Posts Tagged ‘Cruising’

John Feffer: Cruising for a Bruising

John Feffer: Cruising for a Bruising
They had to eat spam and Pop-Tarts. They had to shower in the dark with cold water. The toilets overflowed. When the Carnival Cruise ship…

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Cruising: Adventure Quest

Committed adventure cruiser, Roderick Eime, shares some insight on one of the fastest growing travel sectors.

Flick through the pages of any magazine or newspaper and youâ??re confronted with an overflowing smorgasbord of cruise travel possibilities. If this explosion of romantic ocean-going itineraries leads you to think cruise travel is on the up, then you are right. Cruising is on a rocket. But look closer and youâ??ll find, sometimes tacked on the end of a larger ad, adventure possibilities you may never have dreamed of.

Sure, everybody knows the irresistible, fairytale allure of the South Pacific, Caribbean and Mediterranean, but what about the frozen reaches of the Antarctic, the wilds of the Kimberley or the tiny atolls of Melanesia? Within this huge category of â??cruisingâ?? there exists a sometimes overlooked subset generally referred to as â??adventure and expedition cruisingâ?.

Once almost a secret society among wealthy adventurers and well-heeled thrillseekers, this type of travel has ignited the imagination of those looking beyond regular, packaged products. Travel marketers and advertising pundits are calling this emerging genre â??experiential and transformationalâ? travel where the journey is all about delivering uplifting and life-changing experiences.

Ships plying these waters can vary enormously too. They range from luxury pocket cruise-liners, replete with every creature comfort and a â??quick responseâ? crew ready to fulfill your every whim, through to refurbished ex-Soviet spy vessels. These Russian vessels are the ones largely responsible for opening up the frozen extremes of our planet and include mighty icebreakers and hardy oceanographic ships built to operate in the most challenging conditions.

At the softer end, vessels like the Australian-based Orion and Oceanic Discoverer, world-travelling Seadream I and II and Seabourne are examples of ships constructed to deliver a high, even opulent, level of luxury and still retain the flexibility and versatility of an expedition yacht. Orion, for example, not only cruises the rich tropical backwaters of PNG and the Kimberley, but ventures to the most remote reaches of Antarctica, well below the â??circleâ?? and into the exclusive realm of Emperor Penguins and historic explorers.

What is â??Expedition Cruisingâ???

The term â??expeditionâ?? has been more recently attached to cruise products in an attempt to give them a romantic, out-of-the-way appeal. The danger is that the original, authentic expedition cruise concept is being diluted and misconstrued.

A true expedition cruise consists of a voyage plan and itinerary that has inbuilt flexibility and redundancy. In the capricious Antarctic waters, all activities and sight-seeing is weather and ice dependent. Passengers are reminded of this time and time again and it is quite common for completely unscheduled landings to take place in fallback planning. The same exists in tropical waters.

As weather, currents and tides play out in the dense South Sea archipelagos, an expedition leader and his/her captain must â??massageâ?? the itinerary constantly to capitalise on emerging opportunities and avoid those closing out.

If you are a devotee of the well-managed, big cruise ship experience, you may find adventure and expedition cruising unsettling. Others will crave that element of the unexpected.

A proper expedition vessel is more than just a smaller ship with zodiacs piled up on deck. A true expedition vessel is designed for the intended conditions and equipped to deliver the experience upon arrival, whether it be weaving through disintegrating pack ice or creeping past vivid coral atolls.

Passengers aboard expedition vessels have come to expect expert guides and lecturers to help them interpret the rich cultural and natural histories these exotic destinations deliver. Academics, researchers and authors are common both as lecturers and passengers, adding to healthy discussions and enrapturing dinner conversation.

Examine your intended product carefully and ask lots of questions, your consultant will be able to answer them.

Popular Adventure Cruising Destinations

Antarctica

This iconic destination is the epitome of the adventure destination. Sailing â??off the mapâ? and to areas only discovered within the last hundred years, makes Antarctica the must-do itinerary for all serious expedition cruisers.

Expeditions to the Great Southern Land take several forms. The simplest are short itineraries of perhaps a week to ten days to the Antarctic Peninsula from Ushuaia at the very bottom of South America. More ambitious journeys will be by icebreaker, way below the Antarctic Circle to places like McMurdo Sound and Commonwealth Bay.

Companies offering Antarctic itineraries include Adventure Associates, World Expeditions, Orion, Explorer and Heritage Expeditions.

The Arctic

A perfect complement to your southerly expedition, a trip to the Arctic can be as simple as a cruise to Iceland or Greenland or as heroic as a nuclear icebreaker to the North Pole itself.

Recent tales about retreating glaciers and thinning ice pack have created some urgency for visitors to this region as they attempt to see the great Polar Bear in its diminishing natural environment.

Apart from the North Pole, the great North-West Passage across the top of Canada is a true odyssey only a few will ever experience.

Companies offering Arctic expeditions include, Quark Expeditions, Oceanwide, ecruising.travel, Peregrine and World Expeditions

The Galapagos Islands

Charles Darwinâ??s evolutionary playground is a great drawcard for those with a penchant for warmer climes. A short flight from Ecuador, most visitors will spend about a week cruising amongst the many islands in this unique archipelago.

Following in the footsteps of David Attenborough, visitors will discover the crazy wildlife that makes this place so special. The sinister marine iguanas, the fierce land iguanas, the delightful giant tortoises and the many strange birds and plants make this place a naturalistâ??s wonder.

