This week on The Joy of Cruising Podcast I am delighted to welcome Donald and Heidi Bucolo, the creators of the popular and highly influential Eat Sleep Cruise, an award-winning blog. Eat Sleep Cruise was selected by Porthole Cruise Magazine to its list of the top 10 Cruise Influencers of 2019. Eat Sleep Cruise has been quoted regularly in places like Forbes, CNBC, AARP magazine, and Porthole Cruise Magazine. Eat Sleep Cruise was featured in my second book Cruising Interrupted amzn.to/3seFU8y in a section called Bloggers: Cruise Community Champions. Eat Sleep Cruise brings a very comprehensive and diverse perspective to the cruise conversation. Don and Heidi have sailed all the major mega-ships; they tend to try out every major new ship that is launched; and, they also have also sailed on more intimate vessels to unique destinations like the high-end Viking Ocean Cruises, and Windstar Cruises. They have sailed throughout the Caribbean and Bahamas, Alaska, Hawaii, Cuba, Bermuda, Ireland, Iceland, and Northern Europe and have experienced bucket list excursions like helicopter tours in both Alaska and Hawaii; a glacier walk in Alaska, exploring Chacchoben Mayan Ruins in Costa Maya, Mexico; a stop in St. Petersburg, Russia where they visited the Hermitage Museum and attended the Russian Ballet; Berlin where Heidi and Don saw the Berlin Cathedral, the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, and visited the remnants of the Berlin Wall; the Game of Thrones tour on a visit to Northern Ireland. And, they have visited some of the world’s best beaches including Horseshoe Bay Beach in Bermuda, Eagle Beach in Aruba, Waikiki Beach in Oahu, White Bay Beach in Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands, and the Baths at Virgin Gorda. I could go on and on, but i just wanted to provide you a sense for what you can learn about by visiting the Eat Sleep Cruise blog and YouTube channel.
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On this bonus episode of The Joy of Cruising Podcast, I am delighted to welcome Stephanie and her mom, Marineda. A few weeks ago I did a fun episode called The Godmother and referred to it as a modern-day fairy tale. Well, I just learned of another modern-day fairy tale—a sweet Mother's Day oriented tale that I would have found compelling in and of itself. What made it extra special for me was when I clicked on a Holland America Line blog post, I recognized in the accompanying photo of Stephanie and Marineda, that I knew Marineda from when we worked together in Florida where I lived for nine years. And, we are Facebook friends. When I read the post, some other considerations made me that much more interested in their story. First of all, Marineda and I both grew up in Brooklyn, and moved to Long Island, NY. The blog post discussed a Holland American Line Westerdam cruise to Alaska that Stephanie and her mom sailed. We recently did a podcast episode, Fire & Ice, which detailed our own cruise to Alaska in May so I couldn’t wait to compare and contrast Alaska experiences with them. Stephanie and Marineda’s Westerdam cruise was the result of a touching letter Stephanie sent to the NBC Today Show about her relationship with her mom in response to a Mother’s Day Brunch challenge. Perhaps most amazingly, I learned from the blog post that Marineda was 88—which means we worked together when Marineda was 85! I’d have never guessed that!
I am so appreciative they agreed to share such a beautiful story with the listeners of The Joy of Cruising Podcast. www.thejoyofcruisingpodcast.com The Joy of Cruising Podcast welcomes to this week's episode, Neil Gregory who kept, and continues to update a diary of his time working as a videographer on several ships for Princess Cruises. His story is real, raucous and laugh-out-loud funny! Cruise Ship Diaries was featured in the just released The Joy of Cruising Again amzn.to/3lAfyON
This podcast pertains to Neil’s first contract onboard Coral Princess.. After Coral Princess, Neil went on to the world cruise on Sun Princess and then contracts on Sapphire Princess, Diamond Princess, Crown Princess, Grand Princess, Emerald Princess, Dawn Princess, Royal Princess, and the Ocean Princess over the ensuing seven years. I worked for Princess Cruises for seven years and they were some of the best experiences of my life. Every itinerary had its pros and cons as did every contract; the highs on certain days were immeasurable: from scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef, to climbing the Great Wall of China, visiting Angkor Wat in Cambodia and getting to walk across the Panama Canal. The lows could be working yourself to burnout for little pay, not getting along with the people you worked with or shared a cabin with and missing friends and family back home or ‘the real world’ as we called it in our cruise ship bubble—Neil Gregory, Cruise Ship Diaries www.thejoyofcruisingpodcast.com “Hello, passionate cruisers! This is Paul, and on this bonus episode of The Joy of Cruising Podcast, I am delighted to welcome James and Rebecca, who are the embodiment of Cameo Rascale, internationally acclaimed circus variety act dazzling audiences across the globe! We experienced this dynamic husband and wife duo performing exciting acrobatics, mesmerising juggling and quick-witted comedy on our recent bucket list 16-day cruise from Hawaii to Alaska. On the second night of the cruise I saw that the headliner in the theater was a juggler. Jugglers are always a lot of fun, and if you listened to Episode 2 featuring Ilana of Life Well Cruise, you might recall Ilana being asked to toss the bowling pin to the juggler and she almost hit him in the head (the video of that is in the episodes’ show notes.) I thought perhaps this juggler was the same one. Well, this juggling act Cameo Rascale was unlike any I had ever seen. First of all, as mentioned it was a married couple. James did all the amazing things jugglers do, including juggling axes, knives, and bowling balls. But the acrobatics, dance, and humorous interplay with Rebecca added a unique dimension. We were spellbound, and laughing the entire show. And at the end of the show, I got excited when James mentioned they would be performing an entirely different show later in the cruise, which we made sure to get better seats for and had as much fun or more than the first performance. I am so appreciative they agreed to be on The Joy of Cruising Podcast. www.thejoyofcruisingpodcast.com
