Booked our first cruise in 7 years!!!

[mama_2_boys]

Due to shitty life circumstances we haven't been able to cruise for 7 years but in October we will be back! Telling our kids tonight and we are soooo excited! Just had to share with some folks that I knew would understand my excitement.

[MoxieDoll66]

We're on our first in 8 years next month!  No real reason for the long break, we just ended up doing more long (and I mean looooooooong) road trips every year.  Now we have 2 booked for this year already-and I convinced my husband to go on one cruise a year and just one or two road trips.

[firstcruiseoct11]

Our first cruise was 8 years ago! We are taking our 2nd cruise this year (1st one with the kids). That cruise 8 years ago really sparked my love for vacationing! We have since been to Disney (ALOT!!), Gatlinburg, Branson....I knew we would eventually take the kids on a cruise and when asked what they wanted to do this year they said a Cruise! I feel like so much has changed. I am excited for them to experience something new. 

[mama_2_boys]

I'm happy to be in good company! So excited for all of us! Congrats on your cruises. May we all have amazing vacations.

[roundrockhorn]

Congrats!! My wife and I are taking our first cruise in 4 years, and second ever cruise, in April. We have not taken our kids on one yet, but maybe on a future one. Anyway, glad for you and yours! As a former Sailor, I have an affinity for the ocean. It never truly leaves you. 

[shellster1]

1 hour ago, firstcruiseoct11 said:

I knew we would eventually take the kids on a cruise and when asked what they wanted to do this year they said a Cruise!

It's so much fun cruising with your kid(s)! I ask my 11-year-old what he wants to do every spring break, and he picks a cruise every time, which I love because Universal and/or Disney break the bank, BIG TIME!!

[mama_2_boys]

2 minutes ago, shellster1 said:

It's so much fun cruising with your kid(s)! I ask my 11-year-old what he wants to do every spring break, and he picks a cruise every time, which I love because Universal and/or Disney break the bank, BIG TIME!!

It's seriously the best way to cruise with kids! So much for your money!

[firstcruiseoct11]

2 minutes ago, shellster1 said:

It's so much fun cruising with your kid(s)! I ask my 11-year-old what he wants to do every spring break, and he picks a cruise every time, which I love because Universal and/or Disney break the bank, BIG TIME!!

My son is 11 and my daughter will be 9 when we cruise. WE love Disney!! We aren't big spenders once we get there. So far for the price of the cruise, excursions and gratuities we could have definitely gone to Disney. But my DH is not a Disney fan and no longer goes with us. So I am excited to try something new. They are really looking forward to some of the excursions we booked. I don't think they can fully wrap their heads around how it will be to cruise. 

[3smithboys]

We haven’t been on a cruise for 4 years....  and haven’t done a big family vacation since our last one so I’m so excited to be going! We are celebrating our oldest son’s 21st birthday and our anniversary. I am also excited because it’s just the 5 of us going away... no extended family, and I can’t remember the last time we’ve done that! (And I don’t feel the least bit guilty!)

[summersigh]

CONGRATS !!!  🛳️

 

[Jamman54]

Congrats to everyone! Please share what ship you booked and the itinerary. 

[3smithboys]

We are going on the Breeze- St. Thomas, Amber Cove, San Juan, Grand Turk!

[tallnthensome]

Good for you and I get it! I sail with my 9 and 11 year old daughters every year and we couldn't survive without our yearly cruises. Hopefully one of many more for you guys. 

[RobinCruiser]

Congrats!! I've just booked out first Carnival cruise in 24 years!! Really looking forward to it. Bringing our grown up kids! We've done a few RCI over the past couple years and are finding them to be too stuffy (Jewel of the Seas last January) and lacking in inclusive food options. 

 

 

[TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail]

I’m going on my first cruise in 22 years.  Only experience was the Big Red Boat from Port Canaveral to Nassau and Grand Bahama in 1997.  Now going on a port-intensive (5 island/7 day cruise).    Treating it like a once in a lifetime event.

