I love cruising, but I may not be the best roomie

By Kitty Lapin Agile on February 6, 2013 • ( 3 )

So my earlier post was all about how I love cruising and all sizes of cabins. This post will be the TRUTH, the other side of the story, about what it is like to have me as your cabin mate.

My fellow blogger is a fabulous person to travel with. Naomi is interesting, curious, ready to try new foods and up to enjoying every moment of a cruise. She is also a considerate wonderful cabin mate. I wish I could say the same about myself.

Warning! Not the best cabin mate!

Our first cruise as cabin mates was to the western coast of Mexico on the Mariner of the Seas. The ship was lovely, but most wonderful was our large cabin with a balcony. The views were always breathtaking, and we spent many happy hours on the balcony sipping wine and eating a cheese platter and other snacks. It was delightful to wake up to a view of sunny Mexico, and evenings were spent admiring the stars from the balcony.

However, Naomi and I have rather different standards of neatness. I thought I was being very generous and said “You take the bed near the balcony!” Little did Naomi know it would later seem I was saying “You get THAT part of the cabin, I’ll take the rest!”

If you get the room by the window or balcony, you have to give up a little extra space in other areas.

I tend to spread out. and I also enjoyed shopping in Mexico. I also tend to over pack a bit for a cruise. I had shoes, clothes, and also half a bag of knitted hats as prizes for a talk I was giving to the group we were travelling with. I was unable to handle as much space as I had in the cabin, with the small cabin I had to be organized and neat. With the space of our large cabin, it was like my suitcases exploded.

The sofa and coffee table were covered with souvenirs and clothing. Naomi found our large closet filled with shoes and a very smelly mermaid. Hey, how was I supposed to know it was going to smell?

Naomi is already suspicious about my recent purchase….our friend Sterling seemed to like the mermaid.

It was my favorite purchase, until I bought it home and my cat decided it smelled like food and the dog barked at it. It now resides with skeptic investigator Joe Nickell, who was glad to add it to his collection. The official name for the mermaid is a Jenny Hanniver, but I just knew I liked it (even if it did smell). Naomi made her feeling for my mermaid very well known.

Eventually, about day 4, Naomi had to have a little talk with me. It went something like “If you don’t organize and clean up this mess, I’m going to take all your stuff and throw it over the balcony.” (Naomi claims I am taking artistic license here…let’s say I think she had great self control!)

We have since not only stayed best friends, we also have gone on two other cruises together. I pack much more lightly, and also try to stay organized. I am also less tempted to buy interesting things that might not even be allowed back into the US if customs finds them. While I miss my mermaid, I know he/she has a good home with my friend Joe. Joe thanked me for the mermaid and even mentioned he already owned one that was lonely and needed a friend.

A very tolerant cabin mate! Also everyone loves her cruising hat.

Naomi is a very tolerant friend, and I’m not slow to take a hint. I hope we can travel together again soon. Naomi will be adventuring without me in March though. She is off on a cruise to the Galapagos, and a short stop in the Amazon also. I am jealous, but also wonder if she would be willing to pick up a shrunken head or some exotic stuffed animals from the local Amazon tourist trap for me.