I was so happy that
my vacation-bound flight was leaving near midnight so I wouldn’t
have to be up early morning and scrambling to get everything done. It
had been a nice relaxing day. I finished laundry and then packed, ran
an errand and ate lunch out. I even cleaned house so the neighbor
watching my cats wouldn’t think I live like a pig.
Most importantly,
though, I wanted some quality time with the cats before leaving for
my two week cruise across the Atlantic. So as I finally drove to the
airport, I was calm and relaxed, looking forward to leaving the
stresses behind, and with my bedroom flooding from the Texas rains
the previous week, I had a lot of stresses to leave behind.
As I neared the
airport, I noted the heavy traffic in the opposite direction and was
happy not to be a part of that. I said aloud in the privacy of my
car, “You people should be home, it’s late. Or out at a party.
Get off the roads!”
My exit was next- a
plane flew overhead. Something made me want to check for my
phone...not in my pocket. All right, check the console. Not there!
Another check of pockets. No phone. I had freaking left my phone at
home. I was leaving the country. I HAD to have it. Fish sticks!
Fortunately, I’d
left early and I had time to go back home. It would take 40 minutes
for me to get back to this point in the journey. After waiting for
what seemed to be the longest light in history to make my U-turn, I
remembered that traffic going back and decided it would be best to
take the back roads, hoping this was not the night to show off my new
car to any police officers.
With my phone now
happily with me, I took my seat in 7F of a 737, happy to have a
window to lie against on the four hour flight to San Juan. I ate a
salad and engaged the flight attendant in conversation. I even
managed to sleep for what must have been about two hours.
 |
| San Juan |
My last two working
trips had been to San Juan, so I was familiar with the airport. I had
a plan; grab one of those really good omelet sandwiches from the
restaurant upstairs, and call for a van to the pier. I’d not be
able to board the ship until 1pm, but I knew I could leave my bag
early and go off to explore. Then I ran into Ricky, a flight
attendant from Houston who I know. He actually worked my flight, but
I never looked to the rear of the plane to see who was working there.
He had a day layover at the Sheraton near the piers, so I asked if I
could catch a ride with him, and off we went.
This actually worked
out well. It was questionable if the van company could actually take
me, and Uber drivers are not allowed to pick passengers up at the
airport. Now that I was just a few miles from the ship, I knew I
could get Uber. After taking advantage of the crew breakfast discount
at the hotel, that’s just what I did, arriving at Pier Uno just
before 8am.
 |
| San Juan Airport |
After dropping off
my large bag, I found a nice park in which to sit. A large group of
locals dressed in colorful garb approached full of smiles and good
cheer. “Welcome to Puerto Rico!” they shouted, as they handed out
balloons and bottles of water. Seems I’d encountered some sort of
roving welcoming committee.
It was a gorgeous
day, but it was starting to warm up and the humidity soon made it so
that my back felt damper than I was comfortable with, so I took my
leave of the park and the tables of locals playing chess and giving
what appeared to be astrological readings, and I made my way to the
neighboring Sheraton. (And no, I am not receiving money from Sheraton
for product placements in this blog!)
Many people had the
same plan of wasting time at this hotel. The fancy, old lobby was
packed...some were coming off the ships in port and waiting to head
to the airport. Others, like me, were waiting until time to board for
their cruise vacations. We all enjoyed the free wifi and ability to
charge our phones. I spent the next four hours meeting a family from
Scotland, a couple from Central Texas, two ladies from Maryland and a
group of friends traveling from California.
I was so anxious to
get on board and it felt great when I finally was. I was so tired
that I hoped to lie down in my suite for a bit of a nap, but first, I
did want to unpack my huge suitcase. I hung up my shirts. I grabbed
my tees and shorts and placed them in a drawer. My socks went into a
smaller drawer and underwear in a drawer below my socks. I soon was
looking at an empty suitcase. Pants. Where were my pants? Hanging in
the closet were my shirts, but where were the pants! I panicked.
Had I forgotten to
pack slacks? I remember distinctly picking them out, not wanting too
many of the same color. How could I have forgotten to pack them?
Where could I go in town to buy new ones? I didn’t need to buy new
ones, as I have plenty at home, but I couldn’t wear the same pair
every night on a two-week cruise!
Suddenly I realized
the shorts I had placed in the drawer seemed like more shorts than I
recalled packing. Pulling the drawer open, I was delighted to see
that I had blindly placed my folded pants there. I laughed out loud
as I placed them on hangers. I pack for a living- I’d like to think
I’d not forget to pack pants!
I did lie down and
maybe 20 minutes after falling asleep came the muster drill, “Grab
your life vest and report to your muster station,” said the captain
over the PA. As I did so, I looked in the mirror to fix my hair,
don’t want to make a bad first impression. I looked a hundred years
old, pillow wrinkles on my cheek, red eyes, lifeless expression. Yay,
me! Let’s go muster!
 |
| Me on the Legend in San Juan before sailaway |
The rest of the
afternoon was spent exploring the ship, meeting staff, taking photos
of the ship and of other ships as they departed San Juan. Next to us
was the Carnival Fascination. She was a very large party ship with
water slides and disco lights emanating from within. I was happy to
not be on that.
Soon, the Disney
Magic sailed by. The moon rose, the sun set and it was our turn to
slowly back away from the dock, turn around, and start up the
propellers, which would not stop churning for 14 days. It was a
wonderful night for a sail away.
Day2 Sleeping in on Vacation
When I first came to
life, it was as I was rolled over in my sleep as we hit a wave. The
room was dark, but I looked towards the window. Inside voice told me
that it was probably around 8am. Bladder said, “Let’s get up,”
so I obeyed. I looked at the clock and called it a liar. No way was
it really just after 11am. I went to bed around 1230am. I asked my
phone for the time, and she agreed with the clock. I had slept nearly
11 hours. ELEVEN HOURS!!! (I told you I needed a vacation!)
 |
| Looking up the main staircase on board |
Lunch was moved from
the aft outside deck to the main restaurant midships, due to wind, so
I broke my fast with round from the salad bar followed by a thin
breast of chicken with vegetables.
