where should me and my friends go on vacation [Archive]

Flasch186

05-30-2006, 08:34 PM

I am having an incredibly hard time convincing enough members of the group to agree on where to go for a summer vacation so Im putting out there for you all to help and perhaps your input, when presented to them, will bring them to a consensus. I will leave my opinion out of it since in the discussion with them I said I didnt care and would do anything (within reason Ill add here). Pros and cons would be appreciated from any of you who have experienced any of the listed:

st.cronin

05-30-2006, 08:40 PM

Northern New Mexico

astrosfan64

05-30-2006, 08:41 PM

I am having an incredibly hard time convincing enough members of the group to agree on where to go for a summer vacation so Im putting out there for you all to help and perhaps yourinput, when presented to them, will bring them to a consensus. I will leave my opinion out of it since in the discussion with them I said I didnt care and would do anything (within reason Ill add here). Pros and cons would be appreciated from any of you who have experienced any of the listed:

what are all of the abbrivations?

JonInMiddleGA

05-30-2006, 08:42 PM

Okay, BF = best friend, that one I remember from previous diagrams. And I'm guessing that Fi=fiance ... but WTF are the rest of these people?

And what's the age range (just oldest & youngest) of the group? Close together vs a wide range might matter somehow.

Also, any of these possible destinations that a significant part of the group has been to already? That might also be pretty big in the recommendation, like if half the group has done one of the places to death already.

Craptacular

05-30-2006, 09:14 PM

Other:

I've never been on a cruise, but the first one I go on will be to Alaska.

Otherwise, I'd go west to an area with at least a couple of National Parks / Monuments, such as:

* Seattle area (North Cascades, Olympic, Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens)
* East central Cali (Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Death Valley)
* Southern Utah (Bryce Canyon, Zion, Cedar Breaks, Capitol Reef, Glen Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches)

If I had to pick one of your cities, I'd pick D.C. (for the record, I have not been to NYC)

ice4277

05-30-2006, 09:15 PM

I am too tired to decipher the acronyms, so trout fishing it is!

Joe

05-30-2006, 09:18 PM

minnesota

gottimd

05-30-2006, 09:19 PM

BF=Big Foot
SG= Samwise Gangi
Fi=???
AtJ and KtJ=???
Vaca= Cow in spanish?

kcchief19

05-30-2006, 10:16 PM

If these bizarre series of initialisms and abbreviations is some sort of co-mingled group of men and women of a platonic, couple-related or familial orientation, then I vote New York.

If this is a group of metrosexuals out looking to have some "guy" fun, then Vegas.

If this group includes a fourth-grader who has a won a geography bee, then Washington.

If this group is self-loathing and has no interest in doing anything except perhaps driving along the freeway several hours a day, then Los Angeles.

If this group involves Kathi Lee Gifford and/or Regis Philbin, then the choose cruise vacation so you "accidentally" toss them overboard.

If Tom Skerritt and/or Brad Pitt, then trout fishing.

If the initialisms and abbreviations are used as code to protect the identity of the guys you have met recently on a hard-core S&M message board and you're planning to meet IRL, then naturally the island resort with the requisite cabana boys.

Hope that helps!

Flasch186

05-30-2006, 10:19 PM

BF = Best Friend
SG = Stacy Greene (Bf's GF)
Fi = Fiance (attributed to Terpkristin)
AtJ = Adam the Jew
KtJ = Kim the Jew

All around the same age (except SG who is 10 years younger than BF :) )

The only place we've been is Vegas, and not all of us.

Joe

05-30-2006, 10:22 PM

well... there can never be too many jews in new york

JonInMiddleGA

05-30-2006, 10:33 PM

Okay, lemme see here ... hmm ... my own personal preference would be Las Vegas, but that's me and not your group specifically.

I tend to downgrade LV here since some have been & that can put the two groups on different agendas.

I downgrade DC since it strikes me as a more serious location for lack of a better word. It's cool & all but tends to be a little more thoughtful than just pure fun IMO.

If the whole group is into shopping & theatre, then NYC seems obvious to pick. A lot of it seems to depend on what the real goal of the vacation is -- if you're into "doing stuff", then maybe LA or NY. But if the object more about being somewhere other than your normal routines & just generally getting some decompression time then I'd go for one of the Caribbean options.

