Another good reason to cruise!

In case you needed one, it's good for the economy...

Cruise Lines Generate Record $40 Billion Contribution To U.S. Economy In 2008

It was a dark and stormy night...

Or maybe it was a beautiful sunny day with what seemed the gentlest of swells. No matter: whenever I came back from leave I almost always got seasick when the weather or seas turned. It was usually just once and then I was good for another four months.

I wasn't alone. Both our cruise director and chief engineer, with many years at sea between them, got sick when they came back from leave, as did many crewmembers. You're either prone to seasickness or you're not and it can hit in the most unpredictable ways. You can make it through a windswept, rocking storm just fine and then become positively bilious on a bright sunny day with gentle, undulating swells.

To add to its charm it can hit without warning. One minute you're fine and the next you're frantically looking for a bathroom, bin, bag - any open receptacle will do. I remember being on the bridge once in casual conversation with others. The next thing I was dashing madly down the alleyway, the first mate yelling, "First door on your left! First door on your left!"

Some are affected by it worse than others. Once in Whittier, Alaska we were tied alongside on a beautiful summer day,the water like glass. Despite this, a woman phoned our office looking for the doctor, complaining of being seasick.

When I go on cruises I always come prepared because it is something you can usually stave off. I discovered Bonine a few years ago and swear by it. I like it because you only need to take one a day. I take it before going to bed and therefore am less apt to stagger around the ship all day like an extra out of Dawn of the Dead, an unfortunate side effect of Dramamine. Unfortunately, the last time I checked my local pharmacy I discovered it is no longer available in Canada for some bizarre reason. Just one more thing I'll have to add to my shopping list next time I am State side.

This isn't a what to do or what to avoid article on seasickness. There are plenty of those available on the Internet. But if I may add one piece of advice, don't foolishly court it as my husband and I did once on the northbound portion of a Mexican Riviera cruise. For some reason we thought it was a great idea, in rough seas, to go to the very top and forward lounge, stare out to sea and watch the ship go up and down, up and down, up and down in the crashing waves. But we did and paid for it by spending the last night in our cabin. Lesson learned; don't stop the Bonine just because the voyage is almost over...

Calling all wine drinkers!

Is it just me? I have Googled, Yahooed and MSNed and cannot seem to find a site that lists places close to embarkation ports - preferably worldwide - where you can pick up some wine before boarding. I know it's something I'd find useful and judging from the posts of others on Cruise Critic, I'm not alone.

I can do a lot of the research myself but would love to get input from those with first-hand knowledge of places that are close to embarkation ports and whose hours are convenient. Any other comments regarding selection, pricing, store websites, etc. would be very useful, too. I will be happy to compile all the information and post it somewhere for posterity. You can either contact me directly using the form at the very bottom of this page (scroll down - way down) or leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

And if such a site already does exist, please let me know because I can't find it!

My new netbook: I think I'm in love...

So here I sit on this sunny Canada Day, outside on my deck, birds tweeting away, cold drink at hand and my lovely little netbook on my lap, blogging away. Unlike my laptop which overheats as soon as I turn it on, this little beauty is as cool as the day is not. I LOVE this thing.

I've had mine for a couple of days and don't know how I lived without one before. The possibilities are endless especially when cruising. Surfing and writing away on the balcony while my husband's getting ready. My husband checking out the Canucks' scores while I'm getting ready. All without having to leave our cabin, assuming it is wifi equipped.

Then there is the issue of photos. Try as we might, we've never gotten around the issue of having to pay the ship to download pictures from our camera. Even bringing our own CD's doesn't solve the problem. We've still been charged. No more. Now we can just download them for free, at our convenience, to the netbook. And with a 160GB hard drive we'll be downloading them into the next millennium.

I know. There are those who will say the idea of taking a holiday is to get away from everyone and everything. But for those of us who like to stay in touch, share pictures, check the news, write, or just be digitally connected they're a great little toy to take along. No more paying to download pictures or videos. No more going back and forth to ship Internet cafes, hoping a computer is free.

As for brand, after doing all the comparisons and researching online I settled on an HP Mini. I'm sure others will have their own brand loyalties but when compared side by side with an Acer its features were identical. In the end the slightly larger keyboard size of the HP won me over. I hadn't realized how cheap they were or how light. You can take these puppies anywhere and that is exactly what I will do on our next cruise in October when I will be blogging live from the Zaandam.

Cruising and those we leave behind: furry, feathered, finned or otherwise

This post is in honour of one of my cats, Katie, who has taken ill over the past couple of days and has occupied most of my thoughts. A couple of vet visits and several hundred dollars later we only have a tentative diagnosis of a hernia. This will likely require surgery and she is not a young cat.

