Here Are Five Good Pointers About Cruising

A look back at my 9/23/13 blog entry reminds me that, upon completion of my first-ever cruise (7 nights, Vancouver departure, Alaska, inside passage), I admitted to having enjoyed it, but not to the extent that I was overly anxious to do another one.  One thing I did have to admit, though, was that I felt Celebrity Cruises did a lot of things right.

Well, it took him a while, but my husband Mike finally convinced me to try another cruise.  We spent 11 nights on the Celebrity Equinox in May, heading out of Miami to six different Caribbean ports.

Our reasoning for picking this particular cruise was simple.  We own a timeshare in Aruba, visit the island at least every other year, and love it unconditionally.  That being said, we’ve often wondered if we might like some of the other Caribbean islands, too.  But we’ve always hesitated to give up our Aruba week for a week somewhere else without being relatively certain we would enjoy it.  After perusing dozens of options, we chose our cruise based purely on which islands it stopped at.  Almost all of them had at one time or another made it into our discussions about islands we suspected we might enjoy.

Long story short – we loved it.  We loved the length of the cruise, we loved the ship, we loved the spectacular crew, we loved seeing the different islands.  We spent a day at Magens Bay on St. Thomas – every bit as gorgeous as we’d heard.  We spent a day on a catamaran on St. Croix, and a day at a small  resort on St. Lucia.  We spent a day at Boatyard Beach on Barbados, and a day on a bus tour around both the Dutch and the French sides of St. Maarten.  We had the entire gorgeous beach to ourselves at Beach Limerz on Antigua.  In addition, we had plenty of time on the ship, where we lazed at the pool, played trivia, did a wine tasting and a wine blending class, and just basically relaxed.

But I thought what I would do in this blog – my first since last November, and only my second since 2014!! – is to offer some pointers on how to maximize your enjoyment on a cruise.  These are things I picked up from different cruise forums, etc.  

Disclaimer - some of the things I mention may very well only apply to cruises on Celebrity ships.  The reason being, as you probably gathered, I've never been on any other cruise line!

Hope you enjoy!

1. Get the unlimited internet package.

We weren’t going to.  I mean, we’re both addicts at home, but, we reasoned, we would certainly not be using the internet during the cruise.  However, our need to stay “connected” with the outside world overcame all arguments, and about two days into the cruise, we signed up for the unlimited internet package for two devices.  I have a neurotic need to stay in touch with my petsitter, Mike likes to keep up with his sports teams – and we’re both Words With Friends fanatics.  It’s a little pricey, but we felt it was worth it.

2.  Get the Premium Beverage Package. 

We’re not huge drinkers.  However, that being said, we enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail when we’re vacationing, and we do like wine with dinner.  We talked about it and talked about it, and finally came to the conclusion that we didn’t want to be watching the drink prices.  The premium package on our cruise covered anything up to $13.00 per serving.  We ordered our wines based on what we felt like having, rather than on price.  We enjoyed spending time in the various bars around the ship.  We even had a drink or two while hanging out at the pool.  Not having to worry about surprise charges at the end of the cruise made this a very good decision

Bonus tip – we travel “Concierge Class” on Celebrity.  Among the “perks” we get is a bottle of sparkling wine in the cabin when we get there.  It’s not exactly Veuve Clicquot, so it’s not like we had any intention of sipping it out on the balcony.  However, what we DID do was to order orange juice a few mornings with our room service.  Voila!  Make-your-own mimosas!

3.  Don't Over Pack!

Despite the fact that I don’t get dressed up often, and don’t wear a ton of makeup, I am nevertheless known as the queen of overpacking.  I really tried my best this time, but failed again.

If you’ve ever been on a cruise before, you already know how tiny the cabins are.  Yes, they’re very cleverly laid out, with an impressive amount of storage space - but they’re still about the size of your master bedroom at home. 

Our (less-than-spacious) home away from home!

Here’s the thing – a lot of the ships (including ours) have done away with “formal nights” in the dining rooms.  These were replaced on our ship by “elegant chic” nights, which just meant no jeans, shorts, tee shirts, sneakers, etc.  You can now make do on a week or longer cruise with 3-4 simple dresses (think LL Bean “fitness dresses,” for instance), a few pair of khakis for the men, along with a nice assortment of polo and dress shirts.  One or two pair of shoes for dinner, along with some pool shoes and some running shoes/sneakers will do you just fine. Oh, and swimwear, of course, if the weather on your cruise is prime pool weather - I took two suits for me, two for Mike.  It worked out fine.  And we used them every day.