See Ecoventura or www.igtoa.org for a list of accredited oprators.

The Kimberley and Top End

The rugged and remote regions of Western Australiaâ??s Kimberley and NTâ??s Top End were the ideal choice for expedition cruising in our region. Incredible rock formations, abundant birdlife, rich Aboriginal culture and weird natural phenomenon like the horizontal waterfalls attract thousands of visitors every year. Most cruise companies book out a year ahead, such is the popularity of this northern region.

True North, Orion and Coral Princess are the acknowledged experts in the Kimberley.

Papua New Guinea

Often the subject of bad publicity, the sublime islands of the Bismarck and Solomon Seas exhibit none of the rough lawlessness found elsewhere on the mainland. Expedition cruise companies are falling all over themselves to create itineraries in this region and the PNG Tourism authorities are extremely supportive of these initiatives.

New Ireland, New Britain, the legendary Trobriands and the mighty Sepik River are the key destinations on most itineraries. The wild frontiers of PNG, so close by, perfectly fit the description of â??transformationalâ? travel.

The growing list of operators include True North, Orion and Coral Princess.

Others:

Tasmania

Consider the supremely relaxing Gordon River cruises that explore the incredible and remote UNESCO World Heritage areas of Western Tasmania. Currently no overnight products are available, yet day trips leave regularly from Strahan.

See Orion for comprehensive live-aboard itineraries

Amazon

This huge river can accommodate cruise ships many hundreds of miles upstream. See the disappearing Amazon Basin jungles, visit remote indian tribes and mourn the vanishing landscapes.

For a wide range of vessels and options, see Adventure Associates

Russian Far East

Several companies are experimenting with itineraries in the area immediately north of Japan through to the Bering Strait in Siberia. Characterised by isolated ecosystems and volcanic activity on the western perimeter of the Pacific â??Ring of Fireâ?, these voyages will always be exclusive.

Heritage Expeditions, Aurora and Quark offer exclusive itineraries in this seldom visited area.

Great Barrier Reef

Another threatened eco system, Queenslandâ??s Great Barrier Reef has attracted millions of visitors over the years and continues to do so. Be quick, the reef will never be as good as it is now.

Coral Princess Cruises of Cairns deliver the widest range of Great Barrier Reef itineraries. Captain Cook Cruises are also prominent in the region. Further south, Fantasea Cruises operate from the Whitsundays.

New Zealand

The brilliant scenery and harbours all around New Zealand are attracting adventure cruise companies with ambitious itineraries, including Coral Princessâ??s semi-circumnavigation and Bay of Islands products.

Orion will join Coral Princess operating in New Zealand beginning 2008.

More information:
Expedition and Adventure Cruise Operators

’tis the Season to be Cruising

Christmas, the most exciting time of the year for many. Young and old, cold hearts open up, and complete strangers exchange smiles in the street. But, lets face it, with the endless present buying combined with the stresses of preparing the perfect Christmas meal, not to mention the TV soap storylines reaching their long awaited depressing peaks, it’s no surprise that over 17 million of us Brits wish we could leave it all behind this year. And it never, ever snows.

Dreaming of something different? Whether it’s island hopping in the Canaries, swimming with dolphins in the Caribbean or a truly spectacular festive trip to Alaska that takes your fancy, cruising can be the perfect answer to a stress free Christmas getaway.

Last Christmas around 2.5 million of us said farewell to the UK in search of warmer climates, with an increasing number choosing to cruise. It’s clear to see why the market is booming, cruise lines spend thousands of pounds each year transforming their ships into festive wonderlands, with lavish decorations, carol concerts, religious services and of course, scrumptious seasonal meals, minus the washing up! This December, Princess cruises have gone one step further in creating the magic of Christmas with their latest innovation – “falling snow” – in the Atriums of many of their ships. Amazingly, passengers can enjoy the romance, without the chills as the flakes vanish on contact.

Any child’s Christmas appetite will be well and truly satisfied onboard a family friendly ship. Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, crackers and games comes as standard, but with an onboard Father Christmas complete with grotto, and presents, and if they are lucky, a special reading of “The Night Before Christmas” by the captain, it will be an experience to remember. And the grown ups? Well, how about a glass of eggnog, Midnight Mass and a burning log fire on your cabin TV screen!

So is it expensive? The short answer is no, cruising works out to be outstanding value for money, and you can make huge savings by booking up early, or, if you’re really lucky, catching a great late deal that will see you and your family enjoying a Christmas next year to remember.

Go Cruising!

There is definitely something about watching the mainland disappear from view that melts away one’s stresses.

Follow our cruise planning tips and you’ll soon be watching the mainland disappear from sight along with all your stress. Read on and set sail for new horizons.

Tips for planning your Cruise:

Save time by consulting the experts

With the expanding market and increased competition, cruise companies are consistently offering discounted rates and special deals you can enjoy maximum pleasure for minimum offer especially if you plan and book ahead. Things can get a little confusing, that’s why it’s best to get the advice of an expert – your Flight Shop travel consultant can save you a lot of time in research by offering the right cruise to suit your needs. Some of the tricky areas we can assist in include: early booking or group discounts, last minute specials, choosing the right cabin, options for children and much more.

The journey or the destination?

With so many options for cruising these days, it’s important you know exactly what you are expecting from your cruise. Are you after a floating relaxation tour with the occasional port stop or an activity packed experience across the continents? Do you have three days or three months? There is a cruise holiday just right for you, but you need to decide what interests you.

