2018 Escape to Europe

Oslo Norway - Sunny Day in Winter

Registration for the 2018 Escape to Europe is now closed! We hope you will join us instead in 2019 as we travel to Bermuda and Alaska

Awesome European cities, fabulous accommodations, great traveling companions, remarkable sights, and exciting needlework classes … all we need is you!
We’ll begin our third annual Stitchers’ Escapes Cruise in Southampton, UK and travel to three memorable cities: Hamburg, Germany; Oslo, Norway; and Bruges, Belgium aboard Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas. Before the cruise begins, we’ll explore London and take classes at the Royal School of Needlework.

Cruise with us for seven unforgettable nights!
August 26, 2018 – September 2, 2018

Plus, join the Pre-Cruise London Extravaganza
August 20-26, 2018
Click here to read all the details about the London trip.

These are exclusive trips for Stitchers’ Escapes. You must be booked through our group in order to participate in group activities. Places on the Pre-Cruise London Extravaganza will be offered first to cruise participants. If space is still available, we will open it up to non-cruisers

Cruising Itinerary

Sunday, August 26: Come aboard / Southampton, England
Monday, August 27: Cruising, classes, and casual stitching!
Tuesday, August 28: Hamburg, Germany
Wednesday, August 29: Cruising, classes, and casual stitching!
Thursday, August 30: Oslo, Norway
Friday, August 31: Cruising, classes, and casual stitching!
Saturday, September 1: Bruges, Belgium
Sunday, September 2: Disembark at Southampton

Hamburg, Germany
Image of Hamburg by fleno.de is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Stitching Opportunities Galore!

Bring a project of your own choosing, enjoy the cruise stitch-along project, and take classes from our onboard teachers: nationally known designers Jean Farish, Kelly Clark, and Maureen Appleton. You’ll have lots of choices among counted thread and needlepoint classes. Stitchers of all levels are welcome! Maureen, Kelly, and Jean are the kind of teachers who can make beginners comfortable and experienced stitchers challenged. Onboard, we will have a dedicated space for our classes, casual stitch time, and pop-up boutiques in the ship’s conference center. This is our very own space and we will put it to good use!

Bruges in the morning light
Bruges in the morning light by raider of gin is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Deposit Info and How to Register

Please read carefully.
Your registration will be secure with a $500 deposit per person for double occupancy cabins; $750 deposit for solo occupancy cabins. Your balance will be divided into equal payment amounts with specific payment dates, the last of which will be May 15, 2018.

If you are not paying the deposit for all occupants of your cabin, your cabin mate(s) must submit a registration form and deposit within 7 days or the organizers reserve the right to release your cabin. If you have not yet arranged to share your cabin, you may register and a cabin will be held for you at the discretion of the organizers. Until all people in a cabin have paid their deposit(s), the cabin will be under a tentative hold and will not be taken from the group inventory.

Cancellation Policy

In the event you would have to cancel for any reason and we can fill your place, the following refund schedule will be in effect:
Until May 15, 2018: 100% of total funds paid, less $150
Between May 16, 2018 and July 15, 2018: 50% of total funds paid to date, less $150
This option is not available after July 15, 2018.

In the event you would have to cancel for any reason and we cannot fill your place, the following refund schedule will be in effect:
Until March 15, 2018: 100% of total funds paid, less $150
Between March 16, 2018 and May 15, 2018: 100% of total funds paid, less $250
Between May 16, 2018 and July 15, 2018: 50% of total funds paid to date, less $350
After July 15, 2018: No refund

How to Register

To register, be prepared to pay the $500 or $750 deposit and have the following information for yourself and any cabin mates for whom you are paying the deposit:

  • Your name as it appears on your passport*
  • Cabin preference (cabins are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis)

* If you have not yet received your passport, you can fill in your legal name.

