My wife and I recently went on our first-ever cruise with
some friends. We had the usual "newbie"
concerns about sea-sickness, what clothes to take, how many changes of clothes
to take, what activities to sign up for in advance, etc. Since there was a small casino on board, how
much money to put at risk? With a business to run, I was also concerned about
phone contact and Internet / email capability. There were so many things to
consider.
Teaching people how to get organized comes in handy -
this being one of those times. I laid out a plan for the things I needed to do.
There were passports to get. I contacted the cruise travel agency that booked
us with several questions. I went to the cruise line's web site and explored
the information they had about the ship specifically and cruising in general. In
the end, we had all of the information that we needed in advance.
Since we were part of a group of 80, the cruise agency
had buses from Frederick, MD to and from Bayonne, NJ. Although we had some
rainy weather while at sea and while docked in Bermuda, our experience was
fantastic. We're "hooked" and
will definitely cruise again.
The cruise agency had a few of their staff along on the
cruise, and they were super- organized. Getting to and onboard the ship went
smoothly. The Bermuda events were well-organized and enjoyable. The ship's crew
was outstanding and friendly. We kept as busy as we wanted to be, but had down
time to relax and read, play some bridge with our friends, enjoy some good food,
and see some great on-board entertainment. The disembarkation, clearing US
Customs, and the return to Frederick MD were as smooth as the front end of the
trip.
Seeing the Statue of Liberty upon departure and again on
returning caused me to reflect a little on what my grandparents might have felt
as their ship approached Ellis Island and the US, their new land of hope and opportunity,
about 100 years ago.
As someone who prides himself in personal organization, I
had to admire the organization of our cruise agency's staff and the ship's
staff. They quickly established our confidence in their knowledge, skills, and
abilities, and that left us to enjoy some much-needed Life Balance. Very little
work got done during the week, but that was OK. It was one those times to say,
"Thanks, I needed that!"
