Normally, you'd awaken pretty early in the morning, just so you
can get a good start on your day. After going through your morning ritual you're
ready for that first cup of eye-opening Java. There are several options to get that
first cup of coffee: fill out the Room Service card the night before, specifying
the time you want it delivered in the morning, and, viola, there's the knock on
your stateroom door with your order. This is my favorite option for that first cup.
You could, of course, have gone to the buffet area to have a full breakfast picking
and choosing whatever it is you want for breakfast. This is not my favorite because
I would usually overfill my plate and suffer that bloated feeling all morning long.
After that first cup of coffee, I usually take a brisk walk round the promenade
deck, several times, until breakfast service starts in one of the main dining rooms.
This is my favorite; I like to enjoy a leisure quiet meal while being served by
the waiters and busboys and chatting, sociably, with new table mates each morning
(breakfast is open seating so you can sit wherever you choose) instead of schlepping
my own food, fighting the crowd, at the buffet restaurant. I'm done with breakfast
anywhere between 8:30 to 10:30 am. For your information, if you happen to return
to your stateroom after breakfast you'll find that your cabin steward has been there
and cleaned up after you and the cabin is ready for you to mess up all over again!
I should mention that your cabin steward is a most valuable resource
of information and service. He or she will be able to answer most, if not all, your
questions on the cabin, the ship and shipboard life. The steward will be happy to
satisfy many of your needs & wants aboard ship. So, do use his/her services. But,
do remember them when it comes to gratuity time.
Now, I'm ready to do whatever I want to. The daily program sheet,
which had been placed on my bed the night before, lists all of the activities, their
times and locations on the ship. You can choose to lounge by the pool(s), there
are more than just one, or try joining an exercise group, going to the gym, strolling
the decks, watching the wide open ocean, participate in some of the pool-side games,
picking a comfy lounge chair and curling up with that good book you brought along
for just this purpose. You could play cards, go to the theater to listen shopping
talks to talks on the ports of call, play bingo, play shuffle board, ping pong,
basketball, do some shopping in the ship's arcade, or relax at the spa and try one
of their myriad of services such as various massage therapies for various parts
of your body, saunas, whirlpools, get your hair and nails done. By the way, all
spa services and activities are for an extra cost. When at sea, the casino is open
and a very popular location (not one of my favorite places - it's smoky and the
chances of loosing your shirt are quite high) besides, after that breakfast, I'm
all for a nap before lunch which should be starting shortly.
About now, if you're anything like the "normal" cruiser, you're
scouting for lunch. Again, there's the buffet restaurant, topside & poolside, you've
got Room Service, not a full lunch menu but limited to a couple of sandwiches and
snacks, and then, the main dining room open seating, which I prefer for the reasons
I stated earlier. I should mention that a favorite of some cruisers is frequenting
the many bars. On a sea day, the poolside bars as well as elsewhere on the ship,
are kept very busy as are the many bar-waiters and waitresses. All bar beverages
cost extra, including bottled water, and a 15% gratuity is added to your bill.
By the way, any purchases you make aboard ship are paid with
a sea card which you are given at check-in time. At any time, you can verify your
expenditures (onboard account) by asking at the ship's Reception Desk or using the
in room TV facility for checking the account. The on-board account is usually closed
at around midnight the last night of the cruise. Very early the morning you dock
at the home port your receipt is slid under the door of your cabin. If the charges
are correct you have nothing to do. They'll be credited to the credit card that
you provided at check-in time. Paying for your on-board account with cash depends
on the cruise line and ship on which you are traveling.
For the afternoon activities I again I refer to the Daily Program
sheet which I always try to carry with me so I know what's going on, where, and
when. In general, afternoon activities are much like those in the morning with one
notable change: afternoon tea and desserts is served in the buffet restaurant around
4:30 pm. Self service ice-cream is available almost 24-hours a day. Specialty coffees
& desserts are available, at extra charge, form early morning till late in the evening.
The caf'area is, usually, indoors in a nice, comfortable part of a main deck. Often,
there's a piano player or some other musical entertainment available at certain
times. Even if you don't buy any coffee or cake it's a nice place to sit back, relax
and people watch, if you are so inclined. I'm sure that many of you would be attracted
to the Ben & Jerry's kiosk where you can enjoy a portion of their delectable ice
cream (at additional cost). Often, I resort to a nap in the late afternoon in order
to fortify myself for the evenings' activities. If you haven't already found this
out in the morning, you'll find the shower a bit on the cozy side. Some folks use
the technique of soaping down the walls and then rotating their bodies to soap down
efficiently (said with tongue in cheek). I'm small so I have no problem in the shower.
