Reluctant Cruisers

[wwcruisers]

On 10/2/2019 at 3:31 PM, shipgeeks said:

I would hate it if family members asked me to go on a golf vacation - or even a beach vacation - with them.  Just not something I'd want to spend my time and money on, no matter how much I like the people.

I just accept that many people have no interest in being on a cruise.  More room for me and DH.

You are so right about people having different ideas about what they want in a vacation. We've had several friends with motor homes and travel trailers that cost more than a house!  But the only way they would get me to go on a road trip -- to anywhere -- would be hogtied, LOL!  Conversely, I would never dream of trying to convince them to hit the high seas with me.

[donaldsc]

I have never been able to understand this attitude that because we cruise, everyone else should cruise and even worse cruise w us.  My wife and I have done trips that I would never try to convince others to do including 2 - 3 month road trips.  Even if someone said that they would like to join us on one of these long road trips, I would tell them that they are not welcome.  We have friends who do 100+ day world cruises which to me would be a fate worse than death.

 

My point is that the OP should just bug out of trying to organize other people's live and let them do what they want to do.  Even if their friends want to join them on a cruise, I would discourage them from joining.  I don't cruise w other people because I do not want to be stuck w them.

 

DON

[K32682]

3 hours ago, donaldsc said:

I have never been able to understand this attitude that because we cruise, everyone else should cruise and even worse cruise w us. 

 

People who have the attitude tend toward being over-bearing busybodies and it can have the opposite of the intended effect.  My first cruise was in the 90's when my wife's sister cajoled us into going with them.  I found the entire experience off-putting and often quite silly.  I came back to cruising many years later and found it a more tolerable experience. 

[Markanddonna]

We are more adventuresome than most of our friends and enjoy history and independent excursions. We've traveled a few times with friends and family but make sure "they know how we roll."  We don't expect them to be with us all day. The worst was when our neighbors joined us: the husband was great but his wife just wanted to sleep or sit on her balcony and have room service (sadly, mental health issues.)  So, it was often the two of us plus the husband.

 

 

Edited October 5, 2019 by Markanddonna

[lynncarol]

My parents in the 1970s started a tradition of every 10th anniversary taking their entire clan (originally just the 3 daughters and spouses) on Caribbean cruises. As time went by, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were added. Everyone met for dinner and cocktail hour but otherwise did their own thing. We all had a blast. My folks are now gone, but my husband and I continue that tradition with our kids and grandkids (although we try to do it every 5 years). 

[cruizergal70]

On 10/5/2019 at 8:49 AM, Markanddonna said:

We are more adventuresome than most of our friends and enjoy history and independent excursions. We've traveled a few times with friends and family but make sure "they know how we roll."  We don't expect them to be with us all day. The worst was when our neighbors joined us: the husband was great but his wife just wanted to sleep or sit on her balcony and have room service (sadly, mental health issues.)  So, it was often the two of us plus the husband.

 

 

I cruise with a friend. If I didn't cruise with her,  I would spend most of my sea days and on board time like your neighbor's wife. I cruise for the ports. Any other time not in port,  I would spend in my cabin ordering room service.  I've played enough trivia, bingo, etc. Maybe an occasional show.

[Markanddonna]

We are all different. The sad part of this experience was that her husband was left alone so often, but he is nice guy and we enjoy his company.  My SIL is a very kind and friendly person but wants solitude on a cruise ship and has no interest in meeting or talking to new people.  I get it.

 

 

[SRF]

On 10/5/2019 at 1:27 AM, wwcruisers said:

You are so right about people having different ideas about what they want in a vacation. We've had several friends with motor homes and travel trailers that cost more than a house!  But the only way they would get me to go on a road trip -- to anywhere -- would be hogtied, LOL!  Conversely, I would never dream of trying to convince them to hit the high seas with me.

 

I never figured out how a motor home or trailer is a vacation?  You still have to cook and clean and make your bed.

