On my virgin commercial cruise recently, (kinda ironic cause I am married to a Boat Captain and have been traveling lots the last 15 years of my marriage with him as a paid mate and also a travel companion going many places around the Bahamas, Key West and Boca Raton day trips) I learned many lessons but one lesson kind of makes me chuckle and so wanted to share with you today.
My Mom so generously sent me and my 3 sisters on a 5-day Cruise to stop in Cozumel and Key West on it's way back to Ft. Lauderdale. She spared no expense in wanting us to have what is called Aqua Class and blessed our socks off and so much more by allowing us access to Blu, which is a restaurant specializing not only in cuisine for the elevated palate, but also for those with serious food allergies.
And so my time at Blu was a wonderful experience, as so many will never be forgotten by me for making sure I never did get sick. I never did and Thank God!
However, my time at the Persian Garden was slightly not as perfect lol. Persian Garden was supposed to be our Aqua Class unlimited Zen time with a beautiful 8-seater in a half circle tiled lounge chairs overlooking the front of the boat with big picture windows and piped in spa music. We were offered chilled orange water and to the right and left was a steam room and lavender-scented diffused room in which we would relax and rejuvenate.
The first day as my family shared all of the best places we would go, we witnessed many people in street clothes lined up for orange chilled water and standing room only behind the 8 semi-circle chairs. It was loud and anything but spa-like and no one was in the steam or lavender diffused room. I did not think too much about that but moved on to the other areas of the boat my sister felt we may be interested in visiting during our stay.
And so, the second day I entered Persian Garden, I waited for a tiled chaise in the midst of the 8 in the semi circle. I lay down and then felt my body not aligning properly for reading a book. I looked around me and everyone had their eyes closed and so I got up and went into the lavender-infused room wearing my Kenkoh lymphatic drainage flip flops. After leaving the lavender room I hear squeak squeak squeak underfoot. I am kind of embarrassed and vow to wear my new Crocs flip flops the next day. I go to the steam room and then walk to my badly aligned chaise lounge as I see others standing against the wall waiting for a badly aligned chaise to nap and not read. I leave and feel that I have not even relaxed but do not want any more dirty looks because of my squeaky shoe distractions.
So never went back the next day but decided to stay on the boat when we arrived in Port to Key West. I reasoned that the Persian Garden would be empty and I could enjoy my time without worrying about squeaking (I had no more flip flops but wore my Crocs as I was not going to chance walking barefoot and getting Athlete's Foot). I saw a nice chaise near the window and though I knew I was not going to nap there or read a book, there was no "standing room only line" and so I could confidently leave my items there to luxuriate in the steam, lavender room and rainfall showers and maybe after all that I would want to nap on that tiled chaise?
I lay my items on the tiled chaise. I looked to my right and heard two women giggling. Then I heard deep snoring. I am not sure which old man it was, but no men were dressed for spa attire. Snoring loudly enveloped the space which was louder than the Zen music. I waited a moment and then two. I was immediately disgusted as this was supposed to be the time when everyone had left the boat to do fun things and leave me in quiet.
I got up and went into the steam room. A woman was there that wanted to know where I was from. And then, she left. I inhaled hot air and thanked God that I had quiet time. I left the room and then walked behind the circle of 8 chaises - squeaking loudly (yes, in my Crocs!) as I walked. With shame, I walked into the lavender-scented room. No one entered after me and I enjoyed it immensely. However, walking to the rain shower and back to my chaise, my squeaking earned me so many dirty looks that I knew my time was done there.
It was maddening too as my Mom the day before was upset that they were selling "day passes" the first day and she felt that was not fair to our class - Aqua Class. And thus the standing room only and street-clothed persons who many have just been there to accommodate others who wanted to "spa",
I live in a very spa worthy city - Boca , FL. I realized that these cruise goers may never have had a chance to enjoy a spa. However, I found it ironic that I earned many dirty looks because of shoes which squeaked when I had to endure men snoring in street clothes and endless others small talking in the spa experience when it should be quiet.
I was humbled by this experience and will never take for granted a spa in which the goal is quiet rejuvenation and anonymity. I realized upon arriving home that I never did relax the entire 5 days and that my home is more relaxing. Next time my husband snores I will rejoice in knowing there is no standing room only in a line waiting to snore next to me!
Oh...and I will never regret the investment I made in a shower clog when I got home from the cruise. I will also pack a pair of Crocs when I head to a spa on vacation - just in case I need to wake a snoring old man with squeaks!
No comments:
Post a Comment