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12/14/08 03:36 PM

#1669

Martin Derenge

Hey Mike B. - When we went on our cruise, we were told by another couple we met that were regular "cruisers" that Royal Caribbean is a little more formal than Carnival, but both were pretty decent. Grand Cayman is nice, but a little expensive. I did my first open water dive there at a place called Eden Rock. You can snorkel there, but I'm not sure if you can take in as much as you can while diving. Never been to Jamaica, but it's my understanding it's nice, you just get a lot of the locals hawking trinkets. Like anywhere else, you're probably safe if you stay in the tourist areas because police protection is pretty heavy there.

12/14/08 03:49 PM	#1670
Amy Busby (Prestridge) Rai Ann, Sarah Grace and I picked out a couple presents and we will be putting them in them mail on Monday or Tuesday. She really enjoyed picking them out. We talked about who they were for and why Juliana collected them. I was impressed with the thought she put into what we selected. Thank you for giving us all this opportunity to help out.

12/14/08 09:15 PM	#1671
Rai Ann Bentley (Marrocco) Thank you Amy, the kids really do appreciate everything they get. You are awesome thank you again. rai ann

12/14/08 09:16 PM

#1672

Michael Theut

Hey Mike B,
We went to Belize last year. The area you'd like is the chain of islands(Caye's). Several are between the mainland and the coral reef. You can paddle the 1/2 mile to the reef to snorkel. If you are planning on going, I wouldn't come by cruise. You need water taxi's to get around. Not sure you'd have much time with a cruise. It was a great place. Would certainly go back. Lots of diving and snorkeling. All food, water and beer are all brought to the Cayes via barge so it's a bit expensive. There is little to no nightlife in certain Cayes. So search wisely if this is your wish.
I'm not a fan of Cancun, I'd rather just go to Florida. Haven't been to Jamaica but hear Montego Bay and Ocho Rios are fun.
Martin..Jill and I went to St. Lucia on our Honeymoon as well. Likely the coolest place I've ever been. The diving was pristine and amazing. (except for when I had a bloody nose at 75 feet)

12/14/08 09:25 PM	#1673
Nicole Cassisa (Prevo) hey mike. Are you having a nice weekend?

12/14/08 09:39 PM	#1674
Michael Theut Yup, took a big bite out my shopping list. You? I'm supposed to be packing. I'm a "grade A" procrastinator.

12/14/08 10:00 PM

#1675

Michael Koehs

Mike B, if you end up stopping in Jamaica as part of a cruise, one decent option is just to get a day pass for one of the all-inclusive resorts. At that point it's pretty much just the beach, food, and booze, so if you're hoping to see any of the more natural or cultural stuff you'll miss out on that.

For Caribbean cruises I'm a fan of the southern itineraries that stop in the Virgin Islands and any number of the gazillion other islands on the southeastern edge of the Caribbean (St. Lucia like Mike mentioned, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Nevis, Barbados, etc.). I also like Aruba, but it's different from the ones on the eastern side... those are more like mountains sticking out of the water and Aruba is more like a giant sandbar (same w/ the Caymans or Cozumel really). It's still nice though... good diving/snorkeling, plenty to do as far as nightlife/casinos are concerned. Lots of cruises that go there start in Puerto Rico though, which is a longer/more expensive flight.

12/15/08 08:35 AM

#1676

Lisa Miller (Shedlock)

For some reason, the idea of going on a cruise has never appealed to me. Seems like its so structured. Or maybe its because when I go on vaca, I want to be able to get away from people, and not be confined to a 10x10 room/cell. hehe

I've been to the Hedonism resort in Jamaica, and it was great. All-inclusive is the way to go. These resorts are a little better if you go in a large group. Maybe we should have a destination reunion next...

12/15/08 10:35 AM	#1677
Rai Ann Bentley (Marrocco) Lisa, Did you see that reality show about the 20 reunion? I think it took place in Hawaii. It was pretty funny. I think destination reunion sounds like fun.

12/15/08 12:22 PM	#1678
Michael Koehs Judging by all of the pictures that have been posted, I'm pretty sure most of the guys would support a Hedonism reunion. ;-)

12/15/08 01:02 PM	#1679
Carl Pesta (M Pesta) Happy Birthday Jay and Tracy.

