Why do you go on a cruise?

[63galaxie]

63galaxie: your sentiments as expressed in your post were beautifully-written. I couldn't have said it better myself.:)

I'm glad you share those feelings. I could go on and on because yes, my name is Karen, and I AM a cruiseaholic. ;) And thank you for the kind words. It made me feel really good.:o

[Sky Sweet]

Now that I am retired, I love spending all the money that I am not earning :)

[Minoushka]

Once we are on the plane I try to get in a cruise mood

We try to get to port early

Lock up valuables .grab buffet lunch-food at airports leaves a lot to be desired .Go exploring .Muster drill Unpack Get ready for dinner

Have dinner go to show .Check out Casino .

Go out to BREATHE sea air .Hit the sack

I love visiting different Islands or ports .Love to snorkel so look for those kind of beaches

Love to watch the waves or sea from back of ship.

Have picked up reading on ships

Love the beautiful dinners relaxed mode going to the show AFTER dinner

Leaving my balcony door open at night to listen to the waves and breathe the fresh sea air

Now what could be better???

Michele

[usha]

I cruise because:

*it's romantic

*it's restful

*it's fun

*it's relaxing

*it's pampering

*it's YUMMY!

*it's adventurous

*it's gettin' outa' Dodge!

[Sky Sweet]

It is one of the least expensive ways to take a nice vacation. Last week we took a land based vaction and the hotel alone cost more than most cruises.

 

Cruising is a great way to experience many different parts of the world, without the hassle of multiple flights, and packing/unpacking between them.

 

Sitting on a balcony in the middle of the ocean creates a special ambiance that is unique to cruising, and makes it easy to refrain from using cell phones and computers. I think anyone who uses a computer or cell phone to keep in touch with their home base during a cruise has never experienced the best part of cruising.

 

With the exception of weddings and bar mitzvahs, my husband and I don't have many opportunities to dance to a live band at home, and that is something that we do every night during a cruise.

[VPIcruiser]

Cruising is just such a great value and we love the ocean. My DH loves to "unpack only once" and go to several different places. We love dressing up for dinner and the five course meals. What is not to love about cruising? Except when it is time to leave the ship at the end of the cruise.

 

Two years ago, we cruised with my parents (and our DS). It was our ninth cruise and their first. It was fun to experience all the first-time awes and oohs with them. Now they are hooked. In May we are all (me, DH, DS, DD, and my parents) going to Alaska with my in-laws for their first cruise.

 

Cruising offers a great family vacation since no one has to cook or clean, we can do our own thing or hang out together all day, and then sit down for a wonderful dinner that is already paid for and then enjoy the nightly entertainment.

 

Cruising is also romantic. Next year, we plan on leaving the kids with the grandparents and taking a cruise alone for our tenth anniversary.

[Sky Sweet]

It is one of the least expensive ways to take a nice vacation. Last week we took a land based vaction and the hotel alone cost more than most cruises.

 

Cruising is a great way to experience many different parts of the world, without the hassle of multiple flights, and packing/unpacking between them.

 

Sitting on a balcony in the middle of the ocean creates a special ambiance that is unique to cruising, and makes it easy to refrain from using cell phones and computers. I think anyone who uses a computer or cell phone to keep in touch with their home base during a cruise has never experienced the best part of cruising.

 

With the exception of weddings and bar mitzvahs, my husband and I don't have many opportunities to dance to a live band at home, and that is something that we do every night during a cruise.

 

There is another reason I meant to include in my list quoted above.

 

Cruises are a great venue for family reunions which include people who live in different parts of the country. We are taking a family reunion cruise this summer which will include relatives from Virginia, Texas, Missouri, Illinois, California, and Connecticut.

[RonnieS]

Galaxie63,

 

Your waxing poetic, eloquent, lyrical and philosophical meanderings are a thing of beauty!

 

I was thinking of how I would respond to the original posters question. When I read yours I thought yea......what she said.

 

 

P.S. '63 Galaxie wasn't your first car was it? Mine was a '65.

[Kathie44]

We think it's the best vacation possible. We got hooked in Jan of '02 and just completed our 8th cruise. It's a great way to see the world. We haven't repeated an itinerary yet, although some cruises have had some of the same ports.

While on Mercury's 1/20 Syd-Auk cruise we booked another cruise to the S. Carib. We did a 7-night on Adventure of the Seas in '04. Next year we will be on Galaxy with only two ports we've seen (Aruba and Curacao) and 6 new ones.

DH has resisted my urge to do more than one cruise in a calendar year, except '03 when we went with good friends to Alaska after our winter cruise to the W. Carib. We skipped the winter cruise in '06 in favor of a June cruise to N. Europe, but both of us missed the winter cruise. So on Feb 1, the last chance to book onboard, I asked him if he was totally against doing two cruises in a year. We were planning to book a Med cruise with friends for June '09. He asked what I had in mind and I had the X Carib brochure at hand and showed him the cruise: a ship we've sailed before, 11 nights for less money than we paid for our first such cruise, 6 new ports and a break from the yucky OH winter. He said OK! I know he is more hooked than ever and talks up (to friends and relatives) the convenience of not having to unpack more than once, the service, food shows, etc.

