delily

I solve the heavy sneaker problem by not packing them -- I wear them on the plane both coming and going and pack my lighter weight shoes instead.

Instead of looking for a "sling" got to Amazon and type in "water bottle carrier." I found several slings that way.

Just an FYI--For a mass market cruise line Princess offers an Amazon cruise from Manaus to Ft. Lauderdale.

It would also depend on the wattage the ship allows. On the Spirit at least, you can't plug in anything that takes more than 500 watts.

I can't recommend a particular brand but what I like to travel with are the individually packaged towelettes instead of a liquid spray. They're small and easy to pack and if you don't use them it isn't a big deal to leave them in your toiletry bag indefinately to be used for future traveling.

My United Airline card. Where I live United is always one of the cheaper flights but all the airlines have credit cards attached to them now. By using the card to buy my tickets I don't have to pay luggage fees. My bags also get red, "priority bag" tags placed on them so they are put on top and are always the first off the plane. In addition, I get to use all of the "priority" fast lines at check-in, going through security, and boarding the plane. I still get reward points for everything else I buy that can be used for travel or anything else. Since I find the flight to be the worst part of traveling, it's nice to make it as comfortable as possible so I'd rather use the airline card and get my perks and savings there rather than saving on the cruise itself with a cruise card (and I don't use the same cruise line all the time anyway). I get double or triple points on my United credit card too when I book my cruise if I book it through the United Airlines TA.

You need to check out the cruise lines and ships carefully. I don't know if many have rooms that can sleep 5. Some that do are the more expensive "family suites." Two inside rooms may not cost any more than a room that sleeps 5.

Yes, NCL has solo cabins that I've heard are very nice. The best way to meet other people would be to join your roll call.

The protests have spread to Izmir and Ankara now as well.

And from now on -- I'm using the ship's laundry service so I don't have to pack so much! In fact, I'll be shopping for a smaller suitcase for my next trip!

I don't like to arrive until at least an hour or two after they've started embarkation. By then the line is gone and I can walk right onto the ship and my room is ready. (I hate standing in lines and I hate waiting around to get into my room) but to each his own! Have a good time!

We travel more often and take more time to see the sights. We entertain ourselves rather than our children (which we did when they were young and life focused on them). We eat when and what we want to eat. We do not complain about the food, nor cut up anyone else's food. We think late night is 10 pm. We know the value of elastic waist pants, especially at the end of the cruise. We are not sure why anyone would listen to rap. We need quieter dining areas because DH cannot hear as well as he used to. We put a night light in the bathroom for those late night trips.

 

We take ourselves less seriously because we have lost loved ones and realize what really is important in life. We have patience for those with limited mobility and envy those with grandchildren. We like seeing others enjoy themselves and move away from people who irritate us so they can enjoy themselves and we don't have to get irritated or complain.

 

We do not travel during spring break time because we don't have to. We can go whenever we want. We drink an occasional drink because drinking to excess was so 40 years ago. We hate the next morning headache and grogginess because getting going in the morning is tough enough without the hangover.

 

I actually love being this age. I hold onto every minute and wish I could slow life down.

I absolutely love this!

Here are a few things that we do to make coming home from vacation a lot easier.

 

1) I put the amount of money that we will need for the airport parking, in a sealed envelope in the locked glove-box of the car. We then don't have to worry about exact change to pay for our stay. Our airport has a cash line that runs pretty quick but the credit-card line is always backed up forever, so cash-ready to go, it is. I also put our parking lot# and row# in my cell phone. That way, after a week or so away, We will know what shuttle stop to get off at.

 

2) Starting a few weeks before vacation, I make a little extra on my dinners and then freeze some individual servings. This makes it easy for the first few days home. I also freeze a loaf of bread. By doing this, all we have to do is pop in the convenience store for fresh Milk and eggs. The grocery run can wait a few days.

 

3) The day before our vacation, I change the sheets on the bed. It is always nice to come home to a clean bed and not to have to worry about changing them again for a few days. I also do a good house cleaning before I leave as well.

 

4) I pre-buy gift cards and Thank-you cards for the neighbor-couple that are also my cat sitters. They always refuse any $ but I know that they love to eat at Cracker Barrel so I buy them a few gift cards so they can enjoy a few meals. I also pick them up a small something from one of our port stops.

 

5) I leave a take-out menu to our favorite Chinese restaurant in the car along with two $20 bills. It has become kind of a tradition to call in the order when we are a few miles away and then have Chinese take-out upon first returning home.

