To Booze or Not to Booze, that is the question?

My parents didn't drink.

Dad joined Alcoholics Annonymous before my earliest memories, and Mom never drank, partly because she really didn't care for the taste but primarily to support her husband's far more difficult decision to abstain. He attributed all success he achieved, including his family, to walking away from "honky tonking."

When I grew up, we never had alcohol around, and the only person I remember drinking in my neighborhood was Joe Abel, father of my good friends Jamie and Mark. I spent time around Joe primarily because I went over to their house to swim regularly.

I'm sure other parents drank, but I wasn't aware of it.

I lived, as my Air Force buddy Larry Jaramillo used to say, a very sheltered life.

I can remember pretending with my friend Glen Rocha that we'd won the World Series, saying we would celebrate with sodas instead of champagne.



I didn't drink in high school, except twice.

My friend Pete Canfield shared a flask of whiskey.  I found that first taste so disgusting that I wasn't tempted to try it again for years.

And when I was 15, I had a cup of Coors beer with my friend Pat Welch at a staff party for the horseback riding stable where he worked part time to board his horse.

When his Mom picked us up, she immediately looked at red faced Pat, who had drank one or two more than me, and asked, "Have you been drinking?"

Considering Pat smelled like a brewery, it was one of those rhetorical question parents ask to see if their child will fess up.



Thinking of himself more like a cowboy who'd just a few beers to celebrate concluding a long cattle drive than as a kid who had sneaked a few beers away from the college-aged kids at the party, Pat laughed and said, "Of course."

"And what about you, Wesley? You're not saying much."

I was embarrassed, unsure what to say, so Pat jumped in. "He's stoned out of his mind!"

We all busted out laughing.

Anyway, to make an already overly long story short --- or at least shorter --- I definitely understand that you don't need to drink much or in fact any alcohol to have a great time, especially if you're already in a fun environment like a cruise or other vacation.

So, if you choose not to booze, I totally understand that position.

It might allow you to take advantage of a lower price promotion or choose an alternative amenity like free excursions, on board credit or pre-paid gratuities in lieu of a beverage package.

However, I welcome knowing what's important to you so that when I search for the best value, I can leave drink packages out of the equation in finding you the perfect cruise or land trip for you personally.

If you do enjoy tipping back a few on a cruise, you might be interested in learning more about beverage packages here.

Cheers!