That's My Story: Why I'm Taking A Cruise

[jtwanabe]

I originally posted this at another thread but it occurred to me that there might be many stories just as interesting as mine as to why your going on a cruise.

 

On a Friday I was at a Subway getting a sandwich. You know how the line sort of just slowly snakes around. The guy in front of me, who at this point I :rolleyes:had only seen his feet since I was checking my blackberry as shuffled along, had step back out of the line I guess to better read the menu or something. Like I said I'm just reading my emails and moving along when all of sudden I hear this guy say whoa M*&&%$ F@#*% you cut in front of me in the MF line. Then it was an MF marathon as he went on and on. As if that wasn't enough he calls someone up on the phone and proceeds to tell them how this MF cut in the MF line and who does this MF think he MF is. So on and so forth. This guy was all muscled up like maybe he had spent some time in the big house. I heard the word MF more times in that 15 minutes than in my whole previous 57 years. It was like being in a Samuel L. Jackson movie. MF this & MF that.

 

So I get back to my office with my veggie hoagie and am just a little rattled. Then my computer dings and what is it but a notification of a great

sale on a 5 night Cruise out of Galveston.

 

Now I never do things off the cuff so to speak but I said to my self ... I can do that. And so I did. And that is how I came to be on this particular cruise.

 

I don't know who that useless loser was at the subway but I suppose I should thank him for pushing me out of my safety zone and onto this cruise.

 

Jtwanabe

[TX Cruise Girl]

Wow that was perfect timing on that email. That's a great reason to take a cruise.

 

I have a similiar story. Carnival got me at a perfect time before my last cruise. I live in Houston so it doesn't get all that cold here. This last winter seemed colder than normal though. On the coldest day of the winter I had a transportation issue and had to stand outside for four hours in the cold. I was miserable and it just so happened that when I finally did get home I checked the mailbox and Carnival had mailed a brochure about all their destinations with the warm and sunny pics. I emailed my friend and we booked a May cruise within a few days. Unfortuanly for Carnival it ended up being on Norweigan because they had a trip that worked perfectly for both of us. It was great advertising though.

[ozzy77]

That is a pretty good story;) mine not as exciting but ill share all the same

 

So my husbands last vacation was in May and he spent the whole week re-wiring out house....not very exciting to say the least. So I asked him when his next vacation was...sure enough October and I thought since he worked so hard he deserved a cruise:D(he doesnt even mind that he is paying for his reward:p)

[GlendaleCruiser]

Two friends and I went to the Mediterranean for the inaugural cruise of the Dream. We had saved for over a year for it. I came home and told my kids, "I had so much fun I am thinking of going back, even if I have to go alone". My DIL said, "I bet my mom would go with you" and I told her to ask her. She said yes and we booked 3 days later--back to the Med. It was just as much fun this last May as it was in 2009--maybe more fun.

 

I am going to Hawaii because friends asked, but I am still thinking I need to save up for the Med again on the Breeze....................:p

[STARFISH*4]

taking a cruise because i have every year since 2007 and aint gonna stop now:D

[Cruisin' Chick]

I still remember one year we were talking about going on one ship (the Paradise when it first came out as a non-smoking ship), but didn't actually book it. Then a few months later, my hubby called me, a bit ticked off as he was up for a promotion (where he works it's civil service) but lost out to one guy who had less experience, less education, etc. The decision was made on non-merit, but I won't go into the major reason. Anyway, he calls and says let's book it. But he wanted the first eastern caribbean (we had gone on a w.c. one together) coming up (in 8 days!). He didn't want to wait.

 

So within a few days, I booked the cruise, the flights (we would have save lots of money if we waited a few more weeks), the hotels, both pre and post flight and also for the Keys, which we wanted to visit, and a rental vehicle.

 

Our last cruise was five years after our last one, because of several issues at work, as well as my mother in law's terminal illness. Late last October, my hubby asked me suddenly to check into the Hawaiian cruises and we booked the Golden for exactly five years to the day after our last cruise on the same itinerary. One major issue was looking good and he felt like celebrating.

[misty57]

Our reason for our upcoming cruises... 30 year wedding anniversary and then a "do over" for last year's cruise when we both had food poisoning from hotel food, and the trip was also a bit low key as DFIL had passed away about one month before. However, we never need a reason to cruise other than "we like it!":D

[Railer]

Couldn't get the right time off for vacation to do an east coast land vacation, decided to do an Eastern Meditteranean cruise in October. Also took a course on ancient Greek society and want to go and see the land that I studied.

 

Russ

[Sandi3667]

A friend & I were watching an episode of Deadliest Catch, and talking about property they have north of Anchorage. We got talking about someday going up there during the summer, and I mentioned someday wanting to take a cruise to Alaska. She looked at me, and since her husband wouldn't go on a cruise, would I go with her. I said of course, and started looking up pricing & itineraries when I got home. Printed out one, showed it to my best friend the next night, and told her what I was doing. Now, she wants to go too. We wound up getting a fourth person to go, so my BFF & I roomed together (we travel great together), and the other 2 were just a few cabins down.

