I Should Have Gotten Counseling

My apologies for posting this sad tale.

While I enjoyed my previous cruise on the Epic in December 2016 there were many aspects of the ship I didn’t like and it affected me more than I realized. It left me with the feeling of an unfulfilled trip. I had an emptiness in my psyche that needed to be addressed. In hindsight I should have sought out professional counseling but I failed to do so. Instead, less than a month after our Epic cruise, I had a kneejerk reaction when I saw a good price for a Panama Canal cruise in December 2017 on the Star and I booked it.

Although I didn’t know it, booking a cruise didn’t fill that emptiness so when my brother-in-law called two months later asking us to join them on a September 2018 British Isles cruise on the Jade I booked that trip too. Although I was happy about having two future cruises booked, I didn’t recognize that my psyche still had a void that needed to be filled.

As 2017 wore on, I began to realize that the very essence of my being needed to take a trip. I finally began to recognize there was void in my life. When my wife’s cousin called and asked if we wanted to join them in September on an all-inclusive vacation in Jamaica I didn’t have to think twice about it so I booked the trip.

Despite drinking copious amounts of alcohol at our resort in Jamaica I was left me with an even deeper void. While the resort was quite beautiful, our room was just OK. The food at the resort had a Caribbean twist that I didn’t like including the breakfasts. No, I don’t like Mango-flavor pancakes or eggs benedict with jerk pineapple. REAL eggs benedict have Canadian bacon, not jerk pineapple, and hollandaise sauce poured over the eggs. At the beach I was harassed daily by men wanting to sell me drugs. When I turned down the weed, they wanted to sell me ******. Jamaica just wasn’t my kind of trip.

When we returned from Jamaica my very essence was in jeopardy. I was beside myself with self-pity, my spirit had sailed into the doldrums of life. I had no purpose other than watching reruns of the Love Boat on TV. I was a pathetic shell of the man I once was. And then NCL sent me an email informing me of the Take all Five promotion and that I should book a trip. What else could I do, I had no control, I booked a cruise on the Jade for January.

Next week my wife and I will be leaving for our Panama Canal cruise on the Star. I really need this to be a good cruise because my credit cards are bulging with debt and now I can’t afford counseling.

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I kind of felt the same way when I booked my first NCL cruise. Heard good things and bad on the forum. Did I make a mistake, or will I really enjoy it? I'm not as brave as you to book so many trips. The brightly colored brochures sure do make these trips look attractive, don't they?

You’re not really in trouble until you’re posting this using the online WiFi.

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Cruise therapy is the best! Have a great time on all of them.

A sad tale most wish!

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I went on Allure of the Seas in February 2017 and was SOOO disappointed with it. I felted a gap that made me feel like the RCL cruise did not count for my minimum requirement of cruises a year, so I quickly booked on HAL Eurodam and was blown away by their services.

Inside of a month I had a transatlantic and a transpacific cruise canceled with the usual cruiseline regrets. Have to wait until 12/12/17 to rebook the trans Pacific, will have to do it from deep in the province in the Philippines with no phone connection. Instead of being stuck in Barcelona, not exactly a fun place these days, we will hang out for two days and take a new Carnival ship to NYC. Had to book a guaraneed inside, no assignment yet. Wouldn't life be boring if everything worked out the way we planned?

Inside of a month I had a transatlantic and a transpacific cruise canceled with the usual cruiseline regrets. Have to wait until 12/12/17 to rebook the trans Pacific, will have to do it from deep in the province in the Philippines with no phone connection. Instead of being stuck in Barcelona, not exactly a fun place these days, we will hang out for two days and take a new Carnival ship to NYC. Had to book a guaraneed inside, no assignment yet. Wouldn't life be boring if everything worked out the way we planned?

What reason were you given for the cancelations? I've only had one canceled...and would be on it right now in Asia had Celebrity not taken it for a charter. It was a one of kind itinerary....so grrr.

Am hoping we enjoy the cruise we didn't book on the Jade....not even one port we paid for. Hopefully the silver lining will be a great cruise...our fifth on the Jade.

Tell us how you are stuck in the Phillippines.....

