Life after cruising. AKA Who is realizing they don't miss cruising that much after all?

[John&LaLa]

15 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Really...I'm a bit surprised that you don't do more private tours 

 

Laura is afraid of missing ship

[emeraldcity]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Laura is afraid of missing ship

And what Laura wants, Laura gets.

 

[EZ1]

On 9/20/2020 at 6:59 PM, flyguyjake said:

What we don't miss is having to fly from the West Coast to the East Coast in the wee hours of the morning the day before sailing and the cost of the hotel stay. But even with that being said we do miss cruising and hope to sail may 2021 on SOS. We do have a New Years cruise booked for end of year but final is due in a few days so I'll probably have to cancel since RCL hasn't yet.

we have the symphony for New years & was looking forward to that. 

 

[EZ1]

16 hours ago, Rocket3D said:

 

Yes.  Good point.

 

We were on the MJ cruise when Vernon first announced that  'shoreside changed the policy' and

no more C&A events, or the nightly D and up... happy hours would not take place on following MJ

cruises (still put 3 drinks on SeaPass card daily, D and up).

 

Navigator adopted same 'no event policy' for their 3 and 4 nighter Coco/Bahama cruises... I heard.

 

Anyway, as local frequent floaters we (also) decided to never book MJ or NE

because of their new reduction policy.

 

Ironic dichotomy is that Allure still retains the nice DL which many of us enjoyed since they did not

'Amp up' the DL on deck 11 with those new anti-social distancing cabins that were planned in dry dock.

 

But whether we actually get to use that nice AL DL again (or go on any Royal cruise) will be

determined by unknown future health protocols..... and if we feel safe booking a cruise. 

 

Miss cruising, sure.

 

Go cruising again, sure, if safe, and fun again.

 

Meantime, saving  money,  lol.

....

 

 

 

 

Besides that the Majesty & the Empress cabins are so so small! Allure is also our fav-the diamond lounge view (for now), & luv "Momma Mia" each time we go. Didnt like "Cats" on Oasis, but always see the great fairy tale ice show on it. 

[beerman2]

We usually cruise every other year and take 2 vacation a year. Due to hip replacement (right before surgeries were cancelled ) and Covid it will be almost 1 1/2 years since ANY vacations.

. Had 3 trips cancelled last year.

 

Trying for first time to do the snowbird thing , booked a month in March 2021 on the Gulf .  We can Social Distance at restaurants/bars and enjoy the Condo.

 

Cruising can wait DW isn't ready to be on a ship!

 

 

Edited September 22, 2020 by beerman2

[Markanddonna]

12 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Laura is afraid of missing ship

Here's my thinking on the topic of missing the ship: I consider how difficult it would be to get to the next port.  It often is just a train ride away in Europe or a shuttle or flight between islands elsewhere. Of course, it would be a hassle, but I have never had a bad experience with a private tour, and they always got us to the ship on time. 

 

However, when we were doing a transpacific and was in Maui, I thought a bit differently: our next stop was in Fiji, almost six days away.  That would be a very expensive "vacation" either in Fiji or Maui/Oahu if we missed the ship. So, we went with the ship excursion. 

 

I have learned to be ready for flexibility and adventures with travel.  We are retired and don't have to be back to work, so a short unplanned excursion is okay with us.

Edited September 22, 2020 by Markanddonna

[Keksie]

What is funny is that my favorite excursion of all time was a ship excursion.  Most places we find an excursion on our own but this time in Ketchikan I just didn't find anything we hadn't done already that I wanted to do.  At the last minute I said "let's do Bear Country"  probably won't be great but I want to get away from port.  We went not much was happening until just before leaving the guides hustled onto the boardwalk.  A mother bear and her baby splashed into the water, hauled out a huge fish and walked back to the forest right under us.  I still smile every time I see the pictures.  

[mek]

8 minutes ago, Keksie said:

What is funny is that my favorite excursion of all time was a ship excursion.  Most places we find an excursion on our own but this time in Ketchikan I just didn't find anything we hadn't done already that I wanted to do.  At the last minute I said "let's do Bear Country"  probably won't be great but I want to get away from port.  We went not much was happening until just before leaving the guides hustled onto the boardwalk.  A mother bear and her baby splashed into the water, hauled out a huge fish and walked back to the forest right under us.  I still smile every time I see the pictures.  

We have had some great ship's excursions also, especially in areas where private tours are sparse - like Norway and we had a wonderful drive down the Amalfi coast on one.

 

[John&LaLa]

22 hours ago, Rocket3D said:

 

Yes.  Good point.

