Rami's Travels

 

 

 

Cruising exceeded expectations…..so far!!!  I’m now visiting friends and family in Rochester before embarking on my next cruise which will start in Singapore, then cruise Japan and the far East before crossing the Pacific to get me home by Thanksgiving.

I have been around the world several times, visited dozens of countries, and experienced several cultures on 4 different ships, soon to be five. The best part was meeting new friends in a neat, luxurious environment while having ALL our needs taken care of. Somebody cleans your cabin and cooks your food, which you can order any time of the day. All you have to do is entertain yourself with any activity you desire. No car, insurance, state taxes or things to store or break down, and you experience the different world cultures and return to your ship for a debriefing and discussion with adventurous fellow customers! Utopia or Nirvana?

This summary will include my impressions of the various ships involved and will include my 2025/2026 schedule in case some of you care to join me. The most interesting takeaway related to people interactions. I will detail these for the many cultures we came across. Remember, it’s dangerous to generalize about people! These are just my impressions, so take them “with a grain of salt”. Also, I copied some information previously posted here for those who missed it and also because I’m lazy

 

Cruise Ships

My criteria was to choose smaller ships with longer sailings to avoid transient passenger and have a chance to develop more lasting relationships with fellow passengers.

Viking Sky – It was fortunate the first was a Viking World cruise, a 138 day cruise aboard the 1200 passenger Viking Sky. Ft. Lauderdale Florida to Greenwich, England.

Three things set Viking apart. It’s friendly staff and officers and the vessel’s overall cleanliness and attention to details and the humility and various accomplishments of my fellow passengers. Essentially all personnel were happy and accessible, from the Captain and hotel manager to EVERY food service worker, room steward and bar server. Within a couple of days, they knew our names and we felt like part of a large happy family. Most importantly, they were treated well by Viking and were genuinely happy to see us. Viking hired base on personality, and taught necessary skills as needed. Cleanliness and aesthetics were amazing, Any exterior scuff marks were painted immediately, all windows were spotless and staff were always cleaning “CLEAN” surfaces, such as elevator glass walls, bannisters and balconies. It’s interesting to note that the passengers on each cruise exhibited different characteristics. As mentioned, Viking passengers were accomplished, well-travelled and humble and many were repeats. No one cared or tried to pigeon hole you, nor was it important.

Lectures were good and varied and evening entertainment was subdued and enjoyable. Although the food was good, and special venue restaurants were Ok, food became routine and repetitive and not up to par with their competitors. Viking’s price included everything, all drinks, some excursions, specialty dining restaurants as well as business class air from and to tour home city. Their total per day price totaled less than HA Zuiderdam’s which charges extra for everything.

Explora 1 Journey – 39 days, LA to Barcelona. This ship is essentially brand new and the first of three upscale subsidiary of MSC Italian cruise lines. It is essentially the same size as the Viking Sky, but here are so many differences, it’s mind boggling

It is an over-the-top glitzy ship with marble and glass chandeliers, several specialty restaurants and beautiful state rooms which include Dyson hair dryers, functional heated marble bathroom floors, and an all-inclusive “reasonable” price.

That ostentatiousness is skin deep, because the first time I entered my state room, I noticed the bathroom counter was gritty and the glass shelf above the closet was dusty. Room steward had to do a thorough cleaning but that too was poorly done. I don’t remember them ever going out to clean the balcony or banister. The ships architecture was somewhat different. Elevators were accessible from some floors but not others, making walking from one venue to another required extra steps, forced exercise? Or poor design??

Bottom line, the company had visions of making Explora 1 a different cruising experience. They eliminated open dining or any other mechanism to encourage mingling, they eliminated bridge and many behind the scenes tours, and the lectures and entertainment were few and not good. Any attempt at modifying anything was rebuffed. Unlike Viking’s staff and officers, these people were new and learning the new ship as well as their duties and they were not happy, which permeates everything else.

That was not the worst of it, the ship made many, many stops along the route, with about 50 % of the passengers changing as well as several crew. I felt as if I was riding a local bus with constant passenger turnover. Most passengers were European and I assume many were travel agents brought by MSC to experience Expora1. I  understand their quest to deliver a new experience may give way to the true and tried

Explora 1 Journeys food was excellent in every way, It was fresh and tasty. They even had grilled lobster tails everyday (as much as you can eat). I indulged in a lobster tail (or two) and a Caesar salad every day before my regular dinner. They also had a very fast WIFI system with a router in every room, bringing internet speed to 135mbps, that’s more than enough to stream video without buffering. (in contrast to Viking’s internet which rarely reached 1mbps.

