TopDawg Travel: On Repositioning Cruises
I over packed (as usual) and only wore half the clothes I took onboard with me. We had one large garment rolling bag and one small suitcase. It did not seem like a lot when we packed. But I had way more clothes than necessary and will pack much differently the next time around (I hope). Because there were no ports of call and excursions on this short repositioning cruise, I did not need to have a bag for souvenirs nor other nonesuch as we tend to pick up on excursions.
Medical Facilities are available if you experience motion sickness, have a tumble, or need an aspirin for a headache. The staff is friendly and helpful.
The gratuity is added to your account on a flat daily rate. We had a $10 per person per day charge added to our account and when I think of the many people who made our cruise more enjoyable, had I been cash tipping along the way, it would have been a lot more than the nominal gratuity charge added to my account.
RELAX! I had trouble winding down from the whirlwind efforts to have everything handled at home and at work prior to leaving for Los Angeles. I was only away from Thursday morning until Monday night but you would think I was planning a month long exodus from my life. I did not really wind down until the cruise was nearly over. Silly me!
JUST HAVE FUN!
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Since airlines vary in the weight that is allowable per piece of luggage, you should always check your airline's website or ask what the weight limitation is. You could be charged a lot of money if you are over the allowed size or weight.
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There are several wonderful brands of clothing that can go anywhere and do multiple jobs. Travelsmith Outfitters is one of many companies which have fashionable, comfortable and serviceable clothing coordinates that will allow you to dress "up" or "down" as needed. The clothing is hand wash and dries quickly.
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Another great manufacturer of truly "wearable" clothing is Tilley Endurables - they can be reached through an 800# (1-800-363-8737), in Toronto, Mississauga, Montreal and Vancouver (BC) as well as being located in West Seneca, NY. Their clothing and hats are some of the best made, guaranteed clothing I have come upon.
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Repositioning Cruises A great way to take advantage of attractive rates offered by many cruise lines (as well as for first time cruisers to test how well you will like cruising) is to try a repositioning cruise. The cruise lines need to move ships around from location to location. To help offset the cost of such moves, they offer attractive pricing to the consumer to take the short cruise, usually without any port stops and excursions. I recently did such a cruise on the Island Princess. I joined the Island Princess in Los Angeles and went to Vancouver, B.C. We had a big party leaving the San Pedro docks, replete with a rum cocktail and live music by Jamm Inc. on the open decks. There were raffle tickets and prize, dancing in the warm sun and a lot of laughter as the pilot steered us out the channel and then left us to our travels as he leapt aboard the pilot boat (to the enjoyment of the crowd watching him leave from the starboard side railings).
The first big event of the day actually took place at 3:15 PM, prior to our casting off at 4:00PM. That was the "Passenger Muster Exercise". Everyone on board the ship had to attend this event. On commencement of the exercise, broadcasts were made, alarm bells sounded and we immediately headed to our state room to pick up a life jacket and go to our muster station. We only carried the life jacket with us and for safety sake made sure the ties did not trail on the floor after us. The correct method for donning and wearing the life jacket were demonstrated to us and then we demonstrated our own proficiency by donning it as well. This exercise occurs on every ship as a requirement by law and everyone is required to attend. The day of embarkation usually has "special offers" by the shops, spa and salon available to the passengers. There were demonstrations of unique treatments and a tour of the facilities including the state of the art Gym and Salon, hot tubs, exclusive Thermal Suite as well as a chance to meet with fitness directors to discuss one-on-one personal training, Body Composition Analysis and classes such as Yoga, Spinning and Pilates. Dinner could be experienced in the Horizon Court with the "all-you-can-eat" buffet until 11 PM, or (depending on the choices made when booking the cruise) "Anytime Dining" in the Bordeaux Dining Room and "Traditional Fixed Seating" in the Provence Dining Room. The menus were similar, though there are small differences in the menu. I had opted for the Anytime Dining, but in retrospect I recommend taking the "Traditional Fixed Seating" (means choosing a time you want to eat - either at 5:45PM or at8:00PM), and if you want to change up your location of dining, you can go where ever you decide to. If you choose "Anytime Dining" you will not be allowed into the Provence Dining Room. The evening