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Are there people who will ONLY travel by cruising?


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2 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

I love traveling solo.

I had wondered about that also.

 

BTW, do you do any climbing? If so, check out our SIL's podcast (major sponsor is Patagonia) Dirtbag Diaries.

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11 hours ago, slidergirl said:

I really enjoyed the trip.  Skirting parts of Puget Sound was gorgeous.  Going through the mountains in Oregon while it was snowing (even though it was May) was fun.  Seeing the peninsula around Vandenberg AFB, which is closed to the public, was spectacular - the cliffs and the surf still so wild.  

 

I'd recommend this for anyone!

 

Now, for crzndeb who said that she only cruises since she is solo:  Why?  I'm truly curious why you say you will only cruise.  I know we're all different.  I'm now 65.  I travel all over the place, with all sorts of transportation, by myself.  I just finished a 10 day camping trip through Southwest Utah/Northeast Arizona.  I love traveling solo.  Just wondering..,  

I am just more comfortable knowing I have everything at my fingertips, like food and entertainment, and it’s usually more cost effective for me. I am totally fine going out during the day on my own, but probably wouldn’t go anywhere at night. I also like being able to go to different places in a stretch of time, rather than being in the same place. When I was younger, I was much more adventurous. 

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11 hours ago, clo said:

I had wondered about that also.

 

BTW, do you do any climbing? If so, check out our SIL's podcast (major sponsor is Patagonia) Dirtbag Diaries.

I don't climb.  I have 2 friends who have tried to get me to learn.   I have a big phobia with places with drops - big bridges (like Golden Gate, Chesapeake Bay, etc.), roads with no guardrails, scenic overlooks at Grand Canyon, big rock walls.  I had gone up into an arch once down by Arches Nat'l Park - but I got "rimrocked" and I was terrified to go back down.  I literally crawled like a crab.  So, climbing is not for me.  

I watched that movie "Free Solo" and it scared the crap out of me.  

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1 minute ago, crzndeb said:

I am just more comfortable knowing I have everything at my fingertips, like food and entertainment, and it’s usually more cost effective for me. I am totally fine going out during the day on my own, but probably wouldn’t go anywhere at night. I also like being able to go to different places in a stretch of time, rather than being in the same place. When I was younger, I was much more adventurous. 

Thank you for answering.  

I spent years traveling solo for business, so I guess it was easy for me to transition to vacationing solo.  I'm always curious about women and their travels.   For me - a cruise is just a way to be quiet, lazy, relax, rejuvenate.  I don't care about the food or entertainment for a cruise.  I'm a bit of a food freak (but not a foodie or gourmet) so I research to find one or two places that I want to hit up on my travels.  A cruise really is a nice self-contained cocoon when I need that!

If you want to try something "out of the box", but in the company of a small group of mature women, go look at the website that does vacations for ADVENTUREous WOMEN (hint- drop the little letters).  I've done a couple with them to places where I probably wouldn't go myself - Kenyan safari, the Egypt/Jordan trip, hiking in Italy.  

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We live in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) so being restricted to only cruise travel would be incredibly awful.  I mean, how many times do you really want to cruise the Great lakes and see such exocitc locals as Deluth, Minnesota, Cleveland, Ohio, or Sault Ste Marie, Michigan or Ontario. And let me tell you, the Welland Canal is more like a rain soaked ditch compared to the Panama Canal. 😉

 

So we like to mix up our travel. Sometimes we fly to a cruise port and embark on a nice relaxing cruise. Sometimes we fly down South and go to an AI and chill for a week on a beach. And sometimes we explore far away lands, usually just wondering around by car exploring the tourist and non-tourist destinations of the country. Currently I'm trying to talk Mrs. Dawg into a two week road trip next summer to visit all the really nice baseball stadiums in the the Eastern U.S. We went to Fenway a couple of years ago but I haven't seen Camden Yards or Wrigley Field or the new stadiums in Detroit, Pittsburgh etc. Wish me luck! 

Edited by DirtyDawg
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Cruising is an option selected only when it makes practical sense and is the travel option of last resort.  We have complete mobility, are adventuresome and will choose the superior means to achieve our travel objective.  Sometimes it's a cruise, other times it it isn't.  Should our status change to less mobile and less adventurous and we might cruise more often. 

 

 

Edited by K32682
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I haven't reached the stage where I'm interested in "vacations" . To me travel is about exploring and if I am not exploring there isn't any point leaving. I can do nothing at home, if I am feeling real lazy I can whack out a food delivery app and I can have all sorts of food at my door in twenty minutes😜

 

Geography probably plays a part in my decision. There are few destinations I can reach that are less then 9hr flight and I don't have to change planes to get there. It makes me more inclined to make the most of my destinations and if cruising happens to give me the best value of experience then I will cruise but it is certainly not a must cruise and/or only cruise on every trip. 

