Today I’m supposed to be on a cruise ship. A super big new one, called the NCL Epic. Due to an annoying heart condition my doctor asked me to cancel this trip just days before departure. (no I didn’t have insurance… long story) I thought I would just imagine what my day would have been like today, had I gone. This would have been my 28 or 29th cruise, need to check that number, so not a new experience for me. But it’s still an experience that hasn’t gotten old.
Okay – I’ve just slept better than I have since the last time I cruised. Something about the subtle movement makes me feel like a sweet caregiver is gently cradling me to sleep. I wake refreshed and breathing the fresh sea air is invigorating. I dress in my exercise outfit, forget the shower, I’ll do that later and head to the buffet for something to tide me over until the real breakfast. The options are a little overwhelming, but I aim for some juice and a small bran muffin. Off to the ships spa I go for the scheduled stretch class and greet the other early risers with a smile. We are all excited to start the day off right, the way we wish we could make ourselves do at home. At least we are doing it this week.
The class is wonderful, the cute instructor from Australia is funny and just listening to his accent brightens the day further. Afterward I decide to get on a machine and do a little cardio before hitting the shower.
After freshening up – time to head to the dining room for the real breakfast and table side service that I just never tire of. One waiter ask what I want to drink, another shows me a platter of bread options, and another comes and takes my order. It’s the first morning, so I must try the Eggs Benedict, as it’s my test for any cruise ship as how the food is going to be for the week. I ask for a half order as I did have my bran muffin and I’m not really dying to gain 7 pounds this week. I just love to taste things. After a delightful breakfast where I’ve met people from all over and heard a little about their jobs, lifestyle and discussed the shore tours they have picked for the week, I take the stairs to my room. My rule is if I take the stairs, instead of the elevator, dessert a couple times a day won’t kill me.
Back in my room, I browse the newsletter for today’s activities. Lots of options including a napkin folding class, movie in the theater, a salsa dance class, name that tune game, and an organized walk around the promenade deck. I schedule my day, noting where lunch will be available and decide that first things first I want a bit of sun and head to the upper deck with my book and sunhat in tow. It’s a gorgeous day, a slight breeze so that a dip in the pool is optional, not mandatory. From time to time I’m slightly distracted as I notice a family that speaks in a foreign language and maybe in their European tradition have no problem wearing revealing swim suits regardless of their very well fed figures. I’m intrigued and sort of jealous.
Noticing the water slide as I came on this deck, I determine that the first moment I am warm, I’m trying the slide. The time comes and I disregard the fact that most people doing the slide are 10 and go anyway. I am recreating after all. I’m re-creating the youthful portion of me that still has imagination, creativity without the wise critic in the background censoring everything. The slide is fun and makes me giggle, just as I hoped it would.
Soon I decide that I should not overdue it on the sun the first day and head inside to take advantage of some more activities. Today I pick the dance class. My husband doesn’t care to dance, pretty much ever, so I grab this chance to do something I love. The dancers from the show teach this and they happen to be Russian this time. Love meeting people from all over. I pick up the step easily, cause I love this stuff. Even if years are between opportunities to dance, I revel in my quickness to pick up dance steps. Why can’t everything be that easy.
After this little work out, lunch is sounding really good, so off I go. Lunch in the dining room is not always an option on port days, so during this sea day I head there. I’m matched up with a variety of people at a table for 8. Introductions are made and commonalities are discovered. I’ve had friends comment that I can say I’ve lived in way to many places… Sorry I get bored and move a lot. If I haven’t lived there, I’ve probably traveled there and it’s fun to talk about things to just met new friends.
Lunch has three courses and I love that I can pick two starters and eliminate the salad course and go into the entrée after sampling interesting concoctions. Dessert for lunch? I did the stairs… I go for the lime sherbet today.
After lunch I decide to find a cozy spot indoors. I like the lounge above the spa that looks out forward on the ship and find a perfect chair to nestle in as I get back into my book. Before long it’s time for me to get ready for my seaweed wrap and massage at the spa. When I get there a sweet girl from Bali treats me with just the right pressure for relaxing and getting a few of the kinks out from my flight. I’m in heaven. I float back to my room to take a little nap before dinner. On another day I will try out the therapy pool in the spa with its tiny massaging bubbles, but for today the massage has relaxed me enough.
Getting dressed for dinner is such a civilized idea. I really love it actually. When everyone shows up looking fresh for a full evening of dining and entertainment, it really sets the tone for the night. Dinner has some of my favorites on the menu tonight. I choose; Beef Wellington, au gratin potatoes, a wonderful strawberry cold soup to start, and crème brulee for dessert. One time I had a dessert that had 4 little cups of different type of crème brulee. That was incredible. I love tasting things!
Dinner ends and we all head across the length of the ship for the theater to watch the evenings show. On the way I set outside on the promenade to catch the last of the sunset and get a little more fresh sea air. It’s a gorgeous night!!
A production with tons of costume changes, dancing, singing and songs that are familiar is a fun way to spend an evening. A little pumped up after the show I decide to head to the disco and dance a bit until I’m certain I will fall asleep fast. Which I do and sleep solidly until morning and it all begins again!
You can’t imagine being stuck on a cruise ship? Picture this- February 22, 2011
Cruising Makes You FAT….? February 20, 2011
Wrote this awhile back and keep seeing it used without my permission all over the net, so figure I should at least have in on my blog:
Cruising makes you fat. If this were true, why are there so many healthy looking people on cruise ships? With a few tips and rules for yourself, cruising can be a wonderful way to vacation without upsetting your New Year’s weight loss goals. Balance is the key in vacationing where there is unlimited food and 24 hour service.
