Published: Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 3:15 a.m. Last Modified: Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 8:08 p.m.
Cruising with The Stroller can be enlightening, even shocking, and just as sure as your overweight suitcases including 20 pairs of shoes will sit on the dock until you’ve put a sawbuck into the palm of a porter, you’re gonna learn something new.
Now, if you’ve cruised at sea before, you know the favorite pastime is grazing. It’s like turning a 5-year-old loose in a candy store. Those pants, dear, don’t fit you anymore. And who would have guessed those extra pounds could stack up as high as … well, Elaine Bentley, upon arriving home after our cruise to Key West, Fla., and the Bahamas last week, is thinking “even my earlobes are fatter.”
There you have it, folks, we’ve learned something new from another Stroller Cruise. It calls for bigger clip-ons next time.
And did you know that ice can improve on a fat lip? It’s true. Noticing the swelling caused by an ugly, hard-to-hide fever blister sported by another cruiser, Pete and Linda Morgan prescribed ice. Whew! The lips, we’re told, went numb after holding ice to them for nearly an hour, but guess what? No more fever blister.
We’re still learning. You may want to take notes.
We mentioned round-the-clock dining, but how do you know just how much to pile onto your plate when the brain has lost contact with your stomach? It’s the $64,000 question perennial Stroller cruiser Donnie Rogers says troubled a “little old lady” in front of him in the food line. “Do I get two prunes or three?” she asked. What’s to learn here? As soon as the brain and stomach are talking again, we’ll have to let you know, but we don’t think it will make the earlobes any fatter. Go ahead and eat all three prunes!
One new lesson Judy Collins says she learned at breakfast is that “if you move, you lose … table, seat, plate, coffee and your mind. Where was I sitting? Are you drinking my coffee? Oh, but we had lots of laughs.”
We’re on a roll, so let’s continue with another lesson on food, which produced a significant learning experience for two-time Stroller cruiser Peggy Moss. “There was food, food, food,” she says, “and I ate the chocolate gooey cake every day … and found all of the restrooms hidden on the ship, however, I continued having trouble finding my room or the front of the ship. I did find on the ship a cousin from Lockhart I had not seen for 50-plus years! I am so glad The Stroller brought us together.” Thanks, Mrs. Moss, but The Stroller just can’t take the credit for all of your discoveries aboard the ship. It’s obvious there are greater powers in that gooey cake!
There was another force at work on the Stroller Cruise, and die-hard Clemson Tigers fans Ken and Lynn Vaughn decided they must have boarded the wrong ship. “We ended up on a Gamecock cruise,” they said. “Maybe we’ll get on the right boat next time.” It was a sea of garnet and black, for sure, but there was a moment when these Tigers managed to turn goat-getters: “We did find some cheap beer in Nassau, thanks to some of those Gamecock people.”
Cheap? Did the bell just ring? Class is over for now, but here are a few noteworthy comments made by Stroller cruisers on their return from an adventure that began in beautiful Savannah, Ga., and continued in warm, sunny Key West., Fla., and Nassau in the Bahamas:
“Great cruise. Thanks for allowing the Gamecocks to go.” — Linda Walker and Becky Taylor.
“When I get back to Spartanburg, I’m going to find a lawyer and sue The Stroller. He turned me into a lazy person.” — Harold Simmons.
“It was great seeing old friends and making new ones. We had a wonderful cruise. Also, lunch at Paula Deen’s Lady & Sons in Savannah was very good.” — Evelene Koon.
“I enjoyed all of it.” — Ruby Taylor.
“We realize how small a part of God’s creation we are when you stand at a railing on a cruise ship and see nothing but beautiful blue sky and a white-capped ocean. It makes you wonder why some say there is no God.” — Donna and Grady Harris.
“It was a wonderful trip. We enjoyed meeting so many new people.” — Bobby and Carolyn Stone.
“We enjoyed the good food and great fellowship with old and new friends. Thanks for another great cruise. We can’t wait for the next one.” — O’Neal and Bobbie Mintz. (By the way, Mr. and Mrs. Mintz were involved in a bicycle taxi accident in Key West. Oh, no, there were no injuries, but Mrs. Mintz was enjoying herself so much, and she liked the teasing that she might have to return to be a witness. “That would be OK with me,” she said. “Maybe at least a week’s stay or longer.”)
“I had as much fun on the bus going to the ship as I did on the cruise. Good food and great people.” — Beverly Cody.
“We had a great time visiting two of our favorite places, Key West and Savannah. We were glad to experience the trip with some old friends and made many new friends.” — Larry and Donna Brown.
“We liked the split travel by land and sea.” — Larry and Vergie Brooks.