 

By the time we returned to Seattle, we were already discussing where to go for the next cruise.

[sparky-elpaso]

Our Caribbean cruise last year was mostly paid for with our income tax refund (larger than usual because of the max amount taken out of my sick leave pay-off at retirement). Had been thinking of a cruise and the extra cash just made it easier to decide.

[sherilyn70]

The first cruise (2004) was because it was a family cruise that my parents intiated... they took me (which ended up being just me since I ended a relationship a few months before the cruise) and my brothers family to the southern caribbean.

 

The second cruise (2010) was a reward for losing weight. The dress I wore in 2004 finally fit again and I had kept saying "when it fits again we're going on a cruise". So that's exactly what we did. Prices happen to be very reasonable on my birthday so we picked February for that reason.

 

The next ones... well that's just what I've decided my birthday present will be for the rest of my life. A cruise in February every year now. :D

[Clayswife]

Great stories everyone !! :p. I booked my first as a birthday gift to myself. I was getting ready to turn 40 and NOT happy about it in the least ... I figured if I was on a cruise I would be having so much fun I wouldn't be thinking about the fact I was 40 ... Mind you, my husbands birthday is the day after mine, so we had TWO reasons to celebrate. We ended up booking a cruise to the Mexican Riviera because the Port was drivable from where we live - So I celebrated my birthday on board with my hubby and new found friends (our tablemates) who surprised me with a cake :D. My husbands birthday we celebrated in Puerto Vallarta (we had his birthday dinner at a little restaurant overlooking the beach, while we were watching the sun go down over the water, we spotted a group of whales breaching !! It was so amazing and the perfect way to end our day in PV) .... We have been hooked on cruising ever since ! I try to always either book something for our birthdays or our anniversary (in the fall) ... Always gives me something to look forward to !! Jackie

[Krazy Kruizers]

Cute story.

 

Can't top that.

 

We just book cruises -- retired -- whenever we feel like it and there is an itinerary we like.

[Senoj84]

Great stories!

 

I cruise because I've always wanted to but never thought I could afford it-I thought cruising was for the "well-off" and "comfortable" plus I had a bad break up with an ex-fiance' and wanted to treat myself... I found out cruising wasn't so expensive, so, I took my first cruise and haven't looked back since :)

 

Now, I cruise because I love it and I work hard (like so many people do) and I deserve a decent vacation, life is just to short to not to do what you love.

[wieslaw]

[quote .............. Then it was an MF marathon as he went on and on. ...... So on and so forth. ......... I heard the word MF more times in that 15 minutes than in my whole previous 57 years. It was like being in a Samuel L. Jackson movie. MF this & MF that.

 

Now I never do things off the cuff so to speak but I said to my self ... I can do that. And so I did. And that is how I came to be on this particular cruise.

 

 

 

Jtwanabe

 

Hi, you got me 'thinking' ........... I am working at the "LIL WAYNE" concert next week , and I know it is longer than 15 minutes ..... should I start looking for a cruise already ?

 

Wes

[griffy116]

My daughters and I were counting the days until our family cruise on FOS that was still several months away. We were all talking about what friends and co-workers were doing for Spring Break. We threw a few suggestions out about concerts, picnics, etc and suddenly we decided that we had never gone away, even overnight, while they were growing up for Spring Break. We got on RCCL's website and booked a cruise that night for the upcoming Spring Break. We had NEVER had 2 upcoming cruises. We had never done anything so impulsive...EVER. We were like kids on the Spring Break cruise, knowing we still had the upcoming cruise in July and that we were sitting on deck, having the time of our lives. We sat up late joking and ordering room service, relaxed on deck and made wonderful memories. While we were on FOS cruise, we lost our mind again, and booked a cruise to the E. Med for my Grandson's high school graduation celebration. I don't know what's happened to us, but I like it!!!

[jocap]

We frequently took ferries across the English Channel to France or Holland, for a driving holiday, and loved the sailing bit.

One year we were going to Germany with a choir, for a "Twin Town" event.

It was chilly and very windy as we pulled from the dock at Hull, but I wouldn't go inside until the last glimpse of land had gone.

Next morning, I was up as the ship arrived in Rotterdam, and OH wondered whether I'd slept at all.

It was on the return journey that we began talking about more ship, less driving....:cool:

Jo.

[TX Cruise Girl]

[quote .............. Then it was an MF marathon as he went on and on. ...... So on and so forth. ......... I heard the word MF more times in that 15 minutes than in my whole previous 57 years. It was like being in a Samuel L. Jackson movie. MF this & MF that.

 

Now I never do things off the cuff so to speak but I said to my self ... I can do that. And so I did. And that is how I came to be on this particular cruise.

