Medley of Mexican Memories: Dance and Cruise
— a holiday diary by Judy Cree
As usual I had really been looking forward to this exotic Caribbean holiday to Mexico, with an itinerary that dreams are made of, Houston in Texas, Cozumel in Mexico, Belize, Roatan in the Bay Islands and Cancun in Mexico. Cloudless blue skies, turquoise seas, blazing sunshine and warm tropical breezes were all on my agenda! As this was my fourth dance and cruise holiday with Warren Bullock and Jane Phillips, I had high expectations and was not disappointed. They have a great formula and always make people feel part of the family. A number of the group were from Philip and Pam Wylie’s holiday and dance group as they provide marketing support, and what a friendly group they were.
All holidays take careful planning and this one was no exception. Warren had obviously worked hard to ensure that everything ran smoothly for the 86 people accompanying him and Jane to Mexico. When inevitably problems beyond his control did arise, such as altered flight times, overbooked hotel rooms and plane seats, lack of transport from the hotel to the ship, lost luggage, to name but a few, he managed to deal with them instantly and with a masterly degree of aplomb, so that most of the hassle was taken out of the travelling and we felt at ease and confident that everything was being taken care of.
Our arrival in Houston, Texas, was not quite what we had imagined!! Very cool, wet and with a raging wind. The ship looked impressive and immense as it lay at anchor in the port, with its
myriad of windows sparkling and array of flags fluttering against the skyline. On board the ship we were impressed with the large and beautifully appointed reception area, with its tubular waterfall and curved, black, marble benches and seats. Our cabin was cosy and adequately appointed, with plenty of wardrobe and drawer space. We were soon unpacked and ready to explore the ship. The Norwegian Sea began life in a Finnish shipyard, costing over $120 million, when she was built in 1988. She is 42,300 gross tons, 10 decks high, measures 709 feet in length and 93 feet in width. She has a capacity of 1,510 passengers with 630 crew, and she travels at an average speed of 19 knots, with a maximum speed of 22.5 knots.
Now let me take you on an exploration of the ship, and there was certainly plenty to explore! Wide carpeted walkways led to two of the three, large, waiter service dining rooms, the third serviced restaurant being The Bistro, situated on deck ten with magnificent views across the ocean. A series of staircases led from the reception area up through the central atrium, where the shopping arcade was situated in the gallery. It was really easy to find your way around this ship, by either climbing the wide staircases with their polished brass handrails and shining mirrors, or by using one of the many lifts. The Big Apple Café situated at the rear of the ship, was surrounded by large picture windows, which gave us a clear view of the sea as we sailed along, and which at this moment offered a very welcome drink and a variety of sandwiches and cakes which would keep us going until dinner-time. After looking at the many lounges, the theatre, the library, the casino, the gymnasium and the disco we made our way back to the cabin to get ready for the private cocktail party to be hosted by Warren and Jane. After introducing ourselves to the group.,Warren told us about the dance classes and venues for the coming week, which all sounded very interesting and exciting.
Dining is always a very important part of any cruise, and although Norwegian Cruise Line have a freestyle approach to dining on board their ships, Warren had arranged for all members of his group to sit together, having prime position with window tables within the Seven Seas Restaurant, which obviously made for happy and lively dinner-times. The food was of an excellent standard, with five courses from a very varied menu. Food! Food! Food! As usual it was very plentiful with lots of scrumptious cakes and pastries, Mexican, Italian and Indian cuisine, poolside barbecues and really delicious free ice creams from the deck parlour called Lickety 
Splits which were available all day long to cool you down from the Caribbean Sun.
On deck there were two pools and two large, bubbling hot tubs, with sun-loungers for everyone, which were well served by a large bar and outdoor restaurant. Non-stop, exotic cocktails of every colour imaginable were there to tempt us by the pool as the Jamaican band crooned Caribbean songs and the velvety warm breeze seemed to stroke our bodies. Need I say more? Overall the ship was thoughtfully designed, very clean and well kept, and with a warm and pleasant ambience.
As to be expected from previous cruises, dance classes were lots of fun, and took place in a variety of venues. Maybe it was the Mexican air, the Tequila, the new routines or just Warren’s hilarious descriptions but it seemed to lead to more merriment and laughter than usual! Everyone seemed to enjoy the lessons, whether they were Zig Zag pupils, had been on a dance cruise with Warren and Jane before, or were first timers. We were taught a variety of dances including Waltz, Tango, Cha Cha and Rumba, and an extra lesson allowed for time to help with technique and a final run through of what we had learned. A young couple trained by Warren and Jane gave a brilliant demonstration of Rumba and Jive that featured a specially choreographed routine to Goldfinger sung by Shirley Bassey, which included some great lifts. Their names were Ben Jones and Michelle Walters and they really impressed us with their performance and talent. Warren also arranged a team dance quiz event with a super prize of champagne and a winners’ cake delivered to their dining table by the waiters, who sang ‘Congratulations’ to the tune of Happy Birthday! The ship’s programme also offered a wide range of dancing including Ballroom, Latin, Line, American Swing and the Hustle.
