Thoughts about cruising- care to share yours?

[Peachypooh]

6 hours ago, pickle11 said:

I never have understood "multiple cruises booked".  That is one long waited appointment.  And then someone to say they have three or four in the next two years.   WHY!   You can only take one cruise at a time.  My next cruise is December 2 on the Bliss.  I rarely book more than a month out.  I have never made a final payment because I pay full the day I book.  Your May cruise is still six months out.  And then you wait on another planned cruise.  I plan on doing at least three more cruises before May and then Alaska again.  I did five weeks in Alaska last season on three different cruise lines.   I was on the Sun when the ship hit the iceberg entering Hubbard Glacier.  Using that FCC on the Bliss through the Panama Canal.

But still all my cruises cost me money.  Cruising is an expensive hobby if you cruise more than four times a year.   I'm glad I have the time, finances and no kids or pets (they need attention when you are gone too) at home to come and go as I please.   I am addicted to cruising. 

Good to know you saved $1K.

My husband and I like the Jewell class ships and have a favorite cabin. If we know we are going to

want to cruise a certain ship and itinerary as soon as it posts we book it. There have been times that we had to cancel for unexpected things that have come up but most of the time we are happy we booked way ahead. That said we only have two or three booked ahead at a time due to finances.

 

Edited November 8, 2022 by Peachypooh

[scooter6139]

We love cruising,  We would love to do it more than once every year or two.  Hopefully when the wife retires from teaching we can open up our sight a bit and branch out a bit more than just West Coast cruising.

 

Personally, I love just being on the ship, doing whatever I want and eating whenever or wherever I want.  Since we have done Mexico and Alaska to death, the destination is no longer really important (my wife disagrees a bit on this).  Let me park my behind in a soft chair or lounger (Observation Lounge anyone?) and read for a few hours while a waiter constantly refills whatever drink fills my fancy (alcoholic or not).  I do not participate in any of the "busy pax" stuff they put on (classes, contests, etc) as I just really don't like those things.  A few shows here and there are fine (as long as they have a break, Footloose on Joy almost destroyed my tailbone).  Enjoying the music of an talented musician is also great (Alexa on the Encore is a must see). 

 

The only part I really despise is being reminded last night to pack, as they want me to leave this happy place.  Boo!   

[ChiefMateJRK]

8 hours ago, pickle11 said:

I never have understood "multiple cruises booked".  That is one long waited appointment.  And then someone to say they have three or four in the next two years.   WHY!   You can only take one cruise at a time.

Well, the simple answer is that "deposits are cheap and refundable, prices often go up and rooms often book up."  My counter question is "why not??"

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, scooter6139 said:

destination is no longer really important (my wife disagrees a bit on this).  Let me park my behind in a soft chair or lounger (Observation Lounge anyone?)

This!!

1 hour ago, scooter6139 said:

Enjoying the music of an talented musician is also great (Alexa on the Encore is a must see). 

I couldn't agree more about Alexa.  I would specifically book a cruise if I knew she would be playing in the obs lounge.

1 hour ago, scooter6139 said:

The only part I really despise is being reminded last night to pack, as they want me to leave this happy place.  Boo!   

That's why B2Bs were created!!

[pickle11]

5 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Well, the simple answer is that "deposits are cheap and refundable, prices often go up and rooms often book up."  My counter question is "why not??"

If you want to tie up money on multiple cruises with deposits then by all means do it.  And NCL has your money.  Like the cruise next program.  Just not my style.  But I do purchase cruise next because I know I will cruise NCL again.  Two max in case I book a balcony.  I'm a shot from the hip person.  Not loyal to any cruise line.  Already looking past Panama Canal.  Lots of cruises on the west coast.

[ChiefMateJRK]

15 minutes ago, pickle11 said:

If you want to tie up money on multiple cruises with deposits then by all means do it

Tie up money?  Really??  It's $250 per booking.  Chump change.  If I invested it at current rates it would net me seven bucks a year.  That's just plain noise, and extremely cheap insurance for protection against fare increases, room unavailability or that dreaded shift to "guaranteed" where they will stick my steerage room actually down in steerage proper.   Besides, some of us derive great pleasure from the hobby of booking early and often.  It's not like I don't have the time. 😎  But, do whatever works for you.  I was just answering your "WHY?"  YMMV.

[pickle11]

21 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

We started cruising back in 2012, when we were in our late 50s, with our first cruise being on the HAL Ryndam. Since then over time it's become an addiction! 😂 

 

For example, once our next cruise, a 38-day B2B on the Jade finishes, we will have cruised over 173 days on 8 different ships and 3 different cruise lines since cruising started back up. What's that saying, never go shopping when you're hungry. Well, needless to say, after 18 months without stepping on a ship, we were a tad hungry to get back to cruising! 🤣 

I like your style.  You got me beat.  Since October 2021 I have 88 sea days on four different lines.  Next December 2 Panama Canal.  That will put over 100.

