Hi Everyone,
I’ve been lurking now for well over a year and wasn’t going to post (make an introduction) until I had at least one LC under my belt…….but after reading your posts and coming on this site more and more whenever I’m home, this has become my favorite site and I feel as though I already know most of you. I thought that I might have a few questions to ask before I booked my first LC and thought it appropriate that I come out of lurking mode and make an introduction. I can have a tendency to be a little long winded but I’ll try to spare you all and cut to the chase as much as possible. I was over on CC before and posted a few times (mostly asking questions) and a very nice woman directed me to Brown & Keene and I then phoned and talked with Ngaire and she invited me to join in here……so join I did only in lurk mode until now. My name is Ralph and I’m a 60-year-old single man. I’m a semi-retired Marine Engineer and should be completely retired in about 2-3 years. I work on ships ( no laughing) I know it sounds like a busman’s holiday but believe me there is no comparison. It would be like comparing melons to cannon balls. I’ve only “cruised†on the QE11 way back in the 70’s on a trip to SA and a few years ago I went on a HAL cruise to the eastern Caribbean. Other than a couple of short cruises in Europe on some obscure European lines a long time ago, that is the extent of my “cruise†experience. However I still enjoy the serenity of being at sea and I think that luxury cruising is an elegant, relaxing, way to travel and make some wonderful friends.
I’m originally from Boston, have lived in New Hampshire for about 13 years and finally made the permanent move to Hobe Sound, Florida (New England winters had finally lost the little, if any, charm that they once might have had!) I’ll be a solo cruiser to start (I haven’t, as yet, been able to find a woman who wants to cruise as much as me in retirement) and once retired I’d love to do a world cruise or at least a long term one where I could really unwind. In the mean time I’ll probably get my feet wet, so to speak, (no pun………I HOPE!!!!) on a RSSC trip next year, hopefully to the Panama Canal …..Either Ft Laud to LA or vise-versa. In any event Ngaire will be hearing from me when it’s time to book. I do look forward to posting and asking what I’m sure will sound like very elementary questions. Just from what I’ve read over the past year from you nice people has been a wealth of information. Thank you all very much!……and I wish you all smooth sailing with good following seas and all the best in the New Year!
Ralph
