Join us, Bill and Mary Ann, on our 128 day epic journey around the world in 2009

[WTXCRUISER]

I have always enjoyed your writings and look forward to going along with you for 128 days. Thank you for taking the time to write.

[MightyQuinn]

Dear Bill & Mary Ann - I gather you've reported on previous World Cruises here on CC but I've not been a CC member long enough to have enjoyed them. So I'm eager to get the show going on your upcoming World Cruise! You've got an awesome cruise itinerary that can only be enhanced by your planned side-trips & safaris in Africa. Hope it all comes together for you. Thanks for sharing! :cool::cool:

[earl_m]

Wow!! 128 days of cruising. This is the next bestthing to cruising .

reading your reports on this great cruise. I will be anxiously

waitng to read all about it. Hope you have a great cruise!!!

[kryos]

It's that time of year again!

 

World Cruiser blogs!

 

Let me settle back here ... pour a glass of wine ... light a cigarette ... and enjoy the sailing!

 

Thank you so much for letting me tag along.

 

Blue skies and a wonderful cruise!

 

--rita

[seafun]

Watch out as you unpack your bags on board -- you've got several hundred of us "stowaways" with you, lol. :)

Add me to the list of folks who look forward to sharing your adventures and observations.

Oh, and like so many others, I'm GREEN WITH ENVY! :D

WISHING YOU A SUPER VOYAGE!

[COCat]

MaryAnn and Bill,

 

Have a great cruise and thank you for taking the time post!

[jbhcw]

Bon Voyage - have a safe flight to FLL today:) I've read your posts from other cruises and want to thank you for taking us along again!! I just love world cruise reports- just wishing I could do it some day:D

[candbgirl]

Oh Yay!! My favorite time of the year. I have loved reading your past blogs and I'm excited that you have another one up and running. Thank you so much for doing this and sharing your adventures. Have a safe trip.

[alsas]

Have a safe wonderful trip. Looking forward to reading all the gossip and news from the ship. Al lot of our friends are on this year. We will think of you all on our voyage crossing paths in the Orient. See you in 2010 if not before. Allan and Sandra

[ldog]

Thanks for taking us along with you. Have a wonderful trip. I'm looking forward to hearing about Africa. I also love your postings about day to day life on the ship.

[matondo]

Bon Voyage !!!!!

How wonderful to have an exciting adventure to look forward to for the next few months. I will be looking forward to your postings.

[DFD1]

Bill and Mary Ann:

 

Incredible itinerary! I can't imagine a more wonderful cruise. I look forward to every word as you make this fantastic voyage.

 

Stay safe, take good care of yourselves and have a grand time.

 

Don

[scopewest]

Have a great time and I can't wait to read all about it!

[Jade08]

Wow......

 

Bon Voyage!

 

Waiting for update......

[sfocruiser]

For the special "50th year of world cruising" trip of 08, we were sent nice booklets. This year, they are in pamphlet form. We hope this is not the start of cost shaving!! During this trip, we intend to keep an eagle's eye out for that, and will report accordingly.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

I would cut HAL a bit of slack regarding cost shaving. we just returned from the Prinsendam for the 14 day Holiday Cruise and we saw some minor cost cutting, but all in all we found the quality and service to still be outstanding.

 

Consider the constraints facing the company due to the economy. Two examples; 1) The Prinsendam's 68 day Grand South America Voyage sailed yesterday with a fair number of empty beds. 2) The Grand World Voyage generates from $150 and upwards per person per day. HAL is selling some world segments at a

considerably

lower per diem. Also you can still book the Grand World a few days before sailing. Usually this voyage is a sellout (the immediate post 9/11 sailings notwithstanding).

 

Its never easy to watch the lowering of a product's standards but try to consider some of the once in a generation challenges now facing HAL.

 

 

[Cristiano]

Dear Mary Anne & Bill,

from the land downunder my DW and I wish you a wonderful trip and marvel at the extent of the itinerary and the places that you will visit.

The best city and harbor that you will enter will be SYDNEY!!!! :) so welcome to our beautiful home.

Today we welcomed the MS Volendam to our harbour after its journey from another of our beautiful cities Melbourne.

Will look forward to following your journey as we did several years ago with Grumpy and Slinkie...hope that they are well....

Have a wonderfull cruise....

Cristiano.

[wdw1972]

I can't wait for your trip to begin, so I can live it vicariously through your reports. I also read Jeff's blogs, and love his wonderful photos.

 

You'll love the Rotterdam - my son & I were on her for a 10-day Panama Canal (partial) trip about 5-6 years ago and it's a beautiful ship! It's very similar to the Amsterdam.

 

Bon Voyage!

 

Sue/WDW1972

Westerdam 2/08/09

[geocruiser]

Bon Voyage !

Have a wonderful cruise.

Maria

[Cruising-along]

OH BOY, this is gonna be fun!!! Thank you so much for bringing us along, it is very much appreciated. Have a wonderful time on my favorite ship. :)

[sanibelsandals]

Bill & Mary Ann,

 

I'm ready to sail along with you again...

 

Followed along on your past voyages & anxiously awaiting this year's trip. Already following Jeff's pics from Florida and can't wait to see Africa through your words & his pictures!

 

Last year John & Diane's Amazing voyage & Jeff's wonderful pictures got me through the most depressing part of the year in the Northeast.... so excited to know we get 2 extra weeks on this year's Grand World Voyage....by then the pool should be open here and not as cold & depressing!

 

Wishing you lots of fun, calm seas & a safe journey!

[CruisinTexans]

Bon Voyage! I look forward to reading your take on the Rotterdam and the world cruise. Don't forget to include a lot of descriptions of the food. Mary Ann, I didn't realize you had been in foodservice. Me too. I guess that's why you are so good at describing the menus, and I guess that's why I like to read about it. No, I like to read about it because I love to eat.

 

See you in Los Angeles.

 

Leslie

[cruiselife8]

Bon voyage, I'm looking forward to reading your posts!!

[Aussie Gal]

Bill & Mary Ann,

 

I'm ready to sail along with you again...

 

Followed along on your past voyages & anxiously awaiting this year's trip. Already following Jeff's pics from Florida and can't wait to see Africa through your words & his pictures!

 

 

Can you pass on the link to Jeff's Blog. I read it avidly last year but I have lost the link I used to get to it.

 

Thanks.

 

Jennie

[Robin7]

Can you pass on the link to Jeff's Blog. I read it avidly last year but I have lost the link I used to get to it.

 

Here ya go:

 

http://amazingvoyages.blogspot.com/

 

And his latest post is from Melbourne...Florida. Heh.

 

Bill and Mary Ann, I'll be along for the ride again this year. Thank you so much for including us again!

 

Robin

[Aussie Gal]

Robin7,

 

Thanks so much for that. I remember last year the World Cruise went to Sydney only not to our beautiful city of Melbourne. At least this year, they will have the chance of coming down here and seeing for themselves what they missed out on.

 

Jennie