Entertainment on Our First Cruise

Windjammer Barefoot Cruise

Yankee Trader

Our first cruise was a 3-day trip to the Bahamas on a small sailing vessel which could travel under mast or by motor.  See our previous article, Our Very First Cruise, for the beginning of the story.

Entertainment

Unlike the modern cruise lines that have all sorts of entertainment from small lounge shows to Broadway-style musicals, nightly entertainment would be provided by the Captain, crew, and passengers.  The "stage" was the upper deck which also served as the main dining room, bar, and meeting area.

In the center image at  the top left is our captain with his magical elephant.   You can't see it in the picture, but there is one of the passengers laying on the ground and about to get a surprise shower from the elephant.   Props for the entertainment was whatever you could find onboard the ship including towels and other supplies.   We had some creative crew and passengers.

Another event was the rowing contest where all the passengers grouped on the wooden platform beneath the main mast (their row boat).   I'm not certain they made much progress "sailing" but the beer that was flowing certainly kept the spirits high as they fought the high waves.

Thanks for Starting Our Amazing Journey

Captain Jon S. Helmick was the skipper on our first cruise.   We owe a great debt of gratitude to him and the rest of the crew for making our first cruise so special.   It is now more than 30 years since that first voyage and we can remember the events as if they happened yesterday.  That certainly says something about the dedication of that crew to providing a great experience for their guests.

We hope that your first cruise is as memorable as ours.   And for those that have been sailing for years, we hope that you have many fond memories like the ones we've shared here.

You haven't lived until you've Cruised ....

Twelfth Tropical Storm of Atlantic Season Forms

        

Tropical Storm Lorenzo

Tropical Storm Lorenzo formed in the Central Atlantic.  The storm is expected to weaken in a couple of days and does not pose a threat to land at this time.

Tropical Storm Lorenzo	500 PM AST MON OCT 21 2013 ...TWELFTH TROPICAL STORM OF THE SEASON FORMS...
WIND:	NEAR 40 MPH...65 KM/H... WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
WATCHES/ WARNINGS:	THERE ARE NO COASTAL WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT.
SHIP IMPACT:	NONE

Storm Archive         Graphics Archive

NHC ACTIVE STORMS (CLICK HERE)

Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES (CLICK HERE)

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

  
SUMMARY OF 500 PM AST...2100 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...28.9N 54.9W
ABOUT 635 MI...1020 KM ESE OF BERMUDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...40 MPH...65 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNE OR 30 DEGREES AT 7 MPH...11 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1008 MB...29.77 INCHES

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH...65 KM/H...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
None

HISTORICAL DATA:

1100 AM EDT MON OCT 21 2013
 
...TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMS IN THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC...

Our Very First Cruise

Windjammer Barefoot Cruises

Yankee Trader 

Bahamas

As National Cruise Vacation Week begins we thought it would be fun to turn back the clock to our very first cruise.  Looking through our old photos, we selected a few to use in this column.   The image on the left shows several images of the Bahamas, which was the destination of our short cruise.  It also shows the mast of our ship and a sister ship that was sailing with us.The images in the right photo were from the Captain's dinner which included a toga party and entertainment by the passengers and crew, including the Captain.

Yankee Trader

Certificate signed by the captain of Yankee Trader

Windjammer Barefoot cruises operated out of Miami, Florida back in the 80s when we took our first cruise.   It was normal for two ships in the fleet to sail together.  In our case the Yankee Trader, which we were on, was joined by M/S Fantome, the flagship of the fleet.   You can see her in the photos above as well. Yankee Trader was smaller than Fantome with a length of 179 feet and passenger capacity of 70. 

We had no intention of going on a windjammer cruise when I went to a local travel show with a friend.   I filled out entry forms at various booths and to my surprise, got a phone call that we had won a passage on the ship.  All we had to do was get to Florida, and if desired pay for the stowaway night (which cost us $25). 

Toga Party & Captain's Dinner

Unlike other cruises on ocean-going ships, dress code on the Yankee Trader was very casual.  They didn't call them barefoot cruises for nothing.   Dressing up for the Captain's dinner meant putting on your sandals.  The night of the dinner began with a toga party.  The rules were that you needed to make your toga from whatever materials you could find and you must not have anything underneath the toga (and the female Purser checked to be sure).    Some of the people knew about the party in advance and were prepared.  We had not know but still participated.   My husband used a nightshirt for his toga and I used some sheets.   The winner of the event had been on the cruise the week before and had collected vines and other embellishments.

Dinner was a pig roast complete with all the trimmings. The Captain did the honors, carving the pig while the crew finalized the preparation of the other items.  To date we still remember this dinner party and the great time we all had.  This is what a great cruise is made of - memories that last for a lifetime.

It is sad that the current generation will never sail on these beautiful sailing vessels.  The fleet is gone and earlier this year Captain Michael Burke, their founder, passed away closing the book on this chapter forever.

It was by chance that we took this first cruise.  We fell in love with cruising and the sea on this trip and the rest is history.   If you've not cruised before, we hope that you'll find a similar experience in your future.  We are certain once you take that first cruise, you'll fall in love like we did.

