How To Find Romance On Cruise Ships: And Other Invaluable Information

By Ricki Holmes

An in-depth look at what it's like to go cruising - from an insiders point of view, where you will meet a myriad of characters looking to have fun in the sun, hoping the motion of the ocean leads to endless romantic encounters in a fantasy world of freedom, fun and reverie. Reality ends with that one small step onto the gangway. It is often one small step for women, one giant leap for women's hormones. If you have been on a cruise, you will finally understand your fellow passenger's somewhat compulsive behavior. If you are about to take one... you need this book. Don't leave home without it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Oct 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781483537894

Book preview

on.

CHAPTER ONE

READ BETWEEN THE SHEETS

(It's not what they say it's...)

Welcome on board!

From the moment these three simple words are uttered, Cruise Ship passengers are transported into a fantasy world of fun, relaxation, freedom, and above all else, romance.

Chances are those three simple words ooze from the mouth of some European god who just happens to be the captain. What more romantic figure is there than the captain of a cruise ship? Possibly the doctor! Perhaps the attentive waiter who immediately remembers your name and favorite drink. Maybe it's the navigation officer who happens to be gorgeous or the room steward, whose striking features leave you in awe.

However, everyone should make an effort to keep at least one foot on the ground whilst trying to adapt to the wonderful world of cruising. On many cruises, boy meets girl and the sparks fly! The surroundings heighten the romantic atmosphere to its maximum capacity and both parties are immediately immersed in a sea of unbridled passion.

A true sense of reality is easily lost in a situation such as this. There are many avenues to romance on a cruise ship. It's important to assess yourself before taking a stroll!

THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE AIR

Every man on board is a potential Mr. Wonderful! Every girl is a potential Miss World! The choices are there but they should be made with a strong sense of reality in the back of one's mind. If you take both oars out of the water your ship might capsize. Quite often the magical words that are whispered in a moment of passion can have little or no bearing on reality. However, in this situation, these words are easier to believe because they build the momentum in a fantasy.

Sharing special, intimate moments with a man on a cruise ship can sometimes mean nothing. There is no guarantee that he will not leave a girl's cabin and immediately go up to one of the bars to start the whole process of meeting someone else. This is equally true of women. One night, a male passenger on board learned this valuable, but somewhat painful lesson the hard way.

I've just had the most fantastic experience of my life, he told his best friend as they walked toward the all-night bar on the Promenade Deck. You remember the girl in the red bikini by the pool this afternoon? We just clicked, and we were perfect together.

Yeah? his friend said.

Yeah, she wants to see me again tomorrow. We're going to the beach, a few cocktails, and then, the horizontal tango.

You sure about that?

Just then his 'dance partner' left the bar with another guy, headed in the direction of her cabin.

I wonder if she's doing the Bossa Nova or her boss a favor? His friend remarked.

His heart sank. I can't believe it, he said, stricken with grief. She told me I was the best.

Sadly for some, love, on a cruise ship beckons around every corner.

GO FOR IT ALL

The unofficial rules of cruising are to meet people, get involved in the activities and have some fun. Sitting in a cabin complaining about not having met someone is hardly conducive to becoming popular. All this type of behavior will do is annoy the other people in the cabin or enable one to really get to know the steward very well.

Getting involved means exactly GETTING INVOLVED. The passengers who have the best time strip themselves of all inhibitions. This doesn't mean one has to run around the ship naked. Losing one's inhibitions means JOINING IN. Taking adventurous tours, swallowing gallons of beer in the beer drinking contest, dressing up like a fairy at the world's strongest man competition even if you happen to be a very hairy, masculine person, or shoving a load of ping pong balls into your bathing suit at the pool games. If joining in is not one's cup of tea, at least be there and take in all these activities. Get out of that cabin and meet people and never be afraid of meeting someone who might add a whole new dimension to your personal cruise experience.

Any preconceived ideas about the cruise being a time for rest and relaxation must be abandoned. The past must never be allowed to dictate the present.

One such woman who went on board to get away was able to put her very painful past behind her. She had been through a devastating romance. A broken engagement that all but destroyed her will to live. At the advice of her friends and family, she took a cruise to forget. Meeting someone was the very LAST thing on her mind. But it happened.

