Cruise Resolutions for 2017

Every year, I like to think of cruising resolutions for the new year. Some stay the same even if I have fulfilled the resolution during the previous year; others are the same because I have yet to complete the resolution. Still others change because my wants and needs change.             Here are some of my cruising resolutions for 2017:

• Cruise more than in 2016.   Sometimes other life events get in the way of cruising, but at least I got in a few great cruises during 2016. I sailed on , a ship that was new to me and also on , a ship that was new not only me, but to many people. I enjoyed both, but felt really deprived and even a bit depressed that I didn’t cruise more often. But, such is life.

• Sail on a brand new ship. It’s always fun to see the latest and greatest on the seas. I have my eye on MSC Seaside. I believe that MSC has the most beautiful ships on the seas.

• Try a new itinerary. I am hoping to sail from Rio to Santiago or vice-versa. The Canary Islands also intrigue me as do several other itineraries. I think that maybe I should forego yet another cruise with St. Thomas as a port and sail a more exotic itinerary. That creates a bit of a struggle as sometimes it so easy and less expensive to fly to a US port of embarkation.

• Sail solo again. I meet far more people when I sail solo because I am forced to be social if I want to meet new people. The option of not having to be social is also a great alternative. It’s heaven sleeping without the constant interruption of snoring.

• Spend more time discovering the embarkation port. Although it’s not always practical to get to the port city too far in advance, even just having a morning to explore the port is worthwhile. I recently spent time in downtown Miami and realized what I was missing by simply taking the shuttle from the airport directly to the cruise port.

• Try a European River Cruise It’s been far too long since I have been to Europe and my river cruises have been in non-European destinations. It’s about time I try something new.

• Save up to sail on a luxury cruise. Seeing all the Crystal ads fuels the fire. Seeing the pricing means I need to cut down lots of trees to fuel that fire.

• Find a weightless, no-iron, attractive and comfortable wardrobe that fits in a carry-on. That’s probably asking a lot. Being old and probably old-fashioned means that I like to dress for dinner and like to be wrinkle-free at least in one area! Irons aren’t available on all ships and when they are, I find myself spending too long ironing. Shoes are my biggest packing problem because although I like to dress for dinner, I also like to go hiking, kayaking, cycling and to the gym. I have yet to find one shoe that works for all of these activities.

• Try a new cruise line. I know that one philosophy is to stick with what you know and like, but why not take a chance and see what else is out there? I am ready to explore some of the lesser-known cruise lines that are based outside of North America.

• Consider a repositioning cruise. Typically with many days at sea, these cruises might offer me a change to do things that I don’t usually have time for – reading, writing and lounging. The bonus is that they are also usually priced very well.

• Share my love of cruising with the world. This one is self-explanatory. If you have questions about cruising, please feel to ask questions here, on Twitter or Instagram(@cruisewriter) or on Facebook (EssentialCruising). Check out my free download on some Cruise Myths.

How do your resolutions compare? What is on your list?

Happy 2017. May your year be full of cruise adventures.

Sail Away!