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9 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

I haven't reached the stage where I'm interested in "vacations" . To me travel is about exploring and if I am not exploring there isn't any point leaving. I can do nothing at home, if I am feeling real lazy I can whack out a food delivery app and I can have all sorts of food at my door in twenty minutes😜

 

Geography probably plays a part in my decision. There are few destinations I can reach that are less then 9hr flight and I don't have to change planes to get there. It makes me more inclined to make the most of my destinations and if cruising happens to give me the best value of experience then I will cruise but it is certainly not a must cruise and/or only cruise on every trip. 

I can be lazy at home.  Actually, I'm doing that right now - laying on the sofa, eating leftover rotisserie chicken...

Sometimes I want to be lazy, but I don't want to do it at home.  I need a breath of fresh air.  I'll pick a cruise - cheap, doesn't matter the line.  All I want to do is watch the ocean go by, listen to my music, read a book, have some food.  These are pretty rare as I'm still into the travel and finding new places.  I just can't do that in 4 hours in a port...  I can't go see Yosemite on a cruise. I can't go see the Great Road of the Dolomites on a cruise.   I have to travel to see those!!!

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6 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

 I just can't do that in 4 hours in a port.

Totally agree with you.  One of the things that I'm liking about Oceania and some others is eight or more hours in ports so there is SOME more time.  And I can't imagine not doing pre/post days.  As far as just lying about, a cruise will never be cheap enough to tempt us. We have a comfortable home with a great kitchen.  I'd do that...and do 🙂  But we're retired and you're not quite there yet.  So I get what you're saying.

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32 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

Sometimes I want to be lazy, but I don't want to do it at home.  I need a breath of fresh air.  I'll pick a cruise - cheap, doesn't matter the line.  All I want to do is watch the ocean go by, listen to my music, read a book, have some food.  

 

Again this probably where geography comes into it. If you live in America you have access to a lot of quick cheap cruises around the Caribbean. While there are relatively inexpensive cruises around the Pacific they are nowhere near as plentiful and flights to Pacific Islands can be really cheap that it is not always the best value. If I want fresh air I will go to the beach, visit a national park or spend a weekend in a smaller more regional town. These are easier options for me than booking a cruise. 

Edited by ilikeanswers
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20 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

If you live in America you have access to a lot of quick cheap cruises around the Caribbean.

Our first cruise (B2B) was two, ten day cruises to the Southern Caribbean.  We wouldn't go back if we were paid to.  Some ports were fine, most were boring.

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21 minutes ago, Luckiestmanonearth said:

 Every time we consider a land vacation, we can’t seem to justify the need to have to drive around and also have to do meal planning and stuff like that.

You can do escorted land tours where you're picked up at airports, pre-checked in at hotels, luggage delivered, etc.  Or you can, say, take a train trip through Italy, stay in hotels and eat meals in restaurants.  There is middle ground. For instance, we have a trip planned next spring.  We'll fly to Oslo, stay a couple of days, take the train to Bergen, cruise up to Kirkenes.  Then fly from there, back through Oslo to Paris for five days.  We have an airbnb but the 'cooking' will likely be glorious breads, cheeses, meats. No meal planning or driving.

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1 hour ago, Luckiestmanonearth said:

We only cruise.  Every time we consider a land vacation, we can’t seem to justify the need to have to drive around and also have to do meal planning and stuff like that.

 

So invariably a cruise always wins out

 

To be sure there is a huge convenience factor to taking a cruise.   When you stack things up side-by-side taking a cruise provides quite a bit for a lot less effort.   I like that!   

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40 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

To be sure there is a huge convenience factor to taking a cruise.   When you stack things up side-by-side taking a cruise provides quite a bit for a lot less effort.   I like that!   

I can't remember your earlier replies.  So do you mostly cruise?

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18 minutes ago, clo said:

I can't remember your earlier replies.  So do you mostly cruise?

 

No, not for a while.  Still, it is maybe more than 50/50 with family group cruises included.  See post #12.   I was just agreeing with the convenience factor of cruise vacations.   Something that I knew but never really gave it much thought before.  I mean, if you think about visiting say eight places in two weeks, it is pretty easy logistically compared to other means of travel. 

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On ‎11‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 11:30 AM, Rala said:

Don't hold your breath waiting for an answer to your question! 😉

She will never come back and answer the question...…………..

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I am also a solo and feel VERY, VERY comfortable cruising and I think the last land vacation I took was prior to

2003.....which is the year I started cruising:classic_biggrin: I also love just unpacking once and not having to concern

myself with where to eat/what to do (or not do)……...I have seen many places I would never have just flown

to...…..I know there are solo folks who do land trips for weeks at a time but that just not appeal to me. I will

go pre-cruise for a couple of days or post cruise but the larger part of the trip? For me? It is a cruise for sure.

 

I am 61 and will be retiring next month--well, on Dec 31st and I have 4 cruises booked for a Celebration year:classic_biggrin:

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1 hour ago, Lois R said:

I am also a solo and feel VERY, VERY comfortable cruising and I think the last land vacation I took was prior to

2003.....which is the year I started cruising:classic_biggrin: I also love just unpacking once and not having to concern

myself with where to eat/what to do (or not do)……...I have seen many places I would never have just flown

to...…..I know there are solo folks who do land trips for weeks at a time but that just not appeal to me. I will

go pre-cruise for a couple of days or post cruise but the larger part of the trip? For me? It is a cruise for sure.

