Anyone else have any "frightening" pre cruise stories?

[printingchick]

In honor of my daughter's high school graduation, I took her, her best friend (friend paid own way) and my younger son (about 10 at the time) on a five-day cruise out of Tampa. We traveled over February break, but did NOT fly down the day prior, in order to save costs. We had an early AM flight out of Connecticut and should have made it to Tampa with time to spare.

 

We had no weather issues in Connecticut. Our connecting flight was in Nashville, Tennessee. I didn't anticipate any issues there. I was wrong.

 

Snow flurries kept us parked on the tarmac, waiting for the one and only de-icing machine available in Nashville. Hours ticked by and it soon became clear we were in serious danger of missing out cruise.

 

We were cruising Carnival and I was in contact with them about every half hour, describing our situation. It was post 9/11, but prior to the rule requiring passengers to be on-board 90-minutes prior to departure. (Thank goodness!)

 

Upon arrival in Tampa, we grabbed our bags and hailed a cab, promising a big tip if he could get us there FAST! We arrived about five minutes AFTER the ship was scheduled to depart, but they'd waited. There was actually a cruise line transfer bus BEHIND us, we were were not the last passengers aboard.

 

We missed the muster drill, which was going on as we boarded!

 

It all worked out fine, but those hours sitting on the plane in Nashville were horribly stressful. I kept wondering what I would do with these kids in Tampa for five days if we missed the ship! And how much would it cost me???

 

The second incident, which COULD have been major, happened when my travel agent realized that I'd booked (not through her) an 8PM flight, rather than an 8AM flight! We'd have missed the ship had she not caught it in time for us to adjust the flight time! There WAS an 8AM flight available, I'd just clicked the wrong box and selected the 8PM option!

[imsulin]

Way back when (it was 1999 0r 2000??), I worked as a TA at a land office. A very nice couple came in to book a 3-night Bahamas cruise....think it was the Carnival Fantasy from Port Canaveral. This was a very popular cruise as it was only a 6-hour drive from our area. I always did a follow-up call post-cruise, and asked if they had a good cruise. Here's the story: They left to drive down to Pt. Canaveral, and realized that they'd left their (it was either DLs or BCs or both - can't remember!) on their kitchen table. They called their daughter, who had lost the house key, broke into the house, neighbor saw it and called the police who detained the daughter until they were able to confirm that they needed these documents. Daughter jumped into her car, drove the six hours, and was able to deliver the docs just in time for boarding! I had no idea of all this drama!!

 

On my third cruise (1989?) on the NCL Seaward 7-night Western. It was Spring Break, and one of our party slipped on ice as we were heading to the airport. She suffered through the flight to Miami, but once there, had to go to a hospital to have her broken ankle set. she was stalwart, though, and endured the cruise with a cast on one leg! Somewhere there's a picture of her sitting by the (little bitty) pool with the good leg in the water!

[babyblue78]

2 years ago I almost didnt make it onboard, and it was out wedding cruise....long story but heres the short version. When you get married through the cruise they have a company (Royal Romance, my thought on them are a completely different story) that does all of the leg work in the other country for you (in our case Jamaica). We were asked to send 2 offical copies of our birth certificates to them one for their office and one for Jamaica so they could get our marriage license. We sent them out thinking nothing of it because we both have passports. Two days before we are getting ready to leave DH realises he has lost his passport, can't find it anywhere. So we call the company to see if we can get one of the Birth Certificates back. They said of corse, and our wedding planner would bring it to the dock. So we arrive and there is a wedding planner that we have never spoken with before their to greet us. He has no idea about DH's birth certificate. After a million calls, no one can help us. Everyone else decided to get on the boat (30 ppl in our group). So there I am sitting in the terminal wedding dress in hand crying uncontrollably, listening to the party on the boat and the captin say that they were getting ready to leave:(. Finally someone in a suit from RCCL comes out tells us to follow him keep our head down and not stop walking. We went out of the turminal around the back and onto the ship with all of the luggage. The man then leaves us in a room finally comes back with two keys and walks out never saying anything else to us. We are then escorted by securety to out stateroom.

