As we motor up the coast of Argentina, the Atlantic seas seem relatively calm compared to what we found around the Drake Passage or down the Pacific coast of Chile. There is still motion in the ship, which has largely become normalized to us by now. This is what sailors like to call “getting your sea legs”. Thankfully, even during the worst of the tough seas, neither Kim nor I succumbed to what we know as sea sickness. I know that others have been less fortunate. I have seen plenty of behind-the-ear patches, which are most often used for slow release Dramamine. It is also noticeable that Viking very subtly sets out elegant leather barf bag holders in the elevators … just in case. I haven’t seen any incidents of people tossing their cookies, but I did hear that one tender boat had to be taken out of service in Port Stanley due to a barfing episode.
I figure that if we’ve been able to remain comfortable while rounding the horn, we can handle most any cruising locale…famous last words… but I think sea legs are about much more than keeping your lunch down. There is a rhythm to cruising and shipboard life that has to be embraced if you are to enjoy the journey in its entirety. I’m not talking about a week long cruise so much as something more extended like over two or more weeks.
The first thing is probably about your cabin. It has to work for you. We spend about 50% of our day in there. Not being big partiers, we are in the cabin by 9pm until 7am. During the day, we are back either napping (Kim) or just reorganizing for at least two more hours. And only a small amount of time is ever spent out on the veranda, as nice as it is on a warm and sunny day. Viking has done a good job of making sure everything about the room is very efficient and just right. Other than preferring an extra six inches between the bed and wall to make walking by easier, and a second sink (available in the next level up of suite), I think the room and its furnishings are perfect for our needs. Soft bed, big TV that works well, good programming on the TV, spacious desk, sufficient and orderly closet, comfy soft chairs, good sound insulation, and even a coffee station for Kim. Compared to most hotel rooms we stay in, this one has it all pretty much figured out for our needs.
The common areas of the ship are equally important, but for a somewhat different reason. This is the feel-good issue. It has to appeal to your sensibilities to have a relaxing impact. Thus is a big differentiator by cruise line. Some cruise lines go for the Wow factor and are simply more “Jazzy” than we tend to like. Viking has its own look and feel, and either it resonates with you or not. It very much works for us with its cultured and soothing nature that we like to think is who we are (I realize we all see ourselves as more refined than we probably really are, but it’s still pleases us). The captive nature of a cruise ship makes these areas more important and more utilized than in most hotels…other than perhaps a ski lodge. These are the places where random and organic socializing occurs and those interactions are actually a nice plus, even if they are rather casual and superficial (“enjoying the cruise?”, “where are you from?”, etc.). The common areas also afford areas for game playing, which is another nice change of pace activity if it suits you. Cards, Scrabble and puzzle-playing are all part of the cruising program and seem somehow less weird and nerdy than you might think. Mike & Melisa are big card players and they play at home most every night, so to them, engaging in group card games must seem very natural. It’s not quite as natural for us, but we both certainly enjoy it and have played our share of cards over the years, so its a fun way to pass time in the afternoon or after dinner. I’m not sure I will ever join in to a massive 3,000-piece jigsaw puzzle program, but there are certainly those that like that as well.
The spa and gym and sports deck get lots of use on a ship like this, especially on sea days when filling one’s day with activities is everyone’s quest. I’m told there is occasionally a wait for a treadmill, but I can say that the large spa pool, which has a regular flow of clients, has never gotten too busy whuile I’ve been there. Same with the steam room and snow room (yes, they have a Scandinavian snow room that goes hand in hand with the frigid plunge pool). I suppose there are people on deck both walking around the promenade and playing whatever version of shuffleboard they have these days, but that hasn’t really been my jam. The promenade deck is enticing, but I’m not sure that railing is high enough to keep me from going overboard if a rogue wave hits us as I am mid-stride. Falling into the Atlantic Ocean by accident and perhaps unseen is not my idea of a good time.
Perhaps the most important part of the cruise program is the food and beverage service. Everyone knows that cruise ships are designed for over-eating and over-indulging. We are well attuned to the options available to us onboard and while not bothering to recite all the restaurants and eateries available to us, I will say that a big part of getting your sea legs is establishing a feeding pattern that does not take you over the edge, but does make you feel like you’re on vacation. Skipping a meal is harder than at home since being absent from your group always requires an explanation. People want to know if you’re not feeling well or if you’ve planned an activity that they somehow missed out on. It’s generally easier to attend the organized meal gatherings and then just try to order or buffet less than a full-throttle approach would generally imply.
Today is one of two back-to-back sea days we have left before we hit the big city lights of Montevideo and then Buenos Aires. Those will be whirlwind days I am sure as we will not only be trying to grab for the gusto in those well-known capitals, but we will also be preparing for a hasty departure on Monday (today is Thursday). So today and tomorrow we all have full familiarity with our ship and all it has to offer. We have done almost everything at least once or twice and eaten in almost every venue more than once, so this is about settling into a routine to hopefully enjoy these sea days for what they are, relaxing and quite luxurious respites from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Generally, non-cruise people don’t like sea days because they seem boring by comparison to a day in port, but I guess I have done this all enough now and I am getting sedentary enough in my dotage that I really don’t mind a sea day, especially at the end of a long cruise like this. I don’t know how many more cruises we will take in our lives, but I at least I know that now that we’ve become members of the Order of Drake for sailing around Cape Horn, my sea legs will not be the issue that keeps me onshore.