I was able to
accomplish some writing, and then spent 45 minutes in the gym before
getting ready for the evening, which began with a champagne reception
to meet the captain and his staff.
The captain looked
like he could easily win a prize at a Curley Howard, Three Stooges
contest. His thick Scottish accent over the PA made it sound as if he
were speaking with marbles in his mouth. His voice actually pretty
much matched his appearance. He was slightly rotund, which he
admitted is something his wife admonishes him for, so he asked that
we eat all that we could to leave less for him.
 |
| Penguin on the bridge |
After a fantastic
dinner of beef wellington followed by dessert (both a wonderful lime
tart piled high with a fluffy meringue as well as a peanut butter
crème brulee- I just had to try them both) I later found myself at
the forward bar, where I had a nice conversation with the captain and
Katie, the spa manager. Turns out, Katie did write the captains
jokes, but he tried to convince me that he is funny and says
something different for each cruise, so if I were to sail with him
again, even if it were the very next sailing, I would hear different
jokes.
As I do with any
cruise, I ended my night with live music. This ship has two duos.
When one took a break, I’d off to the other bar to hear the other
duo. I left the forward bar when they went on break and went to the
aft bar. After one song, they too went on break. I laughed, and after
Ryan, the pianist came over to say hello, I put in a request that the
two duos better coordinate breaks. To make up for it, when their
break ended, they played a special request for me...Don’t Stop, by
Fleetwood Mac.
The ship vibrates
with the rotating propeller. There is a wonderful sea breeze. There
are no lights on the horizon. The clouds drift overhead illuminated
from the top by a full moon that hangs lofty in the skies and tonight
is kept company by Jupiter, who is within an inch away. The world is
covered two-thirds by water. It’s times like these that I feel like
I should be spending two-thirds of my time on it. I love being at
sea.
Day 3: Day of the
sleepies
The alarm was set
for 8am so I could have breakfast and then attend a talk with one of
the officers in the Yacht Club. We’d set the clocks ahead the night
before, the first time of what would surely feel like 100 on this
sailing, but I try to ignore the fact that I’m losing an hour and
just go to bed at the time when the clock says it’s midnight, so I
could get 8 hours. Body, for some reason, said, “Let’s wake up at
715am. That’ll be fun!”
With a large window
in my cabin, I enjoyed sitting and watching the waves. We still had a
pretty good roll on board, which we’d pretty much had since leaving
San Juan. I had what I thought was a fairly good breakfast of an egg
scramble, 2 pieces of bacon, one link sausage, a donut and a fruit
smoothie. Of course, now that I’ve written it all out, I do
understand a bit more why later, I felt queasy. That’s surely twice
the amount of breakfast I normally eat!
It always happens
when I’m sitting at the front of the ship when it’s rolling. I
sat across from one of the officers who was answering all of our
questions, and the rolling, the up and down, the constant
vibration...I knew it was time for me to head downstairs. I took some
ginger and it didn’t seem to do the trick, so I took a motion
sickness pill they distribute on board. I was tired, so I lay down on
my bed. Ninety minutes later I was up. The good news is that,
normally, once I feel queasy, that’s it for the rest of the trip.
 |
| Penguin inspecting a knot |
I spoke to a woman
I’d met on day one about writing, and then actually did a little
bit of writing, and then I sat on the couch in my suite. I awoke an
hour later when it was time to get ready for dinner. Two naps!
As is my custom on
these cruises, I enjoyed a pre dinner drink while listening to one of
the duos perform. I miss the classical music they play on Holland
America, but I’m really enjoying this small ship, which, with 131
passengers, is only slightly over half of capacity.
There are no lines.
Normally, you’d see tea on the daily and expect to arrive for said
tea at the published time along with 50 others and have to wait three
minutes to be seated. Today’s tea was from 3-5. I walked in at 301
and there were about 8 people in the room. Nice.
Then another night
of airline talk. Last night it was the couple who’s daughter is
based in ORD, tonight I dined with a couple who were interliners, he
retired after over 30 years working heavy maintenance at the SFO
facility. He did confess later in the night that he was reticent to
discuss airlines, knowing that I must get tired of it. I informed him
that as long as he’s not complaining about Mother Airline, I’m
OK.
Day 4: Game Day
My alarm went off
too soon and it wasn’t even one of the days we changed our clock. I
was so tired that I laid in bed for nearly another half hour. Then I
heard the room steward next door and suddenly realized that I’d not
placed my do not disturb sign out, so I popped up and got ready for
the day.
Plan A was to join
the galley tour. I’ve seen ship galleys many times, and I used to
work in large kitchens, but it’s always fun to see them. I wasn’t
smart enough to come up with plan B, so upon learning that the tour
had filled up and that I was now on the list for the next one to be
scheduled in a few days, I found myself at breakfast without a real
plan.
Before I knew it, I
was playing trivia with the various teams in the Yacht Club. My team
wasn’t doing so well, the questions were quite difficult, (what is
an oologist, or how am I supposed to know the technical term for a
tightrope walker, or the name of any disease that can jump from
animal to human?) but we wound up tied for second place, even with
our paltry four correct answers. The team whose sheet we graded got
seven correct. I’m not sure how they cheated, but I’m going to
find out!
Each day, in the
dailies, is a photo of an obscure object. Identify the object and its
location and enter it at the front desk. I have no idea what the
prize is, but I knew the first two days without issue. I couldn’t
find the third, so one of my new on board friends and I went
searching for the day’s photo. I had a few ideas of where to
search, but wanted to ask the front desk about the possibility of one
of the locations I had in mind, but it was closed off to this cruise
because the water deck would not be in use. We were told that is one
of two areas used on board for athletic activity. I knew instantly
the location of the photo, so off we went to the spa to find it.
I have worked out
each day, so far, and had I been more observant, I may have realized
that the 35 pound free weight was the answer.
Scott and Jennifer
are a fun couple I’ve met on board. As it turns out, they live
about five miles from my home! They love to play games and one of the
games they have on board is my favorite- Balderdash. We had lunch
together and spent the next three hours playing that and a few other
games. My father and his third wife used to play backgammon all the
time, but he had never taught me to play. I finally learned, and
discovered that I really don’t think I like it that much.
 | |
| Diane teaches me Rummikub. Love my face! |
Games were fun and I
met a few new people. I got no writing done today, but I’m fine
with that. This is a vacation, after all and I want to allow myself
to do what ever my body or mind decides to do. Sleep 11 hours? OK.
