If you are looking for advice on what is the best cruise line, how to get bargain prices, should you book now or wait for a last minute deal, etc.,etc., etc., this is not a blog that you should waste your time reading. I have no answers for you. However, if you want a taste of the adventures, misadventures and other curiosities on cruise ships, you are in the right place. If you are tempted to think my stories are pure fiction, let me assure you, you cannot make this stuff up. Hopefully you will find them interesting and amusing.
So grab your hats, ladies and gentlemen, you are about to embark on the cruise of a lifetime! Sit back and relax as you travel around the world (well, around the Pacific and Atlantic oceans) without leaving the comfort of your home. So lets go!!!
My husband and I have been enjoying cruises for more than fifteen years. Some cruises have been short, others as long 51 days, some with family, some with friends and some with just the two of us. Right now I am sitting on the deck of a cruise ship, enjoying the sea breezes on our current voyage. Reminiscing about the past and contemplating the possibilities of the future.
One of our recent trips left from Vancouver, British Columbia. It was with some trepidation that we arrived at the cruise terminal to board the waiting ship for our trip to Hawaii and the South Pacific. We had reservations for 50 days on board and 3 itineraries……a long time to be away from home. We booked our accommodation in three different cabins, one for each segment of the trip , hoping that would give us some variety. The check-in was very streamlined and quick, a big change from our pre-pandemic cruises. The ship was refurbished recently so everything was brand new and tastefully done.
Many activities on board are computerized……from the keyless entry to room service to dining reservations etc. We wore medallions that monitored our every move so that we could be located at any time, anywhere…giving no opportunity for clandestine behaviour from the cruisers. They still had some bugs to sort out as the system kept crashing. Definitely a pain in the neck when in the middle of ordering drinks! However the internet was great with no problems streaming…..making video chats doable.
We’ve had a few problems with our cabin. If you have cruised, you will have experienced the vacuum commodes. Our first cabin had one had a habit of flushing itself and not stopping. Quite annoying to be awakened in the middle of the night to a sound louder than a jet taking off and then worrying about being sucked out of bed and into the bowels of the ship!
The weather had not been great. We cruised for 1 1/2 days along the Oregon coast through an Atmospheric River (the new name for Pineapple Express) which is a tropical storm from Hawaii that we occasionally encounter on the west coast of Canada. The storm brought 12′ to 15′ waves but the movement of the floor was not as treacherous as I thought it would be. A seasoned sailor probably wouldn’t notice. Although the unpredictable motion would make it difficult to pass a sobriety test if the need arose.As for me, I was hanging on for dear life to the night table by the side of the bed. Our cabin steward tried to reassure me that my bed had a memory foam mattress so it was unlikely I would be thrown out of bed. Small comfort !
I almost missed lunch the second day into our trip after missing breakfast because I spent 2 hours in customer service trying to get a problem fixed. The Customer Service representative whose name was Mansour and with whom I was working to rectify the situation, just telephoned me to tell me he solved my problem and kindly offered to be at my service any time (he noted that we almost had the same names)……but more about that later.
It is not unusual to have a few little problems at the start of a cruise, but the kindness and friendliness of the staff, the quality of service, food and entertainment have been exceptional on most cruises. Of course, there are the odd exceptions which I will tell you about in future blogs. Until next time,
Lynda
The ocean has finally calmed down and I just finished unpacking so if I can find my bathing suit, I am off to the pool . I think there is just enough time for a swim before happy hour.Until next time, Lynda Manson
Sundog in Puerto Vallarta Mexico
16″x 16″ $250 taxes & shipping included
lmansonart@gmail.com
Cruise Ship Chronicles 