How many true friends do you have?

[cruiseorbust]

Over the years we have met so many nice people. We have stayed in touch with many. Some of our best friends have come from our many cruises. We have learned over the years that family is family, but true friends are a special "gift".

 

Our families have never understood why we love cruising so much, but then again they refuse to even try it. We have asked, offered to pay, nothing short of beg for them to join us, but have yet to be successful. DH, the boys, and myself love to cruise over the holidays (one time of year we can match up everyone's schedule), and because of that are we are pretty much looked down upon.

 

Maybe we are wrong, but they all do what they want for their family vacations. Our cruising friends seem to care more about us than our own families.

[Leela]

You've got your spouse and your children along, so you've covered the most important people in your family!

[cruiseorbust]

Thanks for the kind words; I feel the same way!!

[SS Cruise Lady]

Over the years we have met so many nice people. We have stayed in touch with many. Some of our best friends have come from our many cruises. We have learned over the years that family is family, but true friends are a special "gift".

 

Our families have never understood why we love cruising so much, but then again they refuse to even try it. We have asked, offered to pay, nothing short of beg for them to join us, but have yet to be successful. DH, the boys, and myself love to cruise over the holidays (one time of year we can match up everyone's schedule), and because of that are we are pretty much looked down upon.

 

Maybe we are wrong, but they all do what they want for their family vacations. Our cruising friends seem to care more about us than our own families.

 

Your post reminds me of one of my favorite sayings...."Friends are the family we choose for ourselves" :)

[JNLROSE]

Your post reminds me of one of my favorite sayings...."Friends are the family we choose for ourselves" :)

 

OMYGAWD, I LOVE that!!!! :D How true! I love my own kids, but I can really pass on spending too much time with the rest of the family very often! :o We try to make at least 1 big family (immediate) trip once every 2 years and then do the regular visits during the rest of the time. All our kids live in CA & we live in AR, so it's hard to get together a lot. Especially when the grandkids are in school.

We have made the BEST friends from cruising!:D

[teedee]

Not only have I made wonderful friends that I've met on cruises, and continue to cruise with - but I've made what I consider friends with folks on these boards just talking about cruising!

Terri

[newmexicoNita]

I love that as well and I would say it is true. Our family, we are stuck with good or bad. (in my case mostly good) but friends we have chosen. through the years we have moved quite a bit, especially in our earlier days and have friends, real friends from everyplace we have lived. Cruise friends, we have some as well as friends we have met on CC; acutally some are the same, first CC and then on the cruise. True friends are worth their weight in Gold. NMnita

[Karynanne]

We too have made wonderful cruising friends. We also have friends that we have meet through CC...haven't cruised together YET, but have developed a wonderful friendship! They live close by, and we do get a chance to visit. Then there are those that are in other states, that I already feel are bosom buddies, that we'll actually meet on another cruise!

 

My close friends in my "other" life have been friends for many, many years. Our lives have gone through many chosen paths, but we always seem to float back to our comfortable friendship.

 

And of course, our children....now grown, but wonderful friends!

 

 

Karyn

[dmarch@islc.net]

I accept your invitation to pay for our cruise. LOL Seriously whats their hang up? Your buying, they have nothing to loose. There is a country in Europe that I'm not a huge fan of but if my cousin wanted to take me, I'd go in a heart beat.

[gkm]

We have made some wonderful lifetime friends we met while cruising. One couple we have cruised with 5 times. Another couple we met cruising, we meet in Las Vegas every year for a long weekend and have recently cruise with for a second time with another one booked. We have so many cyber friends who we will be cruising with in 2006 and 2007. It's so much fun to talk to them about our upcoming cruises, and we are so looking forward to them! Right Rosie, Karyn, and Terri?:D

 

Garry

[cruiseorbust]

I can't tell you enough how thankful I am for all your wonderful responses!!! My "orginal" family has put such horrible guilt trips on my family about not spending what little vacation time my husband gets with all of them in Buffalo, New York. They have told me repeatedly just what a worthless, selfish person I am for not coming home every holiday. I have been home several over the years, especially when the children were very young, but since have currently enjoyed family time with my family on a cruise over the holidays. My children have been fortunate enough to see so many new places, and appreciate what they have compared to many places we have visited on a cruise ship. We have moved all over because of my husbands career (military/now civilian) where my "orginal family" has always lived in the same small town. They think we are terrible; sometimes I even began to believe them. They said since I moved away, it is my responsibility to come their way.

 

Hope you all have a very Happy, Healthy Thanksgiving. We will be enjoying Thanksgiving at our own home this year.

[flagger]

Well since I consider there are only two kinds of friends in this world: Those who will help you move and those who will help you move a body.

 

I have about four of the former and only one of the latter.

[cfprunner]

Generally speaking, how much should you tip someone for moving a body?

[TechKnowBabble]

I also have met some wonderful people on CC...some have turned out to be 'another ship passing in the night' but some have turned out to be wonderful friends I know I'll have for many years to come. Quite frankly you have to be ready to accept what you get. I think my expectations were too high, I now know that if it only ends up being a few meetings on a cruise then nothing more, I'll cherish whatever memories I have. True friends are like finding the pearl in the oyster....very rare but when you find a pearl, it's rarity makes it so much more special.

