Do you have cruise booked?

[Lois R]

:) [font=Century Gothic][size=3][color=blue]Hi Randy.....good morning.....you said you would have expected me to have a "whole list"...of pending cruises?....I WISH........[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=3][color=#0000ff][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=3][color=#0000ff]We all have diffferent lifestyles and incomes......You have different family members, different locations, etc....[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=3][color=#0000ff][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=3][color=#0000ff]In my case, I sail solo.....and yes, I work LOL...I do get (thankfully) a good amount of vacation time......been at the same job almost 14 years.[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=3][color=#0000ff]Anyway...I digress, for me....it is the finances that I have to be concerned about.....I cannot (the way I am) book cruises without having the $$ to back it up.[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=3][color=#0000ff]I mean, sure, I could charge everything and take the rest of my life to pay it off......but that is not me. We solo cruisers have to pay out the ear LOL....(don't get me started). HAL offers very VERY competitve pricing for singles. So here I am........[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=3][color=#0000ff][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=3][color=#0000ff]And I don't know what is up next.......I know I always get a refund back from Uncle Sam......that normally helps me pay for one cruise.[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=3][color=#0000ff][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=3][color=#0000ff]I do know what cruises I would like to do......so I have a mental list...but nothing booked![/color][/size][/font]

[Randyk47]

Lois, you're just one of my favorites here. Seems like you've always got some exciting cruise planned or just back from one. :) Always appreciate your insight and experience so I just figured you were booked through the next couple of years. :D

[Lois R]

:) :o [font=Arial Black][size=3][color=blue]Thank you...for those kind words......[/color][/size][/font]
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[font=Arial Black][size=3][color=#0000ff]When I get back from the Z....I know I am going to feel very VERY weird....I do normally have ONE booked ahead of time.....in this case I don't:( .........[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Arial Black][size=3][color=#0000ff]So...when I return home.....lets see how long it takes me to find something:D .....Sept...Oct...Nov.... LOL I am sure I will find one sooner, rather than later ( I HOPE)![/color][/size][/font]

[RevNeal]

Lois,

Here's a suggestion. Book the Veendam's 14 day cruise Nov/Dec 2005. :) A large group of us from CC are going to be aboard her. :) I know that's a long way off, but ... hey ... you can always cruise a couple of times between now and then too.

The prices on that Veendam cruise are VERY good ... even with a single supplement!

[Lois R]

Hi Rev:) thank you for that suggestion.....but I can't book a 2 weeker. Money and work don't allow it..you should see what my desk looks like after being away for only a week:( .

And I am a strange one I guess;) I prefer to spread out my vacations...if I do a 2 week cruise (but I can't) but IF I could..then I would only be able to afford 1 other cruise LOL... did that make a bit of sense?:confused:
Oh...And I don't want to commit to HAL (yet)....I will know better about it after my cruise:)

[Tatka]

As my signature says I have 2:

[b][color=red] Zuiderdam August 21st[/color][/b]
[color=lime]X Mercury April 17 Pacific Coastal[/color]

This year I had 2 cruises but from now on I will have only 1 a year as my vacation is only 2 weeks a year and we still love going to Europe once in 2 years. (Belgium,Germany,France,Holland and so on) I also haven't visited many wonderful places in US yet like Grand Canyon etc.

[ekerr19]

We are booked on the final voyage of the Noordam, 11/3/04 and have just booked the Volendam, 3/20/05 last week!

This will finally put me over 100 days on HAL! I can't wait to check out the Volendam.

[Bill S]

localady: the July 26 Prinsendam cruise is the one we are looking at - hopefully we can book that one in the near future. The itinerary looks very interesting-I will let you know if we can swing it.

[RevNeal]

[QUOTE]And I am a strange one I guess I prefer to spread out my vacations...if I do a 2 week cruise (but I can't) but IF I could..then I would only be able to afford 1 other cruise LOL... did that make a bit of sense?[/QUOTE]

I suppose it makes some sense. I understand when work schedules make it difficult to take two weeks at a time. I'm not sure what you mean about the money issue, though ... this 14 day cruise on the Veendam is, essentially, the price of a 7-day cruise.

[Lois R]

Hi Rev:) thanks for the input about the pricing...I figured a 2 weeker is much more $$$....I learn something new every day on here:D but again, its just too difficult for me to take 2 weeks off in a row:eek:

[LizB1]

Unfortunately, I can't boast of having five cruises booked for the near future, but at least we are booked for the 35-day Maasdam cruise next July from Boston. That will add a few more days to my already 1029 days on HAL...for which I receive nothing more than a "welcome back" when I embark one of the "dam" ships.

[localady]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=blue]BillS-[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=blue]Sure hope you and yours can swing it! Be lovely to have you on board!!!!:cool: [/color][/size][/font]

[sail7seas]

[quote name='LizB1']Unfortunately, I can't boast of having five cruises booked for the near future, but at least we are booked for the 35-day Maasdam cruise next July from Boston. That will add a few more days to my already 1029 days on HAL...for which I receive nothing more than a "welcome back" when I embark one of the "dam" ships.[/QUOTE]

That is sure to be a wonderful cruise, Liz. Hope you have "another" fabulous HAL cruise on Maasdam.

Our "reward" for returning again and again, as do you, is to see the people we are so fond of. To see old friends and to make new HAL friends. It's almost impossible for us to think of going anywhere but HAL at this point. We'd feel so "out of place" on a ship other than a "dam" one.

[FlorenceItaly]

[quote name='LizB1']Unfortunately, I can't boast of having five cruises booked for the near future, but at least we are booked for the 35-day Maasdam cruise next July from Boston. That will add a few more days to my already 1029 days on HAL...for which I receive nothing more than a "welcome back" when I embark one of the "dam" ships.[/QUOTE]

Liz - This would be a dream cruise for me! I look forward to your review upon your return. Yes, I do have multiple cruises coming up, but I am sorry if it appeared like it was boasting...as that was not my intention. A question was asked, I responded. You know, none of us on the board really knows what one another's life circumstances are....not that I need to explain, but I just recently have realized how precious life is, and that we must live it to the fullest.

Marie

[LizB1]

Marie...I agree with you that life is precious and we all must live it to our fullest. Now that I have the big "C" again I feel fortunate to have booked our one cruise for next year and think it's great for everyone who has booked several for the future...one never knows!! Do it now!!!!

[FlorenceItaly]

Liz - I am sorry to hear of your illness...unfortunately, you certainly can relate to my words more than most. I am so sorry. I am glad you have your time on the Maasdam to look forward to...thank you for your encouraging words to us all to DO IT NOW! You are a very special lady.

Marie

[DFD1]

Volendam 11/26/04, and in the process of booking with HAL for sometime in September to see if "last minute fares" exist....somehow, I doubt it.

[idiebabe]

We have the following booked:

Carnival Legend - CTN 10/04
Carnival Imagination - (Western Carib) 11/04 (Special Country Group Cruise)
Zuiderdam (Eastern Carib) - 4/05
Zaandam (Panama Canal) - 10/05