Greetings to all and hope you are ready for a dynamite Caribbean cruise in 2003!  By definition, this e-mail will not reach all classmates, so if you know of someone who could be interested in this trip (Field Trip # 1!), please share this information with them!  Many thanks to Barbara Massel Best for helping make this cruise come about!  

At our reunion last month, at least 13 classmates expressed interest in going together on such a cruise next year. As a result of this interest, a 5-DAY WESTERN CARIBBEAN CRUISE FROM OCTOBER 18-23, 2003, IS AVAILABLE FOR US AT VERY ATTRACTIVE RATES ON ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISE LINE, vessel: Enchantment of the Seas. Prices, itinerary, other details are below, but pay particular attention to the dates by which certain payments are due to lock in your stateroom reservations and low, early reservation rates! This information is also being provided to classes of '61 and '60 who indicated interest in participating---this is strictly a first come, first serve opportunity!  

Working with our most expert travel advisor Charlanne Tippett, spouse of Bill Tippett and author of "The Cruise Answer Book", and after comparison shopping with three travel agencies and discussions with some of you, this cruise and travel agency/agent identified below were selected---the agent will work with each of us for bookings, payments, and questions about the cruise. This particular cruise is a "middle-of-the-road" affair in terms of itinerary and time. Some in our group are well traveled and have been on numerous cruises while some have never been on a cruise---so this first cruise together is meant to be a fairly "easy" 5-day jaunt, a truly fun type experience for everyone at reasonable rates (early reservation rates!). At least one of our members, Donnie Fogleman, has been on this cruise before and says it's definitely nice/fun/whatever!  

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you feel this cruise is something you want to do or may want to do after checking things out a bit, you need to call the travel agent no later than November 1, 2002 to make a booking on the ship to be assured of lowest rates!  A total of 56 (yes, 56!) cabins have been put on "courtesy hold" for us by the agent, but these reservations expire on October 16, 2002---as stated above, it's strictly first come, first serve. Your initial call for a booking will cost you $ 75 per person---this reserves your cabin and locks in the low rate.  Full payment schedule and terms for refunds are included below, but can't stress enough the need to call the agent pronto!  This is a very popular cruise.  

CRUISE DETAILS: 

1) Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean, Enchantment of the Seas (one of the newer ships with cabin space for 2,440 passengers) 

2) Itinerary: 5-day western Caribbean cruise October 18-23, 2003: - depart Ft Lauderdale, FL, on Oct 18, 2003

- sail to Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Grand Cayman Island

- return to Ft Lauderdale on Oct 23

What we really do is sail around Cuba!  See attachment for map! 

3) Travel Agency:

All About Cruises, Inc., Sharon Euliss, President, 800-832-7993 or 336-538-4926; FAX: 336-538-4927; e-mail: pwesje@aol.com pwesje@aol.com; mailing address: 1034 Williamson Avenue, Burlington, NC  27215; DEAL WITH SHARON! 

4) Cruise Group Name: Greensboro High School 2003 Cruise 

5) Cruise rates per passenger, double occupancy (includes port taxes of $ 142.75 per person, but does NOT include airfare, other expenses to/from Ft Lauderdale):

- Inside Stateroom (M):  $ 453

- Ocean-View Stateroom (H):  $ 543

- Ocean-View Stateroom (F):  $ 573

- Ocean-View with Balcony (D):  $ 793

Single rates higher, call Sharon for details. 

6) Payment schedule: 

-  Initial deposit of $ 75 per person due no later than October 15, 2002

-  2nd deposit of $ 100 per person due no later than January 15, 2003

-  3rd deposit of $ 125 per person due no later than June 15, 2003

-  Final payment due no later than July 30, 2003    

7) Cancellations and Refunds: 

-  Before August 1, 2003:  full refund less $ 50 penalty per person

-  Between August 2 and September 1, 2003:  50 % penalty of total price per person

-  After September 1, 2003 and "no shows":  No refunds      

8) Trip/cancellation insurance:  If cannot travel due to health/medical reasons or death in family, the cancellation insurance policy will reimburse for fees paid to the cruise line.  Cost of insurance is $ 69 per person---highly recommended---talk to Sharon!    

9) Total additional $$$ recommended for the cruise (not including travel to/from Ft Lauderdale): talk to Sharon! 

As with our reunion in August, Mr. Ronnie Harris has agreed to maintain an updated list on his Web site http://www.tendingthegarden.org/ of folks booked for the cruise---what a guy! The travel agent will also know who has made bookings.  So, for those interested and wanting to go cruisin' with good friends, this is a perfect opportunity at very reasonable rates---rates will increase and cabin availability may be nil as time moves on! 

Let's do it---ain't nobody I know getting any younger! PG