Courtesy of Kelly Dwyer
I thought all the fun we had would cost a lot, but I was wrong. Turns out a cruise can be quite affordable — as long as one is savvy.
We split double rooms with balconies and the trip cost about $793 per person, including taxes, fees, and port expenses.
I didn’t feel any need (or even desire) to pay extra to eat at a specialty restaurant because all of the meals in the main dining room were so good.
We saved money on photo packages by using a tripod, asking other people on the ship to snap our pictures, and taking selfies. We didn’t pay extra to book excursions and instead had fun exploring our two ports in small groups.
In Catalina, we walked along the promenade like we were teens again. In Ensenada, we went shopping, buying affordable souvenirs that will always remind us of our time together.
We’re already planning our next cruise
Of course, the best part of the trip was our time together, which made it so meaningful. Our friendship, which was already special, strengthened, deepened, and grew.
I’m happy to say that we’re already planning our next cruise five years from now.
We’ll be 65, and I imagine we’ll still be best friends, rocking our swimsuits, schmoozing with the captain, dancing at ’80s Night, and once again, having the time of our lives.