redwinefan wrote:Yeah, it looks like the prices have gone back up. The SUMMER10 code should work for the next couple of days in case they drop them again.

I just got it at the $152 rate with an additional 10% off... Dropped my hotel bill from $558 to $456.

Thanks for the tip!

cmaldoon wrote:I just got it at the $152 rate with an additional 10% off... Dropped my hotel bill from $558 to $456.

Thanks for the tip!

That's good to hear. I would say maybe they are just showing Macintosh users the higher rates like Orbitz supposedly does, but I've got a Mac, so that must not be it

cmaldoon wrote:I just got it at the $152 rate with an additional 10% off... Dropped my hotel bill from $558 to $456.

Thanks for the tip!

I see the $153 rate on the "calendar view" but when I put my dates in, I just get the $179 rate! Frustrating!

redwinefan wrote:That's good to hear. I would say maybe they are just showing Macintosh users the higher rates like Orbitz supposedly does, but I've got a Mac, so that must not be it

I tried using both a Mac and a PC, and the best rate I could find averaged $199.99. Same on both computers. I got a better rate if I booked through SWA and asked for the AAA rate. Plus 750 bonus reward points.

ddeuddeg wrote:I tried using both a Mac and a PC, and the best rate I could find averaged $199.99. Same on both computers. I got a better rate if I booked through SWA and asked for the AAA rate. Plus 750 bonus reward points.

How'd you get such a good rate through SWA? Or was it just that you booked a long time ago? I just searched and it's coming up way more than the rate rpm got us, even with AAA.
Though it's probably also that we're staying from Tues night through Friday night...and that Fri night is the killer expensive night. I've searched high and low, and haven't found anything that came even close to the low rate they allowed me to have it via the tour block.

HitAnyKey42 wrote:How'd you get such a good rate through SWA? Or was it just that you booked a long time ago? I just searched and it's coming up way more than the rate rpm got us, even with AAA.
Though it's probably also that we're staying from Tues night through Friday night...and that Fri night is the killer expensive night. I've searched high and low, and haven't found anything that came even close to the low rate they allowed me to have it via the tour block.

Actually, it was today. Bahwm has already booked our room directly through the hotel, and they said it's not subject to cancellation, so I was just looking for the heck of it. It's still there. They show a higher rate initially, but if you scroll down to the AAA rate and click there, it shows $161.99 for 3 nights and $233.99 for Friday.

ddeuddeg wrote:Actually, it was today. Bahwm has already booked our room directly through the hotel, and they said it's not subject to cancellation, so I was just looking for the heck of it. It's still there. They show a higher rate initially, but if you scroll down to the AAA rate and click there, it shows $161.99 for 3 nights and $233.99 for Friday.

Ah, ok. I think I saw that on the SWA. But since I have the Friday at $219 (though the other days are $169), that's only a $6 difference. Certainly not worth the hassle of cancelling and re-booking. LOL

Though not sure why you can't cancel. Mine I did direct through the hotel and my confirmation states you can cancel up to 72hrs prior.

HitAnyKey42 wrote:Ah, ok. I think I saw that on the SWA. But since I have the Friday at $219 (though the other days are $169), that's only a $6 difference. Certainly not worth the hassle of cancelling and re-booking. LOL

Though not sure why you can't cancel. Mine I did direct through the hotel and my confirmation states you can cancel up to 72hrs prior.

Ours was booked with my BW Rewards account, so we get the hotel reward points. Maybe that's the diff.

MarkDaSpark wrote:You didn't need to ... it went without saying.

Blushing

With this trip beginning in only three weeks, do we have a time line for such things as receiving an itinerary, paying the rest of the deposit, etc.?

JOATMON wrote:

Yes!!! Someone else is doing the countdown!!

We are getting excited!! GO RPMers!

winefarm wrote:We are getting excited!! GO RPMers!

We are too! I can't wait for it to get here. The planner in me isn't even freaking out that we don't have the itinerary yet, because I have complete faith in RPM & Woop and know it will be awesome.

kttest wrote:We are too! I can't wait for it to get here. The planner in me isn't even freaking out that we don't have the itinerary yet, because I have complete faith in RPM & Woop and know it will be awesome.

Same here, but I'm more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pantser.

otolith wrote:Same here, but I'm more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pantser.

Aah. That explains the "wear a belt AND suspenders" recommendation for us guys (and not going "commando").

