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I enjoyed many nice cruises from 1965 to 1972 courtesy of Uncle Sam and on my deck gray druise ships. We even had guns and missles to protect us and got paid for going. I went to a lot of the same ports that Carnival Cruise Lines and the other cruise ship companies go to. Granted the accomodations weren't exactly luxurious and they certainly didn't have the seafood buffets and all the delicious food available 24 hours a day and there was no swimming pool or work out rooms. But..... I enjoyed those enough to know that I would really enjoy a cruise now that I am retired.

A couple years ago I got to go on a "Singing at Sea" Southern Gospel Music cruise. We went to three different ports in the Caribbean and the whole cruise was nothing but Southern Gospel Music concerts by various different groups and then interacting with the groups at meals and other thngs that went on during the week. Another thing that was particularly nice about this cruise is that there was no smoking or drinking on the ship. No stinking cigarettes or drunks to deal with for a whole week. I would thoroughly enjoy going on another one if the opprtunity arose. Mr Obama's stimulus packages have sort of taken away the funds I planned to use for cruises and the like.

There are two river cruises that I would like to take some time and one is down the Rhine and the Danube in Europe on a river boat. The other is on a paddle wheeler from up country somewhere to New Orleans.

Thre were some scares in recent years aboiut cruise ships but I can assure you that you are a lot safer on a cruise ship than you are driving up and down the highways anymore There are so many illegals that can't read English and have no driver's license and no insurance and then the rest are text messaging on their cellphones and not paying a bit of attention to what is going on around them. It is flat out dangerous to get on the streets now days.

When you figure that on a cruise, everything is included in the price except optional things that are your choice whether to buy or not. a cruise is really a pretty reasonable way to see the world. There is always plenty of delicious food and you can have as much of what ever you want. You get a chance to get to know people because everybody is in the same area all during the cruise. There are all kinds of different things to do. A cruise ship is kind of like a floating city.

Get on the web and check out the various travel websites. A lot of the cruiselines have special promotions for seniors and many off peak specials that really make for some good deals. When you go on a cruise try to get a cabin with an ocean view. They are a little more but they are nice and far les claustrophobic if that is a problemfor you. I never get too fancy a room because you don't spend much time in the cabin anyway. If you happen to be wheel chair bound or have a mobility problem most of the cruise ships have facilitirs for people like that. Some of the ships have casinos on board which is always fun if you don't go "overboard" Cruise ships have fully equipped medical facilities so you can be assured of proper medical care if the need arises. There are really very few problems on cruise ships. The media will blow anything negative out of shape and never report the good things. If it is negative the media will be all over it.

If I could afford it, I would be on a crusie most of the time. They have great eats and then they have places to go to workit off. What a perfect life that would be. Cruises are definitely a good way to enjoy retirement.

Learn more about this author, Bill Whitney.
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