When I arrived at MITRE in 1965, I held several security clearances, including Top Secret. To maintain them, I had to regularly update my information, which included overseas travels. I started a log of them, eventually including for my own interest more information than was necessary to transfer to the form. For which, as the years went by, a continuation page was necessary.
Of course, after I retired the original purpose was no longer necessary, but by then it had become a habit, and a reminder of our many past enjoyable experiences.
Because Betty Lou was a teacher, our travels for the first 34 years were of necessity during the summer and spring break – when much of the rest of the world was also abroad – except for our two years in Frankfurt, Germany.
Since we retired in 2000, we've had the opportunity to also travel in the spring and fall, when the tourists are fewer and the prices are lower, but the weather is still pleasant. We also have more time for leisurely cruising – often in the Caribbean during the winter – while other cruises often had a theme: Norwegian towns and fjords on the way to the land of the midnight sun, leaf-peeping in Canada and along the U.S. coast, explorations of Alaska and Antarctica, and a Panama Canal transit.
We're also able to take advantage of the lower prices of repositioning cruises across the Atlantic, when ships move from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean in the spring and vice versa in the fall. The price difference seems to be because most cruisers prefer shore excursions, while we enjoy the relaxation of just cruising. Since we usually spend time in Europe either before boarding or after disembarking, it also provides an antidote to jet lag.
By the way, our occasional cruises pale next to some we have met, who often had taken six a year! On one QM2 cruise, a woman who was completing her sixth world cruise had accumulated over 1,300 days aboard Cunard ships! At that time, that was even more than the woman who lived aboard!
Of course, things will be greatly different for some unforeseeable future, particularly because many cruisers tend to be in the high-risk group.
The format is fairly obvious, except for the occasional voyage and cabin number. Ignore the abbreviations at the beginning of more recent trips; they're a code that I include in the Miscellaneous field of Quicken entries to make it easy to categorize expenses for each trip. Some are obvious: MX for Mexico and WC for Western Caribbean, but others aren't: EU for the destination of a transatlantic cruise and AC for the Atlantic Coast Leaf-Peeping cruise.
24MX: Jan 27-Feb 10 (14): [UAL] Cancun: Mexico
23MX: Jan 21-Feb 4 (14): [UAL] Cancun: Mexico
20MX: Jan 18-Feb 1 (14): [UAL] Cancun, Tulum: Mexico
19WC: Jan 3-18: (15) Western Caribbean Cruise [UAL] Ft. Lauderdale (1), Silver Spirit (14), Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Santo Tomas di Castilla, Guatemala; Roatan, Honduras; Cartegena, Columbia (2); Port Antonio → Ocho Rios (winds), Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman (canceled, winds); Ft. Lauderdale
18PC: Jan 2-23: (21) Panama Canal Transit [AAL] Charleston (1), Crystal Serenity (20), Ft. Lauderdale, Key West; Cartegena, Columbia; Panama Canal east, Panama City, Panama Canal west: Panama; Caldera, Costa Rica (canceled, wind); Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas: Mexico; San Diego, Los Angeles (San Pedro)
17EU: Apr 14-May 15: (31) Eastbound Transatlantic Crossing [ACA] Bridgetown, Barbados (1), Seabourn Odyssey (14), Funchal, Portugal; Barcelona, Spain; Toulon, Monte Carlo, Cannes (3): France; [BAW] London (4), [train] Lyme Regis (2), Southampton: England; QM2 (7), [Tripper Bus]
17MX: Feb 4-18 (14) [UAL] Cancun, Mexico
15AN: Dec 16, 2015-Jan 17, 2016: (32) Antarctica [AAL] Santiago (4), Chile; Seabourn Quest (727, V6) (24), Valparaiso, Puerto Montt, Castro, Punta Arenas: Chile; Ushuaia, Argentina; Antarctica [6); South Georgia [3]; Montevideo, Uruguay; Buenos Aires, Argentina (4); New York City, Washington.
