I recently returned from hosting our group through the Panama Canal onboard Celebrity Infinity. This is my sixth hosting opportunity with Pied Piper. Each trip is unique and special.

The Infinity class of ships are my favorite. They are a "Goldilocks" type of ship. Not too big and not too small. Well laid out. Enough things to see and do without seeming overwhelming or overdone. Having said that, Infinity is starting to show her age. Later this month she goes to dry dock in the Bahamas for an overhall to "Solsticize" her. This will add cabins, change the restaurants, and add other modern Solstice class features. Next October, Pied Piper will host another voyage on this great ship with her newly refurbished. I encourage each of you to consider joining us, this is definitely a trip that should be on anyone's bucket list.

The trip started in Fort Lauderdale and finished in San Diego. The first evening we held our opening party. This was a very social and friendly group and the opening party was a great place for everyone to introduce themselves to each other and begin to make friendships. We met each night before dinner at the Martini Bar to share our experiences of the day and relax before dinner. All guests ate together at the second seating as is Pied Piper tradition. Each night at dinner, I shared the upcoming schedule so everyone could participate in the group activities that interested them.

One of the best features of this trip is the breadth of the experience. Fascinating ports of call, numerous sea days, and a day transiting the canal ensure a constant change of scenery and things to do. Colon, Panama and Puerto Quetzal, Guatamala were the new ports this year. Both provided an opportunity to see interesting history and sample local food and wares. These are new ports for Celebrity so I encourage previous guests to consider the trip again. I bought the most amazing Jadeite statue in Antigua, Guatamala. Return visits to Puntarenas, Costa Rica, and Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas in Mexico are always a treat. I arranged two group tours, a day on the beach at the gay resort in Puerto Vallarta, and the rest of the days people were on their own although we clustered in small groups enjoying varied activities. In Cabo San Lucas, I tried parasailing with two of the guests and we had a great time!

Back onboard, I always try to give my guests "something extra". To that end, I arranged three on-board tours - The Bridge, Backstage at the Theatre, and the Galley Kitchen. The galley kitchen tour is far more interesting than it probably sounds. I encourage everyone to go when they get the chance. Two of the three tours went well. The galley tour was particularly good and included a tour of the specialty restaurant at the end. The one issue was the Theatre tour. For reasons I won't go into here, it was subpar which I brought to the attention of Guest Relations. In response they asked me how they could make it up to the group. I knew this group to be very social so asked them to provide the basics for a party we wanted to hold on one of the couples' extra large deck. To my surprise, they wheeled in six trays of food and a two tiered cart of top shelf liquor including high-end vodka, champagne, and most any other sort of spirit one could imagine. Three people from the bar staff served us a complimentary open bar for 2 1/2 hours! While the glasses were small, it's hard to believe I may have had 8 Cosmos! Likely the best Pied Piper party outside a Post-Thanksgiving week cruise ever.

This was a very participatory group. That always makes hosting a treat. At the guests' request, we held a group lunch and a group dinner in the specialty restaurant that about half the group attended. Many of us also attended a food and wine pairing which was very informative. Hint, for those of you who don't like Chardonnay like me, try a squeeze of lemon. The difference is pretty amazing! We held a mid-cruise and closing night party as well.

Friendships were made. Unique experiences were had. Fond memories abound. That's what Pied Piper is all about.

I will be back onboard Celebrity Century in January for another check mark off my bucket list - the cruise from Auckland to Sydney! Look forward to meeting new friends there.

See you onboard!

Best,
Howard
PIED PIPER Host

Editor's note: Don't miss our next gay group Panama Canal cruise on the Infinity in October 2012! Please access our calendar for a link to the webpage with details.