winesfine

Radio, I see that you have removed the Epic from your upcoming cruises. I was so looking forward to your review before I get onboard.

I hope you enjoy your next cruise to Canada ... eh

ger_77, I read that tragic story in the paper last week and my heart broke just reading it. My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends.

This truly is a heart warming thread and brought back so many memories for me.

My dear father passed away 2 months to the day of my wedding. Thankfully, my wedding kept my mom occupied to help soothe the sad and lonely days. My DH (now married 30 years) and I had booked a trip to Jamaica for our honeymoon, but was cancelled last minute. The TA knew we had looked at a cruise (wow, back in '78) but could not afford it. The owner of the agency said "find one that is close to the date and give it to them for the same price". We went on a 16 day Med cruise and I will never ever forget it. My dad was in the navy when he died and I like to think that he had a hand in the honeymoon.

Through the years and 3 children we went on many trips and camping most weekends, almost always with my mom and her new husband. We always said we wanted to cruise again and finally bit the bullet for our 25th wedding anniversary and booked the Panama Canal and Disneyworld. Our children didn't go with us, but my sister and my mom and several friends all booked with us. Sadly 1 week before we were to depart my mom had a very bad flu that doctors could not seem to control. We went on the cruise without my mom (the hardest thing I ever did). My mom died 2 months later of unknown causes. My mom was my best friend and I have lots of travel memories with her, but I sure wish she could have finally done her cruise.

My DH and I cruise once a year with my sister and BIL and I know mom is with us on each trip. Our February 09 cruise was (I emphasize "was") supposed to be our last for a while so we could concentrate on getting the cabin built for our retirement. After reading through this thread I've decided that the cabin is "liveable" the way it is and will give us a project to do while we are retired (if we don't kill each other in the process - LOL) so, screw it, I'm still cruising once a year :D

Thanks for helping me put things back into perspective ... and now I need to figure out a way to save enough $$s to take the kids with us. They've been on 1 with us, but there were very bad seas and no fun for them, but they are willing to try again one day so hopefully I can make "one day" very soon.

Priceline

Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Plantation (4* hotel)

2 rooms, 1 night $80ea

Total $160

Taxes & Fees $27.84

Total $187.84 (2 rooms)

Also found transport from airport to hotel, hotel to port at $40 each trip (4 pax)

First thing on board is wrap my arms around my DH and give him a big kiss. Without him it wouldn't be any fun!

Our usual tradition is to wait for our room steward, give him a nice tip, and tell him our needs for the next 7, 10 or 14 days -- usually some snacks during the day, always a wine glass in our room, an eggcrate for the bed and robes (for those lovely balcony moments ;) ), then off to the bar for the drink of the day and enjoy the sailaway. I don't care if it's raining, snowing or blowing like mad, I'm on deck for sailaway.

Only 3 more weeks to Alaska and 5 more months for a wonderful 14 day Caribbean!

I have a picture in my work cubicle of the little plastic deck table with two glasses from the bar (empty, of course) with the sea and waves in the back ground. Everytime I'm stressed I look at that picture and know it is somewhere in my future <soon, I hope> I love my balcony!

Just poking around the boards when I decided to search for my first cruise ship - yup, the Ithaca in July 1978. My DH & I had booked a honeymoon to Seawind Island in Jamaica that got cancelled. The TA convinced the owner to send us on our first cruise. It took us another 20 years to start cruising again, but I'll never forget that first cruise. I remember sitting on deck throwing empty bottles of wine over the side (how bad is that!), partying until the wee hours. The slot machines (maybe 10) were in the bar along one wall and a very very small room was set aside to play roulette and maybe 2 poker tables. Our beds were 2 very small singles (some honeymoon), but we laughed and used them both. Our cabin was right beside the dining room (which is smaller than most theatres now). Our waiter, George, (funny how I remember that after all these years) spoiled my husband rotten. The waiters used to bring dinner on large trays and serve from platters. After George served everyone, he would scrape all the rest of the food from the platters onto his plate. Too funny.

Well, thanks for the memories. Heading off on an eastern Caribbean in 10 more sleeps.

I was sad when I got to the end of this thread. My DH & I have 11 more sleeps before we leave on an Eastern Caribbean cruise. I should be working but I've enjoyed looking at all your pictues soooooo much.

Love the deck chairs -- I agree that it should be entered into a photo contest! Good job, everyone. Keep em coming.