[Blazerboy]

Cruiseorbust! DON'T GIVE IN to that kind of blackmail! And they make you feel guilty about not going to BUFFALO!!!:eek: (No offense, but it would take some pretty great family, and a few bribes to get me THERE any time during the Winter!;) )

 

Seriously, my family have tried the same thing (they're all in and around Boston) I used to go back four times a year, and now I take my own vacations, and might get back once a year at most, and even then, it's to vacation, and visit with them if they are available. I put my foot down when I realized that for forty trips East to visit them ( and I STILL had to coordinate everything!), they'd only visited me once, maybe twice out here. They certainly take their own vacations, but somehow think that I owe them mine. I do love my family, and make time for them, but not in the way they want, but in the way I'm able. Have to say, in the time since I stopped, I've had a second visit from a few of them! Who says you can't teach old dogs new tricks? And if they're grumpy about your travel schedule, it's really their loss. Not only aren't they getting to share your adventure, but they're missing out on wonderful travel opportunities and bonding time with you!

 

And, there ARE some people who don't approve of any other kind of vacation unless it's the type they themselves take. My brother can go off for weeks of camping, folk music, and bike rides- which, when you factor in the equipment he MUST have, or tickets he must buy) is considerably more expensive than my cruising every year- but he doesn't understand that my vacation is as relaxing for me as his is for him. Plus, with him, you factor in the New England Yankee guilt, and anything that could be even remotely be considered a 'luxury' vacation is out!:rolleyes:

 

Ooh, did you touch a nerve, or what?:D

 

But most important to my happiness are all the wonderful friends I've made doing this (Cruising/Cruise Critic). There isn't a day that passes that I don't communicate with people I consider true friends that I met on a cruise or on CC.

 

Andrew

[Karynanne]

We have made some wonderful lifetime friends we met while cruising. One couple we have cruised with 5 times. Another couple we met cruising, we meet in Las Vegas every year for a long weekend and have recently cruise with for a second time with another one booked. We have so many cyber friends who we will be cruising with in 2006 and 2007. It's so much fun to talk to them about our upcoming cruises, and we are so looking forward to them! Right Rosie, Karyn, and Terri?:D

 

Garry

 

Garry, the feeling is extremely mutual!

 

Karyn

[gkm]

Cruiseorbust, Andrew (Blazerboy) has a lot of wisdom in his words. Vacation is just that. Visiting family is NOT vacation. It's helping with meals, visiting all the relatives, helping parents with this and that, always on your "P's and Q's". Visiting family is STRESS! A cruise is vacation. Nothing to upset you, no meals to assist with, no cleaning or making beds, no "their schedules", it's you and your family. It's time away from everything and everyone who will disrupt the time you have with them.

 

I wish my DH and I had discovered cruising when our children were young enough to appreciate it. Now they are grown and think cruising is for "old folks." We can't make them understand our passion or how much we think they'd enjoy it. It's their loss. They come home maybe once a year and are bored to death. We have a hard time entertaining them and their friends have scattered.

 

I envy you and your time with them away from everything else.

 

Garry

[ger_77]

cruiseorbust: we, too, have developed some close friendships with people we have met on cruises. In fact, one family has become so close, that we feel we should adopt each other as sisters. The interesting thing is how far away we live from each other - they live in North Carolina and we live in the "frozen tundra" of Western Canada. We have visited each other's homes a number of times, as well as have taken further cruises together. We will be entertaining them at our home between Christmas and New Year's this year and are looking forward to the visit eagerly.

 

Regarding your family - remember that only you can allow yourself to be guilty. Bear in mind that you are in charge of your lives and do not have to live them to suit anyone outside your home. If "the family" wants to spend time with you, let them use up their precious holiday time to come to you - if you're not on a cruise, you can enjoy a visit with them. Enjoy the holidays that you want to take - you've earned vacation days and should spend them as you wish. (coming down off my soapbox now.)

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[Two@Sea]

Generally speaking, how much should you tip someone for moving a body?

 

I gave $20 last time... :rolleyes:

[joramrose]

I thlnk one reason that we enjoy so much friendships made at sea or on these boards --

We are kindred souls. We share an interest -- crusing. And it binds us.

 

Think about it. Our best friends among landlubbers, to use a phrase, are those with whom we have shared many interest, particularly when we are at play.

 

My favorite people outside of cruisers I have met are bridge players --who share my other addiction.

 

Those who play together stay together.

love

joan

[alpal1993]

My husband and his mother aren't talking because we choose to spend our one week of vacation on a cruise.I have invited her and her DH to come along,but she refuses.We are going with friends we met on Century 5 years ago.I speak with my friend Dolly every Friday Night.We laughingly call it Girls Night Out.

[cruiseorbust]

I am so thankful for all my friends I have met and stayed in touch with over the years. I appreciate everyone's comments! It is nice to know I am not alone in all this "family stuff".

 

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

[Danno]

I agree...with my friends I have a common interest, cruising, sailing, dogs...unfortunately with my family (my parents and Jill's) most discussions centre around who's sick, sick with what, who's dying, who's dead...while I'm not uncaring, it's a tough way to spend an evening. I would much rather talk to our friends about sailing, cruising or barking...

 

 

...I'm sure this is wrong on many levels but I work hard to keep a good attitude and I have to avoid situations that drag me down...that's why I cruise!!

[alpal1993]

Right on Danno!

If all I had to look forward too all year was visiting my mother in law I think i would go insane.

6 months till we cruise to Bermuda,then 4 wonderful post cruise days in New York

[Danno]

When my parents and my inlaws retired, they, with the best of intentions, managed to book our weekends solid with activities...I went back to work exhausted, they rested Monday and Tuesday...

 

We took my inlaws on Horizon a few years ago...we learn from our mistakes.