“I lead the dancing to the dithyramb,
the hymn to Dionysus, lord divine.
I’m good at it, I’m even quite the ham—
Provided that my brains are braised in wine”
-Archilochus
Before I left on this trip, the most frequent question I would get was “how can you stand to be on a cruise ship for 72 days?” As I am now in the final two weeks of the voyage, I can answer that question—very easily.
Accomodations
The cabin that I am sharing with Beth is reasonably-sized: 359 square feet overall, including the balcony. It has a bedroom, sitting room that can separated from the bedroom by heavy curtain, good-sized bath, walk-in closet and balcony. In addition to this private space, we spread out to the public spaces: two restaurants, three bars, a library, a few little alcoves here and there, the gym, the pool deck (including a grill and bar I don’t count in the restaurant and bar count), the upper deck, and the promenade deck. In other words, there’s plenty of room to run.
Our ship is small for a cruise ship in this era. Its maximum passenger capacity is 490, and we’ve been running with anywhere from 350-420 since I got on. Approximately 80 of us are doing the full voyage—either the 71 nights like Beth and me, or 82 nights for those who boarded Sept. 27 and did the segment before ours. These lengthy cruises are divided into segments, with lengths running from 9 days to 21 days. Our full cruise covers a total of 5 segments, and those who boarded on 9/27 are on for a total of 6 segments. Collectively, the people who boarded on 9/27 or, like us, on 10/8 are considered the “full cruisers.” I have now become aware that some animals are more equal than others on a cruise ship—full cruisers being among the more equal. There’s just a bit more pampering and bit more attention meted out to the people on for the longer period. I suppose that’s a bit natural—when you’re on that long, the crew gets to know you better (for better or worse) and has a better feel for your preferences.
Shipboard Culture and People
Life aboard the ship is much like living in a small town. Everyone knows everyone else, and when people move away (i.e., leave at the end of a segment) it is cause for a sense of loss. But, when new people move in (i.e., board at the start of a segment), there is great curiosity about the new neighbors. And, in between, all the things that go on in a closed community: camaraderie, friendship, gossip, fun and the occasional hurt feeling.
The community consists of the passengers, the crew, and the staff. The level of interaction between passengers and personnel is pretty high. When you’re on for a long time, or even just for a week, you get to know the steward or stewardess who takes care of your room, and become well-acquainted with the wait staff. The Regent Seven Seas cruise line, which is the one I am on, has open seating at meals, so you do not get the same wait staff every time. Plus, they rotate the staff between restaurants and areas. But one does become friendlier with some than others, and it is a pleasure to get to know these hard-working people who somehow manage to remain pleasant through grueling hours and sometimes difficult people.
On this ship, the officers are quite visible, frequently mixing with the passengers. We have seen the captain helping people off the tenders, hauling luggage and provisions, and even bussing tables. Passengers will receive invitations to dine with a specific officer or two on many evenings, which demands that the officers be “personalities” in addition to being competent in their respective areas. I’ve developed a great deal of respect for these folks, who really do put up with a great deal. There’s also an interesting dynamic among some of the passengers who tend to “collect” officers—they enjoy spending time with the officers and go out of their way to engage in extra activities with them.
Another group that mixes a lot with the passengers is the entertainers. The ship has a resident troupe of singers and dancers, who double as social hosts and hostesses. These are all personable young people (one came of drinking age during the Africa segment of the cruise) who put on a couple of song and dance shows per week, and often also sing in the lounges in early evening or late night. It is really very clever of the cruise line to have them mix with the guests so much—the show is that much more enjoyable when you feel like you are watching your friends perform.
There also are headliners aboard—singers, comedians and musicians who put on solo performances. Many, but not all, of them also mix with the passengers. Our cabin is on the hall where most of them reside during the cruise, so we have gotten to know a few of them fairly well.
They are not quite entertainers and not quite staff, but there also are lecturers aboard who give talks during days at sea. Sometimes the talks are relevant to the cruise— particularly good ones have been the lecturer on the history of South Africa and a cultural anthropologist with expertise in South America—and sometimes they are random topics like “how to stay young” or the history of spying. The lecturers also live among the passengers, and will often join us for meals or excursions.
There are other staff as well—the tour desk folks, the reception and guest relations staff, the cruise consultant, the photographers—who mix with the passengers, and who are also friendly and energetic. In addition, there are the personnel we don’t see: the deck and bridge crew and the cooks being prime among them.
Cruise Ship as Mode of Travel
The number one advantage of cruising is how it simplifies travel. You unpack once, then your hotel moves from place to place. You go to bed at night and wake up in another town, get off and explore it, come back “home” for dinner and bed, then wake up in yet another town and do the same. Sometimes you stay overnight in the town, but you still return to the ship to sleep, so it’s still your hotel. And you have the choice of eating in town or eating on the ship. But you never have to bother about the logistics of travel—you are on the vessel that takes you to the next place.
