@ Cruise Lovers - what is the "it" that makes one an addict!

[Kellie Poodle]

My "it":

 

1) Being on the open sea. I can't get enough of it. I think I was a fish or a sailor in a previous life. I can stare at the ocean for hours on end and never feel bored.

 

2) Not having to hunt my own food. On land vacations, someone has to decide where to have dinner. This usually involves locating a restaurant in a foreign city. On a cruise, I don't have to find my food. It's there and it's plentiful.

 

3) Winning pens, playing cards and assorted logo junk playing trivia. We love trivia. We've done land tours and river cruises but only ocean cruises have trivia contests. (I know we are weird):D

[Zoey1]

"it" is the sea, whether calm as a sheet of glass, or white-capped, or roiling

 

"it" is the sky, whether the sun is shining bright, or the clouds are rolling in, or a storm is brewing, a rain-shower passing by, when the sun is just rising, or watching it set over the horizon

 

"it" is the exploration of new ports, new cultures, new peoples or the understanding of ancient ruins and lost cultures

 

"it" is the exploration of a ship and all its venues, whether a crowded martini bar before dinner, being the lone occupant on the aft deck at sunrise, the solitude of a stateroom balcony in the middle of the night, the crowded and excited deck at sail-away or the feeling of awe when standing alone on an empty fore deck in the middle of the ocean feeling the wind against my face

 

"it" is the enjoyment of meeting new people from all walks of life and all corners of the world, whether they be passengers who are on their first cruise, seasoned travelers, crew, natives of new countries, whether they be young or old

 

"it" is unpacking once and feeling my worries and stress melt away just knowing (or not knowing) what the coming days will bring

 

'it" is the friendly smile and helpful, grateful, wonderful service of staff who really care, and who want to know about you as much as you want to know about them

 

"it" is the company of friends and family

 

"it" is travel...in the most enjoyable manner I have yet found !!

 

 

Woody

 

I have to agree with the others, Woody says exactly what I think most of us that have "it" in our souls feel!

[jen.steve]

We are booked on the Solstice this sun the 26th, this will be me and DW 2nd cruise.

The first was a Western Caribbean on the Carnival Imagination in October 08, we had fun but left the boat with the feeling that we would never cruise again.

 

We have been on several trips to florida since that road trips and flying from new england,and a week in St. Thomas which we enjoyed every one.

 

Planning this vacation we were looking for an all inclusive resort, but could not find one to suit all our desires. We kept coming back to cruising and knew we would not go on Carnival again. Before we went on carnival we researched a lot, and wanted to be on Celebrity but the prices were too high at the time and there was limited availability for the timeframe we were looking for.

 

This time we will be with our 20 month old daughter, she loves good fancy food, and loves to meet new friends young and old. We did not feel safe going to most of the places we were looking at with our daughter so we booked on the Solstice and are both sooo excited for this trip.

 

 

Looking back (and after reading Woody's reply) i realize we did see some of the "it" on our last cruise but "it" could have been so much better in an environment i have heard about repeatedly on this board and all reviews we have read.

 

Our Carnival cruise felt like we bought it at Walmart. (So did everyone else.)

 

Doing it right this time, we upgraded to the royal suite. :cool:

 

We will be enjoying "it".

[Zoey1]

We are booked on the Solstice this sun the 26th, this will be me and DW 2nd cruise.

The first was a Western Caribbean on the Carnival Imagination in October 08, we had fun but left the boat with the feeling that we would never cruise again.

 

We have been on several trips to florida since that road trips and flying from new england,and a week in St. Thomas which we enjoyed every one.

 

Planning this vacation we were looking for an all inclusive resort, but could not find one to suit all our desires. We kept coming back to cruising and knew we would not go on Carnival again. Before we went on carnival we researched a lot, and wanted to be on Celebrity but the prices were too high at the time and there was limited availability for the timeframe we were looking for.

 

This time we will be with our 20 month old daughter, she loves good fancy food, and loves to meet new friends young and old. We did not feel safe going to most of the places we were looking at with our daughter so we booked on the Solstice and are both sooo excited for this trip.

