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Going on a cruise again, finally

We play ticket to ride with family at home, but never thought to bring it on a cruise. Do you also play RummyCUE.
We don't have Rummy Cube.
 
Rummikub is a fantastic game, and I always see at least one or two groups playing it on cruises.

 
Have only cruised twice, last was 2006. This one is next September, several neighbors wanting to celebrate neighbor’s 80th. He has never cruised, never had a passport, and I have him half talked into snorkeling with me. He’s an active guy, grew up in poor mountain farming family, only maintains trout pond and chickens these days. I’m often embarrassed by how much more he accomplishes in a day than I do…. (Chalk that up to a difference in motivation). Good health, may it hold!

Don’t know a lot of details, I know we will drive to Tampa and Aruba is in the itinerary, a long 10 day cruise, don’t know which line. Sounds like several adult kids of the neighbors planning it will go, too. Have never been with a group on a cruise, but I do like these people, all of them. I’ve never lived so intertwined in the lives of neighbors but it’s working nicely for me. Don’t know who is going to mow our lawns, with all of us gone, but tall grass is no reason for me to stay home!
@geekette , enjoy your cruise... hubby took me on a cruise this past September and we enjoyed it so much we booked another cruise for the end of September 2026 and we are taking our daughter with us.

As I am getting older, I see that life is shorter and shorter and I am embracing each day to the max...have a great time
 
Please enjoy your cruise, sounds liked a long ten days cruise to the Southern Caribbean.. They are awesome. Sounds liked you maybe going to the ABC island’s .
Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.

Please check Cruise Critic website for crushing information.
The website is free.
You can check on your cruise line and the itinerary.
Just enjoy your cruising time.
Love CC! Still no details, but I do plan to make sure our 80yr old gets as much info as possible, he’s excited to plan for each port, see shows, etc. Not much of a water guy, I have him half talked into trying a water slide if our ship has one. I’d like him to check off as many “never done” things as possible!
 
@geekette Cruising has changed a LOT in 20 years. Get with whichever neighbor is doing the planning. Find out the Line, Ship name, Date of sailing. Nowadays many cruises set up a group facebook page for everyone on the specific cruise to share info. Like get-togethers, shore excursions, packing tips etc.

Mostly, HAVE FUN! The planning is the best part.

Jim
Yeah, they’ve been out of town so hopefully can connect with them this weekend and get the planning started!
 
Cruise Critic (previously mentioned by Pedro47) also has cruise specific "roll calls" for most of the various cruise lines/ships and sailing dates. I have found them (and those on Facebook) to be very helpful in connecting with others before the cruise . . . and organizing small group activities and excursions.

P.S. The roll calls (both on CC and FB) are not set up by the cruise lines, however. They are organized by fellow passengers, and sometimes (on FB) they are created by travel agents trying to get your business. I avoid those because they are way to spammy for me!
I’m a never Facebooker so CC will be it for me.
 
I like doing group cruises with friends and/or family. We tend to just do our own things during the day, and then dine together as a whole group in the evening. Too much "together time" can be taxing and lead to conflicts at times, so we don't kill ourselves trying to line up all activities as a group. It usually works out well doing things this way. We are doing a friends cruise in December with 13 of us going -- looking forward to it!

Kurt
Totally agree! I’m big on “this is Your Vacation, do what you want!” I figure I’ll go along with whatever our birthday boy wants to do. Like, I’m not into the shows, but if he is, I won’t let him go alone!
 
We just returned from a gambling cruise on the Norwegian Gem. Five of us went. My newfound half-sister (long story on finding family that I detailed last year) was hoping to win the $100,000 Blackjack tournament, but she didn't win. She invited all of us to go.

Only four sisters went, me being the oldest, my full sister, a half sister (the gambler) and a stepsister plus Rick. We had three cabins. My full sister was supposed to be in the same inside cabin as my half sister and my stepsister. Since our father couldn't go, due to his wife's being ill, my full sister had an inside cabin to herself.

I don't understand the inside cabin thing because they were so small and dark. I hope your cabin has at least a window.

The cruise ended this past Sunday.

The cruise didn't go to Stirrup Cay, the one stop where my sister and Rick were planning to snorkel. The water was too rough to anchor. The eight-day cruise only stopped in Nassau, Grand Bahama, and Key West. Key West was beautiful. We could see Atlantis from the cruise ship. I definitely want to stay there sometime.