Raymond First Major Hurricane in East Pacific

  Hurricane Raymond
Category 3

Hurricane Raymond	1100 AM PDT TUE OCT 22 2013 ...AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTERS FIND RAYMOND WEAKER... ...HEAVY RAINFALL THREAT CONTINUES  FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL MEXICO...
WIND:	DECREASED TO NEAR 90 MPH...150 KM/H... WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
WATCHES/ WARNINGS:	A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR... * TECPAN DE GALEANA TO LAZARO CARDENAS A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR... * ACAPULCO TO TECPAN DE GALEANA A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR... * ACAPULCO TO TECPAN DE GALEANA
SHIP IMPACT:	Holland America Line Westerdam changes: 10/22 - 23 Puerto Vallarta, Mexico until 1:00 p.m.  10/24 Huatulco, Mexico cancelled

  Storm Archive         Graphics Archive

 

Raymond, the 8th hurricane of the Pacific Hurricane Season and first major hurricane (category 3 or higher), has sustained winds of 125 miles per hour off the coast of Acapulco, Mexico, just south of Puerto Vallarta.

NHC ACTIVE STORMS (CLICK HERE)

Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES (CLICK HERE)

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

SUMMARY OF 500 AM PDT...1200 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...16.5N 102.0W
ABOUT 85 MI...140 KM SSW OF ZIHUATANEJO MEXICO
ABOUT 140 MI...230 KM W OF ACAPULCO MEXICO
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...115 MPH...185 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...STATIONARY
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...959 MB...28.32 INCHES

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 125 MPH...205 KM/H...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. RAYMOND IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON
HURRICANE WIND SCALE. GRADUAL WEAKENING IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON
TUESDAY.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 25 MILES...35 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 80
MILES...130 KM. 

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
RAINFALL...RAYMOND IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 5 TO
10 INCHES WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF UP TO 15 INCHES OVER THE MEXICAN
STATES OF GUERRERO AND MICHOACAN. THESE RAINS COULD PRODUCE LIFE-
THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES.

WIND...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN PORTIONS
OF THE WARNING AREA TODAY. HURRICANE CONDITIONS MAY OCCUR IN
PORTIONS OF THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA LATER TODAY IF THE CENTER OF
RAYMOND MOVES CLOSER TO THE COAST THAN CURRENTLY FORECAST.

STORM SURGE...A STORM SURGE IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT
COASTAL FLOODING IN AREAS OF ONSHORE WINDS WITHIN THE WARNING
AREAS. NEAR THE COAST...THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND
DESTRUCTIVE WAVES.

SURF...SWELLS GENERATED BY RAYMOND ARE AFFECTING PORTIONS OF THE
SOUTH-CENTRAL COAST OF MEXICO. THESE SWELLS ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE
LIFE-THREATENING SURF AND RIP CURRENT CONDITIONS. FOR MORE
INFORMATION...PLEASE CONSULT PRODUCTS FROM YOUR NATIONAL
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.

 Historical Data:

800 PM PDT SAT OCT 19 2013
 
...TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMS SOUTH OF ACAPULCO...
...EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN AND MOVE SLOWLY TOWARD THE COAST...

200 AM PDT SUN OCT 20 2013
 
...ANOTHER TROPICAL STORM SOUTH OF MEXICO...

200 PM PDT SUN OCT 20 2013
 
...RAYMOND EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE VERY SOON...
...HURRICANE WATCH AND TROPICAL STORM WARNING ISSUED FOR PART OF THE
MEXICAN COAST...

500 PM PDT SUN OCT 20 2013
 
...RAYMOND BECOMES A HURRICANE...

1100 PM PDT SUN OCT 20 2013
 
...RAYMOND HESITATES SOUTH OF THE COAST OF MEXICO...
...ALMOST A MAJOR HURRICANE...

500 AM PDT MON OCT 21 2013
 
...MAJOR HURRICANE RAYMOND DRIFTING NORTHWARD...

National Cruise Vacation Week October 20-27, 2013

We're joining with member travel agencies from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) across the US and Canada to host the Virtual National Cruise Vacation Week (NCVW) which is an opportunity for travelers like you to learn more about one of the most popular vacations: cruising!

Cruising is all about you. 

You can find adventure, culture and education or, relax the day away. Dine on fine cuisine. Indulge at the spa. Reconnect with family. Share romantic moments. All this, in the destination of your choice, for a few days, a week or more, on a cruise that's right for you.

 
CLIA member cruise lines have put together some special offers in honor of NCVW.  Here is a sampling from many of the major cruise lines.  Take advantage of these additional savings.

