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R R R R R R R R R R R R eflectionsflectionsflections
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Cruising

by: John Valastro For those more intimate get-a-ways, I

would suggest an adult cruise or at least
f you have read my reflec- one that has an adult area that separates
tions over the past few a majority of the children. Cruise lines
months, you know I try to are getting better at providing entertain-
Italk to my island audience, ment for children, families and couples
“the islanders”. During a recent only.
vacation I had time to reflect on
what makes for a “good cruise” or For a better dining experience, plan
in my case a “great cruise”. So, I your main meal by scheduling a reservation. Now a days it is acceptable
thought I would take this time to to go casual instead of dressing up. Plus, the food is a better quality and
share some thoughts you might be prepared like a nice restaurant.
able to use when you get that itch
to go “cruising”. As for excursions, there are plenty to choose from; you may have to do a
Galveston is becoming an attrac- little homework to see what fits your interest. The best thing is you can
tive setting for Cruise Lines: Car- choose to do a lot, a little or nothing at all!!!!! There is something to be
nival and Royal Caribbean have said about allowing everyone to leave the ship and you stay behind and
made their home here. I hear that enjoy some peace and quiet.
Viking may be planning a stint here in the future (I’ll keep you posted). It Another thing to consider is it’s great to cruise at night and be at port a
appears cruising out of Galveston will include bigger ships soon. I believe full day so you can take advantage of shopping, golfing, excursions or just
Royal Caribbean is in the process of building a new terminal that will be checking out the locals and the towns. There is always something to do.
state of the art and full of bells and whistles. Galveston, New Orleans and
Miami will be courting new and repeating customers with more destina- If you are a planner and want to set a future date six months to a year, I
tions. would suggest getting the travel insurance in case you have to cancel. At
our age you never know when a family or medical issue could arise.
As compared to other vacation packages, cruises can be relatively inex-
pensive if you plan departure dates during the “off-season” and flexible Another thing I noticed is that many people will travel in groups of 4, 6
timing, which means you can “pack and go” on short notice. Many of us and 8. It is fun if you have a group of friends you enjoy and can travel
islanders are in the position to do just that since we live here. By calling with, especially if it’s understood you do not have to do everything togeth-
the cruise line the day before or the day of departure, you could get er. Free time, alone time and quiet time are important. Believe me, there
incredible discounts because most cruise lines want bodies on board. You is plenty to do together as a group and plenty to do with your significant
hold all the cards; learn to negotiate, but be fair, you should not expect other.
to get it for free. I’ve heard some islanders have negotiated up to 50% to
75% discounts. I think that is a great deal! Again, it’s all about last minute As I get older, I may forget a lot of these trips, but I can promise you
booking. while my health is good and my mind is sharp, I will cherish these memo-
ries for a long time.
As for when to travel, consider the
school year. Summer, Thanksgiving, Now get out there and get cruising!!!!!
Christmas and Spring Break may
not be the best time to go “cruis- “There are long ships and small ships and ships that sail the seas,
ing”. Kat and I have raised two but the best ships are friendships, and so I toast to thee....”
great kids and we enjoyed taking -Quoted by Gavin Chandler on our 2019 cruise.
them on a cruise, but we have
entered the next phase in our life,
and we want it to be about us. Too
many kids are a distraction. We are getting to know each other again and
remembering what attracted us to each other all those years ago (32 yrs. John and Kathy Valastro
for us). For me it’s the same smile, but maybe with a wrinkle or two. The
same laugh when I did something silly. The same sparkle in her eyes that The Palms Condos
says she still loves me with all my quirks and bad habits. Adult cruises are Galveston, Texas.
few and far between, so you have to plan and research.

68 | Waves Magazine | May 2019 Issue