Half full or empty??? Mmmmmm.....

[thegreatmouton]

This is the first vacation we've had in about 2 years and I am SO ready for it! We had an absolutely horrible 2011 and I was really worried that we would have to cancel.

 

We put the deposit in around August. Just a few weeks after that, my mom confided in me that they were going in to foreclosure and she didn't know what to do. Long story short, I forced her to let me lend her some money, which I was happy to do but it wiped out most of our savings. I wasn't worried about the cruise because she still had lots of time to pay it off.

 

A few weeks after that, in September, my dog died (he had a heart condition, but it was still sudden and heart-breaking). Soon after we found out the other dog needed to have his gall-bladder removed, which not only wiped out the rest of our savings, but put us into debt.

 

Throughout this time, we find out that we are not able to have children and get the added expensive of paying our own medical bills because our insurance didn't cover the costs for the tests. Again, heart-breaking, but I'd rather know and be able to look into other options instead of waiting for something that isn't going to happen.

 

In either late October or November, our furnace completely quits. The repairman confides that it could be fixed, but with the age, it really just needs to be replaced again. By this point in time, we are nearing 5-digit debt and I am absolutely terrified. We haven't paid off the cruise yet and I'm contemplating canceling.

 

Queue word from my mother-in-law that DH's Grandma has been saving for each of the grandsons, and he may be getting a very nice gift for Christmas (she guesses $5000). We decide to keep the cruise as is because that Christmas money will more than pay for it and get us back on track.

 

Around the holiday season, our luck finally starts to change. That Christmas gift turned out to be closer to $10k (yay no more debt and the best Grandma in the history of the world) AND we're going on vacation in just 24 short days!

 

I am so sorry that this turned into a laundry list of all the bad things that have happened. I know that's not interesting to read about, but it feels really good to put it out there and know that my husband and I weathered a rough patch and came out stronger, closer and more blessed in the end.

 

:)

[LEXIpoo]

Haven't had a cruise yet where I couldn't find a chair on deck on a sea day. Haven't had to sit next to a sasquatch wearing a banana hammock in the main dining room. Haven't had to borrow the fiance's hair dryer to heat up my food. Haven't had anyone blowing smoke in my face where I didn't have anywhere else to move to. And haven't had to leave the hot tub because some punk kid decided to jump in wearing a diaper. Maybe i was just too busy enjoying myself to notice though...call me naive.

 

LOL!

But I must agree with this 100%.

[LEXIpoo]

This is the first vacation we've had in about 2 years and I am SO ready for it! We had an absolutely horrible 2011 and I was really worried that we would have to cancel.

 

We put the deposit in around August. Just a few weeks after that, my mom confided in me that they were going in to foreclosure and she didn't know what to do. Long story short, I forced her to let me lend her some money, which I was happy to do but it wiped out most of our savings. I wasn't worried about the cruise because she still had lots of time to pay it off.

 

A few weeks after that, in September, my dog died (he had a heart condition, but it was still sudden and heart-breaking). Soon after we found out the other dog needed to have his gall-bladder removed, which not only wiped out the rest of our savings, but put us into debt.

 

Throughout this time, we find out that we are not able to have children and get the added expensive of paying our own medical bills because our insurance didn't cover the costs for the tests. Again, heart-breaking, but I'd rather know and be able to look into other options instead of waiting for something that isn't going to happen.

 

In either late October or November, our furnace completely quits. The repairman confides that it could be fixed, but with the age, it really just needs to be replaced again. By this point in time, we are nearing 5-digit debt and I am absolutely terrified. We haven't paid off the cruise yet and I'm contemplating canceling.

 

Queue word from my mother-in-law that DH's Grandma has been saving for each of the grandsons, and he may be getting a very nice gift for Christmas (she guesses $5000). We decide to keep the cruise as is because that Christmas money will more than pay for it and get us back on track.

 

Around the holiday season, our luck finally starts to change. That Christmas gift turned out to be closer to $10k (yay no more debt and the best Grandma in the history of the world) AND we're going on vacation in just 24 short days!

 

I am so sorry that this turned into a laundry list of all the bad things that have happened. I know that's not interesting to read about, but it feels really good to put it out there and know that my husband and I weathered a rough patch and came out stronger, closer and more blessed in the end.

 

:)

 

wow, you definitely deserve this upcoming vacation then! Hope you have an amazing time!!

[TabFox]

HELL YEAH!!!!!

 

I agree,,,,this year has been an extremely sucky one. SIL was in a tragic work accident that has left her permanently disfigured and disabled.

DH has ongoing physical issues.

50 coworkers lost their jobs and I had to accept a demotion or out the door...thankful I wasn't one of the 50

and on and on and on......

I think we have definitely earned our vacations one way or another...if only to escape from reality for a while.