![]() This week on The Joy of Cruising Podcast, I am delighted to welcome my friend Marcus Adams of the website Sparkx. Marcus is a 30-something leading UK-based blogger and travel writer who is passionate about cruising. Marcus is a sought-after cruise expert, and he writes for and contributes to several publications and websites in UK and the USA, such as Porthole Cruise Magazine, Huffington Post, The Telegraph, Daily Mail, and CNN. Marcus has also been a featured contributor for Cruise International Magazine, specializing in LGBTQ travel. I featured Marcus in The Joy of Cruising in a section called “Cruising’s Young and Restless” which focused on up-and-coming millennials making their mark in cruising. Marcus is still doing great things in cruising, and it is so good to chat with him again. There is an excerpt of that feature on this blog https://www.thejoyofcruising.net/blog/marcus-adams-cruisings-young-and-restless The Joy of Cruising Podcast. www.thejoyofcruisingpodcast.com Fire & Ice: Reflections On Our 16-Day Hawaii-Alaska Cruise (The Joy of Cruising Podcast 5/22)5/18/2023 ![]() www.TheJoyOfCruisingPodcast.com Our Fire & Ice adventure began with a really long day of flights from the east coast to Honolulu so I can say that was the least positive aspect of the trip. Well, other than an Uber ride from hell. It would take too long to explain but let me just say it started with me having to use Apple Maps on my phone to direct the Uber driver to the airport. It got worse. We had a day in Honolulu before boarding NCL Spirit, so we did a city tour and visited Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial. What a solemn but informative experience that was. I knew USS Arizona sank in the attack—entombing over 900 servicemen—but I didn’t realize it was situated right below the memorial. In fact, inside the memorial was an opening into the water below and you could almost touch the hull of the Arizona. I asked a park ranger why the bodies were not recovered. He told me some were, but few could be identified, and a couple of the divers died in the process of trying to recover bodies. He told me the remaining 900 or so were instantly cremated from the force of the blast. By the way, on the photo below note the flag at the USS Arizona Memorial. It is at half-staff because one of the two remaining survivors of USS Arizona passed away recently, leaving a sole survivor of USS Arizona, Lou Conter, a 102-year-old Californian. The somber tour made me want to learn. Since getting home I’ve already re-watched Pearl Harbor, good but a little too romanticized for me, but my wife didn’t mind, and re-watched Tora Tora Tora. That evening we dined on some coconut shrimp and poke, and picked up some malasadas, i.e., Hawaiian beignets stuffed with filling—our choice was coconut cream—for breakfast before we boarded the ship. NCL Spirit is a small ship relative to today’s mega-ships, and with a build date of 1998 it is the oldest ship we have been on, but it appears to be virtually new because right before the Covid lockdown it had a $100 million bow to stern refurbishment. Alas, one thing a refurbishment can’t change is the size of the cabin and bathroom. Our oceanview cabin was well appointed with better storage than larger cabins I’ve been in, but it was tight overall, and the bathroom was the smallest I’ve ever been in. The only complaint I have about the cabin—that NCL could control—was the size of the flat-screen TV. It looked to be a 30 or 36-inch; I think they cheaped out on that. At least it showed some of the NBA playoffs even if I had to sit at the foot of the bed to cheer on my Lakers against Cheryl’s Warriors! Our first stop after embarkation was Kona, on the west coast of the big island. We didn’t purchase any excursions for Kona, as we met up with a family friend, my daughter’s college roommate, Binti, and her son. Binti who relocated to Kona several years ago, took us on a brief tour and then we had lunch at Island Lava Java Kona, highly recommended if you ever cruise to Kona—you can see the ship from it. Back on the ship that evening the entertainment got off to a rousing start with Cameo Rascale, a husband and wife juggling and acrobatics team. The husband did all the amazing things jugglers do, including juggling axes; but the acrobatics and dance with his wife added a unique dimension. Next week Monday 5/29, we will have a bonus episode featuring a conversation with Cameo Rascale. A couple of nights later we were treated to a similarly amazing husband and wife team called Javi Cruz—a magician/illusionist act. For this show, we got seats right up front because I wanted to see if I could figure out any illusions. They were absolutely spellbinding and no, I did not come close to figuring anything out. A few years ago, we attended an illusionist show in Vegas that cost us $300, and without hesitation, I can say that this complimentary show on NCL Spirit was much better. I have reached out to Javi Cruz about appearing on The Joy of Cruising Podcast, so I have my fingers crossed. Would love to bring that conversation to our listeners. Despite the great shows at the beginning of the cruise, we didn’t go to all the Spirit shows; some didn’t appeal to us. Others conflicted with the timing of the NBA playoffs—that is when they were broadcast; the ship's satellite schedule was unpredictable—you were just as likely to get hockey or rugby. There was only one comedian, Micky D who was ok, who did two shows: a family-friendly one, and an adult-oriented show. We are avid stand-up comedy fans and I found that kind of paltry compared to cruise lines in the same market segment as NCL, like Royal Caribbean or Carnival. Comedy is a big draw in this segment. I cruised for 7-days on Carnival Mardi Gras last August and we were entertained by four comedians, each of whom did a family show and an adult show. With only six kids—I heard—on Spirit, I think NCL could have at least done a family show and two or more adult shows featuring different sets over 16 days. To finish up on shows, the finale, on night 15, Elements, was a lighting, sound, costumes, and choreography spectacle—as good as any show I have seen on a cruise ship, except the aqua shows on Royal Caribbean Oasis-class ships, which just due to size of the venues is not a fair comparison. The focal point of Elements was Javi Cruz, the aforementioned illusionist act but it by no means was just a redux of their magic show. They were supported by dancers and aerialists that had to be every member of the entertainment staff. The show was breathtaking. It turns out Elements has been running for several years simultaneously on various NCL ships so contrary to my initial impression, it was not a show put together just for Javi Cruz. Wow, wow, wow! Back to the itinerary, Day 3 of the cruise was Kauai, Hawaii’s oldest island, which is highlighted by Waimea Canyon, aka “the Grand Canyon” in the Pacific. There were so many great photo spots that we were exposed to between Hawaii and Alaska, but I think Waimea Canyon was the most picturesque. It was breathtaking and I urge you to check out the photos below. Day 4 Spirit stopped in Maui, the 2nd largest of the Hawaiian Islands. Normally, the highlight of a stop in Maui is riding The Road to Hana. We chose to pass on it as the ship’s excursion would cost us over $900. If you visit Maui in the future, you can choose to do a non-cruise ship