Let’s be honest, going on holiday with a person from a different generation can be risky. What if they want to do things that aren’t on your agenda? Or vice versa?
To be more specific, is it wise to cruise with someone old enough to be your grandparent?
I was reminded of this issue last Sunday when my cousin, Arthur, celebrated his 91st birthday. We started reminiscing about a Baltic capitals cruise that he, my wife Mary, and I had enjoyed a couple of years ago . . .
Apprehensive
If I remember rightly I was the most apprehensive member of our party. It seemed to me that when you’re on holiday you want to be free to do your own thing. Would having an elderly relative with us, therefore, cramp our style?
Somehow or other I was talked into making the booking. And so it was that the three of us arrived at Dover on a bright morning in June 2008 to start our trip on the magnificent Norwegian Jewel.
As we waited to check in, one advantage of taking Arthur along with us quickly became apparent.
Queue jumping
Because he obviously had difficulty walking, we were moved up to near the front of the queue and as a result were able to board a lot sooner than would otherwise have been the case.
There was some delay before we got to our cabins, but when we did we were pleased to find that Arthur’s cabin was close to ours.
This made it easy for us to keep an eye on him. The ability to ring him at any time on the cabin phone and check he was OK was also a great boon.
Divergence of views?
Now to the subject of meals on our Baltic capitals cruise. Things are very flexible on the Jewel, as they are on all Norwegian Cruise Line ships. You can eat practically whenever and wherever you like? But this raised a possible problem.
Would Arthur like our choice of restaurant or would we be forced to adjust our eating habits to match his? Since the range of restaurants on the ship is wide there was huge potential for a divergence of views.
We needn’t have worried.
All three of us quickly gravitated towards the Tsar’s Palace, a restaurant with a good range of food not to mention a striking décor inspired by the grand palaces of Tsarist Russia.
Naval warfare
Once we were at sea we quickly settled into a routine. One of Arthur’s hobbies is studying military biographies and anything on naval warfare. He was quite happy to sit in one of the ship’s many lounges and read, leaving Mary and I free to explore and get involved in onboard activities.
This allowed us to do things like play tennis and attend dance classes. We even took part in a few general knowledge quizzes, but frustratingly failed to win any prizes.
Two people in particular – a couple from Akron, Ohio – seemed impossible to beat. This was either because they were very good, or more likely because we were rubbish. But what really got to us was their unbridled triumphalism every time they won.
At mealtimes we would check waiting times for the restaurants, details of which would appear on screens dotted around the ship. When we thought the numbers looked right we’d make a reservation for the Tsar’s Palace, then collect Arthur from whatever sea battle he was currently refighting.
Copenhagen
Day 3: Our first port of call was Copenhagen. Given Arthur’s limited ability to walk, we popped over to the shore excursion desk the day before to book three seats on one of the non-walking tours.
These typically involve a guided coach trip, with nothing more strenuous than an occasional stop for passengers to take photos.
We had been tempted to branch out on our own, but sticking with Arthur proved a good move. It turned out he had visited Denmark once before, shortly after the war.
Danish history
As we toured the city he was able to point out how various landmarks had changed and give us insights into Danish history that were every bit as interesting as the tour guide’s comments.
Although Arthur’s feet were not in the best of shape, we quickly realised there was nothing wrong with his memory.
That afternoon back on ship we were joined by Danish musical theatre group, the Hans Christian Anderson Parade. They entertained us with a musical romp through the life and times of the great Danish author.
Sadly the performance had to be cut short because we were due to sail and the cast had to make their escape back to dry land.
Warnemünde and Berlin
Day 4: Next on the list was a stop at Warnemünde in Germany and a chance for us to take a trip to Berlin.
It seemed an interesting proposition, but since it involved quite a long road journey, we thought it might be too much for our military historian.
Instead we contented ourselves with a brief walk around the port, which included the not entirely uplifting sight of a funeral party setting out to sea.
Tallinn, Estonia
Day 5: And so we came to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, a country none of us had visited before. We chose the Panoramic Tallinn tour because it was designed to keep walking to a minimum.
Our hopes for this visit were high, and indeed it got off to a promising start. But then our guide made an unfortunate decision. She agreed to allow some of the party to take a stroll round the city.
This was an unscheduled addition to the tour and it meant the rest of us had to sit and wait for them to return. Worst of all, when they came back there was no time to complete the tour.
Our Baltic capitals cruise continues
Back on board we complained bitterly and were given a partial refund of the cost of the tour. But our disappointment in Tallinn was quickly forgotten as we braced ourselves for the next important stage of our Baltic capitals cruise.
What was coming up was one of the main reasons we had chosen this holiday. It was, quite simply, an opportunity for Arthur to realise his childhood dream.
Next week I’ll tell you what happened when Arthur’s dream finally came true and we discovered to our advantage another of his hidden talents. I’ll also reveal how the couple from Akron finally got their comeuppance.
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