What Is The "Cruise Hook' For You?

[mamaofami]

I love being on the sea, on the beautiful sea. I'm so excited to have an aft cabin for the first time so I can just watch the wake. I fell in love with the motion of the ocean a long time ago and feel so lucky to be able to indulge in this pastime. Sea days are wonderful for me because I can relax without feeling the pressure to go and explore.

 

I love being on the ship and feeling the excitement as she pulls away from the pier. It's a sense of adventure and relaxation at the same time.

[Sky Sweet]

Cruising evokes wonderful childhood memories because I grew up in house on the North Shore of Long Island, with frontage on the Long Island Sound, and our family spent many happy hours in my father's cabin cruisers during my youth.

[Cruising-along]

The same thing everyone else has already said. The total relaxation, pampering, only unpacking once, pampering, everything taken care of for you, seeing new and exotic ports, pampering, the fact that you get SO much for one, inclusive price, (oh and did I say the pampering???) :)

[WehoAtlantis]

Just like a hotel and their service is addictive. Now add movement, excursions, destinations and 2000 people along with drinks and eat...=addiction.:)

[alsas]

What a delight it is to write on this subject. Love the ocean...Love the ease of travel...Love the romance...Love the staff (we are all so blessed) I love it all...Happy sailing ALSAS

[Solo Cruiser]

My father used to say they named me wrong as my middle name should have been GO. That was his fault though. I lived in 13 places before I finished high school (yes he was a career member of the Armed Forces). Any chance I have for getting to as many places as possible in the short amount of vacation time I'm allotted is a chance I'll take. That is what first attracted me to cruising. Once I was aboard however that seemed like a secondary reason. The self contained community that is a cruise ship, is perfect for someone who wants to travel but finds themselves doing it alone. I've made friends from strangers at a dinner table, enjoyed seeing new things on excursions with other shipmates, cheered on folks in a casino who I didn't even know the day before and given myself over to the total relaxation of watching the hypnotic ocean. This is my vacation of choice for the rest of the days I'm able to board the ship.

[serendipity1499]

The Cruising Hook is a large one-We've traveled all over the world by air both for business & pleasure.. We've lived in apartments & homes on the water for our entire married life..For us just staring out at the water is very peaceful..We love sea days & it's wonderful not having to pack & unpack in every city...

 

In addition we've sailed thousands of miles & have spent up to five continuous months aboard our own boat...We had a wonderful time, especially because we had friends (in their boat)with us...But maintaining a boat is both time consuming & never ending...;) ;)

 

I don't miss having to wash clothes in public Laundromats, don't have to clean the head each time we take a shower or shower in a Marina (with water shoes on)..Now don't have walk to the supermarket for supplies or cook for ourselves if we can't find a restaurant close by..We no longer have wet bunks from being swamped by another boat because the Captain did not watch his wake! We don't have to get up every hour to check the anchor..And we don't have to constantly clean the boat inside & out!

 

And best of all DH no longer shouts because I've missed a dock piling, or can't understand his crazy hand signals when he's trying to anchor, or can't keep the boat turned into the wind when he's dropping the sails!! ;) Men do that you know! And when some DH's get excited, their orders are often unclear such as "Turn the other way" instead of turn to port or starboard..Of course, I always turn the wrong Way! LOL

 

We do miss the fun we had with our friends, but we now have the best of both worlds..Our friends also love to cruise with us...We all love being wined, dined & pampered!:)

 

Give me a cruise anytime & I'll be content..:) Cheers..Betty

[Bramcruiser]

Some good food for thought. While I must admit that a complete abandonment of day-to-day responsibilities is a reason I rather choose a cruise over spending my vacations at a cottage I have to say its the utter sense of relaxation I get from a cruise. I book seeking at least a few at sea days and if I don't want to get off the ship then I know I'm at peace and rather not go back to the hectic real world.