Consider your cabin choices

Definitely consider spending a few more dollars for a better cabin: having an outside cabin with a window, or better yet a balcony, helps makes the cruise experience much more enjoyable and helps differentiate cruising from a resort vacation.

Cover yourself

All ships have good medical facilities on-board but they are not free. So purchase the best suitable insurance to cover hospital treatment, cancellation, medical evacuation and any activities you wish to participate in while you are away. Your travel consultant can recommend the best policy based on your cruise itinerary.

Consider staying longer

Think about extending your cruise with pre and post cruise accommodation or touring options. Many cruise lines will offer land packages to compliment your cruise or you can book a separate package with your travel consultant to ensure you get the most out of your holiday.

Travelling with the family?

Most large ships have great kids Clubs and activity programs all year round, but double check first. Obtain a program guide and let the kids rate the fun before your hop on board.

Celebrate good times

If you’re celebrating a special occasion during your cruise, let your consultant know in advance.  Most cruise lines will treat you to a complimentary cake and chorus of “Happy whatever”, and you can even arrange for a special private party.

Some reasons why cruising may be the best holiday option for you

Value

Nothing beats a cruise for incredible vacation savings. You visit multiple destinations and so much is included, from dining and entertainment to sports, fitness and a range of accommodation options. With so much to save, you may be tempted to make every vacation a cruise.

Variety

There are thousands of itineraries to hundreds of ports available across all 7 continents, so you can choose exactly the holiday you desire. There are also endless activities for every taste, onboard and ashore.

Adventure

You define what adventure is to you! Ice climbing in Alaska, surfing in Hawaii, exploring unique wildlife in the Galapagos, shopping till your drop in Thailand, or finding the very best South Pacific beach- you names it, you’ll find it.

Togetherness

There’s no better way to travel in large groups of friends and family than a cruise. You can dine at the same restaurants onboard; enjoy a Broadway-style show, play sport and so much more. Best of all, there really is something for everyone, be it adults, kids or couples.

Carnival Cruise

Carnival Baja Mexico ex Los Angeles                                                                

Los Angeles – Catalina Island- Ensenada – Los Angeles

Inclusions:

Return airfare

4 nights Carnival cruise ex Los Angeles

All meals on board

All onboard entertainment

2 nights accommodation in Los Angeles

Airport and cruise port transfers

Deal offered by Flight Shop: 6 Nights / 7 Days From45, 799/-

MSC Cruise

MSC Musica ex Venice                             

Venice – Bari – Corfu – Santorini – Mykonos – Athens – Katakolon – Dubrovnik – Venice

Inclusions:

Return airfare

7 nights cruise (inside stateroom)

All meals on board

2 nights accommodation in Venice

Daily breakfast

Half day Murano , Burano and Torcello tour

Airport shuttle transfers

Private Cruise transfers

Deal offered by Flight Shop: 9 Nights / 10 Days From87, 999/-

Ten Mistakes When Cruising

Itâ??s a shame to lay out $250 – $2,500 on a dreamy cruise vacation only to encounter unnecessary mishaps and inconveniences. So, in an effort to minimize the likelihood of a bump in the road to your perfect vacation, here are some common potholes that you can avoid.

Mistake #1: Not Making Your Luggage Distinctive. At the end of your cruise, your luggage will be placed in a huge room with THOUSANDS of pieces of luggage, probably in some designated area based on the color of a luggage tag provided by the ship. No matter how familiar you think you are with your own luggage, itâ??s amazing how well your bags will blend in with the mass of cargo surrounding them. Having a quick, easy way to identify your luggage will be a major relief, especially if it gets misplaced.

BUT, that isnâ??t the main reason to make your luggage stand out. You will be entering this cavernous room with a couple thousand other people, some of whom stayed up all night partying. They are going to be impatient to get their bag and get out and there is a fairly good chance that their vision isnâ??t so good. If your bag looks like their bag, it could be a goner. And, if a stranger does take your luggage it could be hours, even days, before you get it back.

Do something durable and noticeable to your luggage so that it not only is recognizable to you, but also letâ??s bleary-eyed fellow travelers know that your bag is not their bag. Put stickers on it, paint a day-glo streak around it, sew a teddy bear onto the outsideâ?¦ just make sure it stands out.

Mistake #2: Not Researching Shore Excursions Beforehand. It should come as no surprise that cruise line advertising folks have the ability to describe each and every shore excursion as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Of course, no cruise is complete without shore excursions and many of them are absolutely wonderful chances to do things you would never do otherwise. But, be smart here. Itâ??s okay to get hoodwinked into thinking that palm trees do sway all day long and that sand feels like silk under your feet. But, itâ??s a whole â??nother thing to be looking forward to that perfect, serene afternoon on a remote beach only to find out you have 500 friends, some with young kids, crowding around you and bumping into your beach chair while vendors hawk everything from coconut shells to t-shirts.

Before you commit, read some reviews, talk to the cruise ship shore excursion folks, ask fellow passengers, do some thinking. Most cruise ships have a â??No Refundâ? policy on shore excursions, but donâ??t be afraid to ask for one if your experience is truly unacceptable. Better still, find out what youâ??re getting before you go. Many (if not most) shore excursions are just great and youâ??ll be happy you went. But cover your stump and youâ??ll be glad you did.

