If you could never cruise again, what would you do in place of it?

[island lady]

4 hours ago, cruiselvr04 said:

We have no interest in time shares.  I don’t like the idea of being locked into a certain time or place.  Not going to buy a cabin on a lake as we like variety.  Maybe we’ll buy a used RV in 2-3 years when things go back to normal and all of those who did it while being locked down have moved on to something else....

 

Actually we just want to cruise, both ocean and river and see more of the world.  The best part of it was unpacking once and not driving or flying from place to place.  Doing that requires so many logistics even though you see more by spending more time in a place. I’d also do more organized land tours where they basically take care of the details.  

 

For this fall it’s a flying/driving trip which we will enjoy but it won’t be the same as a cruise.  I foresee some evenings sitting in a hotel room watching TV,  not what we like to do on vacation. TBD.

 

I have a time share unit...that I have owned for over 40 years...way back when the concept was very new and had never heard of it.  We have only stayed at our unit twice in all that time.  

 

Have exchanged to different units all around the world, including honeymoon in New Zealand.  It is never the same week.  We dislike hotels...prefer staying at B&Bs, rental condos/cabins...when we are not time share exchanging or cruising.  

 

Currently in a remote private bungalow suite in Fairbanks Alaska with full kitchen, washer dryer...etc.  

Edited August 9, 2020 by island lady

[DKNYC]

OMG, first I would cry a whole lot. Then maybe use my Timeshare which has been woefully unused. But someone will have to drive. I no longer like to. I have seen very little of the United States. Probably start there.

 

Denise

[Arzeena]

43 minutes ago, DKNYC said:

OMG, first I would cry a whole lot. Then maybe use my Timeshare which has been woefully unused. But someone will have to drive. I no longer like to. I have seen very little of the United States. Probably start there.

 

Denise

Hi Denise!

Haven't read any post from you or the other Denise in a while. Hope you are doing good and planning future cruises (by land or by sea!😄)

Edited August 9, 2020 by Arzeena

[Clancy14]

16 hours ago, kathy884 said:

I've been reading this thread for inspiration and travel ideas.  Wasn't expecting to see Mackinac Island listed.  We are going to Mackinac Island for the first time next week (I've never been) and am really  looking forward to this.  With all this COVID-19 stuff, I have mixed emotions about traveling, but decided to do some vs. none, but have cut way back.  This will be our first trip since our cruise last February.  

Kathy,

 

You will fall in love with it. My DH and I go every other year.  We always stay at The Main Street Inn and Suites.  The #1 Fudge Shop (an actual national ranking) is on the ground floor of the Inn. It has balconies that over Main Street, where you can sit for hours, watching the ferries, the horse and buggies, bicycle riders and people just strolling along.  We repeat some of the sights year after year.  It never gets old.  Last year, there was a new shop, called "Forged In Memories" from a local man that actually was on the TV show, Forged In Fire. I had never watched it but had seen commercials for it.  It is up by the Butterfly House.  You ( or anyone) can make their own knife with their help.  It is a wonderful souvenir for my DH.  Also, we walk to The Grand Hotel (pay $10 to step on the property as a non-staying guest) and spend hours touring the property, dining, and going to the very top of the hotel to the Cupola Bar, for an overpriced but delicious cocktail and have the BEST views while you sip. The Hotel is one of the 50 Best Hotels in the World, and has the longest front porch in the world.  Be sure to take a horse-and-buggy tour of the island.  Great way to familiarize yourself with the geography of the island.  Please let me know how you liked it!!! Enjoy and stay safe!

- Clancy

[OnTheJourney]

19 hours ago, island lady said:

 

I have a time share unit...that I have owned for over 40 years...way back when the concept was very new and had never heard of it.  We have only stayed at our unit twice in all that time.  

 

Have exchanged to different units all around the world, including honeymoon in New Zealand.  It is never the same week.  We dislike hotels...prefer staying at B&Bs, rental condos/cabins...when we are not time share exchanging or cruising.  

