canadjineh

That looks seriously awesome, @Marken.  We are on a MR cruise for our 38th anniversary and this would be great, too bad we'd have to go separately though.  I might contact him anyhow, just because I love flying of any sort.

Maybe it's the "I wish I knew before..." how cheap it could be, 😉 thread.

I like these Hawaiian inspired cruise outfits.  The one on the right also kind of reminds me of a sari without the long sash.

Hi, the OP's photo looked a lot like Sketchers Rumblers or Beverlees

Very cute and comfortable and quite dressy looking, my friend has a pair in a sparkly pinky beige colour - sort of light nude but with shine.

Hi everyone!  It's been a while since the shoe divas were posting here.... where is everyone?  Or have we just run out of shoe money? lol

I have another cruise coming up - March 7/2020 on the Oosterdam - Mexican Riviera.  It's our 38th anniversary and I'm in the midst of getting some pudge off (I've been lax and inattentive to my food plan for a little while now).  Not sure what I'm taking clothes-wise yet (depends on whether I'm back into my favorites) but we are away for a week in San Diego before the cruise, so I can wear some fancier duds than if I was just going to a foreign tropical country.  Once I've got things figured out I'll post some wardrobe pix along with my shoe choices. 

10 minutes ago, drsel said:

Norwegian becomes cheaper than Costa!
Norwegian Jade now is the cheapest cruise available at 33 dollars a day from Singapore to Dubai on Feb 27th
Be careful about paying much more than 33 dollars a day

20 days at $545.  I wonder why 😷

On 1/13/2020 at 3:20 PM, Kamlhj said:

My urologist and therapist suggested that I also give up cruising since I suffer from paruresis and certain cruise situations could prove damaging, but I love cruising probably more than anything else, plus those situations are extremely unlikely, so I'll continue to cruise. Of course, a simple catheter would do the trick, but doctors are reluctant to proscribe them. Btw, I only got sick after my last cruise.

Don't let this setback stop you from living as full a life as possible.  My husband still works full time in a physically demanding job and we enjoy travel a lot, although we are no longer able to do backpacking trips travelling on 'chicken buses' to small villages in less developed countries.

My husband must self-catheterize twice a day and we still travel quite a bit.  He also has to take along enough alcohol for sterilization, disposable gloves, a supply of sealed sterile catheters, and protective underwear for any trips where we can't access pharmacies or drugstores to buy same.  (Old bike accident and urethral damage causing bladder damage)  You don't need a doctor to prescribe a catheter (maybe you are talking about an in-dwelling cath?) - you can buy them from legitimate drugstores/pharmacies and online medical supply stores.  He could learn how to self-cath at a community health care clinic where they teach him how to do it, then practice in his own bathroom til he gets more comfortable with the procedure.  At least that's how they do it here in Canada, don't see why it would be different in the US (except for a clinic visit cost, I suppose.)

Perhaps, if you know what port you will be in at the time she needs her IV, it could be done at an accredited clinic in that city with an English speaking doctor?  You may be able to get a list of appropriate doctors from your embassy or consulate in each country.  Popular large chain hotels in those cities also often carry a list of appropriate medical facilities and staff.  You could contact the management by phone before you set up your cruise to see if an appointment could be made and what the price might be.  Not certain as to how your Med team might send a scrip if needed, but I'm sure they or the 'foreign' clinic will know what to do.  Taxi/Uber/Lyft to the clinic.  Good luck, fill us in on your experience if you are able to do this.  It would definitely be a useful thread for many, I'm sure.

Well, I guess we are 'sorta-seniors' as I am 56 in a month and hubby just turned 62.  We are both still working and hubby owns his own business, so you likely know what that means, there is no such thing as 'retirement,' lol.  His business has always been seasonal, and my work has always been extremely flexible so we have always gone places on 3 weeks or less notice.  When we were younger, we used to seriously backpack (70lb pack for me at 140 lb) for 3-8 weeks at a time in places where you could only catch the 'chicken bus' and charades was the language of choice (other than "yes, no, please, sorry, thank you, toilets.")  That's when our health was better.  Now we have some issues - I have an autoimmune disease and Celiac disease that affect what we eat, hubby has ongoing urinary tract issues which require catheterizing 2x/day and that affects where we go and our packing habits.  We find that now unless we are travelling in the larger centers in Mexico, or are travelling in our home country of Canada or in the US he needs to bring enough health supplies including protective underwear to see him through the trip. We also take along a prescription scrip from our doctor in case of antibiotic necessity.