Mistake #3: Runaway Bar Tabs. Unless you specifically choose a package that includes it, your bar tab is NOT included in the â??all inclusiveâ? part of your cruise. Adding to the bite is the ubiquitous 15% gratuity that gets added to every purchase you make on board a ship.

I could suggest that you drink less, but thatâ??s just plain dumb! Youâ??re on a cruise! So, pay attention to how much you drink. Those cute little umbrellas drinks that come in a stunning canary-yellow cup will cost you about twice what a basic cocktail costs. Cruise ship booze is already costly enough; you donâ??t need to help them out by spending more for a cup that youâ??ll stash in a closet when you get home.

Cruise ships have a policy against bringing alcohol on board, but the policy is very loosely enforced if you donâ??t flaunt it. In other words, donâ??t strap a handle onto a case of Budweiser and check it as baggage or load up your carry-on bag with bottles of Wild Turkey. Discreetly packed airline bottles of booze or cans of beer will probably go unnoticed. Donâ??t try to sponsor a frat party, but you can definitely help yourself out a bit.

You are allowed to bring your own wine on board if you plan to drink it at dinner, though you are charged a â??corking feeâ?. And, you can also bring a small stash of non-alcoholic beverages (soda, water, etc) with no problem. You should definitely bring some water, especially if youâ??re cruising in warm climates.

Mistake #4: Ignoring the Fury of the Sun Gods. Sun Burn treatments are the fourth most popular reason that people on cruises visit the shipâ??s infirmary. (The first three are: 1) bumps and bruises, 2) indigestion, 3) seasickness). Once youâ??re burned, there isnâ??t much anyone can do for you except try to alleviate the pain. (My favorite treatment for that is something called â??Traumeelâ?. You canâ??t find it in the drugstore, but most health food places will have it.)

If youâ??re cruising in the winter months (Nov â?? Feb), you donâ??t have as big a problem. Even when you are in the sub-tropics, and even though your skin probably hasnâ??t seen sun for several months, the sun is hitting you at an angle and that makes all the difference. You still need to be careful, but you have more leeway.

In the spring and summer months, when the sun is overhead, you can get burned in as little as an hour, especially in the afternoon hours. Some silly people forgo the sunscreen because they want to make sure they get a tan. Not a good idea. Start your sunbathing session with at least 15 SPF (30 if you havenâ??t been in the sun, with extra protection on your lips). As you get closer to your end time, use less SPF. Even with a good sun blocker, your friends and co-workers will still know that youâ??ve been out in the sun.

Hats are a serious plus if you are in sunburn territory. Most people donâ??t put sunscreen on their heads, and so the part of your body that is getting the most direct rays for the longest period of time remains unprotected. Visors donâ??t protect your skull; you need some type of covering.

Mistake #5: No First Aid Kit. As previously noted, there are several reasons that passengers end up wasting time (and sometimes money) visiting the infirmary. You may not be able to avoid all mishaps, but you can prepare for the lesser blunders. By the way, all of this applies double if youâ??re traveling with kids!

Bumps and Bruises. The biggest reason people visit the shipâ??s doctor probably has something to do with mixing booze, slippery surfaces, metal railings and the rolling motion of the ship. For most of your injuries, the right size band-aid and a good analgesic crème will do the trick. A simple travel or camping first-aid kit will have what you need.

Indigestion. One of the drawbacks of having such constant access to all that wonderful rich food that cruise ships are famous for is that people eat it. And eat it. And eat some more. Unless you are a strict disciplinarian, you can expect to consume about two or three times your normal food quantity in an average day. Add to that the steady consumption of alcohol that is a hallmark of cruising and voila! Indigestion. Take along some Alka Seltzer, some Pepto Bismol and sum type of antacid tablet, like Tums or Rolaids. All of these are available in tablet form. Some ships stores will have some of this, but not always and if you need it in the middle of the night youâ??re out of luck.

Seasickness. The best treatment is prevention. After you get it, wellâ?¦ yuck! Check out the various forms of Dramamine that are now available, including pills and patches. The directions will tell you how much lead time before you hit the waves you need to get the maximum effect. You can also get acupressure wrist bands that work really well with some people.

One of the best treatments Iâ??ve ever seen for treating seasickness once it hits you is Coke and soda crackers â?? lots of both. Some people say that 7-Up works also, but I think there is something in the caffeine in Coke that helps the whole process. If you are feeling sick, your cabin is the worst place to be unless the weather topside is really bad. Being able to get fresh air and see the horizon helps to trigger the brain sensors that calm seasickness.

Headaches. We all know that booze can make your head scream for mercy, but so can sun and lots of new food. If youâ??re not used to heavy carbs in your diet and you scarf up lots of pastries, ice creams or gourmet desserts, your body can trigger the same symptoms it does when detoxing from too much alcohol. And, if you experience bumps, cuts or sunburn a pain reliever is a good thing. Have a supply of different types of pain reliever. Depending on the reason for your pain, aspirin may not work as well as Tylenol or Ibuprofen in a given circumstance. (Do I need to remind you to read the label and follow the directions?)

Mistake #6: What? No Camera? A Picture Really Is Worth A Thousand Words. Itâ??s hard to imagine, but some people will actually take the trip of their dreams and not take a camera. Or, theyâ??ll take a camera, but they wonâ??t keep it with them. Donâ??t do that. If you have a digital camera, use it, use it, use it. If you donâ??t have a digital camera, spring for about three or four disposable ones. And be sure to take you camera to the Life Boat Drill. Youâ??ll know why when you get there.

