Have you ever been on a cruise
It is your Father. Money is not an issue as long as it is time that really matters.
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I know that. He keeps telling me I shouldn't go to such lengths for him (but he's still pretty excited) but I'm still embarrassed that I'm 26 and still can't afford the best for my Dad just once, even when I had 6 months to plan. I suppose it's the fact that I could have done at least a little better and didn't, and I feel like I'm receiving undue praise from my father for just cashing in my income tax as a substitute for proper budgeting. It's true what they say, we are our own worst critics.
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Money comes and goes, it is an infinite resource.
Family is finite and should be appreciated as such.
Enjoy each others company, it does not cost anything.
That is just my two cents on it all.
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It is also true what they say, that memories are worth more than money. The way you treat your parents will be reflected in the way your children will treat you. My mom was the only one in her family to take care of her dying mother. What that meant was that my mom was the only one who had nothing to regret once her mother passed away. The rest of her family will have to live with their decision(s) for the rest of their lives.
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I've been on two cruises myself (euro & carribean) with Carnival and they both been memorable trips. Excursions will be your larger expense so try to pick those that you really want to go on. If your ship has a casino, I would recommend you avoid it if you have a tight budget. I'm not sure which cruise line you are traveling with but Carnival has promotions that if you pay up front x amount you either get bottomless fountain drinks or x amount of alcoholic drinks per day (either wise it's water or lemonade for free drinks). You may have a formal dining night or two so bring a nice pair of pants and shirts if you do. Otherwise, there isn't much left to but having fun! ^.^ Money is like water, it comes and go. You only have one family and you are one of the lucky few to have a good relationship. Have fun :D.
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It's a Carnival cruise. I've been doing some research but haven't gotten around to the drink packages yet (he's a big Pepsi drinker but says he can tolerate Diet Coke since they only serve Coke products on board and I really would prefer water and lemonade). I see what you and AdamZombie are saying and we do appreciate each others' company. I just think that everyone deserves a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I want to make it the most engaging possible.
I really shouldn't worry too much since his old bones won't let him have too much excitement at once, anyway. If I can only book one excursion, i want it to be jetskis because he's always really loved them.
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Some expenditures in life are worth it. Not to say that you shouldn't take care with your budget, but if you watch every penny, you won't experience the best life has to offer. Hope you have a great time with your father. Work extra hard when you're back to build back up that nest egg.
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In case anyone's curious, it didn't go so great. We missed the port of departure and had to spend over $700 just catching up to it. Add 2 nights hotel stay, meals and other travel expenses and once we caught up we couldn't actually do most of the things we wanted. Dad's a determined man, though. We're going to plan a similar itinerary next year on the same ship with all the siblings. Personally I'd prefer to try a different ship but Dad's input is important to me and I really would like to try the Serenity Deck some more.
Lot of good new experiences substituted some of what we had planned for, though. We got to spend a night in St. Thomas and meet a few locals and they were very nice, as were the staff aboard the ship.
Screw the Sail & Sign nonsense, though.
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Honestly, a trip somewhere nice in Europe in a country like Italy, for example, could both result in less money spent if you get your plane tickets on time and a much more entertaining and engaging experience. I've been to most of Europe throughout my life, and I can easily tell you that Italy has to be one of my favourite holiday destinations. :D
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I decided to treat my old man to a vacation after he got his pacemaker installed last year and I realized that we may never have a chance to make father/son memories. Neither of us has ever taken a vacation before and I pestered him to find out what he really wanted to do the most. Originally he said Dollywood but he changed his mind the instant I mentioned my brother's Disney cruise. We're taking an 8 day Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral, Florida on the 25th of April.
Barring an incredibly detailed gripe, the price increased the day I was able to afford it (priced on Monday, short $78, paid on Friday) but I booked an Oceanview cabin for two for just over $1500. Now I just need to figure out how we're going to get to and from the port, how tight our on-board budget is going to have to be (I still have to pay a $200 gratuity but I've been given $75 credit through the travel agency) and what excursions we'll actually be able to afford. Needless to say, I'm a bit of a nervous wreck.
Anyway, thanks for reading. If anyone's curious of any details, maybe I can fill you in.
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