We do not keep a list of people who want to come and are seeking roommates. We encourage you to use your own network and social media to find a suitable roommate. Our Stitchers’ Escapes group Facebook page is a good way to let it be known that you want to join the cruise and are looking for someone to share a cabin. https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchersescapescruise/

Click here for the registration form. Upon receipt of your registration application, we will confirm availability of your cabin preference and then send you an invoice which you can pay one of three ways: by check, by credit card, or debit card.

Our Ship

Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas
Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas 2013 by Brian Leadingham is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas

15 Decks with 1,636 cabins for a maximum of 3,926 passengers … and 100 of them will be enjoying the cruise with the exclusive Stitchers’ Escapes group! This is a beautiful ship. We took our first Stitchers’ Escapes Cruise on a sister ship, Explorer of the Seas, and found she was just the right size: large enough to impress, small enough to get around easily.

We have booked the conference center for our classes and casual stitch gatherings and 63 sleeping cabins in five categories for the stitchers and their non-stitching companions.

Navigator has all the usual features: fitness center that offers yoga and tai chi, three pools (including an adults-only solarium pool), and seven whirlpools. It also has a FlowRider and rock-climbing wall for the adventuresome; an ice-skating rink, basketball court, running track, and mini-golf to help us stay on the move; and complimentary Broadway-style entertainment, an ice-skating show, Vegas-style casino, and 11 bars, clubs, and lounges that never have a cover charge. And there’s duty-free shopping, too!

Pre-Cruise London Extravaganza

Big Ben, London
Big Ben, London by neurotic_buddha is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Plans are underway for an optional add-on before the cruise begins. You can enjoy all or part of the 5-day extravaganza, based in London with special rates at the 4-star Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt Hotel in the heart of the city. We’ll start with a tour of Highclere Castle, aka Downton Abbey! Then, we’ll offer two days of classes – open only to our group – at the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace. We’ll make sure we have time to see the the iconic sights like Big Ben and the Tower of London and visit the major museums. And of course we’ll have tea and scones! Visit the Pre-Cruise London Extravaganza page for all the details so far, and be sure to check back for updates!

FAQs

Why cruise?

You mean besides getting away from it all? How about uninterrupted stitching? Being with friends? Sound good? We actually have some practical reasons, too. Did you know that by the time you pay for a shared hotel room, the hotel room taxes, three meals a day plus tips, and throw in even a little bit of entertainment, you have pretty much paid for a cruise? And you have paid for it all before you even leave home so you don’t need to think about anything except the stash you are going to buy! Yeah, we thought you’d see it our way.

Who can come?

Stitchers and all kinds of non-stitchers: spouses, family, friends and even friends of friends. You get the idea. There will be plenty to do!

Why cruise with other stitchers?

Need you ask? There is nothing more fun than traveling with like-minded people!

Will I need a passport?

Yes!

If you are a US citizen and you don’t have one yet, visit https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports.html to find out how to get started.

If you already have one, make sure it will be valid for at least 6 months after the date you intend to depart from the United Kingdom at the conclusion of the cruise. Note that although the UK only requires validity for the duration of your stay, with a recommendation of 6 months remaining, other countries on our itinerary require a full 6 months of validity after the date of departure. Your passport will also need to have a minimum of 2 blank pages, the requirement for Germany, Belgium, and Norway. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so check your expiration date and number of blank pages, and start the renewal process if needed!

If you are a citizen of another country, please consult your country’s passport requirements.

Will I need a visa?

At present, none of the countries we are visiting require a tourist visa for stays under 90 days.

Why make a reservation so far in advance?

63 cabins are on hold for our group. Once these cabins are spoken for, there is no guarantee that you’ll get the rates quoted here.

Why a Stitchers’ Escapes Cruise?

Because we want to cruise and stitch with you!

Got Questions?

Visit our FAQ page

or

Email general cruise questions to Jean: jeanfarish@gmail.com

Header image: Oslo Norway – Sunny Day in Winter by Ineke Huizing is licensed under CC BY 2.0