 

 

Looking back (and after reading Woody's reply) i realize we did see some of the "it" on our last cruise but "it" could have been so much better in an environment i have heard about repeatedly on this board and all reviews we have read.

 

Our Carnival cruise felt like we bought it at Walmart. (So did everyone else.)

 

Doing it right this time, we upgraded to the royal suite. :cool:

 

We will be enjoying "it".

 

You will love it! We just got off the Eclipse this past Saturday and stayed in the Royal Suite...so great. You will feel like you are buying this cruise at Bloomingdales :-)

[fleckle]

"it" is the sea, whether calm as a sheet of glass, or white-capped, or roiling

 

"it" is the sky, whether the sun is shining bright, or the clouds are rolling in, or a storm is brewing, a rain-shower passing by, when the sun is just rising, or watching it set over the horizon

 

"it" is the exploration of new ports, new cultures, new peoples or the understanding of ancient ruins and lost cultures

 

"it" is the exploration of a ship and all its venues, whether a crowded martini bar before dinner, being the lone occupant on the aft deck at sunrise, the solitude of a stateroom balcony in the middle of the night, the crowded and excited deck at sail-away or the feeling of awe when standing alone on an empty fore deck in the middle of the ocean feeling the wind against my face

 

"it" is the enjoyment of meeting new people from all walks of life and all corners of the world, whether they be passengers who are on their first cruise, seasoned travelers, crew, natives of new countries, whether they be young or old

 

"it" is unpacking once and feeling my worries and stress melt away just knowing (or not knowing) what the coming days will bring

 

'it" is the friendly smile and helpful, grateful, wonderful service of staff who really care, and who want to know about you as much as you want to know about them

 

"it" is the company of friends and family

 

"it" is travel...in the most enjoyable manner I have yet found !!

Absolutely perfect! You nailed it!

 

 

The only thing I can think to add:

 

"it" is the continually changing scenery; the enjoyment of each sailaway as we watch the latest port gradually recede into the distance and anticipate the surprise of waking up to an entirely new view the next morning

 

 

(You don't get that at a hotel land vacation.)

[Fixit2010]

Don't worry Fixit.....I love them!

 

Den

 

Aww thanks

 

I forgot to also add one other point.

 

I find that when I am on vacation, I like to feel I have gotten away from my regular everyday life. I like to forget about everything else going on and except for real emergencies I don't want to hear from anyone back home unless i decide to check in with them.

 

Cruising provides that, you are one of a handful of people in the middle of the ocean, under blue skies, pampered in luxury. Even laying there doing nothing makes every breath feel so calm and relaxed.

 

From sunrise to sunset everyone else does the work around you. The room keeping, cooking, tidying up. The food and drinks constantly on hand 24x7.

 

Even chatting, reading a book, watching the waves is so chilled out.

 

Switching off to everything else I have on the go is the only way I can achieve this.

 

Ahh yes, how I wish I was on board right now.

[clarkg]

"it" is the sea, whether calm as a sheet of glass, or white-capped, or roiling

 

"it" is the sky, whether the sun is shining bright, or the clouds are rolling in, or a storm is brewing, a rain-shower passing by, when the sun is just rising, or watching it set over the horizon

 

"it" is the exploration of new ports, new cultures, new peoples or the understanding of ancient ruins and lost cultures

 

"it" is the exploration of a ship and all its venues, whether a crowded martini bar before dinner, being the lone occupant on the aft deck at sunrise, the solitude of a stateroom balcony in the middle of the night, the crowded and excited deck at sail-away or the feeling of awe when standing alone on an empty fore deck in the middle of the ocean feeling the wind against my face

 

"it" is the enjoyment of meeting new people from all walks of life and all corners of the world, whether they be passengers who are on their first cruise, seasoned travelers, crew, natives of new countries, whether they be young or old

 

"it" is unpacking once and feeling my worries and stress melt away just knowing (or not knowing) what the coming days will bring

 

'it" is the friendly smile and helpful, grateful, wonderful service of staff who really care, and who want to know about you as much as you want to know about them

 

"it" is the company of friends and family

 

"it" is travel...in the most enjoyable manner I have yet found !!

 

 

Woody

 

Wow, that is awesome!