Cruising on a ship (as opposed to Soi Twilight!)

[bao-bao]

This report is for the most dedicated readers on Sawatdee, since itтАЩs off in the hinterlands of the Any Other Country forum, but for those of you who are willing to venture out past the borders of the Land of Smiles IтАЩd heartily recommend a sail someplace on one of the ships of Holland America.

This was the ship at dock in Honolulu.

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I took a round-trip on it last month from California to Hawaii -- along with 650 some-odd crew members, 99% of them Indonesian or Filipino males. OK, not just me... I had to share them with another 1,400 passengers, but most of them didnтАЩt seem to give the crew a second glance, as long as they had their drinks delivered, their food served and their little chocolates in place next to the folded towel animals on their evening beds.

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The crew themselves were gracious, pleasant and unfailingly willing to please, from the front desk guysтАж

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тАжto the dining room hostsтАж

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тАжto the buffet wait staff and bus staffтАж

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тАжto the dishwashers, w-a-y back in the scullery.

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As anyone who reads my posts know I tend to wander off the usual trail. The galley, crew areas and such are often interesting to me, and I appreciate a view other than the тАЬapproved tourтАЭ ones just as often as I can finagle my way into them. HereтАЩs one of the shipтАЩs entertainers, posing while showing me around backstage of the huge evening entertainment showroom:

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My favorites were the stewards in the formal dining room. Since they spoke the most fluent English, I could joke around and have fun with them the easiest. Most had a wonderful sense of humor and likewise a sense of тАЬsanookтАЭ as lively as the Thai.

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Although there were strict rules about the crew mixing with the passengers away from their regular assigned areas (you couldnтАЩt invite a new friend to your cabin or out to one of the other areas for a drink, for example) they were free to do as they wished when on liberty in port.

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It was two weeks of total relaxation while being pampered by the staff of the ship. For those willing to try something different, I certainly recommend it.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z56/khunbaobao/PA160609adj-W.jpg

[Smiles]

Actually, I'd like to have a go at putting that 'no fratanizin' rule to rest: consider it a 'liaisons dangereux' moment and go at under some dark and damp bulkhead in the lower depths of that tub.

Thanks for the great photos Bao Bao (as usual).

Cheers ...

[francois]

How much is a cruise such as this one to Hawaii?

[bao-bao]

How much is a cruise such as this one to Hawaii?

There are many cruise lines, and IтАЩm far from an expert on the differences. Holland America alone lists 30-some-odd тАЬAsiaтАЭ cruises alone, and some of them dock in Thailand, just in case youтАЩd ever thought of a special trip for a тАЬspecialтАЭ person there. Here is one of theirs (at random) that docks in LOSтАж

12 -Day Southeast Asia Explorer ports of call: Hong Kong, China; Sanya, Hainan, PRC; Da Nang, Vietnam; Phu My, Vietnam; Bangkok, Thailand; Koh Samui, Thailand; Sihanoukville, Cambodia; Singapore.

With the fuel surcharge and tips the rack rate on their website for the above cruise runs $168USD per day for an inside cabin or $193 per day for those who need an outside cabin to even more with a verandah. I find IтАЩm not in the cabin enough to need a window out but if one were claustrophobic I guess they might.

To answer your actual question (finally!) my cruise was $1,800USD, or about $120 per day, booked through a travel agent I've known for decades. Incidentals took it a little over $2,000 total, but I did NOT sign up for any of the dozen or so on-shore excursions. Those range from around $30 for a shopping tour by bus to a couple of hundred per person for helicopter tours, etc. I visited some friends and family on a couple of the stops in port.

Travel agents and online sites offer a wide range of pricing for these things -- rather like air fares and hotel rates (this is, after all, a floating hotel that moves you around). Like any other travel you have to do some research if youтАЩre interested in the lowest pricing.

There are many here who enjoy a far simpler stays on land in Asia тАУ such as a simple room for rent, inexpensive meals at small street-side eateries and such тАУ and thatтАЩs a lovely trip, too, but this was mentioned as an alternative and it's certainly not to everyoneтАЩs taste or budget.

The rooms are quite nice but also fairly small by hotel standards, and are kept spotless by your cabin stewards who check it many times a dayтАж they seem to know when youтАЩve gone to breakfast or out to read on a deck chair, and are often in to change towels or tidy up before youтАЩre back. You have a primary steward and they have an assistant. I have never had anything go missing, nor has anyone I've talked to aboard ship. There's a room safe for smaller valuables, but it's not large enough for a laptop.

My cabin, with the bed and window behind me, facing the entryway. The bath (with shower/tub) is across from the closets.
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As an example of honesty IтАЩve seen with crewmembers: on the first evening of one cruise IтАЩd realized I didnтАЩt need the pocketful of change I was carrying around (itтАЩs a cash-free environment) and had dumped it on the dresser counter before going to dinner. When I returned it was all still there but had been stacked into a neat row of coins, by denomination.

They put on a smiling face and perform their jobs with an unflagging positive attitude that would be difficult to fake. That alone is a good indication that itтАЩs not a US union crew! Save the "how un-American" comments, please... it's true, and I have no intentions of getting into a pissing contest about it. I've talked to many crew members, seen where (and how) they live aboard ship while on their contracted stints, and it's humble but far more than just "decent." Their wages by Western standards sound low, but they all have enough to send home to their families as well as things for themselves.

The cleaning crew were always on duty, polishing, sweeping, even wiping fingerprints off the brass and railings
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ThereтАЩs a formal dining room (no denim, t-shirts or short) a casual restaurant, a casual buffet, a hot dog / hamburger / pizza spot by one of the pools, and a number of other meal/snack opportunities. ThereтАЩs also no charge for room service, 24 hours a day. I'd have coffee and some type of breakfast breads delivered by one of the guys before showering and heading to breakfast whenever I felt like it.

Part of the lower level of the formal Rotterdam dining room
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A couple of the room service guys
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I had my choice of two pools, two Jacuzzis, a well-equipped gym, a library (books and DVDs to check out and play in your cabin), a casino with card tables and slot machines, a movie theater and a couple dozen activities per day to choose from. You can be as busy or as sedentary as you wish.

Not EVERYthing is free, and hereтАЩs a big one for those who think keeping their blood as thin as possible is the prime directive for any holiday: alcohol is not unlimited and free, as the food isтАж you sign a chit for it and settle your tab at the end of the cruise. As someone who doesnтАЩt drink alcohol it doesnтАЩt bother me, but I remember back in the past it would have. Thank goodness those days are far behind me.

It's not as inexpensive by a LONG shot as one can find on other vacations, but the dollar value is hard to beat. In addition to that, you get views you can't get any other way.

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A long answer to a short question, but I hope this helps.

Nice post, thanks for sharing
Cheers

[Patexpat]

I dear Thai friend of mine is a cruise line steward currently in the Carribean who calls me with weekly updates from wherever he happens to be. Socialising with passengers really is an absolute 'no no' onboard and can result in dismissal. Also guy sif you are lucky enough to enjoy the great standard of service you get on a cruise line, remember the salaries ARE very low and it's the gratuities that make the job worth while ....