Meals and Pampering
The fact that the ship is all-inclusive also simplifies matters. One never has to worry about the check for a meal or drinks. Wine pours freely at dinner, and the food usually ranges from good to excellent. There are usually about five choices for the main dish at dinner, plus a group of items that are always on the menu. You can eat in one of the two restaurants, order room service, or, at lunch, eat at the pool grill, which often has featured themes. In other words, there is no lack of food or drink. The biggest challenge we face is maintaining weight control and sobriety.
And, of course, this is one long vacation. Every day, my bed is made, my room is cleaned and I have fresh towels. If I sit down in pretty much any public space, some nice young man or woman magically appears offering me a drink. Or, food or drink is brought to my room if I so choose. It was not hard to get used to living this way.
Life is a little reverse from what happens at home. At home, at least during the week, I dress up and put on makeup in the morning, then in the evening take off the makeup and put on my casual clothes for dinner. Here, I wear my casual clothes and no makeup all day, then in the evening dress up and put on my makeup to go to dinner. This dressing for dinner thing is so civilized. There are formal nights (and no one has been rude enough to notice how often I wear the same two outfits), informal nights (dressy but not quite formal), and “country club casual” (slacks or skirt and a nice top). There is something very grounding about the need to dress each evening.
How Our Days and Nights Are Spent
So how do we spend our time on a cruise ship? Well, when we are in a port, usually the time is spent exploring that area. But there are days at sea, sometimes several in a row. How are they spent? Well, it’s up to you: a book and a deck chair are always a fine combination. Or, you can engage in activities: lectures, wine tastings, cooking demonstrations, dance lessons, deck “sports” like shuffleboard, baggo or bocce, gambling (no, I haven’t), trivia contests, organized bridge games or other pickup card games (I’ve fallen in with a group that plays a game called Pooch in the afternoons), crafts, and of course eating and drinking.
Evenings usually consist of gathering in one of the bars for before-dinner drinks (and usually there’s a pianist, a small band and/or vocalist playing), then off to dinner. You can dine alone, ask to be put with others at a larger table (“people pot luck”), or sit with friends or otherwise form a group beforehand and ask for a table together. Early in the cruise, we took people pot luck, but in the later weeks we’ve usually made dates with friends to be sure to have some time with them. On formal nights, one tends to have invitations to eat with an officer, and so you get a kind of people pot luck there, depending on who else is at the table.
Dinners tend to be long and leisurely, with different people having different numbers of courses, and much wine being poured throughout. After dinner, there is usually a show in the lounge—often a singer backed up by the ship’s orchestra or a revue put on by the resident troupe. There also is dancing in Galileo’s, the upstairs lounge, which extends well after the show. One of the other full cruisers is a 91-year-old gentleman who dances until midnight every night—usually with the youngest women in the room. Also, another bar, the Stars Lounge, puts on a disco or karaoke after the show. And, the smaller Navigator Lounge is a post-dinner gathering place for conversation.
Other “special” activities turn up from time to time. Just concluded was a “Dancing with the Navigator Stars,” whereby passengers teamed up with dance professionals from the ship (the dance instructors, the performers, and the “gentleman hosts”—men who, in exchange for free cruises, spend their evenings dancing with the ladies; see the movie “Out to Sea”) for a dance contest. It was great fun, and showed up some real talent or just good spirit (the 91-year-old gentleman mentioned above came in third). Every so often, the crew will put on a show—there’s a lot of talent there too. Though, a Filipino waiter named Elvis just got off the ship for a well-deserved vacation. You can probably guess what his act is.
There also are periodic parties on the deck to celebrate something or another—sailing from a nice port, good weather, crossing the equator, or just someone felt like putting one on. The equator crossing party was something wild—I will not reveal too much of it lest I spoil the surprise for others’ first crossing. Let’s just say that the photo above is from the aftermath of that party and, yes, that is the ship’s doctor with a watermelon on his head.
Overall
This truly has been the experience of a lifetime. I’ve seen places I’ve always dreamed of, places I otherwise would not have seen, and places I must go back to to spend more time. There have been adventures, quiet times, riotous times, and, most precious of all, good friends. Even as we are starting wind down, I continue to be amazed at my great good fortune to have had this opportunity, and remain grateful to the colleagues who made it possible for me. I will be seeing you soon.
Next entry: Rio de Janeiro
the hymn to Dionysus, lord divine.