Ha ha ha ha!

You sound like us... We cruised four years ago for the first time. It was our first family trip. Since then, we have done three more cruises, a trip to Grand Cayman, and one to Riviera Maya.

And in the next 13 months, we have two cruises booked (16 days total), a week in Punta Cana, a week in Cozumel followed by four days in Riviera Maya, and finally a week in Acapulco.

We have come to realize that experiences are way more important than stuff!

 

 

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Fantastic pic Doug lol

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Too funny!! I’m envious that you are heading out on the Star through the canal. We’re counting down the days until our Feb trip on the same itinerary and ship. Have fun and hope it helps with that terrible void you are experiencing...

We would love to hear back about your experiences on the Star!!

What reason were you given for the cancelations? I've only had one canceled...and would be on it right now in Asia had Celebrity not taken it for a charter. It was a one of kind itinerary....so grrr.

Am hoping we enjoy the cruise we didn't book on the Jade....not even one port we paid for. Hopefully the silver lining will be a great cruise...our fifth on the Jade.

Tell us how you are stuck in the Phillippines.....

Not really stuck here, we have a house and will be spending October to April here, had 2 years of cruises booked until Royal started killing them. Will be coming back next September/October 35 days on the NCL Jewel Vancouver to Singapore then a 3 hour flight to Luzon, Philippines . Mariner TA in May, 2018 canned because going into early drydock. TP in 2019 just decided to send back a bigger ship, will get the details 12/12/17, they switched from Explorer to Ovation, bigger ship, will be more expensive, not as good an itinerary. Original 23 days went from Sidney to New Caledonia and French Poly, overnight in Honolulu, then into Seattle.

I went on the independence of the seas and loved it!! I have two more cruises booked and have travelled half the world. Travelling is what you make it. Possibly you are just not meant to be a traveller. I have also been to Jamaica 4 times and don’t understand your not liking it. I think you should just stay home if travelling makes you so unhappy. Look at the money you will save

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Not really stuck here, we have a house and will be spending October to April here, had 2 years of cruises booked until Royal started killing them. Will be coming back next September/October 35 days on the NCL Jewel Vancouver to Singapore then a 3 hour flight to Luzon, Philippines . Mariner TA in May, 2018 canned because going into early drydock. TP in 2019 just decided to send back a bigger ship, will get the details 12/12/17, they switched from Explorer to Ovation, bigger ship, will be more expensive, not as good an itinerary. Original 23 days went from Sidney to New Caledonia and French Poly, overnight in Honolulu, then into Seattle.

Hope all works out...thanks for sharing.

I went on the independence of the seas and loved it!! I have two more cruises booked and have travelled half the world. Travelling is what you make it. Possibly you are just not meant to be a traveller. I have also been to Jamaica 4 times and don’t understand your not liking it. I think you should just stay home if travelling makes you so unhappy. Look at the money you will save

 

 

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I love to travel, in fact I’ve had so many great experiences in my travels I’ve come to expect it when I travel. And no, my standards aren’t set too high. Prior to the Epic our other cruises were awesome.

The Epic cruise we took last year simply wasn’t my cup of tea. I won’t be booking a mega-ship again. The design of the Epic felt more like a Vegas hotel/casino and left me feeling disconnected from the sea. This disconnect was exacerbated by the lack of a true promenade deck and the lack of ocean views when walking through decks 5, 6, and 7. There were just too many things to list that I didn’t like about the Epic. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed my time on the Epic but at the end of the 7 days I was ready to get off the ship.

Before I write about my Jamaica trip I want to mention that I’ve been to a number of AI resorts in Mexico. I guess I had a Mexican standard that the Jamaican resort couldn’t match. I’ve already mentioned almost all the food at the resort had a Jamaican twist to it but also our resort had the smallest buffet and the fewest choices I’ve ever seen. The water in the two swimming pools didn’t have that sparkling crystal clear water we experienced at the Mexican resorts. Instead there was always a very slight cloudiness to the water. Our room at the resort was very dated, especially the bathroom, and the entire room could have used a fresh coat of paint. Daytime and evening entertainment was mediocre at best. The one thing bothered me the most was the drug dealers. Nope, I won’t be going back to Jamaica. I’ll be using Mexico for future AI resorts.

