55+ And I No Longer Feel The Need To.......

[aml3679]

Do what I want 

 

Eat what I want 

 

With whom I want 

[Mary229]

After years of intensive independent land and cruise travel I no longer feel the need to go off the beaten path.  A ship excursion fits the bill in many ports and it is so easy to just click a button and show up as compared to all of the planning and contacting.  So I now proudly say, sure I go on ship excursions regardless the cost or simple mindedness.  Plus I don’t have to quibble with the DH about should we go left or should we go right 

[BamaVol]

…….. get off the ship in Nassau.

 

I get it.  It’s close, it’s foreign, dock fees are probably low. But my first visit was enough. Been there 3 more times and didn’t bother the last time. 

[caribbound]

On 8/6/2020 at 9:45 PM, kanadakid said:

Eat all meals in MDR - breakfast esp. is enjoyed continental style on the pool deck after a brisk swim and before all the punters are up and out.

 

to buy the drinks package - I would rather disembark and imbibe on local spirits at a beach or cafe, then make my way back to the ship with my cooler bottle. Instead of soda I enjoy a mix of sweet tea and tart lemonade from the buffet area with lots of ice. Makes great bar mix!

you get back on the ship with your water bottle filled with alcohol? They don't check them? I don't buy drink packages, never have. I'll have a bottle of wine and 1 or 2 boat drinks on board, and I drink less now than 13 years ago, but if they don't check water bottles then that would be worth having a lemonade mixer to buy something on an island.

[caribbound]

On 4/20/2021 at 3:43 PM, BLITZMA said:

I am now a 70 year old widow and am planning my first solo cruise.  How do you pick a cruise where I  can meet similar people? 

there are groups that cater to solo trave and senior travel. I haven't been on CC in years but there used to be groups that would plan to cruise together for the purpose of meeting up. If you're on facebook there's a group called Girls Love Travel. Maybe there's a similar group for seniors. Hope you found what you wanted!

[simplelife]

We started cruising in our early 40's and are now in our late 60's.  Cruising has changed and we have changed. What I have always enjoyed is not having to make any decisions that affect anyone but myself  What has changed: I don't bring as many clothes as I used to (Who cares if I wear something two or even three times?) or dress up as much. I eat and drink less; I do fewer organized activities and more sleeping and reading,  I don't rush to be first on or first off the ship - wait until the lines are down and then go right on or off (If I get off in port at all) I never did understand the rush to disembark ,(unless one had a plane to catch or something urgent at home).  we are jsut more low-key in general.

[Janie1229]

On 3/12/2020 at 3:40 PM, trivimp said:

 

🤣🤣🤣

This is me.  I always marvel at the chair-hog threads... because I'll be over there enjoying the sea breezes & my blender drink in the SHADE  

Me too. I just turned 61. I have NEVER lounged in the sun by the pool. Yuck. Like you, I love lounging on the promenade deck in the shade, people watching, ocean watching, and reading a good book. 

[rcrabb1513]

On 10/22/2020 at 2:41 PM, cruz040864 said:

I no longer need to travel on the Mega Hotels (I don't think they are ships cause it doesn't seem like cruising to me).  I personally don't need all the bells and whistles.  I like cruising......... IMHO

We feel the same way.  We refer to them as floating Theme Parks.   Unfortunately, the trend of larger ships and higher cost to sail on them is close to pricing us out of cruising.

[BamaVol]

On 1/24/2023 at 10:42 PM, caribbound said:

there are groups that cater to solo trave and senior travel. I haven't been on CC in years but there used to be groups that would plan to cruise together for the purpose of meeting up. If you're on facebook there's a group called Girls Love Travel. Maybe there's a similar group for seniors. Hope you found what you wanted!

I don’t know which lines still offer traditional dining, but I think you’re more likely to make friends if you are assigned to sit  with the same people night after night.

Edited February 13, 2023 by BamaVol

[shippmates]

I love being a on ship doing what I want, when I want.  When we worked we did the 10-14 day cruises to the Caribbean.  Now that I am retired, I have been sailing out of NYC to Europe on the Queen Mary 2.  I love the lectures they have on the sea days, all the live music everyday, the movies, the Planetarium, the English Pub, the ballroom dancing and the English tea every afternoon.  I also enjoy the free shuttles they offer into town in Southampton and Hamburg.  I am counting down the days until my next crossing in May.  I also appreciate by doing a crossing,  visiting Europe, and then returning to NYC no long flights and NO jetlag.

