Capetown to Singapore

[travelglobetrotter]

Jack,

Happy New Year to you, too. I am so glad your Dad is feeling better. Thank you for taking all of us on both your journeys. It's wonderful reading about the destinations, but the second journey you're taking us on with your Dad, Mom and Casey is incredibly moving. Thank you for sharing your heart and soul with us with so many very personal experiences. All of you are in my prayers as we enter another year, wishing your Dad many good days.

 

I've read your book several times so I know that your reading was much appreciated. Thanks for writing!

[Aussie Gal]

Jack,

 

So glad that your family had such a wonderful New Year's Eve. We too had a good one, though I think ours could have been a little hotter than yours at 40C!

 

Today - New Year's Day - is cooler at a lovely 24C. Still it is summer down here and we should expect some hot days now and then.

 

Jennie

[orchestrapal]

Happy New Year Jack and thank you again for your wonderful posts.

We wish you and your family a healthy peaceful year and a continued great trip with your dad improving daily. Every good day is one to be grateful for as we know you are. Continue to enjoy the balance of your trip.:)

[CintiPam]

Happy New Year, Jack, to you, your parents and your son.

 

It was a joy to read your latest post with your father feeling so much better these last couple of days.

 

I take a course which the literature professor always calls "Hero/Heroine's Journey", often studying one of Shakespeare's plays, last spring studying Jane Eyre. Thanks again for taking the time to write and let us all share in both your physical journey and your life journey.

[wripro]

Happy New Year to you and your family, Jack. So glad your father has had a few good days.

[taxjam]

Happy New Year Jack

 

Enjoying your posts on the Capetown to Singapore cruise. We were on the fence about the 2009 Hong Kong to Athens Cruise, however, your book convinced us to take the cruise. We had a great time.

 

Glad your dad has improved and it sounds like you've done a wonderful job parenting with Casey.

 

Ted

[Mparis184]

Many thanks Jack for keeping us updated on your Dad's health and the activities on the ship. I haven't had much time to check this thread lately because I have been busy with the holidays and family.

 

You are so blessed and I am happy your Dad is enjoying this trip with all of you, such fabulous memories. I hope you are taking a lot of photos.

 

Happy New Year and Smooth Sailing in 2011.

 

Marion

[Twiga]

Jack, I just learned of your present cruise and this post from a fellow Nautica-lover. I corresponded with you on your Hong Kong to Athens cruise. I am a fellow "back of the bus" traveler. I read your posts throughout the day today in rainy L.A., savoring each one---often with tears in my eyes. I am so sorry to learn of your father's ill-health, but was delighted to hear that you adopted Casey.

 

I loved reading about your stops in the Indian Ocean. I lived in Kenya and wish you could have gone to Mombasa. I visited the Seychelles and rode in an ox cart on La Digue. I visited the lemurs in Madagascar and stayed on a beautiful beach in Mauritius. You have brought all of those wonderful experiences back to me just by reading of your experiences.

 

But most touching was your statement "Don't ever forget. Angels watch over us." They certainly do! The angels are watching over you and your family.

 

I am praying that your Dad continues to have good days to enjoy the cruise. I still remember your trip back from the pyramids when you placed your jacket under your Dad's head as he leaned against the bus window. That moment reminded me so much of my own father and really touched my heart. Just as your posts now are continuing to touch my heart. Thank you so much for sharing with us, Jack.

[JackfromWA]

As Nautica approached Male, the capital of the Maldives, I struggled to find the palm trees, tropical blue water and white sandy beaches I expected. Instead, a large Emirates plane was taxiing on a runway in the middle of the ocean, and the island in front of me looked like a porcupine from all the offices and apartments jutting skyward—it reminded me more of the view of lower Manhattan from the Staten Island Ferry than a romantic island paradise. The gold domes mosques and minarets were clues that this wasn’t New York City but the light breeze and warmth was consistent with my expectation of tropical islands. I was intrigued.

 

I didn’t book any ship tours in the Maldives. I had made contact with friends of friends who are active in the local substance abuse recovery community. They were excited to have a visitor from the USA and I was enthused to see how addicts recover in the Maldives. Nautica was anchored here for two days. I decided to go over alone the first day and take Casey and my parents the second.

 

When I got off the tender at 3 o’clock, a half dozen people were waiting for me. I found the people in the Maldives quite beautiful, both in physical appearance and their friendliness. We went to a local coffee shop and started talking.

 

“What’s the biggest drug problem here?” I asked.

 

“Heroin,” one of the men told me. 

“Not alcohol or hash?”

“Oh, no,” he laughed. “Alcohol is illegal. It is only licensed for tourists. Hashish is much more common, you can get it all over.”

 

“So what happens if you are caught with drugs?” They all looked at each other and one of the women spoke.

