What does it say that we are still on Cruise Critic, reading and posting, with no cruises?

[cl.klink]

Virtually none of us have been on a cruise in nearly a year, and yet many (me included) are reading Cruise Critic daily, or near daily, and new topics and posts still come out.  I'm surprised and impressed we still have anything to post and discuss.  Mostly it's about the virus, vaccinations, virus related changes in our lives, cancelled cruises, credits and refunds, when and how cruising may/should return, how we or others should act when cruises return, and how governments and people and cultures and businesses (including cruise lines) are handling all of this.  But I think it's interesting, and in a way kinda good, that we keep coming here to have these discussions.

 

As a fun exercise, I went to February and March 2020 posts and re-read the topics.  The dominant themes where trip reviews, what ship or cabin to get or avoid, complaints and comments about food, loyalty perks, drink packages, horrible or wonderful customer service, judgments about other passengers' behaviors, what to do / see in ports.  These comments now read as petty from our current perspective, or at least read as not knowing how good we actually had it at the time. The first posts about the virus focused on the narrow limits of people or geography or bad behavior that a poster then thought was limiting the virus to other people and surely would not affect the rest of us.  With our 20:20 hindsight, these posts now read as optimistic wishful thinking or just the ignorance we had back then.  Makes me wonder what we (or others) will think a year or so from now, when reading the posts we are putting out now?

 

- Joel

[dani negreanu]

Keeping the hope....

 

On the day I was supposed to be on the 1st Apex revenue cruise, I've started a thread on Royal's board (I have "dual" citizenship -- X and RC) about how are we doing during the lock down.... lots of participants just reminiscence about past cruise, past shore excursions, fond memories... now how some of us managed to get the vaccines and how are we feeling after, etc. (well done, Dr. Joel 😁)

 

Until we'll cruise again.... feel free to join the "routine" 

 

[Ashland]

Keeping updated on what will become of the cruises we still have booked and options available.

[chemmo]

Reading and posting on CC reminds me of fabulous times past and fills me with hope there are many more amazing times to come...

[SeaHunt]

I think still being here shows that cruising has become a big part of our life ☺️

 

I was cruising when cruising wasn't "cool" LOL. And I guess I'll continue until I can't make it up another gangway! 😁

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, SeaHunt said:

I think still being here shows that cruising has become a big part of our life ☺️

 

I was cruising when cruising wasn't "cool" LOL. And I guess I'll continue until I can't make it up another gangway! 😁

Nothing like an awesome Barbara Mandrell analogy, love it!

[ipeeinthepool]

What else are you going to do during a global pandemic?

[LGW59]

3 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

Keeping the hope....

 

On the day I was supposed to be on the 1st Apex revenue cruise, I've started a thread on Royal's board (I have "dual" citizenship -- X and RC) about how are we doing during the lock down.... lots of participants just reminiscence about past cruise, past shore excursions, fond memories... now how some of us managed to get the vaccines and how are we feeling after, etc. (well done, Dr. Joel 😁)

 

Until we'll cruise again.... feel free to join the "routine" 

I'll take 3 fried eggs over easy and please drop a slice of that cheese on top.

 

[sdnich]

I have some  friends and family that think we are crazy to want to get back on a cruise ship .We just booked two in the last couple weeks! But most of the people that think  we are crazy never liked and  some never tried but knew they would not like it .So I like reading information from like minded people.

We only do one cruise per year because we like to do land trips also !! Heading back to Puerto Vallarta next month!!

Edited January 17, 2021 by sdnich

[LGW59]

5 minutes ago, sdnich said:

I have some  friends and family that think we are crazy to want to get back on a cruise ship .We just booked two in the last couple weeks! But most of the people that thought we are crazy never liked and  some never tried but knew they would not like it .So I like reading information from like minded people.

We only do one cruise per year because we like to do land trips also !! Heading back to Puerto Vallarta next month!!

Jealous sdnich!  When we lived in San Diego used to go frequently to PV, Ensenada and Mexican wine country, so lovely.  Enjoy your vacation.

[sdnich]

Thank you we will ! We love PV and the direct 2.5hr flight is great!! We had Covid in Dec . So for now we are free to move about ! But still taking precautions! And hopefully in a few months we will be vaccinated!!

[downsmead]

34 minutes ago, sdnich said:

I have some  friends and family that think we are crazy to want to get back on a cruise ship .We just booked two in the last couple weeks! But most of the people that think  we are crazy never liked and  some never tried but knew they would not like it .So I like reading information from like minded people.

We only do one cruise per year because we like to do land trips also !! Heading back to Puerto Vallarta next month!!

We love PV and visit often though it is an 11 hour flight for us. We were hoping to visit the East Coast last year, both on a cruise and a land trip 😞.

Edited January 17, 2021 by downsmead

[tallnthensome]

It gives me hope but the reality is I read the forums out of sheer boredom now .

[Ken the cruiser]

If nothing else, CC helps feed our cruising addiction until it starts up again! 

