I was at least 20 years younger than the youngest guest and my jewelry was limited to a cheap wristwatch. I was in the habit of travelling by plane, train or bus with one small suitcase, while I imagined that the dowagers at the presentation were still used to a retinue of porters straining under steamer trunks of gigantic proportions.
I looked around and saw no one who might be enthusiastic, or awake for, midnight buffets, 24 hours available pizza or mild amorous adventures, which were becoming the focal point in the articles in the Sunday travel section of newspapers eager to scoop this new phenomenon of “Love Boat” type cruising that was just emerging. Not that I was there to scout out those possibilities, you understand?
In the 1970’s, cruiseliners like the one featured in the highly popular tv series “The Love Boat” were ushering in a new form of recreational travel. It was a time of transition from the concept of travelling by ship as primarily a means of getting from Point A to Point B, with varying degrees of pampering and comfort, depending on whether you were going First Class or Second Class, or Steerage, pretty much the same situation as air travel now, to one of the ship itself becoming the focus. The new cruiseliners were classless and fun: no more areas forbidden to those who hadn’t paid for First Class, the illusion of equal luxury and limitless food for all, and a touch of romance, legitimate or otherwise.
Years earlier I had travelled on a French Line transAtlantic ship, in Second Class, because it had been the only feasible way for me to get to university in Ireland from my native Trinidad. It was images from that voyage that I brought to that presentation on cruising. The presentation hinted at a far more glamorous and enjoyable experience, but still left me unimpressed. The joys of oceanliner travel still seemed reserved for a much older, wealthier clientele or, if one rather believed the travel writers, for the All You Can Eat Whenever crowd of slightly promiscuous poolside adventurers.
It’s thirty years later. So why have I just returned from yet another cruise, a lengthy 16 day TransAtlantic crossing from Florida to the Azores, Portugal and Spain?
Well, consider my home for those 16 days, the Azamara Journey:
I unpacked my luggage when it was delivered to the door of my stateroom, and never had to repack it until 16 days later even though I visited 7 ports in 3 countries during that time:
Like all staterooms, except suites, in cruiseships, mine was not very large, but why stay in your stateroom watching tv like you would have to do in most hotels anyway, when a short walk down a corridor:
would take you to several “Gentlemen’s Club” type lounges, such as the Martini Bar where a harpist played on evenings:
as you walked through on the way to dinner in the Discoveries restaurant:
Fancy having food presented like this three times a day if you wish:
Yes, there was a buffet too, with pizza, ice cream, wonderful pastries, salads and a million other dishes and treats in another part of the ship:
Want to feel glamorous? Pose for a photo on the Grand Staircase:
The sun is setting as you dine at a special restaurant on Deck 10:
Then it’s Showtime at the intimate Cabaret Theatre where artistes perform cabaret-style close to the audience rather than on a remote stage:
One night the captain throws a cocktail party to introduce the senior officers:
There’s a casino and music and panoramic views from the Looking Glass observation lounge:
You don’t have to struggle for a taxi to get to the entertainment, and there’s no worrying about whether the place you have chosen will turn out to be a clip joint, as could happen in any unfamiliar city on land.
Almost every day except for the long transAtlantic crossing the ship would dock at a new port or a new country:
with views like these right from your stateroom balcony:
Alicante, Spain
Almeria, Spain
Cadiz, Spain
Lisbon, Portugal
Ponta Delgado, Azores
Next, let's go ashore for a look at Ponta Delgado, Lisbon, Cadiz, Almeria and Alicante.
Hasta luego.
8 comments:
Wow! Louis, you must be the Rich and famous folks that we often read and saw on TV. I believe it is really nice to be living in a floating hotel for sixteen days. We did once on a short trip from Sarawak, to Sabah and to Kuantan and it was great.
Have a nice day.
Very interesting Louis. I've never been on a cruise but the best selling point for me was when you said, "I unpacked my luggage when it was delivered to the door of my stateroom, and never had to repack it until 16 days later even though I visited 7 ports in 3 countries during that time:" Now, that is wonderful comfort!
Blessings
Louis
I'm enjoying your trip!
Idrus, I used to be critical of the idea of a ship as a "floating hotel" but the increasing inconvenience and humiliation of checking in at airports has made this aspect of cruising very compelling.
One has more time at destinations to actually do some sightseeing rather than wasting time jumping through all the hoops associated with checking in at airports now.
For example, between planes at Heathrow, London, we spent three hours just getting from one plane to the other because of a complete lack of a rational transit system. Didn't have time even to duck into a restroom.
Guanaguanare, I am very happily surprised that you continue to read my blog.
It would seem that spending about eight hours at a port won't allow time to get to know a destination. However, other than in the USA, and certainly in Europe, the historic parts of cities are compact and usually close to the port. In the Caribbean, the major sightseeing attractions are never far away. Trinidad, if it had a policy to attract tourists, could provide a very rich travel experience within some hours.
Ric, one of the first things I did on settling in to the cruise was read "Unpacking My Library".
I appreciated having learned the term "provenance" from the appraisers of antiques on the "Antique Road Show" on Public Television.
They often attached as much importance and interest to the provenance of a valuable item as to the item itself..and I think that was the central idea in that essay too.
What do you think?
Of course I'm still following you Louis, even though I do not comment often. My blog subscriptions have been reduced drastically but this blog is among the few that I've kept.
Blessings
Thanks, Guanaguanare. I am honored.
Post a Comment