She Loved to Cruise

[Ships R Great]

I know this is OT but I want to share a love of cruising with others. My dear mother, who loved to cruise, passed away last week at age 97.

 

She first cruised in the 70s. She took an around-the-world cruise on a Chandris ship---Australis or Amerikanis, maybe. She liked it so much she did it again the next year, on the same ship. She then moved to Athens to manage apartments for a crew member on the ship. She lived in Athens for 9 years, hopping on and off the ship when it docked in Piraeus. (I have shared before on this board that every now and then I run into an X crew member who remembers her from those days.) She cruised many times after she returned to the states, the last time in the summer of 2001 at age 92, on Celebrity! Sadly, after 9/11 she would not sail again.

 

She was a person who followed her dreams. We must all remember to do that while we can.

[Nilla]

What a wonderful story. I am very sorry for your loss. But It appears you have many nice memories.

[tiger the teacher]

Thank you for sharing your mother's inspirational story. You have the prayers of all who love to cruise.

[Cindy G]

Ships....please accept my sympathy. I lost my 101+ year old grandfather earlier this month. It is always difficult to loose a loved one.

 

I believe we cruised together....I remember because I like your screen name. It maybe was in 2004...the Zenith or the Horizon?

 

May the warm memories help comfort you at this time.....Cindy G.

[Susan-M]

What nice memories to share with the rest of us ..... thank you:)

[poetic license]

Thanks for sharing your mom's story, Ships R Great. It seems you have her cruise genes, not a bad thing to pass on to a child. :)

 

I hope that I can do the same with the rest of my life, and that my own kids can say the same of me: That I followed my dreams, one port at a time. :)

 

Cheers~

Nicki

[wizard-of-roz]

My parents were on one cruise in the 1960's. My mother spoke about it all the time. My father died very young and my mother died within 10 years!

My sister and I took my mother on a cruise one year before she passed away. She had so much fun....I wish we had done it more with her....time goes by....we live our lives and forget to take care of the FUN!

I insist that my husband and I cruise at least once a year....we've tried different lines....and, it doesn't matter.....get me to the pier....let me see the ships at the dock....the tears start to flow...my heart beats faster...I can't believe I'm walking on board....

Then.....she starts to sail and so does my soul......call me a dreamer....I love it, I love it, I love it!:p

I wish I could afford to do it more than just once a year! I know how lucky I am to be able to do that.....

I scrimp, I save; it's so worth it!;)

Thanks so much for sharing this post,

Roz

[Host Anne]

Ships ~ thanks for posting such a wonderful tribute to you mom. We appreciate your sharing her love of cruising with all of us. It's a reminder of how lucky we all are that we are able to cruise.

 

Our sincere thoughts are with you and your family at this time of loss. May you carry your mom's spirit with you on every sail you are on!

[HurricaneSally]

Let me tell you my very sad cruise story. My mom always wanted to go on a cruise and kept asking my dad to go on one. He kept telling her if she lost weight he would take her on a cruise. God, how I hated him for that.

 

My precious mom died at age 56, without ever having her dream come true. If I could have afforded to take her, I would have, but I had small children at the time and money just wasn't that plentiful.

 

After she died, and our kids graduated from college, I booked our first cruise without telling my husband. He kept saying we couldn't afford it. Well, since then, we've cruised at least once a year, but always longer cruises of 10-14 days.

 

Every time I get on a ship and it sails away, I toast my mom and tell her that I know shes with me and we're having a great time. As I sit here crying because I miss her so much. She died 17 years ago and it still feels like yesterday sometimes.

 

Thanks for letting me vent. Please let me add my condolences to you and your family. Losing your mom, no matter what age, is a tough one.

[wizard-of-roz]

"Hurricane Sally",

Thanks for the tears.....this only reinstates my feelings....Live, Love, Laugh!....enjoy every moment with the ones you care about. And, push aside those who make you sad or mad!:mad:

Your memories of your Mom (the happy ones) should sustain you! She's with you when you're having the fun she didn't have the chance to have! She lives through you!:)

Roz

[HurricaneSally]

Thanks Roz, I know she's there, anxiously awaiting the birth of her first great grandchild, my daughter is pregnant and due in November. Times like these I miss her the most. By the way, if she was still here, she would only be 73. Still young.

[wizard-of-roz]

Congratulations! Now, she truly lives on; in her granddaughter...she's in her eyes, in her smile and in her sweet smell after a bath.

Tell her stories of your mom and show her pictures, it's what I do....that way your mom never, never really leaves you!

Enjoy your new baby.....

Best Wishes,

Roz

[Susan-M]

Wizard-of-roz and Hurricane Sally - you've brought tears to my eyes .... thanks for sharing those memories :)

[Karynanne]

My sincere sympathy on the loss of your Mother. She must have been a wonderful person...after all she raised a loving daughter...you.

 

Karyn

[Andy]

I know this is OT but I want to share a love of cruising with others. My dear mother, who loved to cruise, passed away last week at age 97.

