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Activity Ahoy

American Fitness, March, 1998 by Elizabeth Harryman, Paul Lasley

Cruising to fitness aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Star.

Eighty-nine, 90, 91," we puff as we mount the top step of the temple of Kukulcan, the great pyramid that dominates the skyline of the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. "The ancient Mayans were excellent astronomers," our guide Enrique Ruz tells us. "The temple of Kukulcan was a 13th century solar calendar. Each of four sides has 91 steps. If you add the platform on top, you get 365--one for every day of the year."

When we reach the top, drenched in sweat and wilting from the 90-degree heat and 90% humidity, we survey the landscape. About a half mile away, above the ever-encroaching rain forest, we can see the crumbling gray stones of Chichen Itza's ancient observatory.

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"I think we should each get Sports Afloat tickets for making that climb," says a voice behind us. We turn to see Lois Kelly, a nurse from Baytown, Texas. We worked out with her every morning in aerobics class aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL's) Norwegian Star. This jungle expedition is day four of a seven-day cruise to the Western Caribbean, and Sports Afloat is the line's onboard fitness program. Participate in so many classes, you get a T-shirt at the end of the cruise.

"We agree with you," we tell Lois, as we sit down and contemplate the ultrasteep incline we just conquered. "Trudging up this Mayan stair climbing machine was our step aerobics class for the day."

We embarked the previous Sunday in Houston, Texas, with two goals in mind--to learn about the ancient Mayan civilization that once dominated this part of Mexico, and resuscitate a flagging fitness regimen that has fallen victim to career pressures and time constraints. We are beginning to do both.

To achieve our fitness goals, it was fortunate we chose to sail with NCL. Most of the major cruise lines hire an outside concessionaire to manage their exercise programs. NCL, almost alone among the major lines, manages its own fitness program and hires its own fitness instructors, who must be fully trained and certified.

On our cruise, the Norwegian Star's Sports Afloat coordinator Bob Drewes filled every day at sea with a variety of exercise options, including aerobics classes, basketball tournaments and a body conditioning workout called "The Best Little Abs in Texas." Each morning begins with a Walk-a-Mile around the ship's promenade deck. Drewes' Power Yoga classes are a high-intensity variation on the traditional hatha, and his sessions of Back Care Basics are so popular the gym becomes periodically carpeted with prone passengers.

From the first class, Drewes put safety first, taking note of people with special problems, and not allowing passengers to participate without proper athletic shoes for support. Beginners are not allowed in the high-energy Advanced Step classes.

In addition to taking classes, we work out in the Norwegian Star's gym, equipped with free weights and strength training machines. Before dressing for dinner, we walk the promenade deck, pausing occasionally to observe the flying fish that play in the ship's bow waves.

We choose from a variety of low-calorie dishes that don't sacrifice flavor. One night, we try baked John Dory fish served with spinach and roasted peppers; another evening we dine on grilled, lemon-pepper chicken in a mango papaya relish. Breakfast and lunch buffets abound with salads and fresh fruits.

After just two days of exercise, rest and sensible eating, we begin to feel like ourselves again. By the time we dock in Calica, Mexico, we are eager to explore.

We join a shore excursion to Xcaret, part botanical garden, zoo and theme park. We arrive after dark; candles and torches light our way along dirt pathways through the jungle. All along the way were reconstructions of Mayan homes and temples. Local residents, themselves descendants of the ancient Mayans, recreate traditional ceremonies. At one turn of the road, a canoe laden with flowers glides past on a small river; at another, a group of musicians play haunting melodies on hand-crafted instruments.

The evening proves to be a fitting prelude to the following day's excursion to Chichen Itza: Buses leave the dock at 6 a.m. for the three-hour journey. We arrive before the crowds, and Ruz leads us to the oldest part of the ruins, dating from the third century. We view the domed observatory and temples built to honor the God of Rain.

"The walls would originally have been painted bright colors," explains Ruz, who is himself Mayan. His classic profile echoes the forms we see etched in stone all around us. "The ancient Mayans were architects, engineers and mathematicians. They developed a sophisticated numbering system and plotted the course of Venus."

Ruz then shows us a ball court, where the ancients played a game somewhat akin to soccer. Next, we explore an elevated walkway, a remnant of a network of highways that once stretched more than 500 miles. And, of course, Ruz takes us to the temple of Kukulcan. Visiting Chichen Itza gives us a brief but meaningful insight into a remarkable people.

Activity Ahoy

American Fitness, March, 1998 by Elizabeth Harryman, Paul Lasley

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