Bail Out the Emperor - Go On a Cruise
Me and my big fingers.
I can't say "me and my big mouth" because it was a typed blog entry, not an audioblog entry, that resulted in an Obligation.
It all started with Tara Lynn Johnson's blogiversary:
Monday, February 28, 2005
Happy Blogiversary!
I began TLJ's Thoughts of the Day a year ago today.
Haaaaaaaaappy Blogiversary to me!
Happy Blogiversary to me!
Happy Blogiversary to meeeee-heeeeeeeeee!
Happy Blogiversary to me!...
I've been up, I've been down, and many of you have been there through it all. Thanks! Thanks! Thanks!
So here's to another 365 fun-filled days of blogging ahead.
Hey... where's the cake and ice cream??
Well, Tara has many friends and admirers, so a discussion ensured about the appropriate celebration. After a bit, I entered the conversation and put my foot on my fingers (again, I didn't put it in my mouth):
Glad to be one of the many you've found. And screw cake and ice cream, where's the champagne???
Gooch
How about cake, ice cream AND champagne ;)
Happy blogiversary, Tara! *hugs* You've made the blogosphere a better place by just being you!
Judy
...And I vote for cake, ice cream, champagne, and a cruise.
Ontario Emperor, the Copyright...
You know I make a mean alcoholic Baileys/whiskey ice-cream, we could kill two birds with one stone that way - and then take it on the cruise - liking that idea.
LLCoffee
...O.E., now YOU know how to celebrate! Everybody! We're going on a cruise! O.E. is buying!
Heading out on the Love Tara Boat and apparently, LLCoffee is going to be Isaac, the bartender! Woo-hoo!...
Tara
This is the point at which I realized I was in trouble. I was Obligated. Now I don't know all of these people. But I'm sure they're nice. But I'm also sure that a cruise is expensive. Time for backpedal mode:
I'm buying?!? Well, let me fill my bathtub...
Ontario Emperor
...O.E., you're going to need a BIG bathtub. Lots of people going on the cruise!
Tara
My father in law has a swimming pool. And some inflatable toys. (No, not that kind.)
Ontario Emperor
(Aside: My LAUNCHcast station is playing "Fly." Traci Lords can actually sing. Back to the regularly scheduled post.)
So, that's where the message thread currently stands. In case the father in law's swimming pool idea doesn't work, I have to investigate Plan B. Time for a Google search for "free cruise."
Well, Geek Cruises has a contest drawing for a free cruise. For two. Not enough. (By the way, Geek Cruises offers cruises to the usual places - Alaska, Caribbean, etc. - but with seminars on topics such as Perl, chess, and Linux.)
YTB Travel & Cruises also offers a free cruise drawing - for two - not including airfare. Since Tara herself lives on the East Coast, that can add up.
Another free cruise drawing for two if I join "Laurie's Free Instant Persuasion Club." But at least they include roundtrip airfare in the continental US.
Finally, I found the solution - we can all become cruise leaders and get comp'ed.
Nothing beats a cruise vacation, unless, of course, it's a FREE cruise vacation. This probably sounds too good to be true, but it's not.
We've had many customers over the years that have earned their way just because they love cruising and are not afraid to talk about it. Cruise Lines will reward Pied Pipers with free travel just for bringing other friends and family along with them on their vacation. As a Group Leader, you can earn free passage on a cruise as well.
The More You Bring, The More You Earn
Here's how it works... If you have enough people who are interested in taking a cruise together, then you can earn a free cruise. The cruise line will award a free berth for every so many cabins your group books. This can be as few as five cabins for longer Caribbean, Alaska and European sailings or as many as eight cabins for shorter cruises. There's typically no cap on the number of free beds you can earn, so as long as you keep booking cabins, you group can keep earning free beds.
Here's an example of the number of free beds you could earn if your group booked a 7 Night Caribbean Cruise:
8 cabins (16 guests) traveling = 1 Free Bed
16 cabins (32 guests) traveling = 2 Free Beds (1 free cabin)
24 cabins (48 guests) traveling = 3 Free Beds
32 cabins (64 guests) traveling = 4 Free Beds (2 free cabins)
100 cabins (200 guests) traveling = 12 Free Beds (6 free cabins)
Cruise Lines only award the value of the cruise itself. Port charges, taxes and government fees are not free and must be paid by the group. Each cruise line has its own group leader policy and they may vary depending upon the cruise line....
So, let's say that Tara has 12 people that want to go on her blogiversary cruise, and that the unattached ones don't mind sharing rooms. All we have to do is convince 100 couples to go on the cruise also.
This probably won't work, but it beats continuing to publicize the new name "Rita Moreno of Arte" - it's just not catching on.
Comments
All references to "Rita Moreno of Arte" can be found here.