excursion for less than half that, but our ship didn’t port until 10 which was too late for the private tours. Or, if you are brave, you can do like my friends Nancy and Dale Houchens did on a previous cruise and save a lot of money—they rented a car and drove The Road to Hana themselves. I understand it is not a drive for the faint-hearted, i.e., me, but Dale did it. By the way, Nancy and Dale will be on the podcast in August to discuss their feature in The Joy of Cruising Again, “Living On Cruise Ships,” and I will ask them about their drive of The Road to Hana on the show. Instead, along with several other members of the Spirit’s Facebook group we hired a private tour of the island. The well-informed driver, a transplant from Colorado, drove us by Oprah’s compound, we went to an operating bee farm and visited a beach with giant Hawaiian turtles which at first appeared to be giant black rocks in the sand. Day 5 was Hilo, home of the Volcanoes National Park which has two active volcanoes—Kilauea and Maura Loa. In addition to the main attraction, Kilauea volcano, a sight to behold, it was fascinating to see dozens of holes in the ground emitting steam, some of which you could walk right up to, with a metal banister to keep you from falling in and take photos right next to it. Cheryl had me stand by one for a photo…it took a little too long. She didn’t realize my back felt like it was being singed! We came to a set of buildings close to the Kilauea volcano. The buildings used to be a part of the tour, but the area was closed off by a chained gate. There was a sign on the gate that read: Why are these buildings closed? Under that question, the sign read: In 2018, the summit of Kilauea volcano experienced a major eruption that damaged these buildings. That really made me want to go check out those buildings! I guess they weren’t structurally sound. The next six days we were at sea on our way to Alaska, and I suspect I gained about six pounds during those six days! We had made reservations at each of Spirit’s specialty restaurants during the sea days so let me talk about food on the ship in general. First, the not-so-good. Spirit’s buffet was small and uninspiring, so we rarely ate there. I can understand the small part, but for us, the selections and presentation just weren’t exciting. They did have tasty cookies, which was the only item we would stop by for regularly. Other complimentary choices included The Local, a 24-hour eatery where we typically ate breakfast, and occasional lunches and late-night snacks for burgers, Reuben’s, fish & chips, and the like. We enjoyed it a lot and the bar at The Local was my go-to. Another complimentary eatery was Silk, an Asian-inspired dinner spot that we enjoyed a couple of times, and of course, the main dining room (MDR), where we ate dinner regularly. We also ate lunch there regularly given the uninspiring buffet. Eating in the main dining room for lunch is something we rarely do, and I have to say I’m glad that was a habit we picked up on this cruise. In the main dining room, there is a little placard on each table that says, “Nobody does dine like NCL.” The first time I saw that, I thought that was pretty audacious on NCL’s part, but after many meals there for lunch and dinner I have to say that it was as good a main dining room as I have experienced—at least post-Covid lockdown. The consensus in the cruise community is that MDRs across most lines have suffered lower quality post-lockdown. The only con I had was that conspicuously missing from the MDR was lobster, and my cruise tradition, escargot! We tried each of the specialty restaurants. Cagney’s Steakhouse was outstanding. I had filet mignon. Onda Italian restaurant was pretty good—the almost dinner plate-sized piece of veal seemed to be a waste of food—they could have given me half and I would not have complained. I looked at the plates of other diners and in my small sample size, no one ate all of the veal. That’s not meant as a complaint so much as an observation—it tasted quite good. Teppanyaki is always fun; our chef said he was half Japanese, half Filipino—a Jalapeño. Le Bistro was a French restaurant. It was mostly excellent, but I had an interesting ending to my meal. I like to try new foods on a cruise; that’s how I discovered escargot—which by the way was my appetizer at Le Bistro. I once tried frog legs for the first time on a cruise—and that was my last time. I decided to try Foie Gras on my filet—even paid an upcharge for it. Let’s just say it’s an acquired taste—and one I won’t be acquiring. I ate it all, perhaps I was waiting for that aha moment; more probably because I paid extra for it. While waiting for dessert I looked up Foie Gras on Wikipedia, wondering why it was considered such a delicacy. Why did I do that? (It turns out there’s a great deal of controversy regarding force-feeding ducks to fatten them up to produce foie Gras-which is duck liver.) Oh well, a good meal otherwise but now I felt like an animal abuser! All in all, the specialty restaurants on Spirit, were about on par with other lines, although well below the best I ever had--Eden and Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud, both on Celebrity Beyond. Day 11 was the first port in Alaska, Icy Strait Point. We did not go on an excursion, choosing instead to ride the free gondola to a great spot where there was a lot of local jewelry and crafts created and sold by the Tlinklits—indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast—eateries, and great whale watching—and yes, we got a few photos of whales briefly emerging.. Day 12 presented one of the most interesting days of the cruise—and we never got off the ship. NCL Spirit visited Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, comprised of 3.3 million acres and over 1000 glaciers. A couple of Park Rangers boarded the ship—yes, they climbed aboard from their vessel by ladder. They happened to be married to each other. The wife provided ongoing commentary over the PA system from the Spirit’s top deck Spinnaker Observation Lounge. And then her husband provided an informative slide show in the main theater. It was particularly fascinating to see photos and hear stories of early 20th-century visitors to the area. And they told us about their upcoming camping and kayaking in the wilderness of the park, armed with lots of bear spray. Uh, nope. Day 13 we stopped in Skagway, a small city in southeast Alaska. As a guest on other podcasts, I’ve been asked what’s my favorite excursion. Well, I’ve got a new response. The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad also known as the “Scenic Railway of the World” where vintage locomotives transit the famously steep route used by prospectors during the gold rush. The scenic vistas were spectacular through the windows of the train but what was even better are the photos you were able to take by standing on a platform between the railroad cars. I