Now, this being said, there is still a lot of “stuff” you’ll want to bring along.  Shampoos, conditioners, hair brushes, styling products, shave gel, deodorants, moisturizers, some makeup.  And for a couple, most of this stuff is doubled.

Here is a great tip that I picked up on one of the cruise forums:  bring an over- the-door shoe bag.  I kid you not.  I bought one on Amazon for about $20.00, hung it over the door in the bathroom, and kept all of our toiletries in there.  They were easy to find, but still out of the way.  It was perfect!

Shoe Bag Storage!

As I always do when traveling, I brought along one of those pop-open laundry hampers.  They’re about $10 at the grocery store, or you can sometimes get them much cheaper at flea markets, etc.  So much easier than jamming your used clothes into plastic bags.

I also took along a portable clothes line to hang up in the bathroom to dry clothes on.  That was a bit unwieldy, but it worked.

Something else that proved useful was a pack of smallish magnetic hooks (thanks again, Amazon!).  We used these to hang up our daily activity notices, etc.

One thing I also brought, but will not recommend, is a “portable washing machine.”  This was a plastic contraption that you fill with water and cleaner, then add several items of clothing.  Secure it, and shake it up and down for a while.  Rinse, refill, and repeat.  I found that just washing stuff out in the sink worked every bit as well, and was a whole lot easier. 

4. Leave Unrealistic Expectations – and Your Inner Couch Potato - at Home!

I am cynical beyond all reason.  Also jaded.  Likewise, I am an insufferable snob about things like music and art.

That being said, do go and see some of the shows onboard your ship. It’s fun, and sometimes they’re actually pretty good.  (And when they’re spectacularly bad – that can be fun, too!)

We even attended the “Silent Disco” one night.  This is a Celebrity Cruises thing.  When you walk in, you are each given a wireless headphone.  There is a DJ, and he is playing three different stations of music.  In other words, the reason Mike was looking at me funny at one point was because he was dancing to something like REM - I was dancing to Abba.  It sounds stupid, I know, but it’s kind of fun!

Likewise, be adventurous at dinner.  Try something you’ve never had.  Worst case scenario, if you don’t like it, they’ll bring you something else.

Talk to people!  Mike and I are pretty introverted.  But if there’s a couple at the next table who are talking about something you have an interest in, and they’re not whispering, join in!  You might even learn something!

Also - do get off the ship at the ports.  These are places you might never otherwise experience.  If you decide you don’t like what you see, you can just stop somewhere for a drink, take a walk, or simply return to the ship. There is a deadline on when you can get back on the ship, but there is no minimum amount of time you must stay off!



Beautiful Magen's Bay on St. Thomas

5. Don’t Be One of “Those” People!

The crew and service staff work their butts off on these cruises.  These men and women are working for months on end with little or no time off. And, more than anywhere else I have ever spent a vacation, they will do whatever they can possibly do to make sure you enjoy yourself, and have everything you need.

So, yes, ask for what you need.  But don’t be pushy or nasty about it.  Be polite.  And if it’s something they aren’t able to do for you, don’t act like a jerk.  Just thank them and get on with your life.  Your trip isn’t going to be ruined because they aren’t able to provide you with an extra bathrobe, or a footrest.

In case you aren’t aware, tips are automatically added to your meals, drinks, etc.  (At least on Celebrity.)  You can prepay for this, which we did, just to avoid too huge a credit card bill after the fact. 

But, you know what else you can do?  You can also cough up a little more cash for someone who truly goes above and beyond to help make your vacation special.  A small extra tip and a nice note to your cabin attendant isn’t going to break you, but it could mean the world to that person, just to know you appreciated his or her hard work.

And one last thing, before I get down off of my high horse – say “please” and “thank you.”  (Not just on your cruise – everywhere it is warranted!  But I think that’s another blog, for another time.)

Most of all, relax and have fun!  After all, that is what cruises – and vacations in general – are all about!

See you onboard! I’ll be the redhead with the martini.

Here Are Five Good Reasons Why The 9/11 Museum Made Me Angry

I set up a blog back in 2013.

The name of my blog is “Here Are Five Good Reasons Why…”  My last entry was over three years ago, and was called “Here Are Five Good Reasons Why Aruba Is Awesome.”