 

“It’s very bad. Usually you get 5 years in prison for each drug. The heroin isn’t pure, so when they test your urine if they find other substances you can get five years for each.”

 

“You mean just for possession?” She nodded. “Have you been to jail?”

“Yes, I was sentenced to 10 years and was paroled in two.” She looked about 20.

 

“Have most of your been to jail for drugs?” They all nodded.

 

“Especially him!” Someone pointed to the man on my right. He was wearing a black T-shirt that read I’M NOT A GYNECOLOGIST BUT I CAN TAKE A LOOK.

 

“You were in jail a long time for drugs?”

“Well, not just drugs. I tried to blow up the jail so I was sentenced for terrorism. I served eight years. Two years I was in a little cell handcuffed like this,” he smiled as he held up his hands, wrists close together, in front of his face. He was full of life and had a wonderful sense of humor. I wondered how he survived the trauma of his jail time.

 

“What do you do now? How long have you been clean?”

“Almost four years. But here it is impossible to find a job if you have a drug conviction. This is a small country—only 300,000 people—and everyone knows everybody. So I bought a taxi and now I am a taxi driver!” He grinned again. I admired his resilience.

 

I asked everyone what recovery is like here, how long they had been clean and answered their questions about what long-term recovery is like in the USA as best I could. That evening they had arranged a special meeting where I could speak and answer some questions at the detox facility. There is only one detox treatment facility in the Maldives, it has 12 beds, treatment lasts 21-days, and there is usually a 30 to 60 day waiting period to get in. It is free—paid for by the government—but it serves only men. There isn’t any detox for women yet.

 

We strolled along the coastline of Male, the streets were unlike any I have seen. At times I felt like I was in Zagreb, I turned a corner and it looked like Lima, I crossed a street and it felt like Jamaica. Vendors sold fresh coconuts and dried fruit and everywhere boys and young men kicked soccer balls. There were lots of beautiful children playing with each other and I heard lots of shouting and laughter.

 

“Do you have kids?” I asked one of the women.

“Yes, do you want to see?” She showed me a photo of her little daughter.

“How old is she?”

“Just six months. His wife has a baby too—they were born the same day only a few hours apart.”

“Really! That’s quite a coincidence. What day?”

“July 4th.”

 

“July 4th! That’s our US Independence day. In my country that day is about freedom. I think the children are very lucky to be born to parents that are free from addiction. You have very beautiful babies.”

 

As we walked along we passed a small manmade beach. They explained this is the only place to swim in Male and it was built by the Japanese. At least 60 children were in the small protected water. Just past it was a large sculpture.

 

“What’s that?” I asked.

 

“It is a memorial for the Tsunami victims. Over one hundred people were killed. December 26, 2004,” one of the women said.

 

“Do you remember it well?”

“Oh, yes.” She laughed. “I was in jail. It was very bad. The water flooded the cell and came all the way to my chin. I kept thinking about the movie ‘Titanic’ where they almost drown! Fortunately the guards finally opened the door and saved my life.”

 

Eventually we arrived at a local walk on ferry. We rode to Villi-Gilli atoll, which is a 25¢, five-minute ride, from Male. Villi-Gilli looked much more like what I imagined the Maldives to be. The beaches were white and sandy, trees offered shade from the sun, and there were very few buildings.

 

“Do you have any animals here like snakes?” I was a little worried, as I didn’t know what to expect.

 

“No,” one of the men laughed, “just cats.”

“Cats? You mean a house cat?”

“Yes, cats.”

“What about dogs?”

“No we don’t have them. Our religion prohibits touching them.” I remembered that dogs were considered unclean in the Muslim faith, and I didn’t realize until this visit how powerful the Muslim influence is in the Maldives. Signs of it are everywhere. The calls to pray are loud and audible all over the capital, there are many mosques and most people had their knees covered. I wore long pants as I didn’t know where I was going or who I was meeting with. I was glad I did as I would have felt out of place and rude with my knees exposed. “The only dogs in the country are at the airport. They are supposed to find drugs but I don’t think they find too many there.” With the thousands of boats and over 1,100 islands smuggling was much more likely to occur by sea than air.

 

“This is the detox facility,” one of the women said. “Here is the director.” I shook hands and they invited me in. It was a small institutional green one-story building near the beach. A single guard and a chain link fence were the only clue that something about this building was different.

 

“Is this a lock up facility?” I asked.

 

“Oh no. Anyone can leave. The men go to the beach, sit outside, and are free to go in and out. This is our withdrawal room,” he indicated a small room with two cots, an IV and a television showing the Koran being read. After the tour we went outside. It had gotten dark and the local recovery community had made a bonfire and prepared over fifty fish and potatoes for a meal after the meeting.