14AC: Oct 9-25: (16) Leaf-Peeping Cruise [UAL] Montreal (2), Canada; Seabourn Quest (802, V4) (14), Quebec, Cap-aux-Meules, Quebec; Sydney, Nova Scotia; Saint John, New Brunswick: Canada; Bar Harbor; Salem; Newport; Charleston, Ft. Lauderdale [JBU]
14MX: Jan 25-Feb 8 (14) [UAL] Cancun, Mexico
13CA: Apr 9-May 11 (32) Eastbound Transatlantic Crossing and Mediterranean Sampler [AWF] Ft. Lauderdale , Seabourn Sojourn (641, V5), Funchal, Madeira; Lisbon, Portimao, Portugal; Cadiz, Almeria: Spain; Gibraltar; Sardinia, Italy; La Goulette, Tunisia; Trapani, Amalfi, Civitavecchia: Italy; Corsica, France; Livorno, Italy; Monte Carlo, Monaco; Ile de Porquerolles, France; Palamos, Barcelona, Valencia, Cartegena, Spain: Lisbon, Portugal; canceled because of blood clot
12MX: Jan 22-Feb 6: (15) [UAL] Cancun, Mexico.
13TT: Dec 10-29 (19) Cold Weather Caribbean Getaway [JBU] Ft. Lauderdale, Seabourn Pride (113, A1) (18), Samana, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; PR; Prickly Pear Island, BVI; Marigot, St. Martin; St. Johns, Antigua; Le Marin, Martinique; Kralendijk, Bonaire; Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curacao; Mayreu, Grenadines (canceled, wind); Castries → Pigeon Island (storm damage), St. Lucia; Roseau, Dominica; Charlestown, Nevis; Phillipsburg, St. Maarten [UAL]
12MX: Jan 22-Feb 6: (15) [UAL] Cancun, Mexico
11SC: May 3- June 8: (36) Eastbound Transatlantic Crossing [AAL] Bridgetown, Barbados (1), Silver Cloud (15), Castries, St. Lucia; Roseau, Dominica; Gustavia, St. Barts; Santa Cruz de Tenerife; Arrecife, Lanzarote; Agadir, Casablanca: Morocco; Lisbon (3), Salema (3): Portugal; Marseille (2), St. Maxime (4), Cannes (7), Paris (1): France. [BOS]
11QM: Sept 7-27: (20): Westbound Transatlantic Crossing [BOS] Paris (12) France; Southampton (1) England; QM2 (7), [Tripper Bus]
10CA: Dec 9-20: (11): Cold Whether Caribbean Getaway [JBU] Ft. Lauderdale, Seabourn Sojourn (641, V5) (10), Isla Catarina, Dominican Republic; St. John, USVI; Gustavia, St. Barthelemy; Basseterre, St. Kitts; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Ft. Lauderdale [JBU]
10AL: Aug 2-16: (14): Alaska [UAL] Seattle (1), Royal Princess, Ketchikan, Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Seward, Kodiak, Skagway, Victoria, Canada; Seattle
09PR: Sept 9-Oct 11: (32) Northern Transatlantic Westbound Crossing [UAL] London (10), England, Copenhagen (4), Denmark; [EZY], Emerald Princess (18), Oslo, Norway; Edinburgh (S. Queensferry), Scotland; Dublin, Belfast; Ireland; Reykjavik, Iceland; Qaqortoq, Greenland; St. John's (canceled, high winds), Canada; Ft. Lauderdale [AWE]
09: Apr 3-30: (27) Eastbound Transatlantic Crossing Ft. Lauderdale (1), Seabourn Legend (202, A2), Funchal, Lisbon, Portugal; (13 ); Lisbon (4 ), Portugal (7 ) [Kemwel car], [BAW], London (3 ) [UAL]
09: Jan 26-Feb 7: (13): [UAL] Cancun, Ek Balan: Mexico. [JBU]
08: Apr 5-?: (7): Eastbound Transatlantic Crossing [AWE] Seabourn Legend (13), Ft. Lauderdale; Funchal, Madeira; Lisbon, Portugal; planned to extend time in Europe before return, but canceled because of ear infections
08: Feb 18-25: (7): [UAL] Pelican Resort, Sint Maarten; Marigot, Grand Case, St. Martin
08: Oct 25-Nov 8: (14): [UAL] Playa del Carmen (7), Cancun (7): Mexico
07: Oct 27-Nov 3 (7): [UAL] Playa del Carmen, Mexico
07: Sept 16-Oct 5 (19): Westbound Transatlantic Crossing [MXJ → VIR (flight canceled)] Silversea (Silver Wind, 418), London (4 ), England; Viga, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Funchal, Madeira; Las Palmas, Canary Islands; Puerto Grande, Cape Verde Islands; Bridgetown, Barbados (15) [AAL]
07: April 22-May 5 (13): [UAL] Cannes, France
07: February 11-18 (7): Cold Weather Caribbean Getaway [AAL] Norwegian Jewel, Miami; San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Johns, Antigua; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Grand Stirrup Cay, Bahamas; Miami
06: April 19 (19): [MXJ] London, England; [EZY] Amsterdam (5), Maastricht (3), Netherlands; Bruges (3), Brussels (4): Belgium; London (3), England [MXJ]
06: April 2 (7): Western Caribbean Cruise [AAL] Norwegian Jewel, Miami, Roatan, Honduras; George Town, Grand Cayman; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas; Miami
06: February 20 (11): Cold Weather Caribbean Getaway [Car] Norfolk (1), Maasdam, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Roseau, Dominica; Bridgetown, Barbados; Basse Terre, St. Kitts; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Norfolk
06: April 2-9 (7) (11): [AAL] Mystery Shopper Cruise Miami, Mystery Ship, Roatan, Honduras; George Town, Grand Cayman; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas; Miami
05: April 23 (7): [UAL] Cancun, Mexico
05: January 7 (10): Cold Weather Caribbean Getaway [Car] Norfolk 1), Maasdam, Half Moon Cay, Bahamas; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; St. Johns, Antigua; Phillipsburg, Sint Maarten; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Norfolk
04: August 5 (16): [IDE] IAD-JFK, [VRG] Brazil: Rio de Janeiro (5), [VRG] Manaus (1), Amazon Jungle Resort (2), [VRG] Salvador da Bahia (4), [VRG] Iguassu Falls, (3): Brazil [VRG] New York City [IDE] JFK-IAD.
