VillainsGin

Outstanding example of a loving husband! @RickinSTL

when you win some you dim sum.
 
*mic drop*

wait you guys are winning?!
That was an option!?

Allure of the Seas is headed to Texas, bookings will opening soon!

This is true lol.. But in all seriousness I really do win sometimes.. I play blackjack which is part strategy and part luck... When both are on my side I have come out a winner and walked a way with a few thousand.. 

wait you guys are winning?!
That was an option!?

Mathematically you do have to win sometimes.. lol. 

Wife should have been happy..you woke them up cause you won $!!!!....

We have many carnival ships within 30 minutes of me but i rather fly all the way to Florida from California for royal caribbean.
Loyal to Royal!

We have many carnival ships within 30 minutes of me but i rather fly all the way to Florida from California for royal caribbean.
Loyal to Royal!

I think carnival attracts a majority of a certain median household that is more price aggressive compared royal caribbean. Although you know what you're getting when you go with RCI every single time and consistent!

Great for hanging a multi shelf organizer.
 

All I am going to say is that RCCL was number one IMHO after my first cruise on Oasis of the Seas!  Even though it would be MUCH easier for us to sail on Carnival out of Norfolk VA, I will gladly travel and have a better trip! ?

Fellow homeschooling family too! I don't work a 9-5 either. I do transcription work at night a few hours a week for fun money. We live below our means so we can spend life doing things and experiencing life and adventure with our three boys! Because we home school our vacation time is not restricted and we can find some great deals not only with  cruising but with vacationing in general (ie hotel rates, theme parks, flights) So we tend to vacation on the off season or shoulder seasons. So we like to chose times such as second/third week of September (when most people are in traditional school and back to work after labor day) , first week of December (just after thanksgiving rush and just before Christmas craziness) and this next cruise will be in January (well after new years but before spring break crowds). 

All my best to you too! 

That's a big one. We are the same way, we don't have fancy things, we like vacationing. My brother calls me Jay-cation ?

WTG on your NED!  My cancer surgery was Jan. 2017 and my oncologist keeps giving me good reports. Wishing you the best!

@TJ! if I were you.....I’d get a credit card that has airline miles. Go to Clark Howard.com and see what he suggests as the best card for miles. He’s a former travel agent who is now a multimillionaire that has a radio show for consumers. 
 
Id also consider doing b2b out of Florida to get a good bang for your buck. Catch a ship that is changing itinerary so you get 2 different itineraries on one ship (eastern Caribbean first week/western second week). 
Also if you book a suite, you get double points for Crown and Anchor so if you book super early in a Junior Suite, you’ll get double points and move up more quickly. We’ve never done a suite, but just upgraded our May Symphony to a Junior Suite for about $900. That now gives us access to Coastal Kitchen for dinner which is like specialty dining. 
So book early and get a credit card for miles. 
Which Symphony are you on? We’re May 2. 

hail brood queen

This have to be a forbidden or banned card for sure.
Way too OP

This have to be a forbidden or banned card for sure.
Way too OP

We took 4 cruises before we had kids (1989-1993) when we were in our 20’s. All were RCI. (I took 2 booze cruise type cruises for college spring breaks on an old military supply ship turned cruise ship lol) 
We took a very long break while our kids were young plus we live on a horse farm and it’s not easy (or cheap) to find farm sitters. 

In 2011 we came back with our kids and did Oasis. Super fun! We wouldn’t cruise again until 2017. I was diagnosed with stage 4b cancer in 2015 and that cruise in 2017 (again on Oasis) was to celebrate 6 months of NED (no evidence of disease) and my 50th birthday.
Since then we sailed Oasis a third time in 2018, Freedom in 2019, Mariner 3 weeks ago and have Symphony booked for May 2020.
After our Freedom cruise, we achieved Diamond status. 
I’m now down to 2 horses. Our oldest is 26 and engaged and out on her own. Our youngest is sophomore in college. 
Hubby sold our business back in 2012 and now is semi retired. I have learned the hard way that life can be taken very quickly. I’m not as picky about farm sitters and have let go of my anal retentiveness when it comes to my animals. They are still alive when I get home! Lol 
Getting ready to book 2 cruises (another quick Mariner next October and a Mediterranean probably for 2021) over Black Friday. 
We have a wedding now to pay for so the Mediterranean may have to be pushed to 2022. 
Paying off my car this month and youngest daughter’s last month freed up a nice sum that we are putting some towards wedding and some towards us. I also may take in an additional boarded horse to help fund the addiction. 
Through my cancer journey I also found out I have a hereditary cancer gene (Lynch Syndrome) and have an 80% chance of developing another cancer so we are YOLO’ing as much as we can. 
 
**edited to add that we do live in Florida and can drive to ports although Miami is a bit far. (5 hours). When we flew to San Juan for our Freedom cruise we drove 2 hours to Orlando and flew Southwest. About $650 total. 

If you are in Minnesota you really need winter vacations with the weather you get, and it will become an addiction.