You should all be ashamedof yourselves…

[Jackalopes]

I am going on the Century on August 21-28 E Caribbean. What one excursion should I not miss?

[janjay]

gotta ask. What is the floataway lounge and Slamo??? I could use another addiction, the ones I have are getting boring.

[nealberk]

gotta ask. What is the floataway lounge and Slamo??? I could use another addiction, the ones I have are getting boring.

The SLAMO virtual cruise is a place we go when we cannot afford a real cruise but like to gab. You can get to it from the cruise critic board main page, under special interest cruises, under theme cruises. The first one in the list is the SLAMO cruise. Over 3000 messages (and this is after a conplete restart when we lost the thread on the old board). Here is a quickie link

 

The floataway lounge is the place that threads go when they get totally off topic. The SLAMO cruise had a spinoff of the shopping thread. We started putting up pictures on the SLAMO which caused some problems for those with slow connections. So, we started a new thread in the floataway - with lots of pictures! Start in the fun stuff section and look up floataway. Here is that quick link.

 

Hope to see everyone over there!

[nealberk]

I am going on the Century on August 21-28 E Caribbean. What one excursion should I not miss?

Sneak over to the Century thread. Lots of good info over there!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=44375

[bwolfe8140]

Welcome to cruising. You are perfectly normal here.

 

We have already begun to pack for this, our 5th cruise - and it doesn't even start until September 17 [52 days] !!! This is the first time I have been on the boards - and I'm loving it. My husband and I can't wait to meet the people on the roll call.

[sddd]

I am going on my first cruise. How lucky am I? As a first timer I am going on Celebrity in November from San Juan. We will be four women, all the others are experienced cruisers. We are known as sddd. A cabin with a veranda!!! Wow. At this point I have been on this site every couple of days. My closet has been rearanged for cruise wear and I'm now shopping for fancy evening wear. Hubby listens quietly as I go on and on about the whole thing.:D

November seems so far away at this point so I'll just keep reading your informative and most often hillarious information and anecdotes about cruising.

Hoping to meet great people in November.

 

d3/sddd

[nealberk]

I am going on my first cruise. How lucky am I? As a first timer I am going on Celebrity in November from San Juan. We will be four women, all the others are experienced cruisers. We are known as sddd. A cabin with a veranda!!! Wow. At this point I have been on this site every couple of days. My closet has been rearanged for cruise wear and I'm now shopping for fancy evening wear. Hubby listens quietly as I go on and on about the whole thing.:D

November seems so far away at this point so I'll just keep reading your informative and most often hillarious information and anecdotes about cruising.

Hoping to meet great people in November.

 

d3/sddd

And just think, while on the cruise you can book another one for you and your hubby so you can share everything with him (and prove to him that all of the great stories that you are going to tell are completely true!)

[SNOWEY]

Welcome to the Club of Obsessive Surf Cruisers! I have yet to take my first cruise and my eyeballs are fried from reading all the posts. The blender one is just too much! Does anyone want to buy a house in Texas so I can go on another cruise?

[joelmarj]

THANK YOU - I found my home here amongst the obsessed cruisers! I too have found the obsession of cruise chats, cruise reviews, cruise news, cruise threads. Its a long time before I set sail in Dec on the Milli, and find that these postings get me through the days! Through the virtual world I have packed 10 times already, dined in the Olympic every day, enjoyed champaign on my veranda and watched endless sunsets - yet haven't left port yet. The anticipate is killing me, but thanks to you folks I'll remain sane until 12/12.

 

:p

[polodad]

Hi Jack. Great post. I just want to warn you of the cycles ahead for you. You spend time here and build up knowledge & anticipation. Then you book your cruise and ask lots of questions. You go on your cruise. Get spoiled beyond all belief. Then you come back and have to write your review. Now you browse the listings and try to contribute some of your experience. The anticipation builds and OOPS, you book the next cruise and life begins anew.

 

An aside. I was on the Century to the E. Carib in april. I highly recommend visiting St. John either on your own (easy via the ferry) or an excursion. On the ship do not miss the waffle bar or the Cova Cafe's almond croissants (around 9:30). Oh also suggest the Therapy Pool, even if you have to buy a pass. It's really relaxing at night. Don't be shy to use the room service tag for an early breakfast at St. Maarten or St. Thomas, you can order what you want & they will call before they come. Run Away from THE PIRATE quarter machine in the casino. Ripoff!! Do not miss the Ladder Guy's shows. He's good. If you want more info I have a review posted for the Century.

[chesterh]

Jack -- I feel for you. Life will never be the same. What you are experiencing is typical, and it gets worse -- much, much worse. Unimaginably worse.