brought a selection of entertainment. A "Welcome Aboard Showtime" in the Princess Theater starring Kenny James (13 time Star Search Winner and Grand Champion) with Johnny Munoz and the Island Princess Orchestra was delightful. In the Explorers Lounge there were the "Sounds of the 50's & 60's" with DJ Phil, followed by Jamm Inc playing for dancing and listening enjoyment, a "Welcome Aboard" mix and mingle dance party with the cruise staff, and finally, a "Let's Get This Party Started" to dance away the night with DJ Phil and the cruise staff. So much to choose from and I attempted to see and do it all. There were also activities in the Crooner's Bar, the Wheelhouse Bar and the Bayou Bar & Jazz Club every night, ranging from piano entertainment, to resident bands, to jazz stylings. Plenty to do and choose from for the most discerning party animal. There were also classes during the day if one wanted to learn origami, poker, ceramics or golf. Personally I chose to sit in the library and listen to music (bring along your own CDs of music as the chairs have built in players and headphones if you do not have your own headset), and read. We walked the decks some the first afternoon and the following morning, but the wind was brisk and chilly and, early in the day (Saturday), cloudy and gray. As the day wore on I went in search of solitude and sunshine. I found a nook on the stern of the ship on the 14th deck. There were only a couple of lounging deck chairs and I collapsed into one to soak up the rays as the sun peeked out of the clouds, though it was a little breezy. Soon, though, I was joined by a mother and her two children and the solitude I was yearning for was disrupted. I realized I needed to go and find my husband anyway so I departed the area to allow them their fun. When we located one another, my husband and I made our way back to the nook and as chance would have it, everyone had left right after I did. It was again a peaceful and secluded nook. Mike wandered up the stairs to the fifteenth deck and found an area yet more shielded from the wind with a half dozen of these chairs and no one in the vicinity. We stretched out and began to soak up those elusive rays without being blown out of our chairs by the wind. (We had entered an area of weather that grew increasingly windy and stormy as the day wore on. By Sunday it had turned quite blustery.) Soon several people from the UK joined us on this deck and settled in for a good read, a little light conversation and soon a cocktail hour. When I had had enough sun (actually sort of sunburned), we headed to the 15th deck Bar and Grill for juicy hotdogs and hot french fries, along with a "Bud". After we found a spot out of the wind, we settled in to enjoy the American style lunch and to watch others swimming and hot tubbing on the 14th deck. With a light rest we were ready for the night. The Princess Theater also had first run movies showing in the evenings, such as "DreamGirls" and "Queen", during our brief cruise. If I have any recommendations for first time cruisers, there is really only one. DO NOT buy an inside cabin for your passage. At the least, upgrade yourself to, at the least, an "Oceanview" (means there is a porthole-otherwise known as a window), if not a balcony/verandah cabin. On this particular voyage, a balcony might have been a bit of an extravagance, but the "Oceanview" can mean the difference between a memorable cruise and a miserable cruise. The inside cabins are best left to children and perhaps, a bear who needs to hibernate. It is very dark and when you awaken in the night, there is nothing to orient yourself with. Even the darkest of rooms is not as dark as the inside cabin when the lights are out. I soon learned that it was best to leave the TV on, with the volume muted, so that when I awoke I had something I could orient myself with. I love to sleep in darkness. Even more so than my husband who can sleep in broad daylight. But the darkness of that inside cabin was so disorienting that I had trouble sleeping the first night. I am an Internet junkie as well as being used to being instantly available by cell phone. It took half of the time I was on the ship to adjust to not being constantly "in touch". I purchased an Internet package of minutes so that I could check my email every day, being able to reach my clients and handle small things as they came up. I had forgotten to do a couple of chores before leaving - including arranging for a "Flexcar" to go pick up my darling TopDawg at the kennel in Woodinville when we returned. I handled all of that and my email and had minutes left over from the package of 150 minutes I chose. Just goes to show I can live without the instant on of cable connectivity. Warning to Internet junkies: Access is excruciatingly, painfully SLOW onboard a ship. When we came into the Vancouver port on Monday morning and I had signal on my cell phone I nearly wept for the pleasure of knowing I was back in touch. Even though I had no messages and no one had bothered to call me during the entire trip :( Other tips that are rather inconsequential: And last, but not the least,
TODAYS TIP/Recommendation:
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