dcwalker

buffalo-

I wish you could cruise with us, too!!! Your boys could get my boys onto the dance floor. We could sip fruity drinks together. I'm hoping we'll take another cruise in two years when we have another graduation, too. The oldest should be finishing 4 yrs of college and the youngest will be graduating from high school. After that I imagine us flying apart, everyone going their separate ways - so that would be our last great family vacation. People tell me it doesn't necessarily work that way. We'll see. I hope you don't have to wait too long for your next cruise - AND that you'll do another review.

buffalo - thank you so much for your thorough response to all my questions. I'm just now seeing it. Actually, my teens are a little older than your teens - my 18 and 19 year old are too old for club 02 this time; my 16 year old is looking forward to it, though - and I think the other two are a little jealous; but you sound very much like us - we've been on three previous cruises and always insist on meeting up for dinner together; in the past we also insisted on getting on and off the boat together; now that they're older I might not insist that the boys get off with my husband and me, but that they stick with each other in the ports

I feel very sorry for you that your cruise is now a fading memory; I'm so happy for me that my cruise is coming - FAST!!!! well, not so fast, but it is coming

again, thank you for posting - we haven't been on the liberty and your review just makes me so so excited

bob voyage? I'm pretty sure I meant to say bon voyage. I'm also pretty sure you're not reading this anymore because your cruise is about to begin. YAY!!! Have a beautiful, relaxing cruise, jenny105

so, for me, with 60 days to wait, time to get moving - 7 mi walk this morning, 15 mi bike ride this afternoon - amazing what I can get away with on Mothers Day - gone from home all day just indulging my exercise jones

278 mi down

587 to go

bob voyage!

15 mi bike ride; 5 mi walk

256 mi down; 609 to go

jenny105 I think you're setting sail soon. Have a great cruise and come back with a quick review to tide me over until my cruise 2 months from now

5 more walk miles in the last couple days, so 236 down/629 to go

I plan to start biking this weekend and kick some mileage butt

There's a thread on here "Running to the ship". Find it and take a look. I love it. I find it very motivating to keep moving. I found a small, supportive community on this thread. I, too, am in my (late) 50's and walk for fitness.

This will be our 1st Carnival Cruise and we picked them based on their smoking policies. We have a balcony and can't wait to sit on it and have a few drinks and smoke. But we are also considerate smokers if there is such a thing. I walk away to smoke when I am near none smokers, we won't chain smoke on the balcony, and so forth. But with that being said I would have no problem with the dance clubs being smoke free and even the casino for a few hours or a day or two. I don't like to constantly smell smoke or others smoking around me, weird I know.

We're non-smokers; our third cruise is coming up. We always book an inside - cheaper for the five of us - but we just got an upgrade to a balcony. I was wondering what it's like - do a lot of people just hang out on their balconies all day smoking? Oh, did I mention we're pretty far aft? Ugh. I hope all our neighbors who are smokers are like you, 618mom - considerate non-chain-smokers.

231 down/634 to go

stop bragging!!!!

186 down/679 to go

Some serious walking to get to my cruise - 2 mi yesterday and 15 today : so 173 down and 692 to go - in 75 days

I've been taking my lunch break walks, with or without my co-workers, 2 mi Mon., 3 mi Tuesday, 2 mi yesterday and three mi today - so 10 more; 156 down 709 to go

Thinking of booking the Carnival excursion kayak, hike, snorkel at the mangrove lagoon. At first I thought it might be too much for my husband and me - we're healthy, but pushing 60 - but great for my active teenagers. Then as I read reviews I realized it's not that strenuous, probably just right for me and the spouse, but maybe the kids would think it's too tame??? Anyone here care to comment?

still walking - a two mile lunchtime walk on both Thursday and Friday; 11 mile training walks both yesterday and today - so 146 down with 719 to go

Thank you for your review. You have a beautiful family - either that or all of you are deceptively photogenic. Since I'll be sailing Liberty with my teen sons in July I especially liked your insights into what interested your sons. I laughed at the part about Grand Turk. I too imagine my guys wanting to enjoy the vibe (translation: girls in swimsuits) at Margaritaville, but like you, I shouldn't be too surprised if they decide that's not for them. I have one picky eater. I'll have to make sure he knows there's no shame in ordering from the kids' menu. One big difference, mine will not get on the dance floor - well, one maybe. But they will use the basketball court. Any other hints for my boys? Did your guys like touring OSJ? Our plan is just to tour the forts, but should we do the whole thing? And where did your sons find the best snorkeling? Oooh, I think I'm starting to be a pest. Well, answer if/when you get a chance. Thanks

Yay, Ducklite! Doesn't it feel great to be back in action?

