puppybug

Tell the person at the guest services desk as soon as you board: "If you don't refund my Cheers, I will take off my bandage."

 

That should do it.

That made me cackle! Thanks!

I recently got a pretty large head laceration and am set to sail with my family on April 2nd. I'm on antibiotics and pain medication and will not be able to drink alcohol. We are all over 21 and got the Cheers Package. I know that if one person in the cabin gets the package, everyone has to. But if I'm unable to drink for medical reasons, would guest services refund my part? I also don't drink soda, but wouldn't mind getting a non-alcoholic drinks package if it included specialty decaf coffees.

Thank you all! My wife insisted on a balcony, so we do have that. We're also set to be one of the last groups to board the ship. (I don't trust that we'll leave the house at the time we're planning and my wife has to stop and pee every three blocks. I'm planning for it to take us about five hours for a three hour drive.)

Based on everyone's suggestions, I'm making a list of things to do, like the library, and things to avoid, like the casino and comedy shows. My wife is trying to veto me bringing my books because they'll weigh me down and take up too much space in my bag, but I'm not bringing much else with me. I've traveled enough before to know what I'll need, even if I've never done a cruise. I imagine she also doesn't want me just reading the entire cruise. I'm thinking about taking some pastels with me to sketch sunrises since I'm the first one of my trio awake in the morning and they aren't likely to rise until close to noon or even after. I might try a mani/pedi... and maybe something for my hair.

Could you tell me how you are legally married, but then you say "...in my state my marriage is technically only common law....".........and what specific state(s) are you discussing......

We are in Texas. Common law marriage in Texas only requires that we agree to be married, live together as a married couple, and that we have referred to ourselves as married to others. (Added bonus, we file our taxes together.) In Texas, even informal marriages require a divorce or annulment. Technically, divorce is really only necessary in this instance if there is property or such to divide. Because we file taxes together, it is all the more likely that we would need an official divorce. Even more so if he and our wife wanted to legally marry after.

I like the idea of sitting at the buffet between meals!

Thank you, I will avoid the casino at all costs. I'm asthmatic as well (smoke and running in cold weather are the biggest triggers). The first thing I'm doing when I get on board is making arrangements with guest services in regards to the muster drill. If my doctor can provide a mild sedative before I leave, I might make it through. (I could probably email the cruise line about the muster drill too, right?)

Oh, and about the divorce. I neglected to mention that my husband and I are legally married. Our wife has been in our family for six years. In my state my marriage is technically only common law, but would still require a documented divorce / court proceedings.

Thank you all! I really am getting good tips and feeling like I might manage with some accommodations.

I am genuinely considering whether I can afford a divorce because of my husband's complete invalidation of my health. I don't want to seem like I'm a completely non-functioning person. I do triathlon training with the goal of competing in Kona, Hawaii. (Yes, I will have to get used to crowds in order to do this.) I also have no problems with flying. I've been flying since I was a baby and it never occurred to me to be afraid because of this. I've been to France and Portugal. I've stayed a month in England. I've been to Mexico and Canada a few times. Always driving or flying. Driving is slow, but I can always get out of the car. Flying is much faster and I am used to it. I also have good years and bad years with my mental health. So far, this is shaping up to be a bad year.

When I'm at home, I typically work and drive a lot (I have my own family care business and mostly work with children and pets and spend my days driving from client to client). I usually work out a lot too (anywhere from an hour up to six hours a day depending on my training schedule). I'm generally paranoid about what I eat and yeah, struggle with disordered eating. I have a lot of control issues. I also spend a lot of time with my dogs and cats. Lately I've had to scale back on the exercise because it raises my heart rate and with the increased panic attacks it's been a small nightmare.

Because most of what I do at home is unavailable on the cruise, (it is supposed to be a vacation - no work, no work messages, no traffic, no dishes, no dogs to feed, etc.), I am doing my best to find things that I might find enjoyable to do. I've heard about the Build-a-Bear at Sea event and am cautiously optimistic about trying it (most likely with the noise canceling ear buds - thanks for that suggestion!) I am trying to see if I can get some small art supplies to bring with me. I will also ask guest services about suggestions for getting through muster drill. There's a horn??? QUESTION - ARE THERE ANY FLASHING LIGHTS?