When we finally find our family they are all drunk by the pool thinking we got left behind and they were going to enjoy our wedding for us.

It was so nerve racking.

 

Needless to say I now hold onto DH's passport.

:eek:

[Happy2cu]

Our freightening part happened after our cruise, on the way home, last year. But the vacation seemed cursed from the start. On the way down to FLL we switched planes in Orlando. The airline lost my husbands bag. After a night of worrying it was delivered to our hotel (in Miami) the next morning. It was just as cold in Miami as it was in Wisconsin - so that was disappointing.

 

Boarded the ship the next morning and it was cold and cloudy (we were going to the Western Caribbean). Never saw the sun for 6 days - finally came out on the last sea day.

 

One of our stops was Belize - it took us forever to get tendered there. We had booked a cave tubing tour on our own with a well known company, should have been back to the ship in plenty of time. But because we tendered so late, and the cave tubing for some reason took forever, by the time we got done, they had us running for the bus to get back to the Port. There were about 30 of us from the ship and the bus was going about 80 miles per hour down 2 lane highways. Still weren't going to make it back in time, but luckily one of the Carnival sponsored tour buses had broken down so they were waiting for them. All I could picture is spending night in Belize which I had read was very high crime rated (we almost didn't get off the ship there because of all the bad publicity). We ended up boarding the ship at exactly 5:00 p.m., when we should have been sailing.

 

The worst part of the trip was flying, on the way home, we were almost back to Wisconsin when there was a flurry of activity between a stewardess and an "extra" pilot seated behind us. The pilot was shining his flashlight out the window toward the wings. I don't like flying and my husband said to me "we have a problem" and I went into internal panic mode. Turns out the flaps on the plane would not come down for landing and we had to all get in the crash position. As we came in, the runway was full of emergency vehicles with their lights flashing. Everything went fine, but it was the scariest time of my life!

[Trainer]

Then there was the time that I misplaced my wallet and passport the night before we were going on a cruise. I realized before I went to bed that I did not have my wallet; I thought maybe it was in the car. Nope. I had taken the dog to my friend's house. It was ten o'clock at night, but I called her to ask if I had left it there. Nope. I tore through my luggage and my purse. No wallet with passport. I finally remembered that I had taken out the trash when I got back from dropping off the dogs. Yep, there it was on top of the trash which was due to be picked up early in the morning before we were leaving!

[imsulin]

Our freightening part happened after our cruise, on the way home, last year. But the vacation seemed cursed from the start. On the way down to FLL we switched planes in Orlando. The airline lost my husbands bag. After a night of worrying it was delivered to our hotel (in Miami) the next morning. It was just as cold in Miami as it was in Wisconsin - so that was disappointing.

 

Boarded the ship the next morning and it was cold and cloudy (we were going to the Western Caribbean). Never saw the sun for 6 days - finally came out on the last sea day.

 

One of our stops was Belize - it took us forever to get tendered there. We had booked a cave tubing tour on our own with a well known company, should have been back to the ship in plenty of time. But because we tendered so late, and the cave tubing for some reason took forever, by the time we got done, they had us running for the bus to get back to the Port. There were about 30 of us from the ship and the bus was going about 80 miles per hour down 2 lane highways. Still weren't going to make it back in time, but luckily one of the Carnival sponsored tour buses had broken down so they were waiting for them. All I could picture is spending night in Belize which I had read was very high crime rated (we almost didn't get off the ship there because of all the bad publicity). We ended up boarding the ship at exactly 5:00 p.m., when we should have been sailing.

