Upside…Downside of Cruising
…the places you'll go and the people you'll meet!
The mooring lines are removed from the cleats and the ship's engines begin an initial movement that pushes the boat away from the dock. ‘Cruisers’ line up along the an upper deck railing seeking return good-bye waves from anyone paying attention. The only worry for a rookie passenger is whether or not that Dramamine will be needed at some point on this seven day journey.
Cruising seems to be a great way to knock out a few countries and see the world from a different perspective. Sail. Dock. Disembark. Wander. Return. Repeat. That definitely works for me!
Word of caution — don’t miss departure time from the port. Unless it’s a cruise line sponsored excursion that is delayed for ‘any' reason, you will be left behind. A side treat is hanging over the railing on the port side to catch the ‘runners’ racing against the clock to beat the gangplank dropping (meaning put away).
Plan to spend approximately 8-12 hours at each port — another country checked (√) off — mission accomplished! I don't consider it a diluted experience at all. And unless an ever-swaying boat isn't to your liking, who wouldn't appreciate having their hotel room following them wherever the ship drops anchor? Yeah... take your hotel room with you when globetrotting!
On average your floating hotel room will measure in the 150-220 sq. ft. range — not a problem for a guy who spent the better part of four years dwelling in 240 sq. ft. of living space. What will make a difference is the location of the room. Fortunately, my daughter procured a very nice private, unobstructed balcony room. Queen-sized bed. Hide-a-bed sofa. Desk. Shower. USB ports. Yep. This should work.
The cruise line company suggests that four people can share this space — hmmm.
Unless you pay extra for specialty dining in one of the many restaurants aboard the ship, standard dining is included in your cruise package. That’s not a bad deal as long as you’re okay with an average dinner experience. On the other hand, the server and waiter assigned to you will make you feel like you’re dining at a five star Michelin restaurant. The service is exceptional!
The main buffet is opened most hours of the day, and there are several options for late night snacking at no extra charge. $8 is all it takes to get meals delivered to your room.
A 7 day cruise with family followed by a solo 11 day cruise, both of which were in the Caribbean, was all I needed to get hooked. Loved this experience… and I added eight new countries to my overall count which now stands at 33! That puts me in the top 10% of world travelers. The next phase of my travel will include at least two more cruises… beginning with my birthday cruise to Panama in about a week. Perhaps an attempt to lap planet earth while beginning a new lap around the sun is in the cards. Perhaps.