My best friend is livid about the situation, but, knowing my husband, she is trying to help me through. She's planning on loading me with DVDs to take and I'll be taking at least five books as well. I originally wanted to book some spa sessions, but after reading reviews and looking at prices, I've decided I'd mostly rather not. I have a membership at a massage place where I live and I'd rather wait until I get back and get a sports massage from my own therapist (there go those control issues again). And I can't stand people watching. Probably because I hate when people watch me.

Right now, on my good health days, I think I can make it through the cruise if I just hang out at the cafe area or adult area with all the decaf coffee and a notebook for writing. Please let this be true.

Hello all, OP here. I didn't realize I had so many replies to this thread. They stopped coming in my email.

I am making a doctor's appointment on Monday to address my anxiety, especially since it is getting worse the closer we get to the cruise. I mentioned my polyamory relationship because one of the reasons my wife is so excited about the cruise is that we'll finally be exchanging our vows (privately, not officially - we realize the legal issue there). I've actually never seen "Sister Wives". And yes, it is possible to have agoraphobia and claustrophobia at the same time. I am fearful of leaving my house, and I am fearful of crowded/confined spaces. I'm even afraid of ordering room service because I'm afraid of the phone. I wish I was joking. I wish I was neurotypical. I'm not. I've been suicidal since I was five years old and it's a bloody "miracle" that I'm still alive.

Anyway, my husband is looking forward to eating and drinking himself into a coma. My wife will most likely be bored without me because of this. At this point I can only hope that I come down with a fever before we leave.

(My original post was mainly for suggestions for quiet activities to do and how to avoid people, but it got bogged down in my anxiety about posting.)

Probably a weird question, but what is there to do on a cruise that avoids people and isn't reading, writing and sleeping? I'll be going on Carnival Cruise Valor in about a month and already plan to do those things, but what else?

We have travel insurance, but my husband REFUSES to get a refund on my ticket, so I'm stuck going and stuck with the increase in panic attacks I've been having in relation to the cruise. I'm trying to make a list of activities I can do on my own since he plans on eating and drinking himself into a coma and sleeping and not moving for the duration of the trip. I can't handle crowds or loud noises and plan to mostly sequester myself to the adults only area or our cabin. I'm claustrophobic and agoraphobic, so it's a lovely combination for a cruise where I can't win no matter where I am. Are there any quiet, less-crowded activities on board that I can attempt?

I would love for them to go on the trip without me and have a fantastic time! My husband will not do it. He absolutely will not go without me even with my insistence. My wife is too excited about it for me to break her heart by not going. I am only looking for how to cope. If not going was an option, I would simply not go.

Hi all! I'm new to cruising and have never been on a boat/ship for more than a few hours at a time. To say that I'm terrified is an understatement. I am agoraphobic and claustrophobic and I have social anxiety. My husband and wife (we're poly) booked this cruise without my input for husband's birthday. We are also planning on doing our vows together since we haven't gotten around to it and it seems we'll never actually have the wedding and we've been married (as far as we're concerned) for a few years now. I don't want to go on this cruise. I want them to be able to go and have a great time! Without me. Unfortunately, my husband would rather just cancel the whole trip, but my wife is so excited! And she should be! I'm just so not. The thought of being away from land freaks me out. And only having my tiny cabin to retreat to away from people doesn't help at all! It's a Carnival Cruise and I have yet to see anything that looks like fun for me. I don't drink, I don't do casinos, I don't do group activities (with the one exception of my crossfit classes at my home gym), and I sunburn in shade. I'm also terrified of sharing a table with strangers at dinner! Yes, it is amazing that I'm still alive, and I barely cope at home as it is. How do I get through this "vacation" without completely ruining it for my husband and wife??? I'm ready to vomit from the anxiety and fear that on the cruise I'll be somewhere between bored and catatonic!