was scared to death of dropping my iPhone, but I got some really nice photos below. Day 14 was Juneau, the capital of Alaska. One of the best places to see a bald eagle and we saw several. Our excursion there was the Mendenhall Glacier and Salmon Bake. At Mendenhall Glacier, we walked a couple of trails that allowed us to have up-close views of the Glacier and nearby waterfalls. Then we were bussed nearby to eat salmon grilled over a wood fire and all the fixings: baked beans, cornbread, potatoes, ribs, clam chowder, blueberry cake and hot apple cider. On day 15, our final stop was at Ketchikan, 90 miles north of British Columbia. We didn’t go on an excursion there, choosing to take the free shuttle into town. Very walkable and a very nice day. I saw some wearing short sleeves. It was in the 60’s. We chose to go to Annabelle’s Famous Keg and Chowder House for some King Crab and Dungeness Crab—and I’m glad we did because that’s where we ran into Cameo Rascale. ![]() ![]() After a sea day, we embarked in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. We had opted for a city tour as we weren’t scheduled to board for the long set of flights home until the evening. What a beautiful city. Well, this was not so much a review per se, as our hopefully not-too-random reflections. I know a lot of us like grades and ratings so here you go:
Itinerary/excursions 10/10 Cruise ship amenities/activities/shows 8.5/10 Food 8.5/10 Overall 9/10 I would not hesitate to choose the Fire & Ice Cruise! Thank you for joining us today for this bonus episode. Please join us Monday 5/29, for the follow-up to the Fire & Ice episode, a conversation with Cameo Rascale. We’ll see you on the ocean! ![]() Another birthday has passed, but instead of feeling celebratory, you’re feeling down. As you think about your future, you realize that not much excites you anymore. If you are in the midst of a midlife crisis, you don’t have to feel stuck forever. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you break out of this trap. Consider Changing Careers Perhaps you chose a particular career path back when you were in college, and you’ve stuck to it ever since. But recently, you may have been feeling like you’ve outgrown your current job. It’s okay to change careers midlife. You might be surprised by how many transferable skills you’ve developed throughout your roles! Choose a new professional path that feels truly fulfilling. Try Therapy When you’re dealing with a midlife crisis, you might feel like you’re grasping for answers on what to do next. A therapist can help you identify solutions. Finding the right therapist takes time. Very Well Mind suggests seeking out recommendationsfrom your friends or doctor, and finding a therapist who focuses on the specific issues that you want to address. Thankfully, with online therapy, you’ll have access to lots of different licensed professionals at lower rates. Most will offer free consultations so that you can ensure you’re a good fit before moving forward. Eat Healthy Eating healthier meals can dramatically affect your mental and physical health. There are a number of kitchen products that can help you cook healthier meals. Vegetable steamers allow you to cook vegetables without using any oil, making them a healthy and low-fat option. Food processors can be used to create healthy and nutritious soups and sauces, as well as to prepare fruits and vegetables for salads. Finally, crock pots allow you to slowly cook meats and vegetables, resulting in tender and flavorful dishes. Before purchasing any kitchen products, read reviews to determine their quality and effectiveness. Choose a New Hobby Many people experience a midlife crisis because their day-to-day life feels stagnant. Sometimes, simply mixing up your routine can be a breath of fresh air. If it’s been a while since you’ve learned something new, it might be time to pick up a new hobby. Check out the course offerings at your local community college, ask a friend if you can accompany them to an activity group that they are a member of, or take on an art project without judging yourself based on the quality of the final product. Learning a new hobby Isn’t about being great right away. It’s just about getting out of your comfort zone and recognizing that you are capable of more than you thought. Practice Mindfulness Meditation, practicing yoga, journaling, and other forms of mindfulness can all be highly beneficial. Everyday Health statesthat meditation can enhance your ability to regulate negative emotions, keep your stress levels under control, and alleviate symptoms of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. If you have struggled with meditation in the past, you may want to consider taking a meditation class or downloading an app where you can access guided meditations. Consider Relocating Moving can help to reduce stress levels, improve sleep quality, and increase overall happiness. In addition, moving can provide a sense of accomplishment and a new sense of purpose. For people who are struggling with mental health issues, these benefits can be extremely valuable. Moving also offers the opportunity to meet new people and explore new places. This can help to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Consider renting a new home—when you rent, you won’t have to commit to a long-term move. When you’re ready to explore your options, look through online listings to find a rental with the amenities you desire. Travel the World Nothing changes your perspective on life like travel. If you’ve been proactive about saving money, this might be the perfect opportunity to use some of those funds and book a trip to somewhere that you’ve always wanted to visit. Traveling somewhere new can introduce you to new lifestyles, cultures, and sources of inspiration. You might come back home feeling like an entirely new person! When you’re faced with a midlife crisis, it’s easy to think that your best days are behind you. But chances are, you haven’t reached your full potential yet, and you have no idea how many beautiful things are waiting for you just around the corner. By taking steps like relocating, finding a more fulfilling career, and practicing mindfulness, you’ll feel like you’ve taken out a new lease on life! Photo via Pexels Another birthday has passed, but instead of feeling celebratory, you’re feeling down. As you think about your future, you realize that not much excites you anymore. If you are in the midst of a midlife crisis, you don’t have to feel stuck forever. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you break out of this trap. Consider Changing Careers Perhaps you chose a particular career path back when you were in college, and you’ve stuck to it ever since. But recently, you may have been feeling like you’ve outgrown your current job. It’s okay to change careers midlife. You might be surprised by how many transferable skills you’ve developed throughout your roles! Choose a new professional path that feels truly fulfilling. Try Therapy When you’re dealing with a midlife crisis, you might feel like you’re grasping for answers on what to do next. A therapist can help you identify solutions. Finding the right therapist takes time. Very Well Mind suggests seeking out recommendationsfrom your friends or doctor, and finding a therapist who focuses on the specific issues that you want to address. Thankfully, with online therapy, you’ll have access to lots of different licensed professionals at lower rates. Most will offer free consultations so that you can ensure you’re a good fit before moving forward. Eat Healthy Eating healthier meals can dramatically affect your mental and physical health. There are a number of kitchen products that can help you cook healthier meals. Vegetable steamers allow you to cook vegetables without using any oil, making them a healthy and low-fat option. Food processors can be used to create healthy and nutritious soups and sauces, as well as to prepare fruits and vegetables for salads. Finally, crock pots allow you to slowly cook meats and vegetables, resulting in tender and flavorful dishes. Before purchasing any kitchen products, read reviews to determine their quality and effectiveness. Choose a New Hobby Many people experience a midlife crisis because their day-to-day life feels stagnant. Sometimes, simply mixing up your routine can be a breath of fresh air. If it’s been a while since you’ve learned something new, it might be time to pick up a new hobby. Check out the course offerings at your local community college, ask a friend if you can accompany them to an activity group that they are a member of, or take on an art project without judging yourself based on the quality of the final product. Learning a new hobby Isn’t about being great right away. It’s just about getting out of your comfort zone and recognizing that you are capable of more than you thought. Practice Mindfulness Meditation, practicing yoga, journaling, and other forms of mindfulness can all be highly beneficial. Everyday Health statesthat meditation can enhance your ability to regulate negative emotions, keep your stress levels under control, and alleviate symptoms of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. If you have struggled with meditation in the past, you may want to consider taking a meditation class or downloading an app where you can access guided meditations. Consider Relocating Moving can help to reduce stress levels, improve sleep quality, and increase overall happiness. In addition, moving can provide a sense of accomplishment and a new sense of purpose. For people who are struggling with mental health issues, these benefits can be extremely valuable. Moving also offers the opportunity to meet new people and explore new places. This can help to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Consider renting a new home—when you rent, you won’t have to commit to a long-term move. When you’re ready to explore your options, look through online listings to find a rental with the amenities you desire. Travel the World Nothing changes your perspective on life like travel. If you’ve been proactive about saving money, this might be the perfect opportunity to use some of those funds and book a trip to somewhere that you’ve always wanted to visit. Traveling somewhere new can introduce you to new lifestyles, cultures, and sources of inspiration. You might come back home feeling like an entirely new person! When you’re faced with a midlife crisis, it’s easy to think that your best days are behind you. But chances are, you haven’t reached your full potential yet, and you have no idea how many beautiful things are waiting for you just around the corner. By taking steps like relocating, finding a more fulfilling career, and practicing mindfulness, you’ll feel like you’ve taken out a new lease on life! Photo via Pexels Another birthday has passed, but instead of feeling celebratory, you’re feeling down. As you think about your future, you realize that not much excites you anymore. If you are in the midst of a midlife crisis, you don’t have to feel stuck forever. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you break out of this trap. Consider Changing Careers Perhaps you chose a particular career path back when you were in college, and you’ve stuck to it ever since. But recently, you may have been feeling like you’ve outgrown your current job. It’s okay to change careers midlife. You might be surprised by how many transferable skills you’ve developed throughout your roles! Choose a new professional path that feels truly fulfilling. Try Therapy When you’re dealing with a midlife crisis, you might feel like you’re grasping for answers on what to do next. A therapist can help you identify solutions. Finding the right therapist takes time. Very Well Mind suggests seeking out recommendationsfrom your friends or doctor, and finding a therapist who focuses on the specific issues that you want to address. Thankfully, with online therapy, you’ll have access to lots of different licensed professionals at lower rates. Most will offer free consultations so that you can ensure you’re a good fit before moving forward. Eat Healthy Eating healthier meals can dramatically affect your mental and physical health. There are a number of kitchen products that can help you cook healthier meals. Vegetable steamers allow you to cook vegetables without using any oil, making them a healthy and low-fat option. Food processors can be used to create healthy and nutritious soups and sauces, as well as to prepare fruits and vegetables for salads. Finally, crock pots allow you to slowly cook meats and vegetables, resulting in tender and flavorful dishes. Before purchasing any kitchen products, read reviews to determine their quality and effectiveness. Choose a New Hobby Many people experience a midlife crisis because their day-to-day life feels stagnant. Sometimes, simply mixing up your routine can be a breath of fresh air. If it’s been a while since you’ve learned something new, it might be time to pick up a new hobby. Check out the course offerings at your local community college, ask a friend if you can accompany them to an activity group that they are a member of, or take on an art project without judging yourself based on the quality of the final product. Learning a new hobby Isn’t about being great right away. It’s just about getting out of your comfort zone and recognizing that you are capable of more than you thought. Practice Mindfulness Meditation, practicing yoga, journaling, and other forms of mindfulness can all be highly beneficial. Everyday Health statesthat meditation can enhance your ability to regulate negative emotions, keep your stress levels under control, and alleviate symptoms of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. If you have struggled with meditation in the past, you may