Big Doodle Cruise News -UPDATE 2

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

UPDATE - DKers are still signing up!!!

Elizabeth (Bailey) & dh Jim - newbies - the latest cruisers to sign up!!!!

Ann (Oliver & Rosie) & husband Bill - repeats

Lisa (Daisy) & her daughter Nicole - newbies

Nicky* (Riley & new puppy Boris) - newbie - Our 1st ever international cruiser!!!

Dori (Rua) - repeat

Doris (Knox) - repeat

Leslie (Halas) & her mom, Judy - newbies

Ronna (Murphy & Wilson) - neewbie

Laurie (Fudge & Vern) and husband, John - repeats

Jane (Guinness & Murphy) and her husband, Dave and son, Tim (my cruise crush) - repeats

Myself - repeat and dh, Bob - newbie

So far 19 people and 9 cabins!!!!!

We still have Suzanne Smith that is in NEED of a cabinmate!!!!!!

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There will be a cruise in Oct. 2013 - not a sanctioned DK event but a Doodle Cruise as the last one was.  EVERYONE is welcome.  All that is required is that you contact:

Susie or Shel Perlin

Cruise Planners of Florida

www.cruiseplannersofflorida.com

941-729-0113 or international 877-724-2483

 

You will book seperatly and then we will be linked together for dining.  I'm encouraging everyone to sign up for early dinner for easier socalizing. 

They will help you to select your cabin - and you will make a deposit on your credit card of around $200.  - I don't suggest the early saver fares as they are not refundable - most other deposits are 100% refundable up till final payment is due.

We are sailing on Oct. 13, 2013 

6 nights on Carnival FREEDOM out of Ft Lauderdale, FL

Key West, Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios - 2 sea days

Hotel and airline assistance will come later

TRY to stay on deck 7 is you can!!!!

THERE WILL BE A DOODLE CRUISE 2014!!!!  We will begin planning as soon as they open up those dates for reservations, should happen early 2013.  PLEASE - if you want on this DK Cruise - we will book as a group - so watch for more info. 

JOIN the Doodle Lovers Cruise Group as this will be the last post on the front page!!!!

 

 

 

 

1st I hope that everyone will realize that getting a group together on a cruise ship is a daunting task.  Each cruise line is different in how they handle this and it isn't a simple thing - last cruise we were booked as individuals and later we were grouped for dining.  We booked in Aug for an October cruise - at this point we are WAY behind the 8 ball.  This time I was trying to book us as a Group which would get us perhaps some on board credit (free money on S&S card) of some other perks.  Sadly - on the Oct. 13, 2013 cruise - suites are VERY limited and for balcony cabins - I'm not sure how much "grouping" we can do. 

I'm very frustrated at this point and have asked the Travel Agent to check to see if the ship has more availability on the Oct 27, 2013 sailing.  She will let me know tomorrow.  Don't get me wrong - we can all get on the 13th sailing - but I can't promise that our rooms will all be central in location to each other. 

QUESTION:  How important is it to YOU to have all the cabins close together?  If you fear smoking - you might have to opt for a Spa cabin. 

For each type of Cabin there are different categories - so a Balcony can be different in price based on ship local - forward, middle, aft and by deck.  Last time we all were on deck 7 which I believe was an 8C - so if we try to group people will have to be willing to spend the same as their neighbor.

QUESTION:  If availability was better the 2nd or 3rd week of January, 2014 - would you still go? 

Also - the hotels in Ft Lauderdale are more expensive - but will be in a BETTER (safer) location, we could have a great time in FtLdle the night before we cruise. 

Lastly - when we pull the trigger on this cruise - you HAVE TO BE READY to decide - you can always back out later but we cannot "hold" the group cabins for long.

I'll be back to you tomorrow.  For now I'm going to sip a cocktail and try not to have my head explode.

[Leslie and Halas]

By the way, my mom's name is Judy.

[Ronna, Murphy & Wilson]

So excited you are going Leslie!

And can't wait to meet Nicky!  We are going to have sooooooo much fun!

[Leslie and Halas]

We'll be cabin neighbors.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Judy, Come aboard...we are expecting you....the Love Boat....full of Bud Light and more :)

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Question, Jane says they are saving some rooms (not guaranteed) but are the rooms all just suites? We are looking to get a balcony. It looks like they are in a totally different part of deck 7. Is anyone else getting just a balcony? And if so where?

[Ronna, Murphy & Wilson]

We (me, Dori and Doris) have changed from a suite to 2 balcony rooms so Dori and Nicky can be in one and me and Doris in the other...have no idea where we are though. Susie travel lady is working on it.

[Leslie and Halas]

When Susie called earlier with my cabin number, I think she said you guys are on each side of us, so our 3 cabins are together.

[Doris, Knox & Flash]

I talked to Susie this morning and I think this is what she said: 

Leslie and Judy: 7363

Doris and Ronna:  7359

Dori and Nicky: 7355

Apparently, the rooms are right in a row.  I asked and then asked again and that's what she told me!   

[Leslie and Halas]

That's my room number, so I know at least that part is right.  And she also told me that our 3 cabins were together.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

According to my deck plan YES they are all 3 in a row, with 7359 as the middle room! 

[Doris, Knox & Flash]

Lisa, when I talked to Susie today, she said that there were plenty of balcony rooms available on the deck 7! On the Destiny, the suites were midship and were flanked by the balcony rooms. I haven't actually looked the Freedom, but we should be close by!

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Lisa - as long as we are all on 7 - it will make life easier for us to get together.  The cruise planners will try to group everyone getting a balcony together if possible.  Right now I'm in a suite and I have no very close to me but do not worry - we'll all be pretty close!  So happy you are coming!!!!