 

The worst part of the trip was flying, on the way home, we were almost back to Wisconsin when there was a flurry of activity between a stewardess and an "extra" pilot seated behind us. The pilot was shining his flashlight out the window toward the wings. I don't like flying and my husband said to me "we have a problem" and I went into internal panic mode. Turns out the flaps on the plane would not come down for landing and we had to all get in the crash position. As we came in, the runway was full of emergency vehicles with their lights flashing. Everything went fine, but it was the scariest time of my life!

 

Wow. There are some things about your post that bother me. First, the term "stewardess" has not been used for...um...many years! They are "flight attendants". Second, I don't understand your term "extra" pilot. Flight crews have exactly the number of flight personnel needed for a particular flight. Often, a flight crew will travel on an aircraft as a courtesy. Third, the tourist areas of Belize are quite safe, and many Americans own real property there....the prices can be quite high! Fourth, the weather is never a guarantee. Anyone can tell you that! Fifth - it sounds like you haven't travelled outside the US very often. Just saying.

[Prphan2]

It is always a good idea to take some non-perishable wrapped food, like cereal bars, just in case.

 

My DH thinks it's hysterical that I'm stockpiling lightweight, but nutrient filled snacks to keep in our carryons. I keep telling him that you never know when you're going to be in a situation where food isn't available.:p He says I read CC too much! :o

[SadieN]

I guess this would be pre-cruise. Five years ago we were inside Port Canaveral terminal, showed all of our documents and were checked in to board Disney's Magic. Then someone left a baggage unattended. THUS, everyone was evacuated from the ship and we had to wait out in the Florida sun for 2 hours in the parking lot. A bomb squad from Orlando had to be called in - took an hour to get to Port Canaveral. It was very hot and humid. They started passing out waterbottles to people - ambulances had to be called because some started having health problems due to the heat! Needless to say it was not the start to our vacation we wanted! We had skipped breakfast because we thought we were going to be eating at 11:30 for lunch -- we were starved when we boarded!

 

We did the same waiting game inside the Dome in Long Beach. 2 pax from the previous cruise decided to leave theParadise on a sea day.:eek: Now we bring some sort of food with us.

 

Never, ever let DH schedule paint and carpet before a vacation. Took me a long while to find where we put everyhting.

[Happy2cu]

Wow. There are some things about your post that bother me. First, the term "stewardess" has not been used for...um...many years! They are "flight attendants". Second, I don't understand your term "extra" pilot. Flight crews have exactly the number of flight personnel needed for a particular flight. Often, a flight crew will travel on an aircraft as a courtesy. Third, the tourist areas of Belize are quite safe, and many Americans own real property there....the prices can be quite high! Fourth, the weather is never a guarantee. Anyone can tell you that! Fifth - it sounds like you haven't travelled outside the US very often. Just saying.

 

@imsulin sorry these things bother you - I was simply stating my experience on my last cruise. Whoops, I used the term stewardess instead of flight attendant - wow, you get upset about that? Second, I meant there was another pilot in full uniform flying to his destination sitting behind us, thus an "extra pilot". He was conversing with the "Flight Attendant" and the pilots that were flying the plane. Third, there were reports of several shootings in Belize(one at a tourist bus that had been on a cave tubing excursion) in the weeks before we left, and I did a lot of research, some on CC and people were warning about getting off the ship in Belize. Fourth, who said the weather is ever a guarantee? I was simply stating my experience. Fifth, what difference does it make how often I travel outside the US? Seems like you like to cause problems....Just sayin.......

[chrislynnet]

@imsulin sorry these things bother you - I was simply stating my experience on my last cruise. Whoops, I used the term stewardess instead of flight attendant - wow, you get upset about that? Second, I meant there was another pilot in full uniform flying to his destination sitting behind us, thus an "extra pilot". He was conversing with the "Flight Attendant" and the pilots that were flying the plane. Third, there were reports of several shootings in Belize(one at a tourist bus that had been on a cave tubing excursion) in the weeks before we left, and I did a lot of research, some on CC and people were warning about getting off the ship in Belize. Fourth, who said the weather is ever a guarantee? I was simply stating my experience. Fifth, what difference does it make how often I travel outside the US? Seems like you like to cause problems....Just sayin.......

