Remarried a Non cruiser and have agreed to only 4 cruises after retirement

[Chas2crews]

On 1/20/2022 at 2:45 PM, Ferry_Watcher said:

Busiest day at Pier 91, with the Ovation and Solstice in port at the same time.  Glad you found a cruise that suits everyone.   I know Pier 91 fairly well, and I post on the West Coast Departures sub topic page.

 

I also post a lot reminding people to have the correct travel documents (the very least a gov't issued birth certificate).  Since you are a veteran cruiser I know you know what is needed.  It's never too early checking passport (or passport cards) expiration dates, or gathering gov't issued birth certificates.

Again, you are onto something. Figured out wife and stepson passports expired TWO days before boarding.  All done now through expedited processing, but for others, it is NEVER too early to check.  Sorry for the caps.  

[Ferry_Watcher]

44 minutes ago, Chas2crews said:

Again, you are onto something. Figured out wife and stepson passports expired TWO days before boarding.  All done now through expedited processing, but for others, it is NEVER too early to check.  Sorry for the caps.  

So glad that you checked.  You would be surprised at the number of passengers who arrive without the correct travel documents.  Last season was awful because so many assumed that since there was no port-of-call in Canada that a simple driver's license was all that was needed.  Just double check that no one in your extended party is planning to travel with just a Real ID Driver's License (different from an Enhanced Driver's License).  Basically, if someone is not traveling on a current passport, then they need a gov't issued birth certificate w/photo ID.

 

Question for you - you had mentioned that you had a dedicated savings for your cruise travel plans, and you stated that you planned to spend it out in a 'blaze of glory'.  Are you still planning to take a cruise or two after this family cruise (which I am guessing you may be gifting everyone), or this this big blended family cruise your 'blaze of glory'?  If the question is too personal, no need to answer my friend!

[Chas2crews]

Nothing too personal.  Yet. After the family cruise, I have a solo Transatlantic on Silversea. That will be #1.  I will want to do Capetown to Portugal, maybe on Seabourn.  That’s #2. I need a Panama Canal passage (but also would like to hit Brazil), so maybe someone goes north from Lima, through the Canal, then down to Rio.  That’s #3. Number 4 should be Singapore to Athens.  That would be the end.  (I hate missing the Galapagos, but maybe that is a land visit like in the Jodi Piccoult book.).
 

The good news/bad news is that for the most part, solo likely costs about the same as the two of us, so I would be in position for the spouse to join if there’s a change of philosophy.  And if there is a change in philosophy, maybe there will be more than 4.  But by then, I will have blown my splurge budget and have to be back on RCCL, Celebrity, NCL.  Which then goes against the old marriage philosophy, “Never start something that you can’t afford to keep up.”  If someone likes four luxury cruises, it may be hard to say let’s drop back to the mass market lines.  

[TeaBag]

So glad that you have booked a cruise.  I wish you had booked it out of Vancouver (not biased, of course) as the inside passage between the mainland and Vancouver Island is spectacular scenery and smooth seas.  When you sail from Seattle you sail west of Vancouver Island in the open sea and I hope it is not rough for you as that might turn your wife off cruising.  We want her to LOVE this cruise and maybe even want you to book another while on board!

I was also going to suggest a river cruise.  We did Budapest to Amsterdam on AMA and it was wonderful.  Sail at night and wake up in another lovely European city.

I hope you both enjoy your first cruise together.

[Chas2crews]

2 hours ago, TeaBag said:

So glad that you have booked a cruise.  I wish you had booked it out of Vancouver (not biased, of course) as the inside passage between the mainland and Vancouver Island is spectacular scenery and smooth seas.  When you sail from Seattle you sail west of Vancouver Island in the open sea and I hope it is not rough for you as that might turn your wife off cruising.  We want her to LOVE this cruise and maybe even want you to book another while on board!

I was also going to suggest a river cruise.  We did Budapest to Amsterdam on AMA and it was wonderful.  Sail at night and wake up in another lovely European city.

I hope you both enjoy your first cruise together.

Thanks for the optimism, TeaBag, and she is a Vancouver fan. as we took The Canadian train trip there from Toronto.  I think we booked this Seattle departure at a time when the Canadian port concept was unclear.  Fingers crossed!

[iancal]

I do not understand some of the issues.   I want to, and plan to,  join a post covid, a tour group to India for 14-18 days.

 

My spouse has no desire whatsoever to go and will not go. 

 

 No issue.  She encourages me to go solo without her since it is on my bucket list.    We can meet up afterwards and go forward with our travel plans.  Yes, the cost of a solo tour may be higher but so what?  It is no more expensive that if both of us joined the tour.

[Seamus6]

On 5/16/2021 at 7:01 PM, Chas2crews said:

Seamus, I like your approach.  It is not so much total terror but the health issues and not seeing land.  I think I will try to sneak in an Alaska cruise as a possibility since it is probably the best way to see the 49th state first time through and land is frequently visible.  My one challenge is since luxury cruises are going to be my splurge, I hate the idea of doing it on an Alaska run where I have been a few times land and sea. So, we’ll noodle on it. 

 

I do think Alaska my be a good choice and as someone else suggested, a river cruise would be even better.  My Mom had been apprehensive about the same thing and ABSOLUTELY wouldn't fly.  When I suggested a cruise out of Baltimore and everyone else wanted to go, she relented.  So DH and I treated my Mom, Dad, and sister to a cruise on the Carnival Pride.  My Mom enojyed sitting out on the balcony and watching us go out or into port, then realized one time that she stayed out there well past when you could see land and didn't notice.  Also even before that, she was so busy on the ship, she didn't have time to think about it!

 

Apparently, she did occasionally think about the fact that we sailed on 100 years, to the day, of the sinking of the Titanic! whoops!

[Chas2crews]

11 minutes ago, seamus69 said:

Apparently, she did occasionally think about the fact that we sailed on 100 years, to the day, of the sinking of the Titanic! whoops!

Yes, that April 14 day always makes you do a double take if you’re on a ship.