 

I set on the beach, talking to different people. Soon, including the men in detox about 40 people were gathered. We sat in a candlelit circle near the water and talked about recovery. I answered questions as best I could, and when the food was ready we ate the fresh fish. I realized how far away I felt from the ship. This was the most immersed in any place I had visited since I boarded Nautica. I enjoyed the feeling of sitting on the beach, surrounded by locals and enjoying each others company. I arranged to meet a few of the people the next day to do some sightseeing with my parents and Casey before I returned to the ship for the night

 

A little after noon the next day we met again at the pier. I had warned our hosts about my father’s health, and they took turns talking to him, walking by him and making sure he was fine. We visited the National Art gallery and saw an exhibit from young children drawing their memories of the Tsunami. We visited the Presidential Palace, the oldest mosque in the Maldives, the largest mosque and the museum.

 

The museum appeared to be only a few years old and had a wonderful collection of at least thousand year old stone carvings, most of them Buddhist, on the first floor. The second floor had more contemporary exhibits. There was a whale skeleton, the king’s headwear, coins, jewelry and a collection of fish.

 

Casey was starting to get bored with the museum. We had spent several hours looking at mosques, cemeteries and art galleries, and he wasn’t finding anything too exciting. In an effort to engage him, one of the men showed him a large carved wooden throne. The seat was about three feet wide and covered in purple velvet. The wooden arms, legs and feet were ornately carved and along the bottom were three purple decorative cushions evenly spaced to rest the king’s ankles and feet.

 

“See Casey,” one of the men said proudly, “this is the King’s throne.”

“How old is it?”

 

“It’s very old.” Casey examined it closely. He looked up confused.

 

“Why are there three leg cushions?” He pointed to the three cushions near the footrest. “Did everybody used to have three legs back then?”

 

Our new friends laughter burst through the mostly silent museum. “No, they had two legs then too Casey!” They both started laughing and my mom and I joined them.

 

We left the museum and took the 25¢ ferry back to Villi-Gilli. I was concerned about my dad walking from the concrete pier to the small entrance on the bow of the ferry. He has been much better the past few days—I think all the concern, attention and prayers are helping—but we took no chances and our hosts made sure there was always a hand to support him if he needed it.

 

We stopped for lunch and sodas, talked, showed pictures and enjoyed getting to know each other more. Our new friends gave us each a gift. My parents were especially grateful that four people took their entire afternoon to spend time with us and share their beautiful country.


“I wish you could stay one more day,” one of the woman said. “I want to show you one of the islands, it’s so sad you can’t stay a little longer.” We all regretted leaving. The hospitality was overwhelming and we didn’t even scratch the surface of the beauty of the Maldives.

 

The Maldives are the lowest country in the world. Their president has warned the world that if the oceans continue to rise that their future is uncertain. When I asked our hosts about this they said they were worried, that most Maldivians are.

 

When we got back to the ship I went over to my mom and dad’s cabin to return something.

 

“That was wonderful Jack. And your friends were all so nice… you know I’ve never said this to you before but for the first time, after watching you with everyone today, I think that maybe your drug problem turned out to be a good thing. I mean I wish you hadn’t had to go through it—it was hard on your father and me too—but we can’t help the people we met here, but because of your experiences you can. I can really see that you being clean over 20-years was inspiring to them, and they were so nice to spend the day with us. Maybe things just work out the way they are supposed to.”

 

I thanked my mother and went back to my cabin. It was a good day.

 

The next day was a sea day. I gave an enrichment lecture about my book and the Hong Kong to Athens itinerary. I hadn’t planned to do any lectures on board this trip, but seeing how my dad’s health has been, I wanted to do a book reading with him in the audience. In addition to Cruising with Mom and Dad, I read a 10-minute excerpt from the book I am writing about Casey and me. Our story isn’t so much about us as individuals, it’s about a willing heart, a needy child and the challenges created by a broken foster-care system. It’s ironic that the foster care system was created to help kids, but more often than not hurts them.

 

The lecture went well. Over half the room gave me a standing ovation and there were a lot of tears. It felt strange to have so many people tell me they enjoyed the range of emotions my reading evoked, but I’m becoming more aware that most of us seek authenticity. People are tired of slick slogans, sales pitches, image management and artificial realities. My stories will not always be popular or resonate with everyone, but they are real, and that authenticity shines through.


Our next stop is Sri Lanka.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Jack

[Mary Ellen]

Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

[LHT28]

What a wonderful experience for Casey & yourself to meet new friends around the world

Everyday you can learn something new

 

Lyn

[Marebear]

You have just made my day!!! I'll pass it on!

[Paulchili]

Jack,

Another big "Thank you" for your inspiring reports.

I will look for your book to take with me on our next cruise.

Maldives are a very interesting place indeed. They are preparing for the possibility of not be around in the future (due to rising oceans, as you mentioned) and are buying property (I believe in Australia) where they would relocate everyone if needed.

I hope you will make it to Sri Lanka - we had to skip it as they were in the midst of their civil war. Maybe we can return one day.

It is great to re-live our journey through your eyes.

I wish you all a wonderful rest of the cruise and continued good health and strength for your dad.

Paul

[orchestrapal]

Jack, once again a big thank you for taking us all on the cruise with you and your family. Since this is a part of the world we will probably never visit it is especially meaningful to read about the people you meet and spend time with in their countries. As usual beautifully written. Best wishes to your family for a wonderful healthy year.:)

[Aussie Gal]

Jack,

 

Your certainly have a gift for not only writing but also relating to other people. I am sure that those people you met in the Maldives will take your message to heart and try even harder to stay off drugs now.

 

You certainly had a wonderful two days in that country. I have always dreamed of going to one of their islands but of course we would never have the experience of meeting the locals like you did over the two days you were there.

 

Thanks so much for giving us an insight into another world.

 

Jennie

[Aussie Gal]

Jack,

Another big They are preparing for the possibility of not be around in the future (due to rising oceans, as you mentioned) and are buying property (I believe in Australia) where they would relocate everyone if needed.

Paul

 

I think that idea of relocating here in Australia has been shelved for the time being. The property laws have been changed recently regarding foreigners buying property here and now one has to have a visa and live here permanently before buying.

 

Jennie

[Paulchili]

I think that idea of relocating here in Australia has been shelved for the time being. The property laws have been changed recently regarding foreigners buying property here and now one has to have a visa and live here permanently before buying.

 

Jennie

 

Hi Jennie,

Thank you for that update. I wonder where they would go? They are losing land mass (atols) constantly. It's probably just a matter of time before Male itself will be "in danger". I think they are saving some of their tourism income for the possibility of having to relocate in the future. Let's hope we can reverse the consequences of global warming for them and for the rest of the world.

[JackfromWA]

I realized that my last post might not be too useful for future Oceania guests stopping there. Most of the passengers I spoke to enjoyed the ship transfers to the beach. The capital, Male, given no real sense of the character of the rest of the country. To really enjoy the Maldives you need to leave Male. The least expensive thing to do is to take the 25¢ ferry we took. Another option is a ship tour. The best option, in my opinion, is to book a room at a resort and go spend the day and possibly the night there. If we hadn’t arrived on New Years Eve, and the resorts all required three day minimum stays, I would have cashed in Starwood points and stayed at their resort.

 

It would be a shame to come this far and not put your feet in the sand and warm water. One ship tour that I heard good things about was the submarine. Apparently the people that went saw lots of fish. I don’t like subs—I get too claustrophobic, but the reports from others were good.

 

A FEW REPLIES

 

Travelglobetrotter, thanks for your thoughts and prayers. I’m glad you enjoyed the book and are enjoying the journey.

 

AussieGal, it sounds quite warm there. Are you affected by any of the flooding in Australia? I hope not, and look forward to our paths crossing some day again. We definitely did get a different perspective in the Maldives—sometimes it’s great being a tourist, sometimes it’s nice to get a little more local perspective.

 

Orchestrapal, I am enjoying the balance of the trip. My dad’s health has remained stable, much improved from the time around Christmas when he was in and out of the medical center. I’m grateful and living to the fullest. Best wishes to you and your family too!

 

Cintipam, your comments about the hero/heroines journey resonates in ways you can’t imagine. Thanks for choosing to share that with me.

 

Wripro, Thanks. Needless to say I’m glad he’s had a few good days strung together too!

 

Taxjam, I’m delighted that my book encouraged you to take Hong Kong to Athens and that in retrospect you are happy you did it. I still think it’s the best itinerary Oceania offers. They’ve even improved it by adding Jerusalem!

 

MParis, yes, I am taking a lot of photos. I even recorded my dad a few times so I have his voice too.

 

Twiga, I’m glad I brought back to many memories, and it’s so good to hear from you. I fondly remember your posts from 2007 and glad to have some contact again. As far as the posts… you are more than welcome.

 

Maryellen, you are welcome. Thanks for taking the time to read these long posts!

 

LHT28, yes, it was an unusual shore day but quite a unique and memorable experience.

 

Marebare, I’m sure you will pass it on. As you can imagine it was a nice way to begin 2011.

 

Paulchili, thanks for the warm wishes. If you want a book just email me at jackh AT nicetiger.com and I’ll see you get one.

[JackfromWA]

The last few days have been fun.

 

Not knowing how my dad’s health would be, my parents didn’t plan a ship shore excursion in Sri Lanka. Following an old Dutch family holiday tradition, Casey had to follow rhyming clues around the ship on Christmas Day to find a gift. The reward for his problem solving was a shore excursion in Sri Lanka to Pinnawela, an elephant orphanage, and Kelaniya, a Buddhist Temple in Colombo.

 

The bus ride to Pinnawela lasted three hours. As we left the pier and drove through Colombo I could see that Sri Lanka is very poor. Though it didn’t appear as poverty stricken as Madagascar, it felt only a little better than Mozambique. Open stalls selling coconuts and bananas littered the highway, local buses were filled to overflowing with every seat taken, all standing room packed, with a few venturous riders hanging out the door. Large Buddhist statutes dotted the landscape and as we got out of Colombo I noticed how lush and green the countryside is.

 

When we arrived at Pinnawela it was clear we were in a major tourist attraction. While it wasn’t as organized as Sea World, it felt even more contrived. There are about 80 elephants in the orphanage, and tourists paying admission offset the costs of feeding them. I assumed that there would be many baby elephants, but there was only one. When we arrived there were at least 8 other tour buses and well over 500 people milling about the rocks above the river where the elephants are led a few times a day to drink.

 

Pinnawela staff in green shirts tried to persuade tourists to pose with elephants and then insisted on tips. They were almost as persistent as the hawkers at the Pyramids. One of them grabbed Casey and led him over the rocks toward a cluster of large elephants. He tried to get Casey to touch the trunk, but Casey was leery. Just a few years ago Casey was so afraid of spiders that seeing one almost brought on a panic attack, and though he loves animals, elephants are big—and they smell unique. Close up in packs their scent reminds me of the smell of new dollar bills—not totally unpleasant, but not something that smells good either.

 

As Casey drew back, two men pulled me forward. A third man thrust a bad of bananas in my hand and the next thing I knew three large elephant trunks were molesting me for fruit. As I placed the small bananas in their trunks as quickly as possible, I noticed that I had become the primary attraction for scores of other tourists. Everyone was snapping pictures of the big American engulfed in elephant trunks. Seeing that the sight was generating a lot of attention, the man with the bananas slipped another bag between the trunks and into my hand. This is going to be expensive, I thought. I decided to enjoy it and I let the elephants squeeze me, caress me and wheedle as many bananas as possible from my hands. When they tried to give me a third bag of bananas, I let them drop on the rocks and quicker than an elephant trunk, the banana man retrieved it and glared at me.

 

As the crowd disbursed the three men approached me. “Tip, sir. Tip.” Their voices were soft but their eyes were hard. I forgot to change large bills on the ship, so I had no one-dollar bills. Only fives and higher. I gave them $5 and they shook their head. “Five dollars for each banana bag,” banana man said. I gave him another $5 and then his compatriots wanted more, but I refused. In a country where many earn $50 a month, $10 was enough for a few bananas and a tip.

 

As I tried to get away from the hawkers a well-dressed man approached me and shook my hand. Rather than letting go, he turned my palm over and started reading it. While I wasn’t looking for palm reading, I liked what he said so I let him keep talking. He said everything wonderful I would ever want to hear about my future, but then he warned me if I told anyone that my good fortune was in jeopardy. In the unlikely event he knows what he’s talking about, I won’t share any of it with you. Just imagine every good fortune you’d like and you’ll have a good idea of his predictions for my future. “Kind sir, most people like to pay me fifty or one-hundred US dollars for this service.”

 

I laughed at him. “Sorry. I can’t afford that. Here is ten dollars and that’s probably nine too many.” He smiled as he walked away to capture another mark. After a buffet lunch at a hotel overlooking the elephants, we were led to the actual orphanage. Other than more photo opportunities, and a chance to pay extra to bottle-feed aggressive young elephants, things were about the same in the orphanage as they were by the river. Green shirted staff tried to get me to touch elephants, take photos, and when I did, they dunned me for tips.

 

There were some nice masks and carvings in the curio shops between the river and the orphanage, but the prices were exorbitant. I found a wall carving I liked that was priced at $700. I offered them $200, they countered at $400, I countered at $250 and they refused. I walked. I liked it, and if I had really wanted it would have bought it, but I couldn’t even figure where to put it in my house. My walls are already full enough and these days I have to really want something before I choose to buy it.

 

We left the elephants and took the long bus ride back to Colombo to see the Kelaniya Temple. The street surrounding it was teeming with people. Our tour bus was stuck numerous times in the crowd. One of the bus staff kept exiting the bus and attempting to clear the crowd so we could pass through. A parade was going on and there were young bare-chested men in white smocks wearing red hats holding large fans, followed by young women swirling in green dresses. Eastern music accompanied the parade and I wished I could join the onlookers instead of watching the pageant from the bus.

 

We finally parked and toured the temple. We had to remove our shoes at the entrance to the plaza. Red sand was spread all around, so it was comfortable to walk without shoes. As I climbed the stone temple steps I was drawn to the carvings, paintings and smell of hundreds of incense sticks. Inside every inch was decorated with stories of the Buddha’s life. It is believed that the Buddha actually preached the Dharma at this temple, so Buddhists especially revere it. Inside there were many people praying and engaged in various rituals of devotion. We passed a large reclining Buddha and wandered through several tall antechambers each decorated with different elaborate paintings and carvings of the Buddha’s life.

 

Because of all the traffic in the streets our eight-hour advertised tour actually took ten hours. One of the advantages of taking a ships tour is there isn’t any stress when you are running late. About a mile from the port we got stuck in front of a Pizza Hut. Out front the bicycle delivery boys laughed and waved at us, as they tried to get us to leave the bus and have a slice of Pepperoni. Casey was willing but we were far too close to Nautica’s departure time to stop for food. Besides, if I were eating in Colombo it wouldn’t be Pizza Hut!

 

The next few days we were at sea, sailing in the Bay of Bengal from Sri Lanka to Burma. I’ve read several books and watched a few videos about Burma and I have very mixed feelings about going. The military regime that runs the country is one of the most oppressive, totalitarian governments in the world. Freedom of speech is non-existent. Burma could be one of the greatest success stories in Asia. Instead, the people have been exploited, abused, bullied and manipulated to serve the money and power lust of just a few corrupt men. I am going but I’m going to spend as little money as possible anywhere that the government might benefit. My mom read one of my Burma books and she is upset about going too. So many of the freedoms I enjoy as an Americans I simply take for granted. I can’t imagine not being able to criticize the government or write whatever I want. But in Burma, it is the status quo.

 

The ship has been offering extra activities for people bored by sea days. There were movies with popcorn in the lounge, gaming events, cooking demonstrations, guest talent show and extra enrichment lectures. Personally, I love sea days. I like to read, write, sleep in, have a leisurely lunch and visit with family and friends. But many passengers seem to enjoy the extra activities.

 

One of the things Oceania is very good at is captured in their company slogan “Your World, Your Way.” They try very hard to provide each guest with an experience they will enjoy. For example, the ship offers both bingo and a casino. I’ve never seen more than one card table in use, the few slot machines here aren’t busy, and bingo doesn’t seem to have too many players. While I know they make money at it, I’m sure part of the reason they offer games of chance is that some guests want it. Many cruise lines base much of their revenue on art auctions, sale of guest photographs, the casino and alcohol sales. As a result, bar waiters hustle to sell drinks, art auctions interrupt the day and décor, photographers dressed like polar bears or pirates interrupt meals and the casino is heavily promoted. While it’s true Oceania is a premium cruise line and charges more on average than Princess, Holland America, Celebrity, RCI, Carnival, Norwegian, etc. I’d be curious to compare actual guest spending after combining cruise fare with onboard spending. My own theory is that Oceania isn’t as expensive as it appears, and it’s much more pleasant to be aboard a small, luxurious ship without aggressive bar staff, over-hyped casinos, art auctions or ship photographers. Too me it is more than worth whatever extra it costs.

 

 

Every day Nautica has a beautiful high tea in the Horizon Lounge on Deck 10, offering a 180-degree view from the bow. On sea days at sunrise and sunset it’s glorious. When Regatta goes to Alaska later this year it will be the perfect place to watch the glaciers calve. It’s funny when I hear Casey tell me at 3:55 he needs to get going so he doesn’t miss tea. Between breakfast in the Grand Dining Room, morning pastries at Horizons, Terrace for lunch, Waves for and burgers, the all-day milkshake and ice cream bar, Tea (with pastries, etc.), main dinner in any of four superb restaurants (Casey has been known to have dinner in a second restaurant alone after eating dinner with us) and room service, my kid has never suffered a hunger pang. Just in case he does he has stashed individual boxes of Frosted Flakes delivered by room service for any snacking emergencies.

 

The room service menu is quite good. Steaks, hamburgers, French onion soup, chef salad, ice cream, crème brulee, sandwiches, cappuccino and fresh fruit are available 24-hours a day. One of the new offerings on the dining room menu since my last trip is the Canyon Ranch spa cuisine. In conjunction with Canyon Ranch, a well-known and holistic spa based in Tucson, every day features a new spa cuisine, balanced for health, nutrition, taste and variety (with dietary information listed). A few nights ago I selected the Canyon Ranch grilled halibut instead of the French preparation. It was fantastic and having a healthy, low-calorie options easily available is a wonderful addition to Oceania’s incredible cuisine.

 

The other night as I left the dining room I asked about a sorbet and meringue dessert I enjoyed. Everything from the bake goods to the salad dressings to the ice creams and sorbets are created from scratch. I’m particularly fond of the black currant, apricot and raspberry sorbets—I’ve never had any this good anywhere else. The maître de seemed delighted that I asked about it, took my stateroom number and offered to phone me to let me know if it would be offered any of the nine remaining nights of our 35-day cruise. The next day she phoned to say it was added to the dining room menu, simply because I asked about it.

 

When I needed to get copies of our passports for our private tour in Burma, the purser’s desk offered not just to make copies, but also to scan them and email me the files. It was exactly what I needed. Over and over again, in every department of the ship, there is a desire to consistently exceed my expectations.

 

Truly I don’t know how Oceania does is it. I tend to give credit to management. The CEO and founder, Frank Del Rio, is in my opinion to the cruise ship industry what Walt Disney was to the theme park industry. Even today though Disney has stiff competition from Universal and Six Flags, it leads the industry in service and guest satisfaction. Oceania does too. Over two-thirds of my fellow passengers are repeat guests. I’d rather sail on Oceania in a 200 square foot cabin than most cruise lines in a 300 square foot junior suite. The service, food and overall experience are just that much better on Oceania.

 

Part of Oceania’s success has to be attributed to the size of her ships. While the trend for most companies the past decade is larger and larger ships, some holding over 4,000 passengers, Oceania’s three ships each hold about 650 guests. Service is personal and with fewer guests it’s easier for bar staff and waiters to quickly learn personal preferences. Oceania’s new ships, Marina and Riviera, will each hold about 1,200 passengers, but I’m optimistic that intimacy and service won’t diminish.

 

Last night Casey, my parents, his friend Anthony and his mom Patricia and I enjoyed dinner with Captain Jurica Brajcic. I asked him what he thought about the new ships and how guests would like them.

 

“I think for the passengers this is a very good thing,” he replied. “Our guests will enjoy bigger staterooms, larger bathrooms and we will have much more room in all the public spaces. There will be more restaurants, mover variety, and we can do more things for the guests. I think the guests will really like it.”

“Do you think having more passengers aboard might reduce service or the intimacy that everyone loves on Nautica?” I asked.

 

“No, honestly Jack. I really don’t think so. These ships are being built from the ground up by people who are the best in the cruise industry. They consulted every department—they even asked me some questions—and I think that these will be some of the best ships for our guests at sea. I think Oceania customers will love the new ships. Of course, some guests will always have old favorites, and I think Regatta, Insignia and Nautica will be popular too. I know you love Nautica, so do I, but I think you will like the new ships too, and it gives all of us, even me, the chance to try something different.” Marina’s inaugural sailing is later this month. I agree with Captain Brajcic that they will be phenomenal ships—maybe the best at sea.

 

I had never dined with the Captain before, so I didn’t know that each place is assigned at his table. I was placed between Casey and Anthony, and the Captain placed himself between the two women. I teased him that he put himself between the two ladies and he laughed. We enjoyed a wonderful meal and the Captain regaled us with stories of fishing, life at sea and growing up and living in Dubrovnik.

 

Before dinner Casey and I discussed what questions he wanted to ask. He was curious about what happens to stowaways, what the large bulb on the hull is and what are the biggest waves the Captain had been in. Just before we left I said, “Casey, if the Captain asks you what your best trip is, tell him this one, OK? It is, isn’t it?” I couldn’t imagine any better trip Casey has ever taken.


He shook his head no. “No, this isn’t my best trip dad.”

 

“Are you sure? What trip have you done better than this?”

 

Casey looked directly in my eyes, grabbed my hand and said, “Dad, the best trip I ever took was from Tacoma to Bellingham when you picked me up and took me home to live with you.” My heart melted. Sometimes I love Casey so much.

 

“That is one of the nicest things you’ve ever said to me. I love you. Thank you.”

 

When the Captain asked Anthony and Casey if they had any questions, Casey immediately went through his list. Stowaways are problematic but Oceania doesn’t get too many—cargo ships get more, the large bulb on the hull helps disburse the water and reduce vibration and in response to the largest wave the Captain said, “I think maybe 20 feet, but I didn’t measure it. One time I was on a freighter from Vancouver to Asia. The weather was very bad. The bridge and the quarters were all aft and a huge wave washed over the port side. The front of the ship went completely under water. We stood there, waiting and hoping. We didn’t know if the front would ever come back up! Finally we saw the sea parting and the ship started to emerge. We were so glad to see it as for a little while we looked like a submarine.” Casey and Anthony were enthralled. The Captain is an excellent host.

 

Over dinner Anthony’s mother asked if I would consider letting Casey come to either Miami or Buenos Aires (they have homes both places) and stay with them for a few weeks this Summer. I told her that sounded like a possibility and that I thought traveling to Argentina or Miami alone might be a good experience for Casey. He has come so far in so short a time, and I’d love for him to have as many positive experiences as possible. I suspect he would enjoy either for a few weeks, and as much as I love him I can always use a short break. After dinner we all watched a first-rate show from a singer who played the lead in Phantom of the Opera in Australia over 500 times.

 

Today was lightly raining so the outdoor ship activities were moved indoors. The crew put together a country fair and there were games of chance, tests of knowledge and dexterity spread from the Casino the The Grand Bar. A few days ago the cruise staff announced that there was a ship building contest and the passengers who created the best boat would win a prize. Casey and Anthony registered. The only conditions were that whatever anyone used to construct their ship had to be discarded. Life jackets and similar items were banned.

 

Casey and Anthony have made many friends on board and they cajoled Styrofoam, duct tape, cardboard and a few other things for their boat from various housekeepers, passengers and staff. Oceania staff is always eager to help, and sometimes they may accommodate passengers a little too much. Without naming anyone specifically, Casey and Anthony were able to get two cans of spray paint for their boat.

 

“Where can we paint dad?” Casey asked.

 

“What are you doing with spray paint!”

 

“Painting our boat, Dad,” he replied as if I were stupid. Anthony nodded in agreement. Visions of my son’s past life painting graffiti in Tacoma flashed though my mind. He’s not that kid today, I reminded myself. Still, two young boys with time on their hands and two cans of spray paint are too big a risk to go unchecked. I told them I would help with the painting. I had brought a few plastic garbage bags in my suitcase, so we carefully covered our shower floor and I slowly painted most of their boat myself. I “assisted” them in immediately returning the spray paint after the boat was done.

 

Because of the rain the sea trials for the boats (scheduled for the swimming pool on Deck 9) are delayed a few days. I hope the boys win, but there is some stiff competition. It’s amazing the way people spend their time. Some like to read, some like to stay busy, others play hours of bridge and over a hundred of us play trivia daily. The more I am aboard the more I appreciate the many ways we can do whatever makes us happy.

 

Tomorrow Casey, my parents, Carol, Sukey and I leave the ship and spend the night in Burma. We are going to Bagan and will spend two days touring the temples there. I’ll miss my comfortable bed (the bedding on Oceania is almost as good as the Westin “Heavenly Bed”) and the good meals, but I’m excited to experience one of the most interesting spiritual destinations on the planet. It’s hard to believe that in a week and a half our trip will be over.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Jack

[Mura]

Another great report, Jack! And what a wonderful thing Casey said to you about the best trip he ever took.

 

You commented on money making venues for the ship --

 

"Many cruise lines base much of their revenue on art auctions, sale of guest photographs, the casino and alcohol sales. As a result, bar waiters hustle to sell drinks, art auctions interrupt the day and décor, photographers dressed like polar bears or pirates interrupt meals and the casino is heavily promoted."

 

Based on our NCL transatlantic last April I really have to agree. We were in a suite that cost less than the lowest cabin on O had cost the previous March for a similar itinerary, but every time we turned around the hands were out for more money. Most of the restaurants have an extra fee. Touting for bingo and lottery chances were constant. Yes, the basic fare is a lot less but the hard sell is constant.

 

And avoiding the photographers was IMPOSSIBLE!

[orchestrapal]

Jack thank you for another installment, yes another winner.

I am so moved by your relationship with your son Casey. You are both so lucky to have each other.

As for you descriptions of the ship, service and of course the food, I am in complete agreement and can't wait to board Regatta again on April 26.

Enjoy your time in Burma and again I look forward to your next report.:)

[Paulchili]

Jack,

Thank you for another great reading session. I am sorry for all of you and I that your journey will end soon and thus these reports will too. Unless there is another book.

A silly question - in this politically correct world today we often "fall in". Yet you keep referring to the country as Burma instead of Myanmar. Is it just out of habit (like Bombay instead of Mumbai) or for a reason?

[wripro]

Jack,

 

Casey's reply to your query about the best trip he's ever taken touched me more than I can say. What a tribute to both you and him.

[cathi]

Jack - I'm really going to miss your writing when this trip ends!! Casey is one very lucky boy to have you for his Dad!

You mentioned that you are writing a book about your relationship with Casey. Will it be published in the near future? I'd love to read it.

 

Have a great time in Burma (or Myanmar).

Cathi

[tanny18]

Jack, You are a wonderful writer and I'm going to print all your musings so that I can plan this same cruise for the end of 2011!! It's truly inspiring your take on all that is around you and having Casey and your parents to share in it is truly wonderful.

Thanks again and keep it coming. Arlene;)