At Home In Exotic Seas - cruise travel - Brief Article

Exploring exotic locales like Rio de Janeiro, the Giza Plateau, or the Galapagos Islands, then returning to the pampering of a familiar cruise ship is what I call being right at home in exotic seas.

It's easy to feel homesick and almost displaced when one travels far and wide--immersed in different sights, tastes, and sounds. True, that's travel's raison d'etre for many people, but most do long, even if just occasionally, for the comforts of home, friendly faces, and familiar foods. What's the best of both worlds? Exploring the far reaches of the planet by ship.

I have been a stranger in a strange land often, but always feel welcomed with open arms when I return each evening to my ship. Like the crab that carries its home (shell) on its back, a cruise ship allows passengers to take the essence of their home base along on their travels. The hull is like a huge shell, with all the comforts of one's home, as well as neighborhood amenities like theater, gym, lounges, cafes, and restaurants--plus a friendly staff, which waits on guests hand and foot, and passengers who quickly develop the easy camaraderie of fellow adventurers while comparing notes.

"The time to enjoy a trip is about three weeks after unpacking," wrote George Ade in Forty Modern Fables. Except for an ocean voyage--you love that from day one. Take my recent cruise to South America aboard Celebrity Cruises' 1,870-passenger Mercury. From my suite's balcony, I watched our first port, exciting Rio, come into view. That morning, and others to come, I'd leave the Mercury, after a great night's sleep and a bountiful breakfast served by an attentive staff. I'd set off, ready to explore faraway places with the strange sounding names: Ilhabela, Ipanema, Sao Paulo, Montevideo, Buenos Aires. I toured independently or with new friends on organized excursions. I sampled the cuisine ashore to enjoy the local flavors, but when I wanted something familiar--and delicious, without the guesswork--I ate onboard.

My waiter and busboy, Filipe and Kire, greeted me, asked about my day, and remembered that I like my sauces on the side and no pepper on my salad. Others that welcomed me back from my adventures: my butler Herman, bearing afternoon tea and hors d'oeuvres; Gerald, the bartender at Tastings, who served my usual the minute I entered; and my stewardess, Gina, who picked up after me and left chocolates on my pillow.

You could say I was spoiled rotten. The AquaSpa's thalassotherapy pool soothed my tired muscles after days of sightseeing, and the menus of Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux fortified me. Broadway-style revues in a two-level showroom and music in the lounges entertained me.

"Someone once said, `a man's home is his castle'--what he forgot to mention is that you can sail your castle around the world," said Ray Carr, the cruise director onboard the Mercury. "The staff and crew make you feel like a king and queen."

How true. I also felt that way on another of my "homes" in exotic seas--Lindblad Expeditions' 80-passenger Polaris in the Galapagos last year. The ship's homey decor, with Scandinavian furniture and touches like lace doilies in cabins, reminded me of my grandmother's house. Refreshingly, stateroom keys were never used. And every evening after our explorations, the Ecuadorian officers and international naturalists shared their meals with guests, like a family.

Yet another of my favorite floating homes away from home was Cunard's 665-passenger Vistafjord (now Caronia) during a cruise to the Holy Land and Egypt in 1994. One night, a rock was hurled at our bus as we returned to Alexandria from a tour to the pyramids of Giza. The rock shattered the windshield with a noise that pierced the darkness. Scary. But our driver kept going, and soon the sight of our ship in port, awaiting us, was instantly reassuring.

Our cruise director was standing at the gangway, in her familiar red jacket, smilingly welcoming us back. Grilled specialties were being served ondeck in the balmy Egyptian night; a magician from Alexandria entertained. We felt safe, cared for, pampered. The rock incident was now just a story to tell relatives and friends.

And from that night on, whenever I roam to distant comers of the planet on a cruise, for me home is where the ship is!

COPYRIGHT 2001 World Publishing, Co. (Illinois)
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group