MarkDaSpark wrote:Aah. That explains the "wear a belt AND suspenders" recommendation for us guys (and not going "commando").

What's wrong with going commando when it's a billion degrees outside? hehe

Fortunately, the weather has been pretty hot here, so we should be ready by the start of the tour.

otolith wrote:What's wrong with going commando when it's a billion degrees outside? hehe

Fortunately, the weather has been pretty hot here, so we should be ready by the start of the tour.

Nothing at all ... until a certain Doc "pants" you.



Oh, and just a warning for all newbies.





{Just found this one again. Forget who created it, but it's just so ... fun. )

Oh, and the highlight will be meeting this gent (for those who haven't already kissed his ring) ...

kttest wrote:We are too! I can't wait for it to get here. The planner in me isn't even freaking out that we don't have the itinerary yet, because I have complete faith in RPM & Woop and know it will be awesome.

We are too! I'm not concerned about the itinerary, because that's always been released close to departure, but I wouldn't mind knowing what size check to write. Neither of the tour attendance lists has been updated, at least visibly, in a while, and they'll need to do that to figure out how to distribute the fixed costs. In any event, it will be soon. The newbies will already be underway in less than 3 weeks.
BTW, PM for you.

MarkDaSpark wrote:Oh, and the highlight will be meeting this gent (for those who haven't already kissed his ring) ...

I was thinking my highlight was going to be meeting you!

and everyone else...

MarkDaSpark wrote:Oh, and the highlight will be meeting this gent (for those who haven't already kissed his ring) ...

Actually, the real highlight will be meeting his better half.

ddeuddeg wrote:Actually, the real highlight will be meeting his better half.

True, but I don't have a Wooter created cartoon for her!!

otolith wrote:What's wrong with going commando when it's a billion degrees outside? hehe

Fortunately, the weather has been pretty hot here, so we should be ready by the start of the tour.

Don't forget that it gets pretty cool at night and the mornings are quite chilly, as well. Be prepared to dress in layers! And then, to shed them as the day goes on! I've actually been accused of changing my entire outfit!

After a close encounter with a DIWCM (Doctor Imposed Wine Consumption Moratorium) that potentially threatened my presence at the Tour, I am delighted to reconfirm my attendance.

I'm usually a "planning" type, but I'm happy to wait for a finalized itinerary. But would I be so terribly impatient if I asked for a whispered hint of the fun to come?

Not rude - just...eager. :-)

kkv123 wrote:After a close encounter with a DIWCM (Doctor Imposed Wine Consumption Moratorium) that potentially threatened my presence at the Tour, I am delighted to reconfirm my attendance.

I'm usually a "planning" type, but I'm happy to wait for a finalized itinerary. But would I be so terribly impatient if I asked for a whispered hint of the fun to come?

Not rude - just...eager. :-)

Glad that you will still be able to join the tour. Please be careful between now and then, so that you may enjoy the tour fully. Of course, you will be engaging in Swish & Spit, so that helps with the Wine Consumption Moratorium. Seriously. You and the others on the first tour, Swish & Spit is your best friend. You want to be able to appreciate all of the wines all day long! If you don't Swish & Spit, you won't be able to appreciate. Palate fatigue WILL set in.

ddeuddeg & I did the Swish & Spit the first day of our first tour. However, the lunch stop was at Seghesio. They poured some beautiful wines to taste and then, provided a couple of bottles on the lunch table. Their wines were, "Oh, so good!" We decided to drink while we ate. We headed to Armida (PoiZIN) right after lunch. Not a good plan. Pretty much every wine that we tasted there did nothing for us. Previously, we liked the PoiZin. We were out in the neighborhood in 2010 and decided to give them a second chance and liked a number of their wines. Palate fatigue.

MarkDaSpark wrote:Nothing at all ... until a certain Doc "pants" you.



Oh, and just a warning for all newbies.





{Just found this one again. Forget who created it, but it's just so ... fun. )

Oh sure, you can NOT feed me, but you'll regret it

JOATMON wrote:

Nice! Love the sparkly!

The natives are getting restless ....

Hey guys, can we try this on the tour?

Roll out for the Mystery Tour!

JOATMON wrote:

Wow, I completely forgot about these books and this picture, totally brought back the fact that I had the whole set. Thanks Joatmon for a trip down memory lane. Now I have some googling to do.

Is it too late for me and my +1 to join the newbie tour? All this time I was thinking we couldn't do it, but the stars have aligned, etc. We'd love to join you if it's still doable.