What could be more exciting than sailing the blue waters of the MEXICAN RIVIERA, enjoying the plethora of shipboard activities, and exploring exotic sun-drenched ports-of-call? And if that’s not thrilling enough, add to that the gaming and the shopping, the smorgasbord of food that can please any culinary taste, the non-stop entertainment that rivals the glitz and glitter of Vegas’ best. And to top it all … ELVIS! ELVIS! ELVIS! Three of them: JOHNNY LOOS, JAMES KING and DAVE HOOVER!
All these happened this past October aboard the VISION OF THE SEAS, one of the luxuriously elegant cruise ships of the ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL. With senses heightened and adrenaline pumping, we savored every magical moment of the “FOLLOW THAT DREAM” cruise.
MICKEY SABIN, a travel agent with GLOBAL TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL, arranged three nights of Elvis Tribute Shows for members and friends of the JAILHOUSE ROCKERS OF CALIFORNIA, an Elvis fan club. Even though the shows were supposed to be exclusive, other passengers got wind of the event, and trooped to the “Some Enchanted Evening” Showroom. Judging from the deafening applause and wolf whistles after each show, none left the showroom without becoming an Elvis fan. The three ETAs had a fun time posing with fans, young and old, and signing autographs.
Tall and handsome JOHNNY LOOS, originally from the state of Wyoming, now calls Canada home. He started performing in 1999, and went on to participate and win competitions in the U.S. and Canada. His most memorable win was the ISLE OF CAPRI Contest where he pocketed the $50,000 prize money. That’s quite an achievement, gaining him the admiration of most and the envy of some. I first met Johnny at the 2002 ELVIS EXTRAVAGANZA Finals sponsored by JAMIE COYNE in Laughlin, Nevada. His impressive performance got the judges nod and he won First Place, getting the $5,000 prize money and a brand-new jumpsuit from the B&K ENTERPRISES.
The well-attended contest was participated in by ETAs from all across the U.S., as well as England, Canada, Sweden, Japan and Germany. At the 2003 ELVIS EXTRAVAGANZA in Las Vegas, Nevada, JOHNNY LOOS, as the previous year’s winner, was a special guest performer.
JAMES KING, also known as GHASSAN HADDAD (his real name), is from Beirut, Lebanon, but now lives in Los Angeles, California. A truly versatile performer, he does incredible renditions not only of Elvis’ songs, but also of NEIL DIAMOND, TOM JONES and ROY ORBISON. James has a wide repertoire of Elvis songs from varied Elvis eras. He regularly performs aboard the “Queen Mary” in Long Beach, California. He has also won numerous competitions, and is one of the favorite performers of the Jailhouse Rockers.
DAVE HOOVER, also from California, was the only one who didn’t wear the trademark Elvis outfits during the tribute shows. He preferred performing in ordinary clothes, yet managed to grab and hold everyone’s attention and approval with his wonderful voice, sense of humor and down-to-earth charm. If you think shipboard romances happen only in TV episodes of the “Love Boat”, you’re sadly misinformed. Single guys JAMES KING and DAVE HOOVER both met a special someone aboard, and surely had a memorable and love-filled cruise. Not to be outdone are JOHNNY and his wife CINDY, who were also acting like lovebirds.
I had a chat with some of the passengers, and most admitted that the ultimate vacation is aboard a cruise ship. The activities on board, and at the various ports-of-call, satisfy everyone’s need for adventure. On a cruise ship, you can do everything – or nothing! Talking about everything, there’s a whirlwind of activities on board. The No. 1 favorite is – you guessed it – eating! There are so many places to indulge. For example, there’s the formal Aquarius Dining Room where everyone came attired in their finest; the informal Windjammer Café, for buffet lunch and dinner; and the Solarium, where snacks were available at all hours.
The second favorite activity was shopping. Aboard ship we can purchase photos, postcards and souvenirs. Or spend thousands of dollars at the Art Auction. For serious shoppers, there was a seminar that gave information on where to find the best bargains and hard-to-find souvenirs at the different ports-of-call. There were workshops for almost everything, daily trivia and bingo, card and board games, books and movies, and karaoke singing contest. Those who wanted young looks preserved, or acquired, frequented the spa, which offered facials, massage, teeth whitening and seaweed wraps. Some who were into sports and fitness, and love a ship-shape body, spent an hour or two every morning walking the deck or working out in the gym. The still agile enough preferred rock-climbing up the ship’s man-made cliffs.
Speaking of doing nothing, most just lounged on the deck watching the deep sapphire of the ocean and the shimmering red and gold of the sunset. Or they congregated around the swimming pools, admiring the glistening bodies of frolicking beauties in their bikinis and bathing suits. Aboard ship, we can rub elbows with the stars! Cruise ships have been upping the ante by booking big-time entertainers. On this particular cruise, one of the big-time stars featured was veteran performer and singer LENNY WELTZ.
LENNY WELTZ recording of “Since I Fell for You” on the Cadence label in 1964 became one of the nation’s biggest records, selling over a million copies. His other hits, which he performed for “Celebrity Showtime”, were: “You Don’t Know Me”, “Ebb Tide”, “Breaking Up is Hard to Do”, and “Two Different Worlds.” Performing throughout Europe, South America, the Virgin Islands and the United States, as well as in major cruise lines, Lenny’s unique style and sounds have made him one of the most respected singers in the world. His fans range from teens to senior citizens. Without question, LENNY WELTZ is one of the finest balladeers still around today.
One of the highlights of the cruise, and most-anticipated, was the CAPTAIN’S WELCOME ABOARD RECEPTION. Every one was dressed to the nines for a photo session with the Captain himself.