 

David

[advocado]

Some good food for thought. While I must admit that a complete abandonment of day-to-day responsibilities is a reason I rather choose a cruise over spending my vacations at a cottage I have to say its the utter sense of relaxation I get from a cruise. I book seeking at least a few at sea days and if I don't want to get off the ship then I know I'm at peace and rather not go back to the hectic real world.

 

David

I agree. When choosing the Panama Canal (Maasdam, Jan.'08) I selected the itinerary that provided the most days at sea. While the Canal is certainly worth the price of admission, as for the ports...I could care less. I wouldn;t care if we docked at a tire dump. The cruise -- the sea -- is the thing.

[lishka]

I agree with all of the reasons stated...

I could just stare at the wake for hours. I love my aft cabins, but I guess my very favorite thing would have to be that my cell phone isn't ringing every five minutes like it does on dry land!

It is so nice not to be reachable!

Just peace and quiet and the wake...ahhhhh:cool:

[Sky Sweet]

I agree with all of the reasons stated...

I could just stare at the wake for hours. I love my aft cabins, but I guess my very favorite thing would have to be that my cell phone isn't ringing every five minutes like it does on dry land!

It is so nice not to be reachable!

Just peace and quiet and the wake...ahhhhh:cool:

 

 

I agree about the special nature of a real vacation from everyday life without being reachable by cell phone. For the same reason, I never use a computer during a cruise either.

[amusea]

I always choose the ship for the itinerary and if I am lucky the ship will be void of canned music everywhere so that I can hear the sounds of the sea rather than some inane warbling.

[ANSalberg]

The "Hook" for me was different when I was working/younger. I NEEDED to get away from reality for a short bit of space/time. Now that we're retired the draw is entirely different; the pure adventure of seeing this wonderful world we live in and to find that people are the same ALL OVER THE WORLD! Its simply one GREAT adventure!

I was a library Director in a small public library [ read -I cleaned the toilets also] and raising a family and contributing to our community. I retired 9 years ago -and we have since gone on several crossings into Europe or from Europe; we've done the Asia/Pacific cruise twice -and will do it again 2008 [ a 2 month cruise] and this last winter we did the 3 1/2 month "Grand" World cruise.....ALL on Holland America. I can't TELL you how exciting it is to go to some of the more different, culturally, parts of our world! From Japan & China to INDIA....Egypt, Israel, Croatia, Turkey, Dubai......To reassure the faint of heart- I NEVER feared in ANY of the places we've been [ however, to contribute to the previous posts; we skipped ports in places because of political unrest - like Indonesia -where we were ABLE to visit THIS year! AND to meet families of our VERY VERY special HAL crews]

I hope YOU all have the opportunity to do as we have and embrace the peoples of the world as we have - Before????? I only read about it in books! NOW I can GO to sea and find the Adventures..........

Anne

[advocado]

ANSalberg -- What a wonderful post. Since I started world traveling about 35 years ago I have come to realize the travel (as you have described it) is the "dessert of life". I could not have expressed better than you just have.

[fcorey]

The "Hook" for me was different when I was working/younger. I NEEDED to get away from reality for a short bit of space/time. Now that we're retired the draw is entirely different; the pure adventure of seeing this wonderful world we live in and to find that people are the same ALL OVER THE WORLD! Its simply one GREAT adventure!

I was a library Director in a small public library [ read -I cleaned the toilets also] and raising a family and contributing to our community. I retired 9 years ago -and we have since gone on several crossings into Europe or from Europe; we've done the Asia/Pacific cruise twice -and will do it again 2008 [ a 2 month cruise] and this last winter we did the 3 1/2 month "Grand" World cruise.....ALL on Holland America. I can't TELL you how exciting it is to go to some of the more different, culturally, parts of our world! From Japan & China to INDIA....Egypt, Israel, Croatia, Turkey, Dubai......To reassure the faint of heart- I NEVER feared in ANY of the places we've been [ however, to contribute to the previous posts; we skipped ports in places because of political unrest - like Indonesia -where we were ABLE to visit THIS year! AND to meet families of our VERY VERY special HAL crews]

I hope YOU all have the opportunity to do as we have and embrace the peoples of the world as we have - Before????? I only read about it in books! NOW I can GO to sea and find the Adventures..........

