Wednesday, September 7. Cooler some light rain.
I don't really like the word 'cruise'. To me it embodies a bit of a continuous party, romantic nights, fancy dress-up dinners and all that goes with it.
However, I do enjoy being on ships and boats on oceans and rivers. People and ports are what we go for.
There is a vast difference between an ocean 'cruise' and a river 'cruise'. Cruise is the wrong word for a river boat. Firstly, the river boat we are going on holds 164 passengers and a crew of 49. Some ocean cruise ships have a capacity of 1380 and a crew of 647. [That is considered a reasonably small ship nowadays.]
The river boat has a crew member for every 3.3 passengers. The ocean ship has one crew member for every 2.1 passenger. Big time difference. Everything is different on a river boat: more casual, less dress ups, the dance floor may be the size of your kitchen, breakfast and lunch are buffet, [very nice though], unlimited wines at lunch and dinner, shore excursions in each port are included, bicycles are available, for this that want them.
It is generally a much more relaxed time on a river cruise. There are no waves and sea sickness does not happen and you are always no further from the shore than a hundred yards or so. You can actually talk to people on shore on the bike or walking paths. Very relaxing way to travel.
On the downside, the cabins are small. When we went first, when we walked into our cabin we could not find the bed! It turns out the bed was a bench that pulled down from the wall. Everything is smaller it seems. We will see if things have changed.
The serving crew was/are generally younger youths for Eastern Europe, polite, clean, usually good looking, [girls and boys, women and men] and eager to speak English. It is interesting to see the difference between say a Russian and a Hungarian. The Russian is usually is less aware of the ways of the world as a Hungarian whose society is further advanced as far as western ways. The officers and engineers etc., are often Dutch, Swiss etc., and professionals.
It is also not uncommon for the crew members to share accommodation with each other, regardless of being male or female. Europe is much more 'progressive is the word people use' than we in the New World.
The Amsterdam, a cruise ship with Holland America that we have sailed on, paid around $250,000 to go through the Panama Canal, [duration about eight hours]. I bet the entire cost of this ship, crew, fuel, moorage costs and food do not cost that amount for the whole 14 days. Two different worlds.
It is also not uncommon for the crew members to share accommodation with each other, regardless of being male or female. Europe is much more 'progressive is the word people use' than we in the New World.
There you have it The Amaprima. Our home on the river for two weeks. Of course the blue sky is optional! The ship is very low and does not draw much water. It has to fit under very low bridges, footpaths really, and the water can be low at certain times of the year. Too low or high water and we have problems.
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