To My Future Friends I Am Waiting To Meet

[Cruiseathoning]

There are in the end, three main reasons I love to cruise.  

 

1.  Water.  Not just any water, ocean water, the beautiful perfectly quiet midnight stroll to the exercise deck where I can just look out and absorb and enjoy my smallness.  No boss.  No email.  No phone.  No bills.  And the knowledge that unless we completely screw it up, that scene will be precisely the same in 1,000 years is comforting.

 

2.  Ports.  I love to explore, learn about new cultures, eat different foods.  But now with rumors of port restrictions or refusals, that leaves only the ship.

 

3.  And this is the biggie-social interaction.  Making friends, whiling away hours after karaoke trading family anecdotes, building relationships for life.  For cruising to be forced to social distance would be like selling popcorn with no salt, a Corvette with no speed, a ride with no thrill, and a pizza with no cheese.  I don't get to talk to people in the "real" world.  Infernal phones actually have created distance between myself and my friends.  A text message has replaced a birthday card.  Virtual dining has replaced family styled sharing.

 

One big problem I continue to see?  There are still no protocols to make sure passengers, you know, get home.  We work.  We have to be back at a certain time.  We can't just cruise indefinitely, and certainly, being confined to an inside stateroom in the event of another outbreak could be scarring.  So we would from now on, spring for a balcony.  But that is only half of an issue.  We still have to be guaranteed return to port and into country.  What government is trying to make that happen?  So this whole idea a working couple can return to cruising, when even the slightest rumor of an illness could delay us weeks-forget it.

 

Another issue is Youtubers.  Were I in the cruise industry I would certainly try to get a legal handle on all of these so called cruising experts spreading rumor and in some ways worse, "expert conjecture" that is more harmful than informative.  Yes I need a 25 year-old working at Hooters with a Go Pro giving her opinion on how the CDC will operate.  This will inform my decision.

 

I was unsure before, however after watching this young woman who obviously shops at Sephora, well, that is just good sense to take her word for it.

 

And of course, the concern is simple.  Where there be HD cameras also flow idiots.  In an effort to go viral, I fear that any sniffle, cough, even sweat could be manipulated into a video labelled "C-19 on my ship?," get a gazillion views, freak out the CDC and port authorities and cause us to be stuck.

 

Sometimes I enjoy my tech.  Like when I am taking a good picture of my family or need to bank.  But other times I wish that the person who invented the smartphone had instead been encouraged to take up ballet.

 

We are still a free country, but I am not sure if we are nearly as free as we used to be.  And I want to tell some of you kids who might read this something.  You have tech.  You have better skin care, online schools, and thrillier rides at the amusement park.  But I had potluck Christmas parties at school.  I didn't view my childhood from behind a cell phone camera.  I wasn't afraid of a water fountain.  And I know the outright thrill of picking up a ringing phone, with a cord, and having that special girl on the other line.

 

No I wouldn't trade my 1980's for your 2020's.  I would not trade my experience for your youth.  And I hope you understand that a text message is the ultimate social distancing.

 

Yesterday I fist bumped my very own mother.  Then I said this is ridiculous and hugged her and my brother.  It was his birthday for goodness sakes.  Geez hope I don't die.  And the very idea I could, from a hug, angers me.  Not sure at who.

 

I cruise to connect.  Not for go carts or Broadway or rock climbing or surfing.  I cruise to connect to people, and to ports.  If I can't do that, I might as well stay home, warmed by the memories of a time where people could hug and kiss and share food.  (Yes I have tried a seatmate's food before, not after he ate it but still.  Call the press.  He might have breathed near it.)  

 

In other words I lived my human existence as a human.  And I cruise to re-connect to that humanity.  

 

Good luck to all and my fondest wishes for us all to happily cruise again:

 

Sitting together.  Maskless.  Singing drunk and carefree.  Like humans were meant to do.  As lifelong friends hours after being strangers.

 

-T

 

 

 

Edited July 9, 2020 by Cruiseathoning

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, Cruiseathoning said:

There are in the end, three main reasons I love to cruise.  

 

1.  Water.  Not just any water, ocean water, the beautiful perfectly quiet midnight stroll to the exercise deck where I can just look out and absorb and enjoy my smallness.  No boss.  No email.  No phone.  No bills.  And the knowledge that unless we completely screw it up, that scene will be precisely the same in 1,000 years is comforting.

 

2.  Ports.  I love to explore, learn about new cultures, eat different foods.  But now with rumors of port restrictions or refusals, that leaves only the ship.

 

3.  And this is the biggie-social interaction.  Making friends, whiling away hours after karaoke trading family anecdotes, building relationships for life.  For cruising to be forced to social distance would be like selling popcorn with no salt, a Corvette with no speed, a ride with no thrill, and a pizza with no cheese.  I don't get to talk to people in the "real" world.  Infernal phones actually have created distance between myself and my friends.  A text message has replaced a birthday card.  Virtual dining has replaced family styled sharing.

