AquaAdventurer

Found a link that addresses the number of citizens that have a passport. The info seems reasonable but doesn't really reflect travel abroad - how many are traveling where?

http://www.theexpeditioner.com/2010/02/17/how-many-americans-have-a-passport-2/

Moremajor: Although you are important, so are the other 1000 plus people on the boat.

Hear Hear! Don't leave consideration and good manners behind. Helps to make the community on board better than the world left behind.

Very nice view of the lovely Emerald Princess! We'll be cruising on her for the first time and this is the best outside video I've seen of this beauty. I think the music sets the video off very nicely. Thanks again for making the effort.

CruiserBruce makes an excellent and noteworthy point: "Booking early isn't usually a problem, as most cruise lines will give you a new, lower price, if it comes prior to final payment."

We've used several strategies. Booking early while watching fluctuating prices (and using CruiserBruce's advice), and taking a gamble, watching the prices on a couple of cabin categories, until after final payment - and then jumping. You can also put a fully refundable deposit on a cruise or two and then finally decide.

Okay, I'll admit this is a little off the wall, but if we're not trivializing, writing, reading, doing a Sudoku, walking the promenade, or listening to music, I like to plunk down somewhere, look out over the water and just let my mind do some roving. It likes the freedom to go where it wants once in a while, I let it off its leash. Sometimes it takes me right to dreamland.

:( We just completed a repositioning from New Orleans to Boston on the Dawn. We traveled with friends and had a wonderful time touring the city and the subsequent cruise. On the last day before pulling in to Boston our traveling companions said they were ready to go home . . . we smiled and replied that our only regret was not being able to continue!

More than even my DW, I get "sea sick" (depressed at the thought of not being on the sea). We have already booked a B2B2B out of Ft. L from mid-Jan to Mid Feb 2016. That helped, but it's still too long a wait. So I'm researching other possibilities and watching for deals. Just staying immersed in research and talking with DW about possibilities and doing virtual tours of the Emerald Princess that we'll be sailing on in January helps.

You are definitely NOT alone. If we were sitting together we'd probably be talking about cruising where we've been, the ships we've been on, where we'd like to go.

Here's to cruising!

I'm not a business person, but wouldn't it increase sales to lower the prices? Is it better to sell one at $185 or five at $100?

The whole economic concept of Price Point is weird but fascinating. What seems to be at work here is more psychology than production and materials cost. There are folks who cruise for whom $$$ is not a consideration and another group that is truly captured by the art and willing to reach deep to their pockets. There are apparently enough of both to make this a profit center or it wouldn't last long. Personally, I have a hard time understanding the prices for the regular photo packages. I like to take pictures and have zero desire to pay for what I enjoy doing anyway.:)

James Mitchener, depending on the destination.

Tales of the South Pacific

The Source - (for eastern Med destinations)

The World is My Home

Sayonara (Japan - the Far East)

Iberia

Lost Mexico

Hawaii

Alaska

Poland

*** Space *** maybe not quite yet.

. . . If you could add a night either pre or post-cruise, which would you do? Why?

As stated, I'd go with pre-cruise. We're doing that in an upcoming cruise out of New Orleans. Because I tend to stress out a little about getting to the terminal in the first place, it rather eliminates that stressor. Being about to sample the surrounding area adds to the overall experience. Having an opportunity to spend a few days in New Orleans actually had a lot to do with taking the cruise in the first place.

However, when we took a repositioning cruise that ended in Rome it was a no-brainer that we'd stay a while longer!

So really, I guess, it depends a lot on origin and destination - and how anxious you might be about getting home and back to the routine.

I Too have " @ sea DNA " !

I was born in a navy hospital .

My first breath of life was salt air .

Sounds like it's both Nature and Nurture!

If... and only IF our friends ask us about cruising we explain our experiences. Same as going to a all-inclusive resort, or any land-based holiday. We never push them towards it - just try to explain the differences for us... they have to make the decision. Should they decide to come on a cruise with us (or without us).. that's their decision and I don't feel responsible should they not enjoy the experience.

That's pretty much the way we approach it. Folks wonder what the fascination is for us and we try to explain what we like about the whole experience. DW has added that folks have to like the idea about being at sea, or at least not paranoid about it - that's something cruisers often take for granted I suppose.

We've introduced 8 couples to the life experience known as "cruising" . . . only 1 of the couples hated it and said they would never go again. . .

 

One of the couples is quite interesting - they are just lovely salt of the earth type people; she is an office clerk, he is a house painter and neither had travelled anywhere before. We told them where we were going and they expressed an interest in joining us, so we assisted with all the preparations, including hosting a formal multi-course, sit-down dinner (complete with multiple wine glasses and cutlery) so they could see what to expect on the ship. The fellow rented a tux, the lady bought some pretty evening attire, and they came back from the cruise having purchased several future cruise credits!

 

You never know!

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

 

That's a super story :) Just the fact that you put forth the effort to share what to you was a wonderful experience and actually introduced that couple to an adventure they might otherwise never have chanced. Love it!

I'm surprised at the responses that indicate none or few. With the marketing and word of mouth from frequent cruisers I had thought that more would have been tempted to try. Perhaps they just haven't been convinced yet - to put an optimistic spin on it :)

I could add a followup: Are you surprised or disappointed?

