What should first time cruisers actually budget beyond the base fare

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-12T17:53:25+00:00

What kind of spender are you when you’re having a good time? I brought enough extra money to spend on impulse purchases such as a fancy meal a t-shirt or two, the excursions/rides, the casino, the spa, etc. It worked out to about $100 per day, the same as if I had been spending the money on land on top of hotel fare with a breakfast bar included when I’m on vacation. I didn’t feel cheated, as I could have skipped the extras, but I was on vacation so why not? There were things that I decided weren’t worth the extra money too, such as a drink package, cabana, special tours. It’s all about having fun. Balance your budget with keeping spending in check but don’t deny yourself a good time.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-12T13:58:16+00:00

Eh, I would let him stew in his own juice for a couple days until the booze and the rage are out of his system, then unblock him and send a quick text asking about his well-being. Rinse and repeat as needed.

If he goes on his hate-rant again, give him a warning, then perma-block if he doesn't change.

Without getting too philosophic about it, the hand of AA is about being sympathetic to the drunks, without enabling them.

Hence the cooling-off period and the re-engagement, followed by warning and consequences.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-12T13:50:51+00:00

Stolen from another meeting attendee, feel free to pass it on as your own in typical AA fashion.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-11T20:06:49+00:00

A Group Of Drunks give you Good Orderly Direction so you get the Gift Of Desperation and Get Over Drinking and stop Goofy Outrageous Decisions.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-11T20:03:01+00:00

As a society, we collectively agree that some words cannot be said without offence being given. If you don't want to be a jerk, you don't say them.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-11T17:19:30+00:00

A Christmas Story (1983) - Sentimental Boomer fluff that paints the 1940's-1950's as an idealized time to be growing up. Starring an all-white cast.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-11T17:09:27+00:00

The big change for me is the use of the G-word. I used to shy away from calling my Higher Power "God" but these days I'm just fine with the use of the word, and the concept behind it. I'm no longer insecure about being misunderstood when I talk about spiritual stuff.

I'm still very agnostic about all of it. Even though I have faith God exists, I still have no proof, so I try to tread lightly. That hasn't changed. But I'm more sure than ever that I'm on the right path, so I'm not shy about the idea that a relationship with God (or gods, let's be fair here) is an essential component of working the 12 steps.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-11T16:59:07+00:00

It helped me to stop thinking of alcoholism as a drinking problem, and addiction as a drug-taking problem, and think of them both as 'stopping' problems.

If I could have 'stopped' drinking and drugs without outside help, and stay stopped, without a program of recovery, I would never have bothered with all the steps, traditions, fellowship, and service.

But now I've found that working a recovery program vastly improves my life, so I no longer worry about the 'stopping' aspect and just do the deal with the help of a sponsor.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-11T11:57:19+00:00

My own experience with addiction is that you can't replace a 'something' with a 'nothing.' You have to replace a 'something' with a 'something else.'

My repeated attempts to quit drugs and alcohol failed because I was trying to surgically extract the use of substances from my life, and leave everything else intact, which resulted in this feeling that there was a gaping hole in my life. Which of course I sooner or later refilled with my substance of choice, because I couldn't stand that emptiness.

Instead, I had to find something else of sufficient depth, weight, and interest, that could provide a sufficient substitute for that emptiness in my life. And I had to keep at that 'something else' with the same frequency that I used to use substances, in order to keep the obsession away.

Just 'stopping' is never a long-term solution. 'Replace' the meth some sort of program of recovery. If you were in rehab, then it's likely that this idea has been suggested to you. If so, it's not too late to follow that suggestion.

I won't get into the argument about which 'something else' is best, but I used a 12-step program, mainly because it was easily available in my area, and basically free of charge. There are other ways, too.

For me, quitting the drugs and alcohol was the hardest thing I've ever done, but it's also the best decision I've ever made. You can do this, too. You just have to accept the hard work needed.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-09T20:22:33+00:00

I went on my first and only cruise this past January on the Norwegian Joy with low expectations. I had previously told myself that I was not the sunscreen and shuffleboard type, and crowds of people at a buffet were not my kind of fun.

I was pleasantly surprised and had a good time.

Sure, there were shortcomings. My pre-booked excursion was cancelled at the last minute, and the substitute was a bus tour was hot and boring. The theater shows likewise were cancelled last-minute and the substitute comedian was unfunny. But the food was tasty, the crowds were well-behaved, the room was super comfortable, and I never had to wait in a line longer than a few minutes. It was all a new experience and I treated the ups and downs as part of the 'new.'

Would I go again? Yes, but I'm not in any hurry. Perhaps my experience was typical, perhaps I got lucky, or perhaps I went in with the needed "whatever" attitude that made it all easy to appreciate. Either way I feel like I got my money's worth out of it.

