Why Don’t WE Go?
Shirlee and Christine aboard Coral Princess
September 18, 2012
by Christine Geisler
An Alaska cruise had always been a dream for my husband and me. We planned to make it a retirement gift to ourselves. Unfortunately my husband didn’t live to see retirement. He was killed in an accident at age 50.
I was devastated, and joined a grief support group to help me deal with the loss. There I met another widow, Shirlee, who became a close friend and confidant.
As we got to know each other we became surprised at the similarities between us. Our husbands both died suddenly within days of each other, our wedding anniversaries were a week apart, my husband’s name was Don and her husband’s name was Ron. This helped us through all the “firsts” that can be so difficult in the year following their deaths.
The year went by and Shirlee was getting ready to retire. When I couldn’t understand why the thought of upcoming retirement made her seem melancholy she confided that she and her husband had been planning to treat themselves to an Alaskan cruise upon retirement. (Another similarity!) ”Now” she said “I guess it will never happen.” I knew just how she felt. So many dreams shattered.
But then inspiration struck and I turned to her and said “Why don’t WE go?” Within a week we were at a travel agency researching our options. We decided to take a two week cruisetour over our wedding anniversaries that were six months away. What a blessing it was to have that to look forward to. We started a countdown. If one of us was having a bad day the other would remind her how many days until Alaska!
Finally the departure day came and we set sail on Coral Princess. It was everything we were hoping for and more. So much to do, so much to see. Strolling the decks, lounging by the pools. We enjoyed the shows, took part in the onboard activities, explored Alaska on shore excursions. The staff was so friendly and helpful.
On what would have been my 33rd anniversary I saw whales jumping and glaciers calving. The seas were so calm we could be close to shore and really get a feeling of the immensity of the glaciers. The captain commented that this was the closest he had ever been.
Then we went ashore and boarded the train and the wonderment continued. On what would have been Shirlee’s 41st wedding anniversary we were gazing upon the snow-capped peak of Mt. McKinley. The view was breathtaking. Even the locals were commenting on how clear and blue the sky was around the mountains.
Our room had a view of Denali and that night it struck us how lucky we had been….the sea had been like glass….the weather had been perfect and now we were sitting in our room with a breathtaking view of mountains just outside our window.
We don’t think it was a coincidence….we think Don and Ron made sure we would have the vacation of our dreams. Now we’re enjoying retirement and planning our next cruise!
Christine lives in Brainerd, Minn. and Shirlee lives in Crosby, Minn. This retirement sailing was the first cruise for both.
Christine, we’re happy that you and Shirlee were able to take your Alaska cruise together and that it helped you with the loss of your husbands. Thank you for sharing your story!
What a wounderful story and so happy for u and Shirlee. It is my dream to take an
Alaskan cruise with my Boyfriend one day soon. Thank you for sharing your story.
I am so glad our first experience with cruising was with Princess. We both loved it!
Thanks for your story. I enjoyed it so much that I booked a cruise to Hawaii. We leave San Francisco on the 20th of this month.
Again, Thanks!
this is a wonderful idea! I’m sure there are many of us widowed people who would LOVE to go on a trip with other widowed people….it would make a great group event….could Princess organize something like this? it’s friendly company of like-experienced people that would be valued, (not a ‘singles/dating’ event!)
are there others reading this who would like to do this if it could be organized?
P. Vanc. BC
Yes, definitely. I think that is a terrific idea, Peggy. I have taken many cruises with Princess and would love to see them organize something like this.
Nancy, Keswick, Ont.
Yes Yes Yes. I would love to it. It is too expensive to travel by one’s self. I would gladly share a room. It would be a great chance to meet new people.
I’d; love to go. I am tired of trying to book friends, so I’ll have a cruise roommate. The economy is tough, and few feel they can spend the money. Princess to the rescue; begin and end in an American port, so I don’t get lost.
WE HAD A CRUISE OF A LIFE TIME . tHE WHOLE FAMMMMILY WAS ON THIS CRUISE AND ALL HAD A GREAT TIME i WAAS A FAMILY GUEST AAAND I WILL REMEMBER IT FOR EVER WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HAVING A FAMILY CRUISE IN 2014
I LOVE TO TRAVEL, BUT NEVER CRUISED YET!!!