 

One big problem I continue to see?  There are still no protocols to make sure passengers, you know, get home.  We work.  We have to be back at a certain time.  We can't just cruise indefinitely, and certainly, being confined to an inside stateroom in the event of another outbreak could be scarring.  So we would from now on, spring for a balcony.  But that is only half of an issue.  We still have to be guaranteed return to port and into country.  What government is trying to make that happen?  So this whole idea a working couple can return to cruising, when even the slightest rumor of an illness could delay us weeks-forget it.

 

Another issue is Youtubers.  Were I in the cruise industry I would certainly try to get a legal handle on all of these so called cruising experts spreading rumor and in some ways worse, "expert conjecture" that is more harmful than informative.  Yes I need a 25 year-old working at Hooters with a Go Pro giving her opinion on how the CDC will operate.  This will inform my decision.

 

I was unsure before, however after watching this young woman who obviously shops at Sephora, well, that is just good sense to take her word for it.

 

And of course, the concern is simple.  Where there be HD cameras also flow idiots.  In an effort to go viral, I fear that any sniffle, cough, even sweat could be manipulated into a video labelled "C-19 on my ship?," get a gazillion views, freak out the CDC and port authorities and cause us to be stuck.

 

Sometimes I enjoy my tech.  Like when I am taking a good picture of my family or need to bank.  But other times I wish that the person who invented the smartphone had instead been encouraged to take up ballet.

 

We are still a free country, but I am not sure if we are nearly as free as we used to be.  And I want to tell some of you kids who might read this something.  You have tech.  You have better skin care, online schools, and thrillier rides at the amusement park.  But I had potluck Christmas parties at school.  I didn't view my childhood from behind a cell phone camera.  I wasn't afraid of a water fountain.  And I know the outright thrill of picking up a ringing phone, with a cord, and having that special girl on the other line.

 

No I wouldn't trade my 1980's for your 2020's.  I would not trade my experience for your youth.  And I hope you understand that a text message is the ultimate social distancing.

 

Yesterday I fist bumped my very own mother.  Then I said this is ridiculous and hugged her and my brother.  It was his birthday for goodness sakes.  Geez hope I don't die.  And the very idea I could, from a hug, angers me.  Not sure at who.

 

I cruise to connect.  Not for go carts or Broadway or rock climbing or surfing.  I cruise to connect to people, and to ports.  If I can't do that, I might as well stay home, warmed by the memories of a time where people could hug and kiss and share food.  (Yes I have tried a seatmate's food before, not after he ate it but still.  Call the press.  He might have breathed near it.)  

 

In other words I lived my human existence as a human.  And I cruise to re-connect to that humanity.  

 

Good luck to all and my fondest wishes for us all to happily cruise again:

 

Sitting together.  Maskless.  Singing drunk and carefree.  Like humans were meant to do.  As lifelong friends hours after being strangers.

 

-T

 

 

 

Wonderful. Just wonderful. Thank you as I can not give both a like and a thank you.

 

One more thing I cruise for, DW and I get to spend wonderful time together especially in ports. And at the same time, we are also free to do our own things apart. So, I love trivia, and she does not, that's fine. And if she wants to spend time swimming laps, that is fine with me.

 

[RLK33853]

Well done! 

 

Cruising is without a doubt both sides of the coin - the tranquility of being able to stare at the horizon or a sunset, and at the other end of the spectrum your ability to interact with others/experience different countries, foods, and cultures all in a short time period.  We sure hope we get to do so again.

[LACruiser88]

Very Well Said!!!  BRAVO!!!

[getting older slowly]

 

Hi Crusieathoning,    I get your drift....

one of thing about cruise is the social side.... a bit like a extra large family...

 

I do tend to agree about the world changing at such a fast pace.....

(in the paper the other day school children can't read an analog clock .... WT... )

 

Like you a love abit of tech....  love our big tv and surround system to watch movies....

Being able to print my own photos... also be able to make photo books of our travels..

 

What do we do on holidays  meet people, read books ( paper ones ) and play scrabble by candle light with a glass of wine ( not on a ship thou )  goes for walks     and until now cruise...

 

I think you are right in social media ....allows some people to bombard others with their views...

 

One other thing.... with the way thing are heading in the world.... I am glad I am as old as I am now..... my dad always use to say  he as lived in the best times  (1925-2006)  I think we was right......  we can stop change.... but at least we have memories.....

 

And at least we remember to stop and smell the roses.....

 

Cheers Don     sitting with coffee in front of this machine which only uses  0's & 1's.

[Fletch1]

I agree.....well said.