Anne

 

What a great post. Michelle is also a Library Director in our small town.....she read your post over my shoulder and said she can definitely relate :)

[ANSalberg]

I get so TIRED of the constant question by NON-cruisers "Don't you get BORED?" And to exclaim "NEVER" seems over-bearing. And maybe it IS the tie-into Libraries - MAYBE we are the Aladdin's of OUR day.....With WONDER we open those doors to the world at large. Just as WE ALL opened doors thru books for our children as we read aloud to groups of eager kids.......

I guess as I BEGAN cruising [ Alaska/"Princess"/1978] with all kinds of "things" going on at home- we began again in the mid-1990s to cruise on HAL. "Bored" just was never in my vocabulary....

Library's don't pay well [ I bet your Michelle can identify] but BANKING does and that's what my husband did. I JUST feel so BLESSED to have the time and energy and curiosity and the money to do what I'm doing NOW! And when people say "Don't you get bored" I NEVER got bored....I just do NOT have time!We just LOVE doing what we are doing Anne

[localady]

I get so TIRED of the constant question by NON-cruisers "Don't you get BORED?" And to exclaim "NEVER" seems over-bearing. And maybe it IS the tie-into Libraries - MAYBE we are the Aladdin's of OUR day.....With WONDER we open those doors to the world at large. Just as WE ALL opened doors thru books for our children as we read aloud to groups of eager kids.......

I guess as I BEGAN cruising [ Alaska/"Princess"/1978] with all kinds of "things" going on at home- we began again in the mid-1990s to cruise on HAL. "Bored" just was never in my vocabulary....

Library's don't pay well [ I bet your Michelle can identify] but BANKING does and that's what my husband did. I JUST feel so BLESSED to have the time and energy and curiosity and the money to do what I'm doing NOW! And when people say "Don't you get bored" I NEVER got bored....I just do NOT have time!We just LOVE doing what we are doing Anne

 

I could not have said that half as well Anne!!!

There is a whole wide world out there to experience, and we are blessed to be able to explore it!:D :D

[2bout2c]

The "Hook" for me was different when I was working/younger. I NEEDED to get away from reality for a short bit of space/time. Now that we're retired the draw is entirely different; the pure adventure of seeing this wonderful world we live in and to find that people are the same ALL OVER THE WORLD! Its simply one GREAT adventure!

I was a library Director in a small public library [ read -I cleaned the toilets also] and raising a family and contributing to our community. I retired 9 years ago -and we have since gone on several crossings into Europe or from Europe; we've done the Asia/Pacific cruise twice -and will do it again 2008 [ a 2 month cruise] and this last winter we did the 3 1/2 month "Grand" World cruise.....ALL on Holland America. I can't TELL you how exciting it is to go to some of the more different, culturally, parts of our world! From Japan & China to INDIA....Egypt, Israel, Croatia, Turkey, Dubai......To reassure the faint of heart- I NEVER feared in ANY of the places we've been [ however, to contribute to the previous posts; we skipped ports in places because of political unrest - like Indonesia -where we were ABLE to visit THIS year! AND to meet families of our VERY VERY special HAL crews]

I hope YOU all have the opportunity to do as we have and embrace the peoples of the world as we have - Before????? I only read about it in books! NOW I can GO to sea and find the Adventures..........

Anne

I love the quote"The World is a book and those that don't travel read only one page". I want to read the whole book and a cruise ship is my choice.

[Fisherlady48]

what a wonderful thread...

 

I started with hubbie cruising, then stopped for a couple years after he left us, but after my first cruise alone (that was a joke), but the itinerary (I got to cruise up the Mississippi River to New Orleans!!) was great. I found Cruise Critic so my last cruise felt like it was with friends!! My 11 night cruise next February on my favorite ship, the Nordic Empress, now the Empress of the Seas is very port intensive but has 2 days at sea. I love at least seeing the ports and getting a feel for whether I would go back and spend a week. So far, Grand Cayman is the only island I would stay at, and of course Aruba for me is an annual trip. (which Im trying to make a semi-annual!!) Since our first cruise, on the Holiday when she was new, and for a week, no one told or said to me the WORD NO, I was hooked. Thats really it for me, I am never told no.. its always please and thank you!!