CAPTAIN STEIN ROGER BJORHEIM is from Kristiansand, Norway and joined the Royal Caribbean International in 1998 after spending years at sea, primarily on Norwegian passenger vessels sailing North American itineraries. Members of his staff who were introduced to us all, were: Staff Captain INGER NEERLAND, Chief Engineer SVEN TVEDT, Executive Chef PETER HOWELL, Hotel Director TONY O’PREY, Loyalty Ambassador SUZANNE SLATTERY, and Cruise Director JOHN BLAIR. A singer, dancer and comedian, Cruise Director JOHN BLAIR hosted most of the Vision’s entertainment. We were rolling with laughter one night, when in one of his comedy routines, he mentioned some of the dumbest questions supposedly asked by some “Dumb and Dumber” passengers.
Examples: “Does the stairs go up or down?” “Does the elevator go to the front of the ship?” “Is the water in the toilet fresh or salty?” “What do you do with the ice carvings after they have melted?” “Is that island surrounded by water?” and “What time is the midnight buffet?”
CABO SAN LUCAS was our first port-of-call. It used to be an isolated island in the Baja Peninsula inhabited by Cochimi Indians. In the 16th century, lured by rumors of Aztec gold, the Spanish explorer HERNAN CORTEZ sent ships to explore the area. Today, Cabo San Lucas remains unspoiled, and is one of the world’s best fishing areas. Dubbed the “Marlin Capital of the World”, even neophyte fishermen can catch at least one. A primary tourist attraction, Cabo offers pristine white-sand beaches, guided nature walks, picturesque mountains, and the unforgettable sight of whales frolicking in their natural habitats. Before we docked at Cabo San Lucas, one of the ship’s officers pointed out the location of the film “Troy”, which starred BRAD PITT. We saw beautiful rock formations and a natural rock arch big enough for a small ship to pass. We also saw sailing vessels of all shapes and sizes, like catamarans, jet skis, glass-bottomed boats, kayak tenders, and even a replica of an ancient pirate ship. It seems like water is the greatest adventure! Whether you swim in it, play in it, dive deeply beneath it, or just spend hours gazing at it – water is a top consideration in choosing a vacation destination. But of course nothing beats the high-flying excitement of parasailing, feeling the wind and the spray on your face, and watching the beautiful scenery go by. Wow! I love it!
MAZATLAN was our second port-of-call. First settled by the Chibcha Indians who are believed to have given the city its name, Mazatlan means “place of the deer.” At one time, herds of deer roamed throughout the area. But no longer! Now their memory is immortalized with a large statue of a deer standing proudly by the waterfront. In Mazatlan, dancers in their colorful native attires entertained us. One dance featured the graceful acrobatic movements of deer eluding their hunters. We watched with wonder and awe as the “Flying Papantas” performed the centuries-old ritual of flying and spinning upside down a very tall pole. Each of the four dancers, representing north, east, west and south, spun on the pole’s axis 360 times, signifying the days of the year. After the show, everyone went shopping for souvenirs. Some very unique belt buckles caught my husband’s eye, and he purchased two, a red and a yellow, with real scorpions in it.
Our third and last port-of-call was PUERTO VALLARTA. Puerto Vallarta differs from that of many Mexican cities with a past dating back thousands of years to the Olmecs, Toltecs and Mayans. In 1541, DON PEDRO DE ALVARADO discovered Puerto Vallarta. Then it was practically forgotten for the next 400 years or so. Puerto Vallarta became a popular resort after the filming of JOHN HOUSTON’s movie “Night of the Iguana.” Reporters came to cover the filming, primarily drawn by the scandalous dalliance of its leading stars, ELIZABETH TAYLOR and RICHARD BURTON. The reporters were enthralled by the unspoiled beauty of this quaint area – and the word was out!
We personally saw and explored John Houston’s museum at LAS CALETAS, a reverently beautiful and secluded place which for many years was the famed director’s private Garden of Eden. Accessible only by sea, this enchanting cove is just one hour away from Puerto Vallarta by catamaran. There in Las Caletas, we watched at dusk the enthrallingly spellbinding show “RHYTHMS OF THE NIGHT.” A dreamlike reverie of mysticism and cultural anthropology, this show transported us to that long-forgotten place that reverberates with primal memories. Haunting flutes and pulsating drums summoned us – passengers of several cruise lines – along a torch-lit path to a pyramid deep in the heart of the jungle. Here, a natural amphitheater under a star-studded sky, we witnessed Mexico’s mythological past in the universal language of music and dance. The hour-long show celebrated the union of man and woman as they become one in heart and soul, recreating a magical pre-Hispanic wedding ceremony. Of course, not to be forgotten was a sumptuous candlelight dinner following this spellbinding spectacle.
The cruise almost over as we sailed back to Los Angeles, we spent the time in camaraderie with old and new friends. I would like to make special mention of the Jailhouse Rockers members and friends enjoying the “Follow that Dream” cruise. Here they are: ALLEN & MICKEY SABIN, HAROLD & MARJORIE JURGENSEN, HAB & JUDY PAISELY, BOB & HAPPY MERRITT, NICK & CAROL CASSEL, ADELE ROSNER, LESSA IKAMI and her sister CAROL IKAMI, CATHY OTT, TINA ALTMAN (president of the Jailhouse Rockers), ELIZABETH ALTMAN, CRYSTAL COLE, JANICE STAFFORD, SANDY REMLEY, MARTHA KHATCHATOORIANTZ, SALVINA RESTIVO, LARRY & SHARRY PUGHE, SUE PORTERFILL, CHARLENE EBERLEY, SUE KEITH, GLEN HEYMANS, SHERI MARKLEY, MARY LOU MARKLEY, NARRIE KING, and CECILIA GUTIERREZ.
And so the fun continues … and let the good times roll!
XXX