I’m good at it, I’m even quite the ham—
Provided that my brains are braised in wine”
-Archilochus
Before I left on this trip, the most frequent question I would get was “how can you stand to be on a cruise ship for 72 days?” As I am now in the final two weeks of the voyage, I can answer that question—very easily.
Accomodations
The cabin that I am sharing with Beth is reasonably-sized: 359 square feet overall, including the balcony. It has a bedroom, sitting room that can separated from the bedroom by heavy curtain, good-sized bath, walk-in closet and balcony. In addition to this private space, we spread out to the public spaces: two restaurants, three bars, a library, a few little alcoves here and there, the gym, the pool deck (including a grill and bar I don’t count in the restaurant and bar count), the upper deck, and the promenade deck. In other words, there’s plenty of room to run.
Our ship is small for a cruise ship in this era. Its maximum passenger capacity is 490, and we’ve been running with anywhere from 350-420 since I got on. Approximately 80 of us are doing the full voyage—either the 71 nights like Beth and me, or 82 nights for those who boarded Sept. 27 and did the segment before ours. These lengthy cruises are divided into segments, with lengths running from 9 days to 21 days. Our full cruise covers a total of 5 segments, and those who boarded on 9/27 are on for a total of 6 segments. Collectively, the people who boarded on 9/27 or, like us, on 10/8 are considered the “full cruisers.” I have now become aware that some animals are more equal than others on a cruise ship—full cruisers being among the more equal. There’s just a bit more pampering and bit more attention meted out to the people on for the longer period. I suppose that’s a bit natural—when you’re on that long, the crew gets to know you better (for better or worse) and has a better feel for your preferences.
Shipboard Culture and People
Life aboard the ship is much like living in a small town. Everyone knows everyone else, and when people move away (i.e., leave at the end of a segment) it is cause for a sense of loss. But, when new people move in (i.e., board at the start of a segment), there is great curiosity about the new neighbors. And, in between, all the things that go on in a closed community: camaraderie, friendship, gossip, fun and the occasional hurt feeling.
The community consists of the passengers, the crew, and the staff. The level of interaction between passengers and personnel is pretty high. When you’re on for a long time, or even just for a week, you get to know the steward or stewardess who takes care of your room, and become well-acquainted with the wait staff. The Regent Seven Seas cruise line, which is the one I am on, has open seating at meals, so you do not get the same wait staff every time. Plus, they rotate the staff between restaurants and areas. But one does become friendlier with some than others, and it is a pleasure to get to know these hard-working people who somehow manage to remain pleasant through grueling hours and sometimes difficult people.
On this ship, the officers are quite visible, frequently mixing with the passengers. We have seen the captain helping people off the tenders, hauling luggage and provisions, and even bussing tables. Passengers will receive invitations to dine with a specific officer or two on many evenings, which demands that the officers be “personalities” in addition to being competent in their respective areas. I’ve developed a great deal of respect for these folks, who really do put up with a great deal. There’s also an interesting dynamic among some of the passengers who tend to “collect” officers—they enjoy spending time with the officers and go out of their way to engage in extra activities with them.
Another group that mixes a lot with the passengers is the entertainers. The ship has a resident troupe of singers and dancers, who double as social hosts and hostesses. These are all personable young people (one came of drinking age during the Africa segment of the cruise) who put on a couple of song and dance shows per week, and often also sing in the lounges in early evening or late night. It is really very clever of the cruise line to have them mix with the guests so much—the show is that much more enjoyable when you feel like you are watching your friends perform.
There also are headliners aboard—singers, comedians and musicians who put on solo performances. Many, but not all, of them also mix with the passengers. Our cabin is on the hall where most of them reside during the cruise, so we have gotten to know a few of them fairly well.
They are not quite entertainers and not quite staff, but there also are lecturers aboard who give talks during days at sea. Sometimes the talks are relevant to the cruise— particularly good ones have been the lecturer on the history of South Africa and a cultural anthropologist with expertise in South America—and sometimes they are random topics like “how to stay young” or the history of spying. The lecturers also live among the passengers, and will often join us for meals or excursions.
There are other staff as well—the tour desk folks, the reception and guest relations staff, the cruise consultant, the photographers—who mix with the passengers, and who are also friendly and energetic. In addition, there are the personnel we don’t see: the deck and bridge crew and the cooks being prime among them.
Cruise Ship as Mode of Travel
The number one advantage of cruising is how it simplifies travel. You unpack once, then your hotel moves from place to place. You go to bed at night and wake up in another town, get off and explore it, come back “home” for dinner and bed, then wake up in yet another town and do the same. Sometimes you stay overnight in the town, but you still return to the ship to sleep, so it’s still your hotel. And you have the choice of eating in town or eating on the ship. But you never have to bother about the logistics of travel—you are on the vessel that takes you to the next place.
