Part II - Installment Travelogue: Cruising With the Mothers, Maasdam - One Down

Part 1 of this story is available here.

“Yup,” I said as I sipped my coffee and unfolded the newspaper. An idea had been forming in my head while I arranged the cruise, but I kept beating it back into submission. Suddenly, it escaped through my mouth. I was powerless to stop it…

“Do you think our mothers would like to go?” There - it was out. A perfectly crazy idea...

Part 2 (52) One Down

I think Kris was momentarily taken aback. “Well, my mother probably would – but your mother? I doubt it. I don’t think my mother would want to be all alone in a room, though.”

“Our cabin can sleep four,” I said, mainly for effect. It worked.

“No way!” said Kris.

“It’s a lot less expensive that way.”

“No! Absolutely not,” Kris said.

“I could upgrade to a suite for the three of us and still save money,” I said. I knew she wouldn’t go for it, but what better way to demonstrate my love and flexibility - with no risk whatsoever?

“I love my mother, but I want my own cabin,” said Kris.

“So you want me to room with your mother?”

“You know what I mean.” Kris denied me the chance to continue the tease. “She’d have to pay her own way, right?”

“Afraid so,” I said. “I’d love to treat, but we can’t afford to go in the first place.”

“I know,” Kris said. “Should I call her? How much would it be for an inside cabin.”

I looked up the range of prices and gave Kris the figures. “Unfortunately, the single rate is 160% of the double rate.”

“Well that stinks,” said Kris.

“It’s better than double, which is pretty common,” I said. But hopefully I’ll be able to talk my mother into going, and they can share the cabin.”

“Do you think they’d get along?” Kris asked.

That was an interesting question. The fact was that since our wedding 27 years earlier, the mothers probably hadn’t spent more than an hour together. “It’s probably a moot point – I really can’t see my mother signing up for this. She’s just not the vacation type,” I said. Readers of the first story in this series will recall that until our Galaxy cruise, Kris and I weren’t vacationers either. My mother taught me well…

“Let me call mom,” said Kris. “She’ll probably want to think about this for a while.”

I read the paper while Kris made the call. She laid out the proposition quickly and efficiently.

“…That’s right…August 20th…Boston…We don’t think she’d go, so you’d probably be by yourself…Yes, it costs almost the same for one as it does for two…I know…I just thought I’d ask…No…No…You’re sure?…OK, then…I know…We will…I’ll tell him…Yup…OK…Love you, mom…Bye.” The phone call was over in less than two minutes, and I assumed that Kris and I would be traveling alone.

Kris hung up the phone, turned to me and said, “She’ll go.”

“Just like that?” I asked.

“Yup – no hesitation at all. She’s really excited.”

“She didn’t have any problem with the higher rate for a single?”

“Nope. If it works out that way, she’s fine with it,” Kris said.

I felt myself flush with concern. “Is this a dumb idea? What if she hates it?”

“If she hates it, she hates it,” said Kris. “What about your mother?”

“I won’t even bring it up until next year,” I replied. “It’s going to be a tough sell.”

“Well, aren’t you going to book it?”

Chester the travel agent… “It can wait a half hour,” I said, returning my attention to the newspaper. “They aren’t even officially announcing the cruise until the show tonight.”

Of course, I should have listened to Kris and acted immediately. I intended to pick an inside cabin category that I could arrange to be near our hoped-for aft cabin. When I got back on the computer a half-hour later, all of the inside categories except for “K” were sold out – and those cabins were a long way from where I hoped we’d be. In fact, there were only a handful of categories open at all. I quickly booked a Cat. K in my mother-in-law’s name, which, for the record, is Irene. Like me, though, she goes by an alias – Pat.

By noon the next day, the cruise was completely sold out – possibly a world record. I was glad we had a spot, but held the nagging concern that we’d just talked Pat into a situation that she’d forever regret. Now all I had to do was talk my mother into going, but that would have to wait until we got through the holidays. I only have so much stamina these days…

Love your story telling method. I bought 2 copies of your book about a month ago. One for us and a copy for my husband's brother & sister-in-law who will be cruising for the first time with us next December. They loved the book - can't wait to cruise!

Chester, definitely great reading

I so love your writing style, looking forward to the next installment:D

...and I bought the book from Amazon a few minutes ago. You really have made me feel that I know you and Kris and your sons and Dan. You have a real gift. Even though DH and I are really private people and do not like tables for 12, I sure would love to meet you on a cruise one of these days. Our next one is Oosterdam in December. We have tried RCI and Princess but so far we prefer HAL.

Thanks for the enjoyment. I look forward (A LOT) to more stories of your HAL voyage.

Nancy & Andy

I am practically ready to insist that you publish all your cruise stories! It's not fair to the rest of the world that only Cruise Critic posters had acesss to your original X'travaganza and the subsequent freebie cruise. Please, pretty pleeeeeze? I promise to buy those too!

Marsha

Thanks you, WindyCity. Have a grand cruise - it should be fun to go with some first-timers...

LAFFNVEGAS, another episode is coming right up. Nothing like a few days off with nothing much else to do to entice me to practice my typing...

Nancy and Andy, despite my normal introversion, I have found dining at large tables to be one of the most pleasurable aspects of cruising. It was a big surprise. We've made some lasting friends.

Marsha, it looks like Nancy and Andy discovered that both the Mercury and Millennium stories are still available on my website, for now at least. If this book goes anywhere, I might consider converting the other stories, but I'll need another cruise first to regain my strength... I did the book mainly for the satisfaction - it was fun, but made the day job look like a picnic.

All the best,

chesterh

Marsha, it looks like Nancy and Andy discovered that both the Mercury and Millennium stories are still available on my website, for now at least. If this book goes anywhere, I might consider converting the other stories, but I'll need another cruise first to regain my strength... I did the book mainly for the satisfaction - it was fun, but made the day job look like a picnic.

 

All the best,

chesterh

I cannot presume to understand how difficult it is to write and publish a book. I'm selfish, and sorry to be "pushy" about wanting more. So, take another cruise, relax, enjoy your lower electric bills... and know that when and if you write something (anything!), we'll be anxious to read it!

Marsha, I apparently enjoy the challenge or I'd be watching the TV instead of sitting here typing. I will stash away the electric bill savings in the cruise account while I think about the theme for the next trip (and of course, the story). How about "Cruising with Two@Sea" for a title...

All the best,

chesterh

I usually have to tell DH what he likes, but he thoroughly enjoyed your book all by himself. Therefore, it is a given that Two@Sea would be pleased to sail with 'Thee & She' anytime... anywhere!

We should all get in on this group cruise thing someday...