[BamaVol]

On 2/22/2023 at 8:15 AM, shippmates said:

I love being a on ship doing what I want, when I want.  When we worked we did the 10-14 day cruises to the Caribbean.  Now that I am retired, I have been sailing out of NYC to Europe on the Queen Mary 2.  I love the lectures they have on the sea days, all the live music everyday, the movies, the Planetarium, the English Pub, the ballroom dancing and the English tea every afternoon.  I also enjoy the free shuttles they offer into town in Southampton and Hamburg.  I am counting down the days until my next crossing in May.  I also appreciate by doing a crossing,  visiting Europe, and then returning to NYC no long flights and NO jetlag.

Amen on the jet lag.  Flying west, never an issue.  Flying east overnight, I always feel awful for a day or two.  I have looked at different TA repositioning cruises for the future.  You make a good point - TA east is the way to go.

[Janie1229]

On 2/22/2023 at 8:15 AM, shippmates said:

I love being a on ship doing what I want, when I want.  When we worked we did the 10-14 day cruises to the Caribbean.  Now that I am retired, I have been sailing out of NYC to Europe on the Queen Mary 2.  I love the lectures they have on the sea days, all the live music everyday, the movies, the Planetarium, the English Pub, the ballroom dancing and the English tea every afternoon.  I also enjoy the free shuttles they offer into town in Southampton and Hamburg.  I am counting down the days until my next crossing in May.  I also appreciate by doing a crossing,  visiting Europe, and then returning to NYC no long flights and NO jetlag.

I would love to do that - someday! Until we retire, we will have to figure out flights. Probably won't retire until 70 or 72. Just the way it is. Could be worse!

[SargassoPirate]

On 2/13/2023 at 5:45 AM, BamaVol said:

I don’t know which lines still offer traditional dining, but I think you’re more likely to make friends if you are assigned to sit  with the same people night after night.

I often cruise solo and never seem to have trouble meeting people in venues other than the MDR. On longer cruises one often sees the same people who are on a similar "schedule" or frequent the same venues.  A smile and raised glass by way of greeting goes a long way.

 

As I've lost more and more hearing over the years, the MDR atmosphere has become less and less pleasurable.  It's already a noisy environment and hearing aids just amplify the noise.  Couple that with getting assigned to a table with a low talker who will not or cannot speak up, and it's not for me.

 

[BamaVol]

6 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

I often cruise solo and never seem to have trouble meeting people in venues other than the MDR. On longer cruises one often sees the same people who are on a similar "schedule" or frequent the same venues.  A smile and raised glass by way of greeting goes a long way.

 

As I've lost more and more hearing over the years, the MDR atmosphere has become less and less pleasurable.  It's already a noisy environment and hearing aids just amplify the noise.  Couple that with getting assigned to a table with a low talker who will not or cannot speak up, and it's not for me.

 

I understand completely.  We have friends and relatives with hearing loss that we socialize with. There are places we simply avoid as conversation is impossible. 
 

I remember having lunch with my mother one day after she moved into assisted living.  She introduced several of her friends at the table.  I could not hear a single word one of her friends spoke.  I told her she would have to speak up.  She said, “I would but I’ve had two strokes”. Needless to say, I added one more situation to my list of Be Careful What You Say.

[shadow 123]

On 3/1/2020 at 9:21 AM, SargassoPirate said:

As I approach 70 and am still an avid cruiser, there are certain things that I used to think were almost mandatory or things that I would obsess about prior to the cruise.  I do still obsess about cabin location and whether there is a wrap-around promenade, but beyond that I'm pretty well satisfied by most any day on the ocean.  I no longer feel the need to.....

 

Be the first on or off the ship.  As long as I get on before the ship sails, I'm good.

 

Attend every production show.  I find most of them annoyingly over amplified anyway.

 

Use a lounger on the Melanoma Deck.  I enjoy a lounger on the promenade much more.

 

Get off the ship in every Caribbean port.  Been there, and they all start to look alike anyway.

 

Use ship excursions.  Some of my best days have been walking around the port city and discovering a small coffee shop or cafe to enjoy.  Beats marching to the tour guide's clock on a crowded excursion bus.

 

Eat evening meals in the MDR.  I find it much more relaxed to eat breakfast and lunch in the MDR, and then have a light evening meal in the buffet.  Frees up a lot of m y time in the evening also.

 

To a youngster, I probably sound like an old curmudgeon, but one of the beauties of cruising is that you are free to enjoy the cruise and the ship in your own way.

 

How about you?