HI PAM,
WHATEVER YOU DO, YOU MUST GO ON A CRUISE. MAKE SURE YOU TAKE A BALCONY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, GO ON PRINCESS. MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN ON 20 CRUISES, 15 OF THEM ON PRINCESS . THE SERVICE, FOOD, ENTERTAINMENT ROOM SERVICE (ALL INCLUDED) ARE TOPS. TRY IT, YOU’LL LIKE IT. THE BEST WAY TO TAKE A VACATION. GOOD LUCK—ON
Hi Pamela,
Cruising is addictive and once you take the first you’ll be hooked. My husband and I enjoy several cruises each year and it’s so much fun on Princess. The staff is great and they make you feel at home and a little spoiled.
Beautiful tribute!
My wife Sally and I just completed a 14 day trip to Alaska. Visited 2 days in Vancouver with our neice and hubby. What a beautiful city. Also went to Whistler Mt. The people were alive and
vibrant. Onto Alaska via the Princess. Can’t say enough for the grand treatment we received from the staff. Sights along the way were breathtaking to say the least. The stops in Alaska were great. I wore my Marine Corp hat and folks where thanking me for serving our country.
They were very patriotic. No one tried to sell you anything, just polite Americans. Princess has their act together when it came time to travel from one hotel stay to another. (1st class).
The sun shone bright every day, what a great time of year to visit. I have one suggestion to make to all those taking this trip. Try to take the land trip first and then spend the last of your trip aboard the Princess, its much more relaxing after all the riding,ect. We flew out of
fairbanks at 1AM and finally arrived back in Fla. at 5pm. with a 5 hr. change in time. Makes for a loooong day. (loved the trip)
Beutiful ,story. now I need to go on one soon.. Trying so,hard. Yu two,ladies are fortunate to have met one another
Congratulations on your journey and your courage. My husband died at age 47 as we were planning a cruise to Spain and Italy for our 25th anniversary. When he died I canceled all plans; in retrospect, I wish I had gone ahead perhaps a year or two later. BRAVO!
My Mom and I just got home from our trip on the Island Princess…It was wonderful ! I am so happy..and teary to read about your very touching travels together. I am sure your husbands were watching over you both…
Wow what a beautiful story with Shirlee and Chrirstine,
I been only on Princess cruses and they were all wonderful. I feel so happy you ladies found each other. You guys are such an insperation. xoxo
My husband and I took an Alaskan cruise in May, 2004 while he was undergoing chemotherapy. He died in December 2004. I recently took another Alaskan cruise with a recently-widowed friend. While it was bittersweet returning to destinations I’d seen with my husband, it brought back a lot of good memories. Good for you ladies in taking this trip and agree that your husbands made sure you had good experiences.
MAH
What a wonderful experience for you two! You are so lucky to get to take the retirement cruise in memory of your husbands. I am looking forward to next year when perhaps I can take the Alaska Cruise as my husband and I had planned for our 50th anniversary, but he passed seven weeks prior to our anniversary, so good for you ladies, we still have to go living!
These stories all prove that never put off what you want to do with the time a couple spend together cause you never know what the future holds, so as the saying goes,
“Eat dessert first!”
P.S. does Edward have a single man? My husband died in 2001. I found lots who want one night stands and free passage, but no real men. I wish I could find a someone to share a story like Shirlee and Christine. You go, gals!
I lost my husband in February, needless to say it is devasting. We’ve
been on Princess cruises and enjoyed them. I’ll go with you and hopefully
we can meet someone too.
Do it Sharon!!! Before the cruise I felt like I had to go on living……..after I felt like I started living again. That cruise was a turning point for me. I’m not saying I missed my husband any less…but I didn’t feel like an empty shell anymore.
It’s hard isn’t it. We have to keep going.
I am so glad you decided to fulfill your dream of Alaska. How wonderful. I agree, your husband were looking over you during the cruise.
Thank you all for your comments. Shirleee & I are talking about taking another Alaskan cruise. The first time we tried to do and see everything. ( We both needed to keep busy) The next time we want to keep our schedules more open. One thing I have learned….DON’T WAIT to do the things you want to do…..that day may never come.
Chris and I have never, not even for a minute, regretted the time and money spent on this trip. It was exactly what we needed at that time in our lives. We met wonderful folks on the ship and fell in love with our cabin boy who was so helpful everytime we got lost.
It was 100% a successful and enjoyable trip. We have enjoyed reading all your wonderful comments. Thanks.