Meals and Pampering
The fact that the ship is all-inclusive also simplifies matters. One never has to worry about the check for a meal or drinks. Wine pours freely at dinner, and the food usually ranges from good to excellent. There are usually about five choices for the main dish at dinner, plus a group of items that are always on the menu. You can eat in one of the two restaurants, order room service, or, at lunch, eat at the pool grill, which often has featured themes. In other words, there is no lack of food or drink. The biggest challenge we face is maintaining weight control and sobriety.
And, of course, this is one long vacation. Every day, my bed is made, my room is cleaned and I have fresh towels. If I sit down in pretty much any public space, some nice young man or woman magically appears offering me a drink. Or, food or drink is brought to my room if I so choose. It was not hard to get used to living this way.
Life is a little reverse from what happens at home. At home, at least during the week, I dress up and put on makeup in the morning, then in the evening take off the makeup and put on my casual clothes for dinner. Here, I wear my casual clothes and no makeup all day, then in the evening dress up and put on my makeup to go to dinner. This dressing for dinner thing is so civilized. There are formal nights (and no one has been rude enough to notice how often I wear the same two outfits), informal nights (dressy but not quite formal), and “country club casual” (slacks or skirt and a nice top). There is something very grounding about the need to dress each evening.
How Our Days and Nights Are Spent
So how do we spend our time on a cruise ship? Well, when we are in a port, usually the time is spent exploring that area. But there are days at sea, sometimes several in a row. How are they spent? Well, it’s up to you: a book and a deck chair are always a fine combination. Or, you can engage in activities: lectures, wine tastings, cooking demonstrations, dance lessons, deck “sports” like shuffleboard, baggo or bocce, gambling (no, I haven’t), trivia contests, organized bridge games or other pickup card games (I’ve fallen in with a group that plays a game called Pooch in the afternoons), crafts, and of course eating and drinking.
Evenings usually consist of gathering in one of the bars for before-dinner drinks (and usually there’s a pianist, a small band and/or vocalist playing), then off to dinner. You can dine alone, ask to be put with others at a larger table (“people pot luck”), or sit with friends or otherwise form a group beforehand and ask for a table together. Early in the cruise, we took people pot luck, but in the later weeks we’ve usually made dates with friends to be sure to have some time with them. On formal nights, one tends to have invitations to eat with an officer, and so you get a kind of people pot luck there, depending on who else is at the table.
Dinners tend to be long and leisurely, with different people having different numbers of courses, and much wine being poured throughout. After dinner, there is usually a show in the lounge—often a singer backed up by the ship’s orchestra or a revue put on by the resident troupe. There also is dancing in Galileo’s, the upstairs lounge, which extends well after the show. One of the other full cruisers is a 91-year-old gentleman who dances until midnight every night—usually with the youngest women in the room. Also, another bar, the Stars Lounge, puts on a disco or karaoke after the show. And, the smaller Navigator Lounge is a post-dinner gathering place for conversation.
Other “special” activities turn up from time to time. Just concluded was a “Dancing with the Navigator Stars,” whereby passengers teamed up with dance professionals from the ship (the dance instructors, the performers, and the “gentleman hosts”—men who, in exchange for free cruises, spend their evenings dancing with the ladies; see the movie “Out to Sea”) for a dance contest. It was great fun, and showed up some real talent or just good spirit (the 91-year-old gentleman mentioned above came in third). Every so often, the crew will put on a show—there’s a lot of talent there too. Though, a Filipino waiter named Elvis just got off the ship for a well-deserved vacation. You can probably guess what his act is.
There also are periodic parties on the deck to celebrate something or another—sailing from a nice port, good weather, crossing the equator, or just someone felt like putting one on. The equator crossing party was something wild—I will not reveal too much of it lest I spoil the surprise for others’ first crossing. Let’s just say that the photo above is from the aftermath of that party and, yes, that is the ship’s doctor with a watermelon on his head.
Overall
This truly has been the experience of a lifetime. I’ve seen places I’ve always dreamed of, places I otherwise would not have seen, and places I must go back to to spend more time. There have been adventures, quiet times, riotous times, and, most precious of all, good friends. Even as we are starting wind down, I continue to be amazed at my great good fortune to have had this opportunity, and remain grateful to the colleagues who made it possible for me. I will be seeing you soon.
Next entry: Rio de Janeiro
1 comment:
Cruising is definetly where it is at! Had another sonogram and can see its bone structure and alien-looking head. It's soo cute! I guess this is where the aspect of being 'mom' comes in...Can't wait to see you at Christmas and hear more of your adventures! Katie
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