How are you able to cruise so often?

[browneyes7]

My DH and I are retired teachers. We took our first cruise in November, 2004. We've taken a total of 28 cruises since then. As you can see, we are hooked!:) We usually book inside cabins, often getting the military rates, sometimes the 55 rates, and we try not to spend too much money on the ships. The less we spend, the more often we can cruise. We have cruised the Caribbean many times, to Hawaii and back once, and have done three Transatlantic/Med./Greek Isles/Baltics to Europe. We are going on another Med./Transatlantic in Oct. We feel very fortunate to be able to do this much cruising, as we both love to travel. We plan to continue this as long as we are able.:)

[browneyes7]

This is the first time we will have cruised twice in less than a year. We are retired and are able to go whenever we want. We spend three months on the Texas Gulf Coast every winter, then we travel during the rest of the year. I would cruise more, but my DH has other ideas.

 

Hi. What part of the Texas Coast do you go to? I grew up about 40 miles from Port Aransas, Texas, whch is very close to Corpus Christi, Texas. I'm just curious! I know many people from up north go to the valley, near South Padre Island.:)

[Jeans*Fanatic]

You gotta watch that Host Mach though......he is a tricky one!! :D

 

LOL!!! I know... he is such a nice guy!!!! LOL!!!

 

He can get you hooked on cruising in a heart beat!!!

[rednose83]

We bought a tiny little condo when it was in foreclosure and fixed it up. So now we live mortgage free (except maintenance fee). We can easily swing that with 2 incomes.

[Lisichka]

We ran into a couple during our last cruise who go once a month (at least). In their thirties, with him owning a modeling business.

 

To me that would be a punishment. In fact, more than one a year on a consistent basis would become a punishment. I love land vacations too much too.

[LHP]

LOL!!! I know... he is such a nice guy!!!! LOL!!!

 

He can get you hooked on cruising in a heart beat!!!

 

And some of us have seen him in a ladies' nighty!! :eek:

 

(the men's nightgown contest that he will never live down!!!) LOL

[LorrieB]

We have just recently gotten into cruising. Only done 1 so far. But, we have three already booked.

 

We are cruising Veteran's Cruise on Conquest

Taking Family on Ecstacy in February 2010

 

Small group of friends on Legend in September 2010.

 

I would also like to do a b2b but need to find a place that is close enough to drive and gives me variety. Unfortunately the closest port if Galveston and a b2b on Ecstacy would mean the same ports. But, hey, it's cruising!!!!

[LHP]

We have just recently gotten into cruising. Only done 1 so far. But, we have three already booked.

 

We are cruising Veteran's Cruise on Conquest

Taking Family on Ecstacy in February 2010

 

Small group of friends on Legend in September 2010.

 

I would also like to do a b2b but need to find a place that is close enough to drive and gives me variety. Unfortunately the closest port if Galveston and a b2b on Ecstacy would mean the same ports. But, hey, it's cruising!!!!

 

One of the best B2B we did was on the Imagination in 2008 where we did completely different ports on two 5 day cruises!! We loved it.

[firefly333]

I would also like to do a b2b but need to find a place that is close enough to drive and gives me variety. Unfortunately the closest port if Galveston and a b2b on Ecstacy would mean the same ports. But, hey, it's cruising!!!!

 

Are you ruling out Conquest because of the cost? Quite a few of us are doing a B2B Eastern/Western on Conquest in Sept. (Im also doing a B2B on Triumph in December).

 

Conquest would have different ports each week, and so would Triumph if you do the 7 days, or maybe if you are watching costs, there is a way on Triumph to combine a 7 day with a shorter cruise and get different ports.

 

..... there are lots of other choices other than Ecstasy from where you live. New Orleans is only about 2 extra hours drive each way. Even Voyager of the seas has alternating out of Galveston.

[SmogMonster]

My youngest will be platinum at age 6. We can drive to several ports and we book way in advance and watch for good deals and military rates. I have also organized a couple of groups, but haven't taken a "freebie" for one yet.

 

My first DH died at age 36 and I guess my priorities are a little different, I bought a moderate house so I could afford to "live" and enjoy my time with my kids on this earth. :) Its still so hard though...deciding which years to cruise and which years to get passes to the theme park ;)

 

Lucigo,

I know this is off subject but I noticed you are book on an Autism group cruise for March 2010. Can you tell me more about this or just send me a quick link regarding it? We have a 10 year old with autism and have wanted to take him on a c ruisebut are a little afraid it would be a disaster.

 

Thanks

[LHP]

Lucigo,

I know this is off subject but I noticed you are book on an Autism group cruise for March 2010. Can you tell me more about this or just send me a quick link regarding it? We have a 10 year old with autism and have wanted to take him on a c ruisebut are a little afraid it would be a disaster.

 

Thanks

 

Hi...this is LHP. We have a son who just turned 18 with Asperger's Syndrome and just completed his 31st cruise.

 

We have found the cruise ships to not only be wonderful places for vacations but also excellent teaching tools since it is a restricted area.

 

Since we started cruising before anything (other than Rainman) was known about Autism....we have just taken it one day at a time.

 

Carnival has worked very well with us over the years.

 

Autism on the Seas is an agency that specializes in Autism in both "group cruises" and assisting (without any additional fee) on individual cruises. They started with a concentration on RCCL, but they have expanded to Carnival and other cruise lines now as well.

