Sandier Pastures

I wouldn’t be surprised if I’ll find the phrase “Going on a cruise” on people’s things to do before I die list. It certainly is on mine. Last weekend, I had the pleasure to tour a cruise ship docked in Dubai courtesy of Stacey and the desire to go on a cruise one day just got stronger.

On my tour there, I realized I had so many misconceptions about cruising and cruise ships. Here’s 13 of them:

1. You’ll get bored - I get bored with long haul flights so a two-week voyage across the sea can get me stir-crazy with boredom. Wrong. From my recent cruise ship tour (I did not go on cruise, just toured the cruise ship), I was surprised to see there are lots of features and facilities designed to keep the passengers entertained while on board.  There’s the pool, sauna, cocktail bars, restaurants, lounges, internet cafes, short-term crash course schools, movie houses, fitness centers - you’ll never have the time to get bored. Once the ship docks on its port of call/s, passengers have the opportunity to sightsee, take a short excursion and discover a new culture.

2. You have to be rich to cruise -  Most cruises are all-inclusive, meaning your cabin, entertainment and meals are included. This makes cruising more affordable than other vacation options. There are also short-length cruises that are affordable if you book well in advance.

3. You’ll get fat on a cruise - With the plenty of food I saw while touring the cruise ship, I guess this is not entirely a myth. However, this is entirely up to you.

Gaining 5 lbs. per week while on cruise is not a requirement! Neither is eating until you explode.

Also, today’s cruise ships have changed with the changing attitudes of many health conscious travellers. Important to mention, there is likely a gym/fitness center on board where you can burn those extra calories. Everyone is given 24 hours a day, why not spend even just 30 minutes of it exercising even while at sea? (I’m talking to myself here, people)

4. You’ll get seasick - I get carsick sometimes so I can’t help but think I’d end up miserably seasick while on board. I’ve ask my friend Stacey, who works in a cruise ship and some crew on board if they do get seasick, and their answer is no, most of the time, you’ll barely be aware you’re in the water. Today’s large mainstream ships have stabilizers that keep the rocking of the sea to a minimum. Also, a lot of cruise itineraries stay in relatively calm waters such as protected seas and inside passages. With all this said, it won’t hurt to bring along a Dramamine, just in case.

5. Cruise ships are for old people - I admit I had the thought that cruises are for the wealthy and the retired. Those people who got money and time but that is definitely not the case anymore. People of all ages are cruising, including families with children.

6. Danger - Many people think that cruise ships are not safe enough and can sink anytime but gone are the days of Titanic with today’s ship’s high technology navigation systems (that could detect potentially dangerous icebergs) and oh, the movie Speed 2: Cruise Control is fictitious.

7. It’s all about partying - It is not true that all the people you will find on board are people who love going on wild parties. You can meet people with different types of interests and there are quiet places to go like the movie house or the library.

8. Cruises are too long - and you’ll end up missing to see some land. Cruise lengths actually vary significantly to meet personal tastes. According to the Cruise Lines International Association, during 2004, itineraries of 1-5 days accounted for 31 percent of the cruise market; itineraries of 6-8 days made up 57 percent of the market; and 9-17 day sailings accounted for 11 percent. Less than one percent of all cruises booked lasted longer.

9. Cruise ships spend their time at sea - Cruise vacationers actually have the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time on land. Virtually every cruise features multiple ports of call, giving travelers a chance to visit beautiful, secluded beaches, vibrant cities and popular tourist sites, as well as enjoy breathtaking scenery. Every port offers a unique experience.

10. Cruise ship cabins are claustrophobic - while an inside economy cabin tend to be small, in actuality people spend very little time there besides sleeping. An outside cabin (ocean view) has a window or porthole, while a balcony (verandah) cabin has a glass door leading to a balcony usually equipped with a small table and chairs. Most ships feature larger suites for those who truly need more space.

11. You lose touch with the world while at sea - Today’s ship cater to people who would like to stay in touch with the lives they left in the land. On board, there are plenty of computers with internet connection and most cabins have televisions and telephones enabling you to call someone on shore through the ship’s radio operator while at sea.

12. All cruise ships are alike - Choosing a cruise ship is like buying a new car. You are faced with a myriad of variations: big ships, small ships, explorer-oriented ships, absolutely decadent luxury ships, family ships, etc.

13. Your fare is all-inclusive - The cruising business can be summed up in two words, onboard revenue. Drinks and gratuities may be included in fares but spa treatments and shore excursions won’t be. Hairdressing, bar cocktails etc will also not be included as is commonplace in hotels.