 

Totally agree with your response, that post from imsulin was uncalled for. BTW I would have had a coronary on your scary flight! :eek:

[Happy2cu]

Totally agree with your response, that post from imsulin was uncalled for. BTW I would have had a coronary on your scary flight! :eek:

 

Thanks Chris, I appreciate your comment. Surprised I didn't have a coronary! The airlines did offer us a free flight, wasn't sure if I'd ever fly again, but did this past February and no problems at all. :o

[Bebet]

Several years ago, my Mom, sisters an Aunt and her daughter were going on a cruise out of Galveston. I'm really paranoid about missing the ship and we had a 4 hour drive. I convinced my mom and my oldest sister to drive down the night before for the cruise. So my sister drove down three hours after work and we took off in my mini van. We were about an hour down a very dark road, just outside a small town when the transmission went out on the van.

We pulled over and called the roadside service who contacted a tow company. We were able to get back to the small town. My dh and my neighbor drove out in two cars and gave us my moms car. It was about 2 hours later we got back on the road. WE got in late but had a nice hotel to stay in but I was glad we went the night before.

[groinky]

Last year we were going on the Navigator leaving from Miami. I booked a deal with park sleep and fly and when we arrived in Miami at about 1am after driving 13 hours to get there we found they did not have a room for us. But they had already charged my credit card for the room so I did not understand why they did not have our room. This was spring break in Miami at 1:30am. I had to find a new hotel (the lady at the previous hotel was very rude to me I was in tears I did not know what to do!). We found a hotel but they did not have the park sleep and fly deal so we also had to pay for our room, and parking at the port in addition to the money that had already been taken out of my account for the room we did not get. So that was almost $300 I was not counting on having to spend. We enjoyed our cruise and after we got off I called parksleep and fly and they refunded me there fee and the manager at Marriott said they did have be reservation but it was booked for a different day which was why my card was charged like I was a no show! I wrote a letter to Bill Marriott and got $200 in Marriott gift checks and all of the money was refunded for the hotel we did not use. So we got to use one of our checks on our precruise hotel next time. This time I booked with priceline and will call a week or so before and confimr they have me a room for the correct day!

 

Now my husband is having dreams of the ship flipping over and I had a dream that I was bascially locked out of the promenade deck and there were emergency exits only so I could not get back in....I just want this cruise to get here!

 

Last November we booked a hoel on Priceline and it was prepaid. At 9pm when we showed up they said they were overbooked but Priceline would refund our money. Big help...city booked solid! Hysterics helped and they finally got us a room. Will never, and I mean never book with Priceline again!!

[bebe1977]

This did not happen to me, but my SIL and her family. Because of a family member working for Disney, they got the chance of a lifetime to be on the first sailing of the Disney Dream this past December. And I mean the very first, from Germany across the Atlantic to Florida. They left for the airport early afternoon. It's about an hour and a half away. I get a call just after 4. They were unloading the car and realized my nephew's bag never made it in the car!! I was told I had to be there by 6:00 for them to be able to make the flight with his bag. Luckily it was small enough to carry on! By the time I got to their house, found the suitcase, hit every red light on the way out of town it was after 4:30. Which meant it was also rush hour!! I kept getting calls from my SIL asking where I was. I really needed to stop for gas, but didn't have time. I could tell the last call I got from her she didn't expect me to make it. I didn't either. Somehow I actually made it by 5:45, but I really don't know how! I was very happy that I made it there and they were able to make their flight.

 

I didn't find out until a few days later, but my nephew was the only one with clothes on the entire trip! The airline had lost all the checked luggage!! They didn't get the last bag back until February!

[kelkel2]

Last year for our honeymoon cruise I about had a mental melt down. This is the story...