That should give you some idea of what a serious blog it was - back when I was actually writing it.

I’m not entirely sure why I stopped writing it, but at the same time, I stopped working on the novel I was writing as well.  Laziness?  Severe writer’s block? Lack of ideas?  Maybe a combination of all of those.

Well, this week I was inspired to write again.  And, since this blog is already set up….

This weekend, my husband and I visited NYC. We used to go every summer, to see a Yankees/Red Sox game.  We haven’t done that in ages.

The main reasons for this visit were to see a show (The Fab Faux at the Beacon Theater – I could easily think of five good reasons to see them whenever and wherever they play) and to see some friends (again – there are at least five good reasons to see these folks, they’re pretty great).

But we also decided to visit the 9/11 memorial and museum. 

To say it’s moving is the understatement of the century.  I won’t say everyone should see it.  I saw a lot of young kids there, with their parents, and I am not convinced it’s appropriate for most kids.  I would also imagine that, if you lost a relative, a spouse, a close friend, on 9/11, you might not want to relive that horror.  And, of course, if you’re one of those idiots who thinks 9/11 (or Sandy Hook, for that matter) was a “hoax”….don’t bother going.  You have no heart or soul, no brain, so the experience would be wasted on you.

I wasn’t really sure how I would react to the experience.  Outside of the museum there are two bronze memorials built on the original site of the two towers.  The memorials are reflecting pools, each over an acre in size, with manmade waterfalls.  Engraved on them are the names of every single person who lost their life that day, at the World Trade Center, at the Pentagon, and at Shanksville, PA, as well as the six people killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. 

 

The first thing I felt looking at and touching these was an immense and overwhelming sadness.  I would imagine this is the normal reaction of visitors.
But this is my blog, and the blog is called “Here Are Five Good Reasons Why…”
So here are five good reasons why the 9/11 memorial and museum made me angry.  In fact, it made me very angry.  Furious, in fact.

Obviously, the fact that it exists should be enough to elicit anger.  9/11/01 was the darkest day in the history of the USA, or at least the darkest of my lifetime.  We were attacked by terrorists.  They killed almost 3,000 people.  That thing that happened in other countries, to other people, had happened here.  Life would never be the same for any of us.

I mentioned those striking bronze memorials.  If you can believe it, we witnessed a number of people taking “selfies” in front of those memorials.  Those who didn’t take “selfies” had others take their photos.  Standing in front of those reflecting pools, with the names of the victims engraved on them. 

Many of these people were smiling, even laughing, in much the same way one might smile and pose in front of a famous building, or a well-known statue.  It made me sick.

As you probably guessed, the museum itself is dedicated to the victims and survivors of the attacks.  There are tons of artifacts and photos.  None of it is light or entertaining.  It’s all pretty somber.  And maybe the most subdued exhibit is the room containing photographs of every single person who died that day (and in 1993).  Just looking at those photos made me so angry and filled with sadness, I could barely stand it.

But that wasn’t quite enough.  I managed to locate the photo of Susan Leigh Blair.  I knew Sue.  She was a client of mine, back in the late 90’s.  We worked on several large accounts together, and had lunch more than once.  We had the same off the wall sense of humor, which helped when we were stressed. 

At the same time that I moved from one insurance company to another, Sue, who had worked for a large insurance broker in Boston, made a change, too.  She left the insurance industry and moved home to New York state.  She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do, but she didn’t think it would involve insurance anymore.  She moved in with her family, to decide what she wanted to do.  We promised to stay in touch.  We didn’t.  Typical, it happens all the time.

I didn’t know Sue had died until months later, when a mutual acquaintance mentioned that there was going to be a memorial mass for her in Boston.  That was when I learned that she had returned to the insurance industry, and had taken a job with Marsh McLennan in Manhattan.  At One World Trade Center.  She was newly engaged to be married.  But she didn’t make it out of the building.

So, yeah, that made me angry, too.  Angry that she had returned to insurance, and had lost her life because of it.  Angry that she had just gotten engaged.  Just angry that she had died, along with all of those other innocent people.

So there are four good reasons.

You want to know the fifth?  The fifth is the reason I am writing this.  It’s a little more complicated.

The various exhibits and artifacts include a lot of footage of news coverage.  It’s fascinating to watch.  But I began to notice something that filled me with rage.