A side bar to this camera thing is the Photo-ops that you have all over the ship. There will be dozens of them on your cruise â?? when youâ??re boarding, when youâ??re dining, when youâ??re getting off the ship, at the pool â?? at times it will seem like some one is taking your picture every time you turn around. You are, of course, free to decline. But I recommend that you give it a shot. Yes, these photos can be goofy, even cheesy, but they can also be a lot of fun. Plus, you just might end up with the best shot of the cruise. Some of the settings are outright elegant, rivaling what you would find at a studio. Itâ??s a great way to get a nice formal picture for your living room or to send to your family, and thereâ??s no sitting fee!

Mistake #7: Buying From Street Vendors. Where ever you go on your cruise, once you step ashore you will be approached (accosted?) by local folks trying to sell you something. Iâ??m not talking about the shops and makeshift kiosks you may find, Iâ??m talking about the guys selling Cuban cigars out of their trunks, or pirated CDs out of a cardboard box.

Your best bet, unless youâ??ve been there and really know the score, is to just say NO. Regardless of how appealing the offer, just say NO. Most of the products are very low quality and you have no way to check it out before you buy. I know of people who bought CD cases with no CDs inside, watches that didnâ??t work, Cuban cigars purchased in the local drugstore, â??handmadeâ? jewelry that came out of bubble gum machines, the list is endless. And this applies SIXTEEN FOLD if some local guy tries to sell you some pot.

In most ports of call frequented by American-based vessels, this street traffic is actually illegal. You probably wonâ??t get into trouble, but why risk it? Save your money for the honest locals and their little shops that are going to sell you watches that do work, they just fall apart in a few weeks.

Mistake #8: Thinking Youâ??ll Save Money â??In Townâ?. One of the charming aspects of cruising is the ritual of visiting the local markets and shops. This is truly a fun experience and you can find all manner of unique and special items, but you probably wonâ??t find any real bargains. There are bargains to be found, but you really need to know what youâ??re looking for and what itâ??s worth in the US. Donâ??t be cynical about it. Itâ??s all part of the experience. Somehow, buying a wooden giraffe in Grand Turk is better than buying the same wooden giraffe at Pier 1 Imports, even if you pay a little more. Go figure.

You actually can save money when you buy liquor or tobacco products, but it might not be as good a deal as it first seems. Most ports have what are called â??duty freeâ? shops which means that there was no â??dutyâ? (i.e. import tariffs) paid on the products and so they are cheaper to sell in that country. The same applies to diamonds and other fine jewelry. The challenge is knowing what an item is actually worth. Just because these guys saved on the import fees doesnâ??t mean theyâ??re passing the saving on to you. Also keep in mind that you are supposed to declare to US customs any purchases you make in a foreign country. Duty Free in Nassau doesnâ??t mean itâ??s duty free when you come back to the US. There are certain exemptions for personal items, but if you shell out some big bucks, you might lose the saving when you pay the US import fees.

So, donâ??t be a miser. Spend freely. Do some Christmas shopping. Spread your money around the local economy and have fun doing it. Just remember, these guys are in the business of selling stuff to foreign tourists. They know where the money is coming from and they know how to keep as much of it as they can.

Mistake #9: Sticking around the port. Yes, ships are safe in the harbor, but thatâ??s not what ships are built for. Most ports of call, especially when the call is for a day or less, are set up to provide the ships passengers with a particular experience. They accomplish this by making their ports as visitor-friendly as possible. The experience of Mexico that you get right outside the port in Cozumel is decidedly different than the experience of Mexico on the other side of the island. Around the port, all manner of business are set up to appeal to a particular comfort-zone and a particular economy.

But, often, just a few miles from the port, you can have a completely different experience. If you travel to Grand Turk, for example, you can spend a delightful afternoon at the resort-like environment of Margaritaville. The beach is well-maintained, though a bit crowded. There is a huge beautiful pool with lots of palm trees and man-made waterfalls. A beer will cost you about $6 and a burger will be about $8.

But a short taxi ride to the old downtown area will take you to a much more authentic location. At least for the time being. You can stroll crowded, dusty streets; see skinny dogs shuffling through garbage cans and have a local beer and piece of fried chicken for about $3.75 at one of the local pubs. Sure, the pub would never pass an American food inspection and you may have to do without air conditioning. But the experience can be wonderful. You wonâ??t get that experience staying close to the port.

Of course, you want to be safe and you want to be able to get back to your ship before it sales, so keep all that in mind. But, there is a whole universe of color, sound, smells and people that donâ??t ever get to the port and itâ??s worth the trouble to find it.

Mistake #10: Not Preparing For the Journey Home. Sooner or later (it will seem much too soon), your cruise will come to an end and youâ??ll have to return to the land of making your own bed and cooking your own food. The journey home is often an irritating necessity and something to endure as quickly as possible. But, if you rush back into the reality you left behind, itâ??s kind of like a diver coming to the surface too quick after a deep dive. Your mind and body will resist.

If possible, do something fun on the way home. Stay an extra night in a hotel or visit a landmark or even a theme park. At the very least, stop at a nice restaurant for a leisurely lunch or dinner. A quiet picnic (even with fast food) at a rest area can be a perfectly delightful way to transition home.

Hereâ??s a couple of things to do to make your return less stressful and hurried.

