Chadster

What makes 2 Canada cruises so attractive for me is the fact that I don't drive -- so it lets me get places up the coast a lot easier than via train or bus or paying out the nose for flights into regional airports! As was said above, cruise what you can afford -- and right now, the scenery I can afford is up the coast, and I'm really excited about both my trips! 🙂
Of course, I'm also salivating at the notion of Alaska. I was just thinking tonight that if I put it off until 2022 as my "main cruise" for that year, I'll be able to save up a lot more and have an experience that is much more grand without costing me grands more (Coast-to-coast flights are a lot for both the body and the wallet! 😳)  Of course, that means I'll have to come up with a spring cruise for next year, because I'm not sure I can make it from December until October without a cruise! 😱

I've got both on my horizon, because honestly, I'm not much of a warm-weather beaches kinda guy...though I'm doing the Bahamas late this year, mainly for the side destinations. Before that, I'm doing a May cruise to New England and Canada. Fall 2021, I'm doing Canada again -- Montreal round-trip along the St. Lawrence River. The first Canada trip I'm doing because I can sail out of Baltimore, which means no airfare, and next fall, well...it's my birthday, it's a unique itinerary for RC with only one sailing date, and it's after Alaska cruise season.
All that being said, I'm also looking very forward to Alaska, too -- likely next spring or the spring after that if I can bring myself to wait that long -- because I know it'll be a wholly different experience. There's likely to be boat excursions along the coast and up in Alaska, and of course in Alaska, I can walk on a glacier!

When you book 3 cruises so the wait for next year's cruise is bearable.....Friends & Family be like....
 

@Chadster Don't believe the lies!!! That is literally all there is....... you can try to pack, read books and live your daily life. But the Cruise demon always has its ways of getting you.

Wait...you mean there are other things to pass the time besides read this blog, plan more cruises, or book more cruises?? 🤔

Wait...you mean there are other things to pass the time besides read this blog, plan more cruises, or book more cruises?? 🤔

It is actually worse because of this blog. I log on almost every day and I get more and more jealous as people live blog their cruises. I feel trapped in a cycle of when is it my turn.

I'm the same way. I have one cruise in May and another in December, and I am so absolutely antsy for my one in May. I want to book another for the summer because I love it so much and I just can't wait 7 months for my next. To pass the time I do look at other cruises (usually with a margarita in my hand and the Beach Boys playing in the background 🤣)

You ever reach that point where you feel like youve researched all you can, youve set up all your excursions, youve filled out all there is to fill out.....and youre just WAITING. Its agony, and I just want my embarkation day to GET HERE. What do yall do to deal with the agony, the torture, the slow death of WAITING? 

Considering I am doing two cruises in an inside cabin this year -- and 2 next year! -- I could do without the balcony! Even when Alaska is involved, as it will be in some form next year as one of my two.

For my upcoming cruise on Grandeur in May, I've saved $150 through my travel agent; once, when I thought I saw a better deal, though, she kept me at my current price because I would've lost my OBC. Because the price drop was within a dollar or two of my OBC amount, I deferred to her judgment! Final payment date just passed, so I'm not going to relentlessly watch prices -- I'm sure my agent will be thrilled, though she's been great!
For my future cruise needs,  I'm giving MEI a try after all the glowing reviews! I've booked one cruise through Sharla already this week, and there's likely to be another following.
Gone are the days of me making my own travel arrangements -- having a knowledgeable advocate sure helps!

For my upcoming cruise on Grandeur in May, I've saved $150 through my travel agent; once, when I thought I saw a better deal, though, she kept me at my current price because I would've lost my OBC. Because the price drop was within a dollar or two of my OBC amount, I deferred to her judgment! Final payment date just passed, so I'm not going to relentlessly watch prices -- I'm sure my agent will be thrilled, though she's been great!
For my future cruise needs,  I'm giving MEI a try after all the glowing reviews! I've booked one cruise through Sharla already this week, and there's likely to be another following.
Gone are the days of me making my own travel arrangements -- having a knowledgeable advocate sure helps!

My ID doesn't expire until exactly a year later, so they won't renew mine. But they will send me an exact duplicate which is RealID compliant -- but still expires in 2021. 😑

Ooops ... just saw John and Katrina Blair are now on Vision of the Seas (as of FEB 01).  Neil Diamond fans will have to follow John there.
Curt from Canada

In addition to the above, I'm just really looking forward to experiencing smaller-ship cruising. I don't need all the bells and whistles or a floating amusement park! I hope you have a wonderful time on Grandeur if you decide to sail her -- I know I'm looking forward to my days and nights aboard!

"Tipping is not a Chinese city."
Annnnnd swing and a miss on humor. 🙄
If you're the kind of person who has to announce to a huge group of strangers how much you (supposedly, per you...) are giving to the staff, you're not being a good person -- you're tipping for you, no matter what you try to tell yourself.
And the tips were in the casino? Oh, look...yet another way to say "look at me -- I have oodles of money to throw around and make a spectacle of myself..." 😑

"Tipping is not a Chinese city."
Annnnnd swing and a miss on humor. 🙄
If you're the kind of person who has to announce to a huge group of strangers how much you (supposedly, per you...) are giving to the staff, you're not being a good person -- you're tipping for you, no matter what you try to tell yourself.
And the tips were in the casino? Oh, look...yet another way to say "look at me -- I have oodles of money to throw around and make a spectacle of myself..." 😑

"Tipping is not a Chinese city."
Annnnnd swing and a miss on humor. 🙄
If you're the kind of person who has to announce to a huge group of strangers how much you (supposedly, per you...) are giving to the staff, you're not being a good person -- you're tipping for you, no matter what you try to tell yourself.
And the tips were in the casino? Oh, look...yet another way to say "look at me -- I have oodles of money to throw around and make a spectacle of myself..." 😑

"Tipping is not a Chinese city."
Annnnnd swing and a miss on humor. 🙄
If you're the kind of person who has to announce to a huge group of strangers how much you (supposedly, per you...) are giving to the staff, you're not being a good person -- you're tipping for you, no matter what you try to tell yourself.
And the tips were in the casino? Oh, look...yet another way to say "look at me -- I have oodles of money to throw around and make a spectacle of myself..." 😑

Unless they are paying for my vacation, I don't really care what someone else thinks of my spending practices.  

"Tipping is not a Chinese city."
Annnnnd swing and a miss on humor. 🙄
If you're the kind of person who has to announce to a huge group of strangers how much you (supposedly, per you...) are giving to the staff, you're not being a good person -- you're tipping for you, no matter what you try to tell yourself.
And the tips were in the casino? Oh, look...yet another way to say "look at me -- I have oodles of money to throw around and make a spectacle of myself..." 😑

"Tipping is not a Chinese city."
Annnnnd swing and a miss on humor. 🙄
If you're the kind of person who has to announce to a huge group of strangers how much you (supposedly, per you...) are giving to the staff, you're not being a good person -- you're tipping for you, no matter what you try to tell yourself.
And the tips were in the casino? Oh, look...yet another way to say "look at me -- I have oodles of money to throw around and make a spectacle of myself..." 😑