I have a few questions, recommendations.
- Do you think we will have to stand watch?
- Can the wives/girlfriends be ICOR? But, not at the same time, obviously!
- Will we be required to march during evening meal formation to the dining room, but in bathing suits (speedo’s not allowed)? First regiment will take starboard side, 2nd regiment port side?
- Can we see if they will offer Big N steaks, Dead Baby Birds, Ham Francisco with Texas sauce for evening meal one night? Maybe even trucker’s night at least once? Food fights???
- Will we have to recertify in the mile swim fully clothed (bring your 70s white-works) and the 10 meter pool-jump in order to attend? Mark & Eric were on Navy swim teams. They should be able to validate!
- Can we see if Little Feat, Pure Prairie League, Fleetwood Mac, Jimmy Buffet, Foreigner or Charlie Daniels Band is available for the entertainment? Remember, I have a connection with Jimmy Buffet!
- Can the SWO’s stand watch driving the ship, have the Nukes serve the engineering watch and let the Aviators (particularly the NFO’s) strategize the pool parties, keep track of the booze inventory and cash their remaining per diem checks just like we did in the REAL Navy!
- Will they allow aviators (possibly even NFOs…eyesight notoriously bad) to steer the ship? I recommend that only classmates that received at least a D on any Navigation P-work be allowed to “drive the ship”. USNA 78 doesn’t need to be associated with, or have a legacy of “challenges with navigation”!
- What will be the uniform of the day in February? Hawaiian shirt, shorts, flip-flops and a USNA 78 ball cap! Can we wear one we already have (I have 8 (one from each reunion) or will the class require us to purchase a specific “I survived the USNA 78 Holland America Caribbean Cruise of 2020” ballcap?
- Does anyone know where the Gut is in Havana?
- Will someone be designated to watch Skip Root so he doesn’t drop trou on the stage much like he did 43-44 years ago. It has taken at least thirty years and surgery to have that visual erased!
- Do former company commanders get a discount? 50%? 25%? Really, at least 5%, don’t you think? Okay, how about a free glass of Guinness and a personal ship-board tour of “shaft alley” with the cute, female cruise director? Her name should be Racquel.
- How many demerits for going “Over the Wall”? What constitutes “Over the Wall” on a cruise ship?
- Holland America’s new Konningsdam (Pinnacle class) weighs in at 99,500 tons. Just shy of the 100,000+ tons of a Nimitz class aircraft carrier. I want to recommend that ship! It will remind me of the two years (14 months at sea) that I spent on Nimitz. Wait a minute. What am I thinking???? I hated that tour!!!! Scratch that idea. Do you think we should take a Windjammer cruise instead? Sails, lots of sails. You know….”In days of old, when men were bold, and ships were made of wood”.
- Can we recommend activities????? I recommend we celebrate Live like a Pirate Day! AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!! And since I didn’t quite make it to the rank of Captain in the Navy, I want to be granted a temporary promotion for a week! Plus, I am still agile enough to raise a glass and hike my left knee at the same time (a requisite skill for Captains)! See below.
- If we can meet all the above requirements, I’m in!!
I also wrote a little poem about what I imagine my life as a Pirate would be!
A Pirate’s life
Be it told with vim and vigor
A Pirates life is rife with rigor
Swabbin’ decks and sails need riggin’
When day is done it’s rum we’re swiggin’
Our pistols cocked with a 2 lb trigger
We live for jewels, dubloons and booty
In St. George’s town I know one beauty
A wench so fine, so lithe and limber
She’d cause my mainmast to shiver its timber
This lass she sports one fine patootie.
And when at sea we have one goal
We search for treasure beyond the shoal
A target sighted begins the chase
We trim the sails and on’s the race
Til’ Davey Jones, he claims my soul.