HA Zuiderdam – 56 days Amsterdam to NYC. This is a larger ship, with a capacity of about 2000 passengers HA has dedicated followers with many repeats. The passengers are a mixture of people from all walks of life and many countries. They range from the conservative gun-toting Texans to the sophisticated European business or professional person. For the most part they are friendly and eager to share experiences…..although I ran across a few that I could not wait to get away from. Unfortunately the ship was shabby and required refurbishment. Staff was seasoned, responsive and friendly, and food was not as good as Explora’s but better than Vikings. Shows, lectures and other activities were plentiful and good. As previously mentioned, HA “nickel and dimed” you to death.  My per day costs were higher than Viking’s and my only expenses were personal grooming, internet and laundry. Without free air.

Cunard Queen Mary 2 – 30 days, NYC-NYC. QM2 is by far, the most elegant ship I have been on. The staff and officers are quick to describe it as an “Ocean Liner” as opposed to a typical cruise ships. Speed, agility and hull strength are the main differences between ocean liners and cruise ships. An ocean liner has the primary purpose of transporting passengers between continents, so streamlined deep v-hulls that can withstand punishing conditions are in order. QM2 has a top speed of about 30 knots, whereas a typical cruise ship tops out at 21-23 knots. Although cruise ships stabilizers are very efficient, they cannot come close to the stability provided by QM2’s deep v-hulls. For example, today we encountered choppy seas with 15-20 ft waves, and this ship’s stability was equivalent to 8-10 ft waves on a typical cruise ship. Workmanship throughout the ship is beautiful. I admire the curved wood moldings, rich door handles, even the simple glass signs. The ship’s elegance is felt everywhere and it always makes you feel good.

Because it’s a transatlantic voyage, there are many “sea days”, hence daily bridge lessons and sanctioned ACBL games where we average 10 tables. Lectures are interesting and there are many other activities to satisfy most passengers. I have not been to any shows but understand they are adequate. Staff is congenial but somewhat reserved. Although Jackets are required evening attire for formal nights, I usually prefer the informal cafeteria style dining at the King’s Court. They provide a good selection of delicious dishes from around the world.

 

My 2025/2026 Schedule

Alert to all intelligent (which excludes Trumpers), independent and good looking ladies! I booked the Oceania Vista, a new ship, for a six month world cruise which crosses the world both longitudinally and latitudinally. It will cost the same whether I go solo or with a traveling companion and naturally I prefer the latter. If you care to join me, book your own room on a short segment between now and Jan. 2026 to test our compatibility without commitments. If it works out, you will never regret it!

 

 

Cultural Take Aways:

Essentially the world’s populations, from the poorest like Vietnam and Sri Lanka, to the most advanced like Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, tolerate, no! accept their fellow citizens beliefs significantly more than we do in the US.  We reasoned this is primarily due to the US’s emphasis on individuals at the expense of the group. Other populations must depend on each other and this leads to a more peaceful cohesive environment.

Violent crimes are rare due to strong regulations coupled with stiff penalties. In fact one small town’s police station in New Zealand is open Monday through Friday, from 9am to 5pm….

Most countries also respect their native predecessors and enact laws to ensure they receive their due share of what their counties offer. New Zealanders, respect Māori’s, Australians-Aborigines, Scandinavians-Sami’s.

Down under Australians and New Zealanders seem to have an extra measure of congeniality. They go the extra mile to help, always with a smile and can do spirit.

Housing is beyond the reach of most throughout the world as it is in the US, hence most resort to living with extended families throughout their lives, sometimes up to 40 per household in some of the poorer countries. Their access to communal kitchen and family meal time is limited and requires careful planning. They seem to accept their fate happily.

Many countries deserve special mentions due to their unique characteristics but two countries stood apart from the rest – Singapore and Morrocco. Singapore because it seems to have solved most of modern day issues, although using strict draconian laws; and Morrocco, where I was  hospitalized for a couple of days and had a chance to experience more of their culture.

Singapore:

Singapore is the world’s only island city state. It transformed itself from a small third world island to one of the world’s most technologically advanced cities in a few short years. It’s diverse population of Malays, Indonesians, Indians, Sri Lankans and Chinese live together harmoniously in a clean and thriving environment. Singaporean cuisine too, has been influenced by these many cultures, and can be sampled by the many “hawker centers” or open air food courts established by the government to keep sidewalk vendors from clogging pristine streets.

The government enacted many strict laws which contribute to the country’s sophisticated mindset. Not surprisingly, littering, jaywalking and even chewing gum is strictly prohibited. Another unique building code restricts buildings to just 50% of the available land space and allocates the remainder to trees and other vegetation, which resulted in beautiful green parks with tree lined paths and a stunning national orchid garden.

The median annual salary is $121,000, and 6.2% of its population of 5M are millionaires, approaching that of the US and China. Their taxes  are relatively low at 5-22% and everyone pays a little towards education, healthcare and other services.