 

I am 61 and will be retiring next month--well, on Dec 31st and I have 4 cruises booked for a Celebration year:classic_biggrin:

 

 

Whatever floats your boat... 😉

 

I just got back into camping this year, at 65, thanks to some of my old "hippie lady" friends.  It re-opened my eyes to what fun it was back in my younger days.   I never was interested in cruising because I didn't like the pretentiousness or the "you must eat at this table at this time" or the "you must dress like this all night" atmosphere.  When NCL started "freestyle", I tried and I liked it, but I still don't like cruising enough to make it my primary form of vacation.   When I need the lazy cruise, I go for the Pacific Coastals.  Short and the territory is familiar.  I can get off the ship and pop into a familiar store or restaurant and then head back and "cocoon" somewhere.  I'm not into cruises where I am herded off at a port along with 2000 other people and hit the nearest beach bar or get in a minivan and add to the crowds of the tourists at some site for 10 minutes and move on to the next one.  

 

I pack in packing cubes and only pack in luggage that I can handle on any type of transportation.  With the cubes, I don't have to concern myself with unpacking/repacking.  So, that part of traveling is not an issue for me.  

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12 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

Again this probably where geography comes into it. If you live in America you have access to a lot of quick cheap cruises around the Caribbean. While there are relatively inexpensive cruises around the Pacific they are nowhere near as plentiful and flights to Pacific Islands can be really cheap that it is not always the best value. If I want fresh air I will go to the beach, visit a national park or spend a weekend in a smaller more regional town. These are easier options for me than booking a cruise. 

True.  

Depending on where you live in the US, your airfare may be more than the price of the cruise.   

I grew up on little road trips, driving across the US for a move as a child. As a Girl Scout, I was really into camping.  I was lucky enough to have friends and eventually a husband who loved to camp and backpack and roadtrip.   That probably has a lot to do with why I much prefer those forms of vacation rather than cruising.

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11 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

 

 

Whatever floats your boat... 😉

 

I just got back into camping this year, at 65, thanks to some of my old "hippie lady" friends.  It re-opened my eyes to what fun it was back in my younger days.   I never was interested in cruising because I didn't like the pretentiousness or the "you must eat at this table at this time" or the "you must dress like this all night" atmosphere.  When NCL started "freestyle", I tried and I liked it, but I still don't like cruising enough to make it my primary form of vacation.   When I need the lazy cruise, I go for the Pacific Coastals.  Short and the territory is familiar.  I can get off the ship and pop into a familiar store or restaurant and then head back and "cocoon" somewhere.  I'm not into cruises where I am herded off at a port along with 2000 other people and hit the nearest beach bar or get in a minivan and add to the crowds of the tourists at some site for 10 minutes and move on to the next one.  

 

I pack in packing cubes and only pack in luggage that I can handle on any type of transportation.  With the cubes, I don't have to concern myself with unpacking/repacking.  So, that part of traveling is not an issue for me.  

I echo "Whatever floats your boat"...that is the question posed....do you only cruise or do you travel by land and/or

do both. I was not criticizing you or anyone for doing other types of travel.  I don't think cruising is pretentious at all.

(just my opinion).  I have been able to take cruises with 300, not 2000......big, big difference. No herds on the smaller

lines:classic_biggrin:

 

I was not trying to say land travel is wrong at all...…..actually, I have been trying to decide what to do for

my birthday in March...….Tauck has a trip to Hawaii......omg...a land trip LOL...…..I am actually thinking

about booking it!

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7 minutes ago, Lois R said:

I echo "Whatever floats your boat"...that is the question posed....do you only cruise or do you travel by land and/or

do both. I was not criticizing you or anyone for doing other types of travel.  I don't think cruising is pretentious at all.

(just my opinion).  I have been able to take cruises with 300, not 2000......big, big difference. No herds on the smaller

lines:classic_biggrin:

 

I was not trying to say land travel is wrong at all...…..actually, I have been trying to decide what to do for

my birthday in March...….Tauck has a trip to Hawaii......omg...a land trip LOL...…..I am actually thinking

about booking it!

I don't think cruising is too pretentious now - I was talking about the earlier times, pre-"Freestyle".  I've always been a hippie rebel, so I guess I didn't want to spend my time and money doing something where I was told when I had to eat and what I had to wear 😉

 

I haven't found a small cruise that I could afford - I'm jealous of the river cruise you just took.  I'm trying to save for that - probably a canal barge trip.  I'm not a "herd" person anyway.  Probably why I'm 99% of the time a DIY girl.

 

For Hawaii - DO IT!  It's one of my favorite places in the World.  So many geographical differences in a small space.  I've stayed on Oahu, Maui, Lanai, The Big Island - all uniquely different.  Gotta say TBI is my absolute favorite.  When I was still married, going to TBI was our "default" vacation if we couldn't decide on something else.  So much to see, so much to do, so much to eat...

 

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