|
My husband and I were married on a bitterly cold day in January (-6°F or -21°C) some 35 years ago. One of our secrets to a long married life has been to take several days each year at our anniversary time to regroup and reconnect as a couple, away from the pressures of jobs, home, and children; and go somewhere a lot warmer. Thanks to the World Wide Web, those trips have become more spontaneous and more affordable. There are truly travel bargains to be had off the Internet; one just has to have patience, be willing to do the research, and be willing to make online decisions when a really good bargain is found, because you may be trying to snatch it up at the same moment as hundreds of thousands of other would-be travelers from around the world.
Such was the case last week, when I booked our trip for our coming anniversary. I had signed up for any number of free travel e-mails that are available. An e-mail last week from www.icruise.com told of incredible last-minute cruises available at ridiculously low prices. We ended up booking a deluxe stateroom with a king-size bed and ocean view for $330 per person. The stateroom normally sells for $1500 per person. That's a savings of 78% over the regular advertised price. The price covers transportation, stateroom, meals, and entertainment-truly a bargain.
The itinerary and ship are both new to us, and I'll be writing more about this upcoming trip at a later date. Since we got a similar, although not quite as large, savings last year by being willing to book within 3 or 4 weeks of sailing, I'll tell you about that 'last minute' cruise to the Caribbean. Why are such deep discounts available? If within a month of sailing, there are still empty cabins on a ship, they'd rather sell them at deep discounts rather than sail with them empty. And you, the bargain-hungry traveler, can bank the difference, making traveling more affordable, and thus more enjoyable.
As a person with diabetes, I try to make sure that my prescriptions are filled and my testing supplies are adequate at all times. It then takes me only a few minutes to assemble the necessary medical supplies and some carb snacks, which I then throw into a carry-on bag. Never carry your medical supplies in a suitcase. During flying segments of your trip, your suitcase could be lost. If you're traveling on a cruise ship, your luggage is loaded from or unloaded at the dock in a huge collection, and you won't see it for several hours, until it's delivered to your stateroom, or given back to you for customs inspection.
Before you book your reservations:
- Always check with your physician before planning a trip, particularly if embarking to a destination out of the country.
- Carry a MedicAlert emergency medical identification or some other form of identification that indicates that your have diabetes and any of its complications. Also, make sure you're carrying a copy of your medical prescriptions with a diagnosis just in case a local authority questions your carrying medications, insulin syringes, etc., as they are often on the lookout for illegal drugs.
- Check with your health insurance company to make sure you are covered outside of the United States, and if you are in a PPO plan, to find out what number to call for out-of-network help. You can also purchase a special medical policy from Travel Guard that also covers trip cancellation in case your illness causes you to cancel your trip at the last minute. For more information, call their 24-hour number 1-800-826-1300 or visit their website at www.travel-guard.com. Be sure to note their requirements for the preexisting conditions waver.
- Carry at least twice the amount of insulin, medicine, and supplies as you think you'll need. Be sure to provide for proper storage of your insulin and disposal of your used syringes.
- Discuss with your health care team what changes to make in your medication schedule and be prepared to test your blood more frequently as your activity level will be greatly increased. Take into consideration any time-zone changes when flying to and from the embarkation point. Flying east, you lose time; flying west, you gain time.
- Make sure you're wearing proper walking shoes; wear a hat to help prevent sunstroke. Also tuck a pair of dry socks into your carryall or backpack as it is most important that you always have dry feet. Don't forget to pack sun block.
- If you take insulin, start the trip with a new bottle. It's not necessary to keep it refrigerated. Insulin can be stored during the trip at room temperature-just don't leave it exposed to high heat for an extended period of time. Remember if you're flying to meet your cruise ship, while on the airplane do not inject air into the insulin vial. Since the cabin air is pressurized, introducing air into the bottle will make accurate measuring of the insulin more difficult.
- Discuss with your tour director any special dietary needs before embarking on the trip. Most cruise lines these days offer one or more healthy choices on every menu. Stick to your meal plan and avoid the midnight buffet. Take a brisk stroll around the deck instead and you'll sleep better, ready to have another day of fun and adventure when you wake up in the morning.
Last year's cruise bargain came directly from the cruise line, the Royal Caribbean. As members of their Crown & Anchor Society for people who have cruised on their ships before, we were sent a last-minute offer that was roughly half the price of the advertised price. The offer came on the day I shipped the manuscript for our forth-coming cookbook to our publisher, and a cold Artic wind was dipping deep into Texas. With promises of turquoise water, sun-drenched beaches, and favorite ports of call, it didn't take much to convince my newly retired husband that we needed a break. Three weeks later, after unpacking our summer clothes and a last minute checkup with my doctor, we were on a plane, bound for San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the port of embarkation.
Royal Caribbean agents met our plane and we were bused through downtown San Juan to the ship. A couple of hours later, we were meeting new friends at the Crown & Anchor Society bon voyage party. We always choose late seating when cruising as my meal plan has always been figured for dining around 7:30. On a ship, this meant waiting until 8 pm.
