[CRUISE] Looking for Roommates and Rides and Stuff
This discussion is dedicated to people who are seeking roommates for the JoCo Cruise Crazy fan cruise on Jan. 2-8, 2011 (http://www.jococruisecrazy.com), as well as anyone seeking to make joint travel plans (rides to & from the airport; going in on a hotel room together the night before the cruise; meetups before and/or after; etc.).
Have fun, and safe travels!
Have fun, and safe travels!
Comments
Not exactly: prices are per person, based on double occupancy for any given cabin. i.e. two people in a $2,000 cabin would pay a total of $4,000 (plus some taxes/fees).
That said, there are incentives to have roommates:
- If you're in a cabin by yourself, they charge a 50% premium (and 100% for suites)
- The 3rd and 4th persons in a cabin only pay $299. So if four people were to team up in a $2,000 cabin and average out their berth fees, it would save a considerable amount:
1st Berth: $2,000
2nd Berth: $2,000
3rd Berth: $299
4th Berth: $299
Total Berth Cost: $4,598
Average Berth Cost: $1,149
This is in addition to the Entertainment Pass fee. ($320 per person)
Just didn't want there to be any confusion.
And yes, we know this is pretty expensive. Anyone with any questions regarding that, we refer here:
http://jococruisecrazy.com/faq/#exp
P&S
This is in addition to the Entertainment Pass fee. ($320 per person)
Just didn't want there to be any confusion.
And yes, we know this is pretty expensive. Anyone with any questions regarding that, we refer here:
http://jococruisecrazy.com/faq/#exp
Thanks!
P&S.
2199
2199
299
299
320 x 4 (shows)
76.80 x 4 (taxes)
$77 x 4 (gratuity)
_______________
$6891.20
/4
_______________
$1722.80
I'm in for that, just need to make it happen now.
ETA: Oh, also, since we're also looking for rides and stuff, I would like some rides and stuff. I've been told that most tourists in Florida rent cars to get around because the public transport isn't very good, but I don't have a license. So as I said in the other thread, which you might not have seen if you were just linked here from the cruise site, I was thinking of going to visit Kennedy Space Center (somewhere near Orlando) before the cruise, and was wondering if any other geeks would like to visit it and/or travel from there to Fort Lauderdale with me. If car really is the only option then we can share costs etc. but I won't be able to share the driving so I could pay more gas or something.
That being said I'd be down with rooming with pretty much anyone.
Just a curiousity though - any Canadians (or even better - Edmontonians) planning on going?
*sulk*
cheapunderfunded as I am.Too bad there's no discount for those of us who are, um, chronologically accomplished.
Also asking geeks half of which discovered JoCo through Still Alive if they have tolerance for video gaming hehehe. I think I can tolerate that as long as you invite everyone to the room for an awesome rock band party. Though I'm not sure this is necessary; the entertainment page says:
I'm so envious of you guys right now. I'm seriously tempted to plunk down the $2,000 or so (factoring in airfare and cash during the trip) right now.
You don't need a big fancy cabin for those things.a) luggage storage
b) showering and changing
c) sleeping
Also? Hello? Cruise ship! Warm ocean breezes, big water, starry skies, non-stop food, exotic (fake, overpriced but nonetheless exotic) ports of call. Not to mention all the entertainment planned just for the JoCo minions. You're not really going to want to stay in your cabin and play Rock Band.
And yes, if I'm sounding like your mother, it's because I'm old enough to be her. And you kids get off my lawn.
I just came back two weeks ago from a one week trip to Atlantic City, NJ (went to compete in a Rock Band tournament there) and while we did do quite a lot of stuff outside, some of the best times were the parties in my hotel room with a bunch of people, some liquid courage, and a full Rock Band setup.
In any case, who is ready to commit funds right now? I know I can, and I'd hate to miss out on the early booking bonus.
I can just imagine the great time you had in Atlantic City! Hope the tournament went well. Just sayin' that you shouldn't miss out on the actual holy-crap-I'm-on-this-giant-boat-out-in-the-middle-of-the-ocean-and-wearing-short-sleeves-in-January thing.
I just booked. Got a cheapo single down in the bilges so I can be nerdishly anti-social if the need arises. ;-)
That being said, I'll be driving over from southwest Florida (Punta Gorda) and if I can help anyone out with a ride, let me know.
I can def committ now. Let's work it out.
As for me as a roommate, I'm generally quiet (though when I get comfortable with people my vocal range can get louder), can be a bit anti-social (like any stereotypical nerd) but love to have fun and wail to rock band (I can sing pretty good but I enjoy calling my rock band time "wailing").
