Thursday, November 12th, 2009, the northeast was rocked by a nor'easter. The following day, I received a phone call from my staff administrator. My brother and I were busy in the garage re-stringing lights on our Christmas wreath. I was asked if I could travel with the Bayonne staff to Baltimore. I was told briefly what ship I was going to be working with. She asked if I could report to the Bayonne shopping area by 10:30 A.M. I said, “Will be there!”.
Saturday morning the 14th, my family headed down the shore to Point Pleasant, and I left for Bayonne. I drove to Bayonne in uniform, ready for another exciting work day. I arrived at the shopping center about half an hour prior to everyone else. I went to Dunkin Donuts to get a bagel and coffee, and continued to wait for everyone. When I saw a motor coach pull up near the movie theater, I knew something was up. More and more of us started to show up outside the theater, including two of the pier coordinators. At that moment, I began thinking to myself, “This is no Boston run!”.
We left Bayonne shortly before 11 A.M. We were on the New Jersey Turnpike en route to Baltimore. While on board the bus, we were given a synopsis of the situation. We were told that Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of The Seas, was due to arrive that morning at 7 A.M. The nor'easter caused the ship to slow down on its way to Baltimore. The port of Baltimore was also forced to close due to the severe weather conditions. We arrived at the Cruise Maryland terminal just before 2 P.M. We were met by one of the Baltimore supervisors. She stepped onto the bus and addressed us about the situation. She made it known to us that many of the motor coaches, taxis, and limousines were turned away. She also made it known to us that we were going to be handling many guests who will be unhappy, because they were going to lose a full day from their cruise.
Inside the terminal, we were advised that letters were going to be distributed to the guests as they arrived. I called my parents up down the shore and said, “We’re going to have a long day here, and possibly a long night too.” My dad asked me, “What’s the deal down there, moose?”. My dad calls me the moose. That’s my family nickname. I have no clue why. I explained the situation to him. I told him that I would not be home for a good while, possibly after midnight. My dad told me to work hard, and keep in touch throughout the day. That I did, once or twice. The long wait for the ship had begun.
While inside the terminal building, we were shown the staff room, the check-in area, the customs area, the whole nine yards. A short time later, the pizza arrived. There was plenty of it to keep up us alive and kicking for the remainder of the day. In addition, they had plenty of diet soda on hand to keep us laced. After eating, I went to the vending machine and bought a few chocolate bars. Any caffeine I could get my hands on, I made sure I had plenty of it. We sat around watching TV, crocheting, and playing cards. I was listening to my iPod. We waited, and waited, and waited, and waited. It looked like a scene from "Waiting for Godot".
Never have I ever been so anxious in one day. I finally decided to call my dear old college roommate, Mario, and see what was going on with him. He picked up after the first ring, and I got the usual response from him, “Mr. Kriso, what’s going on champ?”. I said, “Greetings from Baltimore!”. He then asked, “What the hell are you doing down in good old Baltimore, buddy? Making music with the crabs?”. I plainly responded, “The whole Bayonne staff and I are here waiting for one of Royal Caribbean’s ships to show up. The nor'easter delayed it an entire day. We’re going to be here all night, it seems.”. We spoke about other things; college, my work in Boston, my job search, substitute teaching, the girls from our class; just plain old college classmate jazz. After I hung up with him, I went back to listening to my iPod. I even chugged down another diet soda to keep myself awake.
Shortly later, I walked back outside to the pier. I looked out to the horizon, towards the Francis Scott Key Bridge. At that very moment, I saw a bunch of lights and some flash bulbs going off. It was the Grandeur of The Seas. The wait was over!
It was 6 P.M. The Grandeur of The Seas was finally approaching the Baltimore channel. I bolted into the terminal. When I raced inside, I said to everyone, “I see her!”. A dozen of my colleagues started celebrating. One of the ladies asked, “Where is she? Show me!”. I said, “Come out here. I saw her on the horizon approaching the Francis Scott Key Bridge.”. We all walked out to the edge of the pier, and there was nothing out there. I said, “I know she was out there. She’s probably in the channel entering the harbor right about now.”. We walked back inside the terminal and started cleaning up the staff room. Half an hour later, the pier supervisor took us on a walk-through disembarkation. She showed us where the guests were going to be directed. She pointed out where guests were to go if they had taxis to catch, and where the guests’ parking lot was. Two agents were needed to assist passengers in the customs area. I volunteered, and I was directed to that spot, right outside the customs hall door. I was going to be directing the guests to the customs area once they exited the gangway. The fun part of the day was finally about to begin.
When we were finally shown the gangway area, we saw the ship coming into port. The ship looked absolutely beautiful, with her lights on, and all of the guests camera flashes going off. We started applauding as the ship pulled alongside the pier. I yelled up to the guests on deck saying, “We’ve been waiting all day for you!”. Once the ship started lowering her lines, it was time to go to work. Half an hour later, disembarkation started. The express walk-off guests were the first ones off. They were allowed to leave the ship with all of their luggage with no assistance. I was walking back and forth along the long line of guests, telling them to have their customs forms and passports ready. They came off the ship and through customs they went. Immediately afterward came the general disembarkation. Many of the guests onboard the ship that evening all had one situation in common. They were twelve hours late, and were worried that they had missed their flights home. Some even missed their trains home, or were cutting it close to their flights and trains. I was able to help the guests with their train situations. I gave them Amtrak’s phone number, and advised them to tell the agent on the phone their situation, and hopefully they would be rescheduled. More than one hundred guests had trains to catch home, to New Jersey, to Connecticut, and even Rhode Island. Disembarkation continued until 9 P.M. I was getting exhausted, but the night wasn’t over yet. My favorite part was finally coming up.
At 9:30 P.M., guest check-in officially started. It was my time to shine. I went to my computer station, and raised my station paddle. The first party came up to my computer. I greeted them, saying “Welcome to the Grandeur! Do you have your health forms all completed?”. I then said, “I apologize for the long wait today.” This party was absolutely cool with the delay. They weren’t upset at all. They appeared to be a little tired from a long day of doing practically nothing, but they weren’t upset. I asked for their passports, their cruise tickets, and the credit card that they had registered. I gave them their stateroom key cards, and wished them a safe trip and a pleasant evening. Once I was done with them, I showed them to the waiting area. I raised my paddle again, and the next party came to my station. This party wasn’t upset either. Same as before, I asked for their health forms, cruise tickets, passports, and their credit card. I issued their stateroom keys, and off to the ship they went. The night wore on. I was looking at my watch every half hour. I was hoping for a break in the flow of guest traffic, so I could step away for a diet soda. I was getting weary, and yawning my butt off like no tomorrow. Finally, I heard the words I hoped to hear, “David, you’re free to have dinner if you haven’t done so.”. I stepped away and went into the break room to have a cup of coffee and a diet soda. The night wasn’t over yet. There was still plenty of guests walking in. It was the longest day my colleagues and I had ever worked. We were going on seventeen hours. We were surely on the verge of setting a record.
It was 1:30 A.M. Our longest work day in history was nearly complete. Once the incoming guest traffic started to subside, we were just begging to call it a night, or I should say, morning. I never saw my colleagues yawning so much after a long night. We were talking about every last guest we checked in. It wasn’t all that bad of a night. Some weren’t so happy about losing a day from their trip. What can you do? You do your job and be happy that you did it properly, right? That’s what matters. Before heading out to the bus, we were all thanked by the pier management for giving up a whole day to assist them on short notice. If it weren’t for us going down there, the Baltimore staff would have been up a creek without a paddle. The Carnival Pride was due in at 7 A.M. later that morning. At 2 A.M., we finally boarded the bus. We set a huge record. We worked the longest shift ever; nineteen and a half hours. Once we were all on board, we hit the highway north back to Bayonne. I took out my iPod, put on Bruce Springsteen, and I fell asleep minutes later. I didn’t wake up until 5 A.M., when we were arriving in the Bayonne area. When we pulled in front of the movie theater, it took a short while for many of us to rise and shine. We got off the bus and went back to our cars. As I was on the New Jersey Turnpike approaching Giants Stadium, the sun was starting to creep up over New York City. I said to myself, “Man, is this awkward!”. I was returning home from work while everyone else was just waking up. How strange!
At quarter of six, I finally pulled into my driveway. I went inside, turned off the alarm, changed out of my uniform and put on my my Aerosmith pajamas. Minutes later, I went to bed. At 11 A.M., I woke up. I quickly took a shower, got dressed, and went to church. At church, I fell asleep during the readings, then during the Eucharist, and finally during Communion. When I finally arrived back home, I turned on the Jets game. Once again, I fell asleep. I slept through the entire game. A short time later, my family returned home from Point Pleasant. They saw me passed out on the couch. My dad said, “Moose, you want to have pizza for dinner?”. I was so out of it. I think I said, “Let’s go for it! As long as diet soda’s not on the menu.”. A long and hard day sure has its rewards, doesn’t it?
