Nothing Like a Great Cruise Strategy to Make Our Vacation Better!

[smillerholmes]

Slowly raising my hand as a member of the over prepared club.... what a thoughtful well put together assessment.  Gary you are the bestest from a planning perspective. I enthusiastically follow your posts because I know you are trying to provide insights for the masses.  Budget restrictions also prevent me from "currently" experiencing the Haven (never say never!), but I am very content with the suggestions that improve my vacation and trying Premium Plus was definitely part of that.  So, thank you for your continued efforts to improve any potential aspect for us and I'll be wishing you smooth seas on your future cruises.

[Sthrngary]

30 minutes ago, smillerholmes said:

Slowly raising my hand as a member of the over prepared club.... what a thoughtful well put together assessment.  Gary you are the bestest from a planning perspective. I enthusiastically follow your posts because I know you are trying to provide insights for the masses.  Budget restrictions also prevent me from "currently" experiencing the Haven (never say never!), but I am very content with the suggestions that improve my vacation and trying Premium Plus was definitely part of that.  So, thank you for your continued efforts to improve any potential aspect for us and I'll be wishing you smooth seas on your future cruises.

There a way more of us "Over Prepared Club" members that we both know of.  I really appreciate your post. I just picked up my "NEW" journey document for this upcoming cruise.  I will give it my wife as soon as she starts asking me questions.  That should be any day now.  I am prepared for that in a big way.

 

I reference the Haven not as the way to go but an option.  In doing so, I have effected my own situation in a negative way.  Allow me to explain, when I can't go in the Haven due to budget restrictions from SthrnTami my wife, I ALWAYS try a NCL Bid Upgrade.  I NEVER win.  WHY??? I shared so much about the Haven and how to bid that everyone else gets the upgrade bid but me.  I made lots of CruiseCritic.com friends and ended up doing "Haven Lite" which is great as well.  

 

My up coming cruise on December 4, out of New Orleans has over 150 people in the CruiseCritic.com meet & greet.  I will have to miss it because it happens the same time as my wife plays in the finals of the "Casino's at Sea" Slot tournament.  I hope I can meet some of these folks on the ship to put a face with a name.  Thanks again for your very kind words.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, Sthrngary said:

 I really appreciate your post. I just picked up my "NEW" journey document for this upcoming cruise.  I will give it my wife as soon as she starts asking me questions.  That should be any day now.  I am prepared for that in a big way.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

If I gave one to my wife, she wouldn't read it.  She would say, I don't want to read it, I want you to tell me.  She really doesn't do well with instruction manuals.  She just pushes buttons at random and then expects me to know why her computer doesn't work.  It is rumored that she pushed too many buttons at work and shutdown one of NASA's computer systems.

[Sthrngary]

8 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

If I gave one to my wife, she wouldn't read it.  She would say, I don't want to read it, I want you to tell me.  She really doesn't do well with instruction manuals.  She just pushes buttons at random and then expects me to know why her computer doesn't work.  It is rumored that she pushed too many buttons at work and shutdown one of NASA's computer systems.

@RocketMan275 You got me.  You see the flaws in my plan.  I am so ashamed.  I will come clean.  "My wife pushes my buttons all the time. I have been married for 43 years and she does it well."  The truth is, I do that journal for myself.  I hate making mistakes and to have a log of what has been done and support the details makes me feel more secure.  My wife glances at the document but rarely reads past the first few pages.  

 

The difference between our wives seems to be when my lovely bride has a problem, she won't let me help her until she completely gives up.  The TV remote control is a great example.  What is so hard about the instruction, "Press the TV icon, choose the source like Roku, and use the arrows?"  Yesterday, all my blinds came down, the security system went on, and Rap music was playing in every room loud.  I asked, "Honey, what were you trying to do?" She said, turn up the thermostat.  

 

Seriously, my wife will read the Journey Document in the car if we drive or on the plane on the way.  She depends on me to do all the planning and with that comes the frightening thought that I forget something.  "The story of my life, No respect; No respect at all."

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

26 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

"The story of my life, No respect; No respect at all."

Alright "Rodney."  LOL.  Welcome to every man's world. 🤣

[MJC]

I'm the planner in our family. DH will start packing the day before and wonder why I'm too busy to help. Then on the way to the ship he'll ask "what are we doing tomorrow?"

 

I definitely feel second string now (or maybe third) because I only use a Word table for our daily schedules.  🙂

[New2cruise2022]

25 minutes ago, MJC said:

I'm the planner in our family. DH will start packing the day before and wonder why I'm too busy to help. Then on the way to the ship he'll ask "what are we doing tomorrow?"

 

I definitely feel second string now (or maybe third) because I only use a Word table for our daily schedules.  🙂

I’m building mine in Google Doc and then doing a download and import into Notes before we abandon land and WiFi. I will have one printed copy for myself. The rest will be digital for reference. 

[Sthrngary]

14 hours ago, MJC said:

I'm the planner in our family. DH will start packing the day before and wonder why I'm too busy to help. Then on the way to the ship he'll ask "what are we doing tomorrow?"

