Patricia August 30th, 2007
UPDATED: Pricing and a bold note on transfers before!!
You know the KISS Principle right? The one I tell myself nearly daily, “Keep It Simple, Stupid.” Not that I’m calling myself ’stupid’ often, but I have a tendency to make things more complex (kindly, don’t ask Michael about the genetic need I have to make and change plans — seriously, I need help.)
So, in an effort to KISS, I’m finalizing the transfers, hotel nights, and tour for this cruise. Here’s the outline of what is being offered. I KNOW there are no prices YET — but they are forthcoming. What we are going to do is share the plan today, let you think about through Labor Day. I will post the prices as soon as they are final (hopefully tonight or tomorrow). I will take reservations on these optional items beginning on September 5th. Please note the information you will need to provide when you reserve. All payments are due in full 30 days post the reservation. (This is a shift from last year and is part of my new sanity plan of KISS.) I will answer ALL questions about these items and add those questions to the FAQ.
On to the options:
Hotel before the cruise:
If you are like me and want to make sure you are in town the night before the cruise, you will need a place to stay on May 8th. If you like to hang with knitters, like me, on May 8th, you will want to be at the Sheraton in Downtown Seattle (like last year, the hotel might change — but it will be GOOD and in downtown).
Because we all plan our flights differently, you will make your own way from the airport to the hotel.I will highly suggest the Downtown Airporter, which currently charges $10.25 per person. Because we like to know what we doing, I’ve included the transfers from the airport to the hotel AND taxi vouchers from the hotel to the pier. Also, if you like hanging with knitters and want to jump start the cruise fun, plan to be in the hotel by 4ish, so we can go to dinner at 6pm (meet in the lobby). No, I don’t know where we will go yet, but I’ll tell you once I figure it out.
Costs: $148.50 per person based on double occupancy; $268 single occupancy. (Note, rates are guaranteed as long as we have 9 rooms. I will update next week with the rate if we have 8 or less.)
Want to arrive before 5/8? Additional nights are $119 per person based on double occupancy.
Note: Seattle is a convention town and the Sheraton is a convention hotel. It will book up completely without question. That said, I need to know how many rooms to hold ASAP. This option will not be available last minute, so plan accordingly.
Booking Requirements: Kindly share if you need two beds or one; smoking or non-smoking; and if you need an accessible room.
Transfers from the airport to the pier:
On May 9th, we are going to offer a Sea Socks ONLY shuttle from airport to pier leaving at 1pm from SeaTac. (Should you be coming in at a different time and not want to wait for the shuttle, I can arrange for a town car to meet you.)
Costs: Shuttle: $16 per person
Town Car: TBD, but in the neighborhood of $50.
Booking requirements: I MUST know your flight information when you book this shuttle.
Victoria, B.C. Shore Excursion:
There is only one choice this year — High Tea at the Empress Hotel with a side of yarny goodness. Yes, we will once again be hosted by our friends at BeeHive Wool Shop. Tea will be the delightful high tea in a wonderful hotel environment. For those who wish, walking around downtown will be available as well as a bus.
Costs: $71.50 per person
Transfer to the airport (or hotel — see below) from the pier:
No one wants a cruise to end, but the time will come when you need to pack all your fiber goodness in a bag and set off for home. (Please check all the drawers and closets — no fiber should be left behind.) So alas, a shuttle to the airport will be required. Exclusive to Sea Socks to allow the party to continue for as long as possible and direct from pier to airport.
Costs: $16 per person
Booking Requirements: I MUST know your flight plans. Earliest flight departure is 1pm, please.
Post Cruise Hotel Nights:
Want to enjoy the weekend in Seattle? Haven’t gotten enough of the yarn crawl? Oh, then stay a few more days. Back to the Sheraton downtown for one or two nights. Enjoy all that Seattle has to offer and I highly recommend an Underground Tour (begins in a storefront in Pioneer Square) or lots of coffee and then watch the fish fly at Pike’s Place Market. Or, if you aren’t over your baggage limit yet, there are many great yarn shops in the Seattle area too.
Costs: $128.75 per person based on double occupancy; $248.25 single occupancy. (Note, rates are guaranteed as long as we have 9 rooms each night. I will update next week with the rate if we have 8 or less.)
Note: This does not include transfer to the airport, again the Downtown Airporter is my favorite option. But for the $16 above, we can get you to the hotel.