â?¢ If youâ??re driving, fill up with gas before you go to the port. Make sure that, when you leave, you donâ??t have to stop until you want to.

â?¢ When you have breakfast on your last morning, take some pastries with you, or even make yourself an egg sandwich. If you thought to bring a thermos with you, fill up on coffee or juice for the ride home.

â?¢ Leave some bottles of water in your car. Many bus companies will allow you to leave some personal items on the bus when you get to the port, so include some water and a pillow.

â?¢ Find out what the weather is back home. I once stood shivering in 40 degree weather outside the airport in a pair of shorts and an aloha shirt. Hey, it was 85 degrees when I left Puerto Rico that morning!

â?¢ Take the next day off. If you are returning to port on a weekend, good. If not, schedule the time off before you leave. Or call in sick. Youâ??ll be SOOOOOOOO glad you did.

A Final Suggestion.

Keep up with all of the information documents you got on the cruise â?? daily ships newsletter, shore excursion price list, etc. When you get home, file all this in a folder and then use if for reference material for yourself or someone else the next time a cruise is planned. And before your forget, write down all the things you wish youâ??d thought of and that you wish you had known. Make a complete list and stash it with the other cruise information you brought back.

Happy Cruising!

Cruising in the Company of Saints

Everything was serene in the land of the saints. As serene as hell. First, it was about as hot as the Inferno’s eighth ring (in case you lost count, that’s the one where the great sailor Ulysses is eternally slow-roasted for his part in the Trojan War). Second, it was humid enough to bathe in. Third, there was no wind. And fourth, I was beginning to quote poetry. Saints, 
preserve us! 

It had begun well enough. My husband Rick and I, along with our friend Hal, had decided to celebrate a kind of midsummer All Saints Day by cruising the St. Marys River and visiting its related nominal holinesses—St. Mary’s College, Historic St. Mary’s City, St. George Creek, St. George Island and St. Inigoes Creek—names further sanctified by being crucial to Maryland’s founding story. Maryland’s first settlers landed on St. Clements Island, but learned that the Yaocomaco Indians were holding a kind of going-out-of-business sale along the St. Marys River (not its name then, of course) because the tribe wanted to consolidate its numbers farther upriver as protection from attack by another more fearsome Native American organization. In addition to the land, the Indians also threw in their old houses and all their cultivated fields, so the newcomers pulled out their chests of pretty beads and closed the deal. Then they named everything in sight for various saints and settled down to make a new colony. 

On the morning before the official cruise was to begin, Rick and I sailed across the Potomac from the Yeocomico (same Indians, different side of the river) and then idled away the long, still afternoon with iced drinks and good books under the ancient oaks at St. Mary’s Yachting Center on Carthagena Creek. (Carthagena was named by William Hebb II for a spectacularly unsuccessful 1741 battle fought for the Caribbean port of Cartagena during the War of Jenkin’s Ear by the British—with the aid of colonists such as Hebb and Lawrence Washington—against the Spanish. Nothing came of the war, and Jenkin’s ear was eventually pickled.) 

Hal arrived on his powerboat early the following morning, which dawned clear and promising, but dead calm, prompting us to opt for a Saints Day cruise by power rather than sail. The three of us set off in Hal’s boat with the rising sun and a second cup of coffee. We began our cruise with a perfectly agreeable tour of St. Inigoes Creek—the first creek to the right as you come up the St. Marys. (Inigo is Spanish for Ignatius, so the creek was actually named for Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order. A Jesuit priest arrived with the first settlers in 1634, and the Jesuit order in the years that followed held thousands of acres in this area—as well as the entirety of St. George Island, which was more impressive then than it is now since it used to be considerably larger.) 

Serene? Very. Up one branch and then another we went, enjoying the quiet, long-settled, woodsy character of houses that lined St. Inigoes—like so many Maine lake cottages—while remarking on the dozen or so new docks, long steep stairs and walkways of the creek’s new construction. We also noted several fine potential anchorages—particularly a wooded spot at the top end of Lucas Cove that already had a temporary resident, a lone cruiser who resolutely refused to look up from his book as we motored slowly by, waving futilely. All this while, however, we kept an eager eye on a military helicopter that was doing dramatic touch-and-goes at Webster Field, part of the Naval Air Warfare facility at Priests Point. No welcome mat on their doorstep for cruisers, of course, but the inadvertent air show was free for the viewing. Next door to the Navy, on Molls Cove, the St. Inigoes Coast Guard station was as peaceful as its Maine cottage neighbors this weekend morning. The facility serves the Potomac and its tributaries from Point No Point and Smith Point near the river’s mouth all the way up to the U.S. Route 301 bridge.

Two homes along St. Inigoes Creek are worth particular note. Rose Croft graces the point of the same name at the northern entrance of the creek and was the seat of the Maryland colony’s first collector of revenue. (Ships coming up the Potomac were supposed to stop here to be taxed—cannons were pointed toward the river to encourage cooperation. But those ships bound for Virginia ports simply hugged the opposite shore and so kept well out of range of both cannon fire and tax collection.) Farther up St. Inigoes, on the opposite shore, sits Cross Manor, probably the oldest home in Maryland, its original parts dating to the late 17th century. It is now owned by newsman Ted Koppel and his wife.