Two naps in a day. I’m fine with that. Laughing with new friends?
I’m game!
The ship hit some
gray clouds and we spent all afternoon cruising through rain. Tonight
was supposed to be the on deck BBQ, an event Windstar is known for.
Due to the weather, it was moved downstairs to the Amphora dining
room. It was a grand buffet, with a suckling pig, sliced steak,
lobster tails, shrimp, ribs, paella, a huge salad bar, and a table
with about a dozen desserts. One thing I’ve impressed myself
with...so far… is that on this cruise, I’ve not been eating as
much as in past cruises. I did have five lobster tails (which they
cut in half, so really, I had 2.5), and I did taste just about
everything, but just very small portions.
Tomorrow is a fairly
light day. I’d like to write more, will get another workout in, and
there is a treasure hunt that I’d like to partake in. We changed
our clocks an hour ahead tonight, so I’m sure I’ll sleep in a bit
and just sort of meander through my day- allowing myself to do what
ever I feel. Everything is up to chance.
Day 5: Cinco de
Cruise
Yet another day
where I was able to sleep in up until the time where bladder says
it’s time to get up. I think bladder is on vacation, too. Is it the
rolling of the ship or the salty air that makes bladder seem smaller?
Interestingly
enough, however, when I went to my phone to turn off the alarm, so
that I could lounge in bed for another half hour, or so, there were
only three seconds until the alarm was to sound. Good timing,
bladder!
After a light
breakfast of oatmeal and a danish, I returned to my room to get some
writing done. I almost felt badly that I’d not written at all
yesterday, but this is vacation and I have no real agenda other than
rest, relaxation and fun. So far...mission accomplished.
Writing became
difficult when the captain came on the loud PA to announce that a
fire drill was about to commence. He told us that it was a drill, but
soon was announcing for passengers to grab their life vests and
proceed to their muster stations, making sure not to trip on the
straps, and to keep to the right of hallways and stairwells. It felt
awfully real, and I know certain people who sleep in until later than
1030, and feared that a few people may not realize that it was a
drill.
 |
| Crew fire drill |
As part of the
drill, there was a fire reported in the crew laundry room. Fire team
one was to fight the fire, while fire team two was to begin to search
for four missing persons. Soon, it was announced that the fire was
out and no hot spots were found. Three of the missing persons had
been found, but passengers were to remain in their muster stations. I
kept happily in my suite watching the wonderfully blue waters slide
by my window.
Next, it was
announced that all four missing persons were found, but the fire had
returned and spread to another deck, so it was now time to load
passengers and crew into life boats. He then stated, “Abandon ship.
Abandon ship. Abandon ship. It felt awfully real. I now what it
sounds like to hear that, and I think that’s a good thing. I still
felt terribly sorry for those who were unsure that it was drill. I
half wanted to peek out into the hallway to see if anyone fell for
it, but I didn’t want to look as if I was checking to see if it was
real, so I again kept to my cabin.
For the first time
since leaving San Juan, the aft lunch area was open. It’s been
closed due to weather. I ate there before we left, and it was so
windy that lettuce was flying off of my plate! It seemed like a silly
place to put a lunch venue before I boarded, and it seems more so
now. I suppose when the ship is anchored off of an island, as it
often is, that it’s better suited for dining out than it is when
traveling at 10.8 knots in the middle of the Atlantic. I still think
it would be better suited for the pool that was removed to make more
seating room. Seating room I’ve yet to see utilized.
 |
| Team Awesome racks up points for the treasure hunt. |
The boy couldn’t
drink, so they allowed him to mix his own virgin drink at the bar. He
seemed quite happy. Joy and I decided neither of us wanted the bottle
of wine, so Jennifer and Scott took that. That left the 50 minute
massage for Joy and I to share. I tried to barter for the whole 50
minutes with the $50 spa gift certificate I had won on day 1. She
would have gone for it had it been for the bar and not the spa. She
declined my offer, saying for her half of the massage, she wanted it
to be the top half. She’s so funny!
I asked if I could
combine my half massage with the $50. When Katie said yes, I found
that I could live with that, as I’m sure they will allow me to bump
up to the 50 minute massage with both.
I had another great
gym day, followed by a nice soak in the pool. It’s at this stage of
the voyage that I find myself finding my routine. It’s too soon to
be ready to get off. I know the ship and a great deal of people. I
can’t go anywhere and not wave across the room at this person or
that. Jack stopped me to tell me to sign up for the engine room tour.
Chris helped me find the photo of the day quiz. There is Bill, here
is David and Jackie. Nancy waved and Stu was at the Star Bar. It’s
a new little family.
After pool time, I
encountered an older man with coke bottles for glasses. We were
talking with the bar tender about food and he made a negative
comment. I was confused, and asked if meant the food was bad, or the
selection. He made a face and gave a big thumbs down. I told him we
must be on different cruises, as I keep waiting to have a
disappointing meal, and have yet to be let down. The lasagna was
fantastic. The oysters were magical (so much so that I had 2 orders).
From soups to crab cakes, from shrimp to steak, it’s all been so
fantastic. Go away grumpy old man. No? OK, see ya...and I was gone.
Before dinner, I was
seeking out hors d’ovres and found myself in the Compass Rose bar.
Seated there was a man who appeared to be my age next to a woman who
was much older. They seemed close and invited me to join them. This
was Kevin and Renee. They’d met years ago on another voyage and had
kept in touch. Kevin had booked three days before sailing and neither
of them knew the other was going to be on board. Imagine their
surprise!
Turns out Kevin was
11 years older than I. He was hilarious and kept everyone laughing.