 

We were on the MJ cruise when Vernon first announced that  'shoreside changed the policy' and

no more C&A events, or the nightly D and up... happy hours would not take place on following MJ

cruises (still put 3 drinks on SeaPass card daily, D and up).

 

Navigator adopted same 'no event policy' for their 3 and 4 nighter Coco/Bahama cruises... I heard.

 

Anyway, as local frequent floaters we (also) decided to never book MJ or NE

because of their new reduction policy.

 

Ironic dichotomy is that Allure still retains the nice DL which many of us enjoyed since they did not

'Amp up' the DL on deck 11 with those new anti-social distancing cabins that were planned in dry dock.

 

But whether we actually get to use that nice AL DL again (or go on any Royal cruise) will be

determined by unknown future health protocols..... and if we feel safe booking a cruise. 

 

Miss cruising, sure.

 

Go cruising again, sure, if safe, and fun again.

 

Meantime, saving  money,  lol.

....

 

First off, I don't believe Navigator made any changes to the Happy Hour program. They did relocate the DL to the old cigar lounge. But that's common when Izumi was added to the VCL

 

FWIW, Empress has never had one

 

And what's an anti-social distancing cabin🤔

 

[John&LaLa]

5 hours ago, EZ1 said:

Besides that the Majesty & the Empress cabins are so so small! Allure is also our fav-the diamond lounge view (for now), & luv "Momma Mia" each time we go. Didnt like "Cats" on Oasis, but always see the great fairy tale ice show on it. 

 

Big fan of Frozen in Time. CATS definitely not for everyone, but it was gaining new fans with the shorter version. The new aqua show is very good. Much better than Fine Line and Hiro

[John&LaLa]

25 minutes ago, mek said:

We have had some great ship's excursions also, especially in areas where private tours are sparse - like Norway and we had a wonderful drive down the Amalfi coast on one.

 

 

We've had plenty of fabulous ships excursions including Amalfi Coast, but ours was by boat so we drove beneath the road😉

 

Here are a few others that stand out

Cordoba

Blarney Castle 

Brugges on your own

Normandy Beaches 

Petra

Jerusalem 

 

 

[spunks]

Thanks John and La La for starting this thread.....I feel like shaking my fist at the sky and saying " I curse  you Covid!"

 

Staying home and sitting on the couch is the easiest thing in the world until they tell you that is all you can do....rats!

 

We have spent over 730 nights at sea and should have over 800 by now...(I curse you covid!). 

 but it is what it is. I guess my short answer to your question( as you can see I have trouble with short answers) is...YES! We miss it.

 

On another subject....we always take private tours. You see so much more, and you really never have to worry about making it back to the ship. Those guys are huge businesses that would be ruined otherwise. You just get to see more. On our Normandy tour we saw the normal plus the German cemetery.....7 acres with 20,000 buried.....most with no birth dates listed as so many defenders were either over 70 or as young as 10!.....I digress...

 

At any rate, what we love about cruising is that everyone is free to do whatever they want and dont have to explain it to anyone.

 

Doug

Edited September 22, 2020 by spunks

[cruiselvr04]

Our life has gone on without cruising.  However the DH said last night as he was going to sleep how much he wished we could go again out of the blue.  So I know he misses it too.  We miss travel in general as we also used to take long weekend trips or see the kids in nearby states. We’ve taken one weekend trip in 6 months where we had originally planned 4 that were cancelled. 

 

We have a long land trip planned for October.  I’m not as excited about it as I would be if it was a cruise and still wondering if we will be bored in the evening without entertainment. Since it’s to the Keys we will still be taking “excursions” like snorkel and kayaking.  I think the music is coming back there but we don’t feel comfortable inside places so we will see.

 

I’m starting to look at American river cruising.  It’s expensive but a way to see some of the US in a small ship environment.  We may want to start there when things open up.  

 

[2chiefs]

16 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Laura is afraid of missing ship

Sallie is the same way

[SilkySal]

Tom and I started cruising several years ago when his dad (now deceased) took us and all of his 9 kids with spouses on our first cruise (Hawaii). Tom and I were hooked! We continued to cruise once every other year, then once a year, and now 2-3x per year. He just retired this month and we're planning to continue to cruise as often as we can. Our Feb/March 2021 Aus/NZ cruise is on our bucket list but may end up leaking out of it. Our next one is the 5-night November 29th from Miami on Explorer for a B2B to the 9-night ABC's. We will (hopefully) turn D+ on the first leg! It's a long way from you P's but we're enjoying climbing that ladder! 

 

Since we haven't been able to cruise, DH bought us a new 2020 Dodge Ram for his birthday! It's a blue pearl color, reminds us of the Caribbean! Haha!