04: May 13 (12): [AUA] Poland: Krakow (4), Wieliczka, Oswiecim, Czestochowa, Lancut, Lezajsk, Sienawa (1), Zamosc, Lublin (2), Kazimierz Dolny, Warsaw (4)
04: Feb 24 (10): Cold Weather Caribbean Getaway [NKS] Ft. Lauderdale (1); Volendam, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Road Town, Tortola; Cabrits, Dominica; Bridgetown, Barbados; Half Moon Cay, Bahamas; Ft. Lauderdale
03: November 15-22 (8): [USA] Cancun, Chichen Itza: Mexico
03: July 29-Aug 11 (13): Rideau Canal Houseboat Cruise [Car] Cortland (1), Ottawa, Canada (1), [Houseboat] Brandez (7), Ottawa (1), Chazy Lake (3)
03: June 1-11 (10): Westbound Transatlantic Crossing [UAL] IAD-LGA, QE2 (6), London (4), England; Concorde, New York City [BAW]
02: July 7-25 (18): Norwegian [UAL] London England; QE2 (12): Geiranger, Tromsø, Hammerfest, Skarsvag, Trondheim, Ålesund, Bergen: Norway; London (5), England
02: February 12-March 6 (22): [BAW] Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah: UAE
01: September 15-October 15 (30): [Amtrak] Boston (1), QE2 (6), London (7), England; [BAW] Barcelona (5), Logrono (2), [Air] Bilbao, Spain (7), Oporto (1), Lisbon (4) Portugal; London (1), England, Washington [BAW]
01: February 7-16 (9): [AAL] Veendam: San Juan, Puerto Rico (2); Basseterre, St. Kitts; Bridgetown, Barbados; Fort-de-France, Martinique; Phillipsburg, Sint Maarten; Marigot, St. Martin, St. Thomas, Puerto Rico
00: October 7-26 (19): [JKK] Madrid (4), Valle de los Caidos, El Escorial, Avila (1), Segovia (2), Salamanca (2), Toledo (2), Granada (2), Nerja (2), Sevilla (2), Madrid (1): Spain
00: April 24-May 11 (17): [UAL] St. Jean Cap Ferrat (3), Cannes (3), St. Remy (6), Aix-en-Provence (2), Vence (2), France
00: February 7-14 (7): [AJM] Breezes Montego Bay, Jamaica
99: March 26-April 5 (10): [DLH] Nice (4), Aix (4), St. Paul de Vence (1), France
98: July 16-30: (14) [UAL] Amsterdam, Netherlands
98: April 3-13 (10): [AFR] Nice (5), Cannes (5): France
97: August 7-20 (13): [TOW] Paris, France
97: Mar 20-30 (10): [BAW] Cannes (6), Nice (4), France.