 

She first cruised in the 70s. She took an around-the-world cruise on a Chandris ship---Australis or Amerikanis, maybe. She liked it so much she did it again the next year, on the same ship. She then moved to Athens to manage apartments for a crew member on the ship. She lived in Athens for 9 years, hopping on and off the ship when it docked in Piraeus. (I have shared before on this board that every now and then I run into an X crew member who remembers her from those days.) She cruised many times after she returned to the states, the last time in the summer of 2001 at age 92, on Celebrity! Sadly, after 9/11 she would not sail again.

 

She was a person who followed her dreams. We must all remember to do that while we can.

 

Hi Ships !

 

Thank you for the wonderful story. I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your beloved Mother. I wish you & your family my warmest sympathy during this difficult time.

[cruzin4us]

After reading this thread.......maybe all you complainers should stop and think about how lucky you have been to even experience a cruise (even if it wasn't the best)..........Amen

[cusyl]

My condolences on the loss of your mother. How lucky that you had so many years with your mother. Mine passed away at 68 and she never got to go on a cruise because of her health, but back in the 70s she was able to board the ship for a tour and snacks before we sailed. My father was able in the years afterwards for a few times.

"As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to

ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably

more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so

remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best

friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry

because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you

love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've

never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute

of happiness you'll never get back.

 

Don't be afraid that your life will end,

be afraid that it will never begin."

~anonymous~

[HurricaneSally]

After reading this thread.......maybe all you complainers should stop and think about how lucky you have been to even experience a cruise (even if it wasn't the best)..........Amen

 

 

I feel that way every time I cruise. I'm just glad to be there. I make the most of any situation. I've been on great cruises and not so great ones, but I have loved them all. I always feel proud to be there and lucky to be able to experience the moment.

[libramitch]

At any age, the passing of a loved one is never easy. What a great blessing though for her to have graced and from the sounds of it made our world a better place for 97 years!!

 

Best wishes to you. We hope in her honor that you are planning to take another cruise soon! It almost sounds like an ideal way to celebrate her life.

 

Mitch and Jody

[Saga Ruby]

What lovely tributes you have given to your moms.

 

My father's love of travel, his insistence on researching the foreign lands for our next trip, having "the girls" (his daughters) locate countries on a world map before we left on our next adventure, instilled a love of travel that has held me in good stead for years. Daddy died in 2003 at the age of 91. His great delight when travel was beyond his physical capabilities was to hear about my next trip.

 

Before he died, I had him sit at my computer and pulled up the Copabana Palace in Rio where we had stayed as a family. When he saw the online photos of the hotel, the pictures of the rooms, the "instant" reservation option, he was incredulous that traveling was now so easy.

 

I took a portion of his ashes on the Connie and, outside Malaga as we caught the sea wind, released his ashes. His father had immigrated from Spain to America in 1900 so the circle was now complete. Two incredibly kind gentlemen stood up for me on the deck and took photos. I have a beautiful picture of me holding the ashes in a paper envelope before they comingled with the ocean breezes off the coast of Spain.

 

I agree with wizard-of-roz. Do what you can as you can because you never know when traveling will be out of reach.

 

Ruby

[HurricaneSally]

That is a wonderful story Ruby and a great tribute to your dad.

[newmexicoNita]

My mother in law passed on at 97 and my dad at 93: this is never easy, but we all know there comes a time we will be somewhere else: thanks for sharing your mother's passion for cruising: everytime you cruise you will think of her I am sure; that is a good thing. Funny you would mention Chandris: worst line I ever cruised, but that doesn't mean I didn't have a good time: our first cruise adventure was commodore, similar to Chandris and we loved every minute of the 7 days. NMNita

[reklawr]

Hey Great stories guys! Ships, Roz, Sally and Ruby, Thanks for sharing!

 

I think I'll ask my parents if they are up for a cruise. Dad's 83 and just had a Aortic Aneurism relieved by placing a stent in his arota. We almost lost dad 3 weeks ago.

 

Again thanks for sharing!

[Alaskaboundfamily]

Thank you for sharing such beautiful and moving stories. My grandparents have traveled all over the world, and though they cannot travel anymore, they have wonderful stories, and their spirit of adventure has been passed on to their children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren. A great-grandmother on the other side of my family traveled with me and my dad to Paris and Austria when she was in her 90s.

 

My mother has been disabled since she was in her early 40s, so she has always encouraged my sister and me to travel while we are able to do as much as possible. Shortly after my husband and I met, he told me, "I believe in living life to the fullest" and then told me how he had very nearly lost his life in an avalanche. That wanting to live life to the fullest conversation was probably what most brought us together.

 

Please accept my sympathies on the loss of your mother. It sounds as though hers was a life truly well lived.

[tiger the teacher]

 

I think I'll ask my parents if they are up for a cruise. Dad's 83 and just had a Aortic Aneurism relieved by placing a stent in his arota. We almost lost dad 3 weeks ago.

 

 

Hi Reklawr

 

If you have the chance and your Dad is up to it, do it! My dad had a heart attack four years ago and then a relapse shortly thereafter, but mercifully recovered. We did a Mediterranean cruise on the Millennium last year and this year I am treating him to an 80th birthday present on the Constellation in the Baltic. We sail July 1 and we (my mom, dad and I) cannot wait!

 

Count all your blessings and enjoy every moment.

 

Thanks to all for this great thread.

 

Best wishes

 

Clive