Joy joined us and the two of them started telling tall tales. When
asked where Joy was from, she said she was in the witness protection
program. It just steamrolled from there and we all laughed. I
mentioned that I had been wishing there were comedians on board...I’d
just not met the right people.
 |
| Wearing Kevin's Cardinal's ring. |
I wound up dining
with Kevin and Renee and had a wonderful meal. They have nick names
for many guests, such as the couple who never smile, they call Sady
and Grumpy. I asked what they called me, but since they had just
discovered me, they decided on Penny, after hearing of my penguinish
name.
Many people had been
looking forward to Karaoke tonight. My dinner started half an hour
later than expected, so I wandered into the Compass Rose half an hour
after karaoke began. I could hear my name uttered from all corners of
the room. It reminded me of the Bugs Bunny cartoon when Leopold
enters the band shell to conduct the orchestra, and everyone begins
to mutter, “Leopold...Leopold...it’s Leopold!”
I found Jennifer and
she handed me the list of songs and the small piece of paper on which
to write my song selections...as if to say I had no choice but to
sing. “It’s been the Stu and Ed show so far,” she said.
“They’re the only ones who have sung.”
I found Dreams and
put in my request. I was well received and felt good, so I put in
Every Breath you Take. I did OK, but had a hard time with the key and
had to change a few times. Ugh!
Next I sang
Raspberry Beret, by Prince, but failed to realize that I mainly only
know the chorus, so for much of the verses I failed, but I was able
to hide it fairly well. The crowd loved my enthusiasm. Stu and Ed had
been much more rehearsed and people seemed to be tired of hearing
from the two of them. Ed definitely does a lot of karaoke. Everyone
just seemed to be happy to hear from someone else.
 | |
| Penguin singing a Stevie Nicks song |
Seeing me be brave
enough to sing brought others to the stage. I was glad to know that I
was not the worst of the singers that night. Feeling yet again
encouraged, I next sang Day-O and messed it up fairly well, but
again, had such a good time and bantered on the mic with the crowd,
they didn’t seem to care. I then found Stop Dragging my Heart
Around listed under Petty Nicks, and not Stevie. I killed it! They
even applauded me mid song! Finally, I was talked into joining
Michelle from Florida (the knot maker) for the male part to Summer
Nights from Grease. Killed it again.
But wait, there’s
more. Stu began to sing Imagine. I couldn’t help but run up and
grab the second mic to join him. I thought we sounded great together
and it was much fun. That is how the night ended in the Compass Rose.
Tomorrow is Friday,
the day Mom goes into the hospital in Denver for a biopsy of her lung
for possible cancer. I’ve been thinking of her a lot and happened
to mention it to Janet as we left the room. We spoke for a while and
she told me that she would send good energy and keep Mom in her
thoughts for tomorrow. I greatly appreciated hearing that. I’m
happy I’ve made some really good friends on board. I’m not sure
I’ll be able to keep in touch with many of them, unlike how I did
after my sailing on the Spirit. But for these 14 days, I have some
really fun people surrounding me.
Day 6: No Time
Each day they post a
photo in the daily for the “What is it – Where is it game”.
They post a small, cropped photo and those of us crazy enough to
play, go from place to place looking for it. Some are hard, some
easy. I found today’s before I went to bed last night. It was the
12 from the clock at the Star Bar.
I ran into one of
the fellow game players who I work with in finding the photo item
each day. She asked if I knew today’s photo, and I asked if she
wanted a clue or to be told. When asked for a clue, I told her I had
no time to give it to her. She knew what I meant, and I gave her the
hot/cold for a clue as to where she could find it.
 |
| Chef Klaus in the galley. |
This tour had me
eating lunch a little later than normal, at nearly 1230 instead of
noon. When it was 1pm, I then recalled that I had scheduled a foot
imprint session at 1230. Oh, well, I’m sure I’m not the first
guest to miss an appointment. Katie was gracious and we’ll try
again tomorrow for 10am.
I spent nearly and
hour on the bridge today. It was fun talking and joking with Lucy and
a few of the others, Hammish, Toni and Adam. I see them frequently.
It’s amazing to me that often there is only one person on the
bridge, and often they are doing paperwork, looking at a chart,
drinking tea, talking to passengers...there isn’t nearly as much
looking out for things as I would have expected.
Of course the ship
runs itself, and I’m told whales are run off by the sound of the
ship approaching. Other ships will show up on the radar, but the ship
and its instruments do not warn humans of other traffic in the way,
like aircraft do. So they do have to look for ships, but I guess at
the current rate of speed, they can easily see it and make heading
corrections to avoid any possible impacts. It’s a great policy that
Windstar allows passengers to hang out on the bridge just about any
time they like.
It was a lazy day.
The above, a nap, a good workout and time in the sauna followed by a
dip in both the pool and Jacuzzi. I had happy hour with a few funny
friends, and for dinner, I went to Candles. I was told it was full,
but after saying it was only me, they said they could accommodate me,
and I assumed they would do so at a table with others. I showed up
and they had a table for one. I had just finished telling friends at
happy hour that I was fine dining alone. I get tired of telling my
life story every time I dine with new passengers.
 |
| My dinner at Candles at sunset |
This, as most
crossings I’ve done, is not a sailing that is known for its
nightlife. Not in just what is provided, but in the amount of people
who stay up late. I’m amazed at the people who stay up until
two...three...four minutes after 9pm!
There was a game
show in the Compass Star after dinner with a panel of cruise staff,
including the Captain, about telling the truth where definitions of
odd words are concerned. The duo started their tunes right away, but
within 10 minutes, the crowded room held only about a dozen people. I
keep wishing for a little more to do at nights, but I have a feeling
it would only be me and very few others taking part in them.
The cruise is about
half over now. I’m really enjoying it. It may be one of the best
cruises I’ve taken, and I know I have said that after previous
cruises. I just keep raising the bar in what I’m experiencing. I
love my Holland America Cruises, and this ship is very much like a
smaller version of HAL- fresh flowers, linen to dry your hands in the
lavatories, friendly, attentive staff, quality food (I keep waiting
for a bad meal, but have yet to have one) and great amenities. I
would have no issues choosing another cruise with Windstar, and
certainly would do so on a crossing, but then again, I don’t need
all the activities of a larger ship.
 |
| Penguin, Diane and Captain Reville |
Day 7: The Spa
I’ve been very
good about going to exercise every day so far. The on board gym is
very small, with only five cardio machines and a few weight machines.