I am still reeling with my meeting with my blogging friend Stacey. I still can’t believe that we finally met and talked in person after having met online through blogging about a year ago. It was very nice and kind of her to invite me and my family over to see the ship, see the show and dine for free! I am forever grateful for the unforgettable experience. 

~ Stacey and me on the front bridge with Dubai on the background ~

Everything was perfect but I had a little hard time dealing with Pristine wanting to swim in the pool or asking over and over, “Why the ship isn’t moving, mama?”

~ the pool ~

M was not able to come with us because of work the first time we went to Port Rashid, where the ship is docked and Stacey was kind enough to invite us over, again! I went there again yesterday with M because I didn’t let him sleep with my talks about meeting Stacey and seeing the ship. He has to see in his own eyes!

The lovely hostess gave another tour again. The ship has several lounges, a disco house, bars, cigar room, internet cafe, sauna, spa, pool, tennis court, casino. It is really like a big hotel at sea.

~ the casino was silent; as gambling is not allowed while the ship is docked in Dubai ~

This is really embarrassing but I thought, if I/we won’t do it now, we’ll probably never be able to do it aboard any cruise ship for at least the next 20 years so, unashamed, we did *cough* what every couple does at the front bridge:

Ha.

Ha.

Ha.

Are you still laughing? I am.

After the tour, we had an early dinner. Stacey has to do rehearsals with her band so she had us wait at a lounge where we had drinks. I had sex on the beach - stop grinning…it’s a name of a cocktail drink!

It’s been almost a year since I had alcohol so I felt lightheaded after a few sips and fell silent (recovered a few minutes after I finished my drink). Yeah, now you all know that the only way to silence me is have me chug alcohol. LOL!

There was a show at 8:30 pm to welcome new passengers. Did you know? Cruise ships have godmothers! Crystal Symphony’s godmothers are Mary Tyler Moore, Angela Lansbury (Murder She Wrote) and Julie Andrews (The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins).

Stacey’s band played in the background again and last night’s show was bigger than the previous night’s. There was a broadway-like production called “Grand Hotel”. We had a grand time! If the little girl was there, she would have shouted, encore!

Finally, as in all meetings, the time to say goodbye comes. It’s amazing how it seems like we have been friends for years (Stacey if you’re reading this, at least that’s how I feel!) when we just communicated through emails and our blogs. Thanks for the invite, the time, the tour, the drinks, food and the wonderful experience.

That’s the ship all lit up in the background and us taking a picture (with my undesirable point and shoot camera) before saying goodbye. I didn’t look back at the ship nor at her when we pulled over from the parking lot (she was with us until the parking area) because they say, it will make you miss the person/place more but guess what, I am missing her already because I don’t have that much friends physically present — they all reside in my PC and it’s very rare that they come to Dubai and I get to meet them in the flesh.

Till we meet again!

The Crystal Symphony leaves for Salalah, Muscat before midnight tonight and onto Egypt passing the Suez Canal.

Remember the show The Love Boat in the 80’s? It’s a prime time TV drama set on a cruise ship my mom and I look forward to watching every single week. Then I would look up to her, tug her skirt and say, “Let’s go on a cruise in The Love Boat, mom!”

Who knew that we’d be in it a few years later! Well, at least it was the closest we can get to The Love Boat!

~ MV Crystal Symphony from a distance ~

~ The ship up close ~

~ looks like a tall building than a ship to me! ~

My bloggy friend, Stacey is in Dubai!! We finally met because she invited me over to see the ship! What an awesome experience it was for me, my mom and Pristine. Stacey and I met online through, how else but blogging. She writes about her work aboard the luxury liner and stories and photos of the their ports of call.

~ She is in a band and plays piano and very, very good at it! (left most) ~

I love travelling and I vicariously live through Stacey’s day to day life - she works aboard a cruise ship that goes around the world as a pianist/band master. You think that’s cool enough? She has literally been to places you can imagine (check out her blog). Fantabulous life, don’t you think?

 ~ Stacey with my mom and Pristine (can you tell she’s having a grand time? ~

~ Me, my mom and Pristine in the front bridge ~

She gave us a tour of the ship, which was more like a floating hotel. It was amazing. There are even elevators inside to easily accommodate the staff and passengers all through the 12 storeys. We arrived at 3 pm and it was unbelievably hot yesterday at 40C and more than 50% humidity. But who am I to complain? We were having a marvelous experience, never mind the heat!

Then we stayed longer to see the show with Stacey and her band. Live music miraculously kept the wriggly toddler on her seat. Pristine, who loves music and piano, was star-strucked with Stacey. What a wonderful show!

Thank you Stacey for the wonderful once in a lifetime experience. I pray for your safe journey always!