We went to our first All Inclusive just a few years ago (it was seriously short notice cheap!) and it was ok, but we prefer more freedom as to where we eat and what we do.  We are generally not 'drinks on the beach' vacationers.  So we aren't likely to do any more of that.

We took our first cruise (4 night) to dip our toes just over a year ago - again short notice cheap, and find that we might be doing a bit more of this cruising thing.  We will still be getting off ship in ports and doing our own thing, not going on the ship sponsored tours, as the pre-planning was always my forte and I love finding interesting and different experiences.  We may be using more taxis and drivers than local buses and walking.

We just got back from a $499 10 night bus and internal flight tour of eastern China (5 cities) - luckily back on Dec 12 before all the novel coronavirus sh!t hit the fan.  It was our first organized bus tour. He was able to take a large checked bag 60 inch total W+H+D for his supplies and clothing, but he did have his medical alcohol confiscated by the internal flight airport security.  Our tour guide was awesome in running around to quickly find a pharmacy so hubby could resupply.  Not sure what their issue was exactly, as international flights were no problem.  UTO Vacations and obviously they are partially sponsored by the Chinese government since the tour included all flights (non-stop from Vancouver in our case), 4+ star hotels (eg. beautiful hot springs for our first 3 nights), buffet breakfasts with a huge variety of American and real Chinese food, bus travel and internal flight.  

We might consider doing more of those kind of tours like Gate-1 and Exoticca offer.

I think we will always take the cheapest flights (red eye economy class) and are happy with oceanview cabins as all we need is to check the weather before we get dressed and come up on deck.  I am in the middle of booking a short-notice on HAL for our anniversary (38 yrs - yes we were young :) .)  We got cheap airmiles flights to San Diego and haven't fully decided what else we are doing while there besides the 1 week cruise.  Maybe whip across the border and rent a car and hit northern Baja.  

One thing I will add that does limit our vacations now compared to when we were younger is our parents.... his Mom is 94 and although fairly spry she is in a senior residence with some mild cognitive impairment, my parents are in their early 80's in a senior residence and Mom has Lewy Body Dementia and Dad has some mild cognitive impairment and some heart issues.  So we hesitate to be away from them for very long these days as we are the contact for their doctors and residence managers in case of any problems.

Sorry this little story has been so long 😵

The rest of the cruisers on our 4 day Bahamas cruise were very casual except for a few other couples like us who obviously like to dress for dinner.  Hubby brought a sport jacket and two coordinating pants (sort of jean styled but in dressier fabrics) with 2 dress shirts and three different ties.  I had a couple of classy-short cocktail dresses and a couple other cute ones that were not sun-type dresses.  I don't take my good jewellery on any trips, I have semi precious stones to wear instead.  I took a couple of wedge soled dress shoes/sandals as I have an unstable ankle from a previous injury and can't wear stilettos any more 😭.  Other than that we packed the usual undies/socks, swimsuits, shorts, tops, sweaters (for air con), sport shoes and sandals.  We also had jeans and rain jackets and a few other pieces with us because we were actually doing the cruise in the middle of a 2 week vacation on land.  It all fit in our suitcases and carry-ons and in our RCL ocean view cabin, anyhow.

Hubby and I took two heavy magnetic hooks and two battery op tea lights with us on our first cruise, as suggested by others on a First-Timers thread.  They were the most useful things ever.  Bathrooms are always so tiny in cabins (unless you pay the big bucks for large Owner's Suites, lol) so the magnets came in handy for our beach towels and assorted other stuff we didn't want to stow in the closet next to our dressy dinner/show outfits.  They also held our daily activity plan on our bedroom wall under the TV so that paper didn't get shuffled around and lost.  

