Shipboard Life –

Friends ask us “What do you do on a cruise ship during the day?  Isn’t it boring?  So, finally we have found time to answer.  We have taken the equivalent of a one credit hour class in the geology of the pacific rim, volcanoes, plate tectonics, astronomy, migration patterns of the peoples from Asia to the Pacific and South America, migrations of peoples in Polynesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, ocean currents and how they affect weather, Tsunamis, Earthquakes, mapping of the ocean floor, history and the engineering of space flight, and the political problems related to the question, “who owns the oceans?”. 

 

Don is taking computer class and is learning to bond with Windows 8, and Ann is taking a drawing class.  These classes are all electives.  Other people have chosen to spend their time doing some of the following: Yoga, Tai Chi, indoor cycling, water color, meditation, knitting, bridge, aerobics, spinning classes, culinary classes, line dancing, wine tasting, poker tournaments, mixology, crafts, ballroom dancing, pilates, bingo, trivia tournaments, or just vege on the deck by the pool or in the library.  On a typical sea day there are 64 separate activities available.  Our other choice is to read and lay by the pool all day.  Whew!, with that said, we still have time to eat three meals a day in one of five restaurants. 

 

 

          There is lots of night entertainment on board, including singers, comedians, dancers, and there are three different bands playing different styles of music around the ship.  There is a Show Time in the theater each night featuring major motion pictures.  One of our favorite spots is the Piano Bar.

          As our son Ryan says, “You can do anything onboard a ship except go to Wal Mart.  So, the question becomes not what do you do on a cruise ship all day, but what will be do when we get home?

 

          On a cruise it is important to have a compatible table group for dinners.  Our group has some of the nicest people we have met.  We really enjoy our table mates.  Last night we decided not to eat in the dining room.  It was a formal night, and nobody wanted to dress to the 9’s, so we dressed casually and met on the Lido Deck for dinner as we sailed next to the sunset, and celebrated crossing the equator for the second time. 

          We still celebrate special events aboard ship.  We had an awesome Super Bowl party with unbelievable food.  Of course we saw the game live, but for us, the game was on Monday. 

 

          A week or so ago we had a 5K (11 laps around the deck) walk for “On the Deck for the Cure” to raise money for cancer research. 

          We are enjoying meeting interesting people from around the world; Americans, Canadians, Australians, and Europeans.  Many of our fellow passengers have done much more traveling than we have and we enjoy hearing their stories and travel hints.  Last night one of our new friends, Jay, happened to mention that he had been to the Titanic.  “You mean you sailed over it?”  “No,” he said.  He took a Russian research ship to the Titanic site and went in a submersible 12,000 feet below the Atlantic and spend 12 hours exploring the Titanic wreckage.  His pictures were fantastic.

          We have also met Utahans.  One couple, Kay and Paul, live 30 blocks from us in Sandy.  There is a couple from St. George.  The Cruise Director is from West Jordan via BYU.   

          Life aboard ship could become additive!