Where would you live to cruise ?

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

When Publishers Clearing House really does make a house call, Fort Lauderdale:  here I come, buying a condo in one of those channel side buildings.  Don't care for Florida summers, so, then, I think I would return to my Ohio home.  Or, maybe a home along the shores of the Puget Sound to enjoy the Pacific Northwest and Alaskan cruises.

 

My grandparents moved to FTL from Chicago in the early 1970s. They bought a house along that inlet you mention (the POA condos went up a few years later, I think...)  The grandparents were not RIGHT on the inlet but about 5 houses back along one of the intersecting streets. But we could see the ships entering and exiting the port quite well through a gap at the end of the street. My grandmother, bless her heart, would give my friend and I a dime every time we saw a cruise ship and alerted her in time to come out in the front yard and watch it. We got a nickel for a freighter.  Many days that's how we earned money for the afternoon ice cream truck.

 

I drive by that house every once in a while when getting on a ship in FTL.  It's still there, greatly expanded and fancified.

 

 

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I visited friends in Fort Pierce for several years during different seasons and actually think that kind of a community could be good for year round living as long as your home was East of I-95.  Summers would be mostly indoors or on the beach on Hutchinson Island.  

 

 

My parents also retired to Fort Lauderdale but as they aged, they found the traffic and hustle a bit much, so they moved up to a lovely condo on the beach at Hutchinson Island.

 

While the condo was stellar, the location really wasn't good for them. They knew their way around FTL, my dad worked part-time which kept him busy, and my mom volunteered as a docent. They had a circle of friends that they'd meet up with every nice day and go to the beach. They didn't swim a lot but they got out and got some exercise, socialized, etc.

 

At the new condo many of the owners were not there year-round and the building only held a small number of total units. They basically ended up just staying in their condo all day except when they were cruising/traveling.  IMO it was not a good decision for them to move.

[Nebr.cruiser]

10 hours ago, bonsai3s said:

Nebr.cruiser...I read all the previous post...all of them were good responses...but we feel exactly the same as you...we are also "spoiled living in a peaceful and rural location".  * We see cows from our backyard and can fish for trout down the river.

 

OP, "can I cruise,"...Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

We seriously thought about this question years ago...

* We started donating all of our "stuff"...so we'll have very little to move.

* Our goal was cruising...but we had to be near a hospital, an airport, and Costco. 😁

* After extensive research...we had it down to 4 locations in Florida.

 

Just before making the move, the pandemic hit.  It gave us time to reflect and re-assess our choices and situation. Ultimately, we realized we are already "where we're suppose to be".  Having to fly everywhere has been and will be costly...but being surrounded by acres upon acres of vineyards, oranges, and blueberries is not so bad.

Sounds like us.  I can fish from my deck, paddle board, swim, jet ski, etc. right from our dock.  A huge beach is next door.  We also have 111 acres of wild land for walking and wildlife.

 

So, it's pretty perfect; that is, from about May through October.:) We have tried vacations in several areas in Florida, South Texas, been to California quite a bit, etc.  Haven't found a place we'd want to spend a whole winter at. (maybe Hawaii, but then, wow, expensive and far away)

 

So, even though flying out of Omaha is far from ideal (120 miles away) we will take multiple cruises and trips during the worst months here and enjoy the peace the rest of the time.

[ldubs]

California - Great weather and family nearby.  Otherwise it sucks. 

 

PS: I can fly SFO to whatever cruise port we need.  😃

[Flatbush Flyer]

13 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Personally, Florida wouldn't work for me, as few of the cruises from those ports are of any interest.

 

If I moved close to a cruise port, Sydney would be the first choice, with Southampton a close 2nd, as it has some great cruises and has ready access to many great European ports.

Though we’d never leave the perfection of NorCal, add me to the pro-Sydney folks.

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 hours ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

....So, it's pretty perfect; that is, from about May through October.:) We have tried vacations in several areas in Florida, South Texas, been to California quite a bit, etc.  Haven't found a place we'd want to spend a whole winter at. (maybe Hawaii, but then, wow, expensive and far away)...

