Time for a Reunion!

Greetings, Glausers!

It's about time to think about another Glauser family reunion. Quite a bit has happened in the four years since our Island Park, ID reunion (e.g.: Charlotte, Sasha, Julia, Pearce, Grahm, and Campbell), so it's about time for us to gather together and do what Glausers do best: gamble and sunbathe. :D

I've posted three polls:
1.) Vote for the month(s) in 2009 that work(s) best for you and yours for this blessed event (I set this poll up so you can vote for more than one month if you'd like). I'm thinking 2009 is as early as we can all get together, considering (most importantly) Grandma's recovery time and (not nearly as important but quite daunting) the task of coordinating the schedules of all 43 of us. Please vote! The cruise took a year or so to plan, so please try to look at the major work, school, and other important barriers in your schedules now (Hint: I did not do this in 2003 and therefore could not attend the cruise. It was not fun to make that mistake!).

2.) Length of trip. Not as important if it's a land-based vacation, but important to commit if we go with a cruise.

3.) Vote for your vacation preference. I have posted 4 potential locations to start with, but the "other" category is there, as well. Please leave a comment about your idea so that I can add it to the poll. Before you vote, you can check out the following blurbs and click on the titles (links to a website about each location):

1. Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk
Lodging: Staying in these RCI units (built in 2006) - varying from 1-4 bedrooms - means we can use those timeshares that G'ma and G'pa don't use each year! Larger condos can sleep 8-10 people. Laundry and kitchen in each unit.
Food: Costco nearby, full kitchens in each unit, restaurants close by as well.
Activities: beach, shopping, surfing on North Shore, snorkeling, Pearl Harbor, resort pool, etc.
Cost: Low - Medium (if G'ma and G'pa can get a few units through their timeshare - 2 BD/2 BA units sleep 6-8 and are about $1500 for a week = about $250 per person), not including airfare.


2. Cruise from LA to Mexico
Lodging: Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Holland America all do these runs. Inside and most oceanview cabins sleep 2, family oceanview cabins sleep 6.
Food: All taken care of on the ship
Activities: Typically have pool and Kids' Club on board; stops at Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, and Matzatlan.
Cost: Medium (From $499 - 699 per person for inside cabin, $599 - $849 per person for oceanview for 1 week cruise), but less people have to pay airfare.

3. Cruise from Florida to Western Caribbean
Lodging: Norwegian Cruise Line "Pearl"
Food: 13 different eateries on board
Activities: Stops at Roatan, Belize City, Cozumel, Great Stirrup Cay. Mayan ruins, beach, snorkeling, shopping at the various stops; bowling, pool, and kids' club on board.
Cost: Medium - High. Depends on the time of year. For inside cabin, as low as $599 per person in October and November, up to $1249 per person around Christmas. Most everyone will have to pay for airfare, though.

4. Lodge at Lake Tahoe
Lodging: A few privately owned lodges to choose from - a couple have enough beds for 25-30 adults.
Food: Large kitchens, some lodges have 2 kitchens. Again, would need to go to Costco or similar store, then prepare meals.
Activities: summer- Boating, swimming, hiking, fishing, jet skiing (for those brave enough to see if the Glausers' curse on family jet skiing has lifted); winter- skiing, snowmobiling, etc. horseback riding, shopping; most lodges have hot tubs, pool tables, theater rooms.
Cost: Low-Medium ($6000 for a week of lodging for everyone, plus airfare will not be as costly as for some other options), but not including cost of food and activities.

Please feel free to share other options. Click here for an article from MSNBC that might give you ideas. Thanks and happy voting!