As I said, I love to travel but I do have certain standards that I want met.

Too funny!! I’m envious that you are heading out on the Star through the canal. We’re counting down the days until our Feb trip on the same itinerary and ship. Have fun and hope it helps with that terrible void you are experiencing...

 

We would love to hear back about your experiences on the Star!!

When my wife and I return I do plan on writing a trip report and I will probably include photos.

You’re not really in trouble until you’re posting this using the online WiFi.

 

 

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I liked OP's piece. It was good.

But this reply is brilliant.

At 1st I thought the OP wrote a comical, or satirical piece, then I read his/her 2nd post and now I'm confused - sounds serious???

At 1st I thought the OP wrote a comical, or satirical piece, then I read his/her 2nd post and now I'm confused - sounds serious???

I thought it was satire myself. But then again so many folks on here take things and themselves way to serious so who knows anymore.

At 1st I thought the OP wrote a comical, or satirical piece, then I read his/her 2nd post and now I'm confused - sounds serious???

Yes I agree, not sure if it’s serious or OP has the same lovely problems the rest of us cruise lovers have.

I think the OP is saying that he had higher expectations of these trips and resents paying it off on his credit cards.

(A good reason not to go into debt for a trip.)

Oh well, since I think he is serious, and most of you don't....now I know why I dislike the comedy shows. I just don't "get them".

Hi Oakman,

We will be joining you on the cruise. Not sure I saw your name on the Meet and greet list. If not we are meeting at La Cuchina on Dec. 2 at 11:00am. Perhaps meeting the 56 people there will result in great friendships and memories! Look forward to seeing you there. Please reply on the roll call and I’ll make name tags for you.

Cheers!

My apologies for posting this sad tale.

 

While I enjoyed my previous cruise on the Epic in December 2016 there were many aspects of the ship I didn’t like and it affected me more than I realized. It left me with the feeling of an unfulfilled trip. I had an emptiness in my psyche that needed to be addressed. In hindsight I should have sought out professional counseling but I failed to do so. Instead, less than a month after our Epic cruise, I had a kneejerk reaction when I saw a good price for a Panama Canal cruise in December 2017 on the Star and I booked it.

 

Although I didn’t know it, booking a cruise didn’t fill that emptiness so when my brother-in-law called two months later asking us to join them on a September 2018 British Isles cruise on the Jade I booked that trip too. Although I was happy about having two future cruises booked, I didn’t recognize that my psyche still had a void that needed to be filled.

 

As 2017 wore on, I began to realize that the very essence of my being needed to take a trip. I finally began to recognize there was void in my life. When my wife’s cousin called and asked if we wanted to join them in September on an all-inclusive vacation in Jamaica I didn’t have to think twice about it so I booked the trip.

 

Despite drinking copious amounts of alcohol at our resort in Jamaica I was left me with an even deeper void. While the resort was quite beautiful, our room was just OK. The food at the resort had a Caribbean twist that I didn’t like including the breakfasts. No, I don’t like Mango-flavor pancakes or eggs benedict with jerk pineapple. REAL eggs benedict have Canadian bacon, not jerk pineapple, and hollandaise sauce poured over the eggs. At the beach I was harassed daily by men wanting to sell me drugs. When I turned down the weed, they wanted to sell me ******. Jamaica just wasn’t my kind of trip.

 

When we returned from Jamaica my very essence was in jeopardy. I was beside myself with self-pity, my spirit had sailed into the doldrums of life. I had no purpose other than watching reruns of the Love Boat on TV. I was a pathetic shell of the man I once was. And then NCL sent me an email informing me of the Take all Five promotion and that I should book a trip. What else could I do, I had no control, I booked a cruise on the Jade for January.

 

Next week my wife and I will be leaving for our Panama Canal cruise on the Star. I really need this to be a good cruise because my credit cards are bulging with debt and now I can’t afford counseling.

Oh my, I am laughing so hard I can hardly see as the tears run down my face.:'):')