STAR TREK Cruise VI

 

Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas

We've been on many cruises over the years. We've also attended many Star Trek conventions. But we've never been on a Star Trek cruise—mostly because they tend to leave from Florida. No excuses this year, though, as Star Trek's 6th annual cruise left February 24 from Los Angeles, sailing to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. We were onboard.

It's no secret that our favorite cruise line is Disney, so I couldn't help comparing this trip to past Disney cruises. The Star Trek vessel, Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas, was similar to other large ships: veranda cabins, theater space, a large dining area for communal meals, as well as a separate cafeteria-style dining area (e.g., all-you-can-eat bacon for breakfast—what's not to love?). This is pretty much where similarities between a Disney and Star Trek cruise end, however. Unlike Disney, this ship had a casino and almost no child passengers—which was just as well, since bar service seemed to pop-up every five feet (ugh).

Ship promenade

Music was piped into the hallways and common areas, but instead of "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and "Feed the Birds" by the Sherman Brothers, we heard theme songs from the various Star Trek series and movies, plus well-known dialogue and distinctive sound effects from the shows. Passengers were encouraged to decorate their cabin doors, like on other cruises. But instead of Mickey and Minnie, doors were festooned in photos of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, et al.

Passenger door

Ship signage

Me and Spock

And speaking of Kirk, our guest cruise captain was James T. Kirk, himself: William Shatner, who appeared at two fan events to answer questions. But unlike captain Mickey, who stays aboard entire Disney cruises, Shatner returned home as soon as the ship anchored in Mazatlan. Disappointing.

Shatner at a fan Q&A in the main theater

No Disney "bounding" here, of course, but many passengers did wear their finest Star Trek costumes and uniforms, according to each day's theme: e.g., Gorn pajama party, zombies, "Knights of the Holodeck," etc. Cosplaying culminated on night #6 with a costume contest that beat anything Disney cruises offer! Our minds boggled, wondering how some participants carried their costumes home.

Lady Gorn

Contest winners: birds? angels?

Meals on the Star Trek cruise were less structured than on Disney, which assigns tables and eating companions for the entire trip. Disney also provides entertainment during dinner—for example, performers and musical numbers from, say, the movie Tangled. Star Trek cruises are much less formal—no assigned seats or companions. And instead of entertainment, you might find yourself debating favorite show episodes with the stranger sitting next to you!

Eating one of many hot dogs on the pool deck

No "Broadway-style" musical shows either, like on Disney; but the Star Trek cruise did offer a wide assortment of cast interviews, panel discussions, and celebrity readings and performances. Our favorites were: a live reading of "The Devil in the Dark" (i.e., the Horta episode), performed by cast members from The Next Generation; a reading of the radio play "The Lost World;" the Gorn "Gong Show" (hysterically funny); and a musical revue by multi-talented Robert Picardo.

Deep Space 9 panel

Voyager panel

Gorn "Gong Show"

Finally, unlike Disney, which makes all their characters available to passengers for free all week long, photo ops and autograph sessions with Star Trek celebs are by appointment only and are very expensive. Luckily, running into my fave actors in the cafeteria or on the ship's elevators was good enough for me! 

Me and Deep Space 9 "showrunner" Ira Steven Behr (red t-shirt)

having a close encounter on the pool deck

Fans waiting on line to meet their favorite celebs

So, did we have fun? Yes, but were very happy to beam home once we returned to L.A. a week later. Every Star Trek fan should go on the cruise at least once. For us, though, it's back to Disney.

Topside at dawn

Anchored at Mazatlan

Docked in front of Walmart, Sam's Club and a mall at Puerto Vallarta (really?)

In case you forget what day it is, this elevator carpet strip is changed daily

The "pointy end" of our ship

Disney "Magic" Cruise, 2022

Our ship, the Disney "Magic"

We had reservations to visit Europe in July 2020, when the pandemic hit. Not only was our land tour of Spain canceled, but so was our Disney cruise From Barcelona to Dover, England. Disappointed, we nevertheless transferred our deposit to a cruise through the Panama Canal the following February, but it, too, was canceled. Finally, last week, we got to take our cruise—this time a six-night round-trip voyage from NYC to Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the Disney "Magic." Our goal? To see the fall colors rarely seen in Los Angeles.

This was our third Disney cruise, so not many surprises, though the experience—and service—was stellar as always. We boarded our ship in the Port of New York, after successfully passing a COVID test at the dock terminal. Lunch was waiting for us as soon as we came aboard. At 4:45PM, the crew and several Disney characters greeted everyone with a raucous and rousing show topside. We then went downstairs to prepare for dinner. We like the "early seating" (5:45PM) so we can digest our meal well before bedtime.

Never a dull moment on the Disney "Magic," even though we spent two entire days at sea. We enjoyed "Broadway-style" shows at night and a plethora of onboard daytime activities. Though there were lots of folks our age on the cruise, we (of course!) won the first "name that tune" contest of the trip: snippets of rock 'n roll songs from the '50s/60s. We also made new friends while waiting on line to meet some of our favorite Disney and Marvel "characters."