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
My Very First Cruise Vacation
Let me take you back to February 1994. It was my high school mid-winter break. That week, I went on my first cruise vacation. I was sixteen years old.. For a four-day trip, it was a lot of fun. My family and I are serious Disney travelers. We tried Disney’s cruise. We sailed on board Premier Cruise Line’s Starship Atlantic. It was known as the Big Red Boat. My mom asked my dad, my brother, and I to wear our blazers on the plane to Orlando. I remember her saying, “You’re going to be wearing your blazers on the plane, so we don’t have to drag oh so much luggage with us. We’re gonna travel light.”. She also said, “Cruise passengers normally like to dress fancy.” Oh really!!
We touched down in Orlando around eleven o’clock in the morning. We headed downstairs to go to our rent-a-car bus. Waiting for the bus felt like forever. It was eighty-five degrees out. The humidity was extremely unforgiving. There were dozens of people standing near us who were also going to Port Canaveral. They were all wearing shorts, tank tops, and sandals. My dad, my brother, and I were wearing blazers. Yikes! We were sweltering beyond belief. I was so hot, I felt like I was a Domino’s Pizza heat wave bag for Halloween.
I was a fussy eater for a long time. When we boarded the Starship Atlantic, I knew I had a challenge in front of me. My dad was telling me that it was the perfect opportunity to start trying new things, especially cruise ship food. Cruise ship food is nonstop. At that time, the midnight buffet was still a hot event onboard. They no longer exist nowadays. Aside from the food, it was also an opportunity for me to not be so attached to my brother. The second day of the cruise, I lost sight of him. We finally met up around, oh, by two in the morning. He was furious with me, accusing me of not telling him where I was. We were both in unfamiliar territory, so I had no clue what he was griping about. I was truly having a blast.
There were plenty of activities going onboard the Starship Atlantic. My brother and I joined the Teen Cruiser Club. At least we had the chance to hang out with people close to our age. We happened to be the two oldest in the club. We did just about everything together. We had lunch together, went to the midnight buffet together, and hung out with Mickey and Minnie and the rest of the Disney character gang. During our day at sea, the Teen Cruiser Club was given a tour of the ship’s bridge. Seeing the ship’s bridge was quite nifty. I had never seen a cruise ship’s bridge before. Late in the evening, we went to a star gazing talk up on the top deck. Each of us was given a star gazer’s guide with a little flash light attached. The cruise staffer pointed out to us which constellations were which in the night sky. If I can recall, the ocean was very calm that night. There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky. It was never so peaceful out there at sea, out in the middle of nowhere. The lights of Nassau could be barely seen out in the distance. When the presentation was over, we were allowed to ask the cruise staffer questions. We were also allowed to keep the constellation guides. Originally, I didn’t want to go on this cruise at all. I was wrong. At that point, the cruise was going great. I stood corrected.
On the third day, we docked in sunny Nassau, Bahamas. I was excited to see what Nassau was all about. Late in the morning, my family and I stepped off the ship to walk around town. There wasn’t a whole lot to visit. There were plenty of duty-free shops to browse through. We stopped for ice cream, looked through the shops, and then took a boat ride over to Paradise Island. Speaking of Paradise Island, the Atlantis Resort and Casino was just under construction. I remember seeing the monster cranes in the background. We did return to Nassau on back-to- back Christmas cruises on Norwegian in 2007 and 2008. We got to see the hotel, aquarium, and water park for real. If you have never been to the Atlantis Resort and Casino, you have to see it. It is truly out of this world.
We walked around Paradise Island, but never went to the beach. My brother and I were on a bit of a time crunch. There was one part of that trip I didn’t care for. It wasn’t the ship or the cruise experience. It was what we had to get done during the trip which kind of took the joy out of it in a heartbeat. My brother and I both had the same history teacher that year. He and I had to read this history novel to be completed by the end of the mid-winter break. There was a test on the book too, which left us in a rush to get it done. In addition, I had an English literature term paper to draft out. Yuck!! Who wants to do any homework on a cruise? Don’t ask!
At five o’clock, we departed Nassau, en route for Port Lucaya. That evening, we attended the Captain’s Cocktail Party, followed by the Captain’s Dinner. The cocktail party was held in the ship’s main lounge. There was a live band playing. Can I let you out on a huge secret? Back then, I was the shyest kid on the face of the planet. My parents were dancing together, while my brother and I were busy living it up. We were just drinking away, downing one iced tea and fruit punch after another. We weren’t of drinking age, so we were doing well. My mom then pointed at me. She asked me to join her on the dance floor. I was signaling, “No”. She started giving me the prayer gesture...”Pleeeeease???”. My brother and I kept on drinking, not paying any attention to her. My mom then did the unthinkable. She sent my dad off the dance floor to get me to dance with her. While I’m chugging down my fruit punch, my dad approached me. He said, “Will you please go dance with your mother? If you don’t, I’m gonna toss you off this ship!”. I said “No, I’m dog-tired from today.” My dad said, “Ok, just stay there then. We’ll talk later.” My brother stuck up for me asking, “Hey, you wanna get him back?” I said, “Let the games begin!” Right on our cocktail table, right in front of us, was dad’s stateroom card. Since my dad and my brother have the same first name, my brother charged another dozen drinks to his cabin account. HA-HA! At the end of the cruise, my parents were absolutely clueless of why their cabin bill was over one thousand dollars. Sweet revenge indeed! Sing with me! “Over the sea, let’s go men. We’re chargin’ it up, we’re chargin’ it up again!”
The following morning, we arrived at Port Lucaya. Port Lucaya is located on Grand Bahama, about half an hour away from Freeport. There was no pier, so we had to board a tender to shore. The tender ride was about ten minutes. We didn’t do all that much in Port Lucaya. We browsed around, took pictures here and there, and we returned back to the ship. Again, we didn’t go swimming in the ship’s pool. That history novel was a huge albatross hanging over our shoulders. We spend hours and hours in our cabin reading four chapters at a time. Despite the mountain of homework I had to get done, my first cruise vacation was quite the experience. I was surely looking forward to my next cruise, regardless of which line it was going to be.
The next day, we arrived back in Port Canaveral. It was an ugly morning. We packed up our carry-on bags, including our homework. I tried to track down the kids I met in the Teen Cruiser Club, but it was just too hectic of a morning. We left the ship, cleared through customs, and headed for the car. Next stop, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, the second part of the trip. We did plenty that day. Unfortunately, we had to cut our time short in the Magic Kingdom. We had that dreadful history novel to make tracks on. If there was any part of that trip we didn’t like, it was reading that book, “The Rise And Fall of The Third Reich”. We stayed three nights in Disney World, and unfortunately the really hard part came up. The hardest part of any Disney World vacation is LEAVING. That Sunday evening we were flying home, we were delayed. There were high winds at Newark Airport. We had to stay on the ground for over an hour. We arrived home two hours late. We were returning to school the next morning. It was a trip we couldn’t get into to any kind of a groove. With a history novel to read and term papers on our plates, it was a trip with mixed feelings. The next morning, we lucked out. It was a snow day. It gave us an extra day to make progress on “the book”. We were fortunate to pass the test. Four years later, Disney took the cruising concept and plused it. Boy, did they! Four ships and counting!
In the Fall of 1999, I became a World Disney World cast member as part of their college program. Working with Disney was an experience like no other. I even attempted to go full-time. The spring of that year, the Disney Wonder was just launched. This summer, I have been working with the Disney Magic in New York City. The work experience is like stepping into the past. It’s truly amazing what events during your very first cruise vacation can transpire into. It’s even more amazing what having been a cast member can lead to. The work experience most definitely feels like a blast from the past. What's the best part of it? Pixie dust is the key ingredient to it all.
We touched down in Orlando around eleven o’clock in the morning. We headed downstairs to go to our rent-a-car bus. Waiting for the bus felt like forever. It was eighty-five degrees out. The humidity was extremely unforgiving. There were dozens of people standing near us who were also going to Port Canaveral. They were all wearing shorts, tank tops, and sandals. My dad, my brother, and I were wearing blazers. Yikes! We were sweltering beyond belief. I was so hot, I felt like I was a Domino’s Pizza heat wave bag for Halloween.
I was a fussy eater for a long time. When we boarded the Starship Atlantic, I knew I had a challenge in front of me. My dad was telling me that it was the perfect opportunity to start trying new things, especially cruise ship food. Cruise ship food is nonstop. At that time, the midnight buffet was still a hot event onboard. They no longer exist nowadays. Aside from the food, it was also an opportunity for me to not be so attached to my brother. The second day of the cruise, I lost sight of him. We finally met up around, oh, by two in the morning. He was furious with me, accusing me of not telling him where I was. We were both in unfamiliar territory, so I had no clue what he was griping about. I was truly having a blast.
