11 days of Caribbean fun end today - we're back in Miami. It's been a fabulous time - lots of food, drink, new friends, great sunsets, crystal clear water, and another wonderful reunion with Olga's brother, Denys.....who made this all possible (spaseebo!). Yesterday we got a tour of the bridge and learned a bit of how he drives this city-on-the-water: 2800 guests and 900 crew. We met the captain, and he was very nice - considering Larissa was dressed to take over his job!
Royal Caribbean has the largest ships in the world, and in 2009 will launch the Genesis series which will be 220,000 tons - 3x the size of this ship, and easily the largest passenger ship in the world. I wouldn't be surprised to see Denys continue his wave of success and end up on one of those ships. At 28 and First Officer, it's already amazing what he has done and where he has been -I'm sure he'll be a captain sooner rather than later. The stories he tells are classic tales of the high seas - from circling the globe in the rough freighter training grounds, to the genteel passenger trade on these giant marvels of nautical engineering. We'll sure miss him, and hope to cross paths again soon. 
I'll also miss the incendiary drumming and singing of my new Cuban friend, Mitchell Rodriguez. This guy is a music machine, and a very creative drummer....it's been a blast to hear him with the other three guys every night. I've always liked this style of latin music, but don't know many of the artists....need to check out more people like Juan Luis Guerra I guess. Anyway, Mitchell is BAD!!!!!
The view from our balcony.
From the balcony yesterday afternoon.
Larissa in charge from the pilot's chair...and what she doesn't see,
the quartermaster sees.
4 comments:
What a wonderful time you have been having! I must add that it is all well deserved! You have worked hard for this Nick!
Thank you for sharing your experiences and your your beautiful family!
What a vacation! Thx for posting beautiful pictures for those of us at work. I'm still dreaming....
Seems there's something not quite right with a ship's bridge when they don't have a commensurately sized steering wheel...helm....that would match the grandiosity of the vessel. How can a juggernaught be turned with damned joy stick?
There were many unique gizmos on a ship's bridge that no longer get fitted. How many movie scenes are there where the incredulously expressioned first officer searched the stony faced captains eyes when ordered to slam that brass accelerator lever to "Full Ahead"? Yeah, the modern bridge is very slick, but lacks the romance of the brige that that one fantasizes is still sitting atop every vessel worthy to be called a SHIP.
However I would not knock your recent experience back.
Chris - I enjoyed hanging out, wish we had more time, made the best of what we did!
Sandy - need a vacation from the vacation!
Bill - time to get back to work, and back to the cause. A month's worth of stuff to catch up on, including your blog. Pretend I'm on the way over and I'm in W. Hollywood at 5 PM.
DakO - as you know, there is also a ship's wheel, but not the kind one would like to imagine. Levers for the engines too....and a crank phone in case the other goes out. Romance, heh... I have to admit, after seeing the life Denys has....if I had it to do all over....
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