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A brief review for the nonagenarian demographic

sunsetsoon

By sunsetsoon,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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sunsetsoon

sunsetsoon

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I just returned from a 9 day Caribbean cruise on the Getaway out of New Orleans and would love to talk about it but not sure if there are any more nonagenarians on CC that would be interested in a 90 year old widow's idea of cruising fun. So I will keep it short and hopefully sweet.
 
My daughter, Aprille, does all the planning. My son-in-law, Marty goes along with whatever she plans - his only request is "don't tell me how much it costs". I go along with whatever she plans and my only request is "tell me where and when". The 3 of us have cruised on the Jade, the Bliss and the Getaway. We have stayed in the Haven each time. Which brings to mind - affordability. I only planned for 20 years of retirement and I'm almost up to 30 years so you can see why affordability comes to mind. But Aprille finds these deals where the 3rd party is free - had to fight Marty over who got to be third party but I won when I told him there was some kind of free drink package for guests 1 and 2. I didn't tell him (as so many have pointed out) it really isn't free but he never reads the fine print.
 
We were in a 2 bedroom suite on the Jade and thought it was grand. We splurged on a DOS on the Bliss and can you say "WOW!" Once again I was 3rd party and once again Aprille honored Marty's request and didn't tell him how much it cost. We stayed in a 2 bedroom on the Getaway and Aprille commented it was "a step down from that DOS on the Bliss" but it was quite nice. We had a great location - across the hall from the concierge desk, the lounge/bar and the restaurant.
 
Okay, that's enough background. I'm going to check my notes and write some more if there are any more nonagenarians out there - or any one else that just hopes to be a nonagenarian some day and wants to know what it's like from someone whose living it and loving it.
 

 

 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
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lazydaz

lazydaz

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  1.  I am an octogenarian and travelling with my son and daughter in law.  We stay in the 2 bedroom in the Haven. It enables me to travel as I get older and I love it. I have travelled a lot with NCL and have platinum status so get the perks that go with it.
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sunsetsoon

sunsetsoon

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1 hour ago, PTC DAWG said:

Congrats, keep on cruising..

 

My Grandmother lived to 101 and made same comment a few times on the money and planning.  

I promised my young doctor I would live to be 100 just to make him look good. He said "make it 110 and make me look even better."

31 minutes ago, UKWildcatCruiser said:

I’ll listen to anything you have to say! You’ve earned it! I wish my 82 year old mom would go more places with me (and she refuses to cruise). I’m going on the Getaway in October so tell me all her secrets:)


 

It took me 15 years to persuade my husband to cruise. He was 84 at the time so don't give up. He loved it and we got to do 3 more before he died.

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sunsetsoon

sunsetsoon

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4 minutes ago, lazydaz said:
  1.  I am an octogenarian and travelling with my son and daughter in law.  We stay in the 2 bedroom in the Haven. It enables me to travel as I get older and I love it. I have travelled a lot with NCL and have platinum status so get the perks that go with it.

I'm so happy to hear from another octogenarian. Our stories are much the same except I only have 3 cruises with NCL. Aprille and Marty are platinum status and get some nice perks. Maybe I will get there some day if I make my doctor look good.

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sunsetsoon

sunsetsoon

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Oh my! I'm so happy to get such nice responses.

 

So now I will tell you how I pack for a cruise. I always overpack and I see no need to change at this point in my life. I have 30 years worth of clothes in my closets in several sizes for every season. Funny thing - the clothes I most often get compliments on are my older stuff - some of it homemade. But I like to purchase something new for each cruise. I looked and looked and had a hard time deciding for this trip. I finally found something perfect - a new pair of compression hose. I finally got overpacked and still had lots of room so I put in a pillow to make it full.

