Judy8888

I booked my first cruise of the year as a solo traveler to boring ol' Progreso and Cozumel where I've gone before with no plans to get off the ship. It's just a 25 minute ride to the port of Galveston, so no airfare is required. My plan was to work out and lose weight while on board. I'm a rebel and wanted to go against the grain and debunk the theory that you ALWAYS gain weight on a cruise. HOWEVER, my plans have changed because I'm no longer going solo. My cousin is joining me and it's her first cruise, so I am looking forward to showing her the ropes and watching her face light up with happiness. She REALLY needs a vacation at this time in her life. When I added her to the booking I took advantage of a price drop and ended up with a nice upgrade from a 1A to a 4F with no additional fare paid. We leave in less than 2 weeks. Later in the year I hope to get to the Bahamas and Key West.

I suppose automatic gratuities take care of the staff behind the scenes who wouldn't necessarily have direct contact with passengers. They would probably be routinely forgotten otherwise. I still think it's nice to tip extra cash directly to those individuals who "make my day," and I will continue to do so.

Thanks for the warm welcomes! I'm looking forward to my next cruise, which will be my first solo cruise.