It has been a long road, to get back out on the road this time. Tres fell and suffered a right tibia plateau fracture in July of 2022. It took five surgeries over a year to repair the fracture, and eventually a total knee replacement. The leg is now solid, but recovery has been slow. He has spent the last nineteen months in a wheelchair, staying in an accessible room at the Satybridge Suites Seattle - Fremont. I have been driving him to doctor appointments and physical therapy, lifting the wheelchair in and out of the car, and it has been hard on both of us. Jose, Iris, Tre, Emily, and the staff and ownership of the Staybridge were incredible hosts, extending a medical rate to make it affordable for Tres to be safe and comfortable. He wasn't really ready, but it was time to move out. With help from Ted and Chryssa, we moved Tres home last week.
So, what to do with this new-found freedom? It's time for a cruise. We are sailing aboard the ms Koningsdam on a repositioning cruise from San Diego to Vancouver, by way of Mexico and Hawaii.
We last sailed on the Koningsdam to Norway in 2017. There are two ironies in being back onboard this ship, at this time, for this cruise. The first is our accommodations. In 2017, we were "upgraded" to a handicap-accessible cabin, which we didn't need, and didn't want. In 2024, when we probably should have an accessible cabin, we do not. The second is the theme. The 2017 cruise was the "Voyage of the Midnight Sun" to see the sun that never sets North of the Arctic Circle. This cruise is the..."Voyage of the Midday Moon." We are going to see the total eclipse from the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico on April 8th. Maybe for the first time ever, this cruise is truly about the journey, not the destinations. We may not even get off the ship
We spent the last three mostly sunny days in San Diego. Tres amassed more than 900,000 points with IHG while in residence at the Staybridge, so we cashed in for a free stay at the Hotel Indigo San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter. The hotel was nice enough, fully accessible, with made-to-order breakfasts served by the singular Sergio. It is well located just a couple blocks from Petco Park during the Padres season-opening homestand. We even had a peekaboo view of the stadium from our room. The Padres lost this one to the Cards, 5-2. The view was better the next morning.
The highlight of San Diego was an afternoon of wide-ranging conversation with our favorite UCSD gentleman and scholar, Nick. He is interesting and smart, funny and compassionate, and a total countercultural iconoclastic badass. Almost 21, and almost a college graduate, it has been an absolute joy to watch him grow up. We can't wait to see what comes next.
We had a memorable, fun, and fine Baja coastal Mexican dinner with the pre-game revelers at the Blind Burro the first night (the hostess was from Bellingham), and an expensive and utterly forgettable seafood dinner at the Waster Grill the second night. That left the third night for the obligatory pilgrimage to In-N-Out. Nick offered to deliver it to the hotel via bike and trolley, but we couldn't justify the effort. So, it was an Uber-Uber Double-Double trip to hamburger heaven. Total cost: $83.27, but worth it.
The cabin may not be accessible, but we have done everything possible to ensure a successful trip. We brought the wheelchair, and arranged for wheelchair escorts at both airports and the cruise terminal. Tres rented a scooter to get around the ship. It was waiting for us in the cabin when we arrived, and will be picked up from the cabin in Vancouver. 22 days. $375.00. Crazy!!!
This is another Friends and Family cruise courtesy of Holland America and the De Lijn Association. We booked a Neptune Suite category guarantee, took a chance on the cabin assignment, and got lucky. We are in cabin 8186, an aft corner suite, port side, on Navigation Deck, Deck 8. These aft suites are unique to each deck. They are essentially remnant space, and you get whatever is leftover. People either love them or hate them, but this one is perfect for us. Plenty of room, even with a wheelchair and a scooter, a five-piece bath, windows on two sides, and a huge, covered, wrap-around veranda. It has a table and four chairs, a pair of arm chairs with ottomans, and two chaise lounges. The view of the wake and the sound of the churn make it the ideal private oasis. There are trade-offs. We are at the very end of a very long ship. Tres is riding in style on the scooter, but I have to walk. It's right below the Seaview Pool and the open deck aft of the Lido, so the stacking and scraping of deck chairs starts early and ends late. And, it's far removed from the rest of the Neptune Suites and the Neptune Lounge, so the service is not quite what it is midship on Deck 7. Still, Clair and Ciarra are amazing at the concierge desk, and a great value-add. We love this cabin!!!
San Diego sailaway is now behind us, and embarkation dinner at the Pinnacle Grill awaits.
No comments:
Post a Comment