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breaking traditions next cruise


havanadaydreaming
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has anyone recently done a 180 on long held cruise traditions?  if so, how'd it work out?

 

 

my wife and i had the "week before cruise" chat last night and have decided to break with several long held traditions.  

 

(cruise is to Half Moon, Turk and Amber Cove) 

 

we decided to not get the Cheers beverage package.  im usually all in. as a very social  drinker i more than get my value and help her meet hers. however, she's been struggling with acid reflux this year and drinks haven't been very enjoyable.  

 

we decided not to do any excursions.  I LOVE excursions and we always do at least one catamaran.  this trip we are just chillin at pools and beaches, just didn't see any WOW excursions for this itinerary.

 

we are also skipping the specialty restaurant experience.  I fought hard on this to no avail.  I was looking forward to the pork chop at Captains Cucina. dang it. 😂

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Our last cruise was our first with our family- daughter, son in law and grandson. That meant that a lot of our cruise traditions were upended, not always to the good, but not bad either...

 

  • We eat most nights in the MDR or specialty restaurant... this cruise we ate at the Lido buffet more than normal, because the extended family didn't like the formality of the MDR.
  • We didn't just sit & relax as much as we usually do because of our grandson being along... I never went to the Serenity deck once this past cruise!

This was a different cruise for us, enjoyable but not particularly relaxing! Next cruise? Lots of sleeping in and being lazy!

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OP, you just described our cruises lol.  Have never been to Amber Cove, but when we are at Grand Turk and/or HMC, we get off the ship, park out fannies on a lounge chair and relax.  Would LOVE to do specialty dining on every cruise, but it's not in the budget.  We have gone twice on different cruises using our free meal offer for turning Diamond.  Have never gotten Cheers either and we are big drinkers.  As an aside: I had extremely bad acid reflux (GERD) and would never think of leaving home without a bottle of Tums!  Went to a dr. who rx'ed Omeprazole.  It is a miracle pill!  And it's also available OTC.  Have DW try it and if it works, you can put Cheers back on your list! Have a GREAT cruise! 

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On our last cruise, we sailed for the first time out of Galveston, first time with friends and their children ages 8 and 10, first time for early dining, first time time for more scheduled meals in general, first time for any experience with kid's club, first time on the Freedom.

 

We had a great time with our friends.  They used to live here in California, but seven years ago moved to Louisiana.  Galveston was a good midpoint for meeting, but not very convenient for flying in for us as far as getting to Galveston itself.   Our friends drove about eight hours to meet up with us the night before the cruise.  

 

It was a little hard getting used to getting up earlier to meet for breakfast, but with the early dinner we needed to eat all our meals earlier.  

 

We did excursions together, but didn't always do things together on the ship except for meals.  

 

On the whole, it was a wonderful trip, we always have a good time with our friends, and we adore their kids.  It was their first cruise ever, and they enjoyed it enough to want to do it again in a couple of years.

 

That all being said, like the previous poster here, I'm looking forward to a short 3-day trip soon out of Long Beach where we'll go back to late dining and spend more time relaxing.

 

 

 

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11 hours ago, havanadaydreaming said:

we are also skipping the specialty restaurant experience.  I fought hard on this to no avail.  I was looking forward to the pork chop at Captains Cucina. dang it. 😂

 

 

 

happy wife, happy life, glad my wife loves the specialty restaurants

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11 hours ago, havanadaydreaming said:

has anyone recently done a 180 on long held cruise traditions?  if so, how'd it work out?

 

 

my wife and i had the "week before cruise" chat last night and have decided to break with several long held traditions.  

 

(cruise is to Half Moon, Turk and Amber Cove) 

 

we decided to not get the Cheers beverage package.  im usually all in. as a very social  drinker i more than get my value and help her meet hers. however, she's been struggling with acid reflux this year and drinks haven't been very enjoyable.  

 

we decided not to do any excursions.  I LOVE excursions and we always do at least one catamaran.  this trip we are just chillin at pools and beaches, just didn't see any WOW excursions for this itinerary.

 

we are also skipping the specialty restaurant experience.  I fought hard on this to no avail.  I was looking forward to the pork chop at Captains Cucina. dang it. 😂

Please report back to us if you felt the 180 was good or will you be making the ful 360 back after - 

 

Happy wife is happy life but happy husband on vacation is more generous! 

Edited by Stick93
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When the Conquest ported in Cozumel last week, Evelyn and I did a "Tabasco Maestro Cooking Class"  together.

 

First time we ever did something like this, our days in Cozumel are usually spent in Nachi Cocum or another beach club, or out snorkeling.

 

Come to think of it, first time in 32 years she even allowed me in HER kitchen.  At home, if I "intrude", she'll just say SCRAM, sometimes with a knife or cleaver in her hand pointing at me for emphasis.🤯😧😬

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It sounds like quite a few changes you're making!  Maybe your wife could throw you a bone (or pork chop 😆)! I still think about how delicious a certain pasta dish was at Cucina on the Magic 2 years ago, so I probably would have drawn the line there! It's pretty hard to NOT have a great time on a cruise though. Let us know how it works out and have a great time!

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Sometimes a change in tradition becomes the new tradition.  I for one love snorkeling excursions...it's the chance to take a boat ride out from the island, swim in the ocean and see some amazing marine life.  Last cruise was the first one we didn't do that, and we aren't booking one for the upcoming cruise either.  We have decided to make this cruise more of a relax by the water cruise.  Havana Cabana and the beach.

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Would you be against going there alone? Go at a different time and then still go with her when she wants to eat and just sit with her or have a cocktail or wine and a cheese plate or something. If you really want to go but she doesn't, something could work out.