 

It's funny, 9 years ago when we started cruising out of curiosity, we limited ourselves to 7-10 day cruises and never knew about CC. However, for the past few years, those cruise lengths have steadily increased to 3-5 weeks, 3-4 times a year, with CC becoming an integral part of the experience and proving to be a great asset when it comes to getting the inside scoop on the intricacies of cruising!

 

Thank you CC for being there for us all!! You help us keep the dream alive until we're finally able once again to start cruising!!

Edited January 17, 2021 by Ken the cruiser

[lyndarra]

5 hours ago, cl.klink said:

Virtually none of us have been on a cruise in nearly a year, and yet many (me included) are reading Cruise Critic daily, or near daily, and new topics and posts still come out.  I'm surprised and impressed we still have anything to post and discuss.  Mostly it's about the virus, vaccinations, virus related changes in our lives, cancelled cruises, credits and refunds, when and how cruising may/should return, how we or others should act when cruises return, and how governments and people and cultures and businesses (including cruise lines) are handling all of this.  But I think it's interesting, and in a way kinda good, that we keep coming here to have these discussions.

 

As a fun exercise, I went to February and March 2020 posts and re-read the topics.  The dominant themes where trip reviews, what ship or cabin to get or avoid, complaints and comments about food, loyalty perks, drink packages, horrible or wonderful customer service, judgments about other passengers' behaviors, what to do / see in ports.  These comments now read as petty from our current perspective, or at least read as not knowing how good we actually had it at the time. The first posts about the virus focused on the narrow limits of people or geography or bad behavior that a poster then thought was limiting the virus to other people and surely would not affect the rest of us.  With our 20:20 hindsight, these posts now read as optimistic wishful thinking or just the ignorance we had back then.  Makes me wonder what we (or others) will think a year or so from now, when reading the posts we are putting out now?

 

- Joel

"Don't it always seem to go

That you don't know what you've got

Till it's gone"  - Joni Mitchell, Big Yellow Taxi

[cruisequeen4ever]

So true! Cruise Critic provides a degree of normalcy even when we talk about COVID. I look forward to being able to participate in fun, trivial posts again on here. To cruising once again! 🥂

[hcat]

Hope Springs Eternal!

[LuAnn]

I must admit I'm not reading daily as I did pre pandemic...more 1X a week..but I can't wait to get back on the water..really missing it as I think most CCers are as well!!! Keep the faith!! 🙂

[Germancruiser]

7 hours ago, SeaHunt said:

I think still being here shows that cruising has become a big part of our life ☺️

 

I was cruising when cruising wasn't "cool" LOL. And I guess I'll continue until I can't make it up another gangway! 😁

Exactly- same here- and when I can not make it up the gangway- somebody has to shove my wheelchair.

I even managed to cruise in July and October 2020- a totaly new experience- but a relaxing and memorable one nevertheless.

Edited January 18, 2021 by Germancruiser

[donaldsc]

I am bored.  What else is there to do?  Either that or watch Below Deck which is I guess is a cruising program.

 

DON

[BoozinCroozin]

That we are bored and missing vacations. Someone asked me why not go to a hotel or rent a cabin. I said if I did, it would be doing the same thing I do at home now, but I would be paying to do it. 

[sydbarrett]

I was just thinking, this time last year I was worried about earthquakes and seasickness! Little did I know 😅

[ilikeanswers]

If I can't travel at least it is nice to talk about travel with whatever topics that are possible in this strange new world😉

[SelectSys]

21 hours ago, cl.klink said:

Makes me wonder what we (or others) will think a year or so from now, when reading the posts we are putting out now?

 

How crazy everything was?  How naïve we all were? - assuming more curves ahead.  Really hard to say at this point.

 

17 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

What else are you going to do during a global pandemic?

 

Good point!  

 

22 hours ago, cl.klink said:

Mostly it's about the virus, vaccinations, virus related changes in our lives, cancelled cruises, credits and refund

 

My use of Cruise Critic has completely changed.  I used to go on line a bit before my cruises to learn a bit about the "latest" regarding some cruise and/or destination information.  

 

The one underlying thing that hasn't changed is that this site is strictly for entertainment purposes only.

 

5 hours ago, BoozinCroozin said:

Someone asked me why not go to a hotel or rent a cabin. I said if I did, it would be doing the same thing I do at home now

 

I have gone on 2 land vacations to a neighboring state over the last year and stayed in hotels.  I enjoyed the break from home and the change of scenery.

 

3 hours ago, sydbarrett said:

I was just thinking, this time last year I was worried about earthquakes 

 

Why the worry regarding earthquakes?

[Aquahound]

On 1/17/2021 at 9:29 AM, cl.klink said:

As a fun exercise, I went to February and March 2020 posts and re-read the topics.  The dominant themes where trip reviews, what ship or cabin to get or avoid, complaints and comments about food, loyalty perks, drink packages, horrible or wonderful customer service, judgments about other passengers' behaviors, what to do / see in ports. 

 

Oh, how I long to get back to that.  Best yet was the wide variety of CC posters frequenting this board.  Unfortunately, much of the Ask a Cruise Question board has been hijacked and several members quit posting.  I cannot wait for that reset button to get hit.