We have seen 20 Stone people eat mountains of food from the comfort of immobility scooters before rolling over everyone to get by. People who think it is acceptable to clear their sinus' and hock up snot in any public place. We deduce that that is a cultural thing as so many folks who look alike are doing it with no qualms. People drinking themselves into a drunken blur with minutes of boarding the ship. Old people acting like teenagers, loud and tipsy. Worst of all is the rudeness that some people display to the staff. Or lack of courtesy like saying thank you or acknowling people with a smile.
I wasn't sure what to expect having never cruised before but I have found that I have a physical discomfort and guilt about having access to so much when the staff have so much less. I can't imagine how that feels, to see people indulge so much around you, and you are away from your family for 9 months. The staff are all very cheerful and professional but I can't escape the fact that if they had greater choices in life many wouldn't be doing this. Yes, part of our affluence is because we have worked hard, but the fact that we were born into an affluent, free and stable society is a huge factor in why we are lounging about eating fresh baked cookies every afternoon contemplating "Spa or sleep?"
But we are enjoying ourselves despite my social angst. We are pretty much busy doing nothing. Small person continues to refuse to go ashore. He stays in the fun club for every available minute. I have bearly seen him all week which is a shame as I wanted to sit and read stories together. But that was never going to happen as he can't sit still and " reading is boring".
We check him in to the kids club after breakfast and collect him at tea time, feed him, let him chill watching Danger Mouse on the iPad then check him back in at 7pm for play until 10.30pm. Then he demands more food ( last night he had cookies, fish fingers and nachos on the same plate ). He gets to bed around 11.30pm and falls asleep in seconds. With the long days of sun it feels earlier as it is daylight until midnight.
We have wobbled ashore without him - to Juneau, Skagway and earlier today Ketchican I think it was called. Strange towns surviving in part on selling diamonds ( not from Alaska ), T-shirts and other souvenirs, made in China, to cruise ship passengers largely made up of Chinese people. We are reminded of Cornwall, for the weather, and the Lake District for the foliage and terrain...although no Kendle mint cake here. Nothing much to buy that is made locally by locals. The guide who took us tree walking and zip lining described Skagway as being like Disney Land...It kind of was.
We sail onwards, arriving in Canada tomorrow pm, in BC. Looking forward to that but we are not going ashore until after the kids theatre show at 4pm where small person and his friends ( all newly appointed junior Rangers and pirates after a week of adventures) are staging a circus show. Bless them, they have been practicing all week...it's serious stuff.
Would we cruise again? Small person - "yes, yes, yes!"; husband - "dunno"; me - if they both said yes, then yes. It's been a new experience, and a good one. But living on the set of Walli is just a little odd. Hey you, pass me my hover chair, I'm due an apple pie smoothie about now!
