Planning Time For Singing at Sea 2017

Hey friends, it is Odie checking in. When I wrote last week's Saturday Blog I had no idea where I would be reporting from this week. We could get no clear direction on where I needed to be while my parents were gone to New York. 

On Sunday afternoon we decided that I should go to New York with them and I was able to get the last cheap seat on their flight. So here I am reporting from New York. 

We flew into JFK on a nonstop flight from Dallas yesterday, Friday. We are here to preach and to meet with some pastors over the weekend about the possibility of a City Reach Campaign in New York this summer. We have no idea if something can be put together that quick but we are super excited about the doors God is opening here! Stay tuned in the coming days. I am sure we will have many exciting things to report.

Pastor Hardyall and his wife and son met us at the airport and then we met two of their daughters later. They have already captured our hearts in just a few hours. We are really looking forward to spending some more time with them this weekend.

Singing At Sea

Long time blog readers will remember that I have been on two southern gospel singing cruises. The first cruise was in February 2012. My cruise companion for 2012 was my cousin Lisa Isaacs.

Enjoying beautiful Half Moon Key

My Host group The Isaacs

Our ship The Carnival Fascination

My second cruise was in February 2015. My 2015 cruise companion was Kaylene Stephens.

The Carnival Paradise in Mexico

Breath taking sunset 

The Isaacs were not on the 2015 cruise. Jeff and Sheri Easter were our host group in 2015.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Singing at Sea put on by Templeton Tours. The ship is completely chartered. The bars and casinos are shut down. We get to enjoy all the fun and food of a cruise in a Christian atmosphere. At least 25 of southern gospel groups are there to sing. I have a fantastic time! 

The picture below is  me and Jeff Templeton on the cruise in 2012. 

I knew 2016 would be extremely busy year so I did not plan to go this year. As sailing day approached for this years cruise I caught a very bad case of cruise fever. The Carnival Paradise set sail for the Singing at Sea on Monday and I was not on board.  I did have some dear friends who sailed this week. I cannot wait until they get back to land today for their reports to start coming in!

Monday afternoon I called Templeton Tours and started the official planning for my next cruise. I have to book a handicap accessible cabin way in advance because there are only a few and they fill up fast. The 2017 Singing at Sea will set sail on Monday February 13th and I plan to be aboard. 

Many of you have expressed interest in this cruise to me. Now is the time to begin planning. The 2017 brochure is supposed to be online Monday at www.singingatsea.com or you can call the offices of Templeton Tours to request a brochure to be mailed to you. 1 (800) 334-2630 Prices are reasonable for a Christian cruise starting at just under $600 plus  $195 taxes and fees per person.  It will not get you or me a discount but tell them Andrea Boggs sent you. 

Next year the cruise we be sailing with Royal Caribbean. The ship is the Enchantment of the Seas. From my initial investigation the ship looks beautiful. The cruise will be a four night cruise leaving Florida on Monday the 13th and returning Friday the 17th of February. I am already counting the days. Let me know if you will be sailing too on the Singing at Sea.

Thanks to  Google for photo of the Enchantment of the Seas. 

Thank you for reading today. Have a wonderful weekend!

Odie