Hey Steve, no, I have not been back to the San Juans or Gulf Islands in four years . I got lucky and was able to get a slip in Los Alamaitos Bay for the past four summers. We have been going to Catalina alot. The program is now over at Los Alamitos for temp renters (the marina says this every year)so we are thinking about going back in 2009 to the San Juans. Once you have seen the San Yuans it is hard to imagine a more beautiful place for boating and we have talked quite a bit every year about going back. How about you, any plans to go back? Are you retired yet? Duane 's flotilla was the greatest and still would like to thank him for introducing us to that area.
That was the best. Occasionally a picture is posted on here talking about being on plane...its a pic of my mac and yours under the deception pass bridge. We were talking about going next summer...but...Sue has discovered cruising, back from Alaska this August. Booked to go to the western med next july.
I did 12-day Eastern Med (Italy, Turkey and Greece) this Summer...it was AWESOME. Would love to do Western Med someday. We are doing 12-day Baltic (Dover, Amsterdam, Warnemunde, Talinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki) next Summer.
roundtrip 14 days out of Southampton. Portugal, Spain, france, Italy and Gibraltar. Wife is jazzed about Rome and Barcelona...I find Gibraltar interesting. Probably hot in July in the med.
It was pretty hot in Italy, Turkey and Greece in June. 12 Days with never a cloud in the sky...the only slightly negative thing was it was pretty hot. Skys and Seas were very blue...very nice.
We sailed out of Rome so we had to fly from London to Rome...which was not too bad. Next year we sail out of Dover so we will just take a short train ride from London.
But of course this has nothing to do with interior carpets...
Sue and I love large ship cruising. I would like to recommend the Princess's cruise out of Tahitii. They go to the Marqusas,Tutamoo's and all the Tahitiian Islands on one cruise of 11 days. Cost us 2 years ago $1100 for the 11 days plus air of $800. We did a back to back cruise as it also went to the Cook Islands for another $1100 and 11 days. We are doing again in 3 more years. Tahitii lives up to paradise on earth. I would live there if I could afford it. The outer reef around each island makes for great snorkling. My wife sue bought out the Islands supply of black pearls and even I was wearing a large Black one around my neck. The best place to buy black pearls is on Moora in a store next to the Bali High Hotel. They will bargin.
I got my new Softtoppers carpets for my X and installed today. They do look great. Nicely sewn covered edges and they fit to a T. I think $80 is good price. Thanks for info.
Just back from a 12 day cruise to N Africa. NEVER cruise the Atlantic in the winter. We went through 2 storms with 20 foot average size waves. Even a 1000 foot long ship rolls pretty bad. The outsaide decks were closed due to the bad weather and all the public areas were deserted. Everyone was in their cabin hanging on. One port was closed due to the large storm so we sailed around Palma island for 12 hours in 40 MPH winds and huge waves. They said it was 20 foot waves but they looked bigger than that if they were coming over the bow. The waves were steep and broke at the top. All I could think about was that I was glad I was not out there in a small boat. I am a confirmed good weather sailer. Those guys who sail around the world in small boats have all my respect but no sir, I'll read about it in Cruising Magazine and that's it.
Steve, if you are going to cruise the Med next summer, Barcelona was very interesting as was Gibralter.
In Barcelona, we got there one week early before our cruise to get over the terrible jet lag coming from LA. Make sure to see the marine museum as it is accross the street from the cruise docks. The Picasso museum there is also very intereting.
BTW, pickpocket gipsy theives are everywhere in Europe. They use children and young girls holding tourists maps and asking questions to get close to you. Kept your money, passport in a neck or wallet safe that fits inside you clothes. Put only money for the day in your pocket wallet.
In Gibraltor. we got into a 8 person VW bus outside the cruise dock and for $25(Boat charges $110 for this tour) we saw St. Micheal's cave, monkeys and the war caves. The monkeys are very entertaining and will take anything including anything you are eating. They like M&M's with the nut and ice cream cones.
Use Citi-bank Credit cards as they only charge 2% of purchase with no service charge. Europe does not like American Express cards so bring a Citi Visa.
Phone booth stores are everywhere and only charge pennies per minute to call the US . Our USA prefix is 001, then area code and number.
The euro is cheap. We were buying Euros at $1.26 The bank in Spain "Santander" does not charge any commision if you buy only US $300 worth of Euros. Anything over that and they charge. That's $300 per person.
I have yet to find the same tour the ship is offering at less than half the price outside the cruise dock so don't book too many tours.
Have a good trip
Last edited by BK on Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks for both posts. I bought some euros last week at my credit union at 1.26 dollars. Do want to go on a excursion at Gibraltar. Your trans Atlantic report sounds wild. Wouldnt think a cruise ship could pitch or roll?http://macgregorsailors.com/forum/posti ... =4&t=11476#
Good idea to have bought some euros at $1.26 as they are $1.36 today and rising. Last summer they were $1.60. The price of the cruise such as from NCL is sold in US dollars so that helps.
I don't drink anymore but that and tours is where they expect to make up for a cheap cruise price.
If you paid for a ship fuel surcharge you can now ask for a refund as gas prices are down.
American Airlines has a policy that if the price of the airline ticket goes down you can ask for a refund but it is considered a ticket rewite and there is a $200 charge for international flights.
I bought a Garmin Nuvi 260 that has the USA and all of Europe maps for $299 including delivery from Amazon.com. Its great for finding places as it has a walking mode. It has over a million places of interest loaded in its memory so all the hotels, restaurants, museums, gas stations and shopping are there. I also show it to taxi drivers to let him now that I know the shortest way. I use it on the foreign buses so I can know where to get off. Bus drivers are busy and don't want to talk with you where to get off.
We rent cars at most of our ports and do our own tours so it helps in the extreme to have a GPS. This model talks, has arrows on the map when to turn and gives at the top of the screen the written directions when to turn. When standing in line to rent a car we usually meet someone from the cruise to share the cost of the car rental but we have to agree what we all want to see.
One port, Alexander, Egypt the cruise was charging $500 per person to go to Cairo. We, with 2 other couples that were just standing there looking to rent a taxi, rented a station wagon taxi for $40 each for a tour of the pyramids, Cairo, Cairo museum with King TUt and with shopping at the Caspa. It is 2 hours each way to Cairo from the port and we got back very late.
Last edited by BK on Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
In our cruising the San Juans out of Bellingham Bay the restaurant on Lunnie island by the ferry dock has the greatest pizza. A bluegrass music picking buddy owns a 6 acres on the island and has one of the mooring buoys right in front of the restaurant. The island has made stairs from the shore up and a great place to lock up your dingy. The hike up Lummi island mountain is great and they have just made an improved trail with a trail cutting machine, the view from the top is awesome.
Gibraltar. Your trans Atlantic report sounds wild. Wouldnt think a cruise ship could pitch or roll?