European Cruise: Vol. 1

Soon, the day for our cruise had arrived. When we had booked the cruise, months ago we had foreseen that we might need a break from all the backpacking...a place where we could put the bags down and forget about arranging a hotel and transportation for the next leg of our trip. We were right.

But, early one morning there we were with our packs again after taking a train to the port in Rome. Having never been on a cruise before we naturally were wondering how it was we would get to the ship. Our decision? Oh, just walk towards that really, really big ship. So, we began and quickly came across a group waiting for a free shuttle bus. Yes, that's right...free. But, being the intrepid backpackers that we were (and by intrepid, I mean stubborn), we decide that we don't want to wait for this FREE shuttle bus and just walk. It can't be that far...

So, there we were...walking through this enormous port, trying to get to Pier 25. Surrounded by container ships, industrial-looking equipment and the smell of old fish, the word "free" kept echoing through our minds. Well, no problem. We made it to check in after a good, long sweaty walk and were ready to start our cruise adventure.

The first thing we noticed was that there didn't seem to be a lot (or any) fellow backpackers on this cruise. No surprise there, really. Everybody else checked their bags but why would we when we could just carry them on our backs? So, after going through the process we proceeded to board the biggest ship we had ever seen. We made our way up to the 9th deck and opened the door to the nicest and most comfortable room we had stayed in until that point.

Having perused the information set out for us, we quickly realized that hadn't a thing to wear. Absolutely, no shorts or sandals in the dining rooms? We had forgotten to bring our tuxedoes and formal dresses on this backpacking adventure. Anxiety began to build...where would we eat if we couldn't go in the dining room? Would we starve? The answer was most certainly, no.

Mmmm...cookies...
Being unfamiliar with all things giant cruise ship related, we soon realized that there were many, many, many places to eat and the one thing they wanted to be sure of was that no person went hungry. We ate better and more than we had in our year in Taiwan. Not to mention that the place we most often ate on the ship was on the 11th deck and had a whole wall that was only windows looking out to sea. So, we often would eat, looking out at the sea, watching the sun drop below the horizon. And unforgettable experience.
In addition to the great eats, this ship also contained a huge pool/sun area, mini golf course, ice skating rink, a full-size theater, rock climbing wall, shopping "promenade", a casino, basketball court, library, not to mention countless bars and places to eat. Excessive much? We thought so, but loved indulging ourselves and feeling like we were living a life of luxury if only for a week.