So I'm kinda tipsy and I'm at my wedding reception, having a great time. Everything I have planned has gone perfect and I am about to congratulate myself on a job well done, when I turn my phone on to add a new family member's phone number, I realized I had a voicemail from a 800 number. I think to myself, this can not be a good thing. Sure enough, it's Delta. They have cancelled our flight for the next day. Due to fog?!? Not sure how this is possible as it wasn't foggy and I'm not sure how they would know it would be tomorrow to cancel a flight, but whatever. So of course I really don't want to have to deal with this, being that it's during my wedding reception, but I have no choice. I live in a small city and have a small regional airport with a minimum amount of flights a day. So we end up on the phone with the airline for probably 45 minutes. They end up getting us on a flight to Detroit, then Atlanta, then Houston. It was the only way feasible to get us there at a decent time. So We then find out we have a 20 minute layover in Detroit.

Next morning we fly out, they are de-icing our plane on the runway and we finally take off to Detroit. We get to the airport and arrive to the gate while they were boarding the plane. We barely make it on the plane. So to make the story short we finally get to Houston Hobby, and lo and behold our luggage didn't make it. :( Super unhappy and super panicked.

 

So, I've posted this part on the princess boards before, but we got to Houston and still had to get to Galveston for our cruise the next morning. We had a transfer booked though a shuttle service called Galveston Limo, and their booth just happened to be right next to the Delta baggage claim. The guy asked us if we needed help and we told him that we actually had his shuttle booked but did not want to leave the airport to go to Galveston without our luggage. So he felt really bad for us and told us that next to his booth is an unclaimed luggage office and he sees many people's luggage sit for days before it goes out for delivery to people. So he made us an offer and said if we called Delta and released our luggage to him, that as soon as he saw it come off the luggage claim, he would grab it and throw it on the next shuttle to Galveston and would even bring it to our Hotel. Well, there must have been an angel looking out for us, because he happened to see luggage that matched the description of ours, checked the luggage tags and it was ours. The luggage made it on the last shuttle of the night to Galveston and arrived at our Hotel later that evening around 11 pm. The sweet bellhop we had befriended even brought it to our room for us :).

 

Later to find out that there was another couple who went through the whole ordeal that we did, left from our same airport, and was on the same cruise. THEIR LUGGAGE NEVER MADE IT! I will always be forever grateful to this shuttle operator who took such good care of us and he didn't even know us.

[ladyjane]

My DH's co-worker, her husband and daughter had booked their very first cruise last winter. Their flight was the same day as the cruise with a connection and was supposed to land around 2:00 pm. They had no idea how close they were cutting it. DH told them they might want to rebook their flight, but she said their TA booked it for them so they'd be fine. Well of course the day of the cruise came and they flew out of MSP fine but when they got to Atlanta they were getting snow/rain so their connection was delayed by a couple hours. Needless to say their ship sailed without them. They didn't purchase insurance so they just got back on another plane and flew home.

 

Another one - our friends took their first international trip last winter. WHile they were sitting at the airport the DH says to his wife - this is funny, look how they spelled my name on my passport. It was totally wrong. Of course it was too late to do anything about it. Every time they had to show passports, she put his under hers and they just looked at hers and pushed them both through. He was very lucky! She told him if he got stuck someplace, he was going to have to sit there by himself!! We are cruising with them in a few months and I keep asking him if he's got this taken care of. LOL

[mis2princesas]

Last December I was going on the brand new Allure of the Seas.. flew to FLL 2 days prior just to be on the safe side. Hubby stayed home with my 2 kids. We had planned a 2 week Christmas vacation so he couldn't take extra time to go on the Allure.. Day of embarkation, 3am... 'the' call... (hate those calls!).. Hubby was calling me from the hospital with a burst appendix.. kids were home alone.. (14 y.o babysitting my 5 y.o!).. Newbies in town so no 'friends', family.. nobody!... Needless to say, I went straight to airport to get a one way ticket back home.. longest flight of my life!!..

