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How do you manage your house, pets, etc. while on such a lengthy cruise?


OnTheJourney
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  • 2 weeks later...
Would it work if you took the car battery out of the car??

 

Hadn't thought about the car. I suppose we would get someone to move it once in a while, so the tires don't get bulges. It's inside, so otherwise alright.

 

We already have two homes (that might change if we do this cruise!) Since we spend so much time "away", we don't have any houseplants to worry about, and no plowing or yard care (condos.) My elderly cat will have left us by the time we're thinking (2021), although our son has been taking care of him in the winter for years, so not a problem.

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I have had a dead (and could not be revived) battery during both of my world voyages even though someone was starting the car and driving it periodically. I asked the shop where I take the car and was told disconnecting the battery was a good idea.

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When deciding what to do with my car during my 6 month long world cruise, I've chosen to sell it and buy a new one when I return.

 

I would have had to ask my daughter to drive it weekly and I would have had to keep paying the car loan and pay for insurance even though I wouldn't have used it for half the year. A coworker is buying it so I'll just bank the money until I get another car.

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For our last WC, we sold the truck and had a new one pre-ordered for delivery as we returned. This was a planned upgrade that just happened to coincide with the WC.

 

With my old Mustang, I disconnected the battery when it went into hibernation every year. Also do the same with the RV batteries - disconnect them, remove them and put them on a charge about once a month.

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You guys have given me an idea. Even if we didn't sell our car (unlikely), we perhaps could cancel our insurance for a while, at least the liability part of it.

 

When I took the car off the road for winter, I cancelled the insurance, only keeping fire & theft.

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You guys have given me an idea. Even if we didn't sell our car (unlikely), we perhaps could cancel our insurance for a while, at least the liability part of it.

 

I would have a discussion with your insurance company on this in terms of if something happened to the car while you are away. Examples are fire and theft.

 

Keith

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I would have a discussion with your insurance company on this in terms of if something happened to the car while you are away. Examples are fire and theft.

 

Keith

 

Keith, yes of course, you're right, good point, which is why I mentioned cancelling liability. But there'd still be the problem of having the tires get distorted and/or the battery going dead--seems like one or the other, either you have someone come in a couple of times a month and pull the car out of its spot and then drive it back in, perhaps leaving it running for a few minutes, or take the battery out and leave it where it is. I know some of my Florida friends put their cars up on blocks for the summer when they go north.

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Regarding the discussion about what to do with our automobiles during a world (or long) cruise, I just found an article in the AAA magazine (by Jessica Barga) that had some good advice. I'll summarize some of it....

 

1) What to do about the car battery:

Prevailing wisdom once said to disconnect the battery if you wouldn't be driving for awhile. But the disadvantages of doing that on a modern car outweigh any benefits. If power to the car's electrical system is lost, computer data is erased. Included are things like the radio station settings and clock, in addition to more complex functions such as the powertrain calibration adjustments.

 

What to do? Make sure you have a battery tender to keep the voltage topped off so you don't get stuck with a dead battery. A battery tender or trickle charger is a small device usually available for less than $100 and is hooked up directly to the battery to provide a stream of power and prevent the battery from dying. Be sure to unplug any devices, such as chargers, that can deplete the battery.

 

2) Fluids:

Make sure the antifreeze is topped off. When your engine is cold, check the fluid level in the reservoir of the coolant recovery system. If the fluid level is below the "lower level" marking, add coolant up to that point.

 

Windshield wiper fluid should be the wintertime type (for cold climates) with antifreeze properties.

 

Be sure the gas tank is full with new gas....this should last over the winter. A gas stabilizer (like Sta Bil) can help if the gasoline in the tank isn't new.

 

3) Tires and other things:

Be sure your tires are inflated properly. Flat spots on tires can be avoided by placing carpet remnants underneath the tires in the garage. After you return, check the tire pressures. If they're not too low (24 psi), drive to a place where you can get them inflated to the proper pressures.

 

Windshield wipers should be pulled up off the glass so they don't get flat or stiff.

 

To keep mice from moving into your car, put a few moth balls into the tailpipe and on the floor mats.

Edited by Go-Bucks!
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  • 1 month later...

We maintain a car at our second home in Las Vegas.  We have a secured one car garage so it's indoors.  Often, it will sit idle for 60-90 days but rarely more.  We fill the gas tank, disconnect the battery, slightly lower the windows and leave the parking brake OFF.  It's a manual transmission so we leave it parked in 2nd gear.  Upon returning, we'll have to reset the clock and radio, of course.  And typically we'll try to give it a good 20 minute highway run to get the engine nicely warmed and the sensors re-calibrated when we arrive.  Tires typically round back out in less than a day.  You'll feel them just a little initially. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
4 hours ago, lovegod01 said:

Do people have adult kids back home while on a world cruise and is it hard to be away for so long 

I have 5 "adult" children -- none were living at home when we took our first world cruise, and we were gone for 6 months.  I missed them, but still stayed in touch via messaging and emails.  I missed my youngest getting her PHD,  and I think that was harder on me than anything.   We had friends on board for the 6 months who missed their cats, had a parent die, kids having some type of crisis (nothing major), One couple left the ship early to deal with some home emergencies.-- I think everyone gets a bit homesick at some point, but then soon you will be sad when you have to leave your new friends and end your adventure.  In 2 months when we leave again, I now have more grandchildren to miss than I did last time!  Luckily their parents are good about exchanging frequent photos-- so I can see them grow, and so they won't forget us!

 

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48 minutes ago, BarbaraM said:

I have 5 "adult" children -- none were living at home when we took our first world cruise, and we were gone for 6 months.  I missed them, but still stayed in touch via messaging and emails.  I missed my youngest getting her PHD,  and I think that was harder on me than anything.   We had friends on board for the 6 months who missed their cats, had a parent die, kids having some type of crisis (nothing major), One couple left the ship early to deal with some home emergencies.-- I think everyone gets a bit homesick at some point, but then soon you will be sad when you have to leave your new friends and end your adventure.  In 2 months when we leave again, I now have more grandchildren to miss than I did last time!  Luckily their parents are good about exchanging frequent photos-- so I can see them grow, and so they won't forget us!

 

 

I'll be leaving 4 grown and married  children and 14 grandchildren when I leave in 11 weeks. I'll also be gone 6 months. I'm sure I'll be a little homesick, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure for me (won't be able to afford it again), so I plan to enjoy every minute!

 

I'll be missing the birth of my first great grandchild in April, but will go visit them after getting home. It's a little sad because I delivered the granddaughter who is having the baby (I'm a Labor & Delivery nurse) and would love to be there when she has her first baby. But I will stay in contact with family by Skype and email too.

Edited by Go-Bucks!
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On 10/29/2018 at 9:44 AM, lovegod01 said:

Do people have adult kids back home while on a world cruise and is it hard to be away for so long 

 

We have one son who lives in the same city we do.  But we have spent winters in Florida now for eight years, so we just keep in touch by text, Facebook and occasional nice long phone calls.  Sometimes he visits us in the south, but it's not unusual not to see him for five months at a time.  If we had grandchildren it might be different.

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On 10/29/2018 at 6:44 AM, lovegod01 said:

Do people have adult kids back home while on a world cruise and is it hard to be away for so long 

We have 2 married kids and 1 grandson. Our son works in the marine industry, so is rarely home. Our daughter and grandson live upstairs and while we are away we Skype weekly.

 

Yes, you miss events and seeing them grow up daily, but at least we are able to talk with them.

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  • 1 month later...
On 11/2/2018 at 8:49 PM, dstravels said:

Check everything with an expiration date: subscriptions, credit cards, licenses -- driver, auto tags, policies for insurance.  Verify that a lapse will not occur while traveling as not everything can be handled/ renewed on line

 

Really good point, thanks!

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