Cruise Line	Offer Details
AMA Waterways	Up to $500 OBC on select 2013 & 2014 Voyages
Avalon	Save up to $1300 Per Couple on Select 2014 sailings
Azamara Club Cruises	Up to $500 OBC on Select 2014 Europe Voyages
Carnival Cruise Lines	Up to $300 OBC on Select Sailings
Celebrity Cruises	Up to $200 OBC on Alaska, Bermuda, Caribbean or Europe Sailings
Costa Cruises	Rates from $50* per day/50% Reduced Deposit
Cunard	Up to $300 OBC Plus Complimentary Balcony Upgrade on Select Sailings
Holland America Lines	Up to $200 OBC combinable with Explore 4 on Select Sailings
MSC Cruises	Up to $200 OBC on Select Divina Sailings
Norwegian Cruise Lines	Up to $500 OBC Plus Reduced Deposit on Select Sailings
Oceania	Up to $850 OBC On Select Sailings
Paul Gaugin	Up to $200 OBC on 2014 Sailings
Regent Seven Seas Cruises	$200 OBC per suite for 2013 and 2014 New Bookings
Princess Cruises	Save up to $2000 per stateroom on select sailings
Royal Caribbean International	Up to $100 OBC per booking on Caribbean Sailings
Windstar Cruises	$100 OBC on Select Sailings

Venice Cruise Terminal to Pizzale Roma

 Inexpensive Transport 

Cruise Terminal

to Airports & 

Train Station

If you've been to Venice on a cruise ship, you know that you are docked far from the center of activities and the main squares of Venice.  Typical transportation is via a water taxi (vaporetto).

While you are sightseeing via ship-provided tours, reaching the heart of Venice isn't a problem, however getting to the airport or train station on your own, when the cruise is completed, can be a daunting and expensive task.

HINT: Take Tram to Piazzale Roma

Piazzale Roma is a square in Venice, Italy which serves as the main bus terminal.  There are bus links to Venice Marco Polo Airport and Treviso Airport. The square is close to the main Santa Lucia (Ferrovia) railway station for Venice, linked by the Ponte della Costituzione, a modern footbridge over the western end of the Grand Canal.

We can tell you from experience this is the way to go as long as you are able to handle your luggage on your own, especially over the footbridge.   If you can't, you might be lucky enough to have a good looking Italian fellow assist you over the bridge (of course he'll be expecting to be rewarded for his good deed).

Short Walk to Tram

Getting to the tram is pretty easy.   Just cut through the cruise terminal and walk along the footpath for about a five-minute walk to the peoplemover tram entrance.  Tickets are vended from the machine on ground level (they’re €1 each, machines take euro coins or cash).  Take the escalator or elevator to the platform where you'll board modern cars that can accommodate you and your luggage in comfort.

Santa Lucia Train Station

The tram is a recent improvement (2010) in Venice and not widely known.  Our destination from the cruise terminal was the train station for our return to Rome (Civitavecchia) for our final post-cruise night before flying back home.  

By taking the train to and from the ship, we were able to purchase round-trip air from Rome instead of one-way tickets to Rome and from Venice, which saved us on overall cost.


Best spent €1  during the entire Mediterranean Cruise - very convenient

Additional photos can be found on our Facebook Albums.




Click on the image to the left for more Blog posts about this trip.

Connect With Us On

        

Sign-up for Exclusive Email Offers


Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday night for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat

What Would Christopher Columbus Think

Columbus First Transatlantic

La Pinta (Spanish for The Painted One or The Spotted One) was the fastest of the three ships used by Christopher Columbus in his first transatlantic voyage in 1492

The Pinta was square rigged and smaller than the Santa María. the ship weighed approximately 60 tons with an estimated deck length of 17 meters (56 ft) and a width of 5.36 meters (17.6 ft). The crew size was 26 men under Captain Martín Alonso Pinzón.

On the evening of 3 August 1492, Columbus departed from Spain with three ships, including the Pinta.  He first sailed to the Canary Islands where he stopped for repairs and provisions, staying there until 6 September 1492.

First Person to Sight Land

In the wee hours of 12 October 1492, Columbus claims to have seen the light of land. Columbus called the island (in what is now The Bahamas) San Salvador.  He claimed the lifetime pension promised by Ferdinand and Isabella in connection with the sighting.

How Does Pinta  Compare to Today's Cruise Ships

Oasis of the Seas is 47 meters wide and 360 meters long, i.e. 40 m longer than the height of the Eiffel tower! Height over the water line is 65 m. Building the vessel has been compared to a huge 3-dimensional puzzle. The vessel consists of 180 grand blocks, the biggest with a size of length 22 m, width 30 m and weight 600 tons! The vessel´s weight is 12 times the weight of the Eiffel tower. 

 Pinta Definitely Out-Sized

Here you see just one of the 180 grand blocks that comprised the Oasis of the Seas.  Let's assume that it's the largest block.  That would mean that the Pinta was 5m shorter and 1/10th the weight of just that one building block.

Oasis of the Seas First Transatlantic

Just like the Pinta, the Captain of the Oasis of the Seas set sail from Europe destined for Bahamas and points beyond.   The Oasis made the journey from 31 October 2009 until 13 November 2009, arriving two days later than planned due to a tropical storm it encountered during the crossing.   Columbus too had encountered tropical weather during his crossing.

Columbus would probably be amazed if he sailed his ship alongside the Oasis of the Seas.   We'll take a look at more ships as we continue our special series for National Cruise Vacation Month. 

Compare La Pinta to other Cruise Ships

Choose from 289 ships by 24 cruise lines