I did once years ago. Digital clocks had just come into fashion and every morning the week before we were to leave, I woke up and looked at the clock. It was 7:47. I began to wonder if this was some kind of premonition. Asked DH what kind of plane we were flying. If he had said a 747, I'm not sure I would have wanted to go. Instead, it was a DC 10. Felt very safe because it was a few months before the DC 10 dropped an engine LOL. The first night we were in Palm Springs and there was an earthquake at 5:47 (5.7) centered in Palm Springs. Quite scary. Had it been 4:47 I would have said ahaâ¦.the three hour time difference. Nevertheless, I just wanted to go home. We stayed the week. I was so pleased when we did go home and landed safely.

I think everything is going to be fine. You're just not use to being on the ocean for 17 days. Relax and enjoy this once in a lifetime trip. Can't wait to hear everything about it!

Yes, I have and nothing bad happened. I think we all get these feelings as we get older. Young people don't even think about things like this. Go and have a GREAT time!
Eileen

Yes, I have had "that feeling" twice while on trips with my young family. One time, we were going to camp over night at a remote camp site in Oregon, when suddently, both my wife and I did not feel right about the site. My concern was safety. We fled back to a populated place and as we waited in line to enter a camp ground, my Buick wagon boiled over with a stuck thermostat. Had we stayed in the woods, we would have been stranded with no help in sight.

I've gotten "that" feeling once, and I should have followed my gut on that one. My husband's family had a big family reunion planned one long holiday weekend. Our attending meant that we would have to board one of our cats, because Chewie was diabetic and needed insulin shots twice a day. We arranged to board him at a local animal hospital (which was connected to the vet's office). I told my husband that I just had a feeling that I shouldn't go -- that I needed to stay home to take care of Chewie. Everyone insisted the cat would be fine -- after all, he'd be in an animal hospital....

Two days into the four-day vacation, the vet's office called me. They wanted my permission to transfer Chewie to another animal hospital that had someone on duty 24 hours a day. (It was a total shock and surprise to me that this animal hospital didn't have anyone on duty between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.!!!!)

Chewie was in a coma. That vet never would admit to what happened, but it was easy to figure out. The tech who administered the evening shot of insulin didn't chart it, so another tech came along and gave what amounted to a second shot, which was, in reality, an overdose of insulin.

When the tech came in the following morning (the day we got the call), she thought Chewie was dead because she couldn't detect a heartbeat. She finally got the heartbeat, and tested his blood sugar. It didn't register AT ALL. (This cat, on insulin, was considered to be managed when his blood sugar was around 500.)

The tech called the vet, who instructed her to put some Karo Syrup in his mouth. She did, but Chewie still didn't revive, so she was told to give him an insulin injection. When the cat started to "come to" after the injection, he swallowed the syrup in his mouth which shot his blood sugar level way too high. He started to convulse, and then went into a coma.

So, they wanted to transfer Chewie to a 24-hour facility.

I said NO, that we were on our way home and would take Chewie to the UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Hospital. We made what should have been a four-hour trip in a little over two hours, got Chewie, and took him to UC Davis. Every doctor on staff agreed that he'd been overdosed with insulin, and that when he started to convulse he should have been (but wasn't) given Mannitol to reduce swelling of his brain.

Chewie was in ICU for two weeks, and seemed to be getting better. We went to visit him every day. During one visit, we were told that he was about two to three days from being discharged. That night, he died.

I have never forgiven myself for not having followed my gut with "that" feeling.

I know that you are a seasoned traveler, Glenda. So, if you have a strong feeling that you shouldn't go, maybe you shouldn't. I know you are past the point where you could get a refund, but could you get a credit towards a future cruise?

I'm one of those that follow my gut feeling as much as possible
Good luck Glenda and enjoy your trip.

Okay. I thought about this overnight and my thought is thisâ¦â¦Everything will probably be fine, but if you have this "feeling" and never experienced this hesitation before, you might be so worried you won't enjoy yourself anyway. Perhaps you should just chalk the money up to piece of mind and stay home. Oprah says, "always go with your gut feeling".

Glenda, don't think or read about other people's horror stories when they say they had a bad omen about a trip. That will only add fuel to the fire.

You'll probably have this feeling until you set foot on the ship, when all those feelings will evaporate because you'll be so caught up in the fun going on. You'll have a great trip, the trip of a lifetime, and thoroughly enjoy it, I know. Don't even think about canceling. Think how sorry you'll be for the rest of your life, if you don't go.

