On the Boat

EcoCamp was "glamping", I admit, and our new cruise ship makes us feel like we've retired and gone to heaven. Well, in fact, we are retired and for a few days at least, this is the "Good Place."

The Ventus is a ritzy floating hotel, which we boarded this evening. With only 25 trips on the Captain's Log (I assume there is such a thing), the ship looks, and is, really new--so we quickly spread our things around the cabin to make it feel lived in. Then we popped up to deck five to join the other 124 passengers for official welcomes and introductions, a few safety guidelines, and a brief look at our ocean-going itinerary.

Our reward for patience was a strenuous four-course meal in the first deck dining room at 9:00 p.m. Julie and I sat at our assigned table with four congenial table mates (two from Australia, one from Hong Kong, and one from Boulder, CO), blissfully catered to by our ever-attentive waiter, Christian, in fine dress whites. "More wine, madam? Red or white?"Read more