 

Currently in a remote private bungalow suite in Fairbanks Alaska with full kitchen, washer dryer...etc.  

 

My Dad had a two (consecutive) week timeshare for many years on Lake Wallenpaupack here in PA. He really enjoyed it - got to use his Bayliner for the two weeks a year - and did a good number of exchanges - mostly in FL but once out at Lake Tahoe. Back then it was through VCI. Unfortunately things started to go a bit south with the resort that he bought into (long story). That, along with my Dad's declining health in later years, resulted in them no longer using it. When he passed, my Mom still had it but of course wasn't using it either, and yet was still paying the yearly ever-increasing maintenance fees. It didn't make any sense to hang onto it, and as many owners have said who attempted to sell - there often seems to be no market for them (or at least sure wasn't back then). As a result, we simply deeded it back to the resort. My cousin - who had one at the same resort - did the same thing. It was a great plan when my Dad bought into it - that of my brother and I someday each owning a week, but, it didn't pan out that way. DW and I almost bought into the same place on our own cause there was a time when they were having a bit of a fire sale on unused units, but so glad we didn't. With our preference to travel to different places and hardly ever staying at one place for more than a few days at a time, it just didn't seem a real good fit for us. So we were turned off by the idea of paying the yearly fees for possibly not even using the place, and also the additional fees to exchange. The exchange feature is great - especially if you make good use of it - but is basically (if I'm correct) for a minimum stay of a week, and that hardly ever works for us unless we'd want to go somewhere and stay for that long, which we hardly ever do at one location. Glad we avoided it but certainly have some great memories of being at my Dad's unit especially as our daughter was growing up. 

 

Being somewhat different than you in accommodation preferences, we're definitely hotel people. It best suits our favorite mode of travel being road trips by car.  Most of our journeys have involved stays of 1 to 3 nights in a location. B&B is ok - have done a few, but we have little interest in going somewhere where we have to do some of the same sort of work we do while at home! We're good with getting up in the morning at a hotel, not having to do anything with the bed linens, washing up dishes, etc. getting the complimentary breakfast, then off we go. We have stayed in many hotel suites that have kitchenettes (or even larger), and enjoy having microwaves and fridges in the rooms - which over the years has become increasingly common, but that's about as close as we get to having a unit or condo, etc. 

Edited August 10, 2020 by OnTheJourney

[OnTheJourney]

16 hours ago, DKNYC said:

. I have seen very little of the United States. Probably start there.

 

Denise

 

The US has so much. We're still working our way around the National Parks - can't get enough of that. We have three weeks booked out west this fall, but it's looking like we'll probably move that trip to '21.  We're just not quite ready to fly, stay at several different hotels, plus all the sightseeing that we had planned, etc. I'll never forget how when we were in St. Petersburg, our excellent Russian guide told us that when he travels his preference is to come here to see our Parks - said he is so impressed with them. Made me feel good, cause I have to agree completely. 

[Crown Vic]

Because of where we are currently located, we cruise in the winter months. No cruising? We’d sit at home and shiver! Brrr! Put another log on the fire, please!

[DKNYC]

On 8/9/2020 at 5:35 PM, Arzeena said:

Hi Denise!

Haven't read any post from you or the other Denise in a while. Hope you are doing good and planning future cruises (by land or by sea!😄)

Hi it's been awhile !!

 

I am doing ok ,just waiting to get back to cruising. I have one booked for next November, a TA of course on Harmony which will be my first Oasis class. And also Anthem in January of 2022. The other Denise and I were supposed to spend 40 or so days on Radiance this year. Two transpacifics...All canceled. Sigh!

 

Denise

[davelinde]

The idea makes my head hurt.   We've spent a bit of our spare time and $$'s to get to Diamond and had 28 days booked in 2020.   All cancelled, have not been able to put my foot on a ship at D status...  When we were younger we did the RV thing and began to cruise frequently when we live in FL full time in the RV.   Now we live in a regular home again - we sold the big RV last year, and I've got a few more years to retire.   If we cannot cruise we will buy an RV and go see stuff on land.