want to consider taking a meditation class or downloading an app where you can access guided meditations. Consider Relocating Moving can help to reduce stress levels, improve sleep quality, and increase overall happiness. In addition, moving can provide a sense of accomplishment and a new sense of purpose. For people who are struggling with mental health issues, these benefits can be extremely valuable. Moving also offers the opportunity to meet new people and explore new places. This can help to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Consider renting a new home—when you rent, you won’t have to commit to a long-term move. When you’re ready to explore your options, look through online listings to find a rental with the amenities you desire. Travel the World Nothing changes your perspective on life like travel. If you’ve been proactive about saving money, this might be the perfect opportunity to use some of those funds and book a trip to somewhere that you’ve always wanted to visit. Traveling somewhere new can introduce you to new lifestyles, cultures, and sources of inspiration. You might come back home feeling like an entirely new person! When you’re faced with a midlife crisis, it’s easy to think that your best days are behind you. But chances are, you haven’t reached your full potential yet, and you have no idea how many beautiful things are waiting for you just around the corner. By taking steps like relocating, finding a more fulfilling career, and practicing mindfulness, you’ll feel like you’ve taken out a new lease on life! Photo via Pexels ![]() In the community that comprises onboard life, Iris MacBeath is a dual member: first, she is a longtime crew member on various ships for a major cruise line ship; she recently started a new role as a Media Manager. Before her new position, Iris worked in a series of youth activities positions. Secondly, Iris is what is known in cruise ship parlance as a “traveling spouse,” or a “Spouse-On-Board,” which is the term used by her cruise line. Specifically, Iris’ husband Stuart is a ship officer, and Iris has lived on the ship with him for a total of around 350 days. Those distinct vantage points afford Iris a unique perspective of onboard life, and she chronicles that on her blog, Life of Iris. …Life of Iris was conceived in early 2020 as a way for Iris to document her reflections as a Spouse-On-Board on the Grand World Voyage on which her husband Stuart, a 1st Engineering Officer was assigned. “I wanted to keep track of what we were up to; basically, because going around the world is pretty cool.” Iris surmised this was a good time to dive into this endeavor—three months of sailing around the world and not having to work. It was a good time. The Grand World Voyage had started uneventfully, departing Port Everglades on January 4 for a four-month voyage that was meant to visit 48 ports in almost 30 countries that was to be highlighted by stops in Rio de Janeiro, Tahiti, Antarctica, Singapore, and Kenya and returning to Port Everglades. Iris and Stuart boarded the ship before Tahiti in Lima, Peru. Their travels to get to Lima had been fine; Iris recalled they were questioned en route as to if they had been to China in the past 14 days. There had been rumblings about some virus, but it was confined to China. As the ship made its way across the Pacific Ocean, there were reports that ships from various lines were being diverted from some Asian ports. Then Iris learned that a ship in her cruise line fleet was getting turned away from its Asian ports. After 14 days of the sister ship trying to dock, Iris’ cruise line canceled cruises on that ship for a month. Iris and the crew members were aghast. “We are like ‘A month? That’s a lot! What’s going on here?” In the cruise industry in normal times, if a cruise line has a choice between a nine-day dry dock and a ten-day, they want nine days because they want a ship to be out of service for as few days as possible. So, for them to cancel a month of cruises….” The crew members rationalized that the disruptions and cancellations were in the China region, and the rest of the world was normal. They were still cruising along in an entirely conventional fashion. “We went to Tahiti, New Zealand. Then there started to be some modifications to our itinerary. Seychelles was one of the first countries to decide not to let cruise ships dock. Our itinerary kept changing; it was like we are just going to adjust and keep sailing.” I asked, “At this point were the passengers mindful at all that something was going on?” “Yes. The ship had access to the BBC and MSNBC—they are the main television news channels. So, we had access to the news. We saw other cruises were getting canceled. But we just adjusted. We had to avoid some ports, but we thought that we would be able to get to enough places that would comprise the rest of the cruise. I think everyone accepted that the rest of the cruise wasn’t going to look the same, but it seemed like there was going to be a remainder to the cruise.” “I think it was March 6 and 7, we were in Sydney, Australia; we were there for an overnight. Everything is open. I get off the ship, I go to the Sydney Opera House. l take a ferry across to a nice little beach area; everything is still normal. Then the next day it started to change, and it progressively changed very quickly. Countries were just turning cruise ships away. A couple of days later it was announced we would be done as a cruise.” On March 12, 2020, the cruise line announced a suspension of sailing, and a week later the ship Iris was on disembarked all passengers in Fremantle, Australia as cruising globally ground to a halt. The Grand World Voyage had traversed half the world. “While we were making our way to Perth, Australia, to the harbor at Fremantle, and we’re working frantically to get all the passengers flights home from Perth, Australia suddenly was saying they are closing. ’But you told us we could disembark there!’ There was so much information, and misinformation whirling around. Sometimes the information was valid, sometimes it was a rumor that had gotten exaggerated. Like so many countries around the world, Australia was nervous; I think they had some cases. Luckily, the issues were worked out and we were able to dock in Fremantle and disembark all the passengers. I asked Iris to talk about what transpired after the ship disembarked all the passengers. I assume the crew had jobs to do. I asked her to talk about what that time on the ship was like for her. “I was on board with my husband and all the crew, just sailing back and forth across the Indian Ocean trying to find a place for crew members to go home. I did this until June, so I was stuck onboard with all the crew members for the first three months of the pandemic. I stayed for 100 more days after we disembarked the passengers until I flew home from the Philippines in June.” “It certainly was a very different cruise experience. On one hand, even though the ship went from having a few thousand people on board to only having 600 crew, you had everyone that kept going with their normal jobs: engineers, deck officers, and most culinary/housekeeping. Then you had people from the shore excursions and the entertainment team—they went from having passengers to serve to having no passengers to serve. So, you had a crew that was still working their normal jobs, and then you had others that were hanging by the pool each day because they didn’t have to do that much for their jobs. It made for a very interesting social experiment. For everyone, it was challenging; no one knew what was going on, no one knew when they were going home. And then on top of that uncertainty, the entertainment, shore excursion and most of the hotel department didn’t know if they would lose their jobs. There were a lot of unknowns floating around, and you kept hearing that another country had closed. When we left Australia, we thought we were headed back to Florida—that was the goal. We had the passengers luggage on the ship, so when we got to Florida, we were going to ship it to their homes. Then we heard that the CDC had closed off the States to cruise ships—it wasn’t an option for us to go back there.” What a way for the Life of Iris blog to present itself to the cruising community. Read the rest of Iris’ story in The Joy of Cruising Again, including how she went from the biggest crisis of our time, the dawning of Covid-19, to the poignant story of her intimate involvement with another crisis—Ukraine. . Image via Pexels
How to Plan Relaxing, Stress-Free Travel If you’ve ever felt like traveling is stressful, you’re not alone. There’s so much to plan and do! Plus, the idea of travel can cause some anxiety. This can be compounded if you’re in a leadership position at work that makes it tough to even think about taking time off. It’s enough to make you want to scrap the idea of a getaway altogether. But it’s these types of extremes that keep people from using up those precious and well-deserved vacation days. That’s why The Joy of Cruising is sharing some tips for easing your mind and truly enjoying your next vacation. Taking a Real Break When you’re overdue for an escape, it’s time to make time off a priority. And there are ways to limit the overwhelm. For example, if you want a simple, affordable getaway somewhere secluded, look for a cabin on a lake. Or if you want some time at the beach, find an amenity-laden vacation rental smack dab on your favorite coastline. If work is the underlying issue, all you need is a vacation strategy to prepare yourself and your team for your absence. They just need enough guidance so that you can fully unplug and immerse yourself in whatever adventure awaits. Vacation and work are incompatible, so you’ll need to make an effort to set business aside until your return. On the other hand, you can save money and turn a business trip into a real vacation. Ideally, you won’t cram vacation activities between work commitments. Instead, try to extend your stay and dedicate those extra days to relaxing. But if you’re self-employed or a business owner, you can expense many costs on a trip where you will do some business. Things like hotel rooms, car rentals, and even airfare can be expensed, which cuts out a lot of the financial hit of a personal or family vacation. Traveling with Pets There are a few extra considerations you’ll want to make as a pet owner. The biggest decision is whether to bring your pet. This might come down to whether or not your vacation destination is pet-friendly. Not all major airlines, hotels, or vacation rentals allow pets. Bringing your pet can be a lot of fun, but it also dictates a lot of what you can and cannot do, so consider these options before you decide to bring Fido along. If you make the difficult decision to leave your pet home, you might consider getting a pet sitter (whether you ask a friend or hire a professional) or place your pet in a boarding kennel. That way, you can relax on vacation while knowing your beloved pet is in good hands back home. Coping with Stress While Traveling Of course, there are never any guarantees that you won’t encounter unexpected stressors while on vacation. One way to deal with stress while also enjoying a quick mental health boost is by spending some time in nature. Nature has been proven to reduce stress and promote mental health. Try enjoying local hiking trails, ski slopes, visiting a nearby park or having a picnic. If you’re unable to go outside, bring a book or crochet supplies with you wherever you go. That way, you can still take your mind off of any stressful events and gift yourself a few minutes of self-care. If money is a major concern, you can find ways to tuck away money before your trip. Start by cutting down on unnecessary expenses, such as trips to the movies or fancy lattes. Put the money you’ll save toward your travel. Depending upon how disciplined you are, you should be able to save enough funds to cover at least a small trip or weekend getaway. That way you won’t feel guilty about the cost of your time away. Traveling with Chronic Illness Chronic illness is a vicious cycle. It has been shown to trigger depression in many people, notes the National Institute of Mental Health, which itself has been linked to a variety of additional health conditions. Luckily, it’s possible to travel with chronic illness. In fact, some forms of travel may actually help those with chronic illness by improving brain function and mood while decreasing stress and anxiety. As it turns out, taking a vacation could be just what the doctor ordered! Once you’ve decided where to go, the fun begins. When packing for a trip, there are some considerations you should make if you have chronic illness. For instance, you may need to call your insurance company ahead of time for prior authorization of medications if you’ll be traveling for more than a couple of weeks. This is especially true if you’re traveling overseas, as pharmacies typically will not fill foreign prescriptions. Any liquid or gel medications will need to be properly packed according to security regulations, and you may need a signed note from your doctor before bringing medications aboard an aircraft. Take all these considerations to heart and watch the anxiety about traveling melt away. Once you’re at your destination, remember that this is “you” time, so maximize your self-care whenever possible, from the time your feet hit the floor in the morning until you’re under the covers at night. All the planning is worth it! …Neil arrived in Anchorage. After a night in a hotel there, along with other Princess employees about to join Coral Princess--many like Neil on their first contract—they boarded a shuttle bus to the pier. “What were your thoughts as you were on your way to board the Coral Princess? Were you anxious about seasickness?” I inquired.
