Howdy, howdy to all!!  Cool, glad to see some chatter here, yippeeeee!

Ok, now lets see, hum, well to MJean and Michelle, the holidays were good, did a few gatherings and such and now settling into the new year.  Was thinking of going to Cancun the second week, but may do a family trip instead.  Glad to hear that you gals will be off to Mexico again, I prefer the Cancun side, warmer water an gentler waves.  Enjoy and hope you get to the visit Chitzen Itza ruins, aka Chicken Pizza, tee-hee, they are fab..   What week are you gals going,  1 or 2?

Am soooo ready for another vacation with the Ladies of Olivia!!  Or as I like to say the WOW ers, Wild Olivia Womyn, hee-hee.  Cruises, land trips, all are fun, all are different.

OK, now about the pre trip gab.  Ok, I always like to get into the departing town a few days b/4, this way know I will not miss the plane or the ship, or can just enjoy the area b/4 the "O" event.  Don't feel so rushed, plus that is another reason as to why I stay a few days after the "O" event, unwinding there, then returning home and unwinding b/4 jumping back into the fire.

So, I plan on getting into Ft. Lauderdale, the Fort for short, on Friday, will be staying at the Marriott's Harbor Beach Resort.  One mile from the Port.  I think the host hotel is nearby the Port, but not sure which hotel is the host yet. 

 The name of the Port is Port Everglades, to read up on the port an other info. go to www.porteverglades.org, you will also find a list of hotels that are close to the Port listed there.  Also can ck. info. on hotels at www.hotels411.com .

Some places that have been mentioned from previous travelers are:  Pier 66, Grande Hotel, Marriott Courtyard, Econo Lodge, Hampton City Centre, Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn, aside from the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort,  to name a few.  Like I mentioned, do ck. out the list on the Port page.    

Also there is a GLBT Bed an Breakfast about 1.5 miles from the Port area called La Casa Del Mar, another spot highly recom. and a street over from the La Casa is Tropi Rock, www.tropirock.com  which is also near the gay beach, Sabastian and another place GLBT friendly, is Alhumbra.

Ok, enough for now, hope this helps, let me know if I can research anything for ya, love to do that and pass it on to all.  Have been cking out the ports of call we will be visiting on this trip and have been looking at what excursions may be offered on our journey.  So, let me know if ya have Q's for me to A. 

Inde

 

 

Awwwww...BUMMER!!!!! Mi Amor cannot come with, she will only be 20 @ the time... so I may have to catch all of you on another vay-cay....The Tahitian trip departs on my b-day, but the price for the both of us is close to half of my salary...YIKES!!!! Does anyone have any trip ideas? Preferably one thats for the 18+ crowd for my lil' girl scout? And no one better try to be funny and say a Disney cruise either!!! 

I haven't made my flight or hotel reservations.  Waiting to see what all you guys are doing.  I may try to get in Friday night also.  I'm also close enough to drive (about 8 hours)  but I really don't think I will be in the mood to drive back after the cruise.  Can't wait to meet everyone...Judy

Hey Inde,

Jean and Michelle here...  How are things goin, how were your holidays...  Michelle and I are doing good.  Already cannot wait for our next vacation which is Cancun...  I really cannot wait for the Birthday Bash!!!!  So when are you goin to be arriving in Ft. Lauderdale?  We are thinking about flying in on Friday evening so that we will be there all day Saturday.  Part of me wants to stay in Wilton Manors area and then the other part wants to stay wherever the Olivia host hotel will be...  Have you made any plans yet????

I'm glad you've mentioned...i was checking flights for that day and it looks like all flight from the Baltimore/DC metro area won't be there until later that evening..So I plan on staying getting to Ft. Lauderdale early Saturday morning to "enjoy" a taste of Florida, And there is a little cutesy hotel called the Red Carpet that is like $91/night..i know things probably won't be cheaper in the area, but they offer free shuttle to and from the airport and to Port Everglades

Hello all,

 I have not booked my reservation, yet, but I plan to this weekend. I will be traveling with my partner, Tashina ,if she acts right, This will be my very first cruise as well as my very first Olivia vacation. I, too was having issues deciding on which room to pick, I was going to go with the Veranda, but since Inde said there will be so much to do, I'm gonna go with the inside room. Hope to see you all there!

-Will K.I.T     
 

Good, we are getting a few more people here, now if we can just start chattin' it up here that would be great. 

So here is a question or two for some of you!

How many of you already know where you are staying in Fort Lauderdale?

Who knows what Port of call we leave from in Ft. Lauderdale?

Do any of you scuba dive?

Any of you left handed?

I know, but wonder if any one out there does, just want to try and get some conversation here, so hope to hear from someone or two or more of you.

Later,

Inde

Hello all, i just wanted to stop by and say hi. this is my first trip on olivia and i'm so thrilled, i was supposed to do the alaskan frontiers trip last year. but due to unseen circumstances i was unable to go. so i'm so excited to attend the bash this year. i'm going solo, so i hope to make as many new friends as i can over these next 10 months. so of course i'm going to start here. thanks for listening. xoxox

 

Heather

Hey gals, maybe the two of you should be roomies, chat a bit and see if you two could room ok together, would be better that a blind set up from Olivia. 

Good luck!!  Let us know what happens.

Gotta go,, dinner with friends, later.

Inde

Nancy,  I had the same reluctance about sharing a cabin.  I wanted to do a room on my own but definitly couldn't afford it (wanted one of the rooms with a balcony....I really enjoyed that on other cruises when you just want to get away for some piece and quiet...so it would have been pretty pricey)  If I wanted to give that up I could have done an inside room alone for about what I will be paying  to share a balcony room. At this point I have the reservation to share the room I wanted but am hoping to meet someone before then who I would want to share with or be in a relationship by then.  I still may chicken out and just go with the inside room and have it all to myself.  It's been a long time since I've had to room with someone I don't know (maybe grade school...LOL).Let me know what you decide maybe we can give each other encouragement.  Judy

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Hope ya all had a good end of the year and a great new beginning to 2008!

 

Time is ticking!! 

 Soon most of us will be on a plane headed to Fort Lauderdale then onto the  cruise ship.  Planes, trains and automobiles and then a cruise ship, oh ya!!

Is anyone arriving early or staying a bit after the trip? 

 I will ariive on Friday the 21st and will depart on Dec. 2nd. 

Ok, chat with ya later.

Inde

 

 

Hello everyone!

We just reserved our spot this week. My partner has been on other cruises, me none. This will be the first Olivia cruise for us both.

I look forward to getting to know more of you here and meeting you next Thanksgiving!

Lorie

Hi, I am thinking about booking as well.  Just also came back from a solo Non Olivia cruise and totally know I will have a much better time going on Olivia!  Also just broke up as well.  I am still trying to convince myself to part with the $ as going solo is pricey.  I know that I could share a room to keep cost down, but would rather not.  Anyway, happy New Year to you....would appreciate your thoughts.  Nancy

Welcome to all!  Glad that you all have chosen to sign up for this trip and this forum chat and information board.

This is a great way to get to know each other, heck after all, we all will be on a ship together, and the more the merrier.  Thanks to those that post pictures, a "handle name", not a number,  an some info., will be easier when we all meet up to know a bit about each other and what ya look like.  Yes, I know some of you  don't because of..... and the list goes on.  No problem.   I just thank ya all for being here.  

So let us get some chattin' going on here.  Has anyone thought about where they will be staying in Ft. Lauderdale b/4 the cruise, or even afterwards?  I have some names of places down there, anyone else?

Ok, keep cking in and adding any helpful hints are we grow closer to a great trip.

Inde