Spirit, Romance and the Last Frontier
By Jane Cassie
 It really helps going on a cruise with someone
who needs a motorized scooter to get around –even if she is your husband’s
ex-wife. Our blended family is somewhat of an enigma. Not only are our five
offspring blended into this second marriage, so are the ex-halves. Friendships
have evolved on both sides and as well as celebrating Christmases and birthdays
as one big happy pack, we’ve even been known to vacation together. So it comes
as no surprise when Brent’s first wife, Kristin, asks if she and a friend can
tag along on the same Alaska cruise that we’ve booked. Even though this holiday
is ironically also dubbing as a belated anniversary celebration it’s fine with
me. I know we’ll have lots of ‘alone’ time and, what the heck, the more the
merrier. After all, Carnival doesn’t call them ‘fun ships’ for nothing.
Embarking is a breeze
 Servicing over two thousand passengers is like manning a
small city and we discover that Carnival has ironed out every kink so things run
like clockwork. Online pre-boarding speeds up our embarkation process and the
red carpet treatment is provided to those, like Kristin, who require additional
assistance. By trailing alongside her scoot-mobile, we zip through the
registration formalities, and in no time are hugging up to the deck rail to bid
Vancouver a grand farewell. The harbor is picture perfect. Afternoon rays
reflect off high-rise condos and business icons that frame the city’s skyline.
They cast shadows over the lush green space of Stanley Park and light up the
coastal mountain backdrop. As we pass beneath the suspension cables of the
Lion’s Gate Bridge, the fiery sun slips beneath the horizon and we literally
sail into a crimson sunset.
The Spirit: A Floating Architectural Treasure
 Carnival’s reputation for glitzy décor doesn’t let us down.
Not only does the dazzle live on in The Spirit, but so do a number of eras of
time, expressed creatively through the use of diverse architectural styles. The
jaw dropping beings as soon as we step into the impressive lobby, swathed with
burnished bronze, gleaming hardwood and shimmering crystal. The sleek art-deco
décor flows through to neighboring stairwells, elevators and the amazing atrium
where we can escalate up this cruiser’s core in just seconds. During the nine
story ride we soar past exquisite works of art –massive panel paintings by
acclaimed Israeli artist Calman Shemi. The whimsical angelic subjects, rich in
color and texture, are framed by scrolls of lacey cast copper, a dominating
design feature that flows harmoniously beyond. Are we instantly impressed? You
bet!
 We saunter the two levels of promenade in an
effort to get our bearings, and peer into public venues that revive and give
life to the present. The Chippendale Library, embraced by rich dark wood,
flaunts English garden murals, and columns shaped like giant Chippendale table
legs. Although the warm environs immediately transports us back to the 18th
century, the access to computers keeps us well grounded to our current
electronic age.
 We’ll also look forward to remaining rooted,
while dancing the week away at the two-level Dancin' Dance Club. A floor to
ceiling video screen backdrops this hopping hot spot and pulsates with images as
the beat goes on –definitely a futuristic funky kind of twist.
 Oriental is the theme scheme at the sing
along Shanghai piano bar, where musician Bre will entertain and accompany us
while we belt out our favourite tunes, then it’s back to the ‘50s with Babe Ruth
and Alonzo Mourning, two of the legendary greats that don a wall of the
Champions' sports bar. There’s Louis XIV to embrace the casino crowd, King
Tutankhamen of ancient Egypt who will watch over the glitzy show each night at
Pharaoh’s Palace, and Napoleon with his shrine in the main dining room,
appropriately titled ‘The Empire.’ Over the next seven glorious days, beneath
its gilded dome, painted murals and crystal chandeliers, we look forward to
dining in grand style.
There’s no fear of Cabin fever!
 Any veteran cruiser knows that, with all of the scheduled
activities and things to do onboard, there’s hardly time for stateroom
hibernation. And let’s face it, many of the cruise lines don’t exactly put on
the Ritz when it comes to spacious quarters. Well, not so with The Spirit. As
well as room fit for royalty, eighty percent of the thousand plus staterooms
offer an ocean view. And eighty percent of those feature private verandahs that
provide an up close encounter with Alaska’s stunning scenery as it rolls on by.
While in the comfort of our spacious interior, we’re treated like a king and
queen, lavishing over everything from nightly turn down and first run movies to
complimentary twenty four hour room service.
