Having booked this a year earlier to celebrate my retirement, Kathy & I embarked on 

A 20 Day Trans Atlantic Cruise!

Departing from Genoa on October 28th, we began the grandest Holiday we have ever had in our lives.  

We had been ferried to the boat by great friend Enrico, who had been with us the night before at our Chiavari Festa. Kathy was bearing her beautiful bouquet of flowers that she received at the Festa as we headed up the gangway.

Having booked onto the MSC Seashore, we settled into our Yacht Club Stateroom early.  The engines throbbed, anxious to propel us into the Mediterranean. The weather was beautiful and it stayed that way thruout the whole cruise - until we got to Florida on Day 18.

The itinerary included Marseilles, Barcelona, Tenerife, Lanzarote, St Maarten, The British Virgin Islands, San Juan and Miami, with us concluding in Port Canaveral. The Atlantic Crossing was 6 whole days at sea, where we saw only Ocean.

Kathy commandeered the walkin closet - which we renamed "The Den" - it was that spacious. We had a wide balcony, a nice sitting area with a couch, a minibar stuffed with Peroni and Diet Coke, with plenty of storage. A Yacht Club booking comes with a Butler and Ms AnnaLise was very helpful.

Kathy spent most of her time on the topfloor Sun Deck sunning, reading and enjoying her unlimited Cranberry Infused Vodka Tonics. The Salt Water Swmming Pool was quite refreshing and the grill on the Sun Deck provided an excellent lunch. I read a huge volume on Columbus' 4 voyages to the new world - as I was pretending I was he as we crossed the Atlantic.

We took excurions At Barcelona and at St Maarten. Barcelona was great, but the St Maarteen one wasn't so hot due to the traffic. 

I wrote a funny story that I put on the MSC Seashore's Facebook site and it can be read at the bottom of the page.

We had a great time

Maybe do this again next year!  Who's coming with us? 

 

STORIES FROM THE SEA 

Prelude... I realize that I am in the danger zone of being viewed as an EXCESSIVE Facebook Poster - what with our numerous updates surrounding our Transatlantic Voyage. 

But The Saga of Kathy & Rick is a multi faceted diamond, that if confined soley to us - would rob the world of our exciting exploits - which would be a travesty to all Humanity. 

TODAY'S  TALE 

While lunching on the Yacht Club Pool Deck who should stride by me but the Master of the Vessel, Captain Stefano Aiello, and his Chief Of The Boat Marcello Ercolano (pictured right). 

I leapt out of my deck chair and stopped the Mariners to introduce The Princess Kathy and myself to them. As we chatted, I casually informed the Capt and Chief that I too am a Maritime Captain- having recently earned my US Coast Guard Boaters safety card allowing me to command a Pontoon Boat around the Chain 'O' Lakes during daylight hours only. 

Instantly, it became apparent that our relationship had changed. Capt Aiello now understood that he was not talking with yet another chubby, drunken Cruise Customer - but in fact was in the presence of a PEER. Brothers we two, bonded by The Sea. 

As we continued to chat, I mentioned that during the prior Wednesday, I was quite alarmed when in the middle of the Northern Atlantic, at a depth of over 7000 Meters, the Ships Horn belted out 7 short blasts. 

Had that been followed by a Long Blast, I would have had to grab The Princess, kiss her on her full, pouty lips and then fling her overboard - as that is the Internationally known "Abandon Ship" call! I even called dear friend Enrico Raggi- a Retired Tanker Captain from Chiavari, Italy - and he was as alarmed as I. 

I further informed my colleague Capt Aiello, that I had immediately called our Yacht Club concierge and demanded to know the reason for the Horn Blast and was told it was because we were crossing the Equator!?!

Well, I didn't need to check my own personal Navigation Charts (that I maintain Onboard just like Columbus), as I knew we were at least 20 degrees north of the Equator. So as I awaited an explanation, Capt Aiello and the Chief conferred rapidly in Italian before the Chief blurted out that we had in fact crossed the Tropic of Cancer - not the Equator! CORRECT! 

We then said our Goodbyes whereupon the Capt and his Chief took their leave en route to the Bridge. I am quite sure he fired the Ships Horn operator on the spot and called an emergency staff meeting to review Horn Procedures. 

Now that's a pretty good story to keep to oneself, right????? 

 

 

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