I thought I’d add a few more observations and comments about our life at sea on a luxury cruise ship.
ITEM: My sister and I finally gave in and went to the Johnny Rocket’s all-American 1950’s-style diner for hamburgers, milkshakes, French fries, and onion rings. The staff in there all yell “Helllllllooooo” when people walk in and yell “Goodbyyyyyyeeee” when people leave. They play 1950’s music and every 10 or 15 minutes the staff lines up in the aisle and dances to the music. We joined in the dancing from our stools at the counter, and of course, we knew all the words to all the songs and sang along lustily. It was great fun and a nice taste of home while sailing across the Bay of Bengal.
ITEM: Every night there is some kind of concert or big production show in the main theater. The other night we were treated to an unexpectedly pleasant concert by an internationally renown, Norwegian harmonica player. Really. This is not a joke. As the American columnist Dave Barry said, “You can’t make up stuff like this.” And as the cruise director said, “Where else are you going to go?”
Apparently this artist has filled Carnegie Hall in New York, has toured all over the world, and is well respected in harmonica circles. He plays a special, custom-designed and custom-built harmonica that is made in silver with a gold mouthpiece -- costing $10,000. My sister commented that it must be a lot easier for him to travel than it is for Yo-Yo Ma! Anyway, he played pop and classical, including some pieces composed by Grieg (Norway’s favorite-son composer) and some pieces that he composed himself. One interesting tidbit was that there are actually concertos and other classical music written expressly for harmonica -- who knew? That ought to win you a bar bet sometime.
I also have to add here that because we were sailing in open water, the Bay of Bengal, the ship was rolling a bit. So as we sat there at the concert, I watched the curtains behind the harmonica player gently sway from side to side. It is a bit odd to see. (We heard that the ship’s movement also made for an interestingly challenging ice show that afternoon, but we didn’t attend that show.)
ITEM: Another consequence of the ship’s rolling is that everyone walks zig zag along the corridors and in all the public areas, which makes navigation around and through groups of people a bit hazardous. People bump into each other, everyone looks a bit drunk, and we all walk with feet apart looking like we’ve just staggered off a horse after a long ride. It’s funny.
ITEM: Living aboard a cruise ship is living in an altered reality. You can go into any dining area (buffets, snack bars, formal dining room, etc) and select any food you want -- menus have no prices -- and eat there or take the food with you to anywhere in the ship. You just pick it up and walk away with paying anything. This is so different from ordinary restaurant rules that it takes some time to get used to.
Similarly, you can go to any bar (there are many to choose from with different themes) and order a drink (these you do have to pay for but you use your sea pass card as a charge card so you never have to carry real money with you) and then either enjoy your drink there or take it anywhere else in the ship. Again, this is quite contrary to real-life alcohol rules in public establishments. Once I got used to it, I realized how wonderfully freeing this felt. I can get a little sandwich and a cocktail and take it to the theater to enjoy during a concert, or bring a cocktail and a few cookies or some chocolate mousse back to my cabin to enjoy while watching a movie. Even the room service menu has no prices -- you just call up and they bring the food. It truly feels luxurious. (Not that I’ve actually been eating cookies and chocolate mousse in my cabin while sipping Manhattans, you understand, but I could if I wanted to. J
Although I must say that brandy alexanders and chocolate chip cookies are a great combination.)
ITEM: This cruise from Dubai to Singapore is the first cruise for this ship since Royal Caribbean announced it’s association with DreamWorks. To celebrate the new association, they planned a big parade with many of the DreamWorks characters up and down the interior promenade. The crew went through morning rehearsals 3-days in a row when few passengers were milling about. Luckily, my sister and I happened upon the first rehearsal and then we returned the next day to see the next rehearsal because it was just fun to watch. They’ve got the characters from Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and Madagascar. OK, it is basically kid stuff, and there are almost no children on board, but all us grownups are enjoying it a great deal. However, now that we’ve seen 2 rehearsals, I don’t really think I need to push through the crowds to see the real event. Got my photo taken with Puss ‘n Boots and Alex the lion though -- had to travel halfway around the world for those photos!
ITEM: On every cruise I’ve taken (which have been several), there’s always been one or two people (sometimes more) who stand out and who cross my path frequently, every day of the cruise. Sometimes these people stand out because of the way they look (unusually elegant or perhaps due to an amusing fashion style) and sometimes they stand out because of their annoying behavior.
On both these two cruises, Barcelona to Singapore, there is the “complaining lady.” She is very imperious and it seems that everywhere we go, there she is -- in the elevator, walking down the hall, in the theater, in the dining room -- saying some form of “they should have planned that better,” or “someone should have done something about that,” or “they should have adjusted the sound better.” You get the picture? Then there is the British woman who wears horizontal striped polo shirts and plaid Bermuda shorts. And the early-30’s woman, very tall, lean, and very tan, who wears very skimpy clothes and is escorted by a much older man (enough said about that). And the blond woman with the ton of hair, which wasn’t bad looking except for the fact that she constantly pushed it this way and that and fussed with it. Enough already! And the Aussies -- exuberant, vocal, and 2 or 3 can seem to fill a room.
ITEM: Spent a fabulous time last night after dinner in the “ballroom” listening to the ship’s orchestra play dynamite big band music from the 1940’s and watching the dance floor fill up with couples of all nationalities. The “ballroom” is actually the ice skating rink covered with a wood dance floor. The lights were turned down, sparkly lights shone down on the floor, and the curtain behind the orchestra was black velvet with twinkly stars. Perfect. Interestingly, many of the Asian couples were the best dancers, gliding around the floor with great grace and skill, but it was very satisfying to see so many people enjoying themselves and getting out there and dancing in their formal gowns and tuxedos (and some formal kilts). And the ship’s orchestra is very, very good. They have a drummer that would give Gene Krupa a run for his money!
ITEM: On the more mundane side: My electric toothbrush died a couple of weeks ago. My folding paper fan (a survival necessity when outdoors) ripped in several places and has been repaired with duct tape (never travel without duct tape!) and works but looks unsightly. I haven’t read nearly as many books as I planned. My sister just came down with a cold. My special hot-weather pants that I bought for Africa have started to come apart and I need to sew them up by hand. I didn’t win the big jackpot ($1400) at bingo yesterday. Oh well, they say that traveling isn’t always easy so I’ll try to tough it out. And I am tired of having my camera fog up every time I walk off the ship! I have to wait 15 minutes before I can take a photo. This humidity is a pain.
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