There were plenty of activities going onboard the Starship Atlantic. My brother and I joined the Teen Cruiser Club. At least we had the chance to hang out with people close to our age. We happened to be the two oldest in the club. We did just about everything together. We had lunch together, went to the midnight buffet together, and hung out with Mickey and Minnie and the rest of the Disney character gang. During our day at sea, the Teen Cruiser Club was given a tour of the ship’s bridge. Seeing the ship’s bridge was quite nifty. I had never seen a cruise ship’s bridge before. Late in the evening, we went to a star gazing talk up on the top deck. Each of us was given a star gazer’s guide with a little flash light attached. The cruise staffer pointed out to us which constellations were which in the night sky. If I can recall, the ocean was very calm that night. There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky. It was never so peaceful out there at sea, out in the middle of nowhere. The lights of Nassau could be barely seen out in the distance. When the presentation was over, we were allowed to ask the cruise staffer questions. We were also allowed to keep the constellation guides. Originally, I didn’t want to go on this cruise at all. I was wrong. At that point, the cruise was going great. I stood corrected.
On the third day, we docked in sunny Nassau, Bahamas. I was excited to see what Nassau was all about. Late in the morning, my family and I stepped off the ship to walk around town. There wasn’t a whole lot to visit. There were plenty of duty-free shops to browse through. We stopped for ice cream, looked through the shops, and then took a boat ride over to Paradise Island. Speaking of Paradise Island, the Atlantis Resort and Casino was just under construction. I remember seeing the monster cranes in the background. We did return to Nassau on back-to- back Christmas cruises on Norwegian in 2007 and 2008. We got to see the hotel, aquarium, and water park for real. If you have never been to the Atlantis Resort and Casino, you have to see it. It is truly out of this world.
We walked around Paradise Island, but never went to the beach. My brother and I were on a bit of a time crunch. There was one part of that trip I didn’t care for. It wasn’t the ship or the cruise experience. It was what we had to get done during the trip which kind of took the joy out of it in a heartbeat. My brother and I both had the same history teacher that year. He and I had to read this history novel to be completed by the end of the mid-winter break. There was a test on the book too, which left us in a rush to get it done. In addition, I had an English literature term paper to draft out. Yuck!! Who wants to do any homework on a cruise? Don’t ask!
At five o’clock, we departed Nassau, en route for Port Lucaya. That evening, we attended the Captain’s Cocktail Party, followed by the Captain’s Dinner. The cocktail party was held in the ship’s main lounge. There was a live band playing. Can I let you out on a huge secret? Back then, I was the shyest kid on the face of the planet. My parents were dancing together, while my brother and I were busy living it up. We were just drinking away, downing one iced tea and fruit punch after another. We weren’t of drinking age, so we were doing well. My mom then pointed at me. She asked me to join her on the dance floor. I was signaling, “No”. She started giving me the prayer gesture...”Pleeeeease???”. My brother and I kept on drinking, not paying any attention to her. My mom then did the unthinkable. She sent my dad off the dance floor to get me to dance with her. While I’m chugging down my fruit punch, my dad approached me. He said, “Will you please go dance with your mother? If you don’t, I’m gonna toss you off this ship!”. I said “No, I’m dog-tired from today.” My dad said, “Ok, just stay there then. We’ll talk later.” My brother stuck up for me asking, “Hey, you wanna get him back?” I said, “Let the games begin!” Right on our cocktail table, right in front of us, was dad’s stateroom card. Since my dad and my brother have the same first name, my brother charged another dozen drinks to his cabin account. HA-HA! At the end of the cruise, my parents were absolutely clueless of why their cabin bill was over one thousand dollars. Sweet revenge indeed! Sing with me! “Over the sea, let’s go men. We’re chargin’ it up, we’re chargin’ it up again!”
The following morning, we arrived at Port Lucaya. Port Lucaya is located on Grand Bahama, about half an hour away from Freeport. There was no pier, so we had to board a tender to shore. The tender ride was about ten minutes. We didn’t do all that much in Port Lucaya. We browsed around, took pictures here and there, and we returned back to the ship. Again, we didn’t go swimming in the ship’s pool. That history novel was a huge albatross hanging over our shoulders. We spend hours and hours in our cabin reading four chapters at a time. Despite the mountain of homework I had to get done, my first cruise vacation was quite the experience. I was surely looking forward to my next cruise, regardless of which line it was going to be.
The next day, we arrived back in Port Canaveral. It was an ugly morning. We packed up our carry-on bags, including our homework. I tried to track down the kids I met in the Teen Cruiser Club, but it was just too hectic of a morning. We left the ship, cleared through customs, and headed for the car. Next stop, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, the second part of the trip. We did plenty that day. Unfortunately, we had to cut our time short in the Magic Kingdom. We had that dreadful history novel to make tracks on. If there was any part of that trip we didn’t like, it was reading that book, “The Rise And Fall of The Third Reich”. We stayed three nights in Disney World, and unfortunately the really hard part came up. The hardest part of any Disney World vacation is LEAVING. That Sunday evening we were flying home, we were delayed. There were high winds at Newark Airport. We had to stay on the ground for over an hour. We arrived home two hours late. We were returning to school the next morning. It was a trip we couldn’t get into to any kind of a groove. With a history novel to read and term papers on our plates, it was a trip with mixed feelings. The next morning, we lucked out. It was a snow day. It gave us an extra day to make progress on “the book”. We were fortunate to pass the test. Four years later, Disney took the cruising concept and plused it. Boy, did they! Four ships and counting!
In the Fall of 1999, I became a World Disney World cast member as part of their college program. Working with Disney was an experience like no other. I even attempted to go full-time. The spring of that year, the Disney Wonder was just launched. This summer, I have been working with the Disney Magic in New York City. The work experience is like stepping into the past. It’s truly amazing what events during your very first cruise vacation can transpire into. It’s even more amazing what having been a cast member can lead to. The work experience most definitely feels like a blast from the past. What's the best part of it? Pixie dust is the key ingredient to it all.
Monday, June 25, 2012
The Disembarkation Process: A Fresh Start At The End
All cruise vacations, regardless of length or type, are filled with great memories. From the very moment they board to the final night, cruise passengers begin having the time of their life. There is one part of every cruise vacation which cruise passengers dislike. It’s that part known as disembarkation. Very much like embarkation, disembarkation is highly sophisticated. In a previous article, “Common Sense: An Essential To Cruising”, the top five key hints of avoiding errors when cruising were discussed. During disembarkation, honestly, cruise passengers commit a comedy of errors on a weekly basis. It’s best to have an error-free disembarkation. Anyone can agree to that! Here are the five key hints to making disembarkation a hassle-free and desirable experience.
5) DOUBLE-CHECKING THE ON BOARD EXPENSE BILL
The morning of disembarkation, the onboard expenses statement will be attached to every cruise passenger's stateroom door. Cruise passengers are to look over it carefully and make sure that all of their charges are correct. If there are any questions, they are to be taken up with the guest services desk before leaving the ship. Cruise passengers who used a credit card for their on board charges will have their total balance automatically routed to their credit card. Those cruise passengers who selected “cash” as their form of on board payment, must be sure that their on board charges are paid up prior to disembarkation.
A short while ago, a passenger had a cash account on board. For whatever rhyme or reason, he was unhappy with his cruise. He decided to leave the ship without paying his outstanding balance. The ship’s security staff attempted to stop him, but he had already raced off the ship into the customs hall. He was later stopped and sent back to the ship where he was then questioned by U.S. Customs and the guest service manager. Ultimately, he had to pay his remaining balance regardless of reason. Those cruise passengers who have a cash account must double-check their stateroom bill for outstanding charges. Cruise passengers who do have outstanding charges must pay their outstanding balance at the guest services desk before leaving the ship.
4) REMOVING ALL PERSONAL BELONGINGS
This must-do cannot be any more important at the time of disembarkation. The night before disembarking, all cruise passengers are to take a good look around their staterooms. They are to check and double-check the drawers and closets for any items they may have left around during their cruise. Personal belongings may include cell phones, iPods, articles of clothing, jewelry, and car keys. Cruise passengers should also look under the beds. Things do get kicked underneath by accident. Additionally, cruise passengers must check their bathrooms for items they may have not yet packed in their luggage. Cruise lines are not responsible for property left behind.
Cruise passengers must double-check the stateroom safe. Cruise passengers often leave their passports or other travel documents in it. They may have stored articles of jewelry or other valuables in it. Recently, a passenger left his bottle of insulin in his stateroom refrigerator. Cruise passengers rarely check their stateroom refrigerator, however, it’s vital that all passengers double-check. Cruise passengers must check everywhere in the stateroom for all personal items before disembarkation. Once the passengers' stateroom cards are swiped for the final time, they are not allowed back on board. The process to retrieve items once off the ship can be long, tedious, and complicated. Disembarkation can be extremely hectic. While passengers coming off, the on board staff is already in the process of preparing the ship for the next sailing. It is essential that cruise passengers add this must-do to their list of disembarkation chores.