12/15/08 02:29 PM

#1680

Jeffrey Murphy

im with you HIGH LIFE... no appeal to a cruise ship... they sway and the living quarters are small, and if one person gets sick, everone gets sick and if you have a stalker you can't get away, and once you make an ass of yourself, theres no way to just pick up and move on to the next place.

plus, they sink!

and they can be dirty,

and theres no gritty dark side of society on them...

and there are storms.

and the food seems questionable...

hello from florida!

12/15/08 03:11 PM	#1681
Lisa Miller (Shedlock) PLUS, how would Mike Theut get a ride home?

12/15/08 05:27 PM	#1682
Kevin Duke I went to Ocho Rios, Jamaica and once you go, you know to never go back. Maybe it was the group I was with, but one person with us either found trouble or it found him. The hunter become the hunted and too many cousins (locals)working at the resort. Glad to make it off the island. Wasn't Arie!

12/15/08 06:56 PM	#1683
Michael Theut Ha...Ha....Nice one Lisa. Greetings from Boston.

12/15/08 07:21 PM

#1684

Martin Derenge

Jeff - You're hilarious! They sway!! Those things are built for comfort. You should have seen some of the storms we went through when I was in the Navy! you'd be walking down a passageway and one minute you'd be walking on the floor, and the next you'd be walking on a wall! (It didn't exactly help that my ship was top heavy, so that just exacerbated the roll when we hit bad weather). I bet you've hit worse turbulence driving the jet.

12/15/08 08:55 PM

#1685

Jeffrey Murphy

ummm.... not really martin... I prefer a few minutes of choppy air to hours of rolling, seasickening, barf inducing waves... I don't know how you did it! (better you than me. lol) the only thing worse than a large ship is a sailboat (sorry theut... hate those things)

I equate sailboat racing to racing mopeds on a nacecar track... constant frustration. no wonder crews are always yelling at each other. and then leave crewmen in mackinac...

I have a seamen joke in there somewhere but will let it pass...

12/15/08 09:28 PM	#1686
Kelli Melvin (Smiecinski) I agree with Mike K. If you could go anywhere, go to Aruba. Most bars are waist high in the middle of the pool. Poolside by day, gambling by night...great snorkling, too.

12/16/08 11:49 AM	#1687
Lisa Miller (Shedlock) Never fear, Heidi...I'm still a bit of a shy prude. On the night of the resort's PJ Party, I won the prize for "most covered-up". Meh! I'll be at my sister's in Tex-ass for Christmas, then possibly in snowy/cold MI for New Years.

12/16/08 04:32 PM

#1688

Christopher Gellasch

I've only taken one cruise and that was to Alaska for our honeymoon in 2002. I'd rather hike on a glacier than lay on a beach so it was more my style. We did 7 days on the ship from Vancouver, B.C. to Seward, AK (with a stop each day) and then 5 days overland to Denali National Park and then Fairbanks. It was a great trip and we got to see some amazing things. If you go, don't pack lots of shorts and tank tops...the high temps in July were in the 60s on the cruise but in Fairbanks it can hit 90.

12/16/08 04:39 PM

#1689

Jeffrey Murphy

love vancouver... if it was up to me, id skip the ship and party in the V...

hey joey, remember all that (private) trouble me, you, and lapinsky got into up there! im surprised that no one got arrested... although, now that I think about it, its hard to get jailed in vancouver... everthing is semi legal...

man, I miss those cool shoes that I bought there but I still have my docs...

hi from dc!

12/16/08 05:32 PM	#1690
Joseph Ales Jeff, The things going on at the after-hours club were definitely illegal. The Activities going on while I was in the hotel bar were legal (I think). Sorry so Cryptic. But ask Jeff if you want details. Joey

12/16/08 07:14 PM	#1691
Tracy Rutkowski Thanks for the Happy Birthdays. This starts the gift giving in my house. Both daughter's birthdays are this week as well, then comes Christmas. Hiedi, a group of us went on a Carnival cruise two years ago out of New Orleans. Although they say you can't bring alcohol, we packed several bottles in our bags. The mixed drinks that they made just aren't strong enough. We had a blast.

12/17/08 08:05 AM	#1692
Jeffrey Murphy the best part of that afterhours club was that wasted preppy dude that hooked up with that tv... sooo fun. on my way back to florida now... dc sucked!

12/17/08 08:07 AM	#1693
Kristine Boggess (Wargo) i agree with the anti cruise ship. it seems so easy to fall off or as of late be thrown off! hello from chesterfield. not very exciting i know. be careful flying back tomorrow we are to get ice and snow. be safe jeff and mike.

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