As it turns out our friends changed their minds and booked a SA cruise for next year, but we still plan to book the Med since we did the Passages program and can get OBC.

We used to go to FL for 2 weeks every March, but the relative we stayed with has moved back here, so no more FL, only cruising! :D

As relatively new cruisers we have trouble relating to the complaints about the decline in the industry. It's been great for us!

 

1/02 Explorer E. Carib. 1/03 Explorer W. Carib. 8/03 Summit Alaska

2/04 Adventure S. Carib. 2/05 Galaxy PC 6/06 Jewel Brit.Isles/Nor. Fjords

1/07 Mercury Mex. Riv. 1/08 Mercury Aust/NZ 1/09 Galaxy S. Carib

[psblin99]

I cruise because it is tough work but, someone has to do it!

 

Preston

[63galaxie]

Galaxie63,

 

Your waxing poetic, eloquent, lyrical and philosophical meanderings are a thing of beauty!

 

I was thinking of how I would respond to the original posters question. When I read yours I thought yea......what she said.

 

 

P.S. '63 Galaxie wasn't your first car was it? Mine was a '65.

Thanks. That's exactly what they were...meanderings.

 

 

The '63 Gal is my husband's other love. She's beautiful (an unusual rose color). He's slowly restoring her. The restoration would be done by now, but I keep booking cruises. We've owned Misty Rose for several years. We had a '63 when I was a child, but nothing as nearly as pretty as Misty Rose.

[DeepWaterMariner]

No need to cook, clean, make beds, mow the lawn, or figure out where we're going to eat dinner. The other stuff (service, food, entertainment, travel, etc) is good too.

[Kaboochi]

RonnieS & Galaxy63, Mine was a ford pinto 72, ran like a bat out of ****. Not much to look at but I loved it. My DH's passion is our restored 1947 Chris Craft Runabout. However, a cocktail on aft 10 Summit beats it all. Laurie

[Texed]

For the waffles, of course! :cool:

[LynnObie]

To be at sea and to be waited on. It's a bonus if the ship calls at interesting ports.

 

DW wanted a 2 week "cruise to nowhere" with no flying involved. We booked a B2B Mexican Riviera out of a semi-local port. We probably won't get off the ship.... at least DW probably won't.

[chasetf]

So I can get rid of some of my money :D ................................nah not really

 

We enjoy the time together, the sea, the shipboard experience.... but most of all seeing new and exciting parts of the world.

[mo&fran]

We love the trans Atlantic westbound cruises. Have done one every year for the last 4 years. Get to see some great places on the other side of the pond. London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona. Been to the Canary Islands, Morocco, several places in Spain, and then return to the US. No jet lag when we get home. We now have overseas flights from our local airport,

so we don't have to go to JHK to get to Europe. And t/a cruises tend to be less expensive per day than other cruises, and longer. Last year was a 17 night cruise.

[sealover155]

We cruise mostly for the romantic and relaxing benefits mentioned so beautifully by others, plus we enjoy:

 

Having a standing reservation for dinner every night and menus with no prices.

 

Enjoying the Martini bar every night and not having to drive home.

 

The enrichment programs especially on the European and Alaskan itineraries.

 

The cultural interfacing with crew members from countries we've not yet visited (The Seychelles, etc.).

 

The specialty restaurant experience on Celebrity which we find almost impossible to duplicate in the U.S. We enjoy the formality, service, tradition, harpist, ambiance, and of course, the wonderful food and wine.

 

The exquisite peace of sea days, regardless of weather.

 

Mary Anne

[DAMIFIKNOW]

Its the only way my girlfriend and I can get away from my wife SHE gets seasick, this way she tells me to go and have a good time.I bet all you guys wish you had a wife like that. P.S. she does not read CRUISE CRITIC.

[RonnieS]

Don't worry about it. We'll have a good time in Atlantic City while you're away. ;)

[iliv2cruz]

Because it's the closest thing I can imagine to Heaven! Everything about a cruise is delightful:

Sunrise, sunsets, the sky, the sea, the storms, the big puffy white clouds, and pink clouds, the clean fresh ocean air, not having to rush, cook, or clean, having everything you need right there, the gentle rocking of the ship while you go to sleep, the wonderful sensation when you first board the ship, the sail away party. My favorite type of vacation!

[usha]

Its the only way my girlfriend and I can get away from my wife SHE gets seasick, this way she tells me to go and have a good time.I bet all you guys wish you had a wife like that. P.S. she does not read CRUISE CRITIC.

Are you REALLY a slimebag, or are you just joking?:eek:

[DAMIFIKNOW]

You will NEVER know.

[RonnieS]

Are you REALLY a slimebag, or are you just joking?:eek:

 

C'mon he's just having fun. Read his other post. He's got bad knees and on a defibrillator.

[raymac46]

Jun 2006 Baltic - arm twisted into this cruise by daughter and son-in-law.

Oct 2006 Bermuda - great deal, always wanted to go there.

Nov 2007 Mediterranean - wonderful itinerary, good pricing.

April 2008 British Isles -always wanted to do this one.

August 2008 Alaska - arm twisted into this cruise by daughter. Took less arm twisting than in 2006.