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Travel is a personal choice, and everyone should choose their mode as befits their needs and wants. My personal choice has ranged from rat-infested bamboo shacks along the Mekong to $2000 a night ocean villas in the Maldives - hey, someone else was paying!). Cruises always seemed like something other people do. Millions of people, of all ages and backgrounds, repeatedly, across oceans and seas around the world. It’s time for this virgin to experience a cruise firsthand. All aboard the Carnival Freedom for a six-day sail into the western Caribbean, disembarking in the Florida Keys, Grand Cayman and Jamaica.
My first impression: Holy smokes! This is huge! Cruise ship veterans might think a 110,000 ton, 952ft, 13 deck, $500 million boat is par for the course. For a virgin – it’s so big it’s intimidating! The largest boat I’ve ever been on before was 60ft, and it didn’t have purple elevators, a sushi bar, casino, jogging track and mini-golf course. I was among nearly 3000 guests and 1150 crew, frequenting several restaurants, bars, clubs, a Victorian theatre, swimming pools and an outdoor big screen TV. A floating five star hotel, beating back the swells with stabilizers. I quickly realized this was an all-inclusive hotel with better views, better service, better food, and better activities. And as for the grandmas and grandpas, 70% of Carnival’s customers are under 55. No wonder they call this a Fun Ship.
Built in 2007, the Freedom was designed to reflect various eras in history, and it does so with glossy Vegas glitz and big-bucks Dubai bling. The atrium looked not unlike the lobby of the Burj al Arab, Dubai’s landmark hotel. The Chic Restaurant could easily slot inside the Wynn in Vegas. My stateroom was larger than most European budget hotels, and the view from the balcony stretched to the horizon. The food, well the food just didn’t stop, 24 hours a day. Fine dining, deli, pizza, monstrous buffet, fish & chips, Mongolian style, sushi – the choice is overwhelming. I tried to wrap my head around the fact that 18,000 meals are served every day, with a week-long cruise consuming 6500 lbs of chicken, 22,000 eggs, 6700 lbs of potatoes, 36,000 slices of bacon and 900 gallons of milk. 22,150 bottles of beer are not on the wall, they’re on a cruise ship. I tried to understand how the large, multinational crew could be so genuinely upbeat and friendly when they live and work on 8-month contracts in the netherworld of luxury. I tried to understand how everything is recycled or incinerated, how the system runs so flawlessly, how the vessel remained spotless throughout. It’s a virgin’s curse to wonder “how on earth do they do this?” instead of sitting back and just enjoying it. It took a couple days, but finally, cocktail in hand, sitting aft in hot tub with 180 degree view of the sea, I unwound and stopped taking notes.
At an adult-only comedy night, I speak to a guy who’s enjoying his tenth cruise. After trying an all-inclusive on a family vacation in Mexico, he felt trapped by the location and the limited options. For those who want to relax but still see something new every day, even if it’s a different segment of ocean, the cruise ship comes to the rescue. “Relax” being the key word. Sure there are dozens of activities every day –from competitions and high budget shows to live music, karaoke, gambling and fitness seminars – but it was notable to see just how many people were just laying about absorbed in zzzzzs, reading a book or staring into space. On shore activities ranged from snorkelling to shopping excursions, but it’s really just something to do, as opposed to any meaningful cultural exchange. Cruise ports were lined with duty-free shops, local hustlers, Hard Rock Cafes and Jimmy Buffet’s Margheritavilles – sure you’ve technically been to Jamaica. Technically, a visit to a food court in the mall can be considered going to a restaurant. I found the best experience in the cruise itself, not the ports of call, which is something I’m going to bear in mind for next time.
Next time? For years, people have been asking me where travel writers go on vacation. Hacking through jungle to tropical beaches is an adventure, and an adventure is a great story, but a great story is not a vacation. A vacation is reaching a point where you’re so overslept, overfed, over-chilled-out-of-your-mind, you can’t wait to get back to your job and attack it with a renewed sense of purpose. We all need a vacation every year, even those of us who get paid to travel the world. My first cruise ship experience left me elated, unexpectedly satisfied, curious for more, and wondering why I’ve been holding back all these years. Virgins, take note.
Robin went on the 6-night Western Caribbean aboard the Carnival Freedom, departing from Fort Lauderdale. For more info visit www.carnival.com
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