By John Toth
The Bulletin
I have recently completed my fourth cruise. Each one was different and a lot of fun, and each one was easier than any other vacations I have ever taken.
Cruising is not for everyone, but if you want to get away from the daily hassles without doing a lot of preparation work, it is a very good choice. Life is as simple or as complicated as you wish on a cruise ship. I prefer simple.
I like to drop my luggage off at the cruise port terminal, pick it up at my cabin door and unpack only once. I don’t have to worry about it for the entirety of the cruise, as my moving resort starts visiting various ports in other countries.
At the end of the cruise, I just pack up the suitcases and leave the ship.
In between, I am dined and wined (with iced tea), entertained and can eat any type of food I want. While dining, I meet other people with whom I engage in conversation and hear fascinating stories about their lives.
On excursions, I climb Mayan pyramids, snorkel or just hang out on the beach. Meanwhile, all my needs and wants are being taken care of by the ship’s staff or tour guides.
It is a simple, but fun existence.
I keep promising myself that I’ll be doing some work during the cruise, but end up doing the absolute minimum. When I transition back into the real world again, l have to play catch-up on The Bulletin, like I am doing right now.
I love vacations, but I hate the preparation process, like making airline reservations, booking hotels, renting cars and making all of this work together. Then there is the question of where we’ll be eating.
I have also done it many times and enjoy the outcome. I just don’t like to do the prep work. Cruising is a way out. I still want to take land vacations, though. Cruising is not a total solution. But, it sure is a convenient one.
Also, I am guaranteed that the staff members will be friendly and courteous. I appreciate their hard work and tip the ones with whom I come in daily contact, even though I pay the daily tips ahead of the cruise. The extra tip is not required, but I do it anyway. The service is that good.
I also pick up a lot of story ideas during my cruise, which gradually make it into The Bulletin.
I hope you enjoy the stories that I have collected during my short cruising history, as much as I have enjoyed researching and developing them. It’s a hard job, but someone has to do it.
 Now, where is my dessert? I forgot. The cruise is over.