Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055
Joined: Oct 30, 2013 14:12:26 GMT -8
|
Post by Ria Stone on Nov 24, 2017 10:56:47 GMT -8
World Con 76 (Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention) Here is an opportunity to meet other authors and participate in 5 days of a wide variety of panels, events and the Hugo Awards. For a fee, you can rent a vendor's table to show your work, or you can offer to participate in various panels. www.worldcon76.org/Besides the con being close to me, one big attraction is one of the Guests of Honor, Spider Robinson ( spiderrobinson.com/). His Callahan Bar stories are marvelous and he and his wife, Jeanne's, book Star Dance is a great collaboration. I am going, if any other SWFers plan to attend, let's meet for coffee, Ria.
|
|
jenniferp
SWF Writers
Posts: 111
Joined: Mar 29, 2012 6:47:30 GMT -8
|
Post by jenniferp on Nov 24, 2017 11:24:43 GMT -8
Dang it - I totally can't afford it, but I'd give a lot for five minutes with Spider...I'm literally re-reading Stardance and its sequels right now.
|
|
Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055
Joined: Oct 30, 2013 14:12:26 GMT -8
|
Post by Ria Stone on Nov 25, 2017 7:11:22 GMT -8
Dang it - I totally can't afford it, but I'd give a lot for five minutes with Spider...I'm literally re-reading Stardance and its sequels right now. Hola Jen, I know what you mean, I love Spider's stories. Stardance is a stand out book. Spider was another writer who inspired me. The con isn't until August 2018, maybe you can save $ til then. Or start a gofundme :-)
|
|
jenniferp
SWF Writers
Posts: 111
Joined: Mar 29, 2012 6:47:30 GMT -8
|
Post by jenniferp on Nov 25, 2017 8:08:05 GMT -8
Problem is, World Fantasy is in my back yard next year, but not QUITE close enough to commute to, so I decided to go to that one instead. I'm already saving $ to be able to afford that and the three cons I'm a guest at. So, yeah, I'm not gonna be able to manage air fare to California as well.
|
|
Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055
Joined: Oct 30, 2013 14:12:26 GMT -8
|
Post by Ria Stone on Dec 3, 2017 7:59:39 GMT -8
Problem is, World Fantasy is in my back yard next year, but not QUITE close enough to commute to, so I decided to go to that one instead. I'm already saving $ to be able to afford that and the three cons I'm a guest at. So, yeah, I'm not gonna be able to manage air fare to California as well. Choices, choices, choices, yes there are a lot of Sci-fi/fantasy cons to choose from. Wonderful that you are also a guest at several cons and that the World Fantasy Con is so close.
|
|
Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055
Joined: Oct 30, 2013 14:12:26 GMT -8
|
Post by Ria Stone on Jan 4, 2018 12:18:08 GMT -8
Will be sailing tomorrow on the Star Trek Cruise, will be tweeting cruise chats #STC2018
|
|
chelsfield
SWF Writers
Posts: 700
Joined: Mar 28, 2012 3:07:24 GMT -8
|
Post by chelsfield on Jan 5, 2018 0:45:24 GMT -8
Will be sailing tomorrow on the Star Trek Cruise, will be tweeting cruise chats #STC2018 Wow, you get around! Have a great time.
|
|
|
Post by ChrisLAdams on Jan 5, 2018 13:31:11 GMT -8
Will be sailing tomorrow on the Star Trek Cruise, will be tweeting cruise chats #STC2018 Dang - that sounds fascinating. I love Star Trek. Of all the series I think Voyager might have been my fav. Janeway was awesome.
|
|
chelsfield
SWF Writers
Posts: 700
Joined: Mar 28, 2012 3:07:24 GMT -8
|
Post by chelsfield on Jan 6, 2018 0:47:42 GMT -8
Will be sailing tomorrow on the Star Trek Cruise, will be tweeting cruise chats #STC2018 Forgot to ask: where would trekkers cruise to? Didn't see anything at that #
|
|
|
Post by Ted on Jan 9, 2018 9:01:08 GMT -8
|
|
chelsfield
SWF Writers
Posts: 700
Joined: Mar 28, 2012 3:07:24 GMT -8
|
Post by chelsfield on Jan 12, 2018 0:24:12 GMT -8
A lot of choice there, Ted. I wonder where Ria is off to? (By the way, am I the only dope who thinks she's gone on an actual cruise?)