Things were still as serene as Buddha as we left St. Inigoes Creek to work our way up to the navigable limits of the St. Marys River. Passing Chancellor Point, we remained theologically neutral and took Pagan and Church points right down the middle. (The two points, which jut out from either side of the river, offered the new settlement of St. Mary’s excellent protection from potential enemies, such as Spanish, Dutch and Virginia Protestants.) Just beyond these points, we emerged into Horseshoe Bend, where the river changes direction from north to northwest. 

Once we had gotten about as far upriver as we could, about two nautical miles, we gingerly circled Tippity Wichity Island—a notoriously shallow area with the added menace of an overhanging power line crossing from the northeast shore. (This unassuming geographic feature was once an intriguing blot on the local landscape known as Happie Land, established after the Civil War by a Confederate smuggler named Howgate, who changed the name of the island from Lynch to Tippling-house and  Witchery-house Island—hence Tippity Wichity. Or at least that’s the story.)

Serenity onboard was wearing thin as we began our trek back downriver, past points Long and Short, and entered Horseshoe Bend once more. The light morning breeze had petered out at 10:15, as punctual as a Swiss train, and we had entered that brief breathless purgatory before the temperature soars and the day goes well and truly downhill. 

Hal was steering us well clear of the shoal waters that trail off Horseshoe Point, when the sun topped out for the day. The humidity and the temperature kept up their neck-and-neck race for 100 as we idled across Horseshoe Bend. It was at this point that serenity flew out the window. 

Sweating and sulky, I found myself questioning the very nature of cruising—you know, the whole “Why are we here?” and “What’s the point?” revisionist talk. As Rick and Hal looked on helplessly, I began reciting Edna St. Vincent Millay’s The Unexplorer, which you’ll be happy to know is very short because I’m going to quote it: 
     There was a road ran past our door
     Too lovely to explore.
     I asked my mother once—she said
     That if you followed where it led
     It brought you to the milkman’s door
(That’s why I haven’t traveled more.) Maybe the mother was right, I whined. Maybe all we’re doing is motoring by hundreds of Elsie and Elmer homes, I said, referring to the famous Borden spokescows. Sure, it’s all nice and pretty, but so is Dubuque. And so forth. . . .

Well, as it turned out, the fault lay not in bovine TV stars, but in my stomach. I didn’t suddenly hate cruising, I was just very hungry. And fortunately there are few things that a good $6.50 all-you-can-eat college buffet can’t cure. 

On reaching Horseshoe Bend, Hal headed directly for St. Mary’s College docks, carefully dodging an outgoing fleet of Special Olympians on the way in, and we went ashore. Providentially, a sophomore political science major from the D.C. area promptly materialized and, taking us figuratively in hand, led us by the shortest possible route to the college commissary. Half an hour and four slices of fresh vegetarian pizza later, life was great and Elsie and Elmer had re-established themselves as fascinating reasons to explore the world. 

Call it a minor miracle if you like, but then St. Mary’s College of Maryland has always come down on the side of the angels as far as cruisers were concerned. Not only does the college invite cruisers to tie up at the college docks during the day (no overnights, though), it also welcomes them to use the athletic facilities at $5 a day and make use of its showers, as well as the cafeteria, coffee shop and bookstore. If the college docks are full, no problem, there is enough room in Horseshoe Bend for the entire Pacific Fleet to drop anchor (okay, a few of the aircraft carriers might have to wait outside) and dinghy ashore. There is plenty of room at the sandy beach nearby for dinghies.

 “The school has always looked to the water,” college President Jane Margaret O’Brien told me when we talked the following week. “All the old buildings face the river because that’s the way students saw the school—from the water—until 1934, when the steamship stopped running.” It’s a question of hospitality in a very rural area, O’Brien continued. The college continues to maintain a close relationship with the water; its sailing team, with 13 national championships, is ranked number one in the country. 

For a place that’s pretty much the last stop before the end of the road, St. Mary’s was humming on this summer day. The Special Olympians we had encountered on the way in were part of a weekend of racing on a variety of watercraft for the state Special Olympics championships. Next door to the college, Historic St. Mary’s City was hosting its annual Archaeology Weekend, which lets visitors sift for themselves among the potsherds and get a once-a-year look at the site’s artifact filing system—housed in the climate-controlled basement of a former house.

All of this brings up another benefit of the college’s enlightened attitude toward cruisers. Because docking is available, cruisers can easily visit Maryland’s fascinating first capital—a feat rarely possible at the nation’s other historic sites, which have turned their back on their maritime origins. All of which made our visit to Archaeology Weekend a walk in the park . . . then a short stroll through Trinity Church cemetery, a trek past the Woodland Indian Hamlet, and a hike up the hill to the Visitor Center. At the end of it all—including a short drive by van just a spit down the road—stood curator Silas Hurry, quiet-spoken, earnest and full of the milk of good public relations kindness. He had an eager audience. A few took notes. Here are Cliff’s: All of the samples from each dig are clearly marked, sifted, categorized, stabilized, identified, computerized and stored. Now pay attention, because this will be on your final: 

Archaeologists are now leaving as much of the land as possible undisturbed for future archaeologists because they will presumably know more and have better equipment than today’s batch, just as we have it all over the former fellows, who did regrettable things like toss out all the soil that had been turned over regularly in cultivation—soil that, it turns out, actually contains the bulk of what is now considered the good stuff. And like oyster shells, which, it turns out, are important indicators of the health of the Bay because you can measure their rings (kind of like trees, apparently) and thickness and so forth. Because oyster shell fragments were about as common as cucumbers in a pickle factory, nobody ever thought it worth the trouble to collect them—except Historic St. Mary’s City archaeologists, who did hang on to them and who can be excused for feeling just a little smug about the whole thing. So, never throw out anything, no matter how dumb it seems—but only if you’re an archaeologist. End of lesson.