And this points to a major factor in why many retirees head to Florida despite its stifling summer humidity (and all the other shortcomings): $$$ (or lack of it).

There are far better places to “hang you hat” Want the year round Med climate, beaches, geography and little humidity? Go to San Diego. Of course, the cost of housing there eliminates that choice for many whose Florida decision is based primarily on budget. 

[Nebr.cruiser]

8 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

And this points to a major factor in why many retirees head to Florida despite its stifling summer humidity (and all the other shortcomings): $$$ (or lack of it).

There are far better places to “hang you hat” Want the year round Med climate, beaches, geography and little humidity? Go to San Diego. Of course, the cost of housing there eliminates that choice for many whose Florida decision is based primarily on budget. 

I agree, San Diego's climate is pretty perfect; but, it's a city and, of course, as you mentioned, very expensive. I think the days of finding affordable places to live in the US near the ocean are past.  We are open to other countries for longer winter stays, but so far just taking several trips per winter helps.

[Flatbush Flyer]

26 minutes ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

I agree, San Diego's climate is pretty perfect; but, it's a city and, of course, as you mentioned, very expensive. I think the days of finding affordable places to live in the US near the ocean are past.  We are open to other countries for longer winter stays, but so far just taking several trips per winter helps.

Remember that San Diego is also a county and areas outside the City of San Diego have pockets of relative affordability for housing. Smart buyers looking at coastal California locations learn quickly how to pick areas on the cusp of gentrification or at the junction of suburban and rural communities near major cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco.

As for “expensive,” not really -when you compare “apples to apples” like LA or SF to NYC or Boston. Perhaps a more accurate comment would be that water adjacent properties in the Southern US (whether on the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico side are relatively inexpensive (though it does come at the cost of humidity, hurricanes et al.  . 

[Markanddonna]

I'm with the group that seeks more than beach vacations. I love international travel and history, so living close to a hub airport would be ideal. Currently, we don't. However, the cost of moving and settling in a new area away from family isn't appealing nor does it make sense just for cruising. I treat cruising more like a great way to travel to where I really want to go. The Caribbean and Mexico aren't where I want to travel.

[whogo]

We need at least two flights to reach a cruise port, basically a day in airports and planes both ways, no fun at all. Our solution is to take longer cruises.  Can I Cruise, if your plan is to cruise six months of the year, perhaps the solution is to stay where you are and take only two or three cruises to reach your half year goal.

[Z'Loth]

A little under 3½ years ago, I had the opportunity to job relocate from Sacramento, CA to the DFW area, something that I very enthusiastic in taking, both in hating what the state of California had become especially in quality of life aspects as well as the opportunities that DFW area would bring. One of the appeals was the travel opportunities that both Dallas Love Field (home field of Southwest Airlines) and DFW International (home field of American Airlines) offer in comparison to Sacramento "International". Also, I'm looking at doing more than just "cruises". 

[Aquahound]

On 5/31/2022 at 10:43 PM, Can I Cruise said:

I'm starting on a 2-year plan (of research) to move closer to a cruise port, so I can spend at least half the year cruising. Florida appeals to me because of the number of ports, though the weather is a worry, unless I'm sitting in a pool, lol.. 

Has anyone moved for that reason or have any thoughts on what might or what might not work ?

Thank you,

Aunt Lydia

 

I live on the west coast now and I cannot wait to get back to Florida.  There are so many great reasons to live there beyond the multitude of cruise choices; not the least of which is friendly people who actually know how to communicate with one another instead of always judging.  

 

That said, despite the multitude of cruises, the itineraries do get old after a while.  How many times can one stomach going to Nassau?  Of course, being near so many major airports also makes transatlantic flights easier too.

