Are you getting excited? It's a new year and before we know it, time to fly to Los Angeles and board the ship for our "Cruise with the Jewels." I thought I would send this out as a gentle reminder that: Your final payment is due prior to February 15th, 2012.
I'm including some information which you may find helpful.

Please take time to complete the cruise personalizer online by going to www.princess.com and signing in. You will have to enter your passport number and your booking number and can make special requests. This must be done in advance.

In case you're not aware, you can print this without the background colours. Click on "File" and click "page setup" and under format/options make sure the "print background" is NOT checked. 

Please review the "Dress Code" information:
Your itinerary includes:
2 formal nights and 5 smart casual nights.
If you choose to eat in the Dining room on Formal Nights, please note that you must dress accordingly in a long or short dress. You are most welcome to dress more casually and eat in an alternate dining area. Jeans, shorts, flip flops, sneakers, etc. are not acceptable in the Dining Room in the evenings.

Speaking of dining room - we are all booked for the second seating, together at 8PM. I'll have more information on this later. If you object to this time, please take the poll at the bottom of this email and we'll try to make an amendment if possible. (No guarantees) This particular ship has it's mealtimes "early" - 1st sitting is at 5:30 and as we're in ports late most evenings, we found on last years cruise that to be at the dining room by 5:15PM too early. Too much to do!

Looks like we're all going to be at the Marriott the night before the cruise. We'll have to see what trouble we can get into and perhaps meet for dinner?

Some of you have asked so I've posted my flights in the box to the right in case some want to join us on the same flight from Vancouver to Los Angeles. Let's start the party early! If you have to connect through Calgary, I think there is a better flight to L.A. on Westjet? Christine can help you with your flights, or you might wish to book on www.AirMiles.ca or using airline/bank points.

I've loosely put together a "PORTS OF CALL" package of information on tours, sight-seeing, things to do and how to get around, for many of the ports on our cruise. You should be able to access it by clicking here:  PORTS OF CALL INFORMATION
You may also pre-book the ship's tours on the Princess website. My cabin-mate, Sylvia, has done this cruise several times so she may be able to answer some of your questions when we're at the Marriott. The cruise ship's tours tend to be more expensive that what is offered on the internet so you might wish to do some research before you leave.

Once again I'll be putting together an Information package for you and distribute it closer to our sailing date. It will be full of information on cruising, schedule, tipping, how to stay in touch while at sea, computer access etc.

Don't hesitate to contact myself (1-855-870-2410) or the travel agent, Christine (1-800-634-8456)

 

Santa Barbara

Called the American Riviera, Santa Barbara is a place where food, art, history, fashion, wine and sunshine mix to create a delightful and unique experience for the visitor. Palm-lined beaches, a warm Mediterranean climate, charming sidewalk cafés and a pristine seaside setting are some of the aesthetic reasons for visiting Santa Barbara.

The "Queen of the Missions," Santa Barbara's Old Mission can be traced back to the 1700's when the mission was built to bring Christianity to the Chumash Indians. The Old Mission is now a California Historical Landmark and is one of the most popular attractions in the area.

Just outside of Santa Barbara, lies the Santa Ynez Valley which is home to numerous world-renowned wineries. The scenic beauty of the dramatic mountains, lush valleys and oak trees is only surpassed by the rich flavors of the wines produced in the area.

Victoria exudes old-world charm and fragrant and colorful flowers are everywhere. Founded in 1843 by James Douglas of the Hudson's Bay Company, the city was first known as Fort Victoria. By 1848, Vancouver Island was a British colony and Victoria was its capital.

In 1858, Victoria was a tent city and the base for some 25,000 prospectors on their way to the Frasier River gold fields. When Vancouver Island was incorporated with mainland British Columbia in 1868, Victoria became the capital of the entire province.

Although it's a port city, Victoria is not as industrially oriented as Vancouver. The harbors, especially Inner Harbour, are dotted with pleasure craft, ferries and floatplanes. The city is renowned for its beautiful gardens, charming houses and very British feel.

Astoria, Washington