My Latest Cruise

My latest cruise with Julie Holmes. We sailed out of Baltimore, Maryland to Nassau Bahamas on an 8-day cruise aboard the Vision of the Seas. Here is my daily log along with some observations.

Overall, a wonderful cruise. Some much-needed R&R after a year filled with stroke rehab, a noisy drug dealer, computer issues, and more. But there were some hiccups and lessons learned.

Wed. Jan 17 Julie here in the afternoon in preparation for cruise.

Thursday January 18, 2024, Day one:

First was just getting to Baltimore. Julie and I had to fly out of O'Hare, because there no available flights out of Madison. So we had to take a very early (5 a.m.) VanGalder bus to O'Hare. Once there, United Airlines was very accommodating to my handicap and wheeled me through security and to the departure gate.

 While there, I had a meal at Berghoff's. I wanted breakfast, but they only had lunch,  so I got a bratwurst. 

Once in Baltimore, Julie and I took an Uber ride to our motel, a Choice property, where had dinner, and then off to bed.

Friday January 19, Day two:

Quick breakfast in motel. We shuttled to the cruise port, where Royal wheelchaired me to our stateroom, where my motorized scooter was waiting for me. We went up to the Windjammer restaurant where Julie and I enjoyed a nice buffet lunch. The lifeboat drill was a breeze; we merely had to check in with an RC lifeboat crew member, who checked us off his list. We left port at about 5:30 p.m. Dinner in the main dining room. No theater show that night, but we enjoyed some musical entertainment in the Centrum.

Saturday, January 20, Day three:

A good night’s sleep, and up around 7 a.m. Breakfast in the Windjammer. Snow continued, and RC let most of the crew out onto the deck to see the snow because most of the crew had never seen it before. Some crew members even built a snowman. After breakfast, Julie and I went to the Solarium to read and relax. Lunch in the ‘Jammer followed by more reading and relaxing in the Solarium. Dinner in the main dining room. Show in the theater that night was a musical review performed by the RC singers and dancers. To bed around 10 p.m.

Saturday, January 21, Day four:

Up around 7 a.m. and breakfast in the ‘Jammer. First port of call: Charleston, S.C. Julie went ashore, I stayed on the ship, and in fact stayed on the ship during the entire cruise. We met up in the ‘Jammer for lunch around noon. My lunch remained fairly standard throughout the cruise of a salad, hamburger patty and/or hotdog link, dessert and coffee. Snow was still on the deck. Dinner that night was a shrimp cocktail, steak, and dessert. The evening show was a magician/comedian who was very entertaining. I went into the casino for my one and only visit, promptly losing $40 at a blackjack table. To bed around 10 p.m.

Sunday, January 22, Day five:

Up around 7 a.m. and breakfast in the ‘Jammer. Next port of call: Port Canaveral. Julie went ashore, but returned very soon as there was nothing for her to do there. I changed into swim suit and headed for the Solarium where I took a nice soak in the hot tub and swam a couple of laps in the pool. We reconnected for our usual lunch in the ‘Jammer. I took a little nap in our cabin, and then Julie and I went to the Schooner Bar Lounge for cocktails. Very fine piano player in the lounge. Then to dinner. We had very nice table companions, Dale and John, who were a stitch. The show that night was a Beatles tribute band, very entertaining. “McCartney” even played his bass guitar lefthanded. To bed around usual time.

Monday, January 23, Day six:

Next port was Nassau, Bahamas. Julie went ashore again while I stayed on ship. When she returned, we decided to take another cruise. After looking over the options, we decided on a 7-day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. RC was offering some incredible incentives, so we wanted to take advantage. We went to the “Next Cruise” office and booked it. We later discovered the cruise is aboard the Wonder of the Seas, one of several Oasis-class ships. Damn, we wanted to avoid the monster ships, but it appears RC is going bigger and will begin phasing out their “smaller ships.” In any event, we decide to stick with the plan. Lunch next, and then Julie went to the hot tub. I read, and then took a nap. Pre-dinner drinks in the Schooner bar and then dinner. Another musical variety show in the theater, and then to bed.

Tuesday, January 24, Day seven:

We pull in for a short stop at Coco Cay, RC’s private island. RC’s newest and largest ship, the Icon of the Seas, is docked here on a test run. My god, the thing looks like a skyscraper lying on its side. We are now headed back to Baltimore. We are up at the usual time and eat our usual breakfast. The sea is a little rough today, and barf bags have been placed along the stairwells. I scooter around the ship for a while just for fun, at times going max speed on the pool deck. I encounter other scooters, and one fellow suggests we should have a scooter race competition.  Then settled into the Solarium and did some more reading, followed by a light lunch in the Solarium café. Nap in the afternoon, and then Julie and met up for pre-dinner cocktails in the Schooner Bar. I am very excited for dinner because tonight is lobster night. We are seated, and our waiter arranges for me to get a second lobster free of charge (normally $20 extra). I give him a $5 tip for that. No show tonight, so off to bed around 10 p.m.

Wednesday, January 25, Day eight:

We pull into port early in the morning. We are awakened by the rumbling of the engines. Julie has left her luggage outside the door to our cabin, and it has been picked up. I keep my canvas bag. We skip breakfast, eating a couple of energy bars Julie has brought along. We then go down to our de-embarking station and join others who need help getting off the ship. I leave my scooter, which eventually will be picked up by the rental company. God, they most have made a ton of money from all the scooter rentals. A member of RC’s staff rolls me off the ship (I tip him $5) and transfers me to another RC staffer who takes me to the big cruise port building, where we clear customs and pick up Julie’s luggage. RC has arranged transport to BWI where we begin the long wait for our flight. I am starving, so I sit down at a seafood place and order a crabcake and a Coke. Delicious. We finally board our flight back to O’Hare.

Back at O’Hare, an airport employee wheels me to pick up luggage, and then off to the regional buses to Madison. This whole thing has changed since my last visit to O’Hare. We board an overhead train that takes us to the bus pick up point. I believe the train is completely automated … no engineer. We arrive at the pick up point and we are in luck. A Van Galder bus is waiting to depart. Julie buys our tickets, and soon we are off on the final leg of our journey. By this time, I have caught a cold and am coughing and sneezing the whole way back to Madison. At our stop in South Beloit, there is a McDonalds and I ask Julie to go in and get me a hamburger.

We finally arrive in Madison, and I am exhausted. Dawn and Carl are at the Dutch Mill Park-N-Ride to meet Julie and me and drive us home.

Observations

It is clear that RC is trying to cut costs. Choices for meals often involved cheaper meats and dolled up with sides (rice, beans, mashed potatoes, plantains) to look pretty and “exotic.”  There were no nightly receptions for Diamond Club members because there are so many people who have achieved Diamond status. We had one reception in the theater where champagne was served, but no hors ‘de oeuvres.

We found out that RC was running a “kids cruise free” promotion for this cruise, which meant lots of kids running around the ship. Most were very polite, but also lots of feral children running around. But also, lots of old folks cashing in on the bargain cruise price, which made for quite a mix of people.

That is all. I am proud of myself for making this cruise (and booking a future cruise) given my health situation. Comments and feedback are welcome.

       Bruce