Now let me give you a little information about the ports of call.
Monday
What can I say about Cozumel, with its inextricable links with the Mayan civilization, and which was considered to be a sacred shrine named ‘Island of the Swallows’ to which every Mayan woman made the twelve mile journey by boat, to worship Lx Chel, the goddess of fertility? Our ship docked at this pleasant and pretty port and we disembarked on a somewhat disappointingly rainy morning. What fun my friends and I had in our bright yellow waterproofs, paddling in the surprisingly warm and balmy sea, splashing in the puddles and traipsing in and out of the many shops, looking for all the world like four, large, bedraggled, yellow chickens. The shopkeepers and local people were really friendly, and we laughed and joked our way round this pretty, charming town, stopping to enjoy a meal at a Mexican taverna. A real fun day, if somewhat wet! Well Warren may be able to arrange the holiday and teach us how to dance, but even he can’t do anything about the weather.
Tuesday
Today we arrived in Roatan, one of the three Bay Islands, situated 30 miles off the coast of Honduras where we were met by their President who shook our hands as though we were long lost friends. This rustic, banana shaped island, with its luxuriant foliage and idyllic beaches is less than 40 miles long and about two miles wide. The amazing Belizean Reef surrounds Roatan and the unspoiled underwater garden which teems with wildlife is greatly loved by scuba divers and snorkellers alike. I had been especially looking forward to this port, as today we were going on a dolphin encounter. Oh, what a super, profound experience this was, meeting a dolphin face to face! Standing in warm, waist deep sea water with the silver sand beneath our feet, waiting expectantly, as our dolphin, 12 month old Ronnie came to greet and interact with us. Kissing a dolphin is an experience not to be missed — how beautiful and how clever these mammals are! I loved it!!
Wednesday
Onto Belize with its unusual combination of tropical countryside, a democratic government and a highly unusual mix of peoples, most of whom speak English. There are several tours which can be taken in Belize as it is home to many relics of the Mayan civilization. Ours took us on a boat ride along the New River where we saw crocodiles, turtles and many species of unusual and rare birds. Lunch was wonderful, cooked by the Arts & Crafts Women’s Group, followed by a jungle walk to see the ruins of Mayan Lamanai, and the huge masks of long dead rulers and gods which nestle in the rainforest, while being accompanied by the roaring of the howler monkeys high up in the tree tops. A very memorable evening followed starting with a big band Glenn Miller night in the Stardust Lounge and ending with Warren doing a karaoke turn singing Ricky Martin’s Livin La Vida Loca, with a backing group of ladies from the dance classes. They brought the house down when they were introduced as ‘Warren Bullock and his Helpers’. We all enjoyed a very lively evening.
Thursday
We are in Cancun, on the Yucatan Peninsula, with its white sandy beaches, offshore coral reefs, oversized tropical foliage, jungle Mayan ruins and abundant wildlife. A tender ride took us from the ship to the port where we were greeted by the friendly traders and a troupe of traditional dancers. The sea was the colour of a brilliant turquoise, the sky was as blue as a sapphire, the sea was warm and the day was perfect — exactly what a Caribbean holiday should be, rounded off by a Latin night in Boomers and a special private dinner for our group in the Bistro, specially reserved by Warren who treated us all to wine served with our fabulous gourmet dinner.
Friday
A day to rest in the sunshine, as the ship sailed toward Houston once again. We spent the day sunbathing by the pool, having a dip in the hot tub; an al fresco lunch and a talk with friends, old and new. A truly peaceful, restful day.
Our last dinner together, then into the Stardust lounge for a dance and final karaoke session before going down to the cabin to pack our cases. Unfortunately a member of the group was ill and had to be taken to the ship’s medical centre, and early next morning transferred to hospital in Houston to whom we wish a very speedy recovery.
Saturday
Disembarkation from the ship, followed by the flight home. Another holiday over! Once again, back to reality and the normality of life at home. I’m now counting the days until my next cruise. Not too long to wait — only until May 22 next year, then on the QE2, cruising to Oslo, Copenhagen and Amsterdam. Thanks again Warren and Jane for a lovely holiday. See you soon!