 

6) We dedicate one suitcase to our dirty laundry. We bring along a draw-string garbage bag and then just tuck the bag in the suitcase. When I get home, it is easy to empty it and sort out the colors from the whites and do a few quick loads of clothes.

 

7) Prior to leaving for the trip, I always make a list to stop the newspaper, hold the mail, notify my AmX card that I will be out of the country and to note which ports. Call my cell phone carrier and have them put on a temp. Global plan. Free for Verizon customers in good credit standing and leave the phone # of our vet with our cat sitter and then call the vet and tell them that my pet sitter has permission to bring in my cat(s), if necessary, and to bill my credit card for any treatment.

 

 

That about sums it up. I hate coming home to dissary so I really do try to do what I can in advance so I don't have any uneeded stress upon returning home.

 

 

:) :)

 

 

 

 

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Me too! I can't stand coming home to a mess. I also change the sheets before leaving and I clean the house. I stash a frozen pizza and wings in the freezer and leave celery and blue cheese dip in the fridge so that I don't have to worry about what we'll eat the night we get home. The day we're expected home, my daughter drops off a carton of milk and a loaf of bread when she comes in to feed the cats. The last thing I want to do after a long flight and drive from the airport is stop at the store!

What a wonderful thread! I'm a first timer, too, and am trying to make some kind of packing list. I want to travel as light as possible, 1/2 filling my suitcase to have room for purchases!

 

May I ask how many pairs of shoes you all are taking? I figure on only three pairs myself (dressy, daily, excercise) + some kind of flip flop, but a little more sturdy than the average - got orthopedic issues - for shower/pool.

I haven't seen anyone say that they'd be bringing a moleskin/blister kit. I wouldn't leave home without it especially if my cruise is port intensive. If you start to feel like you might be getting a blister on your feet you apply a moleskin and it helps protect your skin. They work WAY better than trying to get band-aids to stick all day. And I always take TWO pair of walking shoes so that I can switch them out. I know they're heavy. But nothing will ruin a cruise faster than a blister on your foot.

Me too! No more early morning flights! I don't care how cheap they are.

I'd also like to know what is AWD luggage?

Just wondering if others also do things differently now than the way they did them in their younger years. For the first time I'm booking ship's tours. I just don't want to be bothered this year with all the DIY navigating. And I'm also a cruise ship this year instead of renting a car and lugging things from one hotel to another!

I have blood sugar issues and have asked for ice water and a couple of lemon wedges. They don't serve sugar free lemonade, so I just make it myself. I may not do it in the MDR though. Also, thinking about this mio thing now. Might bring some for the next cruise!

Ha! Ha! I was just thinking the same thing! DH and I don't like to drink pop or anything with sugar. I could look that stuff up and get some for our next trip!

I agree with the duct tape but don't pack a whole huge roll! If you can't find "travel size" duct tape just unwrap 10 ft. or so off your big roll at home and wind it around on itself to make a little roll. It came in very handy once when the airline broke my suitcase.

Also--I take a bungee cord but not for my door. I use it to strap my carry on bag to my big rolling suitcase. That way I can roll both bags together at the same time and still have one hand free.

I take a small flashlight and hope I never need it. But in the event of a power outage at least I know I won't be stumbling in the dark. I also take the small power strip (there's only one outlet in the room). A book light (in case one person at night can't sleep) and one of those giant suction cup hooks to put in the shower for hanging wet bathing suits.

This is my first trip on NCL - Epic May 8th out of Rome. I have taken a few RCCL cruises.

 

My question is - can you book your own excursions and entertainment on the NCL website? I ask because I can not and am wondering if this is typical or not. Each call I make I'm told you should be able to book online, I explain I am not able to, the rep tries then transfer me to excursion booking rep. It is frustrating - spending lots of time in hold, etc and it seems that this should be automated. I am now under 45 days and have tried to book my entertainment and my choices that are given for shows are prior to me boarding the ship! I was on a call with rep for 47 minutes yesterday and she said you are right, she could not book either and said she would out send in a case to IT and I should be able to book today. Still can not.

 

Is this typical?

Yes, you can book on line and it's very easy and convenient. Once you have booked something however, and you change your mind and want to switch tours then you have to call them because the system will not let you book conflicting tours. In order to book you have to be signed into "My NCL." You can't do it from just the regular home page. I have had an issue with the website signing into "My NCL." I sign in and it still won't give me the shore excursions. Instead it makes me sign in twice. Once I sign in for the second time though, I can usually get to the shore excursion page.

