Cruise ships suffer no lack of activities to keep their passengers busy whether it is with enrichment lectures, cooking demonstrations, wine and spirit tastings, art and dance classes, games, tea time, spa treatments, fitness exercises, bridge lessons, and on and on. The staff will do almost anything to keep us entertained. So to occupy us in the multiple sea days looming ahead, we were challenged to a shipbuilding competition. The rules included a maximum of six per team, all shipbuilding materials must be scavenged and to qualify, each entry must prove seaworthy and capable of carrying cargo of at least a six-pack of pop. We had one week to design and assemble our entries, and competition would take place at the pool deck before a panel of esteemed judges including Insignia’s own Captain Flokos, and lecturer and retired naval officer, Donald Campbell.
So began in earnest the hushed secret meetings behind closed doors, spying and interrogation, shameless groveling and begging to staff and crew, furtive supply trips ashore when possible, creative writing and presentation rehearsals. This was the seriously silly business of competitive shipbuilding onboard Insignia.
On the final day, among about ten or so teams, the indisputably clear