10 hours later, made it back home.. kids were in good spirits, thank goodness!..hubby had complications from surgery so he stayed a full week at the hospital...but he was ok to go on the 2 week trip during CHristmas/New Years vacation...but he owes me a trip on the Allure.. still waiting for pay-back!.. lol!..

[Haoie]

This isn't as earthshattering as the other stories, but oh well.

 

I was due on the Dec 12 Carnival Splendor sailing last year as my first cruise. Well we all know what happened there! I think the announcement that the ship would be out of action for months came mid Nov. I really had to scramble to arrange [it would've been far worse if our cruise was earlier]. My TA was very helpful. We managed to get on the Paradise though, and had a lovely time [only 4 nights].

 

Still want to go on the Splendor!

[Front Row]

OK this is kind of long but hopefully you’ll enjoy it: My GF (now DW) wanted to give me a Bday (12/23) present so she decided on a three day cruise out of San Pedro, We're both at my home in Orange County about a 20-30 min drive to San Pedro. However my GF lived in LA county about 45 mins from my OC home and 45 mins to San Pedro.

 

As seasoned cruisers we decided to cut it close at the port so we could avoid the embarkation lines. Our plan was for a 4:00 arrival for the 5:30 departure. Yeah it was close but we’re seasoned right?

 

At 3:25 as I’m loading the car my seasoned traveler GF tells me that her wallet and passport are at her house in LA county. I quickly do the math and say, “we’re not gonna make it,” she looks at me with very sad eyes and says, “we have to try”.

 

OK this is a 1.5 hour drive without traffic and we have exactly 1.5 hours until the ship leaves. To top it off it’s a Friday before the Christmas Holiday, but we have to try. We jump in the car and get about 25 mins down the freeway and we hit traffic, I look over at my GF and say, We’re not gonna make it, she says, we got to try. We hit her house at 5:00, she runs in and grabs the docs and we’re off for San Pedro. We get about 20 mins and hit traffic, I look over at her and say, We’re not gonna make it, She says, we have to try.

 

At 5:29 we hit the parking lot at San Pedro, we can see the two ships still at the dock, but the lady at the gate says that boarding is over and the ships are getting ready to leave. My GF starts with But it’s my BF’s birthday today and we need to get on the ship, the lady radios the security at the dock and they say, we’ll let them in and we’ll try to get them on board, we drive to the dock and she jumps out of the car and I jump out and throw the luggage on the curb and drive off looking for parking, well anyone who has been to San Pedro knows how huge the parking lot is, luckily for me a shuttle driver sees what’s happening and he signals me to follow him, so off I go to park the car. Meanwhile, the GF is on the dock pleading with security to let us on the ship, they radio the bridge and with my wife pleading in the background the bridge says OK but get them on NOW. They turn to my GF and say OK let’s go, where’s you BF? She says he’s out parking the car, they said no way, the Capitan wants you on NOW. She pleads again but it’s my BF’s birthday….

 

I’m following the parking shuttle and we are going further and further and further away from the dock, with two ships on this cruise and two ships already out to sea the parking lot is packed full, we had to go across the street, finally I park and the shuttle takes me back to the dock, I jump out of the shuttle and they’re all screaming at me to hurry they’re leaving! I sprint through the metal detector grab the bags that have already been screened and they take us up the Handicap elevator and we stepped off the gangway and onto the ship. They closed the doors behind us and cast off. I look at my watch and it's 5:45.

 

I can not begin to explain the sudden rush of euphoria as we finally realize that we made it! It was like walking on air. I looked at my GF who is just beaming and she says, I told you we had to try!

 

Later during the cruise we overheard two officers talking about the couple who they had to wait for, it seems our ship was suppose to depart first, but the Capitan knowing we were still trying to get on had radioed the other ship and told them they could depart first!

