Backgammon & Poker On Board XI:
Fun on the HIgh Seas
By Bill Davis
54 people including nearly 40 backgammon and poker players booked passage on the Caribbean Princess 19 Jaunary 2013 for a seven day cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Princess Cay, Curaçao and Aruba. Chicago Bar Point Club's Bill Davis directed with help from Amy Trudeau, and by all accounts, everyone had a great time. Other winners on board included Steve Hast (four-time ping pong champion and Ryder Cup golf finalist), and Mike Sutton (Pop Idol singing finalist). Additionally, Larry Liebster was appointed Rabbi of the Caribbean Princess with a sabbath service that included 70 attendees.
The results are shown below. The photographs speak for themselves.
Backgammon & Poker On Board XII is set to sail in January 2015. Watch for details later this year.
BACKGAMMON & POKER ON BOARD XI CARIBBEAN CRUISE TOURNEY
January 19-26, 2013; Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Princess Cays, Curaçao, and Aruba
OPEN (34+126 rebuys): 1-Kit Woolsey (CA), 2-Mike Sutton (IL).
CARIBBEAN JACKPOT (8): 1-Steve Hast (PA), 2-Bill Davis (IL).
CAPTAIN'S TOURNEY (34): 1-David Rockwell (IL), 2-Woody Woodworth (IN).
POKER TOURNAMENT (32): 1-Carl Dell (England), 2-Tom Stegich (IL), 3-Carole Siegel (MI).
HONORARY TROPHY: Heribert Lindner (Germany).
A view of our ship, the Caribbean Princess from an elevation point in Curaçao.
Comet, Cinda King, Mike Sutton, and Loretta Bowen on formal night.
Amy Trudeau and Jeff Hoelzel share a moment together between dinner courses.
Steve Hast and Heribert Lindner do battle in the Open tournament.
Mary and George Morse on their third Backgammon On Board Cruise.
Illinois State Director Linda Rockwell (L) shares a laugh with Cinda King and Cruise Consultants travel agent Sue Will.
Courtney Bonk celebrates her birthday at dinner with her fiancé Jimmy Crawford.
Ross Klein and Maria Heiner enjoyed their first Backgammon On Board cruise this year.
Hind and Ramez Abi-Akar of Peoria, Illinois were also Bg On Board first-timers.
Our cruise planner Sue Will with Donna and Woody Woodworth prior to start of play.
Janet, Caitlin, Courtney, and Jimmy went horseback riding during our stay in Aruba.
Cinda King with Mike Sutton and Kazuko Numazawa share a hug in Curaçao.
Lots of good things about Aruba.
Cruise director Bill Davis with his cousin Courtney Bonk at the formal dinner.
Butch Meese displays the $100 he won playing the addictive Casino Vault game.
Tom Siegel deals to the final three competitors in the Poker event. From left: Carl Dell, Tom Stegich, and Carole Siegel. They chopped the prize money but Carl won the trophy.
Janet Davis and Caitlin Thieroff (friends since high school) pose for a pic prior to dinner.
David and Linda Rockwell wait for desert on one of the two formal nights.
Kazuko Numizawa (Japan) & Heribert Lindner (Germany) traveled a long way to cruise!
David Rockwell records the Open finals between Kit Woolsey and Mike Sutton.
Cousins Courtney Bonk and Janet Davis broke hearts in the nightclub.
Patty Geoffroy & Chris Knapp liked the 2011 cruise so much, the came back for another!
Debi and Phil Loeb had fun times aboard the Princess.
Tom & Cathy Stegich cruised with us over 20 years ago. It was time to return.
Larry Liebster is ready to enjoy his desert. That's Patty Geoffroy looking on.
Carl Dell came from England. That's Cinda King again with the mile wide smile.
Mike Sutton sang "Pretty Woman" in this year's Pop Idol finals. Sutton won in 2011.
Hugs at the Awards Cocktail Party: Caitlin Thieroff, Janet Davis, & Courtney Bonk.
The 1-point Captain's Tourney finals between Woody Woodworth (L) and David Rockwell was played at the Awards Cocktail Party hosted by the Cruise Consultants.
Poker champion: Carl Dell
Poker runner's-up: Tom Stegich (2nd) and Carole Siegel (3rd).
Open winner: Kit Woolsey.
Open runner-up: Mike Sutton.
Captain's Tourney winner: David Rockwell.
Caribbean Jackpot winner: Steve Hast with runner-up Bill Davis.
Honorary Director's Trophy winner Heribert Lindner.
As the sun sets on another BG On Board event, we look forward to the Jan. 2015 cruise.