Highlights of our much-too-brief Disney "Magic" trip included dinner at the Animators Palate dining hall. Not only was the food excellent, but on our first night, scenes from animated Disney movies were projected on the walls surrounding the tables. I wasn't the only one wiping away happy tears. Then, on our fourth night, a highly imaginative show encouraged diners to create their own cartoon characters, which amazingly came to life before dessert! Luckily, we had wonderful dinner companions all six nights at table #57. Could it possibly be coincidence that the only other passenger who worked in radio was also seated at our table? I think not. Tim and new friend Jeff had lots to talk about!

Ahoy! Aboard ship, still docked in NYC

Crew and characters welcoming everyone before heading out to sea

Top deck: Not so hidden Mickeys

And more!

You know you're on a Disney cruise 

when your captain is a mouse!

Ship's lobby decorated for Halloween

Me with Mickey at the helm in the

ship's lobby

Passing the Statue of Liberty at sunset as we head out to sea

Day at sea: Getting our steps by walking around the ship.

3 laps = 1 mile

Winning "Name That Tune." Our prize: Mickey luggage tags.

(Are you seeing a theme here yet?)

Photo op with Captain America

And Jack Skellington, plus girlfriend Sally

My personal fave: Thor!

Night entertainment in the Walt Disney Theatre

Dinner show in Rapunzel's Cafe

Eating a hot dog poolside

Our silly cartoon characters that came to life in

Animators Palate. Can you guess who drew which?

The boat ride was wonderful, but so were the onshore tours. So please keep reading below!

Cruising Cuba

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The Sirena

My paternal grandparents married in Havana, in 1921, after moving to Cuba from Spain the year before. They came to the U.S. a year later, when my grandmother got pregnant, and eventually moved the family to L.A. during WWII. My sister and I grew-up listening to our Gramma tell stories about Cuba, where she worked as a maid.

I always wanted to visit the island, but travel, of course, between here and there was restricted starting in the 1960s. When Cuban relations became friendlier under Obama, I watched and hoped as U.S. cruise lines began planning excursions to the island. Then one day, in early 2017, we received a brochure from UCLA, promoting a 7-day cruise to Cuba through the alumni association and Go Next. We signed-up immediately, even though the current White House closed many of the doors Obama had opened. Nonetheless, U.S. citizens can now travel in Cuba as long as they have a travel visa, go as part of a group and do not spend the night in a government-owned hotel. Go Next checked all those boxes.

Our ship was the Sirena, part of Oceania’s mid-sized fleet accommodating some 660 passengers. We traveled in and out of Miami, sailing around Cuba in a week and making three stops along the way: Havana on the north side of the island, Cienfuegos to the south, and Santiago de Cuba on the southeasterly tip. As a country, Cuba is a land of great contrasts: a fascinating history, but time has literally stood still since the Castro-led revolution of 1959. Many of the cars there are American-made Chevys and Fords from the 1950s, but horse-draw wagons were also evident in Cienfuegos. Motorized scooters (e.g. Vespas) are the vehicles of choice in Santiago.

Old cars in Havana

More old cars

The architecture was beautiful but eclectic: a 16^th-century church situated right next to a streamline-moderne hotel. No zoning laws apparently in Cuba.  Many of the large, once majestic government buildings are now public housing. It was Saturday, so lots of laundry hanging from once-proud balconies. I became obsessed with interior courtyards that must have originally had some official purpose, but are now part of people’s living space. Many of them were painted in bright colors and filled with plants. Public art and gardens were everywhere, especially in Havana—really quite lovely.

Hanging laundry on Saturday

Tile mural in a garden

Contemporary sculpture in a 16th-century plaza

Colorful courtyard

We carried our own toilet paper and water into town and were warned not to eat street food, so didn’t. Though we were allowed to go ashore by ourselves, we pretty much took formal tours arranged through the ship. Lots of vendors tried to sell us handmade products on the street, but were far less obnoxious than, say, the hawkers on Hollywood Blvd. or the Venice beach boardwalk.  “No gracias” quickly became my mantra.

Cuban streets were clean, but most of the buildings were decrepit and over-crowded. Occasionally we’d see an ancient air conditioner sticking out of the window of what appeared to be someone’s home. Though blue skies dominated the entire week, the weather was extremely hot and humid. At times, I was sweating so much I felt like a human fountain! 

Magnificent sunrises at sea

The cruise itself was wonderful. Excellent food and enough on-board activity to keep us entertained. Most passengers were our age or older, so evening shows included a rat-pack musical review, a stand-up comedian, and music from the ‘60s. The 4PM teatime featured a string quartet. A 4-person band played a variety of musical genres in the upstairs lounge after 10:30PM. We quickly became known as “the dancers.” We took a zumba class, learned how to salsa dance, played “name that tune” (and won a pair of Oceania socks!), attended lectures about Cuba, and walked at least one mile every morning around the ship’s outdoor track. Except for the heat, a most perfect vacation . . .

Our veranda cabin

Early morning breakfast buffet. There were several meal 

options on board, but we chose buffet almost every time!

Dinner at the ship's upscale Red Ginger restaurant

Band playing in the ship lounge while sun sets on our last evening at sea

Full moon

More details follow in the posts below.