Auckland -LA

[USNA 72]

Anyone sailing with us on this 21 Nov-9 Dec "crossing" portion of the "Circle the Pacific" itinerary??

My husband and I will be joining you. There are others on this cruise who are on the boards on cruise critics.

Yes

USNA.72 Was that your class?

I am a Navy vet from the 60's and have this thing about ships......

Will be borading in Sydney..... you in kiwi land. How many side-boys do you want ?

My wife and I will be sailing the full 34 days

I did the Mariner 5 years ago RT LA to Tahiti.... and cant go on an other ......I am ruined
Have you been aboard her........ ??

Planning on doing lots of the snorkel focus trips.... On my last cruise I was impressed with the quality of the shore trips than included water itn them. The waverunners around Bora is not to be missed...... pay the extra and get one for each of you... i dumped my wife and it was not fun.......

Best run ship I have seen . Her skipper was a very squared away guy...... very social and personable..... spent a lot of hours on the bridge with him talking sea stories. and other communal lies.

Like to touch bases with you......

[USNA 72]

Yes Dan, I am 72 USNA alumnus. Since I spent my active duty as a Marine Artillery officer, I don't think I rate any side boys. Gretchen and I did a six day cruise on Mariner in the spring of 2002. Since then we've been on Naigator twice, Voyager once and did a B2B on the Paul Gauguin.

Do you know what time you dock in Auckland?

We did the wave runners in Bora Bora from the PG so we'll probably skip that this time. We got to ride separately because two French girls (20 or so) got scared and neither would drive. So our guide had one ride with him and asked my wife (a Navy CAPT (MSC USNR)) to dirve the other. What a good deal! We're looking forward to great snorkelling, especially the Drift Snorkel on Rangiroa.

You might want to check out the www.cruisecritic.com and
http://www.luxurycruisetalk.com
boards for other posts on this trip and about RSSC in general.

We have some folks from Cruise Critic who are boarding in Auckland planning to meet for dinner on the ship Monday evening before we sail. The LCT board has lots of folks doing Singapore to Sydney and Sydney to Auckland in it.
Greg

Greg.....

We dock at 0745 local

As I recall they don't board new passengers till 1500..... it is a hard and fast rule they have.

I will leave a message for you and the Capt. ( your wife) for a drink..... Will enjoy meeting another of the cult of the DD-214

I plan on doing the drift snorkel as well , gotta prove us squids still have it... Your brothers by the way ran me ragged in SERE.....At Ononfre. and Coronado...... ( clash of 65)

Dan/ Barb Smith

[USNA 72]

A curiosity note. My wife's father was on the USS Mahan DD 364 when she was sunk by kamikazes during the Battle of the Phillipine Sea on Dec 7, 1944. And since the latest Mahan is DDG 72, my class sponsors the wardroom and awards sailor, petty officer and junior officer of the year awards to the crew. When were you in the Navy? Have you done other RSSC cruises? I gathered from your other posts you've done several cruises.
Greg



Post Edited (08-18-05 09:42)

Greg

I srtarted in the reserves..... My dad was an 05, swore me in..... Went enlisted in The USS Vammen , till college...... went to a regular Navy DD..... USS trathen DD530
( 11 battle stars) including gulf of Tonkin. I escaped engineering and became a quartermaster on Trathen...... then because of my Dad ( an Airdale and former xO at Baron Field,) was offered a chance at Avation Officer Canditate....... this was the 60's and they were in need of pilots due to the recent sitiation.
Became a NAvCAD AOC and was assigned to AW-77..... to await a billet to flight. The unit was a spook squadron for BDA and I wound up TDY to SERE with the Corp ( San ononfre.....camping with guns) and later to Cornado for water survival...... ......
During which I broke my leg while off base and to my suprise got a discharge as un fit for Flight....... End of a brilliant record.... I had one finger in the golden ring and my brown shoes polished.. up.........

I was pissed at the navys decision but you know BuPers......... All dressed up and nowhere to go.........

The Trathen was a Fletcher launched in 42..... and hit every action from the canal to Iwo..... ( close fire support at 1000 yards scraping her keel) and went on till the late 60"s..... I am active in her Assocation

There is a good web site " USSTRATHEN" that will tell you a story and a half. As a kid I never appreciated her history..... She was in the Battle off Samiar..... the Navy's Iwo Jima.......( Destroyers attacking heavy Cruisers and Battle ships at point blank range) suffering extreme losses yet without breaking off the engagment)


Trathen was in the "Taffy" task group ( Taffy 1 , 2 and 3)

That's my Navy ....... I still miss it.


I Started on Radisson in 01 and have never found a ship as good.... used to sail on the Royal Viking line...... I was struck with the casual perfection of the line and its fantastic food, service and Attitude...... Became friends with the past Capt of the Mariner.

This cruise I want to enjoy the exotic and to explore the water world... Very into snorkeling and diving..... In fact I work for fun in Hawaii as a snorkel/ guide/naturalist/
Keeps me out of the bars.......

Would love to find a kindered soul....... aboard......

keep in touch Greg.... Barb and I would love to make your aquaintence........ hell, drop by Hawaii......

Greg

I srtarted in the reserves..... My dad was an 05, swore me in..... Went enlisted in The USS Vammen , till college...... went to a regular Navy DD..... USS trathen DD530
( 11 battle stars) including gulf of Tonkin. I escaped engineering and became a quartermaster on Trathen...... then because of my Dad ( an Airdale and former xO at Baron Field,) was offered a chance at Avation Officer Canditate....... this was the 60's and they were in need of pilots due to the recent sitiation.
Became a NAvCAD AOC and was assigned to AW-77..... to await a billet to flight. The unit was a spook squadron for BDA and I wound up TDY to SERE with the Corp ( San ononfre.....camping with guns) and later to Cornado for water survival...... ......
During which I broke my leg while off base and to my suprise got a discharge as un fit for Flight....... End of a brilliant record.... I had one finger in the golden ring and my brown shoes polished.. up.........

I was pissed at the navys decision but you know BuPers......... All dressed up and nowhere to go.........

The Trathen was a Fletcher launched in 42..... and hit every action from the canal to Iwo..... ( close fire support at 1000 yards scraping her keel) and went on till the late 60"s..... I am active in her Assocation

There is a good web site " USSTRATHEN" that will tell you a story and a half. As a kid I never appreciated her history..... She was in the Battle off Samiar..... the Navy's Iwo Jima.......( Destroyers attacking heavy Cruisers and Battle ships at point blank range) suffering extreme losses yet without breaking off the engagment)


Trathen was in the "Taffy" task group ( Taffy 1 , 2 and 3)

That's my Navy ....... I still miss it.


I Started on Radisson in 01 and have never found a ship as good.... used to sail on the Royal Viking line...... I was struck with the casual perfection of the line and its fantastic food, service and Attitude...... Became friends with the past Capt of the Mariner.

This cruise I want to enjoy the exotic and to explore the water world... Very into snorkeling and diving..... In fact I work for fun in Hawaii as a snorkel/ guide/naturalist/
Keeps me out of the bars.......

Would love to find a kindered soul....... aboard......

keep in touch Greg.... Barb and I would love to make your aquaintence........ hell, drop by Hawaii......