Q's Creative Cruise: Eastern Caribbean 2015!

Announcing my 3rd Creative Card Cruise!

We've been to Mexico and Alaska...now it's time to enjoy Caribbean blue waters, sun, breezes and culture.

I am super excited about this cruise...I found the perfect itinerary, the perfect ship and the perfect classroom.

It's simply hard to top our last 2 cruises, we have had such a blast...the pressure is on!

Here's a quick look...

*Royal Caribbean - Navigator of the Seas.

*Cabins.  2 choices; Promenade & Balcony  

*Nov. 14 - 22nd, 2015 (eight-day cruise!) 
 

*Departure port: Fort Lauderdale 

*4 Ports; Labadee (private beach resort), San Juan, Puerto Rico, Basseterre, St. Kitts and Philipsburg, St. Maarten. 

*3 at-sea days with six creative classes!

 

·        Here are the details...

  Promenade Cabin

This is an awesome alternative to an interior cabin, and was only $40 more, so I only went with this kind.  It is larger than the interior cabins, plus, it has a window overlooking the promenade.  It is not noisy, I've been assured, but gives the room a more open feel.   My brother stayed in one of the cabins on a recent cruise and said it's a big improvement over an interior cabin.

Price $607.00 + $119.46 Taxes = $726.46

·         Balcony Cabin

There are very few 'ocean view' cabins on this ship, most have balconies.  These will be across from all our promenade cabins.  I've reserved a couple of triples (where 3 can stay in a room) and one handicap room.

Price $974.00 + $119.46 Taxes = $1093.46

Deposit due upon reservation: $250.   (balance due about Sept. 1/15)
Pay by check (email me for address) or for convenience, here is an online credit card option that reflects the fees incurred.
 
 

Deposit

Per Person $257.50 USD Per Couple $515.00 USD

(Use the drop-down menu to pay for a couple.)

Gratuities are $96 for the 8 days.

Approx. cost (promenade cabin)            *Flight, cruise, gratuity, Transport & classes $1650.

Approx. cost (Balcony cabin)                   *Flight, cruise, gratuity, Transport & classes $2000.

*price based on higher end.  You could probably save a little on a cheaper flight.

This is why I love cruising!  The math equals to about $200 a day.  For lodging, amazing food (all-day-long), service, entertainment, tropical ports of call, fun people and of course, a myriad of crafting classes!

Dates

Nov. 14 - 22, 2015.  This gives everyone a year+ to plan & save.  This is also a safer (hurricane season ending) time of year to travel and slightly cooler temps.

The good thing about our dates is that it is the week BEFORE Thanksgiving.  Generally, people will not want to travel that week, since they will likely travel the following week.  This should translate to better flight for us.  It is, I'm sure, a large part of why our rates on the cruise are so good.

Departure Port

 Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  This will be a nice & easy to navigate, as the dock (Port Everglades) is right next to the airport!  Despite being only a few minutes from each other, they still recommend planning on 45 minutes to allow for claim luggage and fill out forms at the terminal.  Fare from airport to dock will be between $15 and $18.

Optionally, you could also fly into Miami.  It is 30 minutes south.

The one tricky thing about Florida is finding a flight that gets you in before the ship leaves (5:30 pm, but they want you there 2 hours before, 3:30 pm).  I couldn't find any for 2014.  They haven't listed 2015 November flights yet.

Your options are getting in the day before and staying overnight in a hotel OR red-eye.

There are usually several red-eye flights, which will leave you tired, but this way you don't have to pay for a night's stay in a hotel.

Prices range from $350 - $500.  As to the best time to book flights, I found this article that explains it well. 

Ports of Call

Besides the typical (and fun) days of shopping and beaching, I've listed some other unique things to do in each port.

Labadee.  

I have been here before!  It's a beach day like no other!  White sand beaches, lots of fun and/or relaxation in Labadee.  Privately leased by Royal Caribbean, we have it all to ourselves!

San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

 Explore Old San Juan, the second-oldest European settlement in the New World. Ride to San Felipe El Morro, the most dramatic of all the city's military fortifications. Visit the Casa Blanca Museum & Gardens, the Ballaja Barracks, Quincentennial Square, San Jose Church, San Juan Cathedral, and Cristo Chapel.

OR

See Baño Grande, a natural swimming pool. Then take a walk on Camitillo Trail and look for the artificial nest of the Puerto Rican parrot and the flora and fauna of the Palo Colorado forest.

Basseterre, St. Kitts  

 Whether you're a history buff or just want to take in the scenery, be sure to visit the 350-year-old estate, Romney Manor, once owned by a British earl. The beautiful grounds include magnificent gardens, exotic plants and an amazing African Saman tree, which covers half an acre and is believed to be as old as the estate itself.

OR

• Explore Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park. Climb to the top of the main hill to take in amazing views of St. Eustatius and Sandy Point Town.
• Walk through Independence Square. Now a small public park, it was built in 1790 for slave auctions and council meetings.
• Visit St. George's Cathedral. While originally christened Notre Dame in 1670 by the French, it was destroyed more than once and was most recently rebuilt in 1869 in typical Georgian style.

Philipsburg, St. Maarten

When the Spanish closed their colonial fort on St. Maarten in 1648, a few Dutch and French soldiers hid on the island and decided to share it. Soon after, the Netherlands and France signed a formal agreement to split St. Maarten in half, as it is today. Philipsburg displays its Dutch heritage in its architecture and landscaping. The island offers endless stretches of beach, beautiful landscapes and great shopping.

Admire the delicate nature and dazzling colors of hundreds of butterflies as you tour St. Maarten's popular Butterfly Farm

Tour the saltwater lagoons by kayak, and discover egrets, plovers, heron and pelicans.

Discover the undersea world of coral reefs and exotic fish as you take a snorkeling expedition through Shipwreck Cove.

Classes!

I'm happy to report we have a great BIG (1800 square feet, almost 3 times bigger than our ship in Alaska) classroom with desks aplenty.  I have it booked for the entire 8 days, so we can leave our work station and our supplies there!  You can access the classroom in the evening for catch up crafting, playing cards and games and whatever else you want.

We have 3 full days at seas, so we will have classes from 9-noon and 1-4.  That give us time to sleep in, have a nice breakfast, lunch and time to get ready for dinner at 5pm.

I've already been planning my classes and we have some fun surprises and new things to share with you all. 

Of course, we will have goodies bags, lots of prizes and a Grand prize or a Cricut expression and a 2nd prize of a Cricut Mini!

And of course, plan on our traditional Card swap on our last night together.

Much more info on this later!

Classes $300

Because I have to start planning, buying etc... far in advance, I must ask for a nonrefundable $50 deposit.  If you have to cancel at some point, you will still get a goodie bag and one class kit.

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Ok, that's it for now!  I'm not sure how I'm even going to wait a whole year before all this fun!  Hope you can join us!

To reserve your spot, just email me. 

You can mail the deposit, bring to class, or use the shopping cart here on my blog.

$250 (cruise deposit) + $50 (class deposit) = $300