Crown Princess

 So, I made it back home safe from my cruise.  I have mixed feelings about the cruise; rather I have mixed feelings about cruising specifically.  I enjoyed my shore excursions.  So here are a few pictures from/of the boat and I will detail the good, the bad and the ugly for you.  My cruise was a 7 day cruise down to the Mexican Riviera (I didn't know there was a Mexican Riviera).  We had three ports that we stopped in not counting the one we departed from; San Pedro.  Our first stop was all the way down in Puerto Vallarta, followed by Mazatlan, finally a short stop in Cabo San Lucas.  So that was three full days out at sea, on a boat with a few thousand other humans.

The good:  Food, there was a huge selection of food in the main dining areas.  I tried the buffet twice; didn't like it.  I found the running track at the back of the boat to be deserted during my early morning run which was good.  It helped me get away from the ocean (in the ocean hyuck hyuck) of people.  I didn't get seasick, I hadn't expected to.  I actually found the boat movements very soothing and I had some of the best sleep I have had in a long time on the boat.  We had an interior stateroom so no windows.  It was pitch black and I was rocked to bed every night. 

The bad:  Children; hordes of children.  My mom has the week of Thanksgiving off because she works for a school so we picked that week for the cruise. Guess who else picked that week for their cruise; families with little ones.  I can't stand being around people let alone little people.  I came to the conclusion that the majority of people that cruise do so because they are rude pricks.  And since the boat can't turn them away mid-trip they have to serve and wait on this imbeciles.  Departing late was kinda crappy but I understand their concern with communicable illnesses.  Disembarking when we finally got home was a disaster.  If my nerves had not been in check and I not so tired, I may have clawed my way through droves of obnoxious people to get off the boat or just jumped ship.  It was cramped, hot and just all around a disaster that a 4-year old with a megaphone could have done a better job keeping things orderly.  Messes; not my stateroom and not the dining rooms.  It was the plates of left over food littered throughout the boat. 

The guilty:  I had a chat with one of the bartenders the night before we disembarked.  I asked him if he would be disembarking as well and if so would he be flying back home.  No.  He has a contract with Princess to be at sea for 10 months.  10 months, at sea, away from his children and his wife... probably missing those milestones that make me want to vomit but parents fawn over.  I felt slightly guilty that my vacation was only achieved because roughly a thousand staff members took month long contracts to be away from friends and family.  (If I were single, I would do it (if the price was right).)  He also pointed out that the majority of the staff are folks trying to make good money because the countries they come from are poor.  I don't know what is "good money" for him (he was from The Philippines).  Other folks were Serbian, Peruvian, Thai and the list goes on.  On the entire cruise ship there were only 6 people from the USA.  One of them was the guy that recorded activities on the ship and on some shore excursions to sell in DVD format to cruise-goers. 

Consensus:  Cruising is not for me.  If I do end up on another cruise it would only be for mom.  It was nice to spend time with my mom, sister and aunt.  But it was not so great sharing that space with 3000+ other people.  I was actually amazed at how many people are repeat cruisers.  Some people even told us they ONLY CRUISE!  Insane!!!!  I will be posting about the days we were at port cause those days were way better and we got to get away from "the children".