Smooth sailing my friends and everyone have at least one DOD for me so I can at least get my cruise "glow" vicariously through you guys.

Smooth sailing to all!!! 

 Im hopping for A great cruise review  and pics from each of you so enjoy and have A DOD for me

Have a GREAT cruise.

See ya soon

Just moving the bon voyage up to the top of the page. 

Thanks everyone! Please hold down the fort until we all return.

Thank you all!!!  Smitty & Pua, have a great cruise.  

We are finished packing except for the last minute things and are still taking too much - and we are down 4 bags from previous cruises (2007 & prior)! 

- Linda

something is not right here. no disrespect old timer but are you pulling our leg?

how is it that this dude smitty can afford all these cruises when he is a sub and gets a pension am i correct? Cruises are expensive. I think theres more to this story because either your smuggling or your a liar!

For my dear friends Smitty, Pua and Linda.  May the seas be calm and the sea breeze gentle and the DOD's have plenty of booze.  Have fun!!!!!

Awww...you guys are awesome!  I JUST noticed this thread!  Mahalo nui loa everyone.  Like Linda, we're all packed and ready to go, and also like Linda...I have overpacked yet again!  Charlie will have to watch out, or I'll be moving some of my "stuff" into his suitcase!  LOL.   We don't board Elation until Monday, but we're heading out early and staying at a place closer to San Diego tomorrow, and then after the cruise, we'll stay a day longer in San Diego...just because.

So..Smitty and Linda, have a wonderful time, happy cruisin' and enjoy those DODs. 

Shoot, I gotta remember to let Chassie outta that steamer trunk when we get to our stateroom! 

Much Aloha and we'll see you when we get back!  AloooooooHA!  Pua

Tiki Shop Girl:

Awww...you guys are awesome!  I JUST noticed this thread!  Mahalo nui loa everyone.  Like Linda, we're all packed and ready to go, and also like Linda...I have overpacked yet again!  Charlie will have to watch out, or I'll be moving some of my "stuff" into his suitcase!  LOL.   We don't board Elation until Monday, but we're heading out early and staying at a place closer to San Diego tomorrow, and then after the cruise, we'll stay a day longer in San Diego...just because.

So..Smitty and Linda, have a wonderful time, happy cruisin' and enjoy those DODs. 

Shoot, I gotta remember to let Chassie outta that steamer trunk when we get to our stateroom! 

Much Aloha and we'll see you when we get back!  AloooooooHA!  Pua

Linda ~ What the heck are you taking with you?  Smuggling in passengers and I wasn't invited???   Have a great time! 

rufaeldawg:

Thank you all!!!  Smitty & Pua, have a great cruise.  

We are finished packing except for the last minute things and are still taking too much - and we are down 4 bags from previous cruises (2007 & prior)! 

- Linda

Jpicano:

how is it that this dude smitty can afford all these cruises when he is a sub and gets a pension am i correct? Cruises are expensive. I think theres more to this story because either your smuggling or your a liar!

 Jpicano,

My wife still works, plus we book cheaper cabins (oceanviews or 1A's with portholes) instead of balcony cabins. I'm also old enough to get not only a pension, but also Social Security. We live on Diane's salary, my pension, and my Social Security.

When the stock market started to go belly up, everyone else left their money in their IRA's to be lost in a blackhole. We drew out all the money from my IRA (being over 59.5, I could do so) and cruised it away over an 18 month period. My motto concerning leaving money in an IRA during a recession was, "Cruise it or lose it!" so we cruised it all away.

Plus, cruises aren't expensive if you know how to book intelligently. For example, our cruise this week was only $234 per guest (booked with the Welcome Home Bonus before it expired). We have free or discounted airfares with AirTran most of the time, since we accept voluntary bumps, and FLL is always full of overbooked flights on cruise ship days in Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. As a matter of fact, our airfare (to Pensacola) for this week's cruise was a free one. Our only cost is for a shuttle to and from Mobile.

I clear $65 per day subbing and work every day (20 days a month), if we're not cruising. Every cent I clear subbing we use for cruising. If we didn't cruise, I'd simply fish every day. Surely you can do the math. My $2500 clear every two months easily pays for a cruise every two months. Cruising is not expensive if one stays out of the casino and limits the number of shore excursions one takes to one or two per cruise. If you are satisfied with an oceanview or a 1A with portholes rather than wanting or needing a balcony all the time, you can generally do a 7 night cruise for around or even under $1000 a couple.

Retirement is good Jpicano. Hopefully, you'll see that when you get there someday. Until then, you'll just have to take my word for it.

irishlizz:

Smooth sailing my friends and everyone have at least one DOD for me so I can at least get my cruise "glow" vicariously through you guys.

 

Smooth sailing to all!!! 

As we got our cruise fix vicariously through you in September Lizz! I'll have a DOD for you or maybe two!

Hi Smitty

I don't know you except from what I read at Carnival Connections but my hat goes off to you. I think it is great that you are of retirement age and are still able get out and enjoy cruising with your friends and family. Not to mention still working and earning the money to do so. My wife's parents and mine are gone and our kids never got the chance to cruise with them. How great that would have been.  You're making memories with your family that they will never forget. I have awhile to go yet before I can retire but I plan on doing just like you. I wish y'all a great cruise and many more to come in the future