating and I got early seating since I booked later. They actually checked you going into the dining room and I got busted and turned away 2 nights which pissed me off. I don't mind meeting new people but don't really want to go to dinner alone when my friends could all go together. They had one formal night which people totally respected and went all out for.

 

Guess I've rambled on enough for now. Only cruise I have booked right now is in January on the QE2 doing the transatlantic. Should be interesting in the dead of winter. Will probably do something in Sept. or October but not sure what yet. Just got a good coupon in the mail today from Princess so will probably consider them.

 

Take care.

 

Rob

[winstons dads]

Jake,

 

That is very bad news about your internet. I am sure it was a very unpleasant surprise for you. Glad you can be communicating once again. I agree though that dial-up is awful. Hope everything else is going well though.

 

Paul

[CruisinMaterial]

Hey Paul -

 

Yes, being without a high speed internet connection is like torture. It's so going back into the stone age days of the mid-90s! :( They still don't have an ETA for a fix and it's not sure when, if ever this week, it'll come back online. Verizon is so messed up, the online services is blaming the residential services for messing up the line, the residential services say that since the dial tone is restored, that's all they have to do. UNREAL!

 

Speaking of bad champagne (in your second to last post), there's plenty of that at every gathering hosted by Princess. They can't give that stuff away fast enough! :eek:

 

I would go insane with the two dogs with me all day. I can't imagine how you do it. However, I'm venturing to guess that your dog is well trained whereas these two are all over the map. One constantly barks. I'm serioulsy thinking of buying a shock collar. I never thought myself to be that cruel but I'm at my wits end. 4:30 in the morning, barking when the neighbor leaves for work and then for every little noise - even inside the house, it's just madness! The other dog doesn't bark unless there's an intruder or she knows the person shouldn't be on the property.

 

Stepping back to the cruise... try to book another submarine excursion in Caymans. They offer it there and I think you could try and combine a land tour for the "best sights" to see with an afternoon submarine tour. Check the Princess website for more on that though. I would look but I'm not waiting a millenia for the stupid thing to load!

 

------------------------------------------

Hey Jeff,

 

Nice to hear you booked another cruise. Ross has first dibs on me though, he's trying to get me booked onto a cruise for next year in October for a 12 Night RCCL Jewel of the Seas cruise. Since it leaves from Boston, I'm leaning towards it. We'll have to see though. Good to hear you got another cruise booked. It's always good to have something to look forward to.

 

Boston PRIDE was still fun even with the rain. I must say, the next few weeks leading up to the MA Constitutional Convention is going to be difficult in my house, especially with the MassEquality.org Education Fund putting up ads in the papers and now on TV. It's going to be crazy, I wonder if things will get as tense as they were two years ago when the ruling took over and allowed same-sex legal marriages here in the Commonwealth. We'll have to wait until July 12th to see.

 

--------------------------------------

Hey Rob,

 

Thanks for the review of the RSVP vacation. My other thread was deleted by someone in the Cruise Critic moderation team, although who I gave up trying to find out. Glad you found me over here because I was eager to hear what the RSVP product was like. I had heard that it was different. I wasn't expecting age to be that difference but now that I know that it is, that's actually a good thing for me. I don't like the young circuit crowd that Atlantis attracts on it Caribbean vacations. I prefer and older but not death old crowd. I like a happy balance between maturity, lack of drama, clubbing and intelligent conversation crowd with the party animals. The Caribbean Atlantis vacations definitely don't offer a balance. It's all lopsided with mostly drugged out drama queens. Thanks again for the information!

 

Until next time (and hopefully with DSL back up)!!!!

~Jake

[bilgeboyPa]

Hey Jake,

Now that cruise I may be interested in. We have commuter flights up to Logan from here. Keep me posted. Tell Ross I said hi and mention my Millenium cruise to him. Maybe I can get him to go :)

 

Talk to ya

Jeff

[CruisinMaterial]

Hey Jeff,

 

Poke in on our Star Princess roll call thread, over a half year after the cruise, that thread is still going strong. Ross checks it every day, go over there and mention it to him. :)

 

~Jake

[CruisinMaterial]

Hey Paul,

 

Where have you been? It's amazing how our Cruise Critic group gets going for a while and then fizzles. Since you just booked on not too long ago you may not have noticed, I've been with the group since the five month marker. I hope this cruise isn't filled with boring people. As much as I like to relax on vacation, there's only so much of that I can do!

 

How goes things in Iowa?

~Jake

 

P.S. Is there any other folks from the GLB community coming?

[winstons dads]

Hey Jake,

 

Have been gone for a few days. Took my Grandmother over to Illinois to see my cousins and their children. Had the dog fixed and picked him up today on our way back. Everything looks the same as when we left so not much new here. Have my new sidewalk in in front of my house that wasn't here before. Concrete man worked fast.

If there is any others on this cruise they are keeping silent. Would hope there would be more than just us.

We just read the regular thread and had to read it twice to figure out what some of these people were talking about.

Like the idea of the golf tournament and the disco night. We aren't big drinkers but would go along if that is something people wanted to do.

Well, suppose I better go. Have laundry going. Nice to be home and am gettting so excited about the cruise.

 

Later,

Paul

[CruisinMaterial]

Hey Paul!

