On a cruise, its still all about people.

Jay, Howard, Rommel, Eric, Lori, Galina, and Kathryn aboard the Ruby Princess

Imagine being on a cruise ship; an opulent floating hotel with every luxury known to man at your fingertips.  Shows, good food, exotic ports of call, bars, pools, spas, casinos; the list is endless.  Now, imagine being there by yourself.

The lavish surroundings will certainly fill your time.  There are lots of ways to entertain yourself, and if nothing else there is always the television or personal electronic device to fill the void.  After the initial wonder settles in you would start to notice a creeping sentiment.  It would begin as a moment of melancholy but slowly advance until rampant loneliness took over.  There you are, floating in an ocean of water with nothing to drink.

The presence of friends, family, and new acquaintances would bring new meaning to the cruise.  All the same features are available, but now you have someone to share them with.  That sense of loneliness would dissipate if not be obliterated altogether.  Of course, those could also include people you meet on board.

Many thanks to the servers, Rommel and Galina, who joyfully greeted us and waited on us at our reserved dining table.  We got to know them individually over the length of our trip during meals and enjoyed the flare and humour they brought to the job.  Without a doubt, they added to the outcome of an enjoyable cruise and we left knowing them as friends.  Dinner, it turned out, became as much about eating wonderful food as it was about meeting our new friends.  

It seems that it's not what you have that counts, it's the people and relationships in your life that make all the difference.  As a photographer, this is something I have been acutely aware of when photographing people; I always strive to get pictures of relationships within small groups between friends and loved ones.  The cruise experience has cemented that notion.  It was fun, and it wasn't lonely.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com


 

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