During the cruise, I dined on such exquisite dishes as Grilled Duck Breast on a Bed of Wild Greens with a Grilled Pear; Bouillabaisse Provençal; Grilled Sea Bass with Capers, Diced Lemon and Herbs; Grilled Butterflied Baby Chicken with Braised Radicchio and Grilled Eggplant; and Broiled Lobster Tail with a Orange and Pepper Sauce. Fresh fruit was always available for dessert which kept me from being tempted by their array of rich desserts. Breakfast offered fresh tropical fruits, bagels, low-fat yogurt, Grilled Turkey Sausage, and when I wanted-fabulous omelets or frittatas made with egg substitute. At lunch I could chose from any number of broth-based soups and salads with the chef's fat-free dressing of the day.
On-board activities included brisk walks around the deck, classes in water aerobics, dance lessons, and the use of the ship health club where one could use a stationary bike, treadmill, or free weights. Plus, with all of the walking on shore, I came back with my blood sugars still in tight control and I'd actually lost a couple of pounds.
First stop was Oranjestad, Aruba. The Dutch-styled shops of Oranjestad carry everything from European fashions to duty-free fine china, jewelry, linens, and crystal so shopping here is world-class. Powder-white beaches and incredibly clear, azure waters surround tiny Aruba-the island is only 20 miles long and 6 miles wide. Some of our shipmates went windsurfing, but my days of hiking out over deep waters to keep a small sailboat afloat are long gone. I prefer cruising on something larger, although I did enjoy the sport from a beachside chair before reboarding the ship.
Our next port of call was Willemstad, Curaçao, and our second visit to this beautiful island whose colonial Dutch architecture creates a scene similar to that of Amsterdam. Painted in shades of red, blue, yellow, and various pastels, the structures are quite striking from the harbor. Although we could have opted for a snorkeling trip to some of the best reefs in the Caribbean, we walked across the expansive bridge to the waterfront shops.
Curaçao is not a free port and although there is low duty on cameras, electronic equipment, perfume, jewelry, china, and crystal, there are better buys on other islands. What I did find here was wonderful native art. A beautiful hand-carved and painted replica of the waterfront scene still hangs on my kitchen wall, bringing back fond memories of a wonderful day in the sun on the largest island in the Netherlands Antilles.
By the next day we were on the Dutch side of St. Maarten. Since we wanted to visit Marigot, we took the island drive tour offered by the ship. Departing from the Dutch capital, Phillipsburg, where we'd docked, we drove through town past the Great Salt Pond at the border between the Dutch and French sides of the island. From there, we drove through the district of Orleans, once the capital of the French side, before continuing to Orient Bay for a spectacular view of Orient Beach, Pinel Island, and St. Barts. A stop in Marigot for 30 minutes gave us very little time to browse the chic shops and take in the French atmosphere. Best buys are European fashions, fine jewelry, crystal, china, and perfumes. Galleries sell one-of-a-kind works by acclaimed local artists.
We looked for and couldn't find the fish vendor that we'd photographed while on a long weekend stay in Marigot several years before. I'd never seen so many types and colors of fish for sale, very different from the varieties we get here in the States.
When we got back to the ship the crab races being conducted on the beach by native boys caught our eye. Cash bets were being placed to see which crab could crawl out of the sand pit first. With everyone cheering his or her crab on, it was a ruckus sport event unlike any other.
Our last port of call was St. Thomas. The ship docked at Charlotte Amalie and after a skyline drive, following the crest of the Island's mountain backbone, we saw Bluebeard's Castle (now a fine hotel) from which sentries in St. Thomas' colorful past aimed the Castle's cannons to blast marauding pirates in the harbor far below. From there we went to Under-Sea Observatory and Coral World. This fascinating Marine Park offers views of living sea creatures at home on the coral reef.
After returning to town, we were allowed a couple of hours to shop before returning to the ship. Just popping into the nearest shop, one is quickly reminded why St. Thomas is called the "duty-free shopping capital of the world." Here there are bargains on everything from fine linens to jewelry, imported china, and crystal. At my favorite St. Thomas jewelry store, I looked to see if they still had the gorgeous ring I almost bought on my last trip here. Alas, nothing like it. Will I ever learn to either just go ahead with an impulse buy or forever forget it? It's upsetting to go back to a shop with the vow to finally purchase an item after years of dreaming about it, only to find the item's no longer available.
All too soon, the cruise was over and we were awaiting clearance of customs back in San Juan. Time to say goodbye to the friends we made, with promises to exchange Christmas cards and to try to meet again on another cruise. Once back at the airport, we had a two-hour wait before our long flight home. Back in Texas, the air seemed even colder, but happy memories can go a long way to keep you warm.
Cruise with diabetes? You bet! It's one of the best ways to travel and see the world, make some new friends, and restore the soul. And should you need medical attention, the ships these days are like floating hospitals-with competent English-speaking doctors who are also hooked by computers to some of the best medical minds and resources in the country. Bon Voyage.
|
