Podcast - Cruise Vacation.
Memorial Day is just days away, May 31, 2021. The beginning of summer vacations. Have you thought about what your summer vacation will look like this year?
Our Jersey neighbors had convinced us we needed a "real" vacation. Time for relaxation; live music, Broadway shows, wandering the ship, people watching, enjoying the majestic scenery, and pampering. Allow me to take you back to June 2013.
"Good evening, Patrick and Lori. Did you have a fabulous day?" says our head waiter AJ as Charles, the assistant waiter pours our drinks. "Tonight, the chef recommends the lobster tail. We begin with a fresh seafood salad, prawns, shrimp, and mussels. Of course, you're welcome to order anything you like from the menu.”
It was formal night, day two of our seven-day cruise of Alaska's Inside Passage on Rhapsody of the Seas. There was no need for the steward to seat us; our table for four was ready, and our traveling partners Bill and Linda were already seated. We felt like family on this ship. The service was unprecedented, the food exquisite. We were on our way to the first port of call - Juneau, Alaska.
With over 2,300 guests on board and 700 staff, you might be wondering how is all this organized? Your guide is the Cruise Compass, which we would soon discover in our stateroom.
Your escape from reality begins once you board the ship—a lunch Buffett in the Windjammer Café at 11:30 a.m. in Vancouver, Canada.
While boarding this floating city, you must take a moment to appreciate your fellow passengers. They're stumbling around, somewhat disoriented, looking up, left, right, swinging their heads back-n-forth; just imagine everyone wearing dark sunglasses and doing their best impersonation of Stevie Wonder. It's hilarious.
After lunch, they escort you to a large theater for a brief orientation.
"Forget unpacking," says cruise director Luke Aerowsmith (Luke), "We ensure our guests are well fed and watered. Go ahead, eat three steaks if you like." Yes, they provide you whenever you want, as much as you want. And it was all too obvious that the majority were not shy about eating their share.
We visited three ports of call: Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, Alaska. For cruise ship rookies, you soon realize that all 2,000+ guests evacuate when the ship docks, much like bees in search of precious nectar, swarming these small towns.
Huh, just how many souvenirs can one individual buy for family, friends, and stuff for their next garage sale?
We witnessed gross consumerism, folks with bags and bags of stuff - wow! However, vacation is not always about how much you can spend; remember it's your choice—vacation is about what you experience. And the possibilities are endless. Just look at the Cruise Compass.
The Cruise Compass is a colorful, easy-to-follow newsletter, delivered daily, with all the highlights of what's available that day. Receptions, the days' weather, show schedules, special shopping offers of the day, dance classes, open hours of the fitness center, climbing wall, art gallery, and Starbucks. And don't forget the lunch schedule and afternoon snacks.
This fantastic guide is also available on a large electronic touch screen, next to the elevator, on all decks. Animated arrows direct you to any location on any tier of the ship with the touch of a finger. Guests occupying suites have this available on a complimentary iPad for use in their Stateroom 24-7. Yes, it was very cool. The only thing missing was an iPhone app available to download - next time.
As much as I hate to say it, don't forget to turn on the TV in your room, or you'll miss the early morning/late-night show with the cruise director, Luke.
Where does this guy get his energy? He's everywhere and quite the entertainer. His show featured impromptu skits from notes deposited by passengers in a box that lived at the guest service desk: birthday requests, anniversaries, special occasions, comments about the cruise, and much more.
My favorite had to be his spoof of Letterman's Top 10 Questions (from guests on the ship).
"As cruise director, you can't imagine the questions I get when I run into our vacationing guests around the ship," here are a few;
Number 10 - "Luke! Will this elevator take me to the front of the ship!" Bad-ump bump, then cymbals.
Number 9 - "Luke! Has this ship ever sunk before!" Bad-ump bump, then cymbals.
Number 8 - "Luke! Can you tell me what time it will be when I get up tomorrow! Bad-ump bump, then cymbals.
Number 7 - "Luke! Do the toilets have salt water or fresh water in them! Bad-ump bump, then cymbals.
Number 6 - Luke! Do these stairs go up or down! Bad-ump bump, then cymbals.
Anyway, you get the idea. Luke presented these top ten during his last performance at the Broadway Melodies Theater. We laughed so hard we were in tears. The following day, we happen to run into Luke between decks while headed for breakfast.
We had to ask.
Number 00 - Luke! Where do you get your energy? His response, "I plug my feet into an electric outlet every night before going to bed!" Bad-ump bump, then cymbals. Yes, we should have known, another ridiculous question from unsuspecting vacationing guests.
Skeptical about cruise ships? Not anymore, we had a wonderful time. It was much more than expected. We took naps, spent precious time lounging with dear friends, laughed, watched the ocean pass by, breathed the clean, fresh air of Alaska, and yes, we ate our share of the fabulous food.
"Won't you be my virtual neighbor?" If you enjoy our weekly visits, please share them with a friend.
I’m Patrick Ball; thanks so much for listening. I'll see you in the next episode.
Comments