Following our entertaining encounter with dirt and historic debris we retraced our steps, more slowly this time, to visit Historic St. Mary’s City. The town, founded in 1634, was a briefly thriving community that was relegated to the trash heap of history a mere 90 years later when the Protestants gained sufficient power and influence to insist that the center of power for the colony be moved north to the more malleable city of Annapolis. The  jilted capital soon faded into memory and its plowed fields, homes, businesses and government buildings forgotten. (The college, in fact, was established as a kind of consolation prize for the lost capital, starting life in 1840 as a girls seminary and ending up as the state’s public honors college. So over the years, the school and the lost city have maintained a uniquely special relationship, with their property, interests and activities widely overlapping.)

St. Mary’s City was never a city in the sense of a downtown, suburbs and business district. Even at its peak it was only a few dozen homes, a couple of taverns and a state house. The state house was rebuilt in 1934, but most of the other original buildings have been reconstructed only in an outline form called “ghost frames,” which gives the impression of a bankrupt 17th century housing development.

An important feature of St. Mary’s rebuilt past is the Dove—the maritime cargo van that accompanied the first settler’s Greyhound bus, the Ark. When not showing off elsewhere, the Doveis generally parked at a pier not far from the original landing place and at the bottom of a steep descent from the bluff where the “city” stood. On the weekend following our visit, the Dove would be out on the river, serving as the finish line for the 34th annual Governor’s Cup, a perennially popular overnight sailing race from Annapolis to St. Mary’s (from one capital to another)—a distance of about seventy miles, if you don’t count all the extra miles required on those many occasions when a beat to windward is the only way down the Bay. The race is sponsored by St. Mary’s College and culminates in what has been called one of sailing’s top 10 parties.

It was time for us to move on—we still had one more saint waiting in the wings —so we took a final scenic look down at the river from the Margaret Brent Gazebo. (Brent was named executor of the will of colonial governor Leonard Calvert, Lord Baltimore’s son. In 1648 she went before the General Assembly to ask for two votes, one as executor and one as landowner in her own right, and received nothing in return but huffy male disdain.) Back at the college waterfront, we danced inelegantly across the coal-hot sand and returned to Hal’s boat. Special Olympics sailors by this time were off the water and had gathered with friends and families in the shade for the awards announcements. The sound of cheers and applause wobbled through the humidity to follow us down the dock.

Once out in Horseshoe Bend, Hal opened the throttle a little more than careful tourism might recommend, but we reveled in the resulting breeze and turned south for St. George Creek. We made two concessions to speed along the way. The first was to admire Porto Bello, the historic estate built in the 1740s by William Hebb II and extensively restored over the past several years by former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee and his wife, writer Sally Quinn. The estate sits on a bluff above the river’s western shore. (Porto Bello, like Carthagena, was named by Hebb for yet another battle in the War of Jenkin’s Ear—this one a British victory.) Our second tangent was to trace Carthagena Creek past Josh Point, where the creek seems to end before it begins, around the dogleg to the right that materializes at the flashing red “4” to Dennis Point, past private docks and comfortable cottages, and finally turning back as the creek shallowed out beyond Walnut Point. 

Now it was simply a matter of keeping the three green markers (two locals and flashing green “1”) to our right and then resisting the urge to make our turn into St. George Creek before we had reached red “A”. You can get away with the shortcut if you know what you’re doing, but we did not. So we played it by the numbers and split the difference between “A” and flashing green “1”.

St. George Creek feels nice and roomy for much of its four and a half nautical miles, as it separates first St. George Island and then Piney Point from the Maryland mainland. It’s a busy working waterway, too. As we slowed down just before reaching green “1” to try to catch a glimpse of Camp Merryelande at the southern tip of St. George Island, workboats and fishing boats bustled around us and kept us bobbing and binocular bruised. Merryelande, now a private facility with brightly colored rental cabins with varying degrees of civilization and tents, a sandy beach and a fishing dock, was for many years a girls’ summer camp operated by Roman Catholic nuns. (The Jesuits were St. George Island’s first European inhabitants. They kept herds of Elsies and Elmers on the island because of its abundance of tasty grasses.) 

The dominant feature on St. George Creek is the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education and Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship. This training complex can be seen from either side of St. George Island and, on a clear day, from well out on the Potomac. The school, which trains merchant seamen for employment on U.S. flagged commercial vessels, is generally closed to visitors, but a slow pass by the docks is a good alternative. 

As St. George Creek narrowed and we slowed to keep down our wake, the temperature onboard began to rise as quickly as the cumulonimbus clouds to the west. Pretty soon now, it would behoove us to get off the river. Late afternoon in midsummer is no time to be lollygagging along sightseeing. So we made one quick side trip into Tarkill Cove on the mainland side of the creek then headed for home—St. Mary’s Yachting Center, in this case. We had just enough time to put up the awning over the cockpit of the sailboat and pull three greenies out of the cooler before the first storm barreled through. As we put our feet up and watched the rain fall, we agreed with generations of boaters before us that discussing a day spent on the Bay over a cold beer in the sudden coolness of a late afternoon shower is pretty close to heaven. Yep, everything was serene here in the land of the saints.