3) PROPERLY LABELING LUGGAGE
The night before disembarkation, cruise passengers must have their luggage packed and placed outside their stateroom door by midnight. Note: TRAVEL DOCUMENTS MUST NOT BE PACKED IN LUGGAGE. Cruise passengers will not be allowed through customs without them. Also, passengers must fill out a customs declaration form (Shown in slide show). It must be filled out even if no purchases were made. Cruise passengers must make sure that all of their luggage has personal identification attached. In addition, passengers must attach the colored/numbered tags provided to them. The passengers' names, addresses, and phone numbers must be written on the colored/numbered tags. The number on the tag is the number assigned to passengers for disembarking the ship.
When their luggage color and/or number is called, cruise passengers will proceed to the gangway. Once inside the customs hall, they are to proceed to the area where their luggage is located. Cruise passengers must double-check and triple-check that they have all of their luggage before clearing customs. A short time ago, a couple was exiting the customs hall. The couple asked where their luggage was. They had their carry-on luggage, but never stopped to look for their bags. On another day, two cruise passengers went through customs with the wrong luggage. They accidentally took each other’s luggage. These two passengers nearly went on their merry ways with the wrong baggage in hand. Note: CRUISE PASSENGERS MUST CHECK THEIR TAGS AND COUNT THEIR BAGS!
2) KNOWING THE WAY HOME
The evening before disembarkation, cruise passengers must review their transfer paperwork, if applicable. They should know ahead of time when their flights or trains are departing. Cruise passengers shout not wait until last minute. If flying home, passengers should know when and where their flight is departing from. For example, those who are sailing from San Francisco should know if they are flying out of Oakland or San Francisco International Airport. In the New York area, there are three airports. Cruise passengers must know ahead of time which one of the three they are flying from. It makes it a whole lot easier for the shore staff to assist them.
Not long ago, a ship was repositioning from San Juan, Puerto Rico. One passenger was coming off via wheelchair. She had no idea what airline she was flying on or what airport she was flying from. She never reviewed her transfer information prior to sailing. Without knowing where she was flying from, the shore staff had no idea which motor coach to direct her to. If it weren't for checking the manifest, figuring out where she was headed would've been a challenge. If cruise passengers didn’t purchase transfers, they should seek out mass transit connections to the train station or airport. If taxis are their choice of transportation, they're are dozens of them waiting outside the customs hall exit. To find out more, readers can see the article, “Cruise Transfers: Time vs. Cost”.
1) SELF-ASSIST VS. GENERAL DISEMBARKATION
Some cruise passengers carry a ton of luggage when they travel. Some travel light with one suitcase and a carry-on. Some cruise passengers travel with a whole matched collection. This part is number one on the list for a chief reason. Cruise passengers still misconstrue the meaning of the express walk-off program. Express walk-off, now "self-assist", doesn’t mean that cruise passengers can leave the ship and claim their luggage faster. The self-assist program is for cruise passengers who can carry ALL of their luggage without any assistance from the on board or shore staff. Cruise passengers who sign up for the self-assist program are the very first to leave the ship. Note: THOSE PASSENGERS WHO SIGN UP FOR THE SELF-ASSIST PROGRAM MUST NOT PLACE THEIR LUGGAGE OUTSIDE THEIR STATEROOM DOOR. There have been mornings where passengers disembarked from the ship too early, assuming that their luggage was ready to be picked up. They had to wait until all of the luggage was set up and inspected by the U.S. Customs K-9s. Cruise passengers who have all of their luggage, along with your passports and declaration forms, are clear to go on their merry ways.
Disembarkation is the most sophisticated and hectic part of any cruise vacation. There are a lot of must-do’s to be taken care of and many don’ts to be kept in mind. Disembarkation is not difficult as long as cruise passengers use their common sense. Cruise passengers must remember to pay their on board expenses if they set up a cash account. Before leaving the vessel, passengers must check around their staterooms for personal belongings. Passengers should properly pack and tag their luggage. Further, they should always review their transfer arrangements. Last but not least, cruise passengers must think carefully if they wish to sign up for the self-assist program. If cruise passengers can can handle all of their luggage, they are good to go. Disembarking from a cruise should never be hard. It begins the countdown to an upcoming cruise. Every ending brings about a good beginning.
5) DOUBLE-CHECKING THE ON BOARD EXPENSE BILL
The morning of disembarkation, the onboard expenses statement will be attached to every cruise passenger's stateroom door. Cruise passengers are to look over it carefully and make sure that all of their charges are correct. If there are any questions, they are to be taken up with the guest services desk before leaving the ship. Cruise passengers who used a credit card for their on board charges will have their total balance automatically routed to their credit card. Those cruise passengers who selected “cash” as their form of on board payment, must be sure that their on board charges are paid up prior to disembarkation.
A short while ago, a passenger had a cash account on board. For whatever rhyme or reason, he was unhappy with his cruise. He decided to leave the ship without paying his outstanding balance. The ship’s security staff attempted to stop him, but he had already raced off the ship into the customs hall. He was later stopped and sent back to the ship where he was then questioned by U.S. Customs and the guest service manager. Ultimately, he had to pay his remaining balance regardless of reason. Those cruise passengers who have a cash account must double-check their stateroom bill for outstanding charges. Cruise passengers who do have outstanding charges must pay their outstanding balance at the guest services desk before leaving the ship.
4) REMOVING ALL PERSONAL BELONGINGS
This must-do cannot be any more important at the time of disembarkation. The night before disembarking, all cruise passengers are to take a good look around their staterooms. They are to check and double-check the drawers and closets for any items they may have left around during their cruise. Personal belongings may include cell phones, iPods, articles of clothing, jewelry, and car keys. Cruise passengers should also look under the beds. Things do get kicked underneath by accident. Additionally, cruise passengers must check their bathrooms for items they may have not yet packed in their luggage. Cruise lines are not responsible for property left behind.
Cruise passengers must double-check the stateroom safe. Cruise passengers often leave their passports or other travel documents in it. They may have stored articles of jewelry or other valuables in it. Recently, a passenger left his bottle of insulin in his stateroom refrigerator. Cruise passengers rarely check their stateroom refrigerator, however, it’s vital that all passengers double-check. Cruise passengers must check everywhere in the stateroom for all personal items before disembarkation. Once the passengers' stateroom cards are swiped for the final time, they are not allowed back on board. The process to retrieve items once off the ship can be long, tedious, and complicated. Disembarkation can be extremely hectic. While passengers coming off, the on board staff is already in the process of preparing the ship for the next sailing. It is essential that cruise passengers add this must-do to their list of disembarkation chores.
3) PROPERLY LABELING LUGGAGE
The night before disembarkation, cruise passengers must have their luggage packed and placed outside their stateroom door by midnight. Note: TRAVEL DOCUMENTS MUST NOT BE PACKED IN LUGGAGE. Cruise passengers will not be allowed through customs without them. Also, passengers must fill out a customs declaration form (Shown in slide show). It must be filled out even if no purchases were made. Cruise passengers must make sure that all of their luggage has personal identification attached. In addition, passengers must attach the colored/numbered tags provided to them. The passengers' names, addresses, and phone numbers must be written on the colored/numbered tags. The number on the tag is the number assigned to passengers for disembarking the ship.
When their luggage color and/or number is called, cruise passengers will proceed to the gangway. Once inside the customs hall, they are to proceed to the area where their luggage is located. Cruise passengers must double-check and triple-check that they have all of their luggage before clearing customs. A short time ago, a couple was exiting the customs hall. The couple asked where their luggage was. They had their carry-on luggage, but never stopped to look for their bags. On another day, two cruise passengers went through customs with the wrong luggage. They accidentally took each other’s luggage. These two passengers nearly went on their merry ways with the wrong baggage in hand. Note: CRUISE PASSENGERS MUST CHECK THEIR TAGS AND COUNT THEIR BAGS!
2) KNOWING THE WAY HOME
The evening before disembarkation, cruise passengers must review their transfer paperwork, if applicable. They should know ahead of time when their flights or trains are departing. Cruise passengers shout not wait until last minute. If flying home, passengers should know when and where their flight is departing from. For example, those who are sailing from San Francisco should know if they are flying out of Oakland or San Francisco International Airport. In the New York area, there are three airports. Cruise passengers must know ahead of time which one of the three they are flying from. It makes it a whole lot easier for the shore staff to assist them.
Not long ago, a ship was repositioning from San Juan, Puerto Rico. One passenger was coming off via wheelchair. She had no idea what airline she was flying on or what airport she was flying from. She never reviewed her transfer information prior to sailing. Without knowing where she was flying from, the shore staff had no idea which motor coach to direct her to. If it weren't for checking the manifest, figuring out where she was headed would've been a challenge. If cruise passengers didn’t purchase transfers, they should seek out mass transit connections to the train station or airport. If taxis are their choice of transportation, they're are dozens of them waiting outside the customs hall exit. To find out more, readers can see the article, “Cruise Transfers: Time vs. Cost”.
