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RON & MARY’S EDITOR’S NOTE

SEAGOING FRIENDSHIPS

e’ll be sailing from Florida to There’s one more element that turns
Barcelona in a few days. The voyage strangers into friends: shared adversity. Modern
W is our 11th Transatlantic and 44th ships are safe and comfortable, but unforeseen
cruise overall. Clearly, we love cruising and we’re events are just as likely at sea as on land - dis-
not alone. Countless travelers around the world ruptions from weather, conflicts, malfunctions,
eagerly anticipate their next adventure at sea. and most recently, pandemics.
That begs the question we often get from land- At the beginning of the COVID pandemic, we
lubber friends. Why do we do it? were cruising on the Azamara Quest from
Every cruise addict has their reasons, but all Capetown to Dubai. During our Indian Ocean
will agree on a few key motivators—love of the crossing, port after port denied the ship access
sea and joy in discovering new destinations. Es- and we remained at sea until we finally disem-
cape from daily routines - no cleaning, cooking, barked in Oman. During those sea days, we
or grocery shopping. Instead, there’s world-class formed strong bonds with six other passengers.
dining and entertainment day and night. For In the four years since, we stayed in touch, cheer-
cruisers, it’s their alternative life, and the more ing each other on through life’s joys and adver-
they experience it, the more they love it. sities.
There’s one more reason – new friendships. Earlier this year, we reunited onboard the
Cruisers learn early on that fellow passengers Azamara Onward, sailing from Lima, Peru, to
can’t be judged by looks age or origin. Almost all Tahiti. Our relationships were still strong and
have fascinating life stories. Casual conversa- heartwarming. Our evening cocktails and dinner
tions deepen and shared experiences grow dur- felt like a family reunion, warm and compassion-
ing a voyage. Friendships blossom and last ate, whether recalling our “cruise to nowhere” or
Not all cruises are friendship-friendly. Busy debating current affairs, or musing on shipboard
port-intensive sailings, for example. Sea days, intrigues. After two weeks, we said goodbye but
we’ve discovered, are the secret. There’s time we know we’ll voyage together again.
to relax, enjoy shipboard life, and get to know Thanks to our travels across oceans, we have
passengers and crew., The more sea days, the friends like these. And we count on making new
more opportunities to forge friendships that friendss as we sail on around the world.
last. That’s a big reason we love transatlantic
and other repositioning cruises. Ron & Mary James

Publishers & Editors

6 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2024