“I was excited. I didn’t have any anxiety about seasickness or anything. I hadn’t thought about it because I didn’t have a clue about what I was getting myself into. I was looking forward to it. Just amazed at the size of that ship as you came around the corner and saw it for the first time, docked against the backdrop of the mountains.” Neil really didn’t have a clue of what to expect or what was going on. He told me an anecdote about a person who as they were getting off the bus noticed Neil’s shirt, which was the jersey of the Everton Football Club in Liverpool. The individual introduced himself to Neil; he was also English and told Neil that the Everton Football Club was his favorite team. Later Neil found out that this guy was close to the most important person on the ship. But that day on the bus Neil told me, “I didn’t have a clue.” Neil asked him what he did on the ship, and he told Neil that he was the cruise director. Neil said, “So what does that mean?” The cruise director laughed, and it was the beginning of a bit of a kinship. The cruise director would have the Everton matches sent to him every weekend and when he was done, Neil would go and collect the tapes from him…. While much of what Neil experienced early on seemed to whiz by because of the pressures of his work schedule and trying to get up to speed in terms of being a videographer for Princess Cruises, that doesn’t mean Neil was not enjoying his new job. Neil said, “A few days after boarding Coral Princess, I thought to myself ‘this is what college would have been like had I gone away to school.’ And it was obvious what things were going to be like right from the start. You know you’re joining a good ship when everyone in your new department is hungover as shit the first time you meet them because there’s just been a big party the night before for the person you’re replacing!” ***** Of the dozens of cruisers that I have interviewed for The Joy of Cruising, Cruising Interrupted and The Joy of Cruising Again! most of them listed a Panama Canal cruise as among their most memorable past cruises, on their bucket list for future cruises, or both. On his first contract, Neil was able to cross the Panama Canal every 12 days for the season that Coral Princess repositioned from Alaska. While visiting the same ports every week or so and filming passengers doing the same things on the same excursions over and over could become repetitive for Neil, the Panama stop was different. With all Coral Princess’ destinations and excursions, Neil lamented that he could not video documentary-style focusing on the location—particularly the sheer technical magnificence of the locks system at the Panama Canal. But the videography department’s reason for being was to get passengers to order videos, and the key to making that happen was for them to see themselves in them. So that meant not only shooting the ship traversing the locks but importantly capturing the passengers waving from the balconies and decks. Nevertheless, Neil didn’t mind the routine of the semi-weekly visit to the Panama Canal, although he learned on his first time filming the Coral Princess traversing the locks, that preparing for the long day ahead was akin to some James Bond role-playing: After just about waking up (sobering up) we had to climb down a rope ladder and jump onto the pilot boat that would take us ashore while the ship went through the locks. This was seriously some action movie shit; you had to pass all your equipment and make sure your life jacket was secure. It’s still crazy to think that I had to jump from a moving cruise ship onto another smaller boat after about three hours of sleep while it was still night outside; in your twenties, you do not question any of it and you jump when they tell you! Once on land, a jeep was waiting to take us to the locks where we would film the ship going through; from an artistic point it would have been great to focus on the mechanical and technical aspects of the ships transit; however, the main reason for us being ashore was to take pictures of the guests waving at us from their balconies onboard. —Cruise Ship Diaries …after experiencing that every couple of weeks, Neil and the photographer who accompanied him on the shoot decided to shake things up a little bit. Their driver/bodyguard (yes, he was armed) would normally take them to the Melia Hotel for a few hours and then he was supposed to take them to the second set of locks and drop Neil and his assistant at the terminal for the rest of the afternoon to wait for the Coral Princess to come in. Instead of taking us to the locks, our driver took us to a tiny industrial area where this tinker toy-looking death trap was waiting for me and Christian, our assistant manager. At this point, I'd never even been in a helicopter before let alone tried to operate a camera in one! I was also slightly unnerved by the fact that our pilot didn't seem to speak any English and myself and Christian didn't speak any Spanish. Of course, these are trivial concerns when you realize the helicopter has no doors! Yes, admittedly great for filming but also THERE WERE NO DOORS! And one tiny seat belt that went around our waists. With the adrenaline fully flowing the pilot then decided to take us over Panama City on the way back to the airfield which gave us some amazing shots of the city’s skyline. —Cruise Ship Diaries ...the photography department had appealed for funds to film the Coral traversing the locks from the sky, that is, allow them to do a helicopter shoot of the canal. The idea was to package and sell the helicopter footage as extra cost additional content—passengers are going to buy a video of their ship going through. Princess had funded the expense of a helicopter in the past but on a sporadic basis. Neil got his opportunity to lead the shoot on his first contract, and it was a success. I asked Neil if he had any lasting impressions. “The photography department realized a surge in Reflections video revenues on that sailing; and oh yeah, THERE WERE NO DOORS!” Read the complete Cruise Ship Diaries in the section, Ship Life, in The Joy of Cruising Again, available now! |