 

We were very lucky that I didn't kill anyone (including us) on the freeway I was driving that fast.

 

Needless to say we had a wonderful cruise!

[kahluatoo]

It wasn't for a cruise but I flew to Sydney in November and after the long flight, I stopped in the airport bathroom before I headed out to the city for my 12 hour layover (then headed to Auckland) I was washing my face, brushing teeth, etc when a girl came out from one of the toilets asking if it was "your passport and ipod touch??" omg, I could have DIED. I checked for it every 5 minutes, so I would have figured it out pretty quickly, but I still think about the tragedy that would have been!

[Neotericisis]

@imsulin sorry these things bother you - I was simply stating my experience on my last cruise. Whoops, I used the term stewardess instead of flight attendant - wow, you get upset about that? Second, I meant there was another pilot in full uniform flying to his destination sitting behind us, thus an "extra pilot". He was conversing with the "Flight Attendant" and the pilots that were flying the plane. Third, there were reports of several shootings in Belize(one at a tourist bus that had been on a cave tubing excursion) in the weeks before we left, and I did a lot of research, some on CC and people were warning about getting off the ship in Belize. Fourth, who said the weather is ever a guarantee? I was simply stating my experience. Fifth, what difference does it make how often I travel outside the US? Seems like you like to cause problems....Just sayin.......

 

 

Good for you for standing up for yourself! That guy was just picking on you. People can be so self-righteous sometimes!!! Totally unnecessary!

[Oscar_the_Grouch's_Sis]

Totally agree with your response, that post from imsulin was uncalled for.

 

And I second that!

 

Some people never realize how stupid they sound. :rolleyes:

 

My Dad calls my blu ray player a VCR ... but I am not going to throw a fit over it. ;)

 

Oh and God forbid someone is disappointed in the weather on their vacation!!

[Happy2cu]

Thanks Neo & Oscar for your support - at first I was very upset about the posting, but then found out that the person who made the comments has been rude to other people before. It's nice to know that there are people like you on this board. :)

[janice2348]

The night before our latest cruise on the Explorer, the shimmering, translucent specter of Dutch Schultz appeared before my wife and I at the foot of our bed.

 

He gave us the following advice:

 

1.) Don't be cheapskates and try to smuggle booze onboard. Just buy the damn booze at the bar and be happy you don't have to worry about driving.

2.) Don't start the millionth topic about smuggling booze on ships. Look where it got him.

 

All in all, that was pretty scary.

 

Did he look like Dustin Hoffman????:D

[Jasalth]

While my cruise is 80 days out at the moment, I already have a pre-cruise horror story for it :(

 

Last week, my husband comes home to tell me he has lost his job. Now we have the cruise paid for, but technically we are a one income family and my WaH job isn't even going to pay 1/2 the bills a month, even though it was able to pay for a cruise in 6 months.

 

I was a WRECK. We had at the time 11 days before final payment. We do have the nonrefundable deposit, but I would rather loose 1000 and eat if need be. My husband hasn't looked for a job in going on 5 years now. Everyone says how bad it is out there for the job market so I thought there was no hope and I would have to cancel. I have enough saved for the cruise free and clear for transportation, excursions and spending money which would get us threw 2-3 months. Made the decision I would wait until 3 days before Final Payment to go threw the books and make a set decision (I could also make my husband do my WaH job with me, which in turn would lead to being able to pay most bills in worst case).

 

By Monday, he had turned down 3 jobs and was hired at a different company, while we are still waiting to hear back from a better job than the rest. All of this in a 2 business day period. I don't know where places aren't hiring.. but at least what my husband does (warehousing) people can't find employees!

 

Even though I was born in September, I have now decided I HATE THIS MONTH! In the past 3 years, I have managed to fall down 3 steps going to work, break 4 bones which ended up with me loosing my job, had emergency brain surgery or loose my vision, and now my husband going to work to find the doors locked. All I can say is "Wake me up when September ends"!