I suggest bringing board games. Funny that I had so much luggage compared to my sisters, but I brought several board games to play, and some card games as well, but the favorite was Ticket to Ride. All of us played that game many times. We enjoyed it every single game. We played mostly out on the deck by the outdoor eating area in the shade. People would walk by and say, "Ticket to Ride, great game!" Some even said they wished they'd brought the game. It's so fun. I am hoping to get a TUGger I am getting to know pretty well to play with us on Maui a few times. The four of us could enjoy it.
Interesting! I’ll look into the game,thanks for that tip!
 
@geekette , enjoy your cruise... hubby took me on a cruise this past September and we enjoyed it so much we booked another cruise for the end of September 2026 and we are taking our daughter with us.

As I am getting older, I see that life is shorter and shorter and I am embracing each day to the max...have a great time
Yes, our 80 year old is soooo excited! Since I moved here, I’ve gotten to know what a gentle giant he is and very interested in trying things he’s never done exactly because he feels the clock is winding down. I took him to see a bluegrass band for his birthday, asked them to sing happy birthday to him, and he was just beaming. I’ve found that he is the one that has always done for others, but few do for him. So, I’m making sure he doesn’t get lonely (kids and grands don’t visit often), and that he gets a lot of fun and laughter.
 
We don't mind them on occasion. The size is not necessarily smaller than other cabins; it just depends on the ship. We spend very little time in the cabin and basically just use it to sleep, so no window or balcony is not a big deal, and can be a plus if you like to sleep in. And of course you can save a ton with an inside cabin -- often it is half the price of a balcony cabin.

Kurt
Yep, I book cheap cabin and hope for upgrade and don’t care if it doesn’t happen,
 
I’m a never Facebooker so CC will be it for me.
I get it . . . CC is hit or miss in terms of whether or not there is a roll call set up for a particular cruise. Hopefully there will be something there for you.
 
Funny sight on this cruise I'm on, a large group wearing shirts that say (family name) 2025 annual cruise. On the back it's "help I'm stuck on a cruise ship with all my family".
 
Funny sight on this cruise I'm on, a large group wearing shirts that say (family name) 2025 annual cruise. On the back it's "help I'm stuck on a cruise ship with all my family".
TRUE! It's all a matter of perspective.
 
Funny sight on this cruise I'm on, a large group wearing shirts that say (family name) 2025 annual cruise. On the back it's "help I'm stuck on a cruise ship with all my family".
That is not strange. You will see families on Disney Cruise Lines wearing families cruise shirts proudly . It is a badge of honor to wear family Cruise shirts on Disney ships. IMHO.
 
I love cruising. My love of it was what had us give back our timeshare to Wyndham. My suggestion is look up your cruise on facebook. There is usually a page set up by somebody for most cruises. You can find interesting information as well as reading about what ideas/plans others on your cruise might be making.

There might also be page activities. I have been on many a bar crawl with the facebook group. There is usually an initial meetup. Sometimes, gift swaps, games and slot pulls as well.
 
Sounds like your cruise will be a lot of fun @geekette.

We have had nice number of people on a few cruises and they were a lot of fun. We did not plan everything together of course. If anyone is planning any excursions, they need to make sure they check the activity level (depending on the ages of the group/and/or mobility issues regardless of age). Many don't pay attention to the details/description of the excursion. I have seen a few cruisers in the past that could not participate or keep up with the excursion.

Even if you don't participate/join in the conversation, cruise crutic might have a lot of information once you find your date in the roll call or just read past trip reports if you have time.

Love Rummikub - if one is not overpacked, Left, Right Center (simple to carry) and of course various card fames are great for multiple people to play and don't take up any space.

Most important - have an awesome cruise!!
 
@beejaybee I do not recommend Ticket to Ride Europe. In fact I gave mine away recently.
Thanks. I asked my DD if I should purchase this and she told me her family had the original one which they rarely played. Mexican Train dominoes and "President" card game will work just fine!
 
Thanks. I asked my DD if I should purchase this and she told me her family had the original one which they rarely played. Mexican Train dominoes and "President" card game will work just fine!
Ticket to Ride USA/ Canada is great. @Cornell meant the European version, which I heard is not all that fun.
 
Wow, I love the Europe version! The Asia, India, and other variants are also fun.
 
@geekette … didn’t have time to read thru the whole thread….but if going on excursions, I recommend those sponsored by your cruise line. If you don’t get back to your ship in time if using someone other than that, they will leave without you. We love staying on board when in port, but had to visit Stonehenge while on a Disney transatlantic cruise and would not have even considered a non-Disney company. It was a long bus ride from Plymouth port. But a once in a lifetime opportunity. Have fun and wear sunscreen!!
 
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