I can appreciate your fear. I would consider myself deathly afraid of heights also. The height of the ship itself does not bother me. We get an inside cabin and I'm fine *most* of the time. The one thing that bothers me is walking up the stairs. The rise part of the stairway is generally open and I'm not able to look down in that direction when I'm asceding the stairs. I focus straight ahead and grip my hubby's hand tightly....then proceed slowly. It's not enough to prevent me from enjoying the trip. I would suggest you try it.

So many of these replies sound just like me - I can't look down at my feet on a open staircase, and can't even use it if it's open more than one floor! But I love cruising and can even look out at the ocean from the balcony. The gangway didn't bother me, but if you believe it might, try to check it out in advance from the ground if that's possible, if you live close to the port. You won't enter on the highest deck.
Only you know how deep your fear of heights is. Just for reference, I CAN look at the ground from an airplane window, but have to close my eyes or stare at the door in a glass elevator. Good luck whatever you decide!

This is a great thread---LOL I am afraid of heights and of murky water and my one criteria was that I could see land somewhere from the ship. We sailed the Caribbean on our first cruise on a high floor with an outside window and I could see islands in the distance--the water was so blue and clear that it placated me. My fear disappeared. It was lovely and we took several other cruises since then. However, I will NOT take a trans atlantic cruise on the QM2 or on any ship no matter how luxurious--I am terrified of a "Titanic like" scenario! I hate murky grey water and I get the creeps looking at the ship that sank last week in Santorini a well. I loved my Nile cruises in Egypt however, but we had a great suite and a cruiser with balconies off each room and one could see the land and the beautiful scenery of Upper Egypt from the cabin. That new Princess ship with 18 floors is too tall for me...

Everyone knows what they will tolerate. I have my quirks--but I still have enjoyed cruising within my own stated boundaries.

I never thought of being fearful on stairs... Gotta try it next time.

I have bad legs, stairs hurt me, so I avoid them whenever I can for physical reasons, not out of fear.

Now I must try to walk some stairs on a ship just to see how I'll react to this!

When I climbed the Great Wall, the irregular heights of the steps were a nuisance, but coming down I thought I might blow out my knees.
M

OMG, just got a screaming deal on the NCL POH for Thanksgiving week with lots of additional perks - a BD balcony; on board credit and 5 nights in Mazatlan for Christmas.
Buen Viaje.
M

Mike, I think it's a well known fact - with bad knees, going up is OK, going down is what hurts.

Happyretiree - I am similar - I can look out the window on an airplane, but have to close my eyes in a glass elevator - or just turn my back to the window.

I rode the gondola (summer) in Telluride up the hill, but had to drink a BIG glass of beer first. Unfortunately it wore off when it was time to go back down. I closed my eyes most of the way and nearly hyperventilated.

FA,
My knees (and I) are in great shape, but the Great Wall was a monumental challenge.
I was the only one to do the entire wall.
M

Austin, in gondolas I use this trick: close my eyes and repete "I am on a plane. I am on a plane". Works for me.

Mike: you "did" the wall? How old are you

FA,
Tengo sesenta y mas anos.
M

LOL Mike I put that phrase into Babel fish translator

"I have sixty and but anuses"

Well... should a lady comment on this?

Mike said he is 60+. Mas anos means "more years". No tilde.

Faina, I am truly laughing out loud.
That finally explains Mikemo!

Austin, have you made a decision yet?

Lo siento, I don't have a Querty and L's is nonfunctional, so I'm forced to ignore all the Spanish "requirements".
M

Joan, we decided to wait. I feel foolish...I wanted to go only late may or early june (avoid hurricane season) but I thought we needed passports and it was too late for that. So we made other plans.

Then I just found out 2 days ago that we don't need passports on a cruise until 2008. ARGHHHHH. So, we talked about going in Dec or Spring Break next year.

In Houston this weekend I saw a fabulous photo exhibit on the Great Wall of China by photographer Chen Changfen. That anyone with bad knees could walk the entire wall, at an estimated length between 1,500 and 4,000 miles, is quite an impressive fete...

http://tinyurl.com/2n4lqx


Faina,