I was chatting the other day with someone about cruising, and how it was something that we typically did a few times a year. They asked why we enjoyed it so much, and I explained that it had nothing to do with routine. It's one of the few things we can do where we show up, turn our brains off, are forced into disconnection, and others essentially help you be parents by telling you when and where to eat, make the things your kid will actually eat, provide you with fruity drinks and make your bed. There really isn't another kind of vacation that can do all of that for you. To reduce parenting mostly to making sure he brushes his teeth, but still have him along, that's gold to me.
We were able to book the inaugural cruise of the Disney Wish, happening next summer. I'm not sure what kind of special things will occur, but it's a unique opportunity to be on the first (public) sailing.
The cruise industry is still grounded, in part because of the CDC, but also because our asshat governor is trying to block a vaccination mandate, which is the one thing that obviously makes cruises about as safe as they were before the pandemic. The industry wants this, as I imagine most passengers do. Every few weeks, each cruise line cancels more sailings because they simply can't sail. The lines are even considering sailing from non-Florida ports, which is certainly not convenient for any of them, but it sure beats idle, empty ships.
We still have a placeholder with Disney, for a cruise we cancelled at the start of the pandemic, and it's paid in full at a rate that's a little higher than what one might be this fall, if they can work it out. The big variable here is child vaccinations, which are not yet a thing for the under-12 set. If Pfizer's trial goes as planned, they're looking at September, and we'll be sure to get Simon in as fast as possible. On land, there's also the problem with adults not getting it done, but again, if the cruise lines can require it as they should, that's not a factor.
I'm looking forward to getting out there again. Sleeping with the gentle motion of the ocean, great food at every turn, people who serve drinks on the beach, and of course the chance to meet more people from all over the world.
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