1) SELF-ASSIST VS. GENERAL DISEMBARKATION
Some cruise passengers carry a ton of luggage when they travel. Some travel light with one suitcase and a carry-on. Some cruise passengers travel with a whole matched collection. This part is number one on the list for a chief reason. Cruise passengers still misconstrue the meaning of the express walk-off program. Express walk-off, now "self-assist", doesn’t mean that cruise passengers can leave the ship and claim their luggage faster. The self-assist program is for cruise passengers who can carry ALL of their luggage without any assistance from the on board or shore staff. Cruise passengers who sign up for the self-assist program are the very first to leave the ship. Note: THOSE PASSENGERS WHO SIGN UP FOR THE SELF-ASSIST PROGRAM MUST NOT PLACE THEIR LUGGAGE OUTSIDE THEIR STATEROOM DOOR. There have been mornings where passengers disembarked from the ship too early, assuming that their luggage was ready to be picked up. They had to wait until all of the luggage was set up and inspected by the U.S. Customs K-9s. Cruise passengers who have all of their luggage, along with your passports and declaration forms, are clear to go on their merry ways.
Disembarkation is the most sophisticated and hectic part of any cruise vacation. There are a lot of must-do’s to be taken care of and many don’ts to be kept in mind. Disembarkation is not difficult as long as cruise passengers use their common sense. Cruise passengers must remember to pay their on board expenses if they set up a cash account. Before leaving the vessel, passengers must check around their staterooms for personal belongings. Passengers should properly pack and tag their luggage. Further, they should always review their transfer arrangements. Last but not least, cruise passengers must think carefully if they wish to sign up for the self-assist program. If cruise passengers can can handle all of their luggage, they are good to go. Disembarking from a cruise should never be hard. It begins the countdown to an upcoming cruise. Every ending brings about a good beginning.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Picture, Picture, On The Wall: What's My Favorite Station Of Them All?
There is no day like National Train Day. It was Saturday, May 12th. I had the day off from work, and I was in no better mood for a train ride. National Train Day is the most fascinating day of the year. In 2008, my brother and I took the train from Newark, NJ to Baltimore. We visited the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum. I had a grand old time. This year, I couldn’t help but travel to my favorite railroad destination, the city home to my favorite train terminal, Washington DC. Railroad historians call Chicago the United States’s railroad capital. Allow me to differ with them. There’s only one city with the utmost “monumental” flavor, and a city that I consider the passenger train capital of the nation. As a long time Amtrak traveler, I rightfully call Washington DC’s Union Station the king of the hill.
I have been traveling to Washington DC by train since I was five years old. I remember the station being completely encased in scaffolding. In the 1980s, Union Station was undergoing a massive restoration. It was being restored to its former glory. My family and I had to walk through a maze of pedestrian corridors from the platform area to the station entrance and vice versa. In the fall of 1987, we drove down with friends from home. What a big mistake! The traffic was horrendous. It took all day to get there. Never would I drive to Washington again. The train turned out to be the best way to travel to Washington. Memorial Day weekend of 1988, we visited Washington by train. The station was not reopened yet. It was a fun weekend. I was celebrating my eleventh birthday. We took the Metroliner. Remember the Metroliner? The Metroliner was the precursor to the Acela. The ride was wonderful.
The following year, my family and I to returned to Washington. Union Station was fully restored and reopened. Again, we took the Metroliner. For my very first time, I walked into the station’s grandeur. I could not get over how glorious the station looked. It looked so sparkling new, that I could see my reflection in the floor tiles. The one part of the station’s boarding area that caught my attention was “The Great Train Store”. The moment we entered the station, I nearly got lost in the store. It wasn’t a big place. I just happened to get obsessed by everything inside. All of a sudden, I had my eyes fixed on an HO Scale Amtrak E-60 electric engine in the display case. My brother and I were building my brand new train table at home. I was staring at the engine for a long while. Well, guess what! Before boarding our train home, my parents bought it for my twelfth birthday. I was happier than a kid in a candy store. It sure was a memorable trip home.
This year, National Train Day couldn’t have meant more to me. I visited Washington once again. My brother and I took a Northeast Regional train. We arrived late morning. Besides sight seeing, I had an important task on my to-do list. My bedroom had recently been repainted. It was repainted a Languid Blue, closely similar to Amtrak’s blue. To dress up one of my walls, I wanted to put together a framed collage of Union Station. From a variety of angles, my brother and I began taking pictures of the station. We couldn’t take pictures of the main grandeur, due to the heavy duty scaffolding. The station’s ornate ninety-six foot high ceiling was being repaired from the August 2011 earthquake.
Railroad photography is one of my favorite hobbies. I couldn’t have been more excited about the idea of having a framed collage of Union Station in my room. We took pictures of five major points of interest; the station’s front facade, the arched portico, the station’s platform area, the former waiting area (once known as the world’s largest room), and finally a shot of the tracks from atop the station’s parking garage. It will be a framed and matted collage which will be well-liked by all. That same day, we went on the DC Ducks Tour. The tour conveniently began and ended at where else but Union Station. It was an exciting tour. I would most likely do that tour again. Later on, we took the subway to attend mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It was our first time there since 1988. That whole entire day, Union Station was our home base. From the DC Ducks Tour, to my photography project, to attending mass, Union Station was the place to be. A beautiful Saturday in May spent at the most beautiful train terminal in the world.
Great memories last forever. They are forged from the innocence of childhood to unforgettable experiences in present day. I have visited many famous train stations around the United States. I have been to San Diego’s Union Station, Denver’s Union Station, New York City’s Penn Station, Boston South Station, Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, and Baltimore’s Penn Station. Washington DC’s Union Station beats them all. Washington DC’s Union Station has played a substantial part in my life as a railroader. Every railroader has his or her favorite railroad terminal. For every railroader’s favorite station, for whatever the rhyme or reason, a special bond is formed. From arriving at Washington DC’s Union Station for the very first time, to my memories of its restoration, to finally seeing it in all its glory, to an Amtrak job interview, and in the many railroad memories to follow, it holds a true place in my heart. Like all the other buildings around Washington, Union Station plays a "monumental" role in my railroading life. Truthfully, it presents itself as a symbol showing how great it feels to be a railroader and an American.
I have been traveling to Washington DC by train since I was five years old. I remember the station being completely encased in scaffolding. In the 1980s, Union Station was undergoing a massive restoration. It was being restored to its former glory. My family and I had to walk through a maze of pedestrian corridors from the platform area to the station entrance and vice versa. In the fall of 1987, we drove down with friends from home. What a big mistake! The traffic was horrendous. It took all day to get there. Never would I drive to Washington again. The train turned out to be the best way to travel to Washington. Memorial Day weekend of 1988, we visited Washington by train. The station was not reopened yet. It was a fun weekend. I was celebrating my eleventh birthday. We took the Metroliner. Remember the Metroliner? The Metroliner was the precursor to the Acela. The ride was wonderful.
The following year, my family and I to returned to Washington. Union Station was fully restored and reopened. Again, we took the Metroliner. For my very first time, I walked into the station’s grandeur. I could not get over how glorious the station looked. It looked so sparkling new, that I could see my reflection in the floor tiles. The one part of the station’s boarding area that caught my attention was “The Great Train Store”. The moment we entered the station, I nearly got lost in the store. It wasn’t a big place. I just happened to get obsessed by everything inside. All of a sudden, I had my eyes fixed on an HO Scale Amtrak E-60 electric engine in the display case. My brother and I were building my brand new train table at home. I was staring at the engine for a long while. Well, guess what! Before boarding our train home, my parents bought it for my twelfth birthday. I was happier than a kid in a candy store. It sure was a memorable trip home.
This year, National Train Day couldn’t have meant more to me. I visited Washington once again. My brother and I took a Northeast Regional train. We arrived late morning. Besides sight seeing, I had an important task on my to-do list. My bedroom had recently been repainted. It was repainted a Languid Blue, closely similar to Amtrak’s blue. To dress up one of my walls, I wanted to put together a framed collage of Union Station. From a variety of angles, my brother and I began taking pictures of the station. We couldn’t take pictures of the main grandeur, due to the heavy duty scaffolding. The station’s ornate ninety-six foot high ceiling was being repaired from the August 2011 earthquake.
Railroad photography is one of my favorite hobbies. I couldn’t have been more excited about the idea of having a framed collage of Union Station in my room. We took pictures of five major points of interest; the station’s front facade, the arched portico, the station’s platform area, the former waiting area (once known as the world’s largest room), and finally a shot of the tracks from atop the station’s parking garage. It will be a framed and matted collage which will be well-liked by all. That same day, we went on the DC Ducks Tour. The tour conveniently began and ended at where else but Union Station. It was an exciting tour. I would most likely do that tour again. Later on, we took the subway to attend mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It was our first time there since 1988. That whole entire day, Union Station was our home base. From the DC Ducks Tour, to my photography project, to attending mass, Union Station was the place to be. A beautiful Saturday in May spent at the most beautiful train terminal in the world.
