My First Cruise

**Holley Calmes** · 11-12-2011, 03:24 AM

I'm back!!

And yes....it was INCREDIBLE! I never knew a ship could be so large, so beautiful, and full of so much to do!

Yes, it was the last cruise to Bermuda for the season, and unfortunately we didn't have good weather. No beach time on the pink sand of Bermuda! In fact, we went through gale force winds and very rough seas. Everybody was falling around and getting sick. Fortunately, I had my patches to put behind my ear, and it was actually kind of fun! I enjoyed the roiling waves.

My little group of four girlfriends didn't join any tours on Bermuda, but we were so lucky to hire a taxi driven by a native who showed us the whole island over several hours. (I even got a sneek pic through the gate at Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jone's home....shame on me, but what the hell...) This gentleman told us so much and took us to spots that tour buses couldn't get to, like the oldest church on the island dating from 1605. So cool!

Yes-Genegri pretty much said it all....I was amazed at the quality of all the performances. I was amazed at the professionalism and warmth of the staff who seemed to come from every country in the world. Food was good. I tried not to overindulge.

I could write on and on...like how my housekeeper, a precious young gentleman, would twist towels into various animal shapes so that after dinner every night, my roomie and I could open the door to find a new critter on the bed- an anteater, a rabbit, and a darling monkey hanging from a coathanger! It was a lot of those small touches that just blew me away-as well as the big touches!

I followed a lot of the advice you gave me, and thank you so much for telling me what to do. I'm just sad it's over...now back to work and tackle that gigantic Nutcracker program due at the printer on Monday...EEEK!

If anyone is remotely interested, I did get some good pictures. I'm processing the raw data and will have them all up in a day or two on Facebook. Please friend me! Just search for the same name I use here....Not that my pics are that great, but there are some cute ones.

Thanks again, and hopefully there will be another wonderful cruise in my future!

**Skittl1321** · 11-12-2011, 03:33 AM

I'm glad you had fun! I love cruises. Bummer you didn't have good weather in Bermuda, but sometimes the ship is as much of a destination

Excellent to hear you didn't get sea sick. I like the days you can actually tell you are on the ocean the best, DH hates them! Usually the ship is so calm you can't tell you are even moving. I don't think we've had any truly bad days yet though...

**Ozzisk8tr** · 11-12-2011, 03:36 AM

SO glad you loved it. Have you booked your next one yet?

**Holley Calmes** · 11-12-2011, 03:40 AM

I actually loved the ocean-motion. I'm still slightly in a state of rubber-leggedness! I feel like I'm still on board.

I loved how every day they'd take a strip out of the center of the elevator carpet and replace it with a strip that had what day it was...Monday, Tuesday, etc. So many small things as well as excellence in big things.

Our captain was Norwegian. He announced on Sunday that we might not be able to dock in Bermuda because of the very bad winds (50 mph +) Bermuda has a very small slip to get into their harbor. But we made it! Then we found that a Princess Cruise Lines ship hadn't been able to negotiate it that same evening.

I wish they had announced the last names of the skaters...they were so lovely, and I felt to bad for them to be on such a small rink...but they did an excellent job. The stage shows were phenominal-and the lighting and costuming were about as good as I've ever seen.

OK, I'll hush now!

No, haven't booked the next one yet. But I definitely will! I'm so enthusiastic I think maybe even my husband would go with me next time. Then again, a pack of wild women like we had this time might be more fun....

**paskatefan** · 11-12-2011, 11:27 AM

Welcome home. Glad you had a fabulous time.

I wonder if one of the skaters was Shaun Rogers (from Delaware) or Chris Mabee?

**Bostonfan** · 11-12-2011, 02:06 PM

I love cruising. I've been one a 1/2 dozen cruises and it's my favorite form of travel. I'm glad you had a great time!

**Holley Calmes** · 11-12-2011, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by paskatefan

Welcome home. Glad you had a fabulous time.

I wonder if one of the skaters was Shaun Rogers (from Delaware) or Chris Mabee?

They didn't give the last names, but there was definitely a Chris and almost all were from Canada. Chris had a turned up nose, cute face. There was one guy who was injured and couldn't skate named Dmitri. Long hair, adorable. He was sitting on the front row. A hoop lady from Moscow whose name I forgot. She was fantastic.

**victorskid** · 11-12-2011, 05:51 PM

Chris Mabee is in the linked photo with several female Canadian skaters you may have heard of

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wongmimi19/4224175655/

The photo is from 2007 but he really hasn't changed much over the years.

**skatesindreams** · 11-12-2011, 06:35 PM

I'm delighted that you had a great time, Holley!

**skatemommy** · 11-12-2011, 08:06 PM

Last month's SKATING magazine from USFS has an article about several cruise ship shows and their casts. Marcy Hinzman is one of the skaters.

**Holley Calmes** · 11-12-2011, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by victorskid

Chris Mabee is in the linked photo with several female Canadian skaters you may have heard of

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wongmimi19/4224175655/

The photo is from 2007 but he really hasn't changed much over the years.

I think that's him! Sure looks like him! Cutie pie!

**paskatefan** · 11-13-2011, 11:54 AM

^ Nice fellow too! We got to meet him briefly along with Kurt @ 2005 Skate America in Atlantic City, NJ. Some flower sweepers were in line after the competition, and I realized why - Kurt was standing there. So, I said to my husband, let's stick around here, and say "hi" to Kurt! Well, we did - he was so friendly and playful with the kids. As a bonus, Chris (who had competed impressively @ SA), was with him, so we got to meet him too!

**snoopysnake** · 11-17-2011, 02:55 AM

Originally Posted by Holley Calmes

They didn't give the last names, but there was definitely a Chris and almost all were from Canada. Chris had a turned up nose, cute face. There was one guy who was injured and couldn't skate named Dmitri. Long hair, adorable. He was sitting on the front row. A hoop lady from Moscow whose name I forgot. She was fantastic.

Was the hoop lady Irina Grigorian?

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