I’ve never been into using free weights, even when I lifted weights
in college, but there is a rack of nice ones on board. Katie tells me
the 20 pound weight has gone missing. I told her I didn’t take
it...I can barely lift it, let alone carry it to my suite!
Today, in the spa, I
had an appointment to have my footprint analyzed. I don’t know what
made me think it was going to lead to vital information about my
feet, their structure or my posture. It was, of course, just a ploy
to have me purchase plastic inserts for my shoes. The handsome young
man from South Africa got to the part about how much less they are to
purchase on board than on land, and I changed the topic. “So, how
long have you been on this ship? What did you do before? Which do you
prefer, the land job or the sea? Yeah, I know what you mean about
loving to travel, and why not do it and get paid? Well, I’m going
to get on the treadmill before someone else beats me to it, see you
in a bit.”
While in the gym
working out, I heard him come on the PA, “Attention all crew,
bright star...bright star...bright star. Deck seven spa. I repeat,
bright star...bright star...bright star. Deck seven spa.” Having
sailed on other cruise lines, I knew this was a medical emergency. I
went into work mode and walked down the hall to see if I could be of
assistance. The captain was the first person to arrive, and asked
that the spa be shut down to move people out of the way. Within
seconds there were at least a dozen crew members on hand, including
the ship’s doctor.
Later I found out
that Tom had passed out in the sauna. He was out for about thirty
seconds. Eventually, he was wheeled past me and was alert and looking
great. Soon, the rumor game was in full swing and passengers were
saying things like, “I hear his heart stopped,” and “He was
air-lifted off the ship after a heart attack.” I should really
start some good rumors next time I sail.
The spa had a
special today in the sauna, which may have been the reason he was
there in the first place. Free of charge, one could try a mud mask to
use while relaxing in the steam room or sauna. I’ll give anything a
try if it’s free. It had a wonderful peppermint scent and was sort
of fun to put on. Afterwards, my skin was silky-smooth!
After lunch I did
some writing and took a nap, standard stuff. I then got in the
Jacuzzi, and ran into Scott. He asked if I had worked out and I was
about to ask if he had gotten the mask. He told me that he’d used
the rest room in the spa earlier and was asked as he entered if he
would like a mask. He wondered what was wrong with the restroom that
he might need a mask. Did it stink? He had no idea why he would be
asked about needing a mask. We laughed so hard.
 |
| Engine control room |
For years, I’ve
always wanted to see a ship’s engine room. Finally, today, I was
given a tour. Down some stairs, around a few corners, through a large
room with huge, loud, hot engines, we reached the heart of the ship-
the engine control room. It was much like where Homer Simpson works
at the nuclear factory. A large bay-shaped console with buttons,
needles, gauges, monitors, sensors, phones, diagrams, and an
alarmingly great number of depictions of Jesus guiding sailors. It
was almost like being in church. We were allowed to take photos and
they answered all of our questions. It was terribly fascinating and
such a terrific experience.
Dinner was
wonderful, as usual (I had the baked fish with potatoes) and I sat
next to a man who used to edit the business section of several
newspapers. Don and I talked about writing and he gave me great
encouragement and a few wonderful ideas for my fiction story. He
feels there is great potential in my project and urged that I write
my feelings without worry of editing, which can be done later. That
way I’m sure to connect with the reader.
I ended the night
with a darkened tour of the bridge and talk about some of the
constellations in the northern hemisphere. We were also to go out and
star gaze, but with the cloud coverage, we could only see about five
stars...and Jupiter.
Being in the bridge
at night is a wonderful experience. They keep it very dark to assist
in searching the horizon for lights, and they monitor the screens for
any debris that might be in our way, such as floating containers that
may have fallen off a container ship. They seem to monitor things
more intently than I’ve seen them do during the light of day.
As I walked on the
outer decks before retiring for the evening, I found myself thinking
that I might be able to spend a great amount of time at sea. If I
could find the right job, maybe as a lecturer, I could see living
this kind of life. Of course, having a wonderful suite with a large
picture window and a nice gentleman making my bed and turning it down
every day helps!
Day 8: Midpoint
 |
| A view of the seas from the Amphora restaurant |
Today was also
Easter Sunday. There were many eggs decorating lunch. They had
deviled eggs, but they weren’t as good as what I’m used to. The
rocking of the ship made it so that I ate light at all three meals.
Saying that I ate light may sound good, but I still didn’t pass on
desserts.
Dinner brought yet
another great conversation with people I’d yet to really meet.
There was a couple from Perth, Janine and Glenn and Dave, from the
Dallas area who calls square dances for a living.
I skipped the spa
today. I think after seven solid days of working out, my body
deserved a rest, and rest it got. I slept eight hours, took an hour
nap before lunch and got another quick cat nap before dinner. It
sounds nicer doing this on vacation, but the truth is, with my
fatigue issues, this is really quite normal for me.
The day ended as it
usually does, listening to the duo, Vee and Ryan, perform in the
Compass Rose. Soon, I found myself chatting with Kevin and Renee and
eventually shut the ship down for the night with Captain Reville (who
cusses like a sailor after a few drinks and with no other passengers
around save for Kevin and me), Adam, one of the second officers,
Fred, the chief radio operator and Katie from the spa.
It’s fun when the
captain knows your name and he seemed to really enjoy our
conversation. I’ve dined with the captain from one my past cruises,
but having a drink and hearing him speak freely without other guests
around was top-notch! I feel like I own this ship!
Days 9 and 10: More
days at sea
Does it really
matter at this point if I combine days? And kudos to you if you’re
still reading. We are still cruising across the Atlantic- one happy
family on vacation. Some of us are partying. Some of us are
reclusive. And some of us are a bit of each.
 |
| Ringing the ship's bow bell |
Last night at
dinner, I was being seated next to my friends, Scott and Jennifer, I
was just about to pull the chair back to sit, when an older woman
comes up to the other empty seat and exclaims, “Where will my
husband sit?” Inside voice was saying, “I don’t really care,
there are plenty of tables all over this dining room, enjoy dinner.”