Great memories last forever. They are forged from the innocence of childhood to unforgettable experiences in present day. I have visited many famous train stations around the United States. I have been to San Diego’s Union Station, Denver’s Union Station, New York City’s Penn Station, Boston South Station, Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, and Baltimore’s Penn Station. Washington DC’s Union Station beats them all. Washington DC’s Union Station has played a substantial part in my life as a railroader. Every railroader has his or her favorite railroad terminal. For every railroader’s favorite station, for whatever the rhyme or reason, a special bond is formed. From arriving at Washington DC’s Union Station for the very first time, to my memories of its restoration, to finally seeing it in all its glory, to an Amtrak job interview, and in the many railroad memories to follow, it holds a true place in my heart. Like all the other buildings around Washington, Union Station plays a "monumental" role in my railroading life. Truthfully, it presents itself as a symbol showing how great it feels to be a railroader and an American.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
You know you're a cruise addict when/if:
you constantly visit cruise line web sites
you have a cruise countdown set up on your computer screen
you’re constantly talking about embarkation day
you dress accordingly for the embarkation photo
you go to the photo gallery to look at other passengers’ photos
you can’t wait to try on the ever so stylish life jacket
you know off the bat the difference between "port" and "starboard"
you know the life boat drill from the back of your hand
you can’t get enough duty-free shopping
you enjoy eating dinner with total strangers
you’re excited about the upcoming art auction onboard
you can remember your past cruise directors
you can imitate your cruise director
you can remember your past stateroom attendants
you go to the buffet more than three times a day
you religiously partake in afternoon tea
you can’t miss the theater production shows
you’ve been to every bar onboard
you refer to your fellow passengers as “your new friends”
you look forward to sharing a swimming pool with 3000+ people
you can fully summarize every culinary and drink demonstration
you know the real meaning of “tender”
you seek out unique onboard and shore adventures
you can’t get enough time on sun deck
you like to exercise your “sea legs”
you cry on disembarkation day
you use your old stateroom keys as Christmas ornaments
you have a cruise countdown set up on your computer screen
you’re constantly talking about embarkation day
you dress accordingly for the embarkation photo
you go to the photo gallery to look at other passengers’ photos
you can’t wait to try on the ever so stylish life jacket
you know off the bat the difference between "port" and "starboard"
you know the life boat drill from the back of your hand
you can’t get enough duty-free shopping
you enjoy eating dinner with total strangers
you’re excited about the upcoming art auction onboard
you can remember your past cruise directors
you can imitate your cruise director
you can remember your past stateroom attendants
you go to the buffet more than three times a day
you religiously partake in afternoon tea
you can’t miss the theater production shows
you’ve been to every bar onboard
you refer to your fellow passengers as “your new friends”
you look forward to sharing a swimming pool with 3000+ people
you can fully summarize every culinary and drink demonstration
you know the real meaning of “tender”
you seek out unique onboard and shore adventures
you can’t get enough time on sun deck
you like to exercise your “sea legs”
you cry on disembarkation day
you use your old stateroom keys as Christmas ornaments
Friday, May 18, 2012
Fashionably, My Funniest Cruise Memory
If you read my story, Nine Days Onboard The “Big E”, you got the picture that my brother and I had a blast. Well, you haven’t learned about everything. There were some things we didn’t do onboard the Adventure of The Seas in July 2007 which I managed to do onboard the Explorer of The Seas in June 2010. I’d hate to say it, but the belly flop competition is an understatement. The funniest thing ever happened on our cruise, onboard the Explorer of The Seas. If you enjoyed my story about my nine-day cruise, you are going to get an absolute kick out of this one. Keep on reading!
Day 2, we were at sea en route to Bermuda. I was battling a God awful bug. First, I had a cough and stuffy throat. Later, I wound up with a brief cold and a headache. In the afternoon, I went to the Weekend Warrior sports bar on the Royal Promenade. I ordered a B-52 to knock out the headache. A B-52 cures anything! I was fine after that. Sorry, but that’s not the funniest part. Patience, folks! I later went back to my cabin and began reading through the Cruise Compass for ice skating times down below at Studio B (the ice rink). I found the afternoon ice skating time. Right next to the time, it said “long pants and socks required”. I started combing through the remaining clothes in my suitcase. I couldn’t believe it. I never packed any sweat pants or any long pants for ice skating. I packed my khakis for the casual nights and dressed pants for the formal nights. No way on earth was I going to wear either one of these pairs of pants on the ice. I went to the Logo Souvenir shop on the Royal Promenade. In the back of the shop, on one of the racks, were these blue sweat pants. They had draw strings with an anchor graphic printed on the left leg. I thought, “Hey, these look awesome!”. They were the right size. I draped them against my body in the mirror, and gave them a look. I decided to buy them. I paid for them with my Sea Pass card and headed back to my cabin. That’s the end of part one.
Part two: I tried on the pants in my cabin and they fit perfectly. They weren’t tight at all. Never did they fit oh so comfortably. I went downstairs to Studio B and I went to get a pair of ice skates. I have never ice skated in my life. Never have I ice skated on board a cruise ship. I held on to the railing the whole forty-five minutes I was on the ice. I slipped and fell only three times. Hey, not too shabby! Not bad for my very first time. I ice skated for my very first time with no major bumps or bruises. I so wanted to ice skate again. To improve a bit, I signed up for a lesson with a member of the international ice cast. It definitely was a good day for me, despite feeling ill for a few hours. After ice skating, I went back to my cabin and changed into my swim suit. My brother saw the sweat pants I bought. He asked me, “Did you pack those?”. I told them that I had bought them. I left the cabin and went upstairs to soak up in the Solarium Jacuzzi. A refreshing ending to the day, indeed!
Ok, here’s the big moment you’ve been waiting for. A short while after dinner, my brother and I went back to the Logo Souvenir shop on the Royal Promenade. I had changed my clothes and put my blue sweat pants on. My brother had Crown & Anchor coupons he wanted to use for some items he saw earlier in the day. While we were browsing through the shop and thumbing through the t-shirts, my brother curiously asked me a question. He said, “David, educate me. Where did you get those blue sweat pants?” I answered, “Over there on that back rack!”. He looked and quickly turned towards me. With a slight chuckle, he said, “DUDE, YOU’RE WEARING WOMEN’S PANTS!”. I just plainly retorted saying, “Well, I had to wear something on the ice!”. Ain’t cruising fun!
Day 2, we were at sea en route to Bermuda. I was battling a God awful bug. First, I had a cough and stuffy throat. Later, I wound up with a brief cold and a headache. In the afternoon, I went to the Weekend Warrior sports bar on the Royal Promenade. I ordered a B-52 to knock out the headache. A B-52 cures anything! I was fine after that. Sorry, but that’s not the funniest part. Patience, folks! I later went back to my cabin and began reading through the Cruise Compass for ice skating times down below at Studio B (the ice rink). I found the afternoon ice skating time. Right next to the time, it said “long pants and socks required”. I started combing through the remaining clothes in my suitcase. I couldn’t believe it. I never packed any sweat pants or any long pants for ice skating. I packed my khakis for the casual nights and dressed pants for the formal nights. No way on earth was I going to wear either one of these pairs of pants on the ice. I went to the Logo Souvenir shop on the Royal Promenade. In the back of the shop, on one of the racks, were these blue sweat pants. They had draw strings with an anchor graphic printed on the left leg. I thought, “Hey, these look awesome!”. They were the right size. I draped them against my body in the mirror, and gave them a look. I decided to buy them. I paid for them with my Sea Pass card and headed back to my cabin. That’s the end of part one.
Part two: I tried on the pants in my cabin and they fit perfectly. They weren’t tight at all. Never did they fit oh so comfortably. I went downstairs to Studio B and I went to get a pair of ice skates. I have never ice skated in my life. Never have I ice skated on board a cruise ship. I held on to the railing the whole forty-five minutes I was on the ice. I slipped and fell only three times. Hey, not too shabby! Not bad for my very first time. I ice skated for my very first time with no major bumps or bruises. I so wanted to ice skate again. To improve a bit, I signed up for a lesson with a member of the international ice cast. It definitely was a good day for me, despite feeling ill for a few hours. After ice skating, I went back to my cabin and changed into my swim suit. My brother saw the sweat pants I bought. He asked me, “Did you pack those?”. I told them that I had bought them. I left the cabin and went upstairs to soak up in the Solarium Jacuzzi. A refreshing ending to the day, indeed!