Have a wonderful time.!

Yes...and...thankfully, I've always honored them.

Anne

I tend to have that feeling somewhat often before a trip. I will think "what if I don't come back?" and then start worrying about how I will never get married or have kids or get to experience the rest of life. Or what if the house burns down and we won't have any idea until the neighbors notice? What if our pet sitter doesn't show up and our cats starve to death? Stuff like that. I've always been a worrier.

In my case, it's always been psychological as nothing has happened, and for me it's just the fear of what *might* happen.

I'm kind of torn - I don't think it's good to ignore your intuition, but I also think that in the stressful world of today, it's easy to misinterpret things as "warnings" when really it's just worries about a multitude of other things. I don't think I would skip the vacation - life needs to be lived, and bad things can happen even in the safety of your own home.

But then again my beliefs center around our lives being somewhat mapped out before we start them. Major events will happen regardless of where you are or what you're doing if there's a lesson to be learned or when time is up! It helps me cope with the ups and downs of life.

I'm also a seasoned traveler.....never had a gut feeling about travel. I look forward to the unknown and the adventure, if I end up .....you know....it was a trip of a lifetime!

The lost plane in the news......the mud slide on the west coast, fires, lots of bad things going on in the world right now. But NOT related to your trip.

I'd go. Just be more cautious than usual. Leave your "good" jewerly at home...wink...

Glenda, your anxiety is probably because you have experienced motion sickness before and it's worrying your subconscious. My sis in law just returned from a 21 day cruise to the Panama Canal and all the stops included. She was a basket case before she left and almost cancelled. She was traveling alone. Anyway, she went, met some wonderful people and had the time of her life. Go for it, you're going to be fine. Don't dwell on the feeling, talk to your mind and tell it all will be well which it will. Call one of your girlfriend's that are going with you and see how they feel. Anxiety is a normal after response to excitablilty. You've probably been so excited and now comes the let down as it nears. That happens to me when planning a large party, taking a trip, etc. I'm on cloud nine and a few days before go in to a funk like I don't care and wish I never planned it. Of course they all go well and it's just our emotions playing.

Yep.

FINAL exam is today for a class I've been in for three months

My cousin's youngest son who has tetralogy of fallot had surgery and ended up on bypass last night (went well, so that one is over). Baby's on heart bypass really make me anxious! They're at Stanford (California) with all of us back here in TN and AL. Wish they were closer. They flew there from AL

next Friday I have to have a fatty tumor removed and I will be on pins in needles about pain and the results of the biopsy (those suckers usually are length, like in terms of days and week, not hours)

They all seem justified to me? But one thing at a time and I'll make it through.

If you cancel your trip and nothing goes wrong either on the trip or at home you will kick yourself for the rest of your life. Go. Have a great time. Don't worry.

Glenda, have you discussed this with the two friends who are going with you on this trip? If not, I think you should. They would probably be very disappointed if you decided not to go.

I tend to go with common sense and logic; don't think I really have gut feelings. As Nicole mentioned, I expect hearing about the current lost plane has weighed on your mind, but think of all the other planes that were in the air that day. They were safe. The law of averages (if there really is such a thing) says something to the effect that our likelihood of being killed in an automobile accident is higher than any other cause. That doesn't stop us from hopping into our car almost everyday.

Your money has been spent now, you will never get it back. If you don't go, you will miss one of the greatest adventures of a lifetime. I would not tell you to GO or NOT TO GO. That is for you to decide. If it were me, I would go. I would not stay at home being miserable, knowing what I was missing.

Do talk to your two friend/ship mates.

Sue

Sometimes I have feelings of apprehension about something or another. I think sometimes we build things up in our mind, and then we think that it possibly can't be as good as we think, all that money wasted, etc. etc. Just go and try not to think about it. Get a good book to read while you're on board.

I'm sorry to see some people encouraging you not to go, Glenda. I'm a natural worrier and often have "those" feelings before a big undertaking, especially trips. Nothing untoward has ever happened. I too think it's just your subconscious working out unknowns that have been worrying you a bit. This trip is different than the others and you have had that darn shoulder problem for awhile now. When we feel a little more vulnerable, we worry. I too hope you will go and think you'll have a marvelous time.

is it on another of those 3000 of your best friends cruise? how about going to the dr's and getting some meds for that crud they seem to get? better be safe and have meds, and a check-up, too! recheck the weather, and add or subtract clothes (parka or light sweater) mom used throw in a jar of peanut butter, for dinners she didn't care for...then enjoy! of course hand sanitzer, ect...do ships serve bottled water? I'd settle for that than the usual drinks...