 

Good luck with wherever you decide to hang your hat.  🙂

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, Z'Loth said:

A little under 3½ years ago, I had the opportunity to job relocate from Sacramento, CA to the DFW area, something that I very enthusiastic in taking, both in hating what the state of California had become especially in quality of life aspects as well as the opportunities that DFW area would bring. One of the appeals was the travel opportunities that both Dallas Love Field (home field of Southwest Airlines) and DFW International (home field of American Airlines) offer in comparison to Sacramento "International". Also, I'm looking at doing more than just "cruises". 

Of course, what you haven’t mentioned is the surprise all those who move away from California face when they’ve had enough of Texas or Florida and want to go back to California where they are now priced out of the housing market.

Gotta ask what you think “California has become.”

[Mary229]

2 hours ago, Z'Loth said:

A little under 3½ years ago, I had the opportunity to job relocate from Sacramento, CA to the DFW area, something that I very enthusiastic in taking, both in hating what the state of California had become especially in quality of life aspects as well as the opportunities that DFW area would bring. One of the appeals was the travel opportunities that both Dallas Love Field (home field of Southwest Airlines) and DFW International (home field of American Airlines) offer in comparison to Sacramento "International". Also, I'm looking at doing more than just "cruises". 

Hello neighbor.  We are in the same town.  We moved here many years ago for opportunity and quality and cost of living.  We have not been disappointed.  I feel our nest egg is likely double of what it would have been if we had stayed in our home regions.  We travel at will. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 minute ago, Mary229 said:

Hello neighbor.  We are in the same town.  We moved here many years ago for opportunity and quality and cost of living.  We have not been disappointed.  I feel our nest egg is likely double of what it would have been if we had stayed in our home regions.  We travel at will. 

Yes- Sacramento (and its environs) is a special space- affordable and conveniently located between SF and Lake Tahoe.  

[Mary229]

2 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Yes- Sacramento (and its environs) is a special space- affordable and conveniently located between SF and Lake Tahoe.  

I was speaking of DFW.  I can’t speak to California as we have never lived there. We are both not originally from Texas.

[Cruzaholic41]

26 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Of course, what you haven’t mentioned is the surprise all those who move away from California face when they’ve had enough of Texas or Florida and want to go back to California 

LOL!  That is the plight of no one, ever. 🤣

[Can I Cruise]

5 hours ago, whogo said:

We need at least two flights to reach a cruise port, basically a day in airports and planes both ways, no fun at all. Our solution is to take longer cruises.  Can I Cruise, if your plan is to cruise six months of the year, perhaps the solution is to stay where you are and take only two or three cruises to reach your half year goal.

After reading the posts, I'm beginning to think the same and have wondered if I SHOULD have asked.......how do you plan your cruises for a 6-month period. 

I've read some blogs where a primary cruise is planned and then dove-tail to ones before and after the main one.

 

Pre-covid, I would cruise Alaska 6-7 times a season, as being on the west coast + the ability to get a last-minute deal was easy. I also flew to Long Beach a few times a year to get on a Baja Mexico cruise , fly to Long Beach for  (many) 4-night cruises to Ensenada and at least once to FL to cruise BTB  because the airfare was higher than the cruise itself. 

With flights rates going up, I would like to simplify and lessen my cruise prep. 

 

Personally, I have no qualms in moving- family has grown and live all over the US. I'm on my own and have found communities in most places I've lived in- from east coast to midwest to west coast. 

After travelling to Europe via transatlantic cruises, I wish I was younger and applied to be an expat, as a few suggested having a base in Europe for a season of cruising and that also sounds attractive.

Edited June 2, 2022 by Can I Cruise
Blonde or Brain

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

  Many days that's how we earned money for the afternoon ice cream truck.

 

😄    That's a cute memory.  Thanks for sharing it.

 

20 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

My grandparents moved to FTL from Chicago in the early 1970s. They bought a house along that inlet you mention (the POA condos went up a few years later, I think...)  The grandparents were not RIGHT on the inlet but about 5 houses back along one of the intersecting streets. But we could see the ships entering and exiting the port quite well through a gap at the end of the street. My grandmother, bless her heart, would give my friend and I a dime every time we saw a cruise ship and alerted her in time to come out in the front yard and watch it. We got a nickel for a freighter.  Many days that's how we earned money for the afternoon ice cream truck.

