A cruise skeptic hops aboard ... and finds fun

Karaoke, shuffleboard and line dancing
Despite the planned “excursions,” cruise-speak for the tours and activities available at each port of call, the trip had a relaxed, unstructured feel that I’d never experienced on a vacation. Once, after a “smart casual” dinner, we ran into a couple we knew and decided to hit the karaoke competition. Karaoke, an activity I usually avoid on dry land, seemed appropriately silly — and perfectly fun — on the Grand Princess.

Karaoke was just one of the many activities on board the moving city that was our ship: You could play shuffleboard in the afternoon, or catch a screening of “Cars” by the pool. You could learn to line-dance. You could take a spin class. You could catch a magician-comedian in the Vista lounge. Yes, it was ridiculous. But at some point, you had to embrace the silliness, or be endlessly irritated by it. I chose the former.

On day four of our seven-day trip, I was seated on the sun-drenched deck of a speeding catamaran. We'd been snorkeling that day at Belize's barrier reef, the second largest in the world. We'd seen bright-colored fish and purple coral that waved to us like fingers. We’d encountered stingrays and nurse sharks. As we churned toward the hulking ship, parked offshore in the glistening Caribbean, I sipped rum punch and posed for pictures with people I hadn't known five days ago. I was the happiest I’d been in a long time.

Would I do it again on my own dime? I’m not sure. I have equally great memories of trips we’ve planned ourselves. I like spreading out guidebooks and maps and plotting an attack: Museum on Wednesday, trekking on Thursday, shopping on Friday. But no matter what vacation Steve and I take next, our got-to-see-everything time will be liberally balanced with got-to-do-nothing time.

And plenty of pina coladas.

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