We’ve come to realize there is a significant distinction between family cruising and cruising with family, especially when it comes to preparing for the excursion. One requires a Kindle, while sheets and blankets are just added weight for the other. Fancy hors d’oeuvres and pageantry make their way into the cooler when certain cruises are planned, despite a bag of hot dogs or chicken breast having been in there just one week prior. Pump-outs never seem to happen during one type of cruise, yet always seem to happen in the other.
In retrospect, it’s no wonder junior doesn’t seem to enjoy family cruising as much as his parents. For my wife and me, slow-burning fuel for no reason other than to push how far we can get away, to see those un-seen sights is our definition of family cruising: exploration, or as I like to call it, recon for cruising with family. Being locked up in a slowly-rolling living room for days without your friends (but with your parents) probably is painful for the First Mate, when you think about it.
Moreover, because cruising with family includes great food at three times our typical caloric intake, coolers full of cocktails and soda versus our typical water bottles, a bunch of loved family members excited to see our favorite cruising destinations for the first time, and this captain using more throttle to smooth out the ride for our guests, family cruising does appear marginal at first glance.
Nevertheless, family cruising still holds title as the best family time on the water for the Admiral and me, typically ending anchored at one of our honey-holes by suppertime, taking in fresh air topside until the moon is directly overhead, rocked to sleep by gentle waves and breezes through the hatches. Maybe not as exciting as cruising with family, but it’s hard to beat family cruising’s coffee on the deck at sunrise.
B.O.A.T. by Mike Edick
Tuesday, March 15, 2016 - 08:45
Preparations begin days in advance, usually as we tie up from our last outing. Enough times planning our next cast off, we’ve optimized steps required to minimize tear down while maximizing time at sea upon our return. Strip the linens, vacuum, pull the leftovers, grab our used clothes, bag the trash, wipe down everything; we can be ready for our subsequent arrival with 20 minutes of effort, tops.
Those 120 or so hours each week when our feet aren’t touching the decks are spent cleaning the linen and gear dragged home plus shopping for the following cruise’s supplies. Fortunately, no matter how much we reduce food and beverage purchases each week, somehow we’ve yet to run out while underway; same goes for clothes, since we pack multiple outfits but never seem to use more than a single swimsuit and tee shirt, no matter how long we’re away from the dock.
We’ve come to realize there is a significant distinction between family cruising and cruising with family, especially when it comes to preparing for the excursion. One requires a Kindle, while sheets and blankets are just added weight for the other. Fancy hors d’oeuvres and pageantry make their way into the cooler when certain cruises are planned, despite a bag of hot dogs or chicken breast having been in there just one week prior. Pump-outs never seem to happen during one type of cruise, yet always seem to happen in the other.
In retrospect, it’s no wonder junior doesn’t seem to enjoy family cruising as much as his parents. For my wife and me, slow-burning fuel for no reason other than to push how far we can get away, to see those un-seen sights is our definition of family cruising: exploration, or as I like to call it, recon for cruising with family. Being locked up in a slowly-rolling living room for days without your friends (but with your parents) probably is painful for the First Mate, when you think about it.
Moreover, because cruising with family includes great food at three times our typical caloric intake, coolers full of cocktails and soda versus our typical water bottles, a bunch of loved family members excited to see our favorite cruising destinations for the first time, and this captain using more throttle to smooth out the ride for our guests, family cruising does appear marginal at first glance.
Nevertheless, family cruising still holds title as the best family time on the water for the Admiral and me, typically ending anchored at one of our honey-holes by suppertime, taking in fresh air topside until the moon is directly overhead, rocked to sleep by gentle waves and breezes through the hatches. Maybe not as exciting as cruising with family, but it’s hard to beat family cruising’s coffee on the deck at sunrise.
B.O.A.T. by Mike Edick
We’ve come to realize there is a significant distinction between family cruising and cruising with family, especially when it comes to preparing for the excursion. One requires a Kindle, while sheets and blankets are just added weight for the other. Fancy hors d’oeuvres and pageantry make their way into the cooler when certain cruises are planned, despite a bag of hot dogs or chicken breast having been in there just one week prior. Pump-outs never seem to happen during one type of cruise, yet always seem to happen in the other.
In retrospect, it’s no wonder junior doesn’t seem to enjoy family cruising as much as his parents. For my wife and me, slow-burning fuel for no reason other than to push how far we can get away, to see those un-seen sights is our definition of family cruising: exploration, or as I like to call it, recon for cruising with family. Being locked up in a slowly-rolling living room for days without your friends (but with your parents) probably is painful for the First Mate, when you think about it.
Moreover, because cruising with family includes great food at three times our typical caloric intake, coolers full of cocktails and soda versus our typical water bottles, a bunch of loved family members excited to see our favorite cruising destinations for the first time, and this captain using more throttle to smooth out the ride for our guests, family cruising does appear marginal at first glance.
Nevertheless, family cruising still holds title as the best family time on the water for the Admiral and me, typically ending anchored at one of our honey-holes by suppertime, taking in fresh air topside until the moon is directly overhead, rocked to sleep by gentle waves and breezes through the hatches. Maybe not as exciting as cruising with family, but it’s hard to beat family cruising’s coffee on the deck at sunrise.
B.O.A.T. by Mike Edick