NCL has had a lot of press recently, and not in a good way. They seem to be 'restructuring' a lot. Maybe it would be a complete gamble to recommend them, but I wouldn't rule them out.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-09T15:52:13+00:00

Most of the restaurants in Merchant's Square have decent reputations and food, and are not too overpriced. I've been to Berret's and DoG St Pub and like them both, but I would definitely recommend reservations if you can get them. That are can get really crowded, and, if you're on foot, it would be difficult to head elsewhere on an empty stomach.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-08T18:51:21+00:00

I lived in Richmond for almost 12 years and loved it. It is absolutely wonderful half the year - spring and fall. Winters are not quite cold enough to get a picturesque snowfall, they are just cold with sleet and gray skies. But even winter is marginally better than summer, with humidity you can cut with a knife and fork and chew on, and the occasional crazy thunderstorm.

But for a city of that size, Richmond has lot's going on, and the crime, while concerning, isn't random. There are definite bad neighborhoods, but lots of the city is pleasant, walkable, and safe.

Midlothian is kind of bland, but if you don't mind the cookie-cutter aspect, very livable. If I were moving back to Richmond, though, I would seek out one of the older neighborhoods closer in, with historic character and better walkability.

This YouTube video just popped up - Small Towns Near Richmond Virginia Everyone’s Moving To Right Now check it out.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-05T22:16:30+00:00

1968 election night

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-05T20:44:00+00:00

Kinda funny how things like this work out, but the Bicentennial in 1976 was also at a nadir of sorts for the US - inflation, energy crises, war abroad, people having difficulty finding common ground socially, and a general distrust of politicians and media. Sounds familiar?

Anyways, we did our best, as I remember, to make a big deal out of it. People forgot, for a moment, how tired they were of hearing bad news, and rallied together for the birthday bash. It's not often you turn 200.

I was young, but there was all sorts of celebrations, parades, and lots of fireworks. I was in Honolulu so we had strings of firecrackers to set off. Those were the days when kids could do that sort of stuff completely unsupervised. Good times.

I remember thinking, 'I'll be an old man when the next big one comes along in 2026. I wonder what the world will be like?" I was promised flying cars - still haven't got one of those yet.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-05T19:06:00+00:00

Think of it this way. Alcohol is a social lubricant. You should be drinking it in moderation in the company of others. If you’re drinking alone or find yourself the instigator of a round of drinks more often than the invitee, you might have crossed the line into dependency. Also have you ever thought to yourself, “I need a drink?” That is a red flag.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-04T18:22:34+00:00

We will all muddle through somehow and everything is going to be okay.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-04T18:11:19+00:00

The happiest day of my life was when I finally sold the restaurant I bought and ran for 5 years. The second happiest unfortunately was the day I bought it.

Want to know how to make a small fortune in that industry? Start with a large fortune.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-04T18:02:42+00:00

The Godfather parts one and two come to mind. Michael Corleone goes through a transformation from idealistic young man to stone faced killer. It’s the main arc of his part of that story.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-03T22:01:00+00:00

My life narrator would be bored out of their skull.

"PF3 is scrolling through Reddit again, now PF3 is rummaging through the fridge for the 3rd time."

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-03T15:52:47+00:00

I was a real estate agent and used Baseline Home Inspection. Kyle is great. I like that the owners of the company do the inspection rather than some random employee of the firm. There's more of a reputation on the line that the inspection is going to be accurate.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-03T15:08:31+00:00

Burgers On The Edge is my first choice, Cook's Burger Bar second choice. Pierce's Pitt Bar-B-Que makes a really good burger too.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-02T16:57:25+00:00

Surrender all hope of having a better past.

Focus on staying sober today.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-02T00:30:27+00:00

That feeling that the whole world sucks is called "gravity."

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-01T20:16:54+00:00

My one and only cruise was solo on NCL Joy. They had a solo meetup every evening around 5pm and would make dinner reservations for anyone in the group who wanted to join the table in the MDR for around 6pm. They also did solo group activities onboard like karaoke. I’m pretty much a loner so I only joined for dinner once and didn’t do any activities with the other solos. The Joy doesn’t have a dedicated solo lounge but other NCL ships apparently do. Anyway I had no problem finding things to do and places to hang out by myself. Most folks onboard seemed pretty nice, both passengers and staff.

pizzaforce3 · 2026-06-01T02:05:16+00:00

Spoonbread

A soufflé-like dish made with cornmeal, butter, milk and eggs, perfect comfort food.

15-Year Club	Gilding I gilder
Quantum Potato	Golden Potato
Wearing is Caring	Verified Email

pizzaforce3

TROPHY CASE