Yes, there is food-plenty of it, and it`s available almost continuously throughout the day.
Yes, there is entertainment, dancing and conversation with new friends.
Yes, there are swimming pools, lounge chairs and sun and fun.
Yes, there are interesting places to visit and a multitude of things to do.
Yes, this is a cruise.
The memory of my first cruise that lingers longest is that of pure relaxation-the rare opportunity to take a week away from the pressures of work and life to do as little as possible, while having the amenities of a luxury resort at my beck and call.
My wife and I were never quite convinced when friends suggested we take a cruise; the idea of being away from land for long periods, combined with a fear of being seasick, had long deterred us from considering such a vacation. We had taken a mini-cruise a few years earlier as part of a Disney World vacation package, but we were only at sea overnight, so it was difficult to judge how it would feel to be on the water for an entire week. But we finally overcame our fears and booked a cruise for last March aboard Holland America line`s MS Noordam, a medium-sized, moderately priced cruise ship sailing to the eastern Caribbean islands from Ft. Lauderdale.
Airport encounter
As we waited for our plane at Boston`s Logan Airport, a fellow passenger asked us if this was our first cruise. When we replied yes, she said, ”It may be your first cruise, but it won`t be your last.”
Our first impression was the friendliness of the cruise line employees, from the hostesses at the airport who helped us find our luggage and showed us where to catch the buses for the embarkation terminal, to the cabin stewards and waiters and staff who planned activities on and off the ship. No request seemed too small or too difficult. Even the officers and mates took the time to say hello and ask if they could be of service.
A major concern of any first-time cruiser is the accommodations. After all, your cabin will be your refuge. Our room was a far cry from the spacious cabins we used to see on the television show ”The Love Boat,” but it certainly was more than adequate. It was an inside room about midship, with two twin beds, two large closets, plenty of drawer space and a medium-sized bathroom with shower. Some of the outside rooms on the upper decks have double beds and baths. As it turned out, we used the room only for sleeping and dressing, so the amenities were certainly sufficient. The service provided by our Indonesian room steward fascinated us; he could be nowhere in sight when we left our room, yet returning a few minutes later, we would find the beds made or the towels replaced or clean glasses and fresh ice on the counter.
Entertainment is an important part of a cruise, and there was more than enough variety to please all tastes. There were several bands, from an orchestra for the shows to a swinging combo to a lively pop quartet to a trio of strings; something for people of all ages. In addition, the Noordam had a group of eight singers and dancers (The Pieces of Eight) who performed twice during the week: one show featured music of the ”Fabulous Fifties”; the other was a tribute to the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and highlighted numbers from the shows ”Evita,” ”Cats” and ”Phantom of the Opera.” A singer, comedian and juggler also performed during the week. On the final night, all of the performers took part in the show. There were different musical moods in each of the lounges, but we settled on the lounge that featured the pop music. It became a favorite place to go for dancing after each night`s show.
Being on a cruise is not just sun and fun; there are programs and activities going on all day, from volleyball and shuffleboard, to bridge tournaments, Scrabble matches, Bingo games and talent shows. And there is no reason why passengers should be uninformed about the ports of call. Experts on the ship explain where you should and shouldn`t shop, and numerous tours of each port are available for a fee, from the routine island tour to snorkeling or scuba diving on an isolated beach. (The island tour of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands is spectacular, but the roads are extremely narrow and the ride can be unnerving for many people). At some of the port calls, you can fish, play tennis or golf.
Exercise programs are also available; not only was there a gym on board, but many people used the spacious walk-around deck for a run, jog, walk or stroll. Day and night, young and old burn off the calories on this deck, with each lap 1/5 of a mile.
And finally, there was the food: It has become a staple of all cruise lines, something anticipated long before the cruise begins. In the Amsterdam dining room, where we had all of our evening meals, there were always too many choices to be made. Appetizers from caviar to shrimp cocktail to fruit cups were standard fare. There were five or six entrees every night, including one calorie- and health-conscious dish prepared in conjunction with the Bonaventure Spa in Ft. Lauderdale. Entrees ranged from stuffed crab legs to lobster; baked salmon to cornish hens; pork Marsala to shrimp Oriental; roast turkey to prime rib and tenderloin steak. There were at least five desserts offered, from pies and mousse to cakes and ice cream. The only exception was Thursday night, when baked Alaska was the sole dessert. It was presented in a grand march through the dining room by the Indonesian and Filipino waiters.
For breakfast and lunch, there were open sittings in the dining room, with a choice of menus; or one could also eat in the Lido, near one of the pools which offered more informal dining and longer hours. And there was always the midnight buffet, with fruits, snacks, entrees and desserts to try out.
The final-and most important-impression we had of our first cruise was relaxation. I can`t remember the last vacation we took that was so relaxing. Whether we were just sitting on the deck reading a book or resting, or walking around the ship, or participating in the many activities on board, it was a week of pure R `n` R: rest and relaxation.