Many folks get 'dressed up' for dinner while others dress casually. I'm in the latter
group and feel more comfortable in a collared shirt, slacks and on Formal Nights
a sports coat. I usually take no ties with me.
Pre-dinner cocktail time is a shipboard ritual! Nowadays, hot
hors d' ouvres are rare while munchies such as chips, peanuts, dry trail mix is
the norm in the bars and lounges. Of course you pay for the drinks, the munchies
are free. At the Captain's cocktail parties small cocktail sandwiches are often
served with champagne, small remixed cocktails both for free.
Dinner is served in the main dining rooms in two seating. The
main (early) seating starts around 6pm the second seating (late) around 830pm. You
dine at an assigned table. When reserving your cruise you may ask your travel agent
to be seated with friends. This can usually be accommodated but if you're by yourself
you may not be guaranteed seating at any particular sized table. Early or Late seating
can be requested but are not guaranteed. At check-in time, your sea pass will indicate
the Dining room name, the seating time and the table number. If any of this is not
to your liking you're told to see the Maitre'D at a particular location and between
certain hours to resolve any discrepancy. Usually the Maitre'D is able to satisfy
you.
Your meal is served by a waiter/waitress and his/her assistant.
Bar service (at extra cost) is provided by a separate person. Nowadays, on most
ships, wine is ordered from the waiter, otherwise, a wine steward (sommelier) serves
this function.
Most ships, now, have an alternative to the main dining venue.
This is generally served in the buffet restaurant between around 7:30 to 9:30 pm.
On most ships the same meals as in the dining room are offered here. But, you serve
yourself. Bar service is available. On some ships, I much prefer the alternative
dining setting because the food is just as good as in the dining room and sometimes
even better. The atmosphere is very leisurely and casual; I feel much more relaxed
in shorts, which are allowed here but are a no-no at dinner time in the main dining
room.
Specialty restaurants, with names such as David's (sporting a
full sized replica of Michelangelo's statue of David, in all his naked glory, La
Tratorria, Chops, etc. are becoming a common shipboard choice for dinner. These
restaurants are usually located on a top deck, with a great view, a very chic ambiance,
serving premium sea food, meats, wines and desserts. This is reservation only dining,
proper attire is expected. You pay extra for all this. You are charged a fixed price
of $20 to $30 per person and a tip of 20% or more is the norm. Cocktails, wines
certain specialty appetizers and desserts cost extra. Otherwise, the premium entr',
done to perfection, is accompanied by freshly breads, an appetizer or soup a choice
of salads and a choice of desserts. As you would expect, the service is one on one
and is impeccable. This type of dining is great to celebrate some special occasion
or just for the heck of it! I've done both, and enjoy dining and being treated like
the other half.
Aboard ship post dinner time can be as exciting or sedate as
you want it to be. There's always the pre-show bingo where you can win or lose a
few bucks. Then there's Show Time in the main theater consisting of Las Vegas type
floor shows, magicians, jugglers, comedians, singers, acrobats etc. etc. Later,
there are audience participation shows in which you can be a star and/or make a
fool of yourself. These are often hilarious both live and the next day when televised
on the in cabin TV channel. All the lounges and bars are open and cater to the after
dinner crowd. The casino has been open for hours and is now packed. I stay away,
Rose, my wife, takes her big roll ($10 per night allotment) and tries Lady Luck.
Many of the lounges have dance music playing and the ballroom dancers are in seventh
heaven. I try to find the lounge where the jazz trio holds court and hang out foot
tapping till they break. For me, I call it a day and stroll to my cabin to read
or watch some TV before turning in. The night-birds are shaking it up in the disco
till the wee hours of next morning, the chow hounds are checking out the lounges
for late night snacks.
Tomorrow will be a different type of day. We're in a port of
call where most passengers will go ashore on excursions for which they've signed
up and paid for previously. The morning and early part of the afternoon will be
much quieter aboard. The casino is closed, it's much less crowded poolside, and
lots of the bars are closed although some strategically placed bars are almost never
closed! I usually relax, use the gym, where I'm the only one there, read somewhere
in a cool, breezy spot on deck, and wait for the gang to return aboard. The ship,
usually, slips her lines or weighs anchor around 5pm and we're off again for another
evening of fun and games on our way to the next port of call.
Until we meet again, it's Happy Cruising and Bon Voyage to all
you cruisers.
