Cruisin, Boozin, & the Art of Aging

Getting older doesn't have to suck.

Mar 01, 2023

Hello & welcome back to another edition of Words For Wildflowers! First off, I sincerely apologize for missing last week’s newsletter! At first, I gave myself a hard time about it but then I remembered A. I was on vacation, B. this newsletter is free, and C. it’s totally acceptable to be unplugged from everything in the middle of the Atlantic.

Oh yes, I had grand ambitions of writing on the beach and catching up on my book with a frosty drink in hand, but once I was there, I got swept away in all the majesticness.

Our First Cruise 🚢

I booked this Regal Princess cruise last fall and have been counting down the days to sandy shores, ocean breezes, and some 1:1 time with my boyfriend. This was the first cruise experience for both of us. We’d fly to Fort Lauderdale, FL, to embark on our week-long cruise that was scheduled to make three stops along the Eastern Caribbean. It was going to be a tropical, 80-degree paradise compared to the chilly temps & snowy February days here in Ohio.

It was also our first vacation and in total we’d spend 9 whole days together. That’s the longest I’ve spent alone with someone I’m dating since I was married.

Needless to say, I had some concerns. For starters, there would be very little privacy in the 222 square feet we were about to call home, and I hadn’t done certain, uh, “bathroom things” around him yet. A bigger concern was around not getting enough sleep: I’m prone to insomnia and also a light sleeper so if he snores, it keeps me awake. Also, what if I wanted to do something on the ship that he didn’t want to do, or what if I simply needed some alone time?

The last boyfriend I went on vacation with didn’t like the idea of splitting up if one of us wanted to do something the other didn’t, which led to lots of fighting. We also didn’t have the best communication and if you can’t get along with your partner on holiday, you’ve got some hardships in store.

Not wanting to repeat the past, I chatted with my BF about all of this, and though I probably scared him a bit, at least my concerns were out there. 😅

5 Stars For The Love Boat ⭐️

After months of anticipation, the day finally arrived. We flew Spirit airlines (another first for me) which actually ended up being just fine, as it was only a 3-hour flight and we packed everything in carry-ons to avoid any hassles with checking bags. We took an Uber to a Publix to get our wine to carry on board (you can bring a bottle of wine or champagne per person) and then to our port, which was only a few miles from the airport.

Princess mails you these cute little medallions ahead of the trip that you can wear around your neck, arm, or clip to your bag, which are used for literally everything! It’s your room key, credit card, customs checkpoint, etc.

Our room was more beautiful and comfortable than I imagined. The bathroom was tiny but we had a double wardrobe for our clothes and shoes, a queen-sized bed, a desk and chair, a mini fridge, and best of all - a balcony!! We almost didn’t bid to upgrade our interior cabin, but I’m so thankful we did because we had breakfast & coffee on the balcony almost every day. We caught quite a few sunsets, too.

The food was truly top-notch and there were more restaurants on the ship than we could hit up. There were a few main dining rooms, a couple of buffets, a couple of grills by the pools on the deck, a sushi bar, a steakhouse, an Italian restaurant, a pizzeria, a bakery and cafe, and at least half a dozen bars. Everything was all-inclusive (which means we both gained 10lbs) and it felt pretty indulgent getting a 3-course meal every night.

I also enjoyed the entertainment more than I thought I would! After a day of relaxing on the deck or exploring the islands, we would shower and go out to dinner around 7, then catch a show. One night we saw comedian Phil Tag, another night we caught a magician, and my favorite night might have been the Whitney Houston cover show. It’s impressive that it’s all included and only a short walk from your room! There were also a ton of boutique stores throughout the ship as well as an art gallery, a casino, a library, and a cigar room - something for everyone!

Fun Fact: Regal Princess caters to a 55+ crowd and we were some of the youngest on the ship, with the exception of a handful of kids with their parents.

But I didn’t mind, we were looking for a chill vacation, not the party scene. Though to my surprise, seniors party harder than I thought - more on this later.

Stop 1 - Princess Cays, Bahamas

We were expected to arrive at our first stop - a private island owned by the carnival corporation - by 9am on Monday, but apparently, it was too windy to stop and we had to skip it.😥

It was a bummer and a sad start to vacay, but we knew there was plenty to do on the ship so we grabbed our towels and headed up to the Lido deck.