Hubby is an 'old guy' and has multiple bathroom needs in the middle of the night, and although we both can get around our home in total darkness, the tea lights in the bathroom with the door closed are just enough to find your way and do your business without injuring yourself on furniture. 

The other thing we always bring on any trip is our 4 station charging deck - both tablets (for downloaded books, and internet at free WiFi in ports) and my phone for emergencies and contact with family at free port WIFI spots.

I love those sweet little boots, do you line dance or two step ShellBelle28?  I think there are Western and Country Music themed cruises aren't there?  Likely travelling out of Galveston I would think.

The Mime et Moi pic didn't turn out, maybe because it's png and not jpg?  I'll try again here.  Yaaay, it worked

Of course with Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the US there are shoe sales on all over.  The Shoe Bakery has 30% off (not including custom jobs) at shoebakery.com if you use the code HOORAY30.  

Another really neat site is Mime et Moi (a German shoe company) with interchangeable heels you can buy separately.  30% off their shoes with code CCW30  https://mimemoi.com/en?mc_cid=46e4e0ceaf&mc_eid=345352789f  

Here's a picture of some to give you an idea:

They are not cheap of course, but then you are getting two shoes for the price of one, and you can choose other coloured heels if you wish, like pink or cream for the above shoe.  Some really neat combos I saw. 

Another online site with multi-heels is https://tanyaheathcanada.com/collections/shoes - they have some really good sales on right now and all heels fit all the shoes so you can contrast or match colours & patterns from  kitten heel to boot/block to stiletto.  Also this site is in CAD so lots cheaper for many.

AuroraRose, I love the idea of those shoes with your wedding date on a plaque attached to them.  Awesome!  

ShellBelle28, the big bow is a real focus in fashion these days.... I just got a cute pair of slides from Avon (clearing out summer stuff) for a really good price.  Suitably nautical and sweet with navy capris.

I always do research online, but I also get the latest guidebook out of the library at home (pre-trip) simply because I like the feel of the paper and the view of the whole page I get when I'm curled up on the couch in the evenings having fun planning. Somehow, I feel claustrophobic scrolling through a little window (ESPECIALLY on a phone - I always take my tablet along on trips too). I feel I can't see the whole picture and easily flip back and forth from one page to another like I can in a book. But that is just me. I also don't always buy a guidebook, especially if the trip is under 3 weeks, I just take the library copy along with me. I have done the printed directions idea, and also taken photos on my phone of pertinent info out of the book. I never spend the money for data even at home. I just use free WiFi spots.

Remember the name of the place or where it was? Always like a locals spot...

Sorry, I didn't get any notice that there was a post on this thread....

Anyhow, here's the website of the Bahamas Soccer Association and it's just a block or so away, if you phone or drop in to the office I'm sure the gals can direct you. https://www.bahamasfa.com/index.html I really can't remember the name of it, definitely a TINY hole in the wall, only about 4 or 5 tables for 2.

Here's a couple of examples:

mimi217, can you post a picture of your dress or direct us to a link to look at something similar online? If it has a lot of detail or you are wearing 'statement piece' jewelry I'd go for a classic nude sandal or D'Orsay or peep-toe pump. I'd wholeheartedly agree with Lois R on the beautiful silver if your dress is a classic unfussy style. One should really have one main focus - fab flashy shoes, or statement jewelry, or major ruffles/details on the dress. It could also depend on how many dress up nights you have and how much room in your luggage/stateroom - you might want shoes that do double duty, lol.

You guys want to see some awesome shoes - go to Shoebakery.com https://shoebakery.com/collections/heels

Low cal, too, lol.

Cute, tmme! I love the sandals too and the deck shoes look sweet AND comfy. I ended up with arthritis in the base joints (ball of my foot) of my middle toes on my left foot and now cannot wear anything above 2.5 inches (unless it's a platform and that's got to be a wedge too). I donated two full black garbage bags to a charity in May that hosts a fab shoe sale to raise money (over $11,000 this year) for the local women's shelter and community foundation. At least I won a draw prize (besides feeling good about the cause and re-homing some of my favorites). I got 3 hours of cleaning by a local 'green' cleaning company. It was tops on my list of possible draw prizes, so I'm pretty stoked about that. I have bought a few new pairs of cute wedges and some funky Eurostyle shoes similar to John Fluevog's stuff.