[fuddrules]

5 hours ago, mama_2_boys said:

It's seriously the best way to cruise with kids! So much for your money!

 

Exactly.  They want to stay away from mom and dad and end up terrorizing other adults. 😜  👿

Edited February 14, 2019 by fuddrules

[fuddrules]

2 hours ago, 3smithboys said:

We haven’t been on a cruise for 4 years....  and haven’t done a big family vacation since our last one so I’m so excited to be going! We are celebrating our oldest son’s 21st birthday and our anniversary. I am also excited because it’s just the 5 of us going away... no extended family, and I can’t remember the last time we’ve done that! (And I don’t feel the least bit guilty!)

 

It hasn't been 4 years but 3 years for us.  My MIL died and my wife was adamant we do 1 last family cruise.  Five of us as well, all daughters, 21, 19 and 17.    We are also taking my mom.  Doing NYE Panorama (her 4th cruise, I think) out of Long Beach.

 

We used to do Disney, then Universal and Carnival (but more Carnival).    We've always had a great time.

[3smithboys]

8 minutes ago, fuddrules said:

 

It hasn't been 4 years but 3 years for us.  My MIL died and my wife was adamant we do 1 last family cruise.  Five of us as well, all daughters, 21, 19 and 17.    We are also taking my mom.  Doing NYE Panorama (her 4th cruise, I think) out of Long Beach.

 

We used to do Disney, then Universal and Carnival (but more Carnival).    We've always had a great time.

Sounds like a great cruise choice! We have 3 boys... my twins will be 16 when we cruise, and they love cruising too! We used to do Disney almost every year and we’ve been to Universal once. Love them both! But everyone voted for a cruise this summer! 

[mama_2_boys]

2 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

Congrats to everyone! Please share what ship you booked and the itinerary. 

Glory to Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. 

[jimbri]

5 years for us - going on the Sunrise in June!

[BrezQ]

We took a 5 year break (2011-2016) and now we're booking 1 a year! We are also trying new ports and new ships ( I know, CRAZY LOL) We might even try another cruise line, but we have so much FUN with carnival, I'm afraid to try! I hope you have a blast!!

[schazzy]

On 2/13/2019 at 12:11 PM, mama_2_boys said:

Due to shitty life circumstances we haven't been able to cruise for 7 years but in October we will be back! Telling our kids tonight and we are soooo excited! Just had to share with some folks that I knew would understand my excitement.

 

We too had a 7 year cruise hiatus due to some crappy life circumstances, but in 2017 we returned to cruising, took another last year, and got our next coming up in April. I totally understand your excitement, and trust me, that excitement comes back every time you book!  

[firstcruiseoct11]

21 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

Congrats to everyone! Please share what ship you booked and the itinerary. 

Booked on the Glory out of New Orleans....Cozumel, Belize and Roatan

[mama_2_boys]

1 hour ago, schazzy said:

 

We too had a 7 year cruise hiatus due to some crappy life circumstances, but in 2017 we returned to cruising, took another last year, and got our next coming up in April. I totally understand your excitement, and trust me, that excitement comes back every time you book!  

I'm hoping we will be doing the same! We said in 8 months and are already planning for 2020. Haha!

[grandmarnnurse]

We cruised pretty regularly from 1995 until 2007, when increasing career responsibilities, increased financial responsibilities (kids college payments, kids wedding costs), and then 2 major surgeries kept us sidelined from cruising for 7 years. We resumed cruising in 2014 and have enjoyed a much modified cruising experience with our retirement budget. Gone are the days of cruising in balcony cabins, and the reality of a retirement budget is inside cabins only. But we make a point of cruising once a year. You will be so happy you returned to cruising! I still get so excited planning and walking on to my ship on embarkation day! Next cruise is the Breeze on March 2, and already have the Magic booked for our 50th Anniversary in April 2020!