Inside Voice can be sort of rude. Inside Voice can be very
therapeutic, as well...as long as he stays inside.
So I took my leave
and the dining room manager started to lead me to a table of people I
didn’t really know, so I stopped him and asked if I could be seated
with people I already knew, telling him that I just was not in the
mood. He understood and I ate again with Peter and Don, the editor
from New York.
I’m eating much
less on this cruise than any I’ve been on. What’s of interest is
that the food on this cruise is possibly the best I’ve had on any
cruise I’ve been on. I just don’t eat the late night snacks, as I
normally might. I eat less at at lunch, and nearly every day I’m
eating a salad from the salad bar. I have a light breakfast, since
I’m usually eating at 930 or 10am and lunch is usually around 1230
or 1. I often also skip on an afternoon snack. There are no tea
services, so I’m not eating scones and sandwiches every afternoon,
as I do when I’m on HAL cruises.
I do enjoy my
dinners. I have no qualm about eating two entrees if I can’t decide
on one. I do tend to limit myself to the two, so I’m sort of out of
luck when there are three I like. I have an appetizer, but often not
the soup or a salad. I have dessert, and a few times I’ve had two.
They say the average passenger gains about a pound per day on board.
I am doing what I can to be below average.
If I thought I was
popular before, with my meeting everyone, with my stint singing a few
songs at karaoke, or with my being a flight attendant for the one
airline that seems to be in the news every day, I’m really going to
be famous after tonight’s crew show. I think the whole ship turned
out for it, the room was packed. Various crew groups or solo artists
got on stage to sing and or dance, to show off their local customs
from back home and to entertain the crowd.
 |
| On stage with Laura, singing opera. |
Afterwards, there
were many comments on my wonderful performance and new people I’d
not yet met on this vacation were introducing themselves to me.
Everyone seems to want to get to know me. I even overheard people at
the table next to me at dinner the other night talking about me.
“He’s the one who works for the airlines.”
As much as I love
the brief fifteen minutes of fame (I may regret it later tomorrow)
I’m not the only star on board.
I heard last week
that there was a movie star on board. She has blond hair and blue
eyes. The only woman who really met that description was a woman I’d
been hanging out and playing games with. We had lunch with her, and
when she and her husband got up, I asked if anyone knew her last name
and suggested that she may be the one. The idea was poo-pooed, so the
search continued.
In the meantime, I’d
met Thomas Malmberg and Michael Hall. Thomas informed me that Michael
was a movie star, having performed in numerous movies, including
1946s ‘The Best Years of our Lives’, ‘This is the Life’ in
1952, and ‘Blood of Dracula’ in 1957. He also purports to have
inherited Marilyn Monroe’s cat after her death. Tonight, I had
dinner at their table and they gave me more information.
Michael was friends
with Katherine Hepburn, who once told him, “You know why we don’t
get along, Michael? We’re too much alike!” He also once stalked
Greta Garbo in a grocery store only to ask when she was going to make
another movie, to which she replied, “I don’t know. I’d like to
order half a pound of bacon.” They later became friends and he
asked if she remembered him. “Of course I remember you,” she
answered.
Michael now buys and
sells major pieces of art. By major, he means famous. (We later
looked him up on line and found out that he had an
apartment-cum-museum in Manhattan that was recently on the market for
just over $13 million!)
Later in the meal,
Thomas said that they had met the other Hollywood star on board the
previous night. He couldn’t remember her name, but remembered that
her husband was Ernesto. So it ‘was’ Diane, who I’d been
playing games and eating meals with! She is so cute, kind, refined
and it made total sense that she was from old Hollywood.
 |
| Drinks with Diane Mountford and Ernesto |
I never did find out
if it was Diane who recognized Michael, or Michael who recognized
Diane, but I think they both knew Hepburn. As a child actress, Diane
played Helen Burton in ‘Children’s Hour’ with Audrey Hepburn
and Shirley McClain. She was also Gabrielle, the blind girl in
‘Bonanza’, Gail in ‘Family Affair’, as well as roles in ‘My
Three Sons’, ‘Leave it to Beaver’, and ‘Perry Mason’. She
may best be remembered for playing Trudy in ‘The Remarkable Mr.
Pennypacker’ or when co-starring with Bill Williams in the role of
Patty Greer in ‘Assignment Underwater’. I never let on to Diane
that I knew her secret, she never brought it up at all.
What’s funny is
that I’ve met many famous people in my life, from President GW Bush
and his wife Barbara, to Al Gore; from Jimmy Buffet to Alice Cooper;
from Matthew McConaughey to Russell Crowe. While it’s fun to meet
the famous and even more exciting to talk to them one on one and hear
great stories, I was more taken with my new friends Michael and
Diane. I liked and admired them long before I knew they were stars of
film and television, and quite honestly, I know little of what made
them stars. And on this ship, we are all in the same class. We are
all just people enjoying a vacation together...playing
games...chatting...having a meal together.
I may never be a
star on the silver screen adored by millions all over the world, but
for now, I’m one of the stars of on the Star Legend! As I stated on
the photo I posted before leaving San Juan, “Star Legend- It’s
like she was named for me!”
Day 12: The Best
Days
What a way to end
the day at sea! After having dinner with two of the cutest people on
board (Katie and Serell, from the spa) I sang karaoke again. I
thought I did a much better job than last week, feeling more
comfortable, having a smaller crowd, and a crowd I was more familiar
with, I belted out Dreams and Stop Dragging my Heart Around. I did a
fairly good job at Sweet Dreams. Then, my name came up again to sing
Your Song, by Elton John.
As I sang, I nearly
cried. I think I’ve found my karaoke song. Even Stu called me over
as I walked away to tell me how impressed he was. He said I only need
to reel it in when I get artistic and fancy.
 |
| Captain Richard on guitar. |
Dinner was also
excellent tonight. Not just for the great food (chicken Kiev with a
baked potato, asparagus soup and a chocolate decadent cake a la
mode). I had asked the captain earlier in the day if I could invite
Serell and Katie, and he was most happy to oblige. I had a great time
talking to them about their jobs, their homes, their duties in the
crew drills and all sorts of things. I really enjoy getting to know
the crew more and how things work on the ship. They seemed to have a
really good time and then accompanied me to the Compass Rose for
karaoke, where we arrived almost an hour after it began.
 |
| Gusti, Penguin, Katie and Serell |
People were so happy
to see me that I was immediately asked to take the mic. I was full,
somewhat intoxicated from wine at dinner, and out of breath from
walking up the stairs. I accepted the task, simply asking for Dreams.
