And I thought I'd win for sure...

MSC Cruises had a contest for a free cruise plus up to 16 people on their new ship, the Orchestra. I thought for sure I'd at least be in the top 5. I did my poem which I thought was quite good!! DANG IT!

Oh well, will have to keep saving my money for a cruise I guess.

Obama vs. McCain...the big showdown!

I am excited. And nervous. I'm a democrat. Have been all my life. I'm our union president and have been interested in politics since I worked on Nixon's campaign as a teen. (yeah, i know. BIG blunder)

This nation is almost at it's worst. Obviously Bush has done nothing but run this country screaming right into the toilet. Dumb bastard.

Now anyone that reads this, and prolly not many, know I don't swear on blogger. But I have been waiting for 2008 since he came into office.

Go Obama...win this election and change the world PLEASE!

The deals!!!

OMG...oh my gosh. The cruise deals.

$99 for a 3 to 4 night bahama cruise. Why am I not taking advantage of this????

a) have I just plain lost my mind?

b) I'm an idiot?

or

c) is it that I have no moolah to spend on my favorite past time?

Yeah...it's C. And that just sucks.

Cruise prices...

I just got an amazing email from Cruises Only. I've booked through them before and they
do a great job. Good prices, good selection etc.

Anyway, there are shorter cruises out there right now for $99 to roughly $169. Yeah...that's amazing!! Apparently the economy being in the toilet is good for the consumer regarding travel prices.

I think we should jump on the bandwagon and book a cruise. Who's with me????

Happy sailing,

Mary

Coming down from a cruise.

I have a good friend who is like a brother. His name is Jimmy and he lives in 'Nawlins.

I just talked him into a 3 day cruise because he really needed to get away from his life for a few days. He is a Carnival cruise line devotee and he took the Imagination out of Miami. The Imagination is an older ship that got a bit of a makeover.

He booked an inside stateroom because why waste the money when it's a short cruise! He said it was very clean and there were lots of new additions. (He phoned me while the ship was still at port in Miami.)

This morning I sent him a text message that went something like this: "hey, did u have fun?"
and "Are u awake?" I didn't hear anything. Then about an hour later I got the reply that I knew, without hesitation that I would get in return.

"Cruise was great, just don't want to leave the ship."

This is something that all of us cruise addicts will say. The last evening of the cruise you get this feeling of doom. You still have a good time but you just feel icky. You have to put your luggage out the door by midnight, so packing up all the fun things you bought is also tough. (bring bigger luggage...) It's just knowing that your excellent time onboard is coming to a close, and that's hard. REALLY hard.

When you leave the port...oh my gosh I could just cry. I can't explain how rotten I feel after leaving the ship...but knowing I'll be back helps a little. Not much...but a little.

Happy sailing,

Mary

What? What's that? A cruise possibility??

YES!! Our good friends Tim and Mary were over for dinner last night. (mahi mahi, chicken and steak)

We started talking about cruises and I got them all excited about it. Next thing I know, we're planning an eastern Caribbean cruise for Jan. 2010. Plenty of time to plan, save money and oh...save money!

I am so psyched! On the downside, I really should go to travel school so I could book them and make money, but not right now anyway.

OH HAPPY DAY!

Mary

The daily grind....and I'm not talking coffee

Hey there,

Well, it's Tuesday. Not even hump day. Tuesday has nothing going for it except it's not Monday. This day is "let's dump all the work on the secretaries" day. I'd alert Hallmark for this one but I think other secretaries might stone me and I bruise easily.

I actually got out my calculator and figured out how much I have to save each month for an alaskan cruise. Curses...that beautiful new house is eating up all our money. I know, I have no complaints really. I have a wonderful husband, great kids and family. But I want a cruise and the goblins are after me. (cruise goblins) They put it in your head that you can afford one.

I refuse to put it on credit. I did that once and it sucked plain and simple. I had to pay on it long after the vaca. No good.

Ok, now I'm rambling so I'm not going to subject you to any more of this...for now...

Happy sailing,

Mary

Why I love cruising day 2... aka... grab that deck chair early!

I love the first full day at sea. It's relaxing, beautiful and there are endless possibilities.

