Did you plan a special retirement cruise?

[fyree39]

I retire in 2.5 years and I'm already thinking about a retirement cruise. My husband will still be working, so we can't take anything longer than a couple of weeks, but I'd like to plan something very special for the fall of 2018.

 

What did you do for cruising when you retired?

[Keith1010]

For the Fall consider maybe the Mediterranean. Great time to visit with more moderate temperature and less tourists than during the summer.

 

Keith

[GeezerCouple]

I retire in 2.5 years and I'm already thinking about a retirement cruise. My husband will still be working, so we can't take anything longer than a couple of weeks, but I'd like to plan something very special for the fall of 2018.

 

What did you do for cruising when you retired?

 

We are in a similar situation. DH simply does not plan to retire for a long time (health allowing), even though he is well past most conventional retirement ages.

I can't argue; I think he'd be totally bored, and we agree that he'd probably end up doing the same thing, but without pay... and we also both agree that's not the best financial planning!

 

So we planned his first cruise (I've done it before, but he kept thinking he wouldn't like it, and - no surprise - he was hooked immediately, but it wasn't to be then...).

This was to be a "pre-retirement" and "major birthday" cruise plus land trip.

 

And... with less than 2 weeks to go, he suddenly had a medical emergency, and *everything* was cancelled. The only traveling we did for many weeks was back and forth to medical appointments.

 

And... of course he was still able to work, when he wasn't having those appointments!

 

Thank goodness we had purchased travel insurance.

Sure, we could "afford" the loss (or we shouldn't have booked that trip), but I must say that while we were dealing with the medical concerns, it was awfully nice to know we didn't need to fret about spending that money a second time...

 

He now agrees (with big smiles) that he will take "real vacations", rather than mostly weekends before/after business meetings or conferences.

 

And we are having an absolute ball.

 

Because we can't go too often, we make the most of our time, and do it in style. (Backpacking days or walk up hotels are waaaay long ago!)

 

I hope you have as much enjoyment as we have had the past couple of years.

 

GeezerCouple

[theminnow]

When I retired earlier this year, we took a cruise with our best friends to the Western Caribbean on the Freedom of the Seas. All four of us purchased the drink package and it was nice to not worry about driving.

 

Next year DW retires and we have a cruise booked to Hawaii on the Celebrity Solstice. We have never been there, and have wanted to go there for some time. Probably spend some time in Hawaii before we return.

 

Craig

[lady_cruiser]

My sister and I retired within weeks of each other in 2010. She from Wilford Hall and I from the Lafayette Parish School System's Administrative Offices. We did a B2B to celebrate. She paid the first week and I the second. It was a great way to celebrate our retirements.

[SeaTeach]

Did first B2B on the Serenade in 2010. Family accompanied us. Had a fantastic time. The downside was B2B addiction.

[susancruzs]

I've been cruising since 1982, I was 35, now I'm 68 still cruising. It has always been about longer cruises with me. I retired at 55 in 2002, got bored then retired from a contract job when I was 60 so I could move to Wisconsin from Illinois.

 

My first retirement cruise was a transpacific repositioning from Hawaii to Vancouver. The next one was a transatlantic northern route including Iceland and Greenland. I've always liked to cruise for itinerary, see different places, when I was younger, it may have been sunshine but don't care anymore. I've never been a fan of the Caribbean since cruise lines started overloading the islands. Years ago when I started cruising, the islands were wonderful.

[BINDY31]

my husband is retiring in October this year. we are from Australia so have booked a cruise to New Zealand on Celebrity Solstice in November to celebrate.

 

cheers

Belinda and brian

[BINDY31]

my husband is retiring in October this year. we are from Australia so have booked a cruise to New Zealand on Celebrity Solstice in November to celebrate.

 

cheers

Belinda and brian

[AZSwissGal]

I am retiring at the end of this year and have already booked a cruise for next April that will be a combination retirement / birthday cruise. I actually booked the Panama Canal cruise last July because I knew they were very popular. Good thing, too. The ship is almost sold out one year out. Only a few ocean view and inside cabins are left. Good thing I booked when I did. Last week, there were only 2 cabins left in my oceanview category and the price has gone up over $1,300 since end of July. I would not be able to afford it anymore at this price. So I am very happy and looking forward to this cruise.

[spookyfudge]

Planned a 25 day med cruise next October, combo retirement (mine)and birthday cruise dh. Will start with 5-days in Rome!

 

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[simplelife]

DH's retirement coincided with a milestone high school reunion for me, so we traveled by car from our home in North Carolina to New Orleans for my festivities, Then headed to Pensacola to visit long-time friends for a couple of days, then down to Miami for a short Cruise on Victory to Cozumel. Post cruise we drove down to Key West and spent a few days there, then a leisurely drive back home, visiting with family along the way. We enjoy car trips as long as we can take our time and of course we LOVE cruising and visiting family and friends, so is trip was the perfect combination for us.

