New Year's Resolutions for Cruise Lovers

For many of us, making (and breaking) New Year's resolutions are an annual event. There is something about "starting fresh" that causes us all to reflect on the year to come and hope that we can either continue something we enjoyed in the current year or change something we didn't. Making resolutions is fun, but can be sobering when you look back later in the year to find how few of them have been kept. Cruise lovers are just like everyone else--we can make (and break) resolutions with the best of them!

Here are my resolutions for 2006. These are not in any particular order--they are all important. Most of them just roll over from year to year . . .

• Spend as much time as I can cruising. Being an accountant by trade, I tend to be somewhat conservative. I'd like to spend as much of my vacation time as possible on the water. Where will I cruise? That's half the fun--planning where to go next!

• Lose some of the pounds I found this year. I'll admit it. I have no will power when it comes to eating. Whenever they serve food on a cruise, I tend to be one of the first in line to absorb myself in the eating experience. However, middle-age and uncontrolled eating are not compatible. Spending too much time on cruise ships the last five years (along with bad habits the rest of the time) has added about 35 unwanted pounds. With the help of some of my friends, I am going to get back to a better weight.

• Exercise more. This may be a common resolution, but I've found in the past that it really helps with resolution #2! After all, it's difficult to eat if you are walking or working out.

• Spend more time with my family. The global war on terrorism has changed us all and made most of us question our priorities. I'm lucky enough to have a good husband and most of my immediate family nearby.

I wonder how I will do this year with my resolutions? We can check back in December 2006 and see. Good luck to each of you and happy cruising in 2006.