96: July 6-21 (15): [DLH] Frankfurt, Germany; Salzburg, Bad Ischl, Vienna, Dürnstein, Podersforf am See, Vienna, Austria; Nürenberg, Frankfurt: Germany
96: March 29-April 7 (9): [BAW] Cannes, Ste. Agnes, Menton, St. Jean Cap Ferrat, Mandelieu La Napoule, St. Paul de Vence: France
95: July 22-August 13 (22): [TOW] Paris, Rennes, Fougeres, Dinan, Ploumanach, Le Faou, Questembert, Pont Aven, Fontevraud l'Abbey, Troncais, Julienas, Vonnas, Lyon, Paris: France
94: July 5-19 (14): [KLM] Amsterdam, Alkmar, Hoorn, Enkhuizen, Hague: Netherlands; [Car] Bruttig-Fankel, Frankfurt, Olpe Frankfurt: Germany
93: December 25-January 1, 1994 (7): [Charter] Gros Islet, Castries: St. Lucia
93: July 30-August 20 (21): Paris, Ste-Anne-la-Palud, Locronan, Quimper, Concarneau, Pont Aven, Moëlan-sur-Mer, Quimperle, Quiberon, Carnac, Nantes, Montguyon, Chalais, Routier, Barbezieux, Les Sablier, La Clotte, Figeac, St. Emilion Bordeaux, St. Aigulin, Mosnac, les Eyziers de Tayac, Gourdon, Domme, Sarlat, Varetz, Valencay, Barbizon, Fontainebleau, Ermenonville, Paris: France
92: December 25-January 1 (7): [Apple] Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
While living in Frankfurt:
89: July8/16-26 (10): Move to MITRE Site [DLH] Frankfurt, Germany.
87: August 14-30 (16): [TWA] Paris, France; Luxembourg, Vianden, Echternach: Luxembourg; Metz, Nancy, Luneville, Saverne, Strasbourg, Barr, Ammerschwir, Colmar, Andolsheim, Belfort, Dijon, Beaune, Saulieu, lacs de Morvan, Vezelay, Semur-en-Auxois, Sens, Ermenonville: France.
86: July 24-August 15 (22): [PAA] London (9), Portsmouth-Le Havre: England [Ferry], Rouen, Honfleur, Caen, Bayeux, Normandy Beaches, American Cemetery, Mont St. Michel, St. Malo, Chateaubriant, Amor, Angers, Saumur, Chinon, Ussé, Azay-le-Rideau, Villandry, Loches, Chenanceau, Amboise, Chaumont, Blois, Chambord, Chateaudun, Chartres, Fontainebleau, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Epernay, Chantilly, Giverny, Vernon, Ivry-la-Battaile, Paris: France (14)
85: December 21-January 1 (12) : [EA] Nassau, Bahamas.
84: August 16-26 (10) : [TOW] Paris: France
83: December 25-January 1 (7): Nassau, Bahamas.
82: Approx. 8207-8208 (21): [CapitalAir] Dingle Peninsula, Ring of Kerry, Waterville, Killarney, Gap of Dunloe. Kinsale, Cork, Cobh, Tipperary, Rock of Cashel, Kilkenny, Waterford, Powerscourt, Dublin, Carrick-On-Shannon, Sligo, Donegal, Westport, Croagh Patrick, Kylemore Abbey, Connemara, Galway, Burren, Cliffs of Moher: Ireland
81: December 25-January 1 (7): Nassau, Bahamas.
80 August (1/2): Tijuana, Mexico
79 July-August (21): London, Winchester, Salisbury, Lyme Regis, Bath, Stonehenge, Cirencester, Windermere; Scotland: Edinburgh; England: Whitby, Castle Howard, York, Blenheim, Oxford, London: England.
78 August (22): USSR Tour [AFL] Moscow, Leningrad, Tbilisi, Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Bukhara, Samarkand, Barnaul, Irkutsk, Moscow: Soviet Union
77: August 12-19 (7) Bermuda Cruise [Car] New York City, Statendam, Hamilton, Bermuda (3), New York City.
76: July-August (21): [Car] Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec: Canada.
73: August (1/2): Tijuana, Mexico.
68: July-August (21): [American Field Service Charter] Italy: Rome, San Gimignano, Pisa, Siena, Florence, Treviso, Venice, Riva del Garda: Italy; Innsbruck, Austria; Munich, Neuschwanstein, Heidelberg: Germany: Luxembourg City, Luxembourg; Mosel, Rhine, Frankfurt: Germany.
66: August 15-22 (7): [PAA] San Juan, Dorado Beach: Puerto Rico
57: July-August (60): Foreign Exchange Student [Airline Unknown] Montreal, Canada; [Arosa Kulm] Luxembourg City, Ettelbruck, Diekirch, Vianden, Mondorf-les-Bains, Esch-sur-Alzette: Luxembourg; also Netherlands, Belgium; return by Arosa Kulm; Quebec: Canada.