 

As I tell other parents....Camp Carnival can not provide one on one care. And they can't accommodate a child that is aggressive to other children...but those are just about the only two limitations.

 

Carnival has a special needs department. In the past it was mainly used for oxygen and wheelchairs....but now with more and more families cruising.... those needs have expanded to include more for children with special needs.

 

If you have any specific questions, please feel free to email me at musicalcruiser@hotmail.com.

[G.C]

Correction... my little one is 18 YEARS OLD. He had a birthday yesterday!!!

 

A big happy birthday to your son!

 

We hope our cruising paths cross again real soon. It is always a pleasure to sail with you and your family.

 

 

Gary & Sarah

[echo]

We havent been on too many. I think we are at 13. One a year is enough for hubby. We usually switch off cruise one year, Disney the next .

One way I cruise is thru credit card pionts, we rack up alot of pionts thru our business. The flip side of that ,is our business is getting harder and harder to get away from. We are kinda expected to be on call 24/7, though we really arent compensated for that.

[Jeans*Fanatic]

And some of us have seen him in a ladies' nighty!! :eek:

 

(the men's nightgown contest that he will never live down!!!) LOL

 

WHAT!!!!!!! Oh my goodness!!!!!!!

Any one have pics?? LOL!!!!

[gaylensgigi]

WHAT!!!!!!! Oh my goodness!!!!!!!

Any one have pics?? LOL!!!!

 

Yep, those were posted on the review, and if you ask on the Dreamers thread,I am sure someone would be glad to post them. Mach has very nice legs.

 

About the OT, we plan.Children are grown and out of the house.Look for the best deals and then just do it.We really like balconies, but if its not in the cards we will go ov.We make it part of our budget just like car payments, groceries etc.

[Sandgnat]

Well for me I live no more than six hours away from any port in Florida and I have a wonderful work schedule. I work six nights in a row then have eight off.

[LHP]

Yep, those were posted on the review, and if you ask on the Dreamers thread,I am sure someone would be glad to post them. Mach has very nice legs.

 

About the OT, we plan.Children are grown and out of the house.Look for the best deals and then just do it.We really like balconies, but if its not in the cards we will go ov.We make it part of our budget just like car payments, groceries etc.

 

Film!!!!

 

 

Host Mach....the "lady" in red!!! LOL

[Jeans*Fanatic]

Film!!!!

 

 

Host Mach....the "lady" in red!!! LOL

 

LMBO!!! LOOK AT MACH!!! Go ahead then!!! And he is rockin' those legs!!!!

[LHP]

A big happy birthday to your son!

 

We hope our cruising paths cross again real soon. It is always a pleasure to sail with you and your family.

 

 

Gary & Sarah

 

HEY!! I hope we can cruise together again too....and maybe next time there will actually be PORTERS TO TAKE OUR LUGGAGE!!!!! :eek:

[gaylensgigi]

Thanks Linda for the picture. I was not there,but have heard rumors:eek:LOL

[Peachie1]

Since I retired, we cruise as often as possible. When my DH was still working, I went quite a few times with my Red Hat friends, and that was great too.

I'm a coupon clipper, rebater, we very seldom eat out, as I love to cook. Neither of us drink much, so that's a saving on board. We don't buy souvenirs any more, I have enough t-shirts to last a lifetime.

Cruising is my passion and as we live in the DFW area, we are only 5 hours from Galveston and the Ecstasy and Conquest. My PVP calls with deals, and in May my sis in law and I took a the 7 day on the Ecstasy to Jamaica and Grand Cayman for $291 total.

The Ecstasy is my favorite ship, probably because DH and I consider it our 'vacation home'. (g)

Everyone take care and talk at ya later, my PVP just emailed me....

 

Peaches

[NJCruiser23]

We have done 3 cruises out of Charleston in the past 15 months, on the Majesty. We have tons of friends who cruised it as well, and hope some cruise company ****Carnival****** will put a ship there every week.

Thanks for the reply. Looking into it as an option for my parents.

[southbayer]

Well, living only 18 miles away from the port makes it easy to rack up alot of short duration cruises, which got myself Platinum in real short order. So with that, and also a very cool boss to give me lots of time off when I want, I cruise as often as I can afford.

Just curious. I'm amazed by some of your signatures. A cruise a year, ok. Two cruises a year....Nice! But 3 and 4 or 5....WOW.

 

I always assume most of the constant cruisers are retired. But maybe not. I just realized I get 5 weeks a year vacation, so I could do some serious crusing myself!

 

How do you do it?

[PaulMedik]

Just curious. I'm amazed by some of your signatures. A cruise a year, ok. Two cruises a year....Nice! But 3 and 4 or 5....WOW.

 

I always assume most of the constant cruisers are retired. But maybe not. I just realized I get 5 weeks a year vacation, so I could do some serious crusing myself!

 

How do you do it?

 

 

Jerseygirl79,

 

We're spending our son's inheritance while they're still young. :D The deal is that once they're on their own and DW and I are too old to work, they have to pay for us to cruise with them each year. We have three sons and we've taken them for three in a year so that's three x three equals nine for us! Hopefully we'll be able to pay for a couple on our own to tide us over between cruises. :)

 

To afford to cruise with five of us, DW and I both work more than full time hours. The memories we're creating are worth every penny and then some. :cool: