What was I Thinking? 49 Days

[seaoma]

1 hour ago, mrmoviezombie said:

Been kicking myself since ever since we found out about the rental car trick on CC a few years ago. Same thing, so wish I had thought of it long ago. So much time and money wasted researching the best pricing on shuttles or long term parking.

 

It is so much better that we used it for just about all our (pre 2020 of course) trips. For us there is a closer Avis rental place that doesn't charge an extra one-way fee to the airport.

 

We live in the same city as our oldest daughter and son in law. We usually drive our car to the airport, pay for parking for one day, then they drive by after work and pick up our car. It bothered me when we did this, having to inconvenience them when we were the ones getting to leave on a lengthy, fantastic vacation. 

 

I will definitely use the airport car rental trick going forward and let my kids off the hook.  

 

They will still have to go by and check on the house while we are gone, though. I don't have any guilt over that.😉

[cruisequeen4ever]

Good for you! 

[rkacruiser]

On 12/20/2020 at 1:00 AM, USN59-79 said:

  I have found that if I talk to my local post office person they will hold it for as long as you need

 

Such willingness to do so depends solely upon the cooperation of the branch Postmaster from where your mail is delivered.  Used to be able to have this done without issue.  The gentleman retired.  A new Postmistress became the "big-wig"--and is still in Office--such a "customer friendly service"--is impossible to do.  "It's against "regulations".  

 

It's a good way--from a business sense, however--because it causes me to buy the mail forwarding option to have the mail collected for a set number of days and forwarded to a friend who lives near-by.  Such is not an inexpensive option, however.

[Tampa Girl]

On 12/17/2020 at 8:39 PM, dvcmember said:

After Having my 2021 32-Day Tahiti, Hawaii, & Marquesas voyage changed 3 times to a 35-Day Voyage in 2022, I now have done something crazier.  Rather than fly from South Florida to San Diego, I thought, why not cruise to San Diego?  The voyage before is a 14-Day Panama Canal Transit leaving Ft. Lauderdale ending in San Diego then goes right into the 35-Day cruise.  

 

I have very little confidence that my April Caribbean sailing will happen.  That means I will have even more FCC's coming my way.  I was able to take advantage of the View & Verandah and all the perks associated with for an inside cabin (drinks, dinner, gratuities) for the 14-day portion.  

 

Now we will will only need a 1-way ticket home from San Diego.  I did a Partial-Transit in 2019 and enjoyed it very much.  I have a feeling we will like this voyage even more.  49 days is a lot, I guess I better bring expandable pants - LOL

 

Let me know if you have cruised for this amount of time. I am interested to hear your comments.  

 

What are your ships, pls?

[dvcmember]

3 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

What are your ships, pls?

Originally we were on the retired Rotterdam then the Volendam.  

 

Other DAM ships in the past have included

Ryndam

Eurodam

Nieuw Amsterdam

Oosterdam

Zuiderdam

Veendam

Nieuw Statendam

 

[Tampa Girl]

17 hours ago, dvcmember said:

Originally we were on the retired Rotterdam then the Volendam.  

 

Other DAM ships in the past have included

Ryndam

Eurodam

Nieuw Amsterdam

Oosterdam

Zuiderdam

Veendam

Nieuw Statendam

 

I meant which ships you will be, at least for now, sailing on your Panama Canal portion and your South Pacific portion.  Is the Volendam scheduled for the South Pacific?

[jabcruiser]

Hmmm. Interesting idea.  We also on this 35 day Hawaii, Tahiti, Marquesas cruise Feb 2022.  We live in south Fl.  May have to check this option out.  Another 2 weeks of cruising sounds good to me.  Just need to get DH on board.  Love your idea.  

Jane

[Roz]

Thank you to all those who posted about your experience with long cruises.  My longest cruise has been 13 days, but I'm considering a month long cruise when I retire. 

[canadianbear]

9 minutes ago, Roz said:

Thank you to all those who posted about your experience with long cruises.  My longest cruise has been 13 days, but I'm considering a month long cruise when I retire. 

How much longer until retirement?  We are doing the San Diego Tahiti cruise Feb 2022-maybe you could come along? 

[KirkNC]

22 minutes ago, Roz said:

Thank you to all those who posted about your experience with long cruises.  My longest cruise has been 13 days, but I'm considering a month long cruise when I retire. 

Be careful, it’s addicting.

[Roz]

37 minutes ago, canadianbear said:

How much longer until retirement?  We are doing the San Diego Tahiti cruise Feb 2022-maybe you could come along? 

 

My last day will be November 30, 2022, so too soon, but that is a very tempting itinerary.  I'm considering a South American cruise in the first part of 2023.  Sounds a long way off, but really isn't.  

[canadianbear]

14 minutes ago, Roz said:

 

My last day will be November 30, 2022, so too soon, but that is a very tempting itinerary.  I'm considering a South American cruise in the first part of 2023.  Sounds a long way off, but really isn't.  

Too bad but that sounds amazing too what you are considering.  Never know, we haven’t been to that part so maybe also join you!  (Well Mr Bear has been to Argentina to visit relatives but that’s it) 

[rkacruiser]

12 minutes ago, Roz said:

Sounds a long way off, but really isn't.  

 

Retirement time does have a way of sneaking up on oneself.  Then, the question--at least for me--was it really the time to "pull the plug" on a career that I enjoyed and was still effective.  I "pulled the plug" for a variety of personal reasons; it proved to be the right decision.  Parts of what I once  did and many of the people with whom I worked, yes, I miss.  But, by retiring when I did, it opened up more different opportunities, experiences, and new friends for me than I could have imagined.  

 

Celebrating one's retirement with a cruise of a length and itinerary that I could never sail while working was my #1 plan.  That cruise proved it was worth the wait in order to do it!

[Roz]

@canadianbear, I'm counting on HAL offering the same itinerary (or similar) as they are on the Westerdam in March 2022.  It's 31 days from Buenos Aires to Ft. Lauderdale.  Within the 31 days there are options for a 14 and a 17 day cruise, but I would want to do the whole thing.  That way I would only have 1 long and expensive flight.  I've only been to Cartegena, so this would give me the opportunity to visit several countries.  

 

I'd love to cruise with you and Mr. Bear again.

[Roz]

@rkacruiser, it better sneak up fast. 😎  I know once you jump off the carousel, it's hard to get back on.  I've given this a lot of thought.  I was almost tempted to retire last year and I'm so glad I didn't.  Most of the activities I had planned (including cruising) for retirement would have been off limits due to Covid. 

[rkacruiser]

16 minutes ago, Roz said:

 That way I would only have 1 long and expensive flight.

 

When you are able to do so, make the investment in flying Business Class.  The difference is worth whatever the cost may be.  Living where you do, I can recommend Delta's Delta One service between Atlanta and Buenos Aires.  

[Roz]

@rkacruiser, I've done transatlantic flights, and they're miserable in steerage.  That's something to consider.