On the deck, as she looked down at the water for a release of life, a cure for her pain, she turned, only to look into the eyes of a dashing young man. It was love at first sight for both of them. Her heart raced. Her palms became clammy. All she could do was turn away in fear. Because of her recent experience, he became all the more frightening to her. She was immediately attracted to him, she knew that, but she couldn't allow herself to get hurt again. Fortunately for both of them, his gentle manner and gentlemanly conduct eased her fears. They eventually met in New York and married. If this woman had allowed her past to dictate her future, it would not have been so bright.

Many choices are made before one gets on board. The major choices should be made ON board. One should never be afraid to alter any pre-cruise plans and go for it all!

HOW DO I MAKE THIS WORK ON A SHIP?

*Do not let the surroundings blow your mind.

*Do not let expectations become unreal

*Keep an open mind.

*Remember who you are.

Is this a rerun of the old hit series, The Love Boat? Yes, it can be, when considering the whole package of cruising and the situation everyone finds themselves in. No, it isn't, when one expects to find a carbon copy of the television show in which everyone finds a happy ending to his or her shipboard romance.

All positive factors of an on board relationship should be rooted in reality. Whenever one finds themselves getting immersed in a sea of romance, they should step back and ask this very important question: Could this work in the real world? Is he/she for real? Am I being realistic? Those that forget reality altogether can spend the final few minutes on the ship rushing around looking for their man, only to find that he is too busy finalizing his travel plans, or if he works on board, getting ready for the next cruise and possibly his next woman!

Keeping an open mind allows one to enjoy themselves. It might even allow some passengers to surprise themselves. I can't believe I'm doing this. Ah well. It's only a cruise. I may as well make the best of it. Or...This guy I'm with is a real womanizer. I wouldn't pay him the slightest bit of attention at home...but he is good looking and he does turn me on, so who cares. He'll be three thousand miles away next week!

And, the ones who have truly tasted the Love Boat phenomena:

This is unreal. I can't believe I met this guy on a ship. We were made for each other. I'm flying out to California next week to see if it can work on land.

Whatever course of action one's cruise takes it will run more smoothly if a person bases their judgment as they would if they were on land. This can save many moments of distress after a particular cruise experience. Especially if one might be fraught with guilt because of it.

If you can't handle it, don't do it, a handsome officer once told a woman who was contemplating a little extra cruise activity. He took great pains to let her know what type of person he was and that their affair would be very casual.

She found this man irresistible but had never been the type to rush into a romance without the foundation of a relationship being firmly in place. She left him alone, berating herself all the way back to her cabin for being so staid. It was her best friend who pointed out that it was time she let herself go and had fun, particularly as this dilemma of 'should I or shouldn't I?' was beginning to ruin her vacation. Why can't you just enjoy him for the moment? she pleaded with her. You are on vacation. He's been both charming and straight with you. What more can you ask for? Loosen up. He's so damned sexy you'd be stupid to let him go!

Due to her friends encouraging words, she spent the rest of the cruise with this man in a torrid love affair. She felt like a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Never had she experienced such a happy time in her life. And yet, she knew if she hadn't stood back, collected her thoughts and taken a good look at the situation, she would have hated herself. As it is, this couple is still sending postcards to each other, four years after they met, and both value their great friendship.

The bottom line: Have a good time and don't take the situation too seriously. It will depend on each individual as what constitutes a good time, but whatever it is, you owe it to yourself. Just go for it!

KNOW WHEN TO SAY NO

They are young, attractive and looking for excitement. Let's party, is their theme and the wilder the better. They are also minors and can be trouble.

Most kids are subjected to heavy peer pressure. How far they have gone sexually can put them at the top of the class and many young girls on board are hoping to take back home some juicy stories to tell their friends. They want attention just as much as their older counterparts and to get this attention transmit certain vibes that can be misleading. Do not be misled! A ship is responsible for the conduct of its employees. Parents should be responsible for the behavior of their children. Many parents seem to want to shirk this responsibility, leaving it up to the schools, the civic groups, other parents and society in general. Unfortunately many parents are not really interested in what their kids do, and once they get on board are quite content to let them create havoc while they sit by the pool sipping martinis. Even the ones who do care are lured into believing that their kids cannot get into any trouble on board. They know where they are (so they think), so what kind of trouble can they get into on a ship? The answer to that is as much