 

 

 

Jtwanabe

 

Hi, you got me 'thinking' ........... I am working at the "LIL WAYNE" concert next week , and I know it is longer than 15 minutes ..... should I start looking for a cruise already ?

 

Wes

 

You'll need back to back cruises.

[shippmates]

We booked our anniversary cruise in February to sail the end of November and then booked our Bermuda cruise for May2012 to cross another list off our bucket list. Sitting in the living room several days after I finished my very last class for my degree after going to college for 18 months straight decided we needed a break before the November cruise so we leave in 3 three weeks. Never had three cruises in the wings, guess we are practicing for retirement. :)

[emmtee]

My parents had been on several cruises and decided to take the entire family to the Caribbean to celebrate Dad's retirement. This July 2009 cruise was going to be my first cruise, but ended up being my second.

 

My parents invited my older sister and me to accompany them on a Baltic Capitals cruise in September 2008. My dad is mobility challenged, and Mom said they were inviting us so that we could help him get around. In truth, they planned the whole cruise for my sister. She had stage 4 breast cancer, and her health was beginning to deteriorate. She loved Europe and had always dreamt of seeing St. Petersburg. My sister didn't live to go on the family cruise, but we took some of her ashes with us. :( It was her wish that her ashes be scattered in beautiful places around the world.

[jschm27]

My parents had been on several cruises and decided to take the entire family to the Caribbean to celebrate Dad's retirement. This July 2009 cruise was going to be my first cruise, but ended up being my second.

 

My parents invited my older sister and me to accompany them on a Baltic Capitals cruise in September 2008. My dad is mobility challenged, and Mom said they were inviting us so that we could help him get around. In truth, they planned the whole cruise for my sister. She had stage 4 breast cancer, and her health was beginning to deteriorate. She loved Europe and had always dreamt of seeing St. Petersburg. My sister didn't live to go on the family cruise, but we took some of her ashes with us. :( It was her wish that her ashes be scattered in beautiful places around the world.

 

That's a wonderful way to spread ashes.

 

John

[Wayfairers]

We didn't want to cruise, thought for sure it would be too "organized" for us.

 

Shortly after we retired, my sister/BIL were taking a cruise with his family and someone dropped out a month before the cruise. We had nothing else planned for that week so, somehow my sister got the cabin changed to our name. We had a wonderful week and fell in love with cruising so much that our 2nd cruise was for 30 days! Booked that one because we always wanted to visit the south pacific.

 

3rd cruise was to kill some time before meeting friends in San Diego for a land trip with them. We were already in San Diego due to the 2nd cruise and didn't want to go back east just to turn around and go back west to meet them a few weeks later.

 

4th cruise was a family reunion.

 

5th and our upcoming 6th cruise are to see places we've wanted to see but didn't want to fly to visit.

[bqkali]

When my sister graduated from college, we wanted to celebrate by taking a vacation together. She graduated at the end of a fall semester, so that meant traveling in December...and the idea of somewhere warm was hugely appealing ;)

 

While planning, we looked at a bunch of options including group tours through Central America or an all-inclusive resort. But we had such different agendas (she was looking for rest & relaxation and I was looking for adventure and activity) that we ended up choosing a cruise. It was perfect - we had plenty of quality time together but we could safely split up for a few hours each day to do our own thing. We did excursions together, had meals together, saw shows together, etc. but she'd spend an hour napping in the room or reading by the pool while I would join in for some of the ship's activities. Neither of us needed to worry about if the other person was safe, and we both ended up having a great time. What a great way to balance time together and your own personal interests.

 

Since we live in different states, our time together is really valuable. We experimented last year by taking a "land trip" and we had a good time, but it didn't work out for us as perfectly as a cruise does. In February we'll be taking our 3rd cruise together and I truly hope this stays an annual event.

[Moparsmom]

We took our first cruise because we wanted to get married on Oct. 1, 2008 and it was a Wednesday. Who gets married on a Wednesday? Since I wouldn't budge on the date, my now husband suggested a cruise. We searched several and found a Carnival cruise that would put us in Key West on Oct. 1. We invited friends and family to join us and got married on the Fascination while in port in Key West with 31 family and friends present. For our 1st wedding anniversary, we took a second cruise and stopped in Key West to see what we missed the first time. We did a land vacation in Hawaii for our 2nd anniversary but we are celebrating our 3rd anniversary a little early with an Alaskan cruise departing Sept. 10. We are already planning a "just because we want to cruise" in 2013 to see the Panama Canal. So far we have several people who are planning on going with us. Not sure what we will do for 2012. Maybe.....a cruise!

[Swells1]

My DH and I are 'talkers'. We talk about (and even do initial planning) vacations, but in almost ten years of marriage, we had never taken more than a weekend trip. So, I backed myself into a corner, so to speak, and told him that we won a free cruise. I don't think he would have gone if he thought we were paying for it. I might confess the truth one day...:eek: