Half the fun's over before I start

[edbro]

8 days and counting! :)

 

I think half of the fun has been the anticipation. I spend most of my days checking this forum, planning and thinking about the cruise. I worry that in a couple of weeks it will all be over and I won't have anything to look forward to. My work schedule is such that it is hard to plan my next cruise far in advance.

[MaiTaiMary]

You may not be able to make firm plans for your next cruise, but you can research and start to narrow down which ships/itineraries you're interested in! :)

 

And of course you can spend a good chunk of time writing up a review of your trip and posting pictures. :D

[iheartmarshall]

I totally know the feeling! I researched for a year before our first cruise and to me, the planning is just as much of a thrill as the actual trip :)

[richstowe]

I see your point but I also see the other extreme where people book a year or more out .:eek:

There is no way I could handle such a long gestation . Too too much delayed gratification . ;)

That would be too much anticipation for me as well as me driving my DW crazy .

We currently have a holiday cruise booked for this year where we booked for us and our 2 college aged kids.

We haven't told them because it may not work out time wise. Therefore we have not shared the news .

There is no point doing any planning and everything is placed on hold . This is a new situation for us . A bit frustrating .

[snc_cam]

longest we booked was 15 months. Yes, the wait can be arduous, but with the roll call, we got to know some people very well. And this really paid off. We had dinner with some of them every night and are actually going on a cruise together this Feb... So far, there are 14 of us. :) It just really depends on the groups and how active people want to be.

[SeeBurd]

8 days and counting! :)

 

I think half of the fun has been the anticipation. I spend most of my days checking this forum, planning and thinking about the cruise. I worry that in a couple of weeks it will all be over and I won't have anything to look forward to. My work schedule is such that it is hard to plan my next cruise far in advance.

 

I agree. Half the fun is anticipation and thinking what we are going to do.

[summersigh]

You may not be able to make firm plans for your next cruise, but you can research and start to narrow down which ships/itineraries you're interested in! :)

:D

 

We do that ourselves. :D

---First looking at a port or ports we'd like to visit.

---Then we start researching the itineraries offered by the different cruise lines that stop at one or more of those ports.

---Gotta research the ships that fit the bill itinerary-wise to see which might be the best fit for us and which decks suit us best.

---Next we comb the internet for images of ships in that itinerary's ports and which side has the greatest chance of the view we prefer to determine what side we want to book on.

 

We can happily wallow around doing this stuff for weeks without booking:D:D

[ScrappinCSI]

I think half of the fun has been the anticipation.

 

I agree. We always say the most exciting moments are from the drive to Miami to waking up at the hotel to see the ships at dock in the morning. The moment you step off the gangway into the ship time just seems to evaporate.

[sparks1093]

I see your point but I also see the other extreme where people book a year or more out .:eek:

There is no way I could handle such a long gestation . Too too much delayed gratification . ;)

That would be too much anticipation for me as well as me driving my DW crazy .

We currently have a holiday cruise booked for this year where we booked for us and our 2 college aged kids.

We haven't told them because it may not work out time wise. Therefore we have not shared the news .

There is no point doing any planning and everything is placed on hold . This is a new situation for us . A bit frustrating .

 

I'm currently in the "or more" category and the wait is not a good thing. But at least we are keeping busy between now and then. I will definitely be doing a double digit dance for this one.:) (And this September I finally get to visit Montreal, albeit briefly, since we are flying to Germany from there. Stowe is a stone's throw.)

Edited June 26, 2015 by sparks1093

[OCruisers]

I agree. Half the fun is anticipation and thinking what we are going to do.

 

Agree also! :)

 

LuLu

Edited June 26, 2015 by OCruisers

[PA Dutchman]

Yes, you have the anticipation for a long time and woop 7 day cruise is over real fast. You need to do BtoB at least that takes alittle more time before its over

[portlandpete]

Love all the research of ships and islands that go into a cruise because it makes the vacation longer. Once you start a vacation it goes so fast so planning kind of extends it. At least for me!

[elliair]

8 days and counting! :)

 

I think half of the fun has been the anticipation. I spend most of my days checking this forum, planning and thinking about the cruise. I worry that in a couple of weeks it will all be over and I won't have anything to look forward to. My work schedule is such that it is hard to plan my next cruise far in advance.

 

Cruises go by so fast! We've got 2 future cruises planned and I'm already looking for one for January or February 2016. We're retired but it's still hard trying to find the right one. Don't worry, you'll find something to keep your mind on a future adventure. Just take it all in and have a great time!

[N2Mischief]

Right now we have B2B booked for 514 days from now (a 7 day and a 15 day)! Just a few minutes ago DH suggested another B2B (a 4 day and a 3 day) in March for our 31st. anniversary to break up the wait....who am I to say no??? lol

 

It is hard to wait and once it is over it is a total let down....like I have nothing to look forward to, hahaha....addicted I guess.

[CarenBear]

We do a cruise in Feb and in Sept. The anticipation of each gets me through the cold winter and hot summer. 83 days till we sail again [emoji484]

[DebJ14]

I think too much planning and over thinking can lead to some very unrealistic expectations. When their cruise is not as perfect as they imagined it would be they are unable to adapt to the reality.

 

Look how often people go bananas when there is an itinerary change or a port is skipped due to weather conditions.

 

I have seen this first hand with some relatives who plan every moment of every day on a cruise. If the Fun Times on their cruise is not the same as one posted here they seem incapable of making a decision on the spot about what to do instead. Or, if the menus are in a different order they go bonkers because they made their Steakhouse reservations based on not liking a particular MDR menu.

 

We do make excursion reservations with a company that allows you to cancel if you change your mind or if the ship skips a port. They also have low deposits. If I get there fine, but it is not the end of the world if I don't.

 

On our last cruise on the MSC Divina Yacht Club we booked fairly close to the sail date, did not have a clue what to expect, and were totally blown away by the experience. Yet we met some folks who just couldn't be satisfied and a change in the itinerary totally ruined the cruise for them because it upset their carefully planned week.

[edbro]

I think too much planning and over thinking can lead to some very unrealistic expectations. When their cruise is not as perfect as they imagined it would be they are unable to adapt to the reality.

 

Look how often people go bananas when there is an itinerary change or a port is skipped due to weather conditions.

 

Well, I do plan my excursions well in advance but if those fall through then I wouldn't cry. All are refundable. I appreciate the sea days more than the ports. I cruise because I enjoy being poolside on the boat with absolutely nothing to worry about (except how fast the drink waiter can return)

[TexasCruiser52]

We do a cruise in Feb and in Sept. The anticipation of each gets me through the cold winter and hot summer. 83 days till we sail again [emoji484]

 

Yep ! :D

[beachbum53]

While I do like to research and plan out our shore excursions, I don't try to plan out everything, especially on board activities. I'd rather leave room for some spontaneity. By the way, naps are highly underrated.;)

[mitsugirly]

I absolutely love the planning stages and all the research that goes into a cruise. It gets me super excited...especially once I figure out what I'm doing for sure. It also helps pass the time by as I obsess about it. :D

 

I'm in that category now that I would like to plan 1 more cruise for this year but have nothing figured out. So...I'm kinda "blah" right now.

 

I do have one booked for next year, but I can't even begin to think about it yet. :p