|
|
Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055
Joined: Oct 30, 2013 14:12:26 GMT -8
|
Post by Ria Stone on Jan 13, 2018 13:40:31 GMT -8
Will be sailing tomorrow on the Star Trek Cruise, will be tweeting cruise chats #STC2018 Wow, you get around! Have a great time. Thanks Chelsfield, I did have good time. I would normally not be interested in taking a cruise but because I was always working, I never got a chance to attend a Star Trek convention, so I tried the cruise. It was great, not a full-fledged convention on a ship but still lots of fun. When my friends in Mexico asked where the cruise was going, I said, "Mexico." :-)
We stopped in Roatan Honduras, Harvest Caye, Belize and Costa Maya, Mexico.
|
|
Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055
Joined: Oct 30, 2013 14:12:26 GMT -8
|
Post by Ria Stone on Jan 13, 2018 13:52:23 GMT -8
Will be sailing tomorrow on the Star Trek Cruise, will be tweeting cruise chats #STC2018
Cruises are not my thing. But, I thought a Star-trek themed cruise would be interesting. On one hand, I felt we were lucky, it was not a sell-out crowd on board. Not lucky for cruise line, made me wonder if they would continue the Star Trek theme cruises. So far, there is ST Cruise III already selling for 2019 www.startrekthecruise.com/
I probably won't make it a habit to take the ST Cruises.
But, it was great meeting like-minded individuals, many who were creative with their costumes and door decorations. Always interesting conversations. You had 25+ port excursions (extra $) to choose from as well as a day full of activities each day.
I had hoped I would find time to write, but didn't. But, on the overnight train ride from Miami to WDC, I did write for several hours, so I am happy.
The cruise was relaxing and fun. But, I ate waaaaaaay too much. I think they baked, fried, poached, grilled, or roasted everything in butter.
|
|
chelsfield
SWF Writers
Posts: 700
Joined: Mar 28, 2012 3:07:24 GMT -8
|
Post by chelsfield on Jan 14, 2018 1:34:15 GMT -8
So, was the point of the cruise what was happening on the ship, or the destinations? I mean, conceivably people take cruises for where they go, right? A themed cruise to me would be about keeping people on the ship...
Sorry for being dopey. Cruises are not my thing. And when I see those ships on tv that can hold 4000 people, I cringe....
|
|
Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055
Joined: Oct 30, 2013 14:12:26 GMT -8
|
Post by Ria Stone on Jan 19, 2018 13:01:51 GMT -8
So, was the point of the cruise what was happening on the ship, or the destinations? I mean, conceivably people take cruises for where they go, right? A themed cruise to me would be about keeping people on the ship... Sorry for being dopey. Cruises are not my thing. And when I see those ships on tv that can hold 4000 people, I cringe.... Chelsfield, your question is a good question. I can tell you what I think, someone, George Takei, got the idea to celebrate Star Trek's 50th anniversary on a cruise ship because many trekies are older, now. A ship is like a floating hotel, so why not hold a modified convention on a ship. It worked. From what I heard, the 50th anniversary cruise was sold out and a big success. So, the cruise line and Takei decided to continue holding Star Trek cruises. But, the second cruise did not sell out. Don't know about cruise 3 or the one in 2019 but it appears that themed cruises are popular.
With a themed cruise, you are on the ship while it travels to the various ports of call. On this cruise, we stopped at Ruatan, Honduras, Harvest Caye, Belieze and Costa Maya, Mexico. At these ports, you can take any one of the various excursions offered. They are standard excursions. Some may be lead by a celebrity.
So, it is a mix of both themed activities on the ship, standard excursion options at ports of call.
I would not have taken a regular cruise. Also, what was interesting about this Star Trek cruise and the others is that they featured celebrities from all the Star Trek TV shows and movies. So, it is in a sense extending the franchise by keeping the older fans and the newer fans interested. On my cruise, the population while mostly older fans, there were many younger fans, so I thought that was cool.
There were about 3000 on our cruise, but it could have been 4000 but they did not sell out.
Once the crowd is on the ship, except for lines at the autograph and photograph sessions with the celebrities, there were hardly any lines for other events and since you can eat literally any time you want, there are no real crowds in the dining areas, so you don't feel as if you are traveling closely with 3000 people.
|
|