Stop 2 - St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands

This was my favorite! The island was beautiful and I loved looking at all the different ships that were docked. We got off Princess around 9am to catch our snorkeling excursion that lasted a few hours, then took a taxi to Megen’s Bay which is one of the top 10 beaches in the world. After a $30 scary taxi ride up the narrow mountain, we arrived at the semi-secluded beach, and let me tell ya, it lived up to the hype: a gorgeous beach with aqua water and incredibly soft sand awaited us.

The catamaran tour was so much fun and it took us to a couple of different places to snorkel, one of which was an abandoned shipwreck! We saw Nemo and Dory and several other types of fish in the crystal-clear water swimming between beautiful pink and orange coral and pieces of the sunken ship on the ocean floor.

The water was a little chilly, but once I got the hang of it, the views were enough to distract me! And of course, they served us rum punch and snacks on the way back🍹

Stop 3 - St. Kitts & Nevis

St. Kitts and Nevis are two separate islands that makeup one country, with St. Kitts being the main island. It appeared to have nicer homes than St. Thomas, and felt safer, too. I would have loved to explore the beaches there, but we had a jeep excursion to catch! We paired up with another couple and got to take turns driving the 4-wheeler around the island and through the jungle. It was wild and bumpy but such a cool way to see the entire island.

Afterward, we grabbed lunch at the “Good Vibes” Bar, where this random dude put monkeys on me and tried to get $20 from me for doing so, which I wasn’t too sure about… 😂😬

Cruise Lessons

On day 1, I’ll admit I felt a little out of place being one of the youngest in line to board the ship. Lots of people were using walkers, canes, and even wheelchairs. It reminded me of my grandmother (who passed away last fall) and I wish I had taken her on a cruise while she was alive - she would have loved it.

The AM activities were mostly geared towards a senior citizen lifestyle - daily Backgammon, knitting, and Bingo - but there were also plenty of evening events that many of them attended, to my surprise. From spending late nights at the slot machines to the 11pm neon dance party on the top deck and all the ballroom-style dancing in the main lobby - these old folks could party.

Although I was out of my usual territory, it felt like a blessing being around so many older people who were full of good spirits. What I loved most was how in love they appeared to be with one another. So many couples walked around the ship holding hands and kissing, slow-dancing everywhere there was live music playing.

I’ve never been around so many older people that were not only living life to the fullest but sharing it with someone they were so clearly in love and happy with.

That’s the magic. And I found myself wanting that magic, one day.

And what about the concerns I had around being in close quarters with my newish boyfriend?

I won’t say everything worked out (because he still snored a few nights) but since he values my opinions and feelings, it means we can have open and honest discussions which lead to a better understanding of what we want and need from one another. And since he agrees that arguing is pointless, we never quarreled. We were totally in sync.

It feels a bit unnatural to click with someone so well after all of the headaches and constant work some of my previous relationships were. But instead of spiraling down that path of suspicion any further, I’m going to take this as a good omen; a sign that perhaps I’m finally with the right person.

Perhaps.

A New Perspective on Aging

After witnessing so many people in their 60s, 70s, and 80s having as much fun as me, I can honestly say that its changed my perspective on aging.

It’s not that I thought life stopped at 60, but it certainly seemed to be…duller.

And maybe that’s because I don’t have many examples of 60+ people in my life who are thriving in those ways…yet.

But as my girlfriends enter their 40s and my boyfriend enters his 50s, I can say with confidence that I am more comfortable and hopeful about joining them than I was pre-cruise. I know they are just as alive, if not more alive, than I am. And some of them (like me) have reinvented themselves, living their best life the older they get.

I’ve heard people say age is just a mindset or “you’re only as old as you feel,” but I know I can’t do certain things I used to the older I get (like being in the front row rock concert for 4 hours, pulling all-nighters, or having 3 martinis with dinner and then bacon and eggs for breakfast the next morning) without suffering any consequences.

And I’m doing my best to embrace that.

Our bodies, health, and minds change over time. We might not feel the same way at 50 that we felt at 25, but we can do our best to craft the type of lifestyle we want to have.

The hourly commute to the rigid 9-5, for example, has been going out of style for years, thanks to COVID. If you want to travel and work remotely or just have more time back in your day to LIVE your life, you can make it happen. You may not be cut out to be a digital nomad or an entrepreneur - but there are more options available to you now than ever before to help you reach your dreams.

So live out your passions while you’re young, party like a rockstar when you retire, and find someone who's going to dance with you 20 years from now.