Actually None. In fact, if asked I tell people how awful cruising is. Why increase the demand for a product that you want to buy in the future?:confused: Lower demand equals a lower cost for me.:D

 

Right now, I'm telling people that cruising in general is awful, cruising in November 2015 is really, really awful, cruising in November, 2015 in the Caribbean is really, really, really awful and cruising in November, 2015, in the Caribbean, on Celebrity is really, really, really, really incredibly awful. People would be much better off visiting North Korea!:D

I see the logic :cool: . . . maybe I should rethink :D

One of the things I most love about cruising is the ability to visit places that I would never spend the money to see, but there are many places that I would love to visit but am fain (a rarely used word that just popped into my head) to visit for any length of time because of the expense (hotels and tours) and perhaps a little fear of getting around on my own.

I could almost say, in fact I will, that if it weren't for cruising I'd never have experienced the pleasure (and even awe) of places like Rome, London, St. Petersburg, Berlin (yes - we took a tour on the train)!

Yet another reason to thank the industry for making vacations more exciting! :D

All of us, I believe, are very high on the cruising experience. As you spread the joys of the experience to your family, friends, and acquaintances, how many have you brought into the fold? They don't have to have come with you (though please include those as well), just taking a cruise in any capacity. How many were disappointed or took only a single cruise?

Love to hear your stories.

If you come back and use the chair I wouldn't call you a chair hog. My definition of chair hogs are those that are gone for more than an hour.

For that hour I'm sure several courteous folks have looked longingly at that chair and couldn't bring themselves to remove the objects. Though I've also seen a few (granted, not many) more forceful folks check the pool for an occupant and then plant themselves. I never witnessed a confrontation thankfully. Personally, and this is the honest truth, unless it's a run the lav, I take my stuff so as not to be thought a chair hog. I had my time and figure it's time to share.

Ok, I am going to leap to the defense of the chair hog

There have been several times that I hurry to the pool area, usually the Solarium, I grab a lounge chair and then run to get coffee, but I come back. So just because you see someone drop a towel and take off, does not mean they won't be right back.

 

Loved the poem.

Thank you :o

I was thinking of those folks who disappear for more than 20 minutes or so. I have often taken a chair in out of the way areas to read and no one returned the entire time I was in the area ~ half to a whole hour later. On our last cruise there was a notice posted to the effect that if a chair was vacant for a half hour or more the articles on the chair could be picked up at the towel return area - never enforced.

This is wonderful - may I have permission to use this on my upcoming cruise? I think a print out of this poem, placed gently on an offending chair, would be a useful thing!

 

KC

Sure ;) If you want to add an attribution, make it Sgt KARMA :D

and let me know how it works out.

Notice how no one has leapt to the defense of the elusive chair-hog :rolleyes:

The advice given so far is well worth acting upon. May I presume to suggest a few points. Assuming I have your permission, here goes . . .

What is most important:

• the shipboard experience
  
• the ports of call
  
• the region (e.g. Alaska, Europe, home waters)
  
• the expense
  
• a balance of above
  

Would you prefer:

• lots of people in a large ship with many shops and restaurants
  
• more intimate setting of fewer folks in a classic ship
  
• shorter trip to test the waters or jump right in and sail for a week or more
  
• more sea days or port hopping
  

Pace:

• high energy experience with lots of activity
  
• sitting in a lounge chair reading with few distractions
  

This is not necessarily and either/or situation - more of a balancing act - but there are distinct differences among the ships and lines.

The advice given so far is well worth acting upon. May I presume to suggest a few points. Assuming I have your permission, here goes . . .

What is most important:

• the shipboard experience
  
• the ports of call
  
• the region (e.g. Alaska, Europe, home waters)
  
• the expense
  
• a balance of above
  

Would you prefer:

• lots of people in a large ship with many shops and restaurants
  
• more intimate setting of fewer folks in a classic ship
  

Pace:

• high energy experience with lots of activity
  
• sitting in a lounge chair reading with few distractions
  

This is not necessarily and either/or situation - more of a balancing act - but there are distinct differences among the ships and lines.

Remember, in those old movies, the crowds along the docks waving and cheering at each other as the ship pulled away?

That may not happen any more but sail-aways still hold a magic of their own. The excitement of the beginning of a new adventure, the relief of leaving cares behind. I also rather revel in the sometimes awe inspiring usually delightful, but always interesting, views of whatever harbor we may be exiting. Boston's Harbor Islands, NYC's skyline and bridges, FLL / Miami's vibrant waterways, etc, etc. My personal favorite is the grand-dame, Boston - maybe because it's home port.

Anyone else have a favorite?

NYC to Southampton / Le Harve Transatlantic crossings! I see they have Hamburg now but would really like to see the France & even an Italy crossing every so often...anyone else???

You have support Rotterdam :) Let us fly in the face of the general opinion. I honestly believe that there is a market. So many people are now cruising the fear factor and "I wouldn't enjoy it" factor are disappearing. And the "I hate to fly" group is increasing. Alternative: a return of the passenger liner in some form.

I Like It. Unfortunately, this will never get better. Could never sink so low as to hog a chair. If only others really felt the same way.

So long as the concept of courtesy survives in the human soul, some of us will try to carry the banner. :)