I’m in the gym getting ready for my next cruise

By John Toth

The Bulletin

You know that I could not go much longer without stepping on a cruise ship and letting myself be taken to the world of “don’t bother me, I don’t care.”

Sharon, The Bulletin’s cruising editor, and I decided to take another Western Caribbean plunge and assign ourselves to report on how warm is the water there in March.

To do a really good job, I will also have to report on how warm it feels under the water, so I’m taking my snorkeling equipment.

I always find interesting stories on these cruises and will relay them in The Bulletin after our return. We have been publishing The Bulletin for so long that it would feel strange not to report back on  how things turned out. There are a few columns in the works.

A lot of our readers are cruisers. It’s a great way to get away, especially since Galveston, the home port of several cruise lines, is so conveniently located next door to Brazoria County.

I’m actually training for the cruise - something that I have not done before - because Sharon and I make “the no-elevator challenge” before each cruise.

It excludes boarding and disembarkation days, since we have carry-on suitcases with us and don’t feel like dragging them up and down the stairs. But all other times, we stick to the stairs.

Since our last cruise, I have been a faithful user of the Stairmaster in the gym. I am now up to 30 floors at speed 4 without stopping. Then I do about two miles on the treadmill at just below running speed. I am now ready for the cruise ship “Stairs Olympics”.

This time our cabin will be on Deck 11, about an even distance vertically from the pool deck and the buffet, which will be above us, and the lower decks, where the dining rooms are. I have never been in better shape for a cruise. Bring on the stairs. I’ll eat them for lunch.

Talking about eating, that’s another reason why we make  the no-elevator challenge. We tend to overindulge during breakfast, lunch, dinner and in-between. It’s hard not to, with all the great food offered, just waiting to be eaten.

A few people complain about the dining room food and all the other places to eat that are included in the price of the cruise. I don’t. The specialty restaurants are probably extra special. I have never tried them. Their menu prices are special as well.

I’m a cruise ship’s worst nightmare. Not only do I stay away from specialty restaurants, but I don’t gamble, don’t buy the drink packages and often do my own excursions. I do buy a photo and frame to commemorate the cruise, if I like the photo. But our on-board credit that the travel agent gives us for booking with them covers that.

I watch a lot of cruise videos on YouTube, and one of my favorites is “Emma Cruises.” Emma knows how to have a great cruise on a budget. She always books inside cabins and barely spends any money onboard.

We book a balcony cabin, but for the most part, I fashion our cruises to Emma’s. She has been cruising a lot longer than me, and she’s one of the top cruise vloggers on YouTube.

So, Emma, if you read this (you probably won’t), I hope you’re proud, because you have saved us a lot of money, and we still have had incredible experiences cruising.

Another way you can learn about our cruises - and the ships we’ve sailed on and destinations we’ve visited - is by watching our You Tube vlog, “Wandering with John and Sharon.”

Cruise lines realize that they have you trapped once the ship leaves the port, and they know how to make money on you while at sea. In one of my upcoming columns, I will outline how frugal cruisers can have a lot of fun and make wonderful memories while watching their spending.

But for now, dear reader, I must end here because I have some packing to do. I also have to find my snorkeling equipment. It’s in one of the closets. The question is, which one?

Share your cruising with our readers. Email me at john.bulletin@gmail.com.