 

In answer to your question, yes, we miss cruising for the socialization, meeting new friends, and being pampered. We are prepared to wear masks, social distance, sanitize, and take whatever steps are necessary to cruise again!! 

 

CHEERS to all of our friends and future friends!!

SilkySal and TrailbossTom

 

[John&LaLa]

Apparently my TA took my original post as a challenge. Came up with something to good to say no🤣🤣

[firefly333]

3 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

Apparently my TA took my original post as a challenge. Came up with something to good to say no🤣🤣

Mine did too, so now I have one more booking than I had before you started the thread.

 

As far as life after cruising the problem is my friends are as old or older. No more duplicate bridge games and other things going on I used to do. Puts the emphasis on what I can do online like look at cruises. Everything is cancelled. Not just cruises. 

[crookedhalo]

DH and I stepped off Carnival Breeze on 2/1/20 - just as all of this was breaking loose. We found ourselves less impressed/satisfied on the cruise (food quality and short staff). We have one booked for end of 2021, but may or maynot go on it depending on how everything opens up and the strictures (won't do ship excursions, no way no how).

 

But that being said, we had been looking and thinking about what retirement will bring and decided that a RV would give us a lot of opportunities after we retire. The original window was to possibly buy one next year for short trips before retirement. Yeah, so found a great deal on one on Mothers Day this year...we've been out for at least a long weekend every month since then and have two more scheduled for October and November.  It's different, but gets us out of the house and we are safely socially distant. We are so happy we decided to pull the trigger earlier than anticipated, as you can't find many RVs on lots right now - only drawback is that the campgrounds are hard to find a spot in without ressies 😞, but it can be done :).  Planning is underway for early next year!

 

 

[molly361]

18 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

Apparently my TA took my original post as a challenge. Came up with something to good to say no🤣🤣

 

18 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Mine did too, so now I have one more booking than I had before you started the thread.

 

As far as life after cruising the problem is my friends are as old or older. No more duplicate bridge games and other things going on I used to do. Puts the emphasis on what I can do online like look at cruises. Everything is cancelled. Not just cruises. 

Bad TA😇

[johnjen]

I'm sure all of us miss it to an extent, but after the cancellation and COVID, we're thinking much differently. An alternative summer for 2021 is already in the making in the event of yet another cancellation.

[alfaeric]

Miss cruising, for sure. Should be in Europe now for a trip and cruise and miss it a lot.  
 

But we are finding alternatives that will extend into the future at the same time, like towing a small RV around the Great Lakes. Having water so close is a lot like having a balcony. 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

I readily admit I am perplexed by the notion of an RV trip as a replacement for cruising. It seems to me RV-ing is 180 degrees from the cruise experience.

 

If people said they were going to AI resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico, I'd get it. AI resorts seem like land based cruises to me; all your meals, housekeeping, resort activities and day time excursions are extra and optional.

 

But RV-ing you have to cook your own meals, make your own bed, keep the RV clean on your own as well as driving to your camp site/park and doing your own set-ups and hook-ups. I'm not opposed to RV-ing, but it is a very different experience than cruising. I feel stress when I camp/RV. I never do when I cruise.

[MISTER 67]

At this point all I'd like is any kind of vacation. We haven't been anywhere except a few day trips in Florida no more than 100 miles from home. We did have 3 cruises booked for 2020 including one that was booked for March 28, 2 weeks after the lockdown started. We haven't eaten in a restaurant since March 14th, still afraid to stay in a hotel. We pack sandwiches and water on our day trips. We miss cruising but if it's not 100% safe from Covid we aren't going. What's keeping me going is playing golf 3-4 times a week but I always broke up my golf with a cruise 3 times a year, right now I need a break from golf as I've played every week since our last cruise in November of 2019.

Edited September 23, 2020 by MISTER 67

[BecciBoo]

I thought we'd be ok with it but the angst is creeping up now...more than a year without one and we are really missing it.  Ports are really no big thing, we enjoy being on the water and ship so we wish they'd get the vaccine already.  We've had building a new home this year to keep us busy, but now it's finished and we need a break away for a change.  RVing...been there done that, but we did like it, but I have to agree, it's more work than I'm willing to do now.  Nothing in our experience is more relaxing than a cruise...even with the return and laundry after.  We will be back as soon as is humanly possible.

[mets07]

1 hour ago, MISTER 67 said:

We haven't eaten in a restaurant since March 14th, still afraid to stay in a hotel.

That would be tough for me, too. We returned to restaurants as soon as we could (mid-June, approx). We have stayed in a few hotels as well (brought our own cleaning supplies to "supplement" and just in case). So far, so good.

 

I hope things get a little different for you soon. I know everyone has to make their own decisions based on their personal situation and comfort level. 

 

Here is to future cruising!