We are two weeks into the cruise, at about the time most cruises are either over or ending and we just seem to be getting started. On our 14 days we have had 4 port days and 10 at sea, in two 5 day stretches. I love sea days, perhaps because it took between 5 and 7 sea days to get to or from Europe in the days when that’s how you went, and I spent those sea days with my grandfather in anticipation and excitement. Cunard used to have an ad that read “Half the run is getting there.” I believed it then and I still do.
These two fists full are more relaxed than they’ve been in the past. Partially it’s because on past cruises there were two enrichment and an Up Close lecture (a multimedia presentation read by the cruise director featuring video, stills and audio) each day. Up Close lectures are good, but I have seen the ones for this leg of the journey twice before, so I skipped them. That leaves a couple of extra hours on sea days for me to read, swim, watch movies, walk laps, play dominos, attend a wine tasting or afternoon tea or just watch a tropical sunset.
We have had special parties too, so far, the Zaandam Ball, a block party where we get to know our neighbors, and A Glamp Out, a glamorous spoof on camping that is pretty, well, camp. The production shows are the same ones we saw on both the Japan and Pole to Pole cruises, but with a different cast. There will be 15 over the 13 weeks of the cruise. We’ve already seen 3 of them. But I don’t mind their repeats. Some nights I go to both the early and late shows.
My friend Claudia, who used to be in Foreign Service has coined a new acronym, JOMO. We both have progressed from FOMO, fear of missing out to JOMO, Joy of missing out.
But there is a lot we don’t miss out on. Here is a gallery of photos from sea days.
The five day crossing from Hawaii to American Samoa sails through the equatorial doldrums. You could have fooled me. It was a bit rough, but we will see worse by the time the 13 weeks are over.
Tomorrow, we visit Pago Pago in American Samoa. I have never been there but have wanted to go ever since reading William Summerset Maugham’s short story Rain. From here on out we will have a more intensive port schedule with just a few sea days sprinkled in until we get to the great barrier reef when we have 4 sea days.