[Captain Canuck]

Did the Holy Land when I retired 3 years ago.

 

Retired on Friday..Was in Paris the following Tuesday. Few days there and then flew to Rome for a few days before boarding the cruise.

 

This was in February so while it was a bit colder the crowds were down.

 

Not sure I would go to Egypt now and parts of Europe are getting sketchy. But a Med cruise would be my first pick now. If there are problems a cruise ship is likely safer than a hotel.

 

Have fun

[ronpes]

Hi, there,

If everything goes to plan, I intend to retire when I am 60 in 29 months time.

 

My wife is of a similar age.

Unless of course my work decided to make the decision for me in which case it won’t be the end of the world but I may pursue a part time job in between to help fund the travel plans.

 

I am already starting to look at possible ideas to celebrate my retirement in terms of a cruise longer than the normal 2 weeks.

 

Right now I am thinking possibly Seattle to Sydney on Explorer and then possibly some time in Australia and/or New Zealand before we fly back home.

 

Thanks and regards

Ron.

[MommaBear55]

We have planned a B2B2B. The first is a Southern Caribbean, then a transatlantic followed by an Italy, Greek Island cruise, ending with a few days in Rome. DH retired 4 years ago, I will semi retire this Fall and we will be celebrating our 40th anniversary somewhere mid Atlantic.

[spookyfudge]

We have booked a TA leaving rome October 2017, hopefully that's when I retire but things are very busy at work with new projects coming in. May stay until mid 2018!

 

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[ekka49]

I retire in 2.5 years and I'm already thinking about a retirement cruise. My husband will still be working, so we can't take anything longer than a couple of weeks, but I'd like to plan something very special for the fall of 2018.

 

What did you do for cruising when you retired?

 

The good wife retires August 2016. So our gift to our selves is around the world for 106 days on the Sea Princess May 2017 out of Sydney Australia return to Brisbane Australia. :):):D:)

[ronpes]

The good wife retires August 2016. So our gift to our selves is around the world for 106 days on the Sea Princess May 2017 out of Sydney Australia return to Brisbane Australia. :):):D:)

 

WOW ! I AM impressed. That would be my ultimate cruise dream to do that.

I have tried to convince my DW that we could do something like that and I haven't given up on that one. 15+ weeks is a L O N G time away but boy,.what a trip!

 

I think it would take me a year just to plan that with all the countries and excursions etc etc.

 

Perhaps our "compromise" would be a half-world type trip.

 

I do know a couple who went round the world but they want from cruise ship to ship and booked a series individual trips. Not sure if it was any cheaper doing that way but it sure broke up the journey.

 

Good luck with that and well done.

Ron.

[CollegePaid]

Our Panama Canal cruise was fabulous, and I'd highly recommend it. For retirement, we're combining an Alaska cruise with before-and-after land touring. We'll be traveling three weeks.

[Howasaur]

For my retirement my wife knew I wanted to go up the Amazon River. We took the 21 day cruise on the Prinsendam and it was a experience I will never forget, Pink Dolphins. Birds of all kinds and just loved cruising on the Amazon.

[CKM]

When I retired in 2013 from a school district where I provided speech therapy services to children K-5 at two different schools , we had booked a Carnival Legend 12 day cruise to Russia and Baltics. It the most fantastic cruise ever! Cruised out of Dover, UK, stayed in London 3 days after cruise.

[True Texan]

When I retired my husband and took a cruise through the Panama Canal. It was fantastic.

[Clay Clayton]

a cruise??? hell, I am hoping we are going to take a retirement YEAR!:D

 

My plan is to stop work in December 2017, spend Jan-April cleaning out and packing up our place in Houston and putting what little I hope we will keep in storage. Then book a last minute TA bargain to Europe. We will rent a place in Greece for May ( I will be in Santorini for my 60th birthday even if the rest of this doesn't work out as hoped!), a month in Italy for DH's 55th in June, a month in Spain in August or maybe somewhere further north where it might be cooler, and a month in Portugal before we take another bargain TA back to the US. We will finish up the year with holidays with family and then either find a retirement place in the US near a cruise port or (more likely) pack up and head to either Ecuador, Costa Rica, Portugal or Italy for 10 years until we both are old enough to qualify for Medicare!

 

Fingers crossed here that we can make it happen!

[ronpes]

Wow, now that is a plan.

Good for you and I hope your dreams come true.

[telebax51]

When we retired I made a bucket list and number one was HAWAII now i can say ( been there done that ). I have number 2,3,and 4 booked and more to come.