In all of the coverage, we saw people from all walks of life.  We saw black, brown and white, men and women, old and young.  We saw blue collar and white collar workers.  We saw businessmen and businesswomen, and we saw fire fighters and other first responders.  We saw American born citizens and citizens and other people who were from other countries.

And none of it mattered.  Everyone helped each other. 

Would that be the reaction today?  The way this country is divided into so many “us” and “them” factions?  The way so much hatred and division is not only accepted, but pretty much celebrated and encouraged?

I watched a video in which President Bush called on people to stop their harassment of “our Muslim neighbors and friends.”  He called them neighbors and friends.  He defended them, and he defended their religion.

Can you even begin to imagine what the current president might have said, had he been in the same position?  Would he have defended them?  Their religion?  Or would he have called them “animals?”  Would he have called for their immediate expulsion from the country?  I like to think he would react the same way President Bush did.  But I can’t believe he would have.

This country is a mess.  There is so much hatred and racism, so much prejudice and animosity, I truly do not know whether we can ever recover from it.

The horror of 9/11, in so many ways, brought out the best in the American people. 

This administration has brought out, and continues to bring out, the worst.

It sucks, and it’s not right, and it’s not fair to the good people who are still out there. 

It made me so angry to think about what we were just 16 short years ago, and what we are now, I couldn’t stand it. 

So much has been taken away from us by a man who never should have been elected, and by the unethical and selfish people he’s appointed to help him run (ruin?) the country.  It’s just not fair.

And now they’re determined to do everything they can to take away our health care, to take away our right to protest, to take away more of our incomes to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy, to take away every single thing that makes us Americans, that makes the country great.  It’s disgusting.

I want him to go to jail.  I want his entire family to go to jail.  I want him impeached.  I want him publicly humiliated.  And I want the same thing for every single member of his administration.

I will admit, I wasn’t a huge fan of President Bush.  But you know what?  He looked pretty damn “presidential” when he was calling for people to come together and not let hate win out over love.

Damn it.  I want my country back. 

 

Here Are Five Reasons Why Aruba is Awesome

One of the “ABC” islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao), Aruba is located about 18 miles off the coast of Venezuela, and is part of the so-called Dutch Caribbean.

It’s about 20 miles across and six miles wide, with a dry climate.  Its location outside of the “hurricane belt” makes it an immensely popular vacation destination, particularly with South Americans and Americans from the East Coast.

Mike and I first visited Aruba in 2001, and it was love at first sight. Since then, we’ve been back over a dozen times. 

Whenever the subject of Aruba comes up with people, at least in my experience, those who have been seem to fall into one of two groups.  They either love it, and go back on a regular basis, and are able to discuss in detail their favorite restaurants and shopping areas…or they’ve been once, and it was “nice.”  These folks have no particular plans to return.

Why does Aruba seem to elicit these two very different responses?  My guess is that the negative (well, okay, not really negative, more like neutral) responses often stem from the fact that Aruba is seen as being very “Americanized.”  English is taught in the schools, and Arubans know that tourism is their bread and butter, and treat visitors accordingly.  Likewise, it is easy to find Burger King, Dunkin’ Donuts and even Hooters on Aruba.

But why do so many people profess such a strong love for the tiny island?  Well, since I am one of those people, and since this is my blog, I guess it’s up to me to try to explain why, at least for me, Aruba holds the attraction that it does.

So, then...Here Are Five Good Reasons Why Aruba is Awesome!

1.  The Aruban People Are Awesome

They really are. They are undoubtedly the friendliest, most genuinely nice people I have ever met. Almost without exception, they go out of their way to welcome you to their island, to make sure you have a great time, to try to help you in any way they can.  They are the main reason why, when I step off the plane in Aruba, I usually turn to Mike and say, “we’re home!”

One story about the Aruban people, and then we’ll move on to reason number two.  A couple of years ago, a group of us were there in March, and one day there were heavy rains most of the day.  We had a reservation at Madame Janette, one of several favorite dining spots on the island, that evening.  When we got there, we had to be moved almost as soon as we sat down, because the thatched roof above us was leaking.  We were moved, and at some point during dinner, one of our party had to use the ladies room.  When she came back, she was pretty shaken up.  Apparently, there was about six inches of water on the floor in the rest rooms.  By the time we were ready to leave – after yet another wonderful dinner there – the rain was still coming down, and the entire parking lot was flooded.  The staff waited by the door, and when we were leaving, took our keys, found our car, and drove it right up to the front entrance so we could get in relatively easily.  As we were leaving, we noticed a group of Americans sitting at the bar laughing and talking to the staff.  We found out later that the staff personally drove every one of them back to their hotels that night.