 

Once you've gone on a cruise, you'll never really come back. Two years ago, my wife and I were nearing the end of our first cruise, a ten-day trip on Galaxy. I thought I’d regret the expenditure, but I felt no pain whatsoever -- only pure pleasure, worth any sacrifice to relive. Since then, cruising has been foremost on my mind, a relentless obsession that colors all waking hours and every fleeting dream. It is inescapable…

 

Those who don’t understand your obsession will distance themselves from you. That’s fine, you don’t need them. They will remain unfulfilled -- shallow, empty, land-bound souls. You should do all that you can to convince those who are dear to you to take a cruise. They will be forever grateful, in awe of your wisdom and infallible guidance. Forget the others…

 

It is best to prepare now for a life of singular purpose. If you are saving for college tuition or retirement, those funds are easily converted for a more noble purpose. Cruising is the way life ought to be.

 

Just give in.

 

It is your destiny…

 

chesterh

[MortgageChick]

In 105 days I will be on #12 cruise, #11 since 1999 and I cannot get enough. Cruising dominates my life.

 

I am 42 years old.

 

I will be on #13 Cruise Feb 7 2005, did I tell you Cruising dominates my life

 

I will be on #14 cruise Sept 16 2005- did I mention cruising dominates my life.

 

My daughter is thinking of a job on a cruise ship prior to entering pre -med- it is all we think, breathe and talk about in our house-

 

We need help!!!!

[Michele Noel]

Hi there, I am finally (after tomorrow) on vacation. I just love reading these boards. It gets me very happy to think of going on a cruise. We are going on a small cruise out of New Orleans on the American Queen and I can't wait to see a small ship. Going on the Mercury on November 15 and am looking at a Holland America ship for 7 nights on October 30. I am so very lucky that I have 4 months vacation as a teacher in LA. I used to work in business and had two weeks off a year. These boards are so addictive. If you have a hard day, you just log on and you are transported to happier times. I am interested in trying every cruise line in the next few years, have been on Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Cruise West. I thank all of the people who have steered me to good on line agents and saved me money so I could cruise again. Does anyone else spell it crusie? Just my silly typing. Enjoy your first cruise and you will be back. This board is so wonderful. Thank you all.

[theawesome1]

Why don't you book it onboard to get the shipbaord credit?

[cruisersdm]

I think that the "Cruise Critic Aliens" came into our bodies and taken over. I too check this site at least 4 times a day. Sometimes I'm saying to myself, what are you looking for, but I continue to do this. I love this message board.

[Jackalopes]

What if the weather or some other surprise changes the timing of getting into a port. I am about to book an excursion (not with Celebrity). Will have to eat my deposit?

[MadeleineD@aol.com]

Welcome to the world of cruise junkies. We did our first in 92 and are doing our 8th in September. Love it, love it, love it! Mandy

PS By the way were are you going?

[gkm]

I think that the "Cruise Critic Aliens" came into our bodies and taken over. I too check this site at least 4 times a day. Sometimes I'm saying to myself, what are you looking for, but I continue to do this. I love this message board.

Just 4 times a day??? Oh, you said "at least". Whew, you scared me there. Most of us check more often. If we work, we check before work, on morning break, at lunch, afternoon break, rush home and get on the board, eat dinner, check again, do whatever evening activity we normally do, and then check the board before we go to bed. Now that's the behavior of a Cruise Critic addict. Oh dear, I'm talking about ME!

 

Garry

[Tony C]

Just 4 times a day??? Oh, you said "at least". Whew, you scared me there. Most of us check more often. If we work, we check before work, on morning break, at lunch, afternoon break, rush home and get on the board, eat dinner, check again, do whatever evening activity we normally do, and then check the board before we go to bed. Now that's the behavior of a Cruise Critic addict. Oh dear, I'm talking about ME!

 

Garry

 

If you are only checking these boards on your breaks and at lunch while at work, you are doing better than me!! I have gone from getting a good night's sleep to staying up way past midnight, logging on the minute I get to work, and then checking back probably once an hour. Once home, the madness continues. At this rate, I may not have a job to pay for the cruise!!! Where is the support group for CCA (cruise critic addicts). Oh wait....this is it.

[jingels]

A couple months ago I was a perfectly normal, ...........

 

It took my wife and I only one cruise to feel the same way you do (before even your first!). As a recognition of our "Addiction", we joined O.A.T.C. (Openly Addicted To Cruising). Our support group will welcome any new members.

 

Proud member of OATC for the past four years (and five cruises).