Day 4: At Sea

We entered calmer waters sometime overnight and the morning was bright and clear. Temperatures this afternoon were in the 80's. I found a channel on the television that tracks our journey and provides realtime statistics such as sea temperature, latitude and longitude, ship's speed, wave height, wind speed, and even the water temperatures of the two swimming pools.

Rita Moreno, star of movies and theater, gave a moving lecture today in the Galaxy Lounge. She spoke about her life story, shared some clips from her movies, and shared her passion for theater. Later in the day, she and her husband came to our Virtuoso Voyager Club cocktail party. More about that later.

I visited the spa today and thoroughly enjoyed a hot stones massage. Albert, my masseure, is a Cape Town native and has promised to tell me more about his hometown prior to our arrival there next month. In addition to massage, he is an aromatherapist, and I can tell he is dedicated to the well-being, and most of all, happiness, of his clients. This was my first time to experience a hot stone massage, and it was so relaxing I fell asleep.

This afternoon I was pleased to have the opportunity to extend an official Virtuoso welcome to our Voyager Club passengers during our cocktail party. Our first destination, St. Lucia, was the inspiration for my short welcome message. It was the home of my first foray into the travel industry, and it is the first stop on our voyage. Brian and Judy Robertson invited several of the onboard lecturers, all on the caliber of Rita Moreno and her husband, to join us and give us a taste of what they have in store for us during our days at sea.

In his remarks to the group, Brian Robertson gave the most concise insight into the origin and depth of meaning of our company name that I have ever heard. He told the audience when the company became Virtuoso, we gave every member a copyof the book, The Virtuoso, as inspiration and recognition of our mutual passion for excellence and our unique abilities to specialize in the "art" of travel.

Just as our name Virtuoso implies, our member travel agencies and travel suppliers are experts in their fields, giving Virtuoso performances daily as they endeavor to enrich the lives of their clients by providing unique travel experiences. Each one is truly a Specialist in the Art of Travel.

Tomorrow: A visit to St. Lucia.

Day 3: At Sea

My day started with a relaxed breakfast in the Lido Cafe on Lido deck 12. I had felt the ship moving quite a bit more this morning, and from my seat in the cafe I could see the cause - the sky was overcast horizon to horizon, the winds had picked up, and the sea had become choppy. Later in the afternoon we had a period of light rain. My greatest challenge today was finding my sea legs.

The morning Special Interest Lecturer was Brigadier General Nick Halley, U.S. Army, Retired. He spoke on the challenges our troops and our national leaders face in the Middle East with the confidence and conviction of a proven military leader. When he asked the veterans in the audience to stand, I was proud to join the many veterans who rose to their feet, and it was gratifying to hear the general's words of thanks on behalf of the American people. We spoke briefly after his lecture, and agreed that except for the Army/Navy game, we could root for the "other guys" on the gridiron field. He will be with the cruise until we arrive in Rio, and has a number of additional lectures scheduled.

Beyond question today's highlight was the evening show of Broadway vocalist Michel Bell. He sang everything from Nat King Cole selections to New Orleans-style jazz to Broadway hits from West Side Story and Man of La Mancha. He saved the best for last and gave a moving performance of "Ol' Man River" from Show Boat. I was tempted to return for the second show! "Ol' Man River" brought pleasant memories to mind of the times my wife and I rode the Mississippi Queen paddle boat up and down the river, from New Orleans to well beyond St. Louis.

Tomorrow is another day at sea.

Day 2: At Sea

Today was our first day at sea. I took the morning at a leisurely pace and lingered over coffee with the Virtuoso Voyage Club Hosts, Brian and Judy Robertson. Brian and I reminisced highlights of our longtime friendship, including our first cruise together 20 years ago from Hawaii to LA. Our first Voyager Club cocktail party is scheduled for Thursday evening, and for the first time I will meet the Virtuoso passengers - there are about 50 onboard - who have embarked on this World Cruise with us.

I spent the afternoon settling into my stateroom and resting. The Serenity's Chief Electrical Engineer joined my table for dinner this evening. He and I have similar maritime backgrounds, including training aboard submarines. I look forward to talking with him further, and he has already made plans to return for dinner several times in the weeks ahead.

After dinner I attended the Captain's Formal Reception, then on to the first musical show of the cruise, Million Dollar Musicals. It was an outstanding full production of movie musical moments, masterfully performed by the 8-member cast and 2 lead performers who make up The Crystal Ensemble of Singers and Dancers. As with everything Crystal Cruises does, it was planned, choreographed and executed with excellence in every detail. Don't ask me which number was my favorite - I enjoyed them all, including selections from Fidler on the Roof, A Chorus Line, Hello Dolly, and My Fair Lady.

We cross our first time zone tonight. Tomorrow is another day at sea.

The Crystal World Cruise is underway

I have been looking forward to this day for quite some time, and I was not disappointed. After a delightful overnight stay in a spacious suite at the Mandarin Oriental Miami, I awoke to a day of sunshine and clear skies, the perfect day to embark on a grand world cruise. At 1:00 PM I left the hotel in an SUV (I had too many bags to fit into a sedan) and headed to Terminal J at the Port of Miami. Although there were quite a few cruise ships in the port, I was able to spot the Serenity from quite a distance. The Crystal Cruises team executed their boarding process flawlessly, affording my fellow passengers and me a pleasant and almost effortless start on our journey.

I took a short rest in my stateroom and then made my way to the Crystal Deck (deck 5) for the launch party. It was a true celebration with music, dancing, champagne, balloon and a never-ending stream of confetti. Amongst all the confetti and balloons I met up with Brian and Judy Robertson, our Virtuoso Voyager Club hosts for the cruise.

My onboard assistant, Donna, and I had the good fortune to be seated at a window table for the late (8:30) dinner. Midway through our appetizers, I realized the ship was underway. It had quietly begun to ease forward. A pilot boat tracked our ship just outside the window for several minutes, then pulled away and we were headed to sea.

Tomorrow: a day at sea.

Embarking on the Crystal World Cruise

I have the privilege of being the honorary Virtuoso host for the Crystal World Cruise 2010. Aboard the Crystal Serenity, my fellow travelers and I will embark from Miami to cruise the Caribbean, South America, South Africa, India, the Middle East, the Baltic region, and the Mediterranean before completeing our journey in Southampton, England 108 days later.

Crystal Cruises celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with a number of special offers. 2010 also marks the 20th anniversary of Virtuoso's Voyager Club so it seems natural for our two companies to celebrate together. I am delighted to take a leading role in the observance of 20 years of luxury cruising aboard Crystal Cruises.

I look forward with much anticipation to meeting my fellow Virtuoso passengers, and to greeting Brian and Judy Robertson who are returning for their fourth Crystal World Cruise as Virtuoso Voyager Club Hosts.