Sandra Heska King

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The Worst–and Best–Cruise Ever

June 28, 2014 By Sandra Heska King

cruise

 

I don’t remember where I found the deal, but life had gotten a bit stressful, and it seemed like a good idea. My husband wasn’t so enthusiastic, but for me there are (almost) no bounds to bonding, and his objections gave way to assent.

So in the spring of  2001, we delivered our heart-sick-just-discharged-getting-better-and-much-beloved black lab, Elsie, back to the vet–this time just for boarding. Then we hit the road for the long drive to Port Canaveral, Florida, where we’d board Carnival’s Fantasy cruise ship to the Bahamas.

Abby had just turned 16, and Jeremy was 11.

I asked everyone today about their three best and three worst memories of that trip.

Dennis listed his best as the food (surprise), the beach in Nassau, and snorkeling over the coral.

His worst were the time spent on the boat itself (waste of time), the expense (surprise), and when the transmission went out on the car.

Abby listed her best as the butterfly bracelet she got (that I don’t remember at all–and that, she says, broke shortly after the trip) and getting her hair braided in Nassau, all of us going snorkeling together (though my memory is that Jeremy was afraid to do that), and seeing dolphins by moonlight.

Her worst were not being able to be all together in one room, how tiny the rooms were, and the transmission going out on the car.

Jeremy remembered the food (he ate a lot of pizza), walking around Nassau, and buying some coins. Other than that, he says, he doesn’t remember much.

 

cruise 3

 

Here’s some of what I remember.

I got a good set of walkie-talkies in order to keep track of each other on the ship. They worked well and were great fun.

I bought a white cotton tablecloth and set of napkins all trimmed with lace in Nassau, although I’d asked for permanent press. The vendor lady rolled her eyes and shook her head at me. “Why are white ladies afraid of ironing?” she complained. Then she gave me a lesson in pressing that included sprinkling and freezing.

When we docked back in Florida, we made our way to Cocoa Beach–where a wave knocked me off balance while I waded knee-deep. I heard something pop.

That night we went to Capone’s Dinner Theater where we had to knock three times and give the secret password to enter.

By the end of the evening, I could barely limp, so we headed for the nearest Florida Hospital emergency room where we spent quite a few hours, and I left fitted with a brace.

On the way home, with my leg extended on the back seat, possibly on Jeremy’s lap, the transmission blew up, and we were stranded in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, for two days. I remember hobbling a couple blocks to a Long John Silver’s for supper.

When we finally arrived home, the vet told us Elsie had died. We buried her on the south farm.

An MRI showed that wave had completely torn my ACL, and I had surgery the next month. I had a rough recovery. This is why I’m hesitant to enter the water in Haiti.

Though life was rather hard at the time, that my daughter, without much thinking, named togetherness and lack of togetherness as best and worst memories–as well as a simple circular butterfly bracelet I can’t remember–surprised me. My husband agreed this morning that the sacrifice was worth that alone–though I doubt I’ll ever get him on another cruise.

I’d go in a heartbeat.

cruise 2

 

In the stillness,

Sandy

Joining The High Calling’s call for best (or worst) vacation stories.

best vacation stories - THC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Comments

  1. jdukeslee says

    June 28, 2014 at 8:02 pm

    Scott and I took the girls on a Carnaval cruise a couple years ago, and we had a ball. I just asked Anna what her favorite parts were:

    1 – being together
    2 – eating fancy dinner every night with Warm Chocolate Melting Cake
    3 – dancing with our waiter
    4 – playing life-size chess, with the pieces as big as my body
    5 – playing ping pong
    6 – swimming with Lydia
    7 – getting our hair braided

    Thanks for linking up your great story with us at The High Calling, friend. Your stories always, always make me smile.

    • Martha Orlando says

      June 28, 2014 at 8:30 pm

      Checked out your blog, and immediately subscribed! Looking forward to the connection!
      Blessings!

      • Sandra Heska King says

        June 28, 2014 at 11:30 pm

        Hmmm… 😉

    • Sandra Heska King says

      June 28, 2014 at 11:41 pm

      I love that Anna loved the being together part, too. I don’t remember the warm chocolate melting cake, but that alone would be worth getting back on a ship for. 🙂

  2. Martha Orlando says

    June 28, 2014 at 8:27 pm

    I’m not a wanting-to-take-a-cruise kind of gal, but loved the memories and photos you shared here, Sandy! Just give me a quiet cabin in the mountains, and I am in heaven . . .
    Blessings!

    • Sandra Heska King says

      June 28, 2014 at 11:32 pm

      I do prefer that quiet cabin, Martha. Mountains, river, lake, little row boat. But I wouldn’t turn a cruise down if the opportunity and money turned up. 😉

  3. SimplyDarlene says

    June 29, 2014 at 12:18 am

    That’s some adventure, miss Sandra!

    Even though I’d be more comfortable taking a ferry to AK – the kind where you bring a backpack and sleep on the deck – I think I’ll stick to an inner tube at the lake.

    • Sandra Heska King says

      June 30, 2014 at 9:25 am

      I’d be up for either of those adventures, Darlene. 🙂

  4. Diana Trautwein says

    July 1, 2014 at 3:40 pm

    Wonderfully told, Sandy. Not a big cruise person myself – done 3 – the red boat owned by Disney years ago when our younger two were 16 and 18 and our eldest was already married. Caught the edge of a hurricane on that one. Then a cruise to Alaska, which was okay – just don’t like the BIGNESS of those ships. Again, a bit of rough water at the end. And the long one, where we took our moms, ages 85 and 90, through the Panama Canal and up the west coast of Mexico. 17 days. My mom and Dick both got sick with bronchitis and we lost our moms for about 30 minutes the day we went through the canal. Sigh. We’re glad we did it, but are not anxious to repeat it! LOVE river cruises however, small boat, no programming (or very little), great pace, daily tours included – foot tours, which hopefully, I’ll be able to do again someday.

  5. Charity Singleton Craig says

    July 3, 2014 at 11:24 am

    Sandy – This post supports my theory that the best parts of vacations are usually the worst parts. Or, maybe I should say, the best vacation stories usually involve all the ways the vacations went wrong. Your stories are classic! I hate that your knee was injured, but I love the story of the car and Long John Silver and how Abby got a little more of that family time she longed for while you were holed up in Elizabethtown, Kentucky!

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