I guess I should start by saying I've not attended Symposium since Sept. 2001 in Atlanta. Since retirement in 2009 I have only made about one ham conference per year due to living on 40% of my former income. We'll be attending the East Coast Super VHF Conference this year.

Which brings up the main issue for someone like me living in Alaska. Airfare, airport parking, rental cars, hotel and meal costs for two people (my wife attends when I go to a conference) typically run over $2500. About $1400-1600 for airfare, alone. So maybe the cruise costs would be similar to combo of car rental+hotel+meals -- that would help sell the idea.

But I run into another issue with my wife - she totally will not take a cruise in fear of catching sickness on a boat. Irrational - yes, but not surmountable for me. Don't even think that I would consider taking a cruise by myself! Ha!

So sounds like fun! We will not be coming.

PS: I'd love to be there when you explain to the Captain that there will be a hundred hams out waving antennas and operating radios on "his boat"! One-two? maybe; 100 hundred - ha ha ha

73, Ed - KL7UW http://www.kl7uw.com "Kits made by KL7UW" Dubus Mag business: dubususa@gmail.com