[DarrenM]

never undestood it either. In the UK during summer the roads are overcorwded with cars pulling caravans on the way to their home from home holidays.

 

Utterly bizarre.

[ducklite]

On 10/5/2019 at 4:20 AM, donaldsc said:

I have never been able to understand this attitude that because we cruise, everyone else should cruise and even worse cruise w us.  My wife and I have done trips that I would never try to convince others to do including 2 - 3 month road trips.  Even if someone said that they would like to join us on one of these long road trips, I would tell them that they are not welcome.  We have friends who do 100+ day world cruises which to me would be a fate worse than death.

 

My point is that the OP should just bug out of trying to organize other people's live and let them do what they want to do.  Even if their friends want to join them on a cruise, I would discourage them from joining.  I don't cruise w other people because I do not want to be stuck w them.

 

DON

We throw it out there that we're going and suggest they might enjoy that particular cruise because of "reason."  If they book, great,  If not, fine with that as well.   We definitely don't spend every waking moment together.  

[wwcruisers]

2 hours ago, SRF said:

 

I never figured out how a motor home or trailer is a vacation?  You still have to cook and clean and make your bed.

 

LOL -- you got that right! Back when our DS was little, we did enough camping vacations to last me a life-time! These days, my idea of 'roughing it' is a three-star hotel! 😎

[brillohead]

13 minutes ago, wwcruisers said:

 

LOL -- you got that right! Back when our DS was little, we did enough camping vacations to last me a life-time! These days, my idea of 'roughing it' is a three-star hotel! 😎

"Camping" is when the hotel doesn't have a pool and hot tub.  

"Roughing" it is when the hotel doesn't have a breakfast buffet!

[DarrenM]

13 hours ago, brillohead said:

"Camping" is when the hotel doesn't have a pool and hot tub.  

"Roughing" it is when the hotel doesn't have a breakfast buffet!

This. Just this.

[clo]

On 10/8/2019 at 6:19 AM, SRF said:

 

I never figured out how a motor home or trailer is a vacation?  You still have to cook and clean and make your bed.

What beautiful timing!!!!!!  We just bought a motor home. LOL.  But you can't cruise from here to Vegas and then to Malibu and then to Death Valley.  (Where we're going in about ten days.)  Do people actually make their beds? 🙂  And I love to cook although when in an RV (we've had them before) we tend to keep it simple.  Or depending on where we are, go out to dinner.  I'm glad we don't have to choose.

 

[DarrenM]

13 hours ago, brillohead said:

"Camping" is when the hotel doesn't have a pool and hot tub.  

"Roughing" it is when the hotel doesn't have a breakfast buffet!

This. Just this.

[GUT2407]

4 hours ago, clo said:

What beautiful timing!!!!!!  We just bought a motor home. LOL.  But you can't cruise from here to Vegas and then to Malibu and then to Death Valley.  (Where we're going in about ten days.)  Do people actually make their beds? 🙂  And I love to cook although when in an RV (we've had them before) we tend to keep it simple.  Or depending on where we are, go out to dinner.  I'm glad we don't have to choose.

 

Looks nice, is that the bed on the slide out?

 

Though it did look funny with the door on the wrong side at firs5 glance, till it jelled that you Americans drive on the wrong side of the road😱😛

[clo]

7 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

Looks nice, is that the bed on the slide out?

 

Though it did look funny with the door on the wrong side at firs5 glance, till it jelled that you Americans drive on the wrong side of the road😱😛

Yep. Queen bed.

 

You should have seen and heard me in Scotland a few years ago.  Dropped Bob off to play golf and I headed out to ride a horse.  Driving a manual transmission car, on the wrong side of the road, going through roundabouts.  The hearing part would have been my praying...and I'm likely an atheist!

[GUT2407]

1 hour ago, clo said:

Yep. Queen bed.

 

You should have seen and heard me in Scotland a few years ago.  Dropped Bob off to play golf and I headed out to ride a horse.  Driving a manual transmission car, on the wrong side of the road, going through roundabouts.  The hearing part would have been my praying...and I'm likely an atheist!