[pickle11]

4 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Tie up money?  Really??  It's $250 per booking.  Chump change.  If I invested it at current rates it would net me seven bucks a year.  That's just plain noise, and extremely cheap insurance for protection against fare increases, room unavailability or that dreaded shift to "guaranteed" where they will stick my steerage room actually down in steerage proper.   Besides, some of us derive great pleasure from the hobby of booking early and often.  It's not like I don't have the time. 😎  But, do whatever works for you.  I was just answering your "WHY?"  YMMV.

If I miss the cruise I think I may want.  Oh well.  There is always the next week.

[ChiefMateJRK]

4 minutes ago, pickle11 said:

If I miss the cruise I think I may want.  Oh well. 

Why would any of us want to "miss the cruise we want?"

[Laszlo]

Cruising for my wife and I started in 2010, it was going to be one and done just to try it. Our 12th NCL cruise is coming up in January. For us it's a means to an end. Not having the hassle of flying for half of our cruises is really nice. We are booked in a Haven Cabin on our next cruise really excited about that. My fondest memory of a cruise is actually my sadist. My best friend of 40 years passed away in March of 2015 after a 3 year battle for colon cancer. He and his wife always wanted to go on a cruise. So I basically made it happen. Our cruise was in February of 2015, I also surprised him with getting him brother and SIL to go. We had a blast, sadly a few days after we got home he went into hospice.

 

This next cruise is all about relaxation and just sitting on the beach

[pickle11]

14 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Why would any of us want to "miss the cruise we want?"

Because it is a "want" not a need.  I want a lot of things.  I need only a few.  Itineraries tend to duplicate.  I not a trans Atlantic or a reposition type cruiser.  Keep me in the northern hemisphere.

[ChiefMateJRK]

7 minutes ago, pickle11 said:

Because it is a "want" not a need.  I want a lot of things.  I need only a few.  Itineraries tend to duplicate.  I not a trans Atlantic or a reposition type cruiser.  Keep me in the northern hemisphere.

Time to stop digging...  🤣

[Ken the cruiser]

56 minutes ago, pickle11 said:

I like your style.  You got me beat.  Since October 2021 I have 88 sea days on four different lines.  Next December 2 Panama Canal.  That will put over 100.

What's funny, early on we would book 7-11 day cruises with a minimal number of sea days. Then about 4-5 years ago after fulling retiring, we started booking longer 3-5+ week itineraries with more sea days, as the "journey" has become more enjoyable for us than the number of ports we visit.

 

But I have to say, we very much now enjoy going on cruises packed with wildlife destinations. Our favorite cruises so far have been circumnavigating Australia, cruising around the Antarctica Peninsula, going to Alaska, and visiting the Galapagos Islands. But our upcoming Jade B2B cruise from Athens to Dubai then down the east coast of Africa to Cape Town quite likely will wind up close to the top of that list! 😊

[pickle11]

18 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

What's funny, early on we would book 7-11 day cruises with a minimal number of sea days. Then about 4-5 years ago after fulling retiring, we started booking longer 3-5+ week itineraries with more sea days, as the "journey" has become more enjoyable for us than the number of ports we visit.

 

But I have to say, we very much now enjoy going on cruises packed with wildlife destinations. Our favorite cruises so far have been circumnavigating Australia, cruising around the Antarctica Peninsula, going to Alaska, and visiting the Galapagos Islands. But our upcoming Jade B2B cruise from Athens to Dubai then down the east coast of Africa to Cape Town quite likely will wind up close to the top of that list! 😊

The journeys continue.  Happy cruising

[CruzinMel]

11 hours ago, pickle11 said:

I never have understood "multiple cruises booked".  That is one long waited appointment.  And then someone to say they have three or four in the next two years.   WHY!   You can only take one cruise at a time. 

Oh, but Pickle, when you are stuck in the grind of your daily obligations and stress, how marvelous is it to think, "This time next year, I will be floating on a ship . . . ".  I have 2 planned right now, and probably going to book a 3rd - and I will spend all my moments daydreaming about it and planning things to do (or not do) right up until the night I start packing.  TBH, there are days when the cruises are what keep me going.  One day, I will have far fewer obligations, and only myself to please - but that day is a long way off, and this makes me happy for now.  Isn't it cool, though, that everybody gets to do what suits them best?  Maybe that would make you crazy - maybe you just like to GO.  🙂  I would, too!

[pickle11]

On 11/7/2022 at 4:54 AM, herbanrenewal said:

I just returned from the Breakaway cruise to New England and Canada. Before that I was on the Prima Copenhagen, Norway, England, then transatlantic via Iceland. As I unpack my cold weather gear I realized  that I am REALLY looking forward to my next adventure - Panama Canal, warm weather cruise. I loved seeing these northern  places, but the thought of sunshine, swimming, relaxing in the sun has a great deal of appeal.

I started my cruising addiction with Caribbean cruises back decades ago when a rare vacation for a week was long anticipated, planned for, memory-making. Now I'm retired, solo, and spending my life savings following dreams.

I don't know what happened.  Apparently my why isn't a popular way for those that are retired.  Most cruisers are willing to wait.  Maybe you should put down a few deposits first.  Not me.  I just go.   Like I have mentioned.....Off to and through the Panama Canal.

Welcome to anytime cruising.  May your journeys be many.