by Paula Johnson
Days at sea on a cruise liner is not like a day fishing on Lakes Michigan, Huron, or Erie. Curt suffers from motion sickness (not car – he sleeps through that), and worried about ship cruises. No worries, these massive ships are equipped with huge stabilizers. Curt even commented this trip that this was the smoothest sailing he has encountered yet.
Every ship is slightly different in their options during the day – whether at sea or even at port. They work hard to please everyone (a virtual impossibility) – young and old alike.
Mega ships (15-20+ decks) have more options, obviously – rock wall climbing, zip-lining, ice skating rinks, etc. Even some of the large ships offer cooking, photography, and computer classes, wine, cheese, bourbon tasting, kids’ clubs and more.
If you are looking for something to give you constant entertainment, you will want a mega ship. If you are looking for some involvement and lots of self-entertaining, most will be great.
The Queen Elizabeth had a beautiful card room with games, cards, etc. for small group fun. Their library was huge and even had a librarian. There were shops, but nothing like a mega ship, there was an art gallery, but again – smaller. There was a lovely pool, but not five or more.
I loved the Garden Salon adjacent to the pool area, yet a space enclosed of its own – with bar and gelato. There might have been a casino, but it would have been small. Lots of sitting areas, coffee/tea bars, and a few extra specialty restaurants and pubs.
On the mega ships, you barely pass one pub or café before running into another. Mega ships also have piano bars and food delights every so many feet.
Nighttime is one of Curt’s favorites on board. He loves going to the theater and enjoying the live entertainment. We found a delightful hideaway on the second floor of the theater. It was a small balcony with a perfect view of stage right. It had a chair for me, and a space for Curt and his scooter.
Curt likes all the singing and dancing shows and magicians. I had my first thrill of ship entertainment on this ship. It was a play with some singing, but the thrust was a true event. Come From Away is set in the small Canadian Newfoundland town where 6,579 airline passengers were stranded following 9/11. It is an Oliver and Tony award winning show. I was riveted to my seat.
No matter the size of the ship the theater is a highlight. It is well appointed, designed for comfort and usually over-the-top beautiful.
Gala Nights (dress up dinners) are only scheduled for the at-sea days. Some cruises might only have one, some two or more, depending upon the length of the cruise. They used to be called Formal Nights, but like much of our cultural world, “dress up” can be most anything except beachwear, super casual, and the like.
Gala Night is not required for cruising, just dining for that night in a main dining room. The buffet is every night, and serves the same food – just buffet style. Pubs, cafes, and room service are also options.
During this trip, a contest among the chefs for the best carved pumpkin was held. There were about 40 carved pumpkins on display and a voting box was set up for passengers to vote their favorite.
A Gala Night was during the voting time, and Curt and I did a little vintage attire. I wore my mother’s 40-year-old beaded evening dress and Curt wore the dinner jacket from his senior year in high school.
Like much else in life, cruises are what you make them. If you like doing things and having lots of activity options – take a Mega ship. If you enjoy peace and quiet with some activity and seeing quaint villages and towns – look for a smaller ship.
Curt and I survive because we have alone time and together time. Just as camping isn’t for everyone, neither is cruising. But, for me, cruising holds more possibilities and is less labor intensive. Camping just has a different kitchen for me to clean.
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