• Wake up around 8am. Throw on work-out clothes and bring your towel. Either walk on the jogging path or go to the gym. Throw your towel on a lounge chair by the pool or forget it. You'll never get one. (yes, they say not to do that. I go with the other 2000 folks who do it)
• Go to the buffet, sit on your balcony or go to the dining room and enjoy a wonderful breakfast. I can honestly say that Royal Caribbean has the best bran muffins in the world. You cannot beat fresh fruit on any cruise ship...yummy.
• Hit the shops and check out that day's deal. Maybe play bingo and win a free cruise.
• Throw on your bathing suit and lay on your lounge chair. There are a multitude of waiters who are happy to hand you a frozen daiquiri, bucket of beer, etc. Or belly up to the poolside bar and chat with others.
• Add more sunscreen. That hot Caribbean sun and being in the middle of the ocean will bake you fast. Take a dip in the saltwater pool but don't forget to shower off - there are many fresh water showers next to the pool.
• Go eat lunch! Get out of the sun and enjoy lunch at any of the dining venues.
• Back to the sun until 3 or 4pm.
• Take a nap.
• Now primp! It's the first formal night and you want to look your best. I suggest an updo in the hair salon and perhaps a pedicure for the ladies. (or the men...this is 2008 after all.) There are two formal nights so i save my best for the second one. IF you are on a NCL cruise, you can forgo formal attire IF you wish. I recommend it..it's fun and you can get awesome pictures!
• Take your obligatory pic on the way to the dining room. If you like it you can buy it.
• Enjoy a wonderful, wonderful dinner. Make a grand entrance all dressed up.
• Cruise ships have awesome entertainment. See the show after dinner.
• Go back to your room and change. (i recommend this)
  
• Go to the Casino, Disco or just hang out under the stars and have a drink.
• The next day you'll be in port, so enjoy this day!!

Happy sailing,
Mary

WHY I LOVE CRUISING...

These are the reasons I love cruising-in no particular order:

• Planning the cruise, searching for pictures, living/breathing everything about the ship
• Reading ship reviews, signing up for the meet and mingle and talk with others cruising on MY ship at that time. Meeting new friends in advance of the cruise.
• Leaving on a jet plane to fly into whatever port and relax the night before we sail away.
• Ah..taking the shuttle to the port and seeing the large ships in the distance and the excitement mounting.
• Get the paperwork out of the way, make our way to the gangplank and step onto the ship. Trying all the time to NOT stoop down and kiss the floor.
  
• Checking out our stateroom and giggling in delight. Checking our table in the dining room and deciding if you want to change it.
  
• Heading to the buffet for a quick bite before changing into our bathing suits.
• Lying by the pool, frozen drink in hand and realizing that our vacation has started!
  
• Taking a shower, get dressed and decide where to eat for that first evening.
• Checking out the ship for awhile, then hitting the disco or karaoke lounge. Dancing til dawn.

That's just day ONE...more to follow!

TGIF , Zycam and new ships!

Thanks GOD it's Friday. This has been the loooongest week ever.

On a good note, I bought some Zycam nasal swabs to try and get rid of my cold. Lo and behold, I woke up this morning feeling amazing. I am sold on these for sure! woohoo!

New ships are coming soon: Ruby Princess, MSC Ochestra, and Celebrity Solstice. I believe that Ruby Princess will be here next month and the Orchestra and Solstice in December. There are a lot of new ships being builts or in the works although I wonder what the economy will do to them.
Let's keep our fingers crossed. By the way, you can see these new ships at: Ruby Orchestra and the Solstice .

Now if Princess, MSC or Celebrity want to send me to see this new ships...please by all means email me!!!

Happy sailing and TGIF!!!

Mary

Royal Caribbean, a cold and Me

Hi there.

Today Royal Caribbean aka RCCL has a great sale going on. They are offering onboard credit and half the usual deposit amound if you book between now and the 12th.

I went to the site and did some chopping, (cruiseshopping as my friend coined it) finding some great deals. Now, we're really wanting to go to Alaska. Don't get me wrong, the caribbean is a fave of mine, but Mike's ultimate destination is Alaska. So I'm sitting here sniffling with a cold coming on, popping meds and zycam and decide to take a peek at the deals.

I looked at different cruise ships, southbound and northbound and there are some real good deals. To quote Stewie Griffin on the Family Guy "Oh, this is so good it just HAS to be fattening." But then I remember. Oh yeah. New house, mortgage, huge tax bill. Dammit, no money!

Another dream bites the dust...for now. Let's give it 3 months and see where our economy is. (and hopefully not in the toilet.)

That's it for now,

Mary

Cruising 101!

You're never too old for Halloween

Good morning!

I'm getting ready to send a package out to my daughter and it's
somewhat nostalgic. I did that when she was in college, but now that
she's teaching in Connecticut, well that's further away from home and
she's on her own now. You're never too old to receive some Halloween
goodies right?? We both LOVE Halloween.

This am in my in-box were many cruise deals in time for Halloween.
Funny how they market it that way and as soon as Oct. 1 rolls around, here
they come! Some have actual Halloween cruises with costumes and all, some just
use Halloween as an excuse to discount an older ship and lure people in.

NCL right now has some very good deals, as does RCCL. Sorry for the acronyms.
RCCL has $100 off staterooms, half off deposit or $125, and pre-paid gratuities.
Not so bad huh? NCL has $300 off which is a good score too.
Now if I could only get them to send me FREE cruise certificates...hmmm...better work on that.

If you're looking for any deals, feel free to contact me. I'm not a travel agent at all, but I like to keep up on what's discounted.

Happy Sailing.

Mary

And fall comes to Michigan...

Well, it's officially fall. It's about 58 degrees this morning and I had to wear a COAT. sheesh.
The leaves have been turning for awhile and they are about 50% there. Beautiful.