 

I drive by that house every once in a while when getting on a ship in FTL.  It's still there, greatly expanded and fancified.

 

 

 

My parents also retired to Fort Lauderdale but as they aged, they found the traffic and hustle a bit much, so they moved up to a lovely condo on the beach at Hutchinson Island.

 

While the condo was stellar, the location really wasn't good for them. They knew their way around FTL, my dad worked part-time which kept him busy, and my mom volunteered as a docent. They had a circle of friends that they'd meet up with every nice day and go to the beach. They didn't swim a lot but they got out and got some exercise, socialized, etc.

 

At the new condo many of the owners were not there year-round and the building only held a small number of total units. They basically ended up just staying in their condo all day except when they were cruising/traveling.  IMO it was not a good decision for them to move.

 

I don't know how my friends felt after they moved to Fort Pierce, but, the wide circle of friends that they had here seemed to have forgotten them when they left town.  Two couples had moved to Florida and lived elsewhere than Fort Pierce and I know that there were infrequent visits with them.  A very small number of us who knew them well kept in touch with them and an even smaller number of us visited them.  A few years ago, the surviving member of my friends returned for a visit.  She stayed with me and I arranged a reunion.  Well attended and a good time was had by everyone; just like the olden days.  Even that did not precipitate others to visit her.  I was saddened by this.  

 

Moving to an entirely new community can be a major sociological change for some that may be dealt with well--or not--by people.  

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, Can I Cruise said:

After reading the posts, I'm beginning to think the same and have wondered if I SHOULD have asked.......how do you plan your cruises for a 6-month period. 

I've read some blogs where a primary cruise is planned and then dove-tail to ones before and after the main one.

 

Pre-covid, I would cruise Alaska 6-7 times a season, as being on the west coast + the ability to get a last-minute deal was easy. I also flew to Long Beach a few times a year to get on a Baja Mexico cruise , fly to Long Beach for  (many) 4-night cruises to Ensenada and at least once to FL to cruise BTB  because the airfare was higher than the cruise itself. 

With flights rates going up, I would like to simplify and lessen my cruise prep. 

 

Personally, I have no qualms in moving- family has grown and live all over the US. I'm on my own and have found communities in most places I've lived in- from east coast to midwest to west coast. 

After travelling to Europe via transatlantic cruises, I wish I was younger and applied to be an expat, as a few suggested having a base in Europe for a season of cruising and that also sounds attractive.

I will butt in since we have often taken long cruises (measured in months) often with pre-post cruise independent land travel.  If you think in terms of typical 7-10 day cruises it might be difficult to think about how to cruise for months.  But there are many long itineraries marketed by some cruise lines such as HAL, Oceania, Cunard, etc.  Just consider that Oceania markets a 180 day round the world cruise which quickly sells out.  But many cruisers on those long cruises only book certain segments so you might find somebody on a ship for 60 days even though the entire cruise is much longer.  While some cruisers think in terms of putting a few cruises together (i.e. back to backs) there are other lines (and cruisers) that think in terms of "segments."  

 

I will give you a simple example.  Last year we booked a 27 day cruise which was actually 13 days from Miami to Lisbon and then 14 days from Lisbon to Monte Carlo.  Our booking was for a single 27 day cruise but we could have booked either of those segments as separate bookings.  Booking the long cruises can involve some various strategies as pricing can vary depending on how and where it is booked.

 

Hank

[ReneeFLL]

23 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Your post made me smile.  Some Floridians might know what I am talking about when I mention "half backs."  These are folks that more to Florida (usually after retirement) and within a few short years move out of Florida to somewhere further north...usually in the Carolinas.  Since the Carolinas are about half way between NY and Florida some call those folks "half backs."

