Planning the cruise for 40 Part 2

My organized planning to enjoy a southern Caribbean cruise with my best friend for my 40^th birthday was in full swing in the winter of 2012-2013.  We had put our down payment on the cruise at the end of November.  The next step of the plan was to take our tax return money and pay off the cruise in the early spring.  We then began sorting through the dozens of shore excursions to see what we wanted to explore.

First and foremost I am that person who goes and goes and goes on vacation because I have to see as much as humanly possible just in case I never get to that part of the world again in my life.  I am that person who should plan a vacation after my vacation because I don’t really rest and relax on vacation. 

Selecting the shore excursions has been a lot of fun for both Jamie and I.  We took advantage of having a port of call in Puerto Rico and our cruise goes to the following intriguing destinations:  St. Croix, US Virgin Islands; Philipsburg, St. Marten; St. John’s, Antigua; Castries, St. Lucia; and Bridgetown, Barbados.  That’s five countries in five days.  I find that so cool.  Too bad we don’t get a passport stamp in each country.  Plus, St. Marten is owned by both France and the Netherlands; its two countries in one island, so technically six countries will be visited.

The shore excursions booklet is full of great adventures.  I made Jamie aware of one key fact.  Hiking is not a vacation for me.  I do not count down the days until I take a hike.  It’s just the plain truth.  So, I wanted her to keep that in mind as we selected our excursions.  Swimming, snorkeling, walking, touring, riding and sailing are all acceptable 40^th birthday activities, but I’m not paying someone to arrange for me to take a hike (pun not intended but funny).  In addition, as my boss likes to say, “I only run if I’m chased.”  I never liked running.  Even in my youth when I was much thinner, more active, and interested in playing a sport.  I played JV Field Hockey in high school and was in the position of Sweeper because it is the last line of defense before the goalie and you stay pretty close to the goal with minimal running.

Jamie asked up front for us to go to one particular shore excursion as it is something she has always wanted to do.  She wants to swim with sting rays in Antigua.  I’m all for it.  What’s interesting is people in my life are giving me warning because the Crocodile Hunter was killed by a sting ray barb to the heart.  I wonder if these people really know me.  If I won’t hike, the likelihood of me doing something dangerous is slim to none.  I do not like pain in any form and I am not going to do something knowing it may cause pain or death.  Thrill seeking is not my thing.  I like roller coasters, that’s it for me.

Cruise Planning Part 1

I love to celebrate my birthday.  It’s just plain fun.  I know many people agonize over turning 40.  As it is inevitable should an individual be alive that long, I am inclined to make the most of the situation.  While I have noticed some changes as this approached like the hot flashes, needing a new eye glass prescription, mild memory blips, and a few more aches and pains than before, I made the decision to put some things into place that makes it impossible to dread it and makes me absolutely enthused for the time to come. Take into consideration that in the autumn of 2012 I begin thinking and planning for this momentous occasion.  I can’t help but be a little anal about preparation for such an important event.

For me traveling is a lovely thing.  After living in Maryland from the age of a few months to 19 years with just some minor travel in the United States I have always been eager to see new places and do different things.  Traveling is a wonderful treat for me.  Knowing that I wanted to see some place I had never been, maybe even some place “exotic”, without having to fork out almost a thousand dollars in airfare I started talking to people who travel often.  I met a man from Puerto Rico who had lots of good things to say about his home.  Then a co-worker traveled there for vacation and gushed about how wonderful it was.  I was initially looking at an all-inclusive resort in Puerto Rico.

Then in November 2012 my best friend Jamie and I were discussing my intended 40^th birthday trip when she decided that she wanted to go with me on this trip.  As comfortable as I am with traveling alone, it is always better with company.  Then to have the kind of company that a best friend provides is a whole new level of fun and exciting.  Jamie’s suggestion was not to go to one location to an all-inclusive resort, but to broaden our horizon and take a cruise.  Brilliant!  See and do more with the same amount of time!  How could I say no?

I was excitedly checking out cruise lines and cruises that set sail from Puerto Rico which I had intended to see on my trip.  I honestly wasn’t interested in Carnival as I heard too much about it that wasn’t all that positive even before the “poop cruise” incident earlier this year.  I found out that Royal Caribbean has a lot of cruises that leave from Puerto Rico and that they have a solid reputation in the cruise industry for good deals on excellent products and services. 

I found the cruise I was most interested in and informed Jamie about the Royal Caribbean Southern Caribbean Cruise with prices with a starting cost of only $499!  One year to the day we would arrive in Puerto Rico we put our down payment on the cruise.  The long term planning began in earnest.