Living expenses are relatively high. A small 500 sq ft government-subsidized flat can be leased for 99 years for approximately $150,000, and many exceed a million dollars. Singaporeans are proud of their cultural diversity and preserve it by controlling real estate transactions. The ratio of occupants must be equivalent to the building’s surrounding demographics. For example if a flat was originally occupied by a Chinese, it’s new owner must also be of Chinese origin, and so on. In addition, Singapore’s official language is English and taught in all schools but kids must learn a second language and that must be that of the student’s national origin.

Owning a car is prohibitively expensive. The total number of vehicles in Singapore is capped at about 950,000. To own and operate a vehicle, one must bid, then buy a certificate of entitlement (COE) which costs $106,300 and is valid for only 10 years. The number of new COEs available depends on how many older cars are deregistered. Thus, buying a car in Singapore is more expensive than anywhere else in the world. A Toyota Camry would cost about $251,400. Their excellent public transportation system coupled with limiting the number of vehicles on the road enhances the Singaporean quality  of life by eliminating traffic congestion and reducing smog and wasted time.

Singapore weathered the pandemic better than most countries due to the early availability of vaccines and their widespread use. Laid off workers were repurposed by the government and paid to monitor and enforce strict health directives such as mask wearing, proper distancing as well as providing other necessary support and information. The government also compensated citizens at $10/hr for the time spent on the computer to retrain and re-educate themselves into new careers, instead of just paying a stipend to supplement lost incomes.

I would guess their laws are too strict for most Americans, but then again, maybe strict laws are required to address todays issues.

Morocco:

Agidir, Morocco lies along Morocco’s southern Atlantic coast and has a population of 450,000. It’s not as glitzy as its larger, more well known neighbors, Casablanca and Marrakech. It is also a typical middle eastern city with new and old construction, donkey pulled fruit vendor carts and the typical groceries and pharmacies. It reminded me of my growing up years in Zeitoun, Cairo, Egypt.

Well, it happened that fateful Thursday night – I had a heart attack!

The onboard medical group went into high gear and began the process to getting me off the ship to a local hospital. Captain decided to speed up and we arrived about 6:00 pm the next day, where an ambulance was waiting to transfer me to a cardiac hospital. Fortunately, one of my friends, Judy Cortese and her husband accompanied me there and took care of the associated paperwork and payments while Doctors removed the blockage and installed a stent. They waited 2+ hours to hear the doctor’s report by which time it was too late to catch a cab back to the ship, so the surgeon and his nurse drove them back to the ship.

The Hospital was surprisingly modern and well equipped, as good as any around the world with a top notch staff of doctors and nurses. Unlike the wait encountered in US hospitals, I was wheeled into an operating room, was prepped and met my Surgeon, Dr. Assam and discovered that most did not speak English. But could easily understand Egyptian Arabic, hence communication was a breeze…and fun. In my humble opinion, Dr. Assam was knowledgeable, thorough and we bonded immediately. He indicated the blockage was extensive and severe but he was able to clean it out completely and he expected a quick return to normal. In addition, he was going to request a financial discount once he discovered I had no trip insurance.

This episode was more beneficial than if it had not happened in many ways. Physically, my heart is improved, and should pay more dividends. More importantly, it gave me a chance to discover a new country that I knew nothing about and became enamored with. On the way back to the ship, I learned many impressive factoids that are beyond the scope of the more superficial tourist tracks.

The highway from Agidir to Casablanca was superior to any I have seen in California. It was clean and smooth lined with farmlands and orchards. The trees looked healthy because computers were used for irrigation, fertilization, weed control and harvesting. I thought maybe the roads were superior to ours because they were newer and discovered there is an actual law for continuous improvements. Farm workers lived in small brick “villas” along the highway, instead of the tin shacks used by California migrants or mud huts used by Egyptian farm workers. A Porsche passed us far exceeding the speed limit and driver indicated it’s captured on camera and the owner will receive a hefty penalty in his mailbox.

Morocco is more than 90% Moslem, but not very strict. Women could opt to wear Hijabs or not, and anyone can drink and gamble without judgments or repercussions. People are kind and tolerant to one another and not driven by money or material goods. In fact, the pleasant port agent who arranged it all and shadowed me throughout would not accept a tip.

Living expenses in Morocco are most reasonable and they welcome foreigners. One could purchase a nice three bedroom apartment under $100,000 and have enough income to hire all kinds of help, from drivers to chefs and everything in between.

Why can’t we all emulate the Moroccans in their “live and let live” attitudes. Our world would be a better place.

Finally, I apologize for the length of this post. I’m not sure when I will post again but I do know, I’ve always wanted to visit Japan and it’s happening next week. I’ll strive to keep my next blog short and interesting.