Detox

[NavyCruiser]

The main reason why we always try to book at least one (or two) family cruises per year is that we all can spend true quality time together, talking, face-to-face, & remove ourselves from the now toxic high-tech world back at home. Seems like it gets worse every year, esp now that the kids are in High School & College, that everyone is so dependent on hi-tech gadgets 25/7 (with our kids, it's like 124/7, from multi-multi-tasking).

So our routine now is that once everyone unpacks & right before the lifeboat drills, we all gather up all cell phones, remove the batteries, then lock them all up in the safe. No laptops, no iPads are allowed. Just music Ipods for workout & lounging on deck.

For us, it's truly satisfying to be totally off-the-grid for a week. No cell phones, no texts, no emails, no internet for a week!!! (So how did you all survived all those pre-cell phone years, our kids asked)

Seems like the busier we get at home, the more we really need to get away for a family cruise.

I know, I know, there's some of you tech-freaks out there who just can't live without paying good money for cruise to spend tons of $$$ at the ship's internet cafe & making outrageous roaming phone calls. So thanks for subsidizing the cruise lines' profits for us.

& Guess what?

After a week of pure relaxation, when we get back home, the hectic world is still there & life is good...

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

That is a good idea...

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Nice that that works for you and your family. I have family at home I need to keep in touch with, but I don't spend outrageous amounts to do it. To each his or her own.

[LBumb]

i agree. my time on cruises i want no phones, emails, newspapers, texts and really no news.

[Herfnerd]

We have a decent Olympus U/W camera that takes iffy at best pix on land - the camera on my cellphone takes better so I put it in airplane mode and turn off data and use the camera......

[nodogkisses]

I agree that most people like to take time away from the regular grind and "detox" from technology. I prefer that my family (includes college aged kids) keep their iphones with them in case of an emergency. Data is turned off, however, they can use their iphones for reading, music, camera, etc. if they want. I find that they usually keep theirs in their safes in their rooms and use an ipod for music. My data is also turned off but I love to use my iphone for the camera and music.

[cb at sea]

We don't use our phones on the ship, either, once we leave port. We will take them ashore (turned off), in case of emergency... and we turn them back on when we go to bed the last evening to use as an alarm for in the morning....!

[hannahsmomtoo]

I totally agree... and that is our plan for September.. the cell phones are GONE for a week. I can't even imagine it !!! My dd will definitely have withdrawls !

[Ialuvsphil]

My daughter and I keep our phones with us on the cruise, but only to keep in touch with each other on the ship. She is 15, so we turn our data off and use the phones to text each other. It doesn't cost much and it's a great way to know where she is at any given time when she's hanging out with her friends at Club 02, or Lido, etc.

[sparks1093]

Okay, not quite the subject I expected when I saw "Detox" posted by "NavyCruiser";), but agree that turning the electronic world off (if you can do it) is a wonderful thing. (I may even bring a paper book on my upcoming cruise instead of my Kindle:eek:.)

[Room Service!]

Totally agree. Phones go in the safe. Never to be seen until the cruise is over. :(

No other electronics are even brought from home.

Don't miss them at all.

I guess they are getting a vacation too.

[Waterloomarc]

This is THE MAIN reason why I cruise. As soon as I'm in the cabin I make one last call to my folks and it goes into airplane mode and into the safe. (I do use it for a clock at night though - easier than packing a separate one). I tell my work I'm leaving the country and will be unavailable. I also don't carry my wallet once aboard.

 

I'm sure she'd say the same thing about me and cruise critic and woodworking forums but it's wonderful to get my wife away from Facebook for a week :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gadaboutgal]

The reason we are able to cruise is that we can keep in touch by email and phone to the business that pays for our cruising. In fact, rather be cruising with electronics than at home working!

[Not_Done_Living]

DW and I are 24/7 critical escalation executives. The best part of a cruise is being able to power off the phones and be out of touch with a legit reason :)

 

Been on medical leave this week, and had no less than 3 calls each day -- horrible, but it pays for vacation ;)

[cruisecrazy82]

The main reason why we always try to book at least one (or two) family cruises per year is that we all can spend true quality time together, talking, face-to-face, & remove ourselves from the now toxic high-tech world back at home. Seems like it gets worse every year, esp now that the kids are in High School & College, that everyone is so dependent on hi-tech gadgets 25/7 (with our kids, it's like 124/7, from multi-multi-tasking).

So our routine now is that once everyone unpacks & right before the lifeboat drills, we all gather up all cell phones, remove the batteries, then lock them all up in the safe. No laptops, no iPads are allowed. Just music Ipods for workout & lounging on deck.

For us, it's truly satisfying to be totally off-the-grid for a week. No cell phones, no texts, no emails, no internet for a week!!! (So how did you all survived all those pre-cell phone years, our kids asked)

Seems like the busier we get at home, the more we really need to get away for a family cruise.

I know, I know, there's some of you tech-freaks out there who just can't live without paying good money for cruise to spend tons of $$$ at the ship's internet cafe & making outrageous roaming phone calls. So thanks for subsidizing the cruise lines' profits for us.

& Guess what?

After a week of pure relaxation, when we get back home, the hectic world is still there & life is good...

 

We also totally unplug for our cruises, and I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!:D:D:D

[DebBrown]

The whole reason I started cruising is so that I would be unavailable to work for a whole week. Loved it so much that I have continued to do so. Like the rest of you, the phone hits the safe until the last night.