2.  The Beaches Are Awesome

There are several beaches on Aruba, but the main ones are Palm Beach, where all of the high-rise hotels are located, and Eagle Beach, where the so-called “low-rise” hotels are located.  The two are very different in atmosphere. 

Palm Beach, where we stay, has calmer water, and is much more crowded.  Depending on where you’re staying, getting a “palapa” for the day (one of those thatched umbrella-like huts you see in the photos) can be an adventure involving getting up at the crack of dawn and waiting in a line.  Once you do get one, you’re usually sitting within 2-3 feet of the family at the next palapa.  This can be annoying, or it can be wildly entertaining.  Often it is a mix of the two extremes.  The people-watching on Palm Beach is endlessly fascinating.

Eagle Beach, on the other hand, is very quiet and considerably less crowded.  There is a much stronger surf there as well, if that’s your thing.  A great place to relax with a book and a couple of beers.  I highly recommend the Balashi, which is brewed right on the island.

Sunset on Eagle Beach

3.  The Restaurants Are Awesome

For such a small island, there are a disproportionately large number of restaurants.  Some, like the afore-mentioned Burger King, are obviously geared towards families with young kids.  Some specialize in local Caribbean cuisine.  Some are gourmet restaurants.  Some are casual.

We definitely have our favorites, among them Madame Janette, which I mentioned earlier.  MJ’s, as we call it, features a lovely outdoor setting, great food, and the island’s best Cosmopolitans.

Carte Blanche, featuring one seating a night, is a one-of-a-kind experience, and does not come cheaply.  Still, we wouldn’t miss it on a trip to Aruba.  You arrive between 7:00 and 7:30, and are seated at a u-shaped, 14-seat bar, facing the cooking area.  Chef Dennis van Daatselaar and sommelier Glen Bonset prepare and serve a 5 course dinner while chatting with the group in an intimate setting not unlike a private dinner party.  If you opt for the wine pairing, Glen will match up each of your dishes with an appropriate wine.  The food is wonderful, and the evening flies by.  This place books six months ahead of time, and reservations are an absolute must.

Linda’s Pancakes, a casual indoor/outdoor café located in a strip mall next to a gas station, features Dutch pancakes (gluten free version available).  These are large, light, airy pancakes, which are topped with your choice of fruits, veggies, cheeses, meats, or even booze.  I opt for half strawberries, half bananas, with whipped cream on the side.  Mike’s gluten free pancake is topped with ham, gouda cheese and bacon.  These pancakes are to die for.  And ask for the Dutch coffee, which is much stronger than the American coffee.

I could go on and on, but I won’t, because I’m getting hungry just typing this.

Breakfast at Linda's

4.  Those Colorful Frozen Cocktails Are Awesome

Who doesn’t love a frozen cocktail?  The Caribbean is known for them, and there is just nothing like sipping one at a beach bar, or while sitting by the pool.

I try to sample a few different concoctions on each trip.  I’ve had blue drinks, and pink drinks and drinks that look like sunsets.  I’ve had Pina Coladas and Raspberry Mudslides.  But my favorite frozen cocktail is the Brown Lady.  You can get a Brown Lady pretty much anywhere on the island.  They’re made with vodka, Bailey’s, and coconut cream, and they are yummy!

Those are Brown Ladies in my hands....both of them.

5.  Doing Nothing is Awesome

I am generally not the sort of person who can sit around for long.  After a while, I remember 23 different things I need to do.  And Mike is the same way.  But I always tell Mike that Aruba is the only place I ever see him really relax.

In fact, in Aruba, we have pretty much mastered the art of relaxation.  Time moves more slowly.  We don’t “have to” do much of anything, aside from arriving on time for a couple of the harder to get dinner reservations.  

In Aruba, my day pretty much consists of a walk along the beach, coffee and bagel on the balcony, an hour in the Lazy River at our timeshare, and then several hours of uninterrupted reading, people-watching and occasional dips in the pool or ocean. A nap, a shower, a nice dinner and an hour at the casino…then it’s time to call it a night.  The next morning, it begins again.  And I love every second of it.