Just curious (not being nosey,I hope)

The one thing we will probably do is switch from economy to business class for those long flights to SE Asia and S. America.

Two things have made a big difference to our travels. The first was getting our respective weight down to the prescribed levels. The second was packing light-carry on only. Both of them made travel easier for us and much more enjoyable.

As long as the God Lord keeps us healthy enough to sail. DH & I just turned 50 this year. I have already had 2 life threatening health scares. A Peripartum Cardiomyopathy at 30 and a Dissected Carotid Artery last year which caused me to have 2 mini strokes. My DF passed away at 59 and DB at 39 both from Cardiomyopathies. Life is short so we enjoy as many trips as we can while we work but we are also planning on an early retirement in 5-6 years so we can travel as much as we can while we still can. Praying for many years of traveling together to come.

Breezy,

My wife and I did the Sunshine last March ( the week of the 17th) our anniversary. I hope you enjoy her as much as we did. She was the first of the so-called 'Mega-cruiser ships'. We were late cruisers,well, she was, I had gone on the Carnival Mari Grai (my first cruise) in 1987 and we didn't meet and marry till 1995. For years after we married, try as I might, I could not talk her into trying a cruise. Until 2007 when I surprised her with a 5 day cruise on the Carnival Holiday and after that she was HOOKED ! :) Until last year, when we did the Sunshine we had been doing 2 cruises a year (Sept and March) but then we decided we'd just do the March trip and have booked the CC Magic next March. I, like you, hope we can continue to cruise a slong we're able. I know there are NO promises of anything, but one can hope, can't we? :)

My parents have been avid travelers and cruisers since (and even before) retirement in their 50s. This year my dad will be 90 and my mom 84. Due to the onset of some health issues -- thankfully late in the game -- I think they are done cruising. But they may surprise me yet...

I decided long ago to travel as much as I can, while I can. I learned from my grandmother -- who died only a few years after retirement -- not to put it off. And I've learned from my parents how to adapt as I get older.

For now I'm busy doing the more strenuous things on my list. Saving the easier trips for later. :D A couple I met on my travels said they divide up their list into two categories: "Walking" (to do now while they are more mobile) and "Walker" (to be done later). Great attitude!

For us it will be a matter of "as long as we can afford to". Due to our circumstances, we project that DH will be working (God willing) until age 72 (10 years from now) and I will need to continue earning for an additional 10 after that. We don't really expect to even have a long, healthy retirement. So we cruise now - once a year or more occasionally - spending time together and enjoying life is a high priority. If there's anything our challenges have taught us, it's that there's absolutely no predicting what the future holds.

Now that we are retired we purchased a condo in FL and we cruise less. The thrill has worn off because of all the hassles and downsizing of services. When we do cruise, we enjoy it more because we carefully choose itinerary. Hope to cruise once a year, but no need to cruise for the sake of cruising.

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By all means! It's not their inheritance until we're gone and up until then we may spend it as we please:).

Sis and I are helping Mom spend our inheritance. We cruise once a year together. Mom will only sail out of Southern CA as the ports are only an hour or so down the freeway.

For a while when we retired, we were able to cruise about 120 days a year -- no cruise less than 14 days.

We are now in our 70's and both of us have health issues -- DH worse then I am. The last couple of years we have only been able to do 21 or 42 days a year.

We had hoped to cruise longer but I don't see that happening. The hassles of flying are part of our problems since we no longer have direct flights anywhere and it is just too far for us to drive.

Hope you can continue to cruise as long as possible.

For a 120 day a year cruise schedule, what sort of a budget must a couple prepare? I am thinking the cost for cruise, airfare, shore excursion, etc., a $300 per day/per couple budget is the minimum. Multiply that by 120 days, would be $36K at least required for those 4 months? I once read a lady virtually "lives" on a cruise ship year round, and the cost to her is $160K per year.

Am I close, or way off?

Breezy,

My wife and I did the Sunshine last March ( the week of the 17th) our anniversary. I hope you enjoy her as much as we did. She was the first of the so-called 'Mega-cruiser ships'. We were late cruisers,well, she was, I had gone on the Carnival Mari Grai (my first cruise) in 1987 and we didn't meet and marry till 1995. For years after we married, try as I might, I could not talk her into trying a cruise. Until 2007 when I surprised her with a 5 day cruise on the Carnival Holiday and after that she was HOOKED ! :) Until last year, when we did the Sunshine we had been doing 2 cruises a year (Sept and March) but then we decided we'd just do the March trip and have booked the CC Magic next March. I, like you, hope we can continue to cruise a slong we're able. I know there are NO promises of anything, but one can hope, can't we? :)

Thank you. We will be on CCL Sunshine for our 28th anniversary in 3 weeks and plan on enjoying every minute. This will be our 15th cruise in 15 years. DH and I discovered our love of traveling together, both land and sea, on our honeymoon and we planned as many trips each year as our budget and vacation time would allow. We found out we were pregnant with our first child while on our 5th anniversary trip in Las Vegas (we were doing a repeat of our honeymoon with a west coast trip). Everyone told us our traveling days were done. But they weren't. Our kids were great travelers, both in the air and in the car. We discovered cruising when they were 4 and 7 and it became a favorite family vacation for us. Since they are now 19 and 22 we have been having mostly couple vacations again with a couple family vacations when we can all make the time. Even more difficult now that DS has moved 1/2 way across the country and has joined the working world. I would love to experience the magic of a Disney cruise again someday with future grand children as we did our children on our first 2 cruises.

As my doctor told me on my visit to her last week, my guardian angel has been working overtime with me. I have healed twice now from 2 different illnesses that many have not survived, let alone healed as completely as I have from where I was when I was diagnosed. I have also survived a car crash that sent my car down the road on its roof with only a couple bruises to show for it. The woman who hit me was certain she had killed me when she saw my car flip and slide down the road. The newspaper caption of the picture of my car said "Lucky Lady". My seat belt and guardian angel saved my life that day. I don't take life for granted and plan to travel with DH as often as the dear Lord will allow us to continue. Believe me when I say I have Hope...and a Guardian Angel that I keep on her toes:D.