The Tale of 2 Cruises

[Supercrew]

Hi all!

I wanted to tell a little story about the changes I have made over the last couple of years and the difference it has made in my life in general.

About 2 years ago I went on my first cruise. Me and my family took a short 3 day cruise to Mexico. I promised my wife I would not get drunk and ruin it. I wasn't looking to spend a whole lot of money so we decided on the 3 day trip for 4 people and the cost was around $1000.

Well as soon as we got on board they gave me the "free" drink of the day, I figured I would have one...it was free. The only problem was I really wanted to drink, and although this drink had about 5 shots of booze in it it only made me more thirsty.

Long story short, I drank from 3PM to 4AM, when they closed the casino, on day one. I missed the first port in bed with a raging hangover, but I did get up for an hour to find 3 bloody marys before they would even serve alcohol the next day. (I must have looked like a raging looney alcoholic SOB hunting down my Vodka!! Come to find out I fell down the night before trying to find my cabin and chipped a tooth. Then to my dismay I got the bill for my night of drinking and gambling and I found out I spent more in that one evening, ($200 on drinking and $1500 in gambling losses) than the whole trip cost.

My wife wanted to divorce me, my older son had to hunt me down in the casino and saw me at my drunkest, and I ruined the trip for my youngest son by not going on the port of call and spending time with him. It was one of many low points in my life. I came off the cruise stressed out, depressed and I really hated myself at the time.

Fast forward to last week. I took my family on a 7 day caribbean cruise, and I didn't drink. I didn't even want to. I relaxed and meditated and read for 7 days, I went to every island and spent time with my boys snorkeling and jet skiing and paddle boarding. I drank pleanty of water and tea and worked out every morning. I didn't gain weight, and I won $2000 in the casino one evening. I came away from the trip with a completely different state of mind. My wife and family agreed that it was the best trip we ever took, and I came back relaxed, refreshed and rejuvenated. It was what a vacation with the family should be.

Two years ago I would have never believed that I would have been able to enjoy a vacation, let alone have the best vacation ever not drinking. But I proved the old me and my old alcoholic brain wrong.

If I can find happiness in sobriety anyone can.

[K9Lover]

The Tale of 2 Cruises

That's so awesome Supercrew...I'm glad you had fun on Cruise #2.

Reminds me of a cruise I took when my daughter was 7, we went alone. We did all the touristy stuff during the day, but at night I would drop her off at daycare, then head to the casino and get plastered, then stumble back to the daycare to pick her up. I spent each day pretending I didn't have a hangover. She swam a lot while I laid on the deck chairs. We missed breakfast every day because I couldn't get up. We did make it to a port and rode horses, but I know I felt like crap there. She had fun and hopefully has no bad memories. I did actually win enough at the casino to pay for the whole cruise...drunk as I was. All that said, I'd love to enjoy a sober cruise! Oh, and she's at an age where I'd never be able to pull that off again...and I wouldn't want to.

[JackieClaire]

The Tale of 2 Cruises

Thank you so much for sharing your two stories.

Amazing the change.

J x
:l

[limers]

The Tale of 2 Cruises

wow,what a lovely story to read, Im so happy you got yourself together Super x

[Struggles 106]

The Tale of 2 Cruises

Great story Super

I can relate. I took my husband and daughter to Punta Cana and ruined the week for them acting like an idiot back in 2004. He left me in 2005. I still say I don't know how he could stand me all that time. He was a good person just trying to be a decent family and I ruined everything.

Drunks are miserable and so are their families. It's really a bad situation.

Though I am focused on myself and my recovery the guy I mentioned is a previous post is a person I like and worry about. Though I was drinking, I could see the shape he is in, with nibbling on pain killers all day every day and drinking beer like it's water. Seems to me to be a trmendous OD risk. He has a pretty big position and I wondered what was going on there.

No more ruined vacations for me. Thank you super for that great story. I know your family had to be so happy!

[mylife]

The Tale of 2 Cruises

Thanks so much for your post Supercrew. I'm going on a cruise in May and I've been trying to psych myself up not to drink. The last cruise I went on I did drink and although I didn't do anything overt - I was miserable most days and nights because of it.

I really have thought about my upcoming vacation and how I want it to be the best one yet - because I'm sober for the whole thing. You've confirmed my feelilng of how great it could be. Thank you!

[FlyAway]

The Tale of 2 Cruises

Great story Supercrew! I've been on several cruises and was drunk on every one. I can't imagine what a sober cruise would be like.

[MtnMomma]

The Tale of 2 Cruises

Wow, Supercrew! That's awesome! And that you were able to turn down all the rum punch at the end of each excursion . I love the Caribbean but the locals can drink!

[Unwasted]

The Tale of 2 Cruises

SC, I've never been sober on any vacation I've taken and in fact have had some of my drunkest times while traveling. Thanks for giving me hope that not only does it not have to be a negative to be sober on vacation.........quite the opposite.....it might be the best of my life since I'll be able to function and enjoy it to its fullest. Great and inspiring story.

[Supercrew]

The Tale of 2 Cruises

Thanks everyone!!

The thing that I noticed the most was I really relaxed. I used to think I was relaxed while drinking or that drinking helped me to relax, but the reality was getting drunk was always my main goal. So in the past most of my time was spent thinking and working to get drunk, trying to hide my drunkeness then trying to recover so I could do it again. It was never really about relaxing and enjoying my company or my surroundings, it was always about drinking. I always used to come off of a vacation and need a vacation to recover from it. This time I finally felt like I went on a vacation and felt good when I returned not stressed out and depressed.

[DesertLady]

The Tale of 2 Cruises

Wow, SC, thanks for sharing this. It's been a long time since I've been on a holiday and been sober. Same as you, I also really thought that I "deserved" the downtime and the excuse to drink even more than usually. I'd like to think that future holidays could also be so different. I'd really like to be more there for my kids too. Glad to know that it is possible....

[Kaslo]

The Tale of 2 Cruises

This is really inspirational! Maybe there is hope for me yet. I have been sober for 14 months (tomorrow), and I too have never had a sober vacation. At least not as an adult and im OLD now, lol.

BTW K9 if you read this, you may have another crack at vacations with your daughter, when shes an adult. My girls are 22 and 27 now, and we have had some wonderful times together (bonus: they pay some of thier own way now...).

kaslo

[Chillgirl]

The Tale of 2 Cruises

LOVE IT! Thanks Supercrew, wonderful inspiring story and great example of what we can achieve.

[startingover]

The Tale of 2 Cruises

What an amazing story Supercrew. Thanks for sharing it

[BoozeFreeFox]

The Tale of 2 Cruises

Apr?s ski

I took my first EVER booze free ski trip to Steamboat, Colorado this past Febrary, with my family.
Previously, my brain was strongly conditioned: mountains+skiing+alcohol (mandatory)=fun

Many think this way when it comes to ski vacations.

WOWZER. This trip was entirely alcohol free, and without comparison, the best family ski trip we've ever taken. Almost magical.


This is a great post and I know exactly how you feel. Alcohol blows. It really does.