 

 

Couldn't agree more. You said it all

[srlafleur]

On 11/15/2022 at 3:30 PM, Mary229 said:

After years of intensive independent land and cruise travel I no longer feel the need to go off the beaten path.  A ship excursion fits the bill in many ports and it is so easy to just click a button and show up as compared to all of the planning and contacting.  So I now proudly say, sure I go on ship excursions regardless the cost or simple mindedness.  Plus I don’t have to quibble with the DH about should we go left or should we go right 

Same! I also like going on tours so someone will tell me what I'm looking at! Particularly pertinent in foreign ports, but we even did a tour to the Grand Canyon while in Arizona for a wedding. We could easily enough have gone on our own, but we would have missed so much that learned from the experienced tour guide!

 

[TravelinGert]

On 11/15/2022 at 2:30 PM, Mary229 said:

After years of intensive independent land and cruise travel I no longer feel the need to go off the beaten path.  A ship excursion fits the bill in many ports and it is so easy to just click a button and show up as compared to all of the planning and contacting.  So I now proudly say, sure I go on ship excursions regardless the cost or simple mindedness.  Plus I don’t have to quibble with the DH about should we go left or should we go right 

I'm more inclined to leave the beaten path as the years go by. I'm less fearful than I was in my earlier travels, partly due to experience I suppose. I'm more likely to set out on my own verses booking any tour. I guess part of that is the old termagant in me, maybe. I'd rather not have to wait on others, or leave just because others want to. If I go on my own I can please myself. Having a GPS map in my pocket helps, too, as now DH can argue with Google if he likes instead of bothering me. 😁

 

Edited May 5 by TravelinGert

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, TravelinGert said:

I'm more inclined to leave the beaten path as the years go by. I'm less fearful than I was in my earlier travels, partly due to experience I suppose. I'm more likely to set out on my own verses booking any tour. I guess part of that is the old termagant in me, maybe. I'd rather not have to wait on others, or leave just because others want to. If I go on my own I can please myself. Having a GPS map in my pocket helps, too, as now DH can argue with Google if he likes instead of bothering me. 😁

 

I am not fearful.  I just like more ease and luxury. 

[cooncat_mom]

I usually travel with my daughter (she’s 44…I’m in my 70’s).  If the area isn’t walkable, we do ship excursions. It worked well for us on one cruise when weather and bus problems got us back late.  No problem - the ship was there and the crew gangway was open and waiting for us. (We were the only ship in port so that helped too!)  We like the little extra security!

[shandryl]

I stay on the ship more than I used to. Get a nice comfy chair "people watch" or read a book. Look out to the ocean and just live in the moment and really appreciate just being there💖. A much slower pace for sure. 😉

 

"Cruise Addiction at it's best"  My Mother & I used to go on tours, get up first so we could grab/put the claimers to two lounge chairs.  Try & be the first in line to what ever there was & now I laugh bc of the ridiculousness of all of it.  At the time we honestly thought it was the best thing to do to get that full on "CRUISE EXPERIENCE" 😂 we would plan/book flights/hotels & go on line to book shore excursions. Talked all about what we were going to do (Non-Stop) my mother had a fridge magnet for every place/island we had been to. We had so many pictures of the ocean & sand and scenery that it was hard to tell at all what place/island the picture was taken from,  The pictures started looking all the same!  We made lots of friends and stayed InTouch through the years. My mother passed in 2015.  btw, I was trying to keep up with HER! .😂  

[Mary229]

3 hours ago, shandryl said:

I stay on the ship more than I used to. Get a nice comfy chair "people watch" or read a book. Look out to the ocean and just live in the moment and really appreciate just being there💖. A much slower pace for sure. 😉

 

"Cruise Addiction at it's best"  My Mother & I used to go on tours, get up first so we could grab/put the claimers to two lounge chairs.  Try & be the first in line to what ever there was & now I laugh bc of the ridiculousness of all of it.  At the time we honestly thought it was the best thing to do to get that full on "CRUISE EXPERIENCE" 😂 we would plan/book flights/hotels & go on line to book shore excursions. Talked all about what we were going to do (Non-Stop) my mother had a fridge magnet for every place/island we had been to. We had so many pictures of the ocean & sand and scenery that it was hard to tell at all what place/island the picture was taken from,  The pictures started looking all the same!  We made lots of friends and stayed InTouch through the years. My mother passed in 2015.  btw, I was trying to keep up with HER! .😂  

We still enjoy our outings or excursions but used to be first off, last on the ship. Now we set a more leisurely pace.  I realize now it is not a once in a lifetime opportunity and that I can come back and stay a while if I like it.  He recently made me take a beach type cruise and I was back on the ship for lunch most days only leaving the ship for an evening stroll prior to sail away