In late 2021, we decided to take a World Cruise. We flew to Fort Lauderdale and boarded our ship on Christmas Eve. 2021. Yes, it was a crazy idea, but it gave us a chance to see parts of the world that we might never have the opportunity to see. Part of the desire was also wrapped up in the serious need to “get out of town” after living through the crazy, scary 2 years of COVID. This cruise line was willing to venture forth if we passengers were willing to comply with their strict rules. First, we had to provide documentation that we were fully vaccinated and agree to comply with their unusual shipboard edicts. Considering that several countries in the world were still locked down, and that hundreds of thousands of deaths were reported in the US alone, we were lucky to be able to go anywhere. We were required to wear masks in all common areas and submit to a “spit” test daily. The masks came off after six weeks, but the spit test continued for the entire trip. We feared the “phone call” telling us to get ready for the hazmat team and our removal to a quarantine cabin. It didn’t happen for us, and the rules were a trifle for the pleasure of seeing the world, where we could get in, that is.

One of our stops was Panama City, where we visited a church, covered in golden and ornate religious icons. There was a beautiful, intricate diorama of Jerusalem that was extraordinary. I don’t remember where it was, maybe downstairs in the church. The pictures below are a few of the views of Panama and the canal.

One thing about traveling on a cruise ship, especially one that openly caters to so-called “rich Americans”, was that we didn’t fit in. We do not have multiple homes, and we drive a 2013 Buick Encore and a 2005 Nissan pickup that my Dad used to drive to get the mail in town. Of course, on a long cruise of this type, being friendly is important since we’ll be with these people for a long time. We met quite a few friendly people who mainly wanted to tell us how many cruises they’d been on, how many homes they have, and how much of everything else they have. $$$$ We sat with them in the lounge, drink in hand, and listened dutifully. Did any of these people ever ask one question about us? Such as, “Where are you from? What is your background? What do you hope to see on this cruise, or how many children do you have?” You know, the standard, polite questions. They were not interested. It wasn’t all bad. Sometimes they could be very entertaining. We did meet a few couples who didn’t fit that mold. Thank goodness for them!

This cruise got all mixed up because of COVID. Originally, after going through the Panama Canal and on to Angeles, we would pick up some new passengers and head to Hawaii. But Hawaii was still closed, in addition to several stops further west. The itinerary needed to change. It was a dicey time. After leaving Fort Lauderdale, our captain was concerned because people kept breaking our excursion rules (no independent wandering), and our sick numbers got pretty high. Our stop in Cartagena, Colombia, was cancelled because we had too many in quarantine. The Panamanians could also block our entrance into the Canal. The Captain chewed out the passengers, saying that if we didn’t shape up, we’d have to return to Florida. That was a scary idea. Many other cruises had already experienced such sanctions. But we behaved, made it through the Canal, and soon sailed up to Puntarenas, Costa Rica, where we rode a bus into a quaint village to be entertained by colorful dancers. It was a picturesque little village. I can admit now that we broke the rules and ran across the street to a little market to pick up some goodies. But we kept our masks on.

After visiting Cabo San Lucas, we arrived in Los Angeles. We had to make an emergency trip to a Dentist, and returned just in time. Because the passengers had already demonstrated they couldn’t be trusted out on their own, we were locked down for the rest of our three days in LA. But the passengers were always, always treated like royalty. When we got the new itinerary, the cruise line gave everyone the option of getting off with full credit for another cruise. Instead of heading west, we backtracked to Panama and took a right to South America. Not too bad of an exchange! Many exciting stops were added that more than made up for the change. Some got off, though, mainly because they’d already seen those places. We ended up with a small cohort of passengers, fewer than 500 on a ship that normally carries 900. Nice! In the meantime, we were making friends with the crew. When Larry’s birthday came up, one of the crew arranged for a cake to be delivered to our ocean view dinner table that night. After the cake arrived, five servers gathered around and sang Happy Birthday in Spanish! It was fun. We decided to keep our distance from some of the more overbearing passengers, but with a smile. One man on our floor told us this was his eighth world cruise and then instructed us poor hayseeds on how to navigate an airport and baggage claim. I don’t know why he thought we might need that kind of help, especially out in the middle of an ocean. I gave kudos to my airline pilot husband (retired) for his restraint. This same man told us he had a suitcase full of cameras and would be pleased to sell us one for $300. We considered it, but after some research, we discovered his price was inflated by 50% at least. After turning him down nicely, he wasn’t so friendly. I don’t get such behavior. Oh well.

Our next adventure was crossing the Equator, which every ship celebrates with the arrival of King Neptune and related hijinks. With the many sea days, we suggested that the ship hold a passenger talent show. King Neptune, I mean the Cruise Director, thought that was a great idea. Larry considered doing a drum solo, but having not played in a few years, decided he might need more practice than there was time for. Several other passengers stepped up, making for a diverse and entertaining show.

Well, that’s my story of how we went to sea, evaded COVID, and changed course. It was all good, and we had a great time. Larry will never forget his experience sitting in the steam room with another man, who revealed he’d just been released from a two-week quarantine. Just a tad unsettling. That man became a good friend. We’ve been asked if we would do a World Cruise again. We began on Christmas Eve, 2019, and arrived home in mid-May 2022. The answer is No. We loved seeing many wonders of our remarkable, diverse, delightful world. It was an incredible journey. We met lovely people and viewed cultures that are very different from ours. We all need that kind of experience, and I urge you to get up and go somewhere to see how alike we humans are. But we decided it was too long to be away from home. We love traveling. We also love our home. The photo below is the Pacific side of the Panama Canal, where, as you see, ships of every kind wait for their turn.

I hope you enjoyed my post. Give me a thumbs up or a comment if you’re so inclined. I’ll see you next time!