Glorious Grazing
 Food, fabulous food! It’s a big part of cruising and
Carnival goes all out to make sure we’re more than satisfied! As well as
stateroom sustenance, we join Kristin and her traveling compadre, Renee, most
evenings at The Empire Restaurant. Koko and Novie, our personal waiters, provide
ample smiles and silver service while we savor culinary classics that would
impress the House of James Beard. Health conscious and vegetarians are equally
appeased, thanks to the Nautica Spa menu options and personal consultation with
the ship’s dietician.
 Luxury-loving passengers may choose to dine
at the Nouveau Supper Club, an alternate highfalutin eatery, that’s fashioned
after great supper clubs of the past. The two-tiered work of art, housed beneath
the ship's funnel, is bathed in a rosy hue and hosts a dance floor and stage for
the nightly entertainment. Cinderella-like glass stairs trail from the fine
diner to La Playa Grille on the Lido deck, where casual buffet spreads include
everything from pastas and 24 hr pizza to grilled specialties and ethnic
creations. With the midnight spreads, chocolate extravaganzas and a grand
bountiful buffet that would appease Henry V111, there is never a hungry moment!
Wild life aboard and beyond
 This northbound route to Alaska hosts a cornucopia of
natural wonders, ranging from deep fjords and glistening glaciers to wildlife
above and below the sapphire chop. From various observation areas and our
private veranda, we’re privy to clear sightings of soaring eagles, leaping
porpoises and whales that spout from the deep. Bordering the sliver-thin
waterway are hills choked in evergreen and saw tooth summits that tower above
like looming sentinels. It’s untamed wilderness in finest form and we’re
frequently awed and mesmerized by its magnificence.
Although the vistas and wildlife sightings are certainly
added bonuses on this spectacular excursion, there’s definitely no shortage of
top-notch ‘wild life’ onboard The Spirit. From the moment we step over this
floating resort’s glamorous threshold, the Carnival fun begins. Our daily guide
outlines everything from entertainment to activities and believe me, there’s no
way anyone can do it all! We try.
 We check out team events like the Match
Game and Trivia, applaud volunteers of the Men’s Hairy Chest Competition and
bean bag toss, challenge each other at shuffleboard and ping pong, and plunge
into the many swimming pools that dot the sun-splashed decks. (one even has a
retractable cover for those cloudy Alaska days) There are classes on how to make
towel critters like the ones on our pillow at nightly turndown, lectures about
wildlife, whales and glaciers, and a line up of professional performers that
captivate us every evening. While younger sailors are enthralled by the Techno
Centre and Fun House, a 2,400-square-foot children's play area, and the casino
crowd hover around slots and blackjack tables, spa denizens are lured to the
heavenly rooms that promise exotic treatments at sea. And splayed over two
levels is a state of the art fitness centre where we attempt to burn off those
extra calories –for me, an unattainable task.
Quaint coastal communities
 Four quaint port stops are included in this Alaska
excursion and at each one we’re inundated with a mind boggling line up of
onshore opportunities – everything from whale watching to heli-flights. In
Ketchikan we tour Revillagigedo Island’s beautiful backcountry via canoe and
jostling jeep safari. In Juneau, we’re led to higher ground after taking the
town tramway to the sub alpine trails of Mt Robert’s. The White Pass Railroad,
out of Skagway, takes us on a scenic journey back to the Klondike Gold Rush days
and Sitka’s colorful streets and totem-studded trails shares its Tlingit and
Russian past.
Tying the knot the nautical way
 The Spirit’s chapel, a gothic-styled house of worship, is
the perfect spot to tie the nautical knot. A wedding package can be tailor-made
to suit the needs of each couple, and whether the ceremony is performed in port
for first-timers, or enroute for re-affirmers, it’ll surely be accompanied by
lots of shipboard romancing! During our cruise a long standing pair, already
wedded a blissful 50 years, renew their vows during a ceremony at sea. Other
newlyweds who had been matrimonially melded in the port of Vancouver begin
launching their lifetime together with their Alaskan honeymoon. We, on the other
hand, are content to celebrate this anniversary by just sharing the spectacular
sights and scenes that abound. And even though Kristin and Renee have traveled
the same nautical journey, aside from joining them for a few meals and an
occasional nightly performance, it’s been ‘alone time’ all the way. Here’s to
The Spirit and the last frontier! It’s been so romantic, maybe next time we’ll
see if my ex and his second wife want to tag along!
Carnival Cruise Lines:
http://www.carnival.com/
Images by Brent Cassie
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