Flasch186

05-30-2006, 10:40 PM

i love vegas but Fi wants resort in the rib, partially because she is in fear of seasickness on a boat. I dont know what Bf's deal is, we were looking for a cruise tonight and everyone was excited and all of a sudden he pulled his chute open with a "let us talk about it tonight and figure out what we want to do." The major reason this sucks is because he is the only one adamantly opposed ot the cruise. Fi will go, and SG and I want to for sure...AtJ & KtJ are gung ho...but its BF who is waffling and I dont know what else he wants. He mentioned Ireland but none of us want to go there for a wklong vaca when 2 days are spent flying.

Franklinnoble

05-31-2006, 12:48 AM

Go someplace remarkable... like the Grand Canyon or Yosemite or something. If you're going to do D.C., fine... make a day of it, but spend the rest of the week touring Civil War battlefields or something.

saldana

05-31-2006, 12:59 AM

i vote for the cruise...everything you need is right on the ship, there is never any need to figure out where to go for dinner, who owes what on the check, and you never have to worry about being sober enough to figure out where your hotel is. there are enough things to do as a group, or enough for you to get away from each other if you want.

Flasch186

06-01-2006, 03:04 PM

stevew

06-01-2006, 03:08 PM

Sounds like a lot of fun.

stevew

06-01-2006, 03:09 PM

dola, avoid Aids when you are in haiti.

ice4277

06-01-2006, 03:27 PM

dola, avoid Aids when you are in haiti.

Where's your sense of adventure?

Flasch186

06-01-2006, 04:37 PM

i am really hoping she likes the cruise cuz if she doesnt it could be an extremely long time before I get to take her on another one again . She is deathly afraid she'll be seasick.

cartman

06-01-2006, 04:43 PM

Northern New Mexico

Yep, and you can also do trout fishing here. :D

BTW, you'll be getting an email tonight about the trip, st.c. Due to the fire restrictions, we've made backup arrangements for the camping trip in case the national forest closes.

stevew

06-01-2006, 04:54 PM

you should go visit duckman with your boys, and then be like, "hey want to start some shit now big boy, well me and my BF want to know"

SnDvls

06-01-2006, 05:02 PM

It has boiled down to my fiancee and me going on a cruise in the Western Caribbean with stops in cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and Labaddee (Haiti)...

have any of you been on this cruise and what are some reccomendations, things to avoid, things we'll definitely want to do, etc.?

Thanks

dunns river falls...feed the sting rays....do an island tour somewhere (think we did this in Grand Cayman)...if you are a boozer and like to drink there are booze cruises too....if you have a late flight back home from Miami do a shore tour in FL so 1) you get off the boat sooner 2) you have something to do besides sit at the airport. Usually you can check out the tours on the cruise ships site.

Swaggs

06-01-2006, 05:14 PM

Cruises are the best. Make sure you sign up to do at least one excursion at each stop--they make the trip a lot more memorable.

RPI-Fan

06-01-2006, 06:50 PM

It has boiled down to my fiancee and me going on a cruise in the Western Caribbean with stops in cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and Labaddee (Haiti)...

have any of you been on this cruise and what are some reccomendations, things to avoid, things we'll definitely want to do, etc.?

Thanks

Those stops for me don't seem great? Going anywhere in Haiti would be plain old depressing for me. When I went on a cruise (I was not very old, granted, and didn't have ID or anything), we wnet to Bahamas, private island of Holland America, and Key West. Those were fantastic locations, IMO.

Flasch186

06-01-2006, 07:37 PM

Those stops for me don't seem great? Going anywhere in Haiti would be plain old depressing for me. When I went on a cruise (I was not very old, granted, and didn't have ID or anything), we wnet to Bahamas, private island of Holland America, and Key West. Those were fantastic locations, IMO.

yeah, i agree the word "Haiti" scares me but apparently its their private island.

Right now weve narrowed it down (we thnk unless some of you have better advice) to swimming with dolphins and sea lions at Dolphin discovery in Cozumel, swimming and feeding the stingrays in georgetown, riding the horses and stuff in Jamaica (no Dunns river falls because we heard the surrounding area can be scary and has gotten worse), and then jetskiing at the private beach.

I told Ashley that I'd win back the cost of the cruise in the casino...LOL little does she know that, like everyone else, ill probably end up down :)

cthomer5000

06-01-2006, 08:11 PM

wherever it's a permanent one.

Swaggs

06-01-2006, 11:14 PM

I fear Haiti.

I have heard very bad things.