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On 9/2/2019 at 4:34 PM, Crusin Karen said:

OP, you just described our cruises lol.  Have never been to Amber Cove, but when we are at Grand Turk and/or HMC, we get off the ship, park out fannies on a lounge chair and relax.  Would LOVE to do specialty dining on every cruise, but it's not in the budget.  We have gone twice on different cruises using our free meal offer for turning Diamond.  Have never gotten Cheers either and we are big drinkers.  As an aside: I had extremely bad acid reflux (GERD) and would never think of leaving home without a bottle of Tums!  Went to a dr. who rx'ed Omeprazole.  It is a miracle pill!  And it's also available OTC.  Have DW try it and if it works, you can put Cheers back on your list! Have a GREAT cruise! 

 

I don't think I could live without Omeprazole.

 

To the OP's question, DH has been recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, so for the first time, we getting the soda package only. Also, our last 17 cruises have all been on Carnival, but last year we retired to Lisbon, Portugal and CCL isn't in Europe this year so we're cruising MSC for the first time. They have a status match program that, with our Platinum on CCL, started us at Gold on their line. Looking forward to trying something new. BTW, their non-alcoholic plan includes specialty coffees and teas, virgin drinks, all water, soda and juices and soft serve ice cream.

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On 9/2/2019 at 8:34 AM, Crusin Karen said:

 Went to a dr. who rx'ed Omeprazole.  It is a miracle pill!  And it's also available OTC.

FWIW, Costco has three 14-day generic packs for about $12. A bargain for those of us who are prescribed to take it daily.

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The more we cruise, the fewer excursions we take.  We pretty much have seen everything we want.  The hubs and I do try to do something different every cruise.  This year, we're going to do our own pub crawl.  We usually just go to a few favorite bars.  This cruise, we plan to hit them all.  Maybe a little lame, but something different for us.

Edited by Butterbean1000
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We will be turning Platinum this cruise, so it's not like we are new at this BUT we have never done any nightime activities other than ocassionally going to a night show. We have never been to Alchemy or Red Frog Pub, done the crazy nightime activities on the lido deck or in the atrium. Never.

 

Traditionally, we have gotten up in the morning, had breakfast, split my time between the library and the sheduled activities, and by the time for early seating dinner, I was always needing time to recover from all of the stimulation, and would read in bed until I fell asleep. 

 

So, after so many years of cruising, starting back when I was fairly young, we have NEVER joined in nightime activities, but now that I am 65 and an old woman, we have decided to turn things upside down as far as traditions go.

 

I will be spending more time in my room during the day, about the same time at the library [I am in love with Breezes' library. It has 2 sections that are 2 seperate rooms!] and less time on deck during the day.

 

When I do go out during the day, I will wear my wrap-around sunglasses, and not be embarrased to wear my headphones.

 

I am so excited that, by rescheduling, that, hopefully, I will finally have "spoons left" so that I can participate in activities I never have before. 

 

I keep telling my loved ones of my plans and they keep saying "We'll believe it when we see it," but I am sooo going to blow everyone away!

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1 hour ago, Butterbean1000 said:

The more we cruise, the fewer excursions we take.  We pretty much have seen everything we want.  The hubs and I do try to do something different every cruise.  This year, we're going to do our own pub crawl.  We usually just go to a few favorite bars.  This cruise, we plan to hit them all.  Maybe a little lame, but something different for us.

Sounds good to me!  🥂

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In February 2018, we went on a last minute 5-day cruise to Cozumel and Grand Cayman.  We did not pack elegant clothes, we did not plan anything.    For the first time, we did not care if we went to the MDR, eating mostly in the buffet or pizza or room service.  We didn't worry about excursions or shows or any activity.   OH MY we loved the complete freedom of no schedule.

 

So each February now, we do a 5-day cruise, packing only swimsuits, shorts, t's, flip flops, jammies.  We eat at the buffet or Guy's or pizza or room service.  We don't plan a single thing.  It is our laid back, do nothing cruise and it is so free and relaxing!  In port, we either wander the port or take a taxi to somewhere we feel like doing that day (beach or shops or restaurant).

 

We still cruise in the fall, a longer 7 or 8 day cruise and we enjoy all of our long-time traditions.

 

2 cruises - two totally different experiences!

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14 minutes ago, bluesman0711 said:

We stopped buying excursions and just take taxis to the places we want to go in port, cheaper and we get to stay longer than the excursions normally allow. Not so much a 180 but more of when you have figured out what you like and don't like while cruising.

 

 

We never buy Carnival excursions, but have done alternate companies. We have also just hired taxis, great way for an inexpensive tour as well.

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56 minutes ago, Florings said:

In February 2018, we went on a last minute 5-day cruise to Cozumel and Grand Cayman.  We did not pack elegant clothes, we did not plan anything.    For the first time, we did not care if we went to the MDR, eating mostly in the buffet or pizza or room service.  We didn't worry about excursions or shows or any activity.   OH MY we loved the complete freedom of no schedule.

 

So each February now, we do a 5-day cruise, packing only swimsuits, shorts, t's, flip flops, jammies.  We eat at the buffet or Guy's or pizza or room service.  We don't plan a single thing.  It is our laid back, do nothing cruise and it is so free and relaxing!  In port, we either wander the port or take a taxi to somewhere we feel like doing that day (beach or shops or restaurant).

 

We still cruise in the fall, a longer 7 or 8 day cruise and we enjoy all of our long-time traditions.

 

2 cruises - two totally different experiences!

Great game plan, love it.

 

Oddly we kinda stopped going to the MDR when we started sailing on other cruise lines.  we wound up hitting the buffet (no dress code - we wear suits at work) or specialty restaurants. 

 

I'm back on Carnival this weekend and we'll see how it goes. I don't remember loving the buffet options previously but I did like Guy's and Pizza.  I also liked the MDR. 

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