[SHayesShip]

The draw for me is being on, near or in the water.

Being on a ship with the bow cutting through the swells totally rejuvenates my well being.

The ship and the sea literally overwhelm me and take over all of my thought processes and squeeze out my day to day pressures of life.

It is utopia for me plain and simple.

[doorcountydi]

The hook of cruising?? Many!

* the away-ness of it... the total Stepford-ness (if you

have seen The Stepford Wives, you know what I

mean--the crew aboard any HAL ship is HAPPY,

accommodating, they remember your name and your

preferences--it's the way the rest of the world should

be)

* the pampering. The only thing better would be that

someone would carry me around the ship. :p

* I LOVE that phrase "The world is a book and those

who don't travel read only one page" ! Excellent!! At

my almost-retired stage of life, I am revelling in

wandering the earth.

* the ships themselves. I would love to meet the

people who think up the decor.

* BORED? Egads!!? The days at sea are heaven.

Diane

[ANSalberg]

I know; Days at SEA.......pure HEAVEN!

[fcorey]

I get so TIRED of the constant question by NON-cruisers "Don't you get BORED?" And to exclaim "NEVER" seems over-bearing. And maybe it IS the tie-into Libraries - MAYBE we are the Aladdin's of OUR day.....With WONDER we open those doors to the world at large. Just as WE ALL opened doors thru books for our children as we read aloud to groups of eager kids.......

I guess as I BEGAN cruising [ Alaska/"Princess"/1978] with all kinds of "things" going on at home- we began again in the mid-1990s to cruise on HAL. "Bored" just was never in my vocabulary....

Library's don't pay well [ I bet your Michelle can identify] but BANKING does and that's what my husband did. I JUST feel so BLESSED to have the time and energy and curiosity and the money to do what I'm doing NOW! And when people say "Don't you get bored" I NEVER got bored....I just do NOT have time!We just LOVE doing what we are doing Anne

 

We can sympathize with the library pay, I find it odd that my wife has a double bachelors and 2 masters degrees (English and MLS) yet my field pay more for a bachelors... she's definitely the brighter half of the couple :D For me the best part is being at sea, I guess i am missing my time aboard ship for uncle Sam. Michelle also loves sea days reading on the veranda

[Newfies]

The true hook for us are the sea days. My hubby, son and I prefer the sea days. And it sounds like there are many who love the sea days, too. Can y'all, the more experienced cruisers, share with us the cruises that have more sea days than not? I've heard of "relocation" cruises. Anyone been on those?

[ANSalberg]

The true hook for us are the sea days. My hubby, son and I prefer the sea days. And it sounds like there are many who love the sea days, too. Can y'all, the more experienced cruisers, share with us the cruises that have more sea days than not? I've heard of "relocation" cruises. Anyone been on those?

 

"Repositioning" cruises GENERALLY have at-sea days - simply because they are geared to move ship from point A to point B - As in Alaska to Caribbean; Europe to USA....or back again. They are often seasonal [ spring/fall]

 

The other with at-sea days in abundance are MUCH longer cruises -such as the "Grand" cruises; Anywhere from 60-days to over 100 days [ You do those if you are retired or VERY VERY RICH; in our case- we're retired!]

 

And I also think your personality is the success story; If you can self entertain/read/visit with people/ Go-with-the-flow.......If you are CONSTANTLY critical of food/programs/shore details/dining times/SPACE.....in other words NOTHING pleases you; cruising isn't for you- it just ISN'T! If you are driving YOURSELF nuts -you are CERTAINLY driving OTHER people crazy too!

If you are using life's LEMONS to make MARGARITAS -cruising is for YOU!

Anne