 

I am just about to give up on these fickle straight people. They all say they want to get involved but after god knows how many explanations of the events they still manage to screw it all up. It's driving me nutty! I'm just about to say to heck with it all and let those who want to get together do so at planned Princess events like their boring trivia and BINGO. I like to mingle outside of those events because mostly none of it is up my alley. BINGO is too expensive for me. Trivia I stink at. Water games up at the pool are not something I am good at either. The only thing I can figure is a mini-golf tournie that we organize.

 

I realize this group isn't much of a drinking crowd but I'm not really proposing getting plastered, although everyone over on the other thread seems to think that. It just seemed like last year's Star Princess cruise has a lot more people willing to have fun of all sorts and people partaked even if they didn't gamble or drink, just for the sheer presence of others who they'd gotten to know for several months. This cruise group is like no one knows each other really. Everyone is so disconnected. I still talk with tons of people from last years Star Princess cruise. It was a fantastic bunch. We really came together after she caught fire in March. It was like a part of us was damaged (ok, that's a bit dramatic but you get the idea).

 

Anyway, hopefully things change over there. Hopefully we get some more members of the GLB community onboard too! This cruise is still really open and available too, which is a shocker.

 

~Jake

[winstons dads]

Jake,

 

I am sure it is frustrating for you. I find it a bit confusing reading some of the stuff over there. They want to go on here and get to know people but then don't want to do anything in person with them. Don't spend to much time dwelling on it though. You want to have a nice vacation yourself so if it ends up there isn't enough interest in any activities then let it go.

I am not a Bingo person myself either. It is expensive and I could play the whole day long and not win a thing. Not good at trivia either and pool games would not be my thing at all.

I was on some site where I saw the patters for this itinerary to see some things I would want to do.

Off to bed now. Spent a boring night working around the house but got a lot done.

Hope all is well with you.

Take Care,

Paul

[bilgeboyPa]

Sounds like my Bermuda group. Did the sailaway, and only hung out with one couple. Sucks to get stuck with a dull and boring group. At least with my upcoming on the Millie, I am bringing my own group. My other half, and another couple with possibly my roomate as well.

Jake...doesn't you BF like to cruise? How come he doesn't go along with ya??

 

Jeff

[bilgeboyPa]

WOW:eek: I just read some of your 9-9 posts from your fellow cruisers. What a bunch of drips. I think you booked a cruise that is sponsored by AA and GA. What a bunch of bores. Feel bad for ya. I would pass on that whole group. They are making you seem like an out of control drunk with a gambling problem.They would see me at sailaway and that would be it. Pass out the fruit juice :rolleyes:

 

Jeff

[CruisinMaterial]

Hey Paul,

 

The site you saw the Patters is on is run by a guy named Brian. He helped us get a small unofficial group page going for our Star Princess cruise last year and it was much more organized. If the folks on the current cruise got it together I was going to email him to set up something similar but I don't think I'm going to bother. Actually, if you look at my signature now (which is below on this post), I have eliminated all the activities. I will have to take a look at the Patters myself. I don't like planning too far in advance what I'm going to be doing though, it takes the fun and spontaneity out of it. While some events like those I was previously trying to organize would need a day and time before hand, everything else I like doing on the fly! :)

 

Jeff,

See, all you had to do was go over there and read. If Ross was in on this cruise, he'd be having a heart attack by now. Death to the PUNA spirit! If they think I drink, wooha, they'd wonder how Ross was still walking. He can put some PUNA away! LOL

 

I have a funny feeling I'll be getting super chummy with the cruise staff onboard. They will get me to have a great time. Just need to show up to all the singles events (even if they are hetero) and then Friends of Dorothy and usually that equates to a good time! We'll see though, still 70 some odd days out.

 

I'm home from work sick today. I've been sick the whole stupid week! :mad:

 

At least my DSL is back! :D

 

~Jake

[winstons dads]

Jake,

 

Hope you are feeling better and it is just a one day thing. No fun to be sick in the summer. At least you have your computer back up and running like you want it to. That is a very good thing.

I'm with you. I never iron. I can but I hate it. I only need it done once or twice a year so Scott usually does it for me. He irons his shorts. I can hardly believe it but if it makes him happy that is all that matters. I can go wrinkled. Doesn't bother me and if you are casual anyway a few wrinkles don't matter much.

Bye for now . . .

Paul

[CruisinMaterial]

Hey Paul,

 

I am feeling much better after sleeping most of the afternoon. However, if I wake up tomorrow morning all congested again, since I've been battling it since Sunday - it'll be time to take out the travel Amoxicillin and get this things squashed. I don't want to be too sick through the holiday weekend!

 

As for the DSL being back... I couldn't be a happier camper!!

 

Did you see on the Patters for the cruise that the Friends of Dorothy gathering is held on the first sea day of the cruise (day 3)? I wonder if we can get that bumped up. I'll check with the lady I'm talking to at Princess to coordinate the Cruise Critic gatherings to see if we can get it earlier in the cruise (like the first day out since we're in Princess Cays, it'd be nice to have it in the evening between shows or something).

 

As for ironing, if something is wrinkled and I need it flat, I put it between the mattresses! :D

 

Can you believe how far away this cruise is? I feel like it's an eternity away and I'm already looking at booking cruises for next year (two of them)!!!

~Jake