What's bothering you...exactly? Is it the length of the trip? (Longest 'voyage' for you?) Is it crossing the Atlantic? (People don't die of nausea, and I *seriously doubt* you'll be seasick anyway.) Are you afraid you'll be missing something at home? I think you're traveling with old friends, but might you be concerned about 'too much togetherness'. Do you feel physically frail or unwell?

"Separation Anxiety" isn't unusual. My DH has this, but knows he has always been fine once we are out of the house and on our way to the airport.

Interesting and thanks to all your responses.

I did discuss it with the travel agent, who is traveling with us, and is the daughter of friend that invited me to go. That was two or so weeks ago. She's an encourager, and emails me, often, with cheery thoughts as the date approaches.

lol, 3000 best friends. I don't even know anywhere close to that number of people. Small group I travel with are from Ft Myers/Boston. I'm going with a water aerobics friend, from here, and 4 others, 6 total.

Was just curious to see if others have experienced the feelings I am having right now.

Have my daily checklist, so I'll get out and going this afternoon and whittle down my list.

Glenda, do you think some of this feeling is coming from the recent happenings in the news? I know for a portion of your trip you are traveling alone and that can certainly make one anxious as well, plus this is the longest cruise to date. I think you also mentioned that your most recent cruise was not all that great. Maybe some of these things are adding to your feeling?

Remember, you are a seasoned traveler and have met some wonderful people and seen some fabulous places. I know you will have an amazing time once you get there. With that said, if you keep having this feeling, then you need to do what is right for you.

I get that feeling often enough to recognize when I really need to heed the voice or to chalk it up to normal apprehension.

Glenda, do you realize that you've mentioned that cancellation deadline several times from the time you booked your trip until now. I think that it has played a subconscious part in your apprehension. Does that make sense, do you think?

I'd fight through those feelings and get ready to have a great time. I'd get more ginger, though! Lol

Don't sweat it, girl ...

... worriers tend to die young (or have well-chewed fingernails).

ole joyful

Glenda,
Please go and have a wonderful time. I do not think you should cancel because you will most likely regret it, especially when your friends return and tell you what a great time they had.

lol glenda..I've always wanted to take a cruise but the mega ships seem to be such a turn off... like going to a theme park on easter vacation...

enjoy!

I've been on a mega ship and it is anything but a turn off! They are absolutely fabulous! FABULOUS!!!!!! Did I mention FABULOUS!!!!!

You are probably thinking about that missing plane and that's why you are having a gut feeling.

I'm sure your feelings are just because this is a different trip than you've taken before. Nothing to worry about at all - just a hint to think carefully about all your needs while you are away. You've planned and prepared for possible seasickness, and I'm sure you're planning for everything else, too.

I get that anxious feeling right before every trip. Right now I have it for DH's upcoming trip in late July.

He will be a passenger on a container ship leaving from Houston. It will travel up the US east coast, making 5 to 7 stops - the itinerary isn't completely fixed just yet. But then it will go to the Bahamas, and on to England. The trip is estimated at 28 days - 9 days of that to cross the Atlantic.

The container ship has 3 staterooms, and they are quite luxurious. There are 2 doubles, and 1 single, so a total of 5 passengers. They eat with the captain and crew.

This is his trip of a lifetime. He has some business to conduct in Yorkshire, and then he will fly home. So he'll be gone for a minimum of 6 weeks, and I will be here caring for the animals.

My anxiety is more based on making sure he has everything he needs - especially all the prescription medications! He's kind of absent-minded, and when you're on a ship for a month, well, you'd better have planned well!

I have had "feelings" about trips but went anyway.
However, I sometimes have dreams about certain things and I have not ignored them, except once. I did and the dream was very predictive.
I hope you go on your trip and truly enjoy it.
It sounds like an excellent vacation and I am looking forward to your updates and pictures!

I don't like to feel rushed before going on a trip. Probably not how you're feeling, though. I do feel a lot of apprehension when I feel like a trip is not going to be enjoyable, mostly do to not having enough sense of control over my own schedule or safety to make choices that are very important to me. I guess, I could say that I don't like feeling backed into a corner or severely limited on options in unfamiliar places. I'm not terribly adventurous, even if I would like to think I am.

I hope you have a lovely trip and bring back many happy memories to share!