Post-Cruise
Title
Post-Cruise
Identifier
POST_CRUISE
Creator
Jacob Schlitt
Description
" '...getting better and better.' "
Date
2016-10-10
Coverage
2016
Format
application/pdf
Type
text
Text
POST CRUISE
“…getting better and better.” September 8—surgery. September 13—catheter removed. September 16—decided to go ahead with the cruise. Cautiously optimistic. More control, less leakage. Not perfect, but who is.
September 21—we flew to Montreal, checked into our wonderful hotel, The William Gray, and spent two pleasant days seeing the sights. Not like I used to. Where I would do a dozen attractions a day, I now do one. September 22—Jewish Montreal. September 23—Art Museum.
The cruise started officially on September 24, when we boarded buses for Quebec City where the Crystal Serenity awaited us. We were assigned cabins (very comfortable), given IDs, and explored the ship, big and luxurious. We found all the wonderful places to eat: The Crystal Dining Room, the Bistro, Trident Grill, the Lido, Tastes, Prego, Silk Road etc. Also, lots of wonderful places to drink, and a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream bar. At 11 pm each night, there were “Gourmet Snacks” but we were not up for them. Also, a library, computer room, two theatres, swimming pool and Jacuzzi, and a Casino. Musical shows in the Galaxy Lounge, a string quartet in the Palm Court, a piano player in the Crystal Cove, a DJ in the Pulse Nightclub, and a jazz combo and vocalist.
My “Last Post” listed our stops and the presenters from the NY Times. Having heard their presentations and having spent time with them, I can state that they were terrific: knowledgeable, warm, friendly. As were the other participants. There were about 35 of us, from all over: California, Washington State, Texas, Florida, Canada, New York etc.
We learned about Canada from the Times Canada correspondent, Ian Austin; about hate speech, the Pentagon papers and and freedom of the press from NY Times Attorney George Freeman; and about strategic theory and Chinese military history from Naval War College Professor Andrew Wilson (substitute for Roger Cohen). We enjoyed their company, eating dinner together, and connected with a couple that shuttles between Toronto and Jacksonville, Florida, and a woman who lives in New York, was active in Democratic reform politics, and owns a bookstore. She had been on three other NY Times cruises, and graduated from Brandeis a year after Fran.
I have to admit, it was hard getting around a very big ship, Fran pushing her walker and me with my cane. And this also limited our time ashore. The excursions required walking. In Quebec, we took a cab. In Halifax I limited my sightseeing to a harbor walk, and Fran stayed on board. In Portland, we visited with Carol’s friend Nelle at a restaurant near where we docked, and later, Fran’s cousin picked us up and returned us to the ship. We visited Newport with a tender and a bus. The wonderful thing about a cruise is that there is always something to do aboard ship, even if it is doing nothing but relaxing, reading, looking at the ocean, noshing, drinking, schmoozing etc. I took a few pictures.
When the cruise ended on Sunday morning October 2, (having packed, the night before), we had a wonderful final breakfast, accepted the fact that we had not heard from Roger Cohen, and disembarked by 9:30 am. Our train back to Boston did not leave until 1 pm, and unwilling to sit in Penn Station for three hours doing nothing, I foolishly called Bob suggesting he visit. Coming to my senses, I revoked the invitation. Fran and I had Nathan’s hot dogs for lunch, transitioning from the ship’s gourmet food. With help from Red Caps, our luggage was placed on and taken off the train. There was some confusion regarding plans we had made about being picked up when we arrived in Boston, but we found a cab and got home on erev Rosh Hashanah.
Since this is also a record of my “condition,” I am pleased to report I managed to function pretty well for the most part. I was not unaware that I had had surgery and I was not in total control. Still, it did not create problems. On October 7, I had a bone scan to determine if the prostate cancer has spread. I should find out this week. As my radiologist cousin observed, a few men die from prostate cancer; most die with it. We shall see what the New Year holds.