And what does this have to do with cruises? Well, the health of my cat, nothing really. But my having a cat or having pets in general has a lot to do with cruises. It is always something you have to consider. Who do you trust with your precious companions while you're gone?

My delight in booking a cruise has oftentimes been hampered by the fact I have to find someone trustworthy to look after my two cats. I used to have a wonderful neighbour who I trusted implicitly. I would come home to two very healthy looking cats accompanied by a daily log of their activities while I was gone. Maybe a bit over the top but I always knew they were well looked after.

Then she took ill and I had to find someone new. I found someone on a recommendation who seemed okay when we met. Obviously more of an animal person than a people person but that was okay 'cause she was looking after our cats not us. We came home after a wonderful 14 day cruise to two extremely bloated, puffy cats and a tersely written lecture on her disapproval of our cats' diets. Judging by their looks and her note, they had been subjected to the feline equivalent of a 14-day junk food binge.

I have finally found someone again I trust and we have come home from our last couple of cruises to two very healthy looking cats. They're mad at us, of course, but that is usually short lived. I can once again book a cruise, or even a quick weekend away, without worrying about who will look after them.

And to any of you who have read and understand this all, please send your best wishes to Katie for a speedy recovery.

I'm feeling dizzy: must book another cruise...

I used to laugh at my mom who always felt ill at ease unless she had at least three cans of unopened coffee in the house. That was her worse fear: waking up and finding she was out of coffee.

I kind of feel the same way about cruises. If I have no upcoming cruises booked and there are no cruise countdowns on my signature I feel panicky. It's like a low blood sugar moment: a bit dizzy, lightheaded, unable to clearly focus.

One booked cruise is good; two is that much better. I see some people who have up to six upcoming cruises showing on their signatures. You must all sleep very well at night.

Is it just me? I sense it's not judging from what others post. Everyone knows the worst thing about a cruise is when it's over. One minute you're excitedly waiting to board the ship for the first time. Before you know it, you're walking downcast through your front door, hoping everything is in one piece and the cats have been fed.

And then horror of horrors, you're back to reality and work. All sense of relaxation gone, your tan starting to wash down the drain, the midsection bloat mercifully starting to subside.

For me,the only way to combat this feeling is to take things in hand, get proactive and book the next cruise. That is part of the fun of cruising: finding the next perfect itinerary, on the perfect ship, with the best cabin and at the best price possible. When I finally find exactly what I want and make a booking, a sense of calm descends upon me. I am at peace again, a small catastrophe averted. With another cruise on deck, I can get back to the task at hand and make a living to pay for it.

Except now my time is taken up with trying to find every possible picture I can of the ship online, checking out ports and the shore excursions, chatting with others, but that's a post for another day....

Cruising: something for everyone or may I interest you in a nude cruise?

Some cruise simply to relax with a book or stare out to sea all day, hypnotized by the ship's wake. Others may not see much of the day choosing to spend the evening partying and dancing away. Some never see much of the evening. You know the ones: poolside, drink in hand, at nine in the morning.

There are those who are up at first light, ship schedule in hand, determined to cram in every possible activity. And then there are the ones who never even open the ship schedule. Some cruise for the ports while others stay onboard, choosing never to get off the ship when in port.

There are cruises for foodies, cruises for wine lovers. Cruises geared towards families, cruises geared towards adults. You can golf on cruises, learn to ballroom dance, hone up on your computer skills, rock climb, skate, or surf. You can learn how to make sushi or exotic martinis. At wine seminars you can learn the difference between a cabernet sauvignon and a sauvignon blanc. You can show off your trivia, take the stage on karaoke nights, maybe even enter a talent show and perform in front of everyone at the end of the voyage.

And these are just things offered on regular itineraries.

Google "cruise" and your area of interest and you will find lots of specialty charter cruises, including, yes, clothing optional cruises. There are Elvis cruises, Beatles tribute cruises, jazz cruises, blues cruises. There are cruises on which specialty or big-name acts perform. One company, Sixthman, is responsible for putting together cruises that have recently featured such artists as Lynyrd Skynyrd (YouTube has some great clips from these cruises), John Mayer, Sarah McLachlan, Barenaked Ladies and a whole host of others. These cruises cost more than a regular cruise but if you love live music or are a huge fan of any such acts, they may well be worth your while. Instead of spending 2-3 days at an outdoor festival, lining up for the pleasure of using an outdoor toilet and camping amongst thousands of others, you can just stumble back to your cabin at the end of the night. It's like a festival without all the mud, muck and overpriced food and drinks.

Such is the beauty of cruising. There really is something for everyone.