I'd take a picture but my phone fell off the wharf at the lake last week and I haven't been able to retrieve it yet - I have hopes of rehabbing it but can't get to it due to high water.

Thanks, Thom, for the offer of the code, but looking at the costs....I think we will be doing our own thing for quite a while yet as it is much cheaper. We can easily go for 3 weeks for $3000 for the two of us including airfare and accommodations/food/transport without going the 'hostel route.' :) (not in Scandinavia or Antarctic though, lol) Ah, well.

BTW, the cruise we took was pretty well as cheesy as I thought it might be, although the kitchen and waitstaff were amazing with my Celiac Gluten Free needs. The best part of the cruise was getting off the ship and exploring on our own. In Nassau we walked to the Bahamian Football Club off some back roads and chatted with folks we had corresponded with online, then walked down the street to a little 'hole in the wall' lunch stop fave with the office crowd around there, that the Football Club gals recommended. We were the only non-locals there at a really busy lunchtime then grabbed an 'Uber/private taxi' to Caves Beach - only two other people on the beach all afternoon) I think we're likely not going to take another cruise unless it's a cheap very last minute one out of some port we already happen to have travelled to on our own.

From our limited experience.... the cheaper the cruise, the more it's like being stuck in a busy mall with a few thousand Walmart people. Unfortunately, I have a champagne taste and a beer budget, so take that for what it's worth. :/

I am usually a strong advocate for using libraries and guide books, but given that the Bahamas had hurricane damage, it would certainly behoove the OP to confirm things via the Web.

 

Morsekk, I forgot to mention the port specific forums that Cruise Critic hosts. Also, check the Things to Do for the different ports on TripAdvisor. The books are great for defining what is manageable by foot, public transport or better done by excursion, but the port forums and TripAdvisor will define how good tourist activities are now, and then check again before travel.

We were just on RCCL in the Bahamas at the beginning of Dec 2017 and there was no real evidence of hurricane damage. Don't bother with Atlantis - it's a ripoff, grab an Uber and ask them to take you to the Caves Beach (bring a snack and drink) and pick you up after a couple of hours (depending on how much you want of 'alone beach time') Check at Fodor's online and do your own little walking tour in downtown Nassau - lots of stuff to see and little restaurants and bars to go to.

How about cruising Japan? We love Japan although we haven't cruised there. Hubby just turned 60 and we are fairly healthy - no zip-lining needed ;). Princess Cruises has their 2019 spring itinerary up and going for a look: https://www.princess.com/find/searchResults.do?trade=K&date=0319,0419,0519,0619,0719,0819,0919,1019

Okay, maybe not December but does it have to be in that month? Or do you especially want the perks that come with having your actual special date fall during the cruise itself?

How about a NatGeo cruise to Antarctica? that's on my dreamlist. http://www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com/expeditions/antarctica-cruise/detail

Yeah, cell phones! Make certain they are in airplane mode while on the ship - take it with you in port and turn the airplane mode off only when you find a free WiFi spot to make your check in calls, etc. We also took our 10" tablets loaded with books to read and had a relaxing time in the early evenings in the Viking Crown Lounge on our RCL cruise - seems hardly anyone goes up there, which was awesome, and a great view over the prow of the ship. If you throw a tiny cash tip on top of the automatic tip when you swipe for a drink they will remember exactly what you like as soon as you find a seat. Even if it's unusual... my drink is Tito's gluten-free handmade vodka distilled from corn - on the rocks with 3 olives.

We found the coil wrist 'bracelets' with a split ring on them handier for our Seapasses than lanyards; you can easily hold them to face the barcode to the crew with scanner as you head on or off the ship, and they were better in the hot tubs, etc.

Bring your own favorite shampoo/conditioner - the stuff on the ships is kinda like cheap hotel crap (unless maybe you are on SeaDream Yacht Club or SilverSeas, lol).