 

I definitely feel second string now (or maybe third) because I only use a Word table for our daily schedules.  🙂

@MJC From a fellow New Yorker, "Stop It!".  My excessive planning is based on 1) My career which was highly dependent on details and planning; 2) The fact I am retired now and bored out of my mind.  Anyone that loves to plan and had the time I have would do something similar.  

 

Funny story, I was on the NCL Joy, November 2021 for a very long awaited family cruise vacation.  Just like everyone else, it happened after four cancellations.  I could not wait for someone to say, "Are you Sthrngary?  I would love to see your Journey document."  That did NOT happen however someone did say hello and that they "loved the idea of the document".  I said, "wait, I will go back to my suite and get it to show you".  They said, "No that is not necessary".  I did it anyway and ran to my suite.  A group of people in the Haven Lounge were all looking at the Journey document and my wife just rolled her eyes.

 

Who knows, maybe one day, NCL will see this document, these OP-ED's and acknowledge it.  Regardless, It is super fun to do so I will continue doing it. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[smillerholmes]

25 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

That did NOT happen however someone did say hello and that they "loved the idea of the document".  I said, "wait, I will go back to my suite and get it to show you".  They said, "No that is not necessary".  I did it anyway and ran to my suite.  A group of people in the Haven Lounge were all looking at the Journey document and my wife just rolled her eyes.

And there went the coffee all over the keyboard! I can't decide which is my favorite part "ran to my suite" OR "my wife just rolled her eyes".  

 

At any rate - Hilarious.  Us planners all just want a little appreciation.  😁

[Sthrngary]

25 minutes ago, smillerholmes said:

At any rate - Hilarious.  Us planners all just want a little appreciation.  😁

@smillerholmes Hilarious, I am offended and hurt.  All kidding aside, the funniest part and I was not even exaggerating.  My last trip on the Joy was Solo.  I could not afford a Haven room.  Folks that that knew me from CruiseCritic.com and were in the Haven; they showed pitty on my and brought me some the the exclusive Almond Croissants.  That was all the reward I needed.  They are unbelievable.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

1) My career which was highly dependent on details and planning;

 

2 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

Anyone that loves to plan and had the time I have would do something similar.  

I guess I'm the counter example, at least at this phase in my life.  As with you, my STEM career was highly dependent on details and planning.  Historically, I was OCD to a fault, which is almost a requirement for that type of career.  Eventually, I grew exhausted, my brain was full and I quit that rat race (technically, I retired, but I prefer the "quit" reference).  I still plan and replan to the nth degree on some things, but no longer travel.  I get us to the ship and then allow my traveling companions to fill in the details.  Just tell me when/where to eat and when to get on/off the ship and I'll just enjoy the ride.  I think we only booked one shorex in advance for our Oct Joy NE ten day cruise.  In Boston, DD googled and found out about their outstanding aquarium.  About a $15 uber ride and $32 admission.  Likely a much better experience/deal than anything NCL was selling.  In Charlottetown, we weren't sure what the weather would be like until we got off the ship.  It was actually nice and as we just strolled around we spotted the horse drawn town tour.  $20 cash per head and a fantastic way to see the town.  Somebody said they were selling that one for $69 through NCL.

[kitkat343]

Gary the one suggestion I would make is that it looks like (at least pre-covid) you were using NCL ship tours.  In Europe, I would strongly encourage you to either travel independently or use private tours.  There's a lot to see in Europe if that's your one and only trip, and you do not want to waste your time waiting for your fellow passengers to load onto a large bus, or waiting for the one couple who is always late.  

 

We sailed the Baltics and did Norway with young children in tow, and were fine in many of the ports by ourselves (the public transportation in most of Europe is excellent, plus there are safe cabs.)  Or there are excellent private tours you can find on tripadvisor.

 

I got made fun of for making such detailed notes for my Baltic trip, but I was taking a 3 year old to St. Petersburg, and wanted to be very organized in case  he melted down and we needed to rearrange our schedule in a hurry (thankfully he loved the trip, so everything was fine and the planning was unnecessary but you never know).

[Sthrngary]

4 hours ago, kitkat343 said:

Gary the one suggestion I would make is that it looks like (at least pre-covid) you were using NCL ship tours.  In Europe, I would strongly encourage you to either travel independently or use private tours.  There's a lot to see in Europe if that's your one and only trip, and you do not want to waste your time waiting for your fellow passengers to load onto a large bus, or waiting for the one couple who is always late.  

 

We sailed the Baltics and did Norway with young children in tow, and were fine in many of the ports by ourselves (the public transportation in most of Europe is excellent, plus there are safe cabs.)  Or there are excellent private tours you can find on tripadvisor.

 

I got made fun of for making such detailed notes for my Baltic trip, but I was taking a 3 year old to St. Petersburg, and wanted to be very organized in case  he melted down and we needed to rearrange our schedule in a hurry (thankfully he loved the trip, so everything was fine and the planning was unnecessary but you never know).

@kitkat343 Thank you for taking the time to share this with me.  That was my approach for flexibility and expense. It will be two couples so easy to share rides.  I have been to Europe many time but always had other take me here and there.  Like you, I will study each city for the best place to go. I am not really a fan of Cruiseline Excursions anyway.  Great advice and it is appreciated. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.