“The third trip’s a charm. We had a fabulous time.” — Mary and Henry Jolly.
“We had a great time seeing old friends and making new ones.” — Kare Kragas and Ruth McHam.
“I enjoyed amateur night on the ship when the 91-year-old man told jokes. He used 25 names of popular people and made a joke about them. Gaffney Mayor Henry Jolly said he needed to use those jokes because they had never been told in Gaffney. At supper on the ship, our wait staff line danced for us, but I had to help them. We line dance at my nursing home.” — Randy Tucker.
“Loved that chocolate melting cake.” — Opal Sauve. “P.S.: Better than the baked Alaska.” — Jack Sauve.
“Highlights of the trip include the bus ride to Savannah and the homemade cookies and cheese straws (shared by other cruisers); the conch burgers and key lime pie; best tour, the Hemingway House and the interesting stories about the famous author, and the six-toed cats were everywhere. One even manned the ticket booth. Most of all, we enjoyed the hilarious stories and being with some wonderfully nice people.” — Mike and Cathy Bonner.
“Stroller cruises are great. The best part is getting to see and spend time with all these great people we cruise with once or twice a year.” — Janice Harmon.
“It’s great seeing everyone on the Stroller cruises, and Savannah is a great city, but the cobblestone streets are a killer.” — Susan Gibson.
“Great trip. First cruise for us. Highly recommend.” — Jon and Kiki Couchell.
“We really enjoyed our trip. We had a lot of fun and learned a new (casino) game. See you in October.” — Joan and Burley Flynn.
“The food was delicious. Wish I could cook like that. Looking forward to the cruise in October. It will be our third with The Stroller.” — Carolyn and Ulrich Pierson.
“This was our first cruise. It will not be our last. We enjoyed the food, and the service was great. Everyone was so friendly. The programs were great, and we had a really great time. We are ready to sail again.” — David and Nina Shults.
“Another fun trip. Met more new people. Looking forward to the next one.” — Lula Nesbitt and Gloria Butler.
“First cruise. Lots of wonderful people to guide me along and keep me out of mischief.” — Judy Collins.
“I met some wonderful folks. Had a great trip. Hope to see all again.” — Reba Lowe.
“Had a great time on our first Stroller Cruise. We’ll look forward to doing it again.” — Michael and Ethel Collins.
“We had a great time in Savannah and on the cruise. The tours were especially enjoyable.” — Janet and Wayne Powell.
“We enjoyed the trip very much. We met lots of nice people.” — John and Peggy Sanders.
“We had a wonderful time. We met lots of interesting people and had some exciting times. We are bringing back good memories and a few extra pounds.” — Shirley Kerr and Elaine Bentley.
“It was our second cruise with The Stroller, and we were thrilled to see our great-grandson in Savannah. The tour was great, and we would never stand in line at Paula Deen’s Lady & Sons restaurant, so dining as a group with a reservation was a treat!” — Ray and Laura Homesley.
“We had a great time, as we do every time we take a cruise with The Stroller.” — Gwen Cash and Joy Higgins.
“We had a great time. It’s always nice to meet new people. Hope to go again.” — Mildred George and Susan Morris.
“This was my first time traveling with The Stroller. I had a great time. Hope to do it again.” — Lynda Hester.
“What a memorable and fun trip with my daughters.” — Tamara Blattner.
“Savannah. The Florida Keys. Nassau. I can’t decide which visit was the best. I had a great time in each location. This was my fourth cruise, and it ranks at the top. Can’t wait for the next cruise.” — Carolyn Harrison.
“This was our eighth cruise, and we hope to make a ninth. Great fun with The Stroller.” — Ruth and James Roof.
“First-time Stroller cruisers, we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We hope to be repeat offenders.” — Jeanette Keepers and Bernie Kakuske.
“Great trip. Thanks for all the fun memories.” — Kristan Gehrman.
Why International Travel Planning Can Be More Frustrating Than Fun Id say our recent trip to Honduras and on to Paraguay started out with mostly frustration and very little fun. They are causing a big predicament so that it may immobilize your progress. Nowadays we see packs of teenagers, stag dos and hen parties taking a weekend away in a sun kissed location. There are quite a few factors that can affect the price of your travel insurance like your age, your health condition, your destination, for how long you are traveling, how often you travel, etc. I'll just add a rule of thumb to this story. Any one knows the value of a stress free trip and travel maps are provided for that varies purpose. That would make an immense team building exercise. Soon, Swann finds himself in the middle of a baffling blend of genre action and adventure. People contact you for help, you are not calling them or approaching them trying to sell them something they don want.