Not because the economy is "weak" or gas prices have "skyrocketed" - most of which has been conjured up by the left-wing media - but we tend to cruise on the cheap. We search for off-season or repositioning cruises and then set our sights on a balcony stateroom with the cruise fare saved. We book the next cruise while on-board the current cruise for an OBC, use our C&A benefits for a discount, and use our RCCL stockholder benefits for an additonal OBC. When we have enough RCCL Visa card points accumulated, we cash them in for another OBC. Then, while on-board:

 

We don't buy the over-priced weak drinks in the smokey bars - but once in a while we'll order the drink of the day - or two - before the show.

 

We do not buy the art at the auctions - but do sign up and drink the free champaigne.

 

We don't buy a soda card - but do drink coffee, tea, and juices for free and even make our own "Cafe' Diablo" using their hot cocoa mix, coffee, and creamer.

 

We don't buy a wine package - but do use our C&A coupon for a free wine tasting.

 

We don't use any spa "treatments" but do occasionally sign up for a free lecture/sales pitch.

 

We don't use the laundry service - but do wash out our own quick-dry travel clothing in our cabin.

 

We don't use the high priced/low speed internet service on-board - but do use our own mobile web service when in port and cell phone service is available.

 

We seldom use specialty dining - but do order room service dinners or breakfasts and eat on our balcony where it is much quieter.

 

We DO try to book an excursion or two on-board so that it'll be charged to our sea pass - the one already front loaded with a bunch of OBCs.

 

The result? Most cruises we have a very small balance on our sea pass at the end of the cruise, and sometimes even have a credit.

 

Are you a tightwad cruiser too? If so, what do you do

I don't know that I'd necessarily call you a tightwad. Like me, I just don't think you have a lot of desire to buy all that "stuff." I don't buy wine or drink cards or bingo or art or internet services or specialty dining, etc. It's not that I'm trying to save money, I just don't find any of that stuff to be the least bit enticing. If I had zillions of dollars I still wouldn't buy it. If I want a drink at dinner however, I order it without worrying about what it's costing me. If I want a box of chocolates from the gift shop I'll walk down and buy it. And I do book ship excursions (yes, even the expensive small group tours) because for me the convenience is worth the cost. I'm amused by the people who will spend $500 on drinks they won't remember in the morning but they won't spend half that amount to see a spectacular port that will stay in their memory forever. They definately have a different reason for cruising than I do! I save money so that I can spend money. I think that's different than being a tightwad.

Hubby and I love Key West. Visited the Hemingway House and Truman's vacation home and also took the trolley tour. We ate a fabulous dinner outside on the patio in a Cuban Restaurant. Loved San Juan, Puerto Rico so much we went back and spend 10 days touring the island. One of my favorite vacations of all time. We also did a Tulum excursion from Cozumel that was fantastic. But otherwise, you can keep those ports like Cozumel or Grand Cayman that are mainly shopping/bar scene stops. Or those that are heavy on shore excursions that include snorkeling or swimming with dolphins (not my thing).

Holland America Line has an itinerary I'm dying to do! Leaves from Ft. Lauderdale goes through the Panama Canal and then turns south doing ports along the coast of South America to Chile. Most other lines I've seen go north to CA.

I don't like waking up in the dark so a room with a window is a must. But I don't need any higher cabin than that. And I find the free food to be fine so I'd think it silly to pay extra for a meal that I won't remember anyway. I never gamble. I don't drink more than a glass with dinner (if that much) or a beer while watching a game in the sports bar so there's no chance I'm going to be buying a drinks package. No spa treatments. Or auctions. Or photos. No rugs at the forced shopping stop. Shore excursions however... All the great things I'll see is what I will remember forever, so that's where the money goes. I don't skimp on excursions. If I can go inside the Coliseum or add the terrace houses to my time in Ephesus I will, even if it costs a lot more. And if I can pay to go in a smaller group, so much the better.

Large and small safety pins. Just a couple will do. Bungee cord-- good for strapping your carry on bag or purse to your luggage for the long walk to the ship and good for other things as well. An extension cord/power strip. And my number 1 necessity -- a blister kit containing moleskins which you can buy at a sporting goods store. If you notice a sore spot developing on your foot you can put a moleskin on it before it turns into a blister. Nothing will ruin your vacation like damaged feet. It also helps to take two different pair of walking shoes and swap them out each day if your cruise is port intensive.