 

Hank

We loved it here for about the first 21 - 22 years, but the last 4 or so years we are  just over what South Florida has become and the weather.

 

4 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Of course, what you haven’t mentioned is the surprise all those who move away from California face when they’ve had enough of Texas or Florida and want to go back to California where they are now priced out of the housing market.

Gotta ask what you think “California has become.”

We thought about moving to San Diego but CA has to many crazy laws. Big Brother sticks their nose into to many things. These are just a few things among the many laws that CA has passed. No thanks.

Gas lawn mowers are banned as of 2024.

They no longer allow the sale of hi-ratio shortening. 

Gas powdered cars and trucks will no longer be sold starting in 2035.

 

[ReneeFLL]

4 hours ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

LOL!  That is the plight of no one, ever. 🤣

👍🏼

[SRQbeachgirl]

We moved from Texas (DFW) to southwest Florida in 2003. Then we spent the last four years in northern Virginia and couldn't wait to get back to Sarasota. Snow is way overrated and the D.C. area is sheer insanity (traffic, politics, real estate prices, taxes, everything). 

 

We love being a short drive from multiple cruise ports and international airports. But the big draw for us is being minutes from some of the best beaches in the country. Lots of outdoor dining year-round, outdoor activities, and entertainment venues.

 

We don't mind the hot weather in the summer (just more excuse to hang out in the pool and at the beach). As for hurricanes, stock up on supplies, roll down the hurricane shutters, and break out the wine. 

[rkacruiser]

7 minutes ago, SRQbeachgirl said:

As for hurricanes, stock up on supplies, roll down the hurricane shutters, and break out the wine. 

 

And fill the bathtub with water---just in case?  

[Tapi]

I lived in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale for many years. Being close to two major ports of embarkation was wonderful for a long time. Even if I wasn’t gong on a cruise, I loved to frequently head to the port area just to watch cruise ships sail out.

 

But there were only so many Caribbean/Bahamas cruises I could take. South Florida’s high cost of living, traffic, insurance costs, insanely high HOA expenses, etc soon outweighed any potential money I was saving by not having to fly to cruise. 
 

I moved to the suburbs of landlocked Atlanta, and interestingly, that move expanded my cruise options. Instead of limiting myself to Caribbean/Bahamas cruises because I could drive to the port, I started looking at cruises all over the world. Living in a city that is home to one of the largest airlines in the world (Delta), all of a sudden I was one flight away from so many places. I could fly nonstop to Rome or Barcelona to cruise the Mediterranean, or nonstop to Tokyo to cruise Asia/Pacific, or nonstop to London to cruise the Norwegian Fjords, or nonstop to São Paulo or Buenos Aires to cruise South America, or nonstop to Vancouver or Seattle to cruise Alaska, etc. In a nutshell, not living in a port city has truly encouraged me to broaden my horizons.

 

The best part about it? My cost of living is considerably lower than when I lived in Miami for a much better quality of life. Nicer house, better schools, lower expenses, lower crime rate, and more money in the bank to take more cruises. 

Edited June 3, 2022 by Tapi

[Nebr.cruiser]

10 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Remember that San Diego is also a county and areas outside the City of San Diego have pockets of relative affordability for housing. Smart buyers looking at coastal California locations learn quickly how to pick areas on the cusp of gentrification or at the junction of suburban and rural communities near major cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco.

As for “expensive,” not really -when you compare “apples to apples” like LA or SF to NYC or Boston. Perhaps a more accurate comment would be that water adjacent properties in the Southern US (whether on the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico side are relatively inexpensive (though it does come at the cost of humidity, hurricanes et al.  . 

Ha, ha, it's pretty expensive compared to M.G. Nebraska--pop. 300 or so!  Of course, I realize San Diego is a large area with many different areas of affordability, rural or semi-rural living.  And maybe even 'affordable' compared to LA or other super expensive places.

 

And US coastal prices in some areas aren't too bad.  We've spent quite a a bit of time at South Padre Island, for instance.  So far, we just haven't found our niche.