I am a technical storekeeper crew at princess cruises for 13 years now and i am so happy to read your story. I feel and I am very much inspired to perform my duties although we are indirectly serving our dear guests like you on board princess cruises. May you have more cruises to come.
What a great story and you are so blessed to have each other now!
Such a bittersweet story! You are so right…. Don’t wait to do the things you want to do!. I just got back from an Alaskan Cruise with my husband, our son and his girlfriend and her parents. What a wonderful way to get to know our future daughter in law and her parents. You are so right…. Alaska is an amazing place and Princess is a fantastic cruise line!
You ladies are terrific, you are going on, just as your husbands would have wanted you to do. It’s so wonderful to have someone to share this wonderful trip with. Good friends are rare and it sounds like you’re both very fortunate to have each other.
Keep on “keepin’ on”
I have sailed twice with Princess,both Alaskan cruises. 1st time with my mother, June 2008, 2nd time with my husband, June 2010. Both cruises were beyond words, there just isn’t any way to explain to someone who hasn’t taken this cruise what it’s like. I tried to tell my husband when I got back from cruising with my mother with pictures and all. It didn’t come close to what he experienced when him & I went. He didn’t get it until he was actually on the ship headed for the 49th state. I was hooked on cruising the 1st time I went. Now that my husband has gone, guess what, we will be taking another Alaskan cruise again hopefully soon. So much to see and do, could never get it done in a dozen trips. A golden ticket right about now would be great!!
Hello all,
My family is leaving on Sunday the 23rd to make a momentous trip. Originally it was a memory trip for 4 generations – My husband’s parents, us, our kids (5 out of the 6 of them), their significant others and the 6 grandchildren.
Now it is going to be even better. The original 17 are all going, but we have now added my husband’s neice, her husband and their 5 kids, BUT, before we leave the dock our second oldest is getting married!! By doing it this way we are having an additional 12 people join us before the ship sails for the wedding and then they get off just before sailing.
It is going to be an even better memory trip now.
I agree, we have to make plans for the future, but we also have to do the important things now. My mother died when she was 53 and my dad when he was 65. They had saved for the future, but it never came.
I say “Carpe diem” seize the day, because you never know if tommorow will come. Also in a little while after you buy a “thing” the novelty wears off, but a memory lasts forever:-)
Congratulations on making your memories!
Claire
My husband and I and our best friends are going on a cruise around the British Isles next May. It will be a trip of a life time. It will be expensive but what are we saving our money for!! I say do what you want before you can not do it. What a lovely story that you had someone to share your trip with.
What a great story, Thank you for sharing.
I lost my beloved husband in May and cancelled a 40 day cruise we had planned for Oct. However I went ahead and on my own did a 14 day Alaska trip on the beautiful Sapphire Princess. I was lucky to meet a delightful couple who took me under their wing and I never sat alone for dinner or cocktail hour. For Trivia, two wonderful Canadian couples helped me out and we won quite a few and enjoyed our daily mind exercises. All in all, I would have preferred a companion, but alone was OK. I know my husband was with me in spirit. Now I am going to the Panama Canal in December and on a 49 day South America cruise in January, but will not be alone. My girl friend will join me for Panama and the last two legs of S. America. Some old and very special friends will be with me for the entire 49 days and I know, in my heart, so will my husband with whom I cruised over 300 days. Keep on cruising ladies. the world is a big place and our time on this planet is so short.
That is an inspiration to me that I can do it too. Thank you.
As the 4 year mark of my husband’s death approached I also remembered we had not been able to take that dreamed of vacation to Alaska. My married sister also said “why don’t we go!” and we just returned from a cruise/tour on the Diamond Princess. What a wonderful time we had and for us also Mt. McKinnley also showed her entire beautiful self! Dreams can still come true even if you are only one half of the original whole!
It was during the cruise that I started to realize that I wasn’t a “half” of a couple. I was a whole person.
You’re so right. That is wonderful. It gives me inspiration to do the same.
Good for you two gals: have lots more cruises and keep being friends on sea and shore.
Good for you two gals: have lots more cruises and keep being friends on sea and shore. The site is telling me this is a duplicate comment, but this evening is the first time I have seen your story(???)
OOPS!
I’m so happy you two went on this cruise.
The Alaska cruise on the Princess was the last cruise my husband and I took. It was our 37 anniversary. It was a fantastic cruise. The sad part was he lost his battle to cancer not long after we took it. You brought back some great memories. Thanks for that. I do plan on going again even if it is by myself. You keep cruising with Princess they are wonderful.
