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.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

As in Booked in Aug of 2011 for an October 2012.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Sorry you are having such frustration. You are very good to take this upon yourself. I, for one, could never decide on a cruise for next October now. But then again, being all together as far as cabin location would not be important to me. I would not go on a cruise in January since too many things could go wrong weather/transportation wise coming from the northeast.

[ClarkP]

I think we might be too far behind to comfortably book for Oct 2013.  If we were behind the 8-ball booking 14 months out... it's even worse now.

I think we should maybe look at Oct 2014.  I know that is 24 months out... but we can then get the rooms we want and get them together.  Pricing that far out is better too.

In the meantime, we can plan some more regional "land-lubber" events.  :-)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I like that idea a lot!

[Adina P]

What can I say...I too would still love to make the cruise an every 2 years event, with the off years being devoted to regional OK-to-bring-doods-but-don't-have-to get togethers where everyone can choose to travel near or far to meet up. Chicago, Vegas, coastal beaches, and other fun destinations would be great fun with our DK friends and doodles :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Don't forget pontooning in PA!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Absolutely :)

[GBK]

That is a great idea Adina.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

We weren't behind the 8 ball the first time but this time - I'm just not thinking that we would get the "same experience" of being grouped together.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I like that idea too!  Maybe because my life is ...well chaotic would be an understatement at the moment! Finn and I would love to get a chance to meet some of you and your doods at fun destinations.  

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Here is what I am suggesting.  We can't yet book for Oct of 2014 but will be able to in early 2013.  We could then snag our cabins for Oct. 2014 and be together.  Plus this would give people time to SAVE $. 

However

I AM going on a cruise Oct., 2013 - for those that also want to do that cruise also - we need to book now and book FAST.  Not as a group but separately.  Let me see what availability for 10/27 - I'll let you know and we can move from there.  I've been told that this is a very popular route and a popular ship.  I'll post tomorrow for the 10/13 or 10/27 decision and give out all the info on the Cruise Planners or people can book direct or use whomever they choose but by staying with the same person we will have the best shot to try to get on the same deck.

 

[Ginny Nightingale]

sounds good--I like the Oct 2014 idea too but for totally selfish reasons that wouldn't apply to anyone else--but it does give me a longer time to save and that is important to lots of people.