I live in Florida, so short sleeves in January isn't unusual for me!
@ whatsyourken
The V rooms look fine for Rock Band; the pic on the booking site looks to be one of the 3-person occupancy rooms but you don't actually need a ton of room as long as you have somewhere to put the drum kit. The plastic guitars are wireless, so those players can roam anywhere, and the microphones have nice long wires that can go more or less anywhere. I've actually played on the upcoming Rock Band 3 keyboard peripheral as well, and it's not terribly large either. I'll try to contact Holland America and see if they've had people do anything like this before.
If anything, I'm more concerned about noise / vibration when doing this; having someone stomp on a drum pedal isn't the most quiet thing you can do in a room, and the V rooms are on the upper deck I think? The only other concern on that front is the placement of the TV; it needs to be situated someplace where most anyone in the room can clearly see it.
How do we want to handle booking? Since we're sort of coming in from all over the place, it might be smart for one person to book it and get reimbursed by everyone else, but that leaves someone with a lot of liabilities if anyone backs out. I'll try contacting Insight Cruises tomorrow regarding how much of the costs need to be paid up front (just in case we do get someone who backs out and thus increasing the individual costs).
According to the FAQ, you can pay the cruise lines an initial payment of $350 per person, and pay the rest off by October 1st. This does not include the price of the entertainment ticket.
I am very interested in attending this, having never been on a cruise before, a big fan of the entertainment, and probably going to be sorely in need of a vacation by then. I am trying to see if any friends are interested, but if not, I will be looking for some room mates!
Here's what the FAQ says about sharing a room and paying separately:
Can my roommate(s) and I pay separately?
Yes; when you go through the booking process, the page where you enter payment information will allow you to
enter separate payment information for any or all of the people staying in your cabin(s). Make sure you have
everyones billing information when you begin the booking process.
The non-suite triples will have a twin (sometimes full) sofabed for the third person. Non-suite quads typically have the sofabed & an "upper berth" which is like a bunk bed (complete with its own little ladder!) either over the regular beds or the sofa that comes down from the ceiling or opens up from a wall. Your room steward will set up the beds during turndown service every night and hide them every morning when (s)he makes up the room.
There definitely will be alcohol everywhere and the ships will usually have some sort of wine package and "beer by the bucket" and "special drink of the day" deals and the bartenders are usually terrific. But remember alcohol is not included so those drinks can really add up! Oh, one question roomies-to-be make want to ask: smoking or non? HAL is one of the few lines left that permits smoking in the cabins as well as on the balconies. I believe they recently moved to a policy where smoking has largely been banned from all restaurants.
I'm ready to commit now, in fact I'd like to, to be in the first 250 (I have to be within panty-throwing range!), and get on with booking flights and getting a biometric passport or visa or whatever it is I need to go to the US now. There are singles? They're not listed on the pricing page.
If anyone else wants to be nerdishly anti-social, they could always go to the gym, which should be empty. ;-)
(damn you.)
Joe... NOT envious in the SLIGHTEST!
SRSLY!!!
(bugger)
According to Neil at InSight Cruises, the differences in prices between the subcategories of cabins have to do with ship position. Generally speaking, prices go up for cabins that are on higher decks and/or located in the center of the ship (less movement). Be sure to check out the deck plan for the ms Eurodam.
Neil seems very nice and I hope not everyone makes his life more difficult, but InSight seems happy to accommodate the inevitable variables.
I'm ok with either an interior or outside stateroom; I figure there are lots of outside places on the deck if I feel like doing the leaning against the rail thing. Non-smoking only, though.
To be honest, I can't guarantee non-snoring -- that depends a lot on environmental factors and with the recycled air in the cabins it's hard to predict, but if it happens it's usually fairly mild. I'm fine with using earplugs for people who occasionally snore or who use a cpap.
Not to be genderist -- I don't mind having a male roommate, but would want to meet in person first before agreeing to share. So unless you're coming from Northern California, sharing with another nerd chick would probably be a lot simpler.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/bags/918a/?cpg=froogle
Also, did you guys book your room yet? I know Icemage was trying to get something together, and if you could use a fourth...
I am a non-smoking, non-snoring, Rock Band/Dominion loving male. I would prefer to try and get one of the nicer rooms; as long as I am going on vacation, a little extra money seems worth it. I would like to be able to get some sleep here or there, but do not particularly mind of festivities are brought back to the room now and again. I will be flying down to Florida from Maryland, if anyone else plans on traveling from BWI.
Hit me up if you would like any more info about me / need another person for your group!