Having FUN with FUN Friends on the FUN ship…

Just about to board our ship the Carnival Paradise and wanted to update or recap in some instances the activities that will be taking place for you to join us if you would like. So are you ready to come aboard the Fun Ship? Here are some of our group activities that we are planning on:

1. PRE-CRUISE DRINKS & DINNER IN DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH, Thursday

2. MEET FOR BON VOYAGE DRINKS After Muster (Life Boat) Drill,Aft (Rear) Verandah Deck 11 Bar, Friday

3. PROGRESSIVE RUMMY CARD GAMES ( Prizes), Thursday through Sunday 2pm

4. RENDEZVOUS to visit Ensenada’s eatery adventures with Roger & Diana, Saturday

5. INFORMAL WINE TASTING, Martie Jo, Sonoma Valley Jacuzzi Winery, Saturday

6. CRUISE GROUP PHOTO OPPORTUNITY, Atrium Stairs, Sunday

7. BIRTHDAY COCKTAIL PARTY, Sunday

8. CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT EXCHANGE, Sunday

9. DOOR DECORATION CONTEST WINNERS, Sunday

10. TIARA, CROWN & BOAS PHOTO OPPORTUNITY, TBA

11. BIRTHDAY CARD CONTEST, Sunday

Photo provided by Flickr.smileeygeekgirl(backsoon)

‘Tis the Season…an Ornament Exchange Anyone?

Know this may be hard to hear, but when we sail off on the Carnival Paradise we are not only celebrating birthdays but we are also kicking off a number of holidays for the December season. And one of Roger and my favorite holiday is Christmas. We thought it would be fun to have an ornament exchange and informal wine/champagne/beverage tasting while on board.

What with our opportunity to bring one bottle of wine/champagne/beverage on board at embarkation, our Sonoma Valley friend Martie Norrbom, (who by the way works for Jacuzzi Winery) has offered to coordinate this activity for us. Oh and if you just want to share a drink, that is okay too!

If you are interested int the ornamnet echange here are the guidelines…

• Bring one ornament per person. I say this because in my case, you all know that Roger will want to play once he’s on board. So I’m planning to bring two!!

• The ornament can represent any December Holiday such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Kawanzaa, or symbolic ornament of Omisoka New Year’s Eve or simply a cruise/nautical/sea/ocean/beach/marine theme ornament.

• The cost of EACH ornament should not be more than $12.00.

• Wrap your Ornament and tag it with ---- FROM “YOUR NAME” ----. Yes, we are labeling it so that the person getting it will know who provided it and that person should also be recognized for their contribution. This is not a contest of comparison but a participatory activity. So there will not be any prizes except for your souvenir ornament to take home with you from this cruise activity.

More details will follow once we are on board with where & when we will be doing exchange. So time to hit the mall shopping or get in the mood and creative with holiday arts & crafts. We will meet you on the Fun Ship with Martie Jo!

Photo provided by FlickrArcheiaMuriel.

Cruisin' with Roger & Diana...by Karen and Buzz

Hello out there in the land of the uninitiated, from two seasoned veterans of cruise travel with the Roger & Diana. We thought it might be helpful to hear from us to allay any trepidations or answer any questions you might have about "Just what DOES go on when you cruise with Roger and Diana?"

Buzz and I have been fortunate enough to have: 1) gone on all of the cruises that Roger & Diana have coordinated, 2) been invited back again and again, 3) had a complete blast on each and every one of them, and last but certainly not least, 4) survived them all!!! In a nutshell, here are some of the things you may expect while journeying with our fabulous friends:

"Fun"

"Laughter"

"Friendship"

Repeat again and again...

Truth be told, joining Roger & Diana on any excursion they plan is a true adventure. It's filled with activities if you want to join in them, which mean that if you DON'T then the only time we will likely see each other is at dinner. Joining a Roger & Diana cruise often means it is filled with extra treats with special creative touches a la Diana and count on fun & laughter with Roger. There is always more food and drink than one might consider possible (though this is not a challenge...so do think it is important to pace yourself, did you hear that Russell?!). Count on your participation to be a great price deal & bonus party time to boot.. Don't be alarmed if a stranger-cruiser comes up and is in awe or jealous of you and your group as they observe the fun you are having (or perhaps they are just wondering why we all hang out with that guy that wears a T-Shirt that says, "I Buys Japanese Swords" ??).

Roger and Diana are generous to a fault. Obviously Roger would certainly not come up with all the wonderful extras Diana thinks of. We all know that the deep seated, lowest bid, purchasing mantra that controls Roger's life, rings cheap-cheap is balanced with his wisdom to have married well with Diana.. You may have noticed from her blog that Diana does not leave much to the imagination either. From hotel deals, air fare and airport option, cell phone coverage to introducing our travel agent to name-it-she-has-it covered. Diana makes sure you have all the info you need while you're on this cruise. Please don't miss reading each article either, did you hear that Russell? When you get a chance on the cruise ask Russell about how this lack of follow-through affected his cruise experience, oh my!

Don't be surprise if you find a special package waiting for you when you board. It may include such things as names of those on our cruise & room numbers so we can contact each other while on the ship, an invitation of optional activities or events that you can or decline to participate in....you get the picture. The choice is yours to do your own thing or join in on the group. Our recommendation, don't miss the latter - it's memorable and fun! And here's the kicker.......wait for it..............wait for it...............

Ba-dah-Bing..............Roger has declared he does NOT want any gifts, so you don't even have to cough up a plug nickel for the man's birthday gift. Not one thin dime, one tenth of a dollar, nada, zilch, zero!!!

Now, how FUN is that???!!! HOWEVER, rumor has it that Roger will be giving away an incredible gift/award to who ever gives him the most sick, twisted, or otherwise disgusting birthday card. Vulgarity and nudity are strongly encouraged. Let your conscience be your guide or better yet, let Roger's conscience be your guide!! And let this competition begin, as we are already working on this project!

You are a part of this fabulous fun camaraderie, a part of this wonderful big group and celebration! Enjoy a few days away in a sailing hotel, eat great food, make new friends, enjoy the celebration and make fun of the big guy who is turning how-the-heck-did-this-happen...70.

We could go on waxing poetic words here, but we'll stop now before you go into a coma. If you have questions or concerns which we haven't addressed... relax, cruising is easy! Nervous of the high seas? Have a drink and get your Doc to give you a prescription for "the patch"...it's simple, safe and works great ... please hit the comment button at the end of this article and we'll attempt to answer any of your tribulations and questions you might have. Both of us are looking forward to meeting new friends and sharing time with old ones (that didn't come out right)...long time friends. Till then......Bon Voyage, we will see you on deck!

Looking forward to your comments,

Karen and Buzz

Photo from Diana's Carnival Spirit Mexican Riviera Cruise 2009