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The 20th biennial SAFN reunion (formally called convention)
of the Society of Air Force Nurses is fast approaching. Registration, hotel accommodations and tour information will be available online and also printed in the spring edition of the Rendezvous. Check the SAFN.org website frequently as it will go live in the near future.
Below is a brief outline of the land-based reunion:
- Arrive Crowne Plaza Hotel 801 Greenwich Avenue Warwick, Rhode Island on Tuesday, October 14th for registration and then board the bus for the optional tour to Mystic Seaport. You will spend the day learning about seafaring life, explore the gardens, shops and museum, and return back to the hotel in time for our evening welcome reception. Remember to pay for your reunion memory book on the Registration Form
- We start the morning on Wednesday, October 15th with our SAFN business meetings and memorial service followed by a catered lunch and an optional tour to Newport, RI with its breathtaking ocean views, historic Newport Mansions and many unique shops.
- The morning of Thursday, October 16th will begin with our separate regional meetings followed by committee meetings before our for an optional tour of Providence. Explore some of the historic landmarks, diverse neighborhoods and many other points of interest. We return to the hotel in time for our SAFN banquet. Individual photographs will be taken before the banquet. This evening officially ends the land-based reunion.
- After breakfast on Friday, October 17th, members and their guests who booked the fall colors cruise on the ship “Norwegian Gem” will depart for Boston Harbor. An optional tour to Wickford Village will be offered on Friday if enough members are interested. If you are going to the Cruise portion of the Reunion you cannot sign up for this tour.
NOTE:
- There are no restaurants within walking distance of the hotel.
- The closest airport is T.F. Green Providence airport. The hotel provides shuttle service 24/7 to and from the T.F. Green airport only.
- Breakfast is included. 0630-0830 .
We are both looking forward to seeing you all in Rhode Island at our 20th biennial SAFN reunion.
Cheri Foti and Patty Ramsay
co-chairs
SAFN Fall Colors Cruise News
Get ready for a week of a continued reunion with our SAFN members and their families. The cruise is scheduled for 17-24 October. We have 75 cabins booked at this time. There are no more cabins available at the group rate, so if you want to go, give me a call and I can get quotes for cabins.
On the reunion registration form you will be able to sign up for transfer from the hotel to the port. The cost is $40. The bus will take us to the cruise port where you will finish check in and embark the boat.
Before the cruise, you will check in via the phone app or on your registered ncl.com account up to 21 days before the cruise. This will help expedite boarding the ship. After you complete the check-in process, you will be able to print your luggage tags to secure to your bags on the 17th.
When we get to the port, you will turn your bags over to a porter and enter the cruise terminal. Cabins are usually ready around 1 or 2 pm. Bags will get to your cabin (left outside your door) sometime that afternoon—sometimes as late as 6 or 7 pm. If you think you will need something before your bags get to your room, take some sort of carry-on with you. I highly recommend keeping your medications with you.
Once you are on board, you can go to the buffet for lunch, grab a cocktail, and explore the ship. They will want you to go to your muster station once you are on board and check in.
There will be all sorts of activities on board the ship, but remember, we only have 1 day at sea and every other day we will be in port.
To prepare for the cruise, you should be looking at the shore excursions via your log in on NCL.com. Many of the ports are easy to get off and explore on your own if you do not want a formal shore excursion. There are options for all activity levels, so look and see what you might like to do.
Make sure your passport does not expire before 30 April 2026. If it does, I recommend getting it renewed now.
If you haven’t completed your military appreciation verification and need help, call me and I can walk you through it. It is a nice extra savings on the cruise.
Is there a formal night on board? Usually, they will have a dress up night at least once and there will be lots of opportunity for staged pictures. You can dress up as much or as little as you like. Pay attention to the dress code for the specialty restaurants, they will turn you away if you don’t meet their dress code.
Disembarkation will be on the 24th. You will receive information about this process when on board the ship. Many people like to get off the boat in the first group and you can do this by carrying your own luggage off the ship.
Transfer to the airport can be purchased from Norwegian or you can take a cab or Uber to the airport. There will be many of us flying out that day. Find people to “carpool” with to the airport and it will save some money.
I highly recommend that those who are attending both the reunion and cruise to book your airline tickets as “multi-city” tickets, flying into Providence and out of Boston.
If you want to stay in Boston after the cruise and see some sights, let me know and I am happy to assist with hotel and additional tours.
I am always available via phone or email if you need anything.
Cheryl Greentree
Cheryl.greentree@cruise-planners.com
210-216-9243
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