- Tasting is good thing. I’m talking taste, not committing to a meal of Mac & Cheese in the buffet, just because it looked yummy. They keep refilling the buffet all through the meal time. This is not your home where it is gone when your brother woofs it. Join a different club than the clean plate club. Taste some healthy veggie dishes and fish you would not commit to at a normal restaurant. Talk, relax, pause and you may find you are full enough. It is not your last meal, and don’t get into the “gonna get my money’s worth” frame of mind. The fruit and veggies are already cut up for you, yeah! Service is the luxury of this vacation.
- Avoid the buffet – the dining room serves user-friendly portions and the food is really better there. Try the fish. If you don’t care for a dish that is the beauty of cruising, they will bring you something else, really, it’s so cool!
- Try to get the table to taste many desserts. Most of the time, a bite savored in your mouth really satisfies the craving. They got it right in kindergarten, sharing is caring.
- Use the stairs. Would you ever want to be stuck in an elevator? If you have a full dessert, use the stairs to get to the gym.
- First thing, first day, go to the Spa. Learn about what classes are going to be offered. Sign up – budget for taking classes on this trip. Some are free, such as Yoga or stretch classes, so go to those too. The more trendy classes like Pilates and Spinning are around $12. Class sizes are typically small and once you sign up, you pay, (unless you remember to cancel before the class) so you are more likely to show up.
- Sign up for active shore excursions. Riding around in a bus looking at things is not fun. Get out and do something. Kayak, snorkel, hike or at least walk the town you’ve docked at.
- If the ship has a “swim against the current” pool, go use it. It is great fun. If not, get in the pool; tread water for 15 minutes or more while you chat with friends. Yes, you could chat in the hot tub, but save relaxation for a reward after a workout. Sitting in hot water is not a work out.
- If the ship has a rock wall – Do it. What a rush it is to get to the top. You are in a harness and they walk you through it. Just remember hand, hand, foot, foot, and start climbing.
- Walk the promenade deck. Doing this as the ship docks or departs is extra special. One cruise line has weighted vest you wear to get extra benefits in calories used and correcting posture.
- Just dance, at every opportunity you get. Read the activity list in the little newspaper delivered to your room. See a conga line forming… get in it. Activity staff teaching ballroom, or line dance, perfect time to learn. Sleep solid by finishing out your day with a few dances at the disco.
- Take the opportunity to try out some pieces of work out equipment you have never tried. Don’t forget the proper clothes to work out. Some lines are very strict about wearing appropriate athletic shoes into their gyms. Your sports sandals might not pass.
- To get a top of the line workout room, it is best to work with a cruise specialist to direct you to specific ships. The difference in gyms regarding size, age of machines, etc. is huge, so work with someone who has at least toured the industries ships.
Oil prices keep on rising February 12, 2011
This is a line from one of my favorite songs – “There’s Hope” But that’s not what I’m talking about here. Oil prices are rising and so Cunard Cruise line… the Queen Mary, Elizabeth, that one, has just announced to bring back fuel supplement charges for new bookings made after Feb. 28th 2011. They are also raising the amount from $6 a day per person to $9. So on a 7 day cruise a couple will pay $126 more for their cruise.
This is the first cruise company to cross the line that has been holding for a while now, even though the price of oil has been high for many months. I don’t think it will be very long before we will see the rest of them follow suit. Fuel supplements will be back. Air prices are high, and I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon. Why don’t they just up the price of the cruise… cause the consumer likes a certain advertised price. If they can keep this as an add on, they don’t have to advertise it. It’s a pain for me, travel agent, to have to explain.
Cunard is saying new bookings, but most lines have had a clause on their invoices that they can add a fuel supplement to existing bookings if the price of a barrel of oil exceeds – $70. Some lines have a different price. The average price for 2010 was $79. The expected price for 2011 is $93. Not good. Something to plan for.
Travel industry has gotta love “The Bachelor” February 4, 2011
Can’t wait to watch this coming weeks episode of “The Bachelor”. Not because I’m interested in what chicks get the boot this week, but because the previews showed some incredible shots of Costa Rica, and I want to see more. Record it and watch on mute with some nice music playing in the background and fast forward to the beautiful shots.
I had a trip to Costa Rica all planned and everything set – but didn’t take that trip as it was scheduled for 2 weeks after 9/11. The business portion of the trip got canceled and there went all my planning. I’ve been there for a day since – did a river rafting shore tour from the cruise ship I was on. I think that was part of my panama canal cruise. The river was super low and we had to practically walk the raft. When they gave us a chance to get out and quit the non-exciting boat experience I jumped at the chance. It was still a very entertaining experience, mostly in listening to the extremely confident guide that came on the bus transportation. He told us all about the educational requirements for the people of Costa Rica. It’s one of the most literate countries in the world. They have wonderful community centers. Each little town we passed had the same things – a church, a school, a store, some kind of recreation, like a park and a bar. What more in life does one need – he said. He told the entire bus that Intel – the company my hubby works for – was moving EVERYONE down to Costa Rica. That the president of the country had worked out a deal with them. That statement I had to stop him on and said…. hmmm – that sounds like an outrageous rumor. Then he confronted me with questions like… WHY, wouldn’t you like to live here? and things along that line. Wow, didn’t expect that and had to worm out of that the most gentle way I could. Touchy about thinking they have the best country in the world – and for all I know maybe it is?? They certainly haven’t gotten involved in any wars and were one of the first to think conservation and they certainly don’t have a welfare problem. I would like to see & experience more of Costa Rica.
I love shows that give you that taste of a country. The recent -Oprah takes her audience to Australia -did a wonderful job of getting me excited for a trip there one day. I love how they had different groups take off to many parts of the country. The Great Barrier Reef looked amazing! Brilliant.
