Having gone on two cruises in my life, I can say that it’s an awesome way to travel if A) you like being out in the ocean, B) you like to eat 24 hours a day and C) you don’t mind vacationing with 2,500 strangers. I’m definitely an A+B kind of girl – the C part, not so much.
Besides roaming the cities where our ship docked, I took full advantage of the amenities on board – spa treatments, loads of entertainment, casinos and cocktails, swimming in every pool (I think there were five to choose from), yoga classes, sampling Italian/French/Hispanic/Asian and American cuisine – but my absolute favorite thing to do was pour myself a glass of wine, sit on the balcony off our cabin, and gaze out into the deep blue sea…for hours at a time. Even in the pitch black of night, hearing the waves break as the ship cut through the water and feeling the warm ocean breeze on my face was a vacation in itself.
I’m reminiscing here because this time last year, I was preparing for a cruise along the Mexican Riviera on the Princess Sapphire. The Midwest winter had been super cold and super snowy so I was ready for sunshine, sunshine and more sunshine. And all I could think about was sailing away.
Which brings me to the recent cruise ship tragedy off the coast of Italy. I feel great compassion for the families who lost loved ones and I empathize with the people who survived such a harrowing ordeal. Having sailed on one of these magnificent ships, I know how excited the passengers were to finally be underway but then I can only imagine the terror and confusion they felt later on board that fateful night. It’s even more of a tragedy because it appears that ship protocol and safety procedures were ignored by the very people who were in command.
I pray for peace for all of the travelers of the Costa Concordia and for safety in the ongoing recovery effort. And I’m so incredibly grateful that my journey ended as it was intended – with joyful memories to last a lifetime.