Grammaticus

06-01-2006, 11:36 PM

I fear Haiti.

I have heard very bad things.
Yep Haiti is a complete crap hole.

Go to Cook Island and Australia.

JS19

06-01-2006, 11:45 PM

cruise, you can never go wrong with a cruise.

Swaggs

06-02-2006, 12:13 AM

I heard that some of the tourist beaches in Haiti have 15-foot high fences that go out into the water to keep the Haitians away from the tourists. And, I guess they still try to sell and solicit themselves through the fences.

Sounds not so pleasant to me. Of course I am failry uncomfortable around all "street vendors" like that.

k0ruptr

06-02-2006, 03:05 AM

trout fishing pushing strong

Samdari

06-02-2006, 06:57 AM

It has boiled down to my fiancee and me going on a cruise in the Western Caribbean with stops in cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and Labaddee (Haiti)...

have any of you been on this cruise and what are some reccomendations, things to avoid, things we'll definitely want to do, etc.?

Thanks

On Grand Cayman, definitely take a tour that goes to Stingray City. Wife and I have been on 4 cruises, and this was by far the best excursion.

I would also disagree with Swaggs a bit and suggest spending one port day on the boat. Same amazing amenities and service, 2/3 fewer people to share it with. You'll have the pool almost to yourself, no lines for food, etc.

Swaggs

06-02-2006, 09:30 AM

I would also disagree with Swaggs a bit and suggest spending one port day on the boat. Same amazing amenities and service, 2/3 fewer people to share it with. You'll have the pool almost to yourself, no lines for food, etc.

We have been on two cruises and I don't necessarily disagree with you. We spent one of the days on the boat during its port and did have a nice time. It is just that usually there are some pretty memorable experiences to be had on the excursions.

I would suggest making the stop in Haiti the "stay on the boat" day, if you must. :)

OldGiants

06-02-2006, 12:24 PM

NIMBY

RPI-Fan

06-02-2006, 07:10 PM

yeah, i agree the word "Haiti" scares me but apparently its their private island.

Right now weve narrowed it down (we thnk unless some of you have better advice) to swimming with dolphins and sea lions at Dolphin discovery in Cozumel, swimming and feeding the stingrays in georgetown, riding the horses and stuff in Jamaica (no Dunns river falls because we heard the surrounding area can be scary and has gotten worse), and then jetskiing at the private beach.

I told Ashley that I'd win back the cost of the cruise in the casino...LOL little does she know that, like everyone else, ill probably end up down :)

Good choices -- the dolphin & sting ray stuff is very, very light-weight. Not as fun as you might think, I believe.

The horses thing should be great -- for a country boy like me, who has never ridden a horse, that sounds like tons of fun.

We did jetskiing at Holland America's private beach and it was absolutely fantastic. Not many people did it, and those who did had an absolutely great time.

Have fun!
~rpi-fan

Flasch186

06-03-2006, 09:59 AM

im extremely nervous about the seasickness thing, especially considering that the room is not in the middle of the boat, which is apparently the best defense against the sickness. Any reccomendations? Weve heard the boat actually carries a different type of seasickness medicine that is better than doing the dramamine type thing...anyone have any experience with this?

Samdari

06-03-2006, 12:14 PM

We have been on two cruises and I don't necessarily disagree with you. We spent one of the days on the boat during its port and did have a nice time. It is just that usually there are some pretty memorable experiences to be had on the excursions.

I would suggest making the stop in Haiti the "stay on the boat" day, if you must. :)

We did it accidentally, as one of our stops had nothing that interested us. Ended up having a great day though, really enjoying the solitude at the pool.

It was just an alternate point though - I wouldn't do an excursion that only half interested me just to make sure I was doing one, but there usually are good ones at most stops.

The most important thing is to make sure you go to Stingray City on Grand Cayman. Its awesome.

Doug5984

06-04-2006, 02:33 PM

I acctually just booked a 7 day cruise out of Miami to the eastern Carribean in late july. I am really looking forward to going there- we are going to St. Marteen (sp?), St. Thomas, and Nassau.

I think any trip to the eastern Caribbean would be a lot of fun, and very different.

illinifan999

06-04-2006, 02:48 PM

I just got back from a week in Cancun at an all-inclusive resort. I feel as though we actually made a profit on the trip after figuring in all the drinks and food we had. I would be willing to spend the 1k to go back in a heartbeat. Probably the greatest week of my life.