 

I usually fly from Amarillo to Houston where my kids meet me and we fly together to the port of call. But this time they wanted to drive the 358 miles to New Orleans in their new car - and because they had 4 large bags, a walker and a wheel chair. Aprille has serious foot problems and had to wear a boot on each foot this trip. I decided to fly all the way to New Orleans which meant changing planes in Houston. I am not a stranger to flying - my husband worked for Continental Airlines for 25 years and we flew a lot - for free. But flying now is a lot different - or maybe it's my age but I get nervous about changing planes in a big airport. They have a great service now - you can request a wheel chair and a wheel chair and pusher will meet you at each stop and get you where you need to be. I am not disabled but I can't walk far or fast - and I am directionally challenged so finding the right gate would be a problem. Wouldn't you know - my flight from Amarillo left 33 minutes late and I only had a 1 hour and 7 minute layover - which isn't a layover at all. It's a total panic situation for me. But I hide it well. The wheel chair was waiting and the pusher assured me we would make it from terminal B to terminal DEF. We had to do elevators and trains and move fast. But true to his word we made it just as boarding had begun. Another thing is he can cut in front of the boarding line and push me right to the door of the plane. And the people in line were really nice - they didn't boo or hiss or anything like that at all. It was such a relief to get in my seat and scrunch up so my seat mates could sit down and scrunch up too. Trust me - 60 years ago - airplanes had more spacious, comfortable seating. It's no wonder passengers get cranky and sometimes even mean. Not me of course. I just pout. But they were both short flights thank goodness. My wheel chair experience in the NO airport was a little unusual and somewhat unnerving. The pusher was a middle aged woman and rather abrupt and scary. We got in an elevator - no one else was in it - and she said "you are going to give me a nice tip aren't you?" I blinked and said "oh yes" or something like that. I gave her what I had planned anyway and evidently she was satisfied because she didn't demand more. I was so glad to see a driver holding up a card with my daughter's name on it. No joke - that woman scared me.

 

Okay guys - as you can see I get a little wordy so I'm going to hush for now. But I want to tell you about my happy few hours in New Orleans next.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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tomservo

tomservo

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2 hours ago, sunsetsoon said:

 

I just returned from a 9 day Caribbean cruise on the Getaway out of New Orleans and would love to talk about it but not sure if there are any more nonagenarians on CC that would be interested in a 90 year old widow's idea of cruising fun. So I will keep it short and hopefully sweet.

 

100% appreciate your perspective and look forward to hearing more!

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lazydaz

lazydaz

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I'm here in Canada  with high snowdrifts.  Can hardly wait for my next cruise in April.  I also need a wheelchair at the airport and assistance getting on and off the cruise but other than that, I manage well. Once I reached 80 I found the crowds challenging so started booking cabins in the Haven.  Looking back ten years, March 2010, hubby and I were on the Diamond Princess in the seas off China.  I feel so sorry for what the current passengers are going through.

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Aprille

Aprille

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 mimmy52 asks: If I’m not being too nosy, can you share Aprille’s age? Or about what is is?

 

 

Aprille's age will be 62 in 5 days. My husband Marty, will be 65 in October.

 

We had a great time on this cruise. Mom and I don't even get off the ship. Marty gets off at every port and usually snorkels or just walks around the port. He climbed Dunns River Falls this year and I think his age is finally catching up with him. He was whooped and man enough to admit.

 

Loving the review so far, Mom! Keep it comin' and I'll comment along the way.

 

Aprille (sunsetsoon's daughter)

 

P.S. I leave it to Mom to tell the "sisters" stories. 😲

Edited by Aprille
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sunsetsoon

sunsetsoon

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34 minutes ago, Aprille said:

 

 

 

Aprille's age will be 62 in 5 days. My husband Marty, will be 65 in October.

 

 

 

Now I have a problem. I'm forced to tell you that Marty will be 65 in September. I'm usually the one that makes that kind of mistake. But she also insisted on calling our butler Hugo. His name was Yogi.

 

 

34 minutes ago, Aprille said:

 

P.S. I leave it to Mom to tell the "sisters" stories. 😲

Ah yes, The Sister stories - 2 of my favorites.

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