10-10-16
“…getting better and better.” September 8—surgery. September 13—catheter removed. September 16—decided to go ahead with the cruise. Cautiously optimistic. More control, less leakage. Not perfect, but who is.
September 21—we flew to Montreal, checked into our wonderful hotel, The William Gray, and spent two pleasant days seeing the sights. Not like I used to. Where I would do a dozen attractions a day, I now do one. September 22—Jewish Montreal. September 23—Art Museum.
The cruise started officially on September 24, when we boarded buses for Quebec City where the Crystal Serenity awaited us. We were assigned cabins (very comfortable), given IDs, and explored the ship, big and luxurious. We found all the wonderful places to eat: The Crystal Dining Room, the Bistro, Trident Grill, the Lido, Tastes, Prego, Silk Road etc. Also, lots of wonderful places to drink, and a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream bar. At 11 pm each night, there were “Gourmet Snacks” but we were not up for them. Also, a library, computer room, two theatres, swimming pool and Jacuzzi, and a Casino. Musical shows in the Galaxy Lounge, a string quartet in the Palm Court, a piano player in the Crystal Cove, a DJ in the Pulse Nightclub, and a jazz combo and vocalist.
My “Last Post” listed our stops and the presenters from the NY Times. Having heard their presentations and having spent time with them, I can state that they were terrific: knowledgeable, warm, friendly. As were the other participants. There were about 35 of us, from all over: California, Washington State, Texas, Florida, Canada, New York etc.
We learned about Canada from the Times Canada correspondent, Ian Austin; about hate speech, the Pentagon papers and and freedom of the press from NY Times Attorney George Freeman; and about strategic theory and Chinese military history from Naval War College Professor Andrew Wilson (substitute for Roger Cohen). We enjoyed their company, eating dinner together, and connected with a couple that shuttles between Toronto and Jacksonville, Florida, and a woman who lives in New York, was active in Democratic reform politics, and owns a bookstore. She had been on three other NY Times cruises, and graduated from Brandeis a year after Fran.
I have to admit, it was hard getting around a very big ship, Fran pushing her walker and me with my cane. And this also limited our time ashore. The excursions required walking. In Quebec, we took a cab. In Halifax I limited my sightseeing to a harbor walk, and Fran stayed on board. In Portland, we visited with Carol’s friend Nelle at a restaurant near where we docked, and later, Fran’s cousin picked us up and returned us to the ship. We visited Newport with a tender and a bus. The wonderful thing about a cruise is that there is always something to do aboard ship, even if it is doing nothing but relaxing, reading, looking at the ocean, noshing, drinking, schmoozing etc. I took a few pictures.
When the cruise ended on Sunday morning October 2, (having packed, the night before), we had a wonderful final breakfast, accepted the fact that we had not heard from Roger Cohen, and disembarked by 9:30 am. Our train back to Boston did not leave until 1 pm, and unwilling to sit in Penn Station for three hours doing nothing, I foolishly called Bob suggesting he visit. Coming to my senses, I revoked the invitation. Fran and I had Nathan’s hot dogs for lunch, transitioning from the ship’s gourmet food. With help from Red Caps, our luggage was placed on and taken off the train. There was some confusion regarding plans we had made about being picked up when we arrived in Boston, but we found a cab and got home on erev Rosh Hashanah.
Since this is also a record of my “condition,” I am pleased to report I managed to function pretty well for the most part. I was not unaware that I had had surgery and I was not in total control. Still, it did not create problems. On October 7, I had a bone scan to determine if the prostate cancer has spread. I should find out this week. As my radiologist cousin observed, a few men die from prostate cancer; most die with it. We shall see what the New Year holds.
10-10-16
Original Format
application/msword
Collection
Citation
Jacob Schlitt, “Post-Cruise,” Autobiographical stories & other writing by Jacob Schlitt, accessed April 23, 2025, https://tsirlson.omeka.net/items/show/414.