Trans-Atlantic Crossings - ocean cruise

Cruise Travel, Nov, 2000 by Phyllis White, Robert White

Afraid A Long Sea Voyage Will Be Boring? Veteran Cruisers Love 'Em!

Onboard the Crown Princess, on our fifth straight day at sea, we asked an elderly man we'd met what made him choose such a long ocean voyage. He thought a moment, then told us, "Ports are places to visit. Being at sea is what I Love."

Every year cruise ships sail from the U.S. to Europe in the `spring, and back again in the fall. They're called "Trans-Atlantic Crossings," and many people avoid them: "What will there be for me to do all that time at sea? Won't I be bored?" To find out, we joined Princess Cruises' Crown Princess 14-day crossing, with seven of our first eight days to be spent at sea.

* Tuesday, April 25--We board in mid-afternoon in Fort Lauderdale. We find our cabin (B category, Baja Deck) is surprisingly large. (Later learn most cabins are the same size.) A windy day, we watch the ship sail out of the channel and into the open sea from The Dome, a high-up room with big windows all around.

* Wednesday, April 26--We try Presto Pizzeria for lunch. Red tablecloths, big windows and a half-dozen varieties of pizza, baked to order. With a caesar salad and a glass of chianti, it is a pleasant lunch indeed.

We watch horse-racing--in which onlookers bet real money--on wooden horses "raced" along by cruise staffers. This, along with bingo, art auctions, and other minor vices, will be repeated daily.

In mid-afternoon we attend tea in the Crown Court Dining Room--a lovely tradition. We find pots of various teas, but more pastries than finger sandwiches--disappointing.

The show tonight in the International Showlounge presents musical numbers by a stage full of dancers and singers. Very good. There'll be a different show every night, 14 nights in a row. We're impressed.

* Thursday, April 27--Stop by the Stage Door to watch a ballroom dancing class; they're doing the merengue today. Afraid we've already learned and forgotten that one. Looking forward to line dancing later, though.

First Officer Tim Stringer--who's as British as John Cleese, and has much the same humor--gives a talk on navigation. He explains why the ship is steering a "Great Circle Course" rather than straight across. We still don't understand why, but the mate's attempts at an explanation are so entertaining we don't mind.

* Friday, April 28--Breakfast in the cabin. Nice to eat at leisure without getting dressed. But grumpy at cabin steward for bringing it an hour early. Then found a note we'd ignored: ships clocks were put ahead an hour last night.

Which brings up a drawback of west-to-east ocean crossings. Clocks are put ahead six times during the voyage, which means six hours sleep lost. Next time we'll make the trip in October, when the ships return westbound.

Visited the ship's bridge this morning. The very Italian Captain Giuseppe Romano is on hand to explain how everything works. He is wonderfully patient about answering questions and posing for pictures.

Joined an ongoing Scrabble tournament. We didn't win any prizes. The Crown Princess is a game-players paradise--never a shortage of partners for backgammon, bridge, checkers, chess, cribbage, Scrabble.

* Saturday, April 29--Captain Romano speaks in the Showlounge about the reality of being captain of a "Love Boat." He has lots of stories to tell.

Lunch in the cabin today. Room-service menu of sandwiches and salads turns out to be just what we want.

Is there anyone who hasn't had a secret desire to be able to tap dance? Nineteen women and one hesitant male with at least two left feet show up this afternoon to learn. Lots of early missteps, but by session's end all are beating out a passable time-step to an old recording of "Sweet Georgia Brown." When's the next audition for "42nd Street"?

Our martinis are accompanied by "A Salute To Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber" in the Atrium tonight. Much applause. Seems to be a musical ship. We counted at least seven places where there's live music. Been having a martini before dinner at a different place each night. Isn't this what the Jet Set does?

* Sunday, April 30--There's a "Life Enhancement Lecture" this morning, presented by a motivational speaker with the topic: "Enjoy Yourself, It's Later Than You Think." We already know that so we don't go.

Something called "Couples Massage" at 3 p.m. sounds intriguingly erotic. We walk into a room filled with at least 40 couples. All the men sitting bare chested while the women stand behind them rubbing a cream into their shoulders and necks. The men seem to be enjoying it immensely--except for one guy sitting all alone, complaining in a whiny voice, "My wife didn't show up!" Did he ever think it might be that voice of his?

A lot of these group-activity classes take place daily. Yoga, ab toning--and less strenuously, ping-pong, shuffleboard. So far we've stayed by the pool with a book.

We discover La Patisserie. Tea and pastries/cookies from morning till night, often with a pianist tinkling away. We're sure we'll see more of this place.

* Monday, May 1--Early morning we see a small, hilly island: Horta in the Azores, our first landfall. The place is too small to have a dock for large ships. After we anchor offshore, the wind rises and shifts; Captain Romano announces it's unsafe to send passengers ashore in tenders.