Wonderful story!! Having been on cruises to celebrate anniversaries with my husband, we are going to plan one for our 45th anniv. – - -this time to the Mediterranean!! I want to see Rome, the Amalfi coast, Venice,Paris France, & other European cities.NEXT yr., we will probably go to the Caribbean, possibly on a cruiise – - Princess, of course.People, you aren’t getting any younger, so travel while you are still able to.Enjoy life – - -one day at a time – - -You’ll be glad you did!!
great story – brought tears to my eyes. I am sure your guy angels were with you as you saw the whales and THE mountain. Rare to see Denali so I’m glad it worked out for you.
I used to cruise with my Mom and have such wonderful memories of those days gone by. Now I get to travel with her best friend, Aunt Pittypat we call her, and we got to sail out of the grandeur of St Petersburg, Russia on mom’s birthday – which was also the 2nd anniv. of her passing. They had booked that cruise before mom got her diagnosis of breast cancer and they had to cancel. But Aunt Pittypat and I went with her in spirit.
I hope you two ladies will see more of the world. Bon Voyage!
I am sure your Mom was smiling down on you from Heaven.
Having traveled with Princess Cruises, it is an event one shouldn’t put off. Glad you got to do this and enjoy it. My husband and I just returned from a cruise in the Fjords of Norway on the Ocean Princess. the small ship, it was great, we enjoyed every minute of the cruise. We did enjoy a new facet of the cruise. We went to the Chef’s Table for dinner. Do you want an meal that is beyond your taste buds?This is it. If you are ever on a Princess ship that offers this take part in it. It is 5 hours of pure heaven. Hope you get to cruise again.
Actually Shirlee had mentioned cruising the Fjords as something she would like to do!
The main reason my wife and I haven’t been on a cruise lately is because only one cruise line does the 7 day Hawaii cruise, and its our least favorite company. We have taken several cruises to Alaska, and the Caribbean, even Australia and New Zealand, but no other cruise line does the Hawaiian trip without adding 2 days at sea.
Our fiftieth anniversary is coming up and we are doing tha first segment of Princess 2013world cruise. We have cruised many times on Princess so we know it will be SPECIAL!!
So glad you both got to fulfill your dreams.
My husband and I just recently got back from our very first cruise ever, which was to Alaska with Princess Cruise Lines. We Loved every single minute. Princess made everything so easy from the moment we arrived at Vancouver Airport till the departure from Anchorage Airport. We will for sure cruise with Princess again. Thanks Princess.
I just did!
My earlier comments weren’t listed about my husband and I going to,Alaska for,our first time this past July at age 78…went with a tour group of 62 and had a great time. Going with Princess on their Coral Princess,ship and staying at,their Lodges made this a very wonderful trip….however, I recommend doing,it,at,a,younger age!
.
What a wonderful story of friendship, resilience and honoring the memories of your loved ones – Thank you so much for sharing it!
I know that it was the greatest thing that me and my boyfriend/husband ever did was to take a cruise on Princess. We had to save for many years to go but when we finnally boarded it was fantastic. The service and the accomadations were something that I never expected for I have not traveled much futher than the state of Oregon and he had traveled only as a child for work. We would like to take another cruise Alaska but this time do the 14 day to Denali. This is our dream. It is so great to be able to live vicariously through these wonderful stories that I read every week.
I thought I would of been back from Alaska in Sept., but my husband died in July. This would of been our tenth anniversary. On our first date (blind date) I told him I would marry him that day! He didn’t run, we got engaged 2 weeks later. We got married 9 months later. He was the love of my life. I still am going to go to Alaska, but I decided to wait a year. My daughter (my only child) died in 2009 my husband where now raising a 5 and 7 year old. Who unfortunatly saw there mom pass away of a heart attack. The kids where finally okay with us leaving them with there aunt so we could go on our dream vacation. Lightning does strike twice my husband had a massive heart attack at home with the kids at home and me giving him CPR. Another blow to these little ones! They still said “mom” you should still go, I just couldn’t and really didn’t know if I ever wanted too. Your story conveinced me to save up again and go for it. I know my husband would of wanted me to go ….so I will. And I will be getting a balcony so I can sit there and enjoy every minute of Alaska. And remember there are rainbows out there, some are just brighter than others. So THANK YOU!!! And maybe I’ll see some of you next year on our Princess Cruise.