I've been getting tons of emails from the cruise industry. Is it because
our economy is in the toilet?

Is it because Congress rejected a $700 billion financial system bailout package and sent the Dow into a tailspin?

Is it because we just built our dream home and have absolutely no money for cruising?

Well yes...a little bit of all three. Not to mention that fall is prime time for saving on cruises.

I think the cruise industry is going to be struggling for awhile. Between the gas surcharge, holiday season approaching and the very little disposable income people have right now, vacationing may not be a possibility. I know, this sounds hideous for those of us who live to cruise, or ski, or whatever. Life is gonna be about the must haves and not the "i just wanna" have right now. And that makes me sad.

We work and work, raise our kids, pay taxes, (ugh don't get me started) shop smart, buy on sale and pay our bills. I think we deserve a little time off fun. It's a fact that vacations are health smart. See this link from CBS News.

For now, I'm still dreaming of our next cruise. Since Michael and I are newlyweds, so I'd love to surprise him with an Alaskan cruise for a late honeymoon. (His dream destination.)

Hmmm...better keep dreaming, huh?

Happy sailing,
Mary

Monday Moaning...

Hey bloggers,

Can I feel sorry for myself for just 10 seconds?

Co-workers are gone, phone is ringing off the hook, other employees piling work on my desk.

ARGH! I need a break!

Ok, that's it. I'll mellow out as soon as I catch up,

mary

I am just thirsty for a cruise right now... and no i don't mean those delicious frozen drinks like my favorite Mango Tango. This is the first time in a long time that I don't have a cruise booked.

We just built our dream home and that has taken all our fun money for right now. It's bugging me so much.

I know the economy has made friends of mine give up their yearly or twice yearly cruise. Are there others having this problem? My friend Jimmy is dying to take his kids on one. He is also someone addicted to cruising. No money as we all have eat, pay bills and the such.

Who else is in the same boat?

Not a happy sailor at the moment,

Mary

Why cruising is a perfect vacation

Greetings. I am a cruise addict. I've taken 14 cruises and can tell you that there is no vacation on earth that really gets you away...I mean really away. No cell phone calls, no one to tell you what to do or not to do, and you can cruise with someone or just get away on your own. It's your nirvana and you can mold it to what you want.

Think cruising is not for you? All you see are huge lines and being stuck at sea? That is the furthest thing from the truth. This is not your fathers cruise! You can gamble, rock climb, have a massage, mini-golf, box (!) and do just about anything a thrill seeker would do. Looking for a little tamer vaca? Shipboard shopping is wonderful as is their top notch spa's. Check out the onboard internet or library. Definitely a frozen drink and a comfy deck chair overlooking the ocean is an onboard must.

Afraid you'll get seasick? Nah! You have to remember these are floating cities! As a precaution you can take one Bonine tablet in the am and you'll never feel a thing. The motion of the ocean does one thing right. You'll never sleep better than on a cruise ship. It lulls you sleep better than a hot toddy.

I am probably the most enthusiastic person alive when it comes to cruising. If you want any info, let me know. I am NOT a travel agent. I am just someone who has a passion for cruising.

Happy Sailing,
Mary

Friday's Rambling...

I LOVE fall. Living in northern Michigan in the fall is wonderful. The canopy of orange, yellow and red leaves on M-119 to Harbor Springs is amazing. Hot apple cider on a frosty evening and a hay wagon ride is wonderful. Don't forget to get those pumpkins too!

What does that have to do with cruising? Nada. However, the fall season is a great time to get a cruise bargain. (and an upgrade/upsell!) I know...some of you are worried about hurricanes. Not to worry! Cruise ships can sail anywhere they want to. A hurricane may change your ports of call a bit but hey, it's an adventure right???

I'm sure you know what an upgrade is, but do you know what an upsell is? That is where they have the upper end rooms available and offer you an upgrade for a nominal fee. In January we "upselled" from a mini-suite to a penthouse suite for $300 total. Was it worth it, hell yes!!!!

Well, life is calling me. More on this later!

Keep that margarita frozen until next time,

Mary

Any cruise fans out there? I'd love to hear from you!

So far I've been on Carnival, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Amadeus Euro River Cruise. I can't say I have a favorite except that I'm not a big fan of Carnival. It was my first cruise (1987) and thought it was great then. But then I tried Celebrity and RCCL and well.....MUCH better!

I get asked a lot by friends to help them book a cruise. I do all my online research and then book thru a third party site or right with the cruise line. I actually think I "out research" the travel agents. At least a local travel agent called me a few times to find a cheaper price!

This year we tried NCL and I was pleasantly pleased. Of course the $300 upsell from a mini-suite to a penthouse was quite nice! Needless to say I was so happy when we walked into that stateroom that I actually bounced on the bed in sheer joy! Hey, at least I didn't kiss the ground or anything that dorky. (this time...ahem...)

Later all,
Mary