Ok, here’s the big moment you’ve been waiting for. A short while after dinner, my brother and I went back to the Logo Souvenir shop on the Royal Promenade. I had changed my clothes and put my blue sweat pants on. My brother had Crown & Anchor coupons he wanted to use for some items he saw earlier in the day. While we were browsing through the shop and thumbing through the t-shirts, my brother curiously asked me a question. He said, “David, educate me. Where did you get those blue sweat pants?” I answered, “Over there on that back rack!”. He looked and quickly turned towards me. With a slight chuckle, he said, “DUDE, YOU’RE WEARING WOMEN’S PANTS!”. I just plainly retorted saying, “Well, I had to wear something on the ice!”. Ain’t cruising fun!
Monday, May 7, 2012
My First "Adventure" Onboard Royal Caribbean
July 1st, 2007, was a day I couldn’t wait for. It was a beautiful Sunday morning. My brother and I were about to sail onboard Royal Caribbean for our very first time. The ship we were about to sail on was the magnificent Adventure of The Seas, a Voyager class vessel. Three and a half hours later, we touched down in hazy and humid San Juan. The humidity was about seventy-five percent. After getting our bags from the luggage carousel, we were greeted by the Royal Caribbean meet and greet staff. We were instructed to place our luggage tags on our bags and bring them out to the box truck waiting curbside. After handing the bags to the driver, we boarded our shuttle bus to the San Juan cruise terminal. The adventure was about to begin.
The San Juan cruise terminal area is located in Old San Juan, in close proximity to El Castel Del Morro. We pulled into the terminal area, and the ship was right ahead of us. I had never seen a vessel so massive. I had sailed on the Queen Mary 2 on two previous occasions, but I had never seen a cruise ship with so many bells and whistles. We checked in with no problem, and we were onboard in less than ten minutes. Our rooms weren’t ready yet, so we went upstairs to have lunch in the Windjammer Café. If I could say one thing about the food, it was absolutely awesome. Did I say it was awesome? Correct me if you will. The food was sinful. Meanwhile, our luggage was still yet to arrive at our cabin. Our bags didn’t arrive at our cabin until seven o’clock at night. I was wearing my black buttoned flowered shirt with my jeans, and my brother was wearing very much the same. The heat and the humidity outside on the pool deck was unreal. We did whatever we could to stay inside. At least the air conditioning helped us out. Later, we had dinner in the main dining room. We met our table mates. We met a married couple from California, a dating couple from Pennsylvania, and there two other couples from Colorado. The evening started off without a hitch.
At 11pm, we finally pulled out of port. Our cruise had begun. Our cruise was taking us to Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Maarten, and St. Thomas. The following day, we were at sea. What was to happen during the afternoon blew my mind. Near the Windjammer Café, I was in line purchasing “Win A Cruise Bingo” cards. Outside the window, I noticed a monster crowd gathered by the pool. I was thinking it was only the band playing and everyone was just checking them out. I asked a member of the cruise staff what was going on. That’s when he told me what was happening. He told me, “Oh, that’s the belly flop competition!”. I missed the belly flop competition over bingo cards?? I guess I did. “Until next time!” I said to a few guests standing in line behind me. Eventually, next time did come. Three years later onboard the Adventure, I managed to nail down third place in the belly flop competition. I wore my bronze medal all the way home. So, how did my game of bingo turn out? In the third and final game, I was two numbers away from winning a free cruise. The afternoon pressed on. We used the Solarium pool, chilled out at the pool bar, and chugged down a few cups of tea downstairs at Café Promenade on the Royal Promenade. A pleasant day it sure was, despite missing out on the belly flop competition.
The next day, we arrived at our first port-of-call, Bridgetown, Barbados. It was a lovely morning. Dear friends of my family’s picked us up at the pier and drove us to their house. They drove us around the island, showing us what had changed, and told us about what was new with their family. We had traveled to Barbados many times when we were little. It was sure a fun place to visit. Our friends showed us the hotels we once stayed at. My, did things change! Even our favorite pizza place, Chefette, at Rockeigh Beach tripled in size. It was a tiny little place the last time we ate there. Wow, were things different! Before heading back to the ship, we met our friends’ daughter. She and her brother used to hang out with my brother and I when we used to visit many years ago. Time sure flies when having fun! We returned to Barbados on the Adventure of the Seas three years later on New Year’s Eve. That time, it was my parents, my brother, and myself all together. Now that was a reunion!
Back onboard the Adventure, we went upstairs for drinks. While enjoying a few drinks, we pulled out of Bridgetown. The following day, we tied up in St. Lucia. We had excursion tickets for the Brig Unicorn. The Brig Unicorn was the sailing ship used in “Pirates of The Caribbean: Curse of The Black Pearl”. It sure felt like I was on a movie set. It looked a bit different. Of course it looks different when you have a cooler onboard with the skipper passing around the rum punch, soda, and beer. What a fun day that was! We arrived back at the ship, and we boarded once again. We spent the rest of the afternoon onboard. I must have sat in the Jacuzzi with the ladies for over an hour. Just as we were having a good time, we pulled out once again. Next stop, Antigua! Antigua was a very quiet place. Oh my, was it raining cats and dogs. The rain was coming down hard. We had tickets for the 4x4 jeep tour. Our driver was a real piece of work. Every ten minutes or so, he would drive the jeep into an open field near the road. There he would drive the jeep around in circles, saying over his microphone, “Once around, twice is nice, three times a charm, oh my goodness!”. It was one fun day, to say the least. Once the tour was over, we headed back to the pier. We boarded the ship once again, and it was time to move on to St. Maarten. We had dinner at Portofino’s, the Italian specialty restaurant onboard. The food was absolutely fantastic. From the window, we watched the sun set as Antigua disappeared into the twilight. It was definitely the perfect ending to an exciting day.
We tied up in Philipsburg, St. Maarten the following morning. It was absolutely gorgeous out. We had tickets for the island highlights tour. The tour took us to the town of Marigot, the Maho Bay area, all along the island’s shoreline, and back. The tour guide pointed out Orient Bay to us, which is the most famous and busiest beach in the Caribbean. It’s part regular beach and part clothing optional. As soon as we finished the tour, we got into a taxi cab and headed to Maho Bay. Maho Bay is located fifty feet from the Princess Juliana International Airport. The jetliners are just fifty feet above you before they finally touch down. The noise was one thing, but watching the jets kick up sand while taking off was another. That is definitely a beach I want to visit again soon. Of all the Caribbean beaches on my list, Maho Bay is among the musts. Once all of the jet action died down, we headed back to the ship. We boarded the ship, put down all of our souvenirs, and went upstairs for drinks. After drinks, we got ready for dinner. Before we knew it, we began pulling away from the pier. The next and final port-of-call was St. Thomas, USVI.
Our departure from St. Maarten couldn’t have featured a bigger drama than anyone would imagine. As we were steaming away from the Philipsburg pier, the pilot was picked up and his boat pulled away. We were on our way once again, or so I thought. Less than five minutes later, the pilot boat came racing back to the ship. Everyone on the starboard side of the ship (the right side of the ship), were looking on. As the pilot boat pulled up alongside the ship, no one could believe what had happened. A nine year old child had been left behind in St. Maarten. When the child was lifted onboard, everyone on the starboard side started cheering. The big question which blew everyone’s mind was “What kind of parents leave their kid behind?” Does anyone know? The story was all over the dining room that night. Despite all the drama, dinner was a fun experience. Everyone shared what they did on island. That’s the fun part of sitting at a table for ten. The stories and poking fun at each other was endless.
The next morning, we tied up at the Havensight pier in St. Thomas, USVI. My brother and I had a few errands to do on island. We first took the cable tram up to Paradise Point. At Paradise Point, we took pictures and had a few drinks. When we were done, we headed back down the hill into the Havensight Mall near the pier to shop for booze. After buying two boxes of vodka and gin, we headed into downtown Charlotte Amalie to browse through the shops. We stopped by the camera store to look at some new camera models, made a traditional stop at the Little Switzerland store, and looked through every little trinket store along the way. Two of my favorite selections in the Little Switzerland store were Lladro and Lalique. They include human figurines, to porcelain animals. Lladro featured the largest porcelain train I have ever seen in my life. Is it ok to say that it cost thirty-five thousand dollars? It’s a store I cannot get enough of. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the ship. Back onboard, we went back to our cabin. We put our souvenirs and stuff away. We also started packing our bags for disembarkation. Shortly later, we went upstairs to the pool deck for drinks. We even brought our cameras with us. While having our drinks, we noticed more drama brewing on the starboard side of the ship. It was four o’clock, castoff time. Just as the lines were being loosened, a couple was seen running down the Havensight pier towards the gangway. Luckily, the ship’s security staff let them onboard. The cruise just couldn’t get any more dramatic than we had imagined.