Yep I hear you, round about can be terrifying at the best of times,

[Nebr.cruiser]

I hear you too; we almost met our maker driving a stick-shift on the roundabout  near Stonehenge.  We have lots of roundabouts in our small city; but going the 'wrong' way with the gear shift on the wrong side (for us). was a whole different story.  Truly, if not for a very observant and alert driver, we would have been broad sided.

Edited October 11, 2019 by Nebr.cruiser

[K32682]

9 hours ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

I hear you too; we almost met our maker driving a stick-shift on the roundabout  near Stonehenge.  We have lots of roundabouts in our small city; but going the 'wrong' way with the gear shift on the wrong side (for us). was a whole different story.  Truly, if not for a very observant and alert driver, we would have been broad sided.

 

Roundabouts are increasingly more common in Canada but not widespread.  After driving on the left for 6-weeks during a business trip that had me in England and South Africa when I got home I approached a roundabout and almost entered it in the wrong direction.    

[clo]

On 10/9/2019 at 8:17 PM, clo said:

We just bought a motor home.

BTW this little guy has all the bells and whistles.  Including an outside TV.  LOL.  So we can press a button to extend the awning, pull out our chairs,  fix cocktails and watch Rachel Maddow :

[navybankerteacher]

23 hours ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

I hear you too; we almost met our maker driving a stick-shift on the roundabout  near Stonehenge.  We have lots of roundabouts in our small city; but going the 'wrong' way with the gear shift on the wrong side (for us). was a whole different story.  Truly, if not for a very observant and alert driver, we would have been broad sided.

I’ve found having the stick shift on the “wrong side” to be a great help - it is a constant reminder of things (including car’s place on the road) being on the other side. 

[Hlitner]

DW and I have long preferred crusing and traveling by ourselves.  We have no problem making new (and interesting) friends on our trips (land and sea) and always enjoy our trips.  Many years ago we discovered that when cruising with friends or a group, there were too many compromises necessary on port days.  Sometimes we will meet folks on a cruise and realize that we all want to do some things together, but most of the time we prefer to do our own thing ashore.   As  to dinner time, we love to share large tables with strangers and often find ourselves at the last table to leave the MDR (because everyone is having so much fun).  If we are in the mood for a quiet romantic dinner for two that is not a problem since we only book open seating.  But there are nights when we start out with the thought of a 2-top, go for pre-dinner cocktails, meet some new and fascinating folks, and find ourselves at a large table having lots of fun.  Traveling by ourselves and using open sitting gives us maximum flexibility to do what feels right at the time.

 

Hank

[dogs4fun]

On 10/4/2019 at 11:27 PM, wwcruisers said:

We've had several friends with motor homes and travel trailers that cost more than a house!  But the only way they would get me to go on a road trip -- to anywhere -- would be hogtied, LOL!  Conversely, I would never dream of trying to convince them to hit the high seas with me.

Yes, people have different ideas as to what constitutes a perfect vacation. Had to laugh at the "hogtied" comment as that describes my feelings toward the motorhome mode of travel.

Years ago, we were somewhat hesitant to try our first cruise as we much prefer to DIY on land trips. Although we still prefer to DIY via land, we enjoy cruising as well and usually cruise with family and, occasionally with friends - it has always been a pleasant experience.

Edited October 12, 2019 by dogs4fun

[ilikeanswers]

On 10/11/2019 at 2:33 AM, clo said:

Yep. Queen bed.

 

You should have seen and heard me in Scotland a few years ago.  Dropped Bob off to play golf and I headed out to ride a horse.  Driving a manual transmission car, on the wrong side of the road, going through roundabouts.  The hearing part would have been my praying...and I'm likely an atheist!

 

Someone once told me they put a sticker on the windshield to remind them which side of the road to drive on. I personally use the rule of the driver should be sitting close to the middle of the road though driving in St Thomas that rule went out the window😆.