The glass is definitely half full....time to refill the DOD!

[maldenmusic]

Who could not love cruising? I've never had a "bad" one.

[bruisin4cruisin]

Best thing I can say is IF YOUR GLASS IS HALF FULL, GET A SMALLER GLASS.

 

Live, love, laugh and lounge....or something like that.

[CRUISE4JANE]

I spent 12 months of hell on terrible meds

and ending up having brain surgery!

Also have not been able to find a job with my new Master's Degree for 2 years! --economy not brain surgery LOL

 

That crap happens to other people right?

 

 

Therefore - No Chairs on Deck???? I dont care if I have to layer 2 towels on deck and lay out on the open ocean!!

 

I don't care if the snorkeling is not up to par -

 

I'm not going to give the local pushy sellers a second thought

 

Not going to worry if somebody in the elevator is speaking about me in a foriegn language!

 

I could not care less if I have to wait in a lido buffet line - some people in the world eat only a cup of rice per day - period!

 

I'll even try harder to be okay about not looking like a super model in my swimsuit even though I'm an average size curvy woman who is 49ish! :cool:

 

I spent the last 2 years having a glass empty pitty party - No More!

 

Will be sailing for our first wedding anniversary on April Fools day - carribean islands - no problem!:D

I'ts really sad that people cannot lighten up on these boards! :(

Can I get a Hell Yeah?

 

God Bless You! I hope you have a wonderful cruise and the best of health to you in the future. :)

[mousey]

HELL YEAH BABY!

To the OP, sorry to hear about your recession blues.:(

Hope you have a great cruise and that things get better with your business really soon!:D

[Anjanu]

Hell Yeah!!!

I look forward to my full and plenty DODs in a little over a week!

[SASA13]

No cooking

No having to clean up the dinner dishes

No cleaning

No making the bed

Lots of entertainment

Lots of music

Lots of different foods to try, and if I don't like them,

I just order something different

 

I have never been on a "bad" cruise. Any vacation is what you make out of it. I always go in with a positive attitude, and I have always had a blast, and yes, CCL is my favorite cruise-line.

 

Enjoy your cruise :)

[gratamama]

Not a recession, but we've had a turbulent year - I lost a baby at 21 weeks in October.

 

We booked our April cruise in December and I fully intend on just enjoying life and my family!

 

We're going to have a great time!

[The4Cruisers]

You folks rock!!!

 

I wish you all the very best cruise vacations! :cool:

[Vanessa L]

I truly believe that the people bitching and whining about chair hogs, lines in the Lido, "cold" food, etc., etc., etc., ad nauseam, are the higher income people who have not been hit by the economy, can cruise whenever they feel like it and as such, think that something as "horrific" as a chair hog is something to truly be upset about. I'd like to take one of those people and hand then even half the problems mentioned on this thread, make it so that they have to sweat bullets with each bill that comes in, make it so that it is 100% impossible for them to cruise except every 3-4 years or so, and THEN see how badly they find the chair hog situation. Sometimes I just have to roll my eyes at the crap I read on these boards that people find to whine about.

 

OP good for you! I am very aware at how fortunatel DH and I are to be able to travel like we do, and, like you, find goodness most everywhere we go. I've never had a bad cruise. They are not all "exceptional" but WHO CARES??? Just put me on a ship out in the ocean and I am good to go :D

[Banditswife]

I spent 12 months of hell on terrible meds

and ending up having brain surgery!

 

Also have not been able to find a job with my new Master's Degree for 2 years! --economy not brain surgery LOL

 

That crap happens to other people right?

 

 

 

Therefore - No Chairs on Deck???? I dont care if I have to layer 2 towels on deck and lay out on the open ocean!!

 

I don't care if the snorkeling is not up to par -

 

I'm not going to give the local pushy sellers a second thought

 

Not going to worry if somebody in the elevator is speaking about me in a foriegn language!

 

I could not care less if I have to wait in a lido buffet line - some people in the world eat only a cup of rice per day - period!

 

I'll even try harder to be okay about not looking like a super model in my swimsuit even though I'm an average size curvy woman who is 49ish! :cool:

 

I spent the last 2 years having a glass empty pitty party - No More!

 

Will be sailing for our first wedding anniversary on April Fools day - carribean islands - no problem!:D

 

I'ts really sad that people cannot lighten up on these boards! :(

 

Can I get a Hell Yeah?

How about a heck yeah. Life is what you make of it, just be happy you can go on a vacation. Some people have to struggle to pay their light bill or like you said have very little to eat.

[Markmom18]

It is truly humbling to read what you folks are sharing. It makes our family's financial valley of the last 3 years seem not that bad, and YES, our business has been improving. Hey, can we all go on a cruise together? :D :D