OK - where am I? I did two two-mile lunchbreak walks last week. I walked 13 miles yesterday and 11 today; so I knocked off 28 more miles, leaving 745 miles to go in 88 days.

jenny I love your math; your cruise is coming up quick; you must be so excited

jenny105: Hurry! Hurry! You can't miss your cruise!

and no, not the way I snorkel - it's not much of a workout.

I just did a 2 mi lunchbreak walk. 773 miles to go.

I just realized I've only gone 92 miles. I'm nowhere near even out of Virginia yet. And 3.5 states left to go.

Thanks for your reply jenny. I hope your back is all healed up. I guess I should just anticipate relaxing at port stops as well. No one in my family other than me likes to hike around in the hot July Caribbean sun getting all sweaty. I guess I'll settle for some snorkeling with my teenagers and let my lazy husband sit on the beach watching our stuff.

Ha ha ! I read your disclaimer at the beginning and thought oh no I'm not going to read this. I will not like it. Bu-ut - I had to read it:

- you're in Buffalo; I grew up in Hamburg and spent my 20's in Buffalo

- you just got off the Liberty and you're telling me all about the Liberty and eventually I'll get to take MY Liberty cruise

- you have 3 teenage sons and I have 3 teenage sons

- and if that isn't enough - you had one of the cabins that we have booked for our cruise!!!!!!!

SO I am reading your review and loving every minute of it and can't wait for more. Thank you so much for your time and effort in doing this. You're the best, but then Buffaloians are.

797 minus 22 = 775 - hmmm my two 11 mi walks yesterday and today didn't make much of a dent - with only 95 days to get there - oh my

jenny105, what ports will you be stopping at? you're so active I was wondering if you have active plans for your port stops. We'll be hitting the eastern caribbean - st. thomas, st. martin - and would love some advice on good walks/hikes if you're going there as well

ok yay! The weather cleared. I walked 10 miles on the boardwalk today. Plus 4 treadmill miles yesterday. So with 101 days left I have a mere 797 mi to go. Hey 101 days - I'll be doing the double digit dance!!

Well, so much for walking on the beach. I got here today, drove all the way through the rain and here in Atlantic City it's still raining. But I did do 4 miles on the hotel treadmill. Maybe it will clear up before I go home on Wed. 103 days to go and sooooo many miles. Everyone else, keep up the good work and be rewarded with a relaxing, refreshing cruise.

has anyone ever been to Gravely Point to watch planes land at Reagan National - AND done that at Maho? Can you compare? Is there a comparison, or is Maho just so much more?

Good for you, Ducklite. You go, jenny105. Your cruise is so close. I'm a little bit jealous, but mostly I'm just happy for you. We had a random beautiful day here. I walked 2 miles in the morning just to buy bagels. In the afternoon I took a luxurious 11+ mile walk. When I start out I always underestimate how much I love to walk. I just kept on going. It was wonderful. So: 110 days, 802 mi to go.

Well, all you lucky cruisers, I have to wait until July 11, so throw me some reviews when you return so I have something to dream about while I"m waiting my turn. Have a great time. Enjoy your cruises.

I give up! Na-ah. Not really. It snowed here again and it's been cold and I don't like cold - we have a Caribbean cruise in July and all that oppressive heat will feel just heavenly. Anyway, only did 2 miles, that was a lunchtime walk today. So 815 miles to go with only 112 days left. Ha! Under any other circumstance I wouldn't say "only" in front of 112 days. That's a whole lotta days to wait for a cruise - but not so many if ya haf ta walk/bike 815 miles to the ship.

Oh, and it's going to snow here again on Tuesday. BUT - next week I'm going to be in Atlantic City for 4 days and I'm going to walk at least 10 miles each day on the beach. My 39 mile fundraising walk is only 6 weeks away and I've gotta get serious about training.