My least favorite part of any cruise is when it’s over. The final night of the cruise, the waiting staff did its parade around the dining room. The head waiter wished everyone a pleasant journey home. At our dining room table, we were passing around our address books. Everyone was writing down their phone numbers, email addresses, and home addresses. Later on in the evening, we all attended the farewell show in the Lyric Theater. The comedian for the night put on a hysterical performance, followed by a performance by the ship’s singers and dancers. When the show was over, streamers and confetti dropped from the rafters. It was quite the perfect ending to a cruise so packed with fun, adventure, and a bit of drama to along with it. The next day, everyone was saying their good-byes before swiping their Sea Pass cards of the final time. When my brother and I left the ship, I couldn’t say enough. For our first time onboard Royal Caribbean, it wasn’t just a cruise, it was an adventure. That’s why the ship is named Adventure of The Seas.
The San Juan cruise terminal area is located in Old San Juan, in close proximity to El Castel Del Morro. We pulled into the terminal area, and the ship was right ahead of us. I had never seen a vessel so massive. I had sailed on the Queen Mary 2 on two previous occasions, but I had never seen a cruise ship with so many bells and whistles. We checked in with no problem, and we were onboard in less than ten minutes. Our rooms weren’t ready yet, so we went upstairs to have lunch in the Windjammer Café. If I could say one thing about the food, it was absolutely awesome. Did I say it was awesome? Correct me if you will. The food was sinful. Meanwhile, our luggage was still yet to arrive at our cabin. Our bags didn’t arrive at our cabin until seven o’clock at night. I was wearing my black buttoned flowered shirt with my jeans, and my brother was wearing very much the same. The heat and the humidity outside on the pool deck was unreal. We did whatever we could to stay inside. At least the air conditioning helped us out. Later, we had dinner in the main dining room. We met our table mates. We met a married couple from California, a dating couple from Pennsylvania, and there two other couples from Colorado. The evening started off without a hitch.
At 11pm, we finally pulled out of port. Our cruise had begun. Our cruise was taking us to Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Maarten, and St. Thomas. The following day, we were at sea. What was to happen during the afternoon blew my mind. Near the Windjammer Café, I was in line purchasing “Win A Cruise Bingo” cards. Outside the window, I noticed a monster crowd gathered by the pool. I was thinking it was only the band playing and everyone was just checking them out. I asked a member of the cruise staff what was going on. That’s when he told me what was happening. He told me, “Oh, that’s the belly flop competition!”. I missed the belly flop competition over bingo cards?? I guess I did. “Until next time!” I said to a few guests standing in line behind me. Eventually, next time did come. Three years later onboard the Adventure, I managed to nail down third place in the belly flop competition. I wore my bronze medal all the way home. So, how did my game of bingo turn out? In the third and final game, I was two numbers away from winning a free cruise. The afternoon pressed on. We used the Solarium pool, chilled out at the pool bar, and chugged down a few cups of tea downstairs at Café Promenade on the Royal Promenade. A pleasant day it sure was, despite missing out on the belly flop competition.
The next day, we arrived at our first port-of-call, Bridgetown, Barbados. It was a lovely morning. Dear friends of my family’s picked us up at the pier and drove us to their house. They drove us around the island, showing us what had changed, and told us about what was new with their family. We had traveled to Barbados many times when we were little. It was sure a fun place to visit. Our friends showed us the hotels we once stayed at. My, did things change! Even our favorite pizza place, Chefette, at Rockeigh Beach tripled in size. It was a tiny little place the last time we ate there. Wow, were things different! Before heading back to the ship, we met our friends’ daughter. She and her brother used to hang out with my brother and I when we used to visit many years ago. Time sure flies when having fun! We returned to Barbados on the Adventure of the Seas three years later on New Year’s Eve. That time, it was my parents, my brother, and myself all together. Now that was a reunion!
Back onboard the Adventure, we went upstairs for drinks. While enjoying a few drinks, we pulled out of Bridgetown. The following day, we tied up in St. Lucia. We had excursion tickets for the Brig Unicorn. The Brig Unicorn was the sailing ship used in “Pirates of The Caribbean: Curse of The Black Pearl”. It sure felt like I was on a movie set. It looked a bit different. Of course it looks different when you have a cooler onboard with the skipper passing around the rum punch, soda, and beer. What a fun day that was! We arrived back at the ship, and we boarded once again. We spent the rest of the afternoon onboard. I must have sat in the Jacuzzi with the ladies for over an hour. Just as we were having a good time, we pulled out once again. Next stop, Antigua! Antigua was a very quiet place. Oh my, was it raining cats and dogs. The rain was coming down hard. We had tickets for the 4x4 jeep tour. Our driver was a real piece of work. Every ten minutes or so, he would drive the jeep into an open field near the road. There he would drive the jeep around in circles, saying over his microphone, “Once around, twice is nice, three times a charm, oh my goodness!”. It was one fun day, to say the least. Once the tour was over, we headed back to the pier. We boarded the ship once again, and it was time to move on to St. Maarten. We had dinner at Portofino’s, the Italian specialty restaurant onboard. The food was absolutely fantastic. From the window, we watched the sun set as Antigua disappeared into the twilight. It was definitely the perfect ending to an exciting day.
We tied up in Philipsburg, St. Maarten the following morning. It was absolutely gorgeous out. We had tickets for the island highlights tour. The tour took us to the town of Marigot, the Maho Bay area, all along the island’s shoreline, and back. The tour guide pointed out Orient Bay to us, which is the most famous and busiest beach in the Caribbean. It’s part regular beach and part clothing optional. As soon as we finished the tour, we got into a taxi cab and headed to Maho Bay. Maho Bay is located fifty feet from the Princess Juliana International Airport. The jetliners are just fifty feet above you before they finally touch down. The noise was one thing, but watching the jets kick up sand while taking off was another. That is definitely a beach I want to visit again soon. Of all the Caribbean beaches on my list, Maho Bay is among the musts. Once all of the jet action died down, we headed back to the ship. We boarded the ship, put down all of our souvenirs, and went upstairs for drinks. After drinks, we got ready for dinner. Before we knew it, we began pulling away from the pier. The next and final port-of-call was St. Thomas, USVI.
Our departure from St. Maarten couldn’t have featured a bigger drama than anyone would imagine. As we were steaming away from the Philipsburg pier, the pilot was picked up and his boat pulled away. We were on our way once again, or so I thought. Less than five minutes later, the pilot boat came racing back to the ship. Everyone on the starboard side of the ship (the right side of the ship), were looking on. As the pilot boat pulled up alongside the ship, no one could believe what had happened. A nine year old child had been left behind in St. Maarten. When the child was lifted onboard, everyone on the starboard side started cheering. The big question which blew everyone’s mind was “What kind of parents leave their kid behind?” Does anyone know? The story was all over the dining room that night. Despite all the drama, dinner was a fun experience. Everyone shared what they did on island. That’s the fun part of sitting at a table for ten. The stories and poking fun at each other was endless.
The next morning, we tied up at the Havensight pier in St. Thomas, USVI. My brother and I had a few errands to do on island. We first took the cable tram up to Paradise Point. At Paradise Point, we took pictures and had a few drinks. When we were done, we headed back down the hill into the Havensight Mall near the pier to shop for booze. After buying two boxes of vodka and gin, we headed into downtown Charlotte Amalie to browse through the shops. We stopped by the camera store to look at some new camera models, made a traditional stop at the Little Switzerland store, and looked through every little trinket store along the way. Two of my favorite selections in the Little Switzerland store were Lladro and Lalique. They include human figurines, to porcelain animals. Lladro featured the largest porcelain train I have ever seen in my life. Is it ok to say that it cost thirty-five thousand dollars? It’s a store I cannot get enough of. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the ship. Back onboard, we went back to our cabin. We put our souvenirs and stuff away. We also started packing our bags for disembarkation. Shortly later, we went upstairs to the pool deck for drinks. We even brought our cameras with us. While having our drinks, we noticed more drama brewing on the starboard side of the ship. It was four o’clock, castoff time. Just as the lines were being loosened, a couple was seen running down the Havensight pier towards the gangway. Luckily, the ship’s security staff let them onboard. The cruise just couldn’t get any more dramatic than we had imagined.
My least favorite part of any cruise is when it’s over. The final night of the cruise, the waiting staff did its parade around the dining room. The head waiter wished everyone a pleasant journey home. At our dining room table, we were passing around our address books. Everyone was writing down their phone numbers, email addresses, and home addresses. Later on in the evening, we all attended the farewell show in the Lyric Theater. The comedian for the night put on a hysterical performance, followed by a performance by the ship’s singers and dancers. When the show was over, streamers and confetti dropped from the rafters. It was quite the perfect ending to a cruise so packed with fun, adventure, and a bit of drama to along with it. The next day, everyone was saying their good-byes before swiping their Sea Pass cards of the final time. When my brother and I left the ship, I couldn’t say enough. For our first time onboard Royal Caribbean, it wasn’t just a cruise, it was an adventure. That’s why the ship is named Adventure of The Seas.
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