They cued it up and I started. People seemed very happy to be hearing
me sing and it made my head swell.
Other than that, it
was another day of eating great food, chatting with new friends,
playing games in the Yacht Club, soaking in the hot tub and waving at
people all over the ship, everywhere I went. I skipped working out,
and I don’t feel so bad about having done so.
The captain welcomed
passengers to a cocktail party, where I managed four glasses of wine
(thank you Captain) and felt like I knew everyone on board. I sat
near the entry and just kept waving as people came in.
I don’t know that
I’ve ever been more impressed with a crew, with a ship, with the
staff and officers, with a cruise, as I feel with this crossing. I
may have a new favorite cruise line and I would not hesitate one
second to sail on the Legend again, whether for another long crossing
or a shorter week...although I think I’d prefer a crossing. I love
that I get to know so many passengers and crew- even if I am sick of
talking about my job and hearing people complain about flying with
Mother Airline.
Tonight I feel as
happy as I could be, thanks to a great dinner with staff, singing
with crew (I also joined Claire in singing both a Patsy Cline song
and Summer Nights) and most of all, hearing and singing along to the
captain’s guitar playing. He’s not so bad!
Day 14: The Saddest
Day
 | |
| My suite |
Yesterday, when I
woke up, it was sort of hard to believe that this cruise is almost
over. This was the final chance to get things done, to see new
friends, ask questions, get contact information, and start accepting
that being pulled off the boat kicking and screaming would not make
me look good- and with the news still cycling about the passenger
being drug off an airplane, I would just look like I were jumping on
a bandwagon.
One hundred and
thirty-one passengers were all dealing with their emotions of ending
our trip. Many were eager to start the next phase of their vacation.
Diane and Ernesto would be seeing sights in Portugal and Spain for a
few more weeks with Lola and Ed, who live in Galveston (I also hope
to see them again.) Greg and VeAnne were going to Paris. Michael and
Thomas would be going to Germany to hunt for more art for Michael’s
collection.
I wasn’t one
hundred percent ready to go back to reality, to hear about the
politics dividing our country and world, to be confronted with the
new attitude against flight crews or to leave behind the numerous
staff and crew who had made my Atlantic crossing such a wonderful
experience.
So much was my funk,
I had a very light breakfast and then went and sat for lunch without
eating. Nothing looked good to me. Not the magically still fresh
salad bar. Not the egg drop soup or the venison chili. Not the burger
or sliced pork loin. I didn’t even have a piece of cake or another
bowl of hot and tasty bread pudding. I guess I was tired of eating
and that means it’s time to go home.
I spent the 13th
afternoon playing games with VeAnne, Jennifer and Greg. I had an
Italian sandwich while we played Hand and Foot. Then I excused myself
to begin packing, while enjoying my last Sangria on board. I attended
the farewell from the captain and crew, and was shocked to find
myself the only one giving them a standing ovation. When I commented
on this to Jennifer, she reminded me that most people were too old to
stand up!
Our last dinner was
enjoyable. Ed and Lola had reserved tables for us in the center of
the dining room. For the first time since meeting Jennifer and Scott,
we had dinner together. Diane and Ernesto sat at the table next to
us. People came by to say goodbye, to give out contact information
and embrace. I had written a poem inspired by Michael Hall’s story
about the first time he met Greta Garbo, so I stopped at his table to
thank him for the inspiration and leave him a signed copy of my work.
Diane gave out neatly wrapped boxes of trail mix. Then Angela and
Janet came by.
 |
| Jennifer, Scott and Penguin |
So here was day
fourteen. It started much earlier than I had anticipated, but I
wasn’t surprised. Most cruises wake me up early when we reach port.
For one, the engines generally churn and shake the ship. My
anticipation gets the best of me and I’m up to watch the
activities.
I awoke at 230am,
after about four hours of sleep. It was dead silent. There was no
movement. I wondered if we hadn’t already docked! There were no
sounds, no vibrations. It felt as if we were dead in the water. I got
up and looked out my big picture window to find that we had yet to
enter the inlet that would lead to the dock. There was land ahead,
but behind could still be seen the great vast darkness where there
was nothing but water and sky...and the lights of a few ships. We
were crawling along very slowly and quite smoothly. What a graceful
ship.
I went back to bed
and maybe wound up with another hour of sleep, before I was up and
realized that no amount of struggling would get any more sleep for
me. I got out of bed and dressed. I went up to deck seven to enjoy
the view, just in time to pass under the large, orange bridge that
could easily be mistaken for San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. I
was back in Lisbon.
 | |
| Lisbon bridge |
Soon, the pilot was
brought on board. Then a tug raced past and helped nudge us into
dock, right behind the Rotterdam, a ship I had sailed on a few years
ago. She appeared larger than I remembered.
The sun came up
slowly, as if not wanting to disturb anyone. One final breakfast, a
few last goodbyes, then they called for my departure. The last person
I saw on board was Jennifer. I looked forward to seeing more of her
and her husband, Scott, who lived so close to me.
I took a deep breath
and walked down the gang way. At the end was Captain Reville, who
shook my hand, called me by name and assured me that next time I saw
him, he’d do a better job at playing Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were
Here. I laughed and nearly wanted to hug him. Instead, I smiled and
said farewell, walking a few steps away for a final photo of the ship
that had become my home for two weeks.
 |
| Parting shot |
I found a great
routine that included time with new friends, chatting with officers
and crew, working out nearly every day (I’d lost five pounds before
the cruise and gained only ten, so I’m only up five over
normal...the diet beings when I get home!) and enjoying the steam
room, sauna, hot tub and pool. There were planned activities, but
there were never so many that I felt pressured with too many things
to do. Most everyone on board was quite content in having a lot of
free time. People read books, played games, did needlepoint, watched
movies, talked, and enjoyed the days at sea.
My journey home took
just over 14 hours; that’s only one hour for each of the days I’d
just spent getting there. I could have easily gotten right back on
board and done the crossing in reverse!
The Poems inspired
from this voyage:
Here are the two
poems inspired from my meeting with Michael Hall. He was such a
dapper man, riding in his scooter and cared for by his friend and
business partner, Thomas Malmberg. He was always polite and dressed
colorfully, usually in a tweed sports coat and often wearing elephant
print pants, which he bought in either Cambodia or Thailand, he
wasn’t quite sure. He did say that he’d bought about a dozen to
give away, but found that he liked them so much that he decided to
keep them for himself. He also always wore an ascot around his neck.
I could see me trying to be like that when I’m in my 90s!
He and Thomas, while
polite and genteel, seemed to relish their privacy. They always ate
at a table for two, but I did manage to have lunch with them one day,
and another night I sat next to Michael at dinner. I had hoped to
hear stories, which he at first indicated he was reticent to share,
but eventually he did open up to talk about a few.
Baby, the cat he
inherited from Marilyn Monroe, was not named Baby by her. Thomas
mentioned that Baby was a little terror, jumping onto the backs of
other cats. He asked Michael how Baby came to pass. Michael thought
about it for a moment and said he had bothered a neighbor who had a
canary and that he was pretty sure the cat had been poisoned by the
neighbor.
He told me about
hearing that Greta Garbo was shopping in a store across the street,
so he hurried over. He spied her from behind the bread counter and
around corners. He finally got up enough courage to approach her and
she looked at him. He asked simply, “When are you going to do
another movie, Miss Garbo?” He mimicked her accent in telling me
that she answered him, and without missing a beat, turned back to the
butcher and ordered half a pound of bacon.
Thomas then brought
up Katherine Hepburn, mimicking her voice, saying, “You know why we
don’t get along, Michael? We’re too much alike.” For a second,
it sounded as if he was simply saying this to Michael, but I knew he
was talking about Hepburn before he said the name. He did the line
and looked at Michael for his response, who picked up right on it and
repeated it to Thomas. He then looked at me to indicate that Thomas
was making fun of something she had once told him. I think Thomas
enjoyed hearing the stories as much as anyone.
That was about the
extent of the stories I was able to get out of Michael Hall. He was
very kind and I was thrilled to meet him, without knowing who he even
was. He was just so interesting and worldly. Thomas had a bite to
him, and could use a sharp wit to have me wonder if he was trying to
be funny or cruel. He was calm, quite polite to others and had very
expressive eyes that seemed to give him away as being kind and
gentle, however, as Michael’s business partner, and seeing his wit,
I’m sure he keeps people in line when it comes to Michael’s
investments.
I told them both
that I would have loved to spend more time getting to know them. I
left them my contact information and gave Michael signed copies of
the following two poems. I hope I hear from them, and they did say if
they ever came to Houston that they would let me know. He was very
appreciative, and Thomas had to point out an error that I had made in
my poem...when Michael had Baby, he lived in a house, not an
apartment in New York. I asked if he were that factual when ‘he’
wrote poetry. He indicated that I had won that battle of wit, and
thanked me for my art. Thomas also gave me grief a few times for
needing to shave, while his face clearly had cuts. The second
morning, I told him I would shave, but didn’t want to be seen with
razor cuts! He loved my comeback.
Baby
 |
| Marilyn Monroe |
Marilyn had a cat
named Baby
When she died the
cat came home with me
Marilyn had a cat
named Baby
Who seemed as cute
as could be
Baby had a way about
her
Riding on the backs
of other cats
Baby had a way about
her
She made it hard for
us to relax
Up atop the mantle
piece
That Baby she would
hop
Up atop the mantle
piece
Laughing as the art
would drop
Baby bothered
everyone in the building
She did not
discriminate
Baby bothered
everyone in the building
Until a canary she
nearly ate
Now Baby is back
with Marilyn
Away in the great
beyond
Now Baby is back
with Marilyn
Baby and her beloved
mom
Deli Counter
I saw her in the
local store
A shy boy, that was
me
I spied her while
shopping
She was a star of
stage and screen
Finally I approached
My heart, I think it
skipped a beat
I asked her for
another movie
She replied then
ordered meat
Many years later we
would meet again
By now I’d had my
own taste of fame
But of course she
remembered me
For Greta Garbo was
her name
I would end every
night with a stroll on the upper decks, looking out to sea, watching
the clouds pass under what was a full moon when we left, and got
smaller and rose later each night. Some nights we had many clouds,
and others there were hardly any. Aside from the lights on the very
vessel on which I traveled, there were none, other than the stars
above...and Jupiter. I loved the gentle rise and fall of the ship,
the wind in my hair, the cool, salty air. I don’t know why I don’t
cruise more often.
At Sea
No lights anywhere
No shore to be seen
No ships on the
horizon
Twas a dark and
barren scene
The moon danced
behind the clouds
That passed by
overhead
The stars were out
in fields of black
The ocean before me
spread
Feel the wind that
blows me now
Feel the salt water
air
Feel the shudder of
engine props
That take from me my
cares
I love to be on
board a ship
As she sails across
the water
I love the constant
moving about
I love being a globe
trotter
Star Legend
 | |
| Some of the crew and me |
I sailed aboard a
ship
A star and legend of
the seas
I sailed aboard a
luxury yacht
One hundred-thirty
passengers and me
The captain and his
staff in white
Put us all at ease
The crew on board
took good care of us
They really aimed to
please
In morning- midday-
and at night
We had a feast to
eat
With meals that went
down oh, so right
And desserts that
were so sweet
There were musicians with many a song
Who daily would play
and sing
We smiled and danced
and clapped along
For the cheer that
they would bring
When the ship
arrived at port
I started feeling
sad
As I thought about
the friends I’d met
And the good times
that I had
Here is a link to my favorite photos from this cruise: https://goo.gl/photos/2x91fBLyz67TXEUT9
Here is a link to my favorite photos from this cruise: https://goo.gl/photos/2x91fBLyz67TXEUT9
