Well Karen and
I have been cruising for nine days now and I think I got a handle on
our fellow cast of cruising characters. First, let me say that
my humble and most likely incorrect opinions are based on limited
exposure, quick first impressions, and imaginations of my mind
hampered by limited international exposure. That said, this is
the first cruise I’ve been on where the native language of the vast
majority of passengers is not English. And I have noticed some
generalities among the various groups. Lets take the Americans
first. We are easy to spot because we’re all fat. Maybe
not all, but a good 99.99% of us are shall we say ample. If
you see a guy thumbing through the XXL or XXXL sizes of the Royal
Caribbean polo shirts in the gift shop, I guarantee he’s from the
states.
But the Americans are
generally an easy going sort that knows how to have a good time.
I can’t say this of the Germans. They seem to always be a
little cold and uptight. But they are efficient, always first
to finish dinner. The Spanish, which is the largest
group, always seemed happy and really were enjoying every
experience. What ever happened, they took it in stride.
A health attitude indeed. And the Spaniards we dinned with
were all well traveled and helpful with thinks to see and do (and
NOT do) on our trip.
The funniest group,
at least to me is the Asians. Unlike most of the other folks
on the cruise, the Asians travel in a heard of 10 or more. On
the last tour we took in Egypt, over half the bus was filled with
this one group from Hong Kong. They moved through the tour like a
swarm, a chattering swarm. After they left the bus, all the other
nationalities looked at each other and smiled that internationally
and universally recognizable smile that says “You got to be
kidding”.
The wait staff on the
cruise is, as to be expected, excellent. There’s one waiter
who we met on the first day who says hello to me by name every
night. A Turkish kid with a great memory.
Another person who
caught my attention is our head waiter. She’s a woman who
stands about 6’ 3”. Thin with black hair slicked straight back
that comes to a curl just under her ears. She’s probable a
lovely person and I have never really spoken to her, but when I
first saw her, Germany of the late 1930s flashed into my mind.
She does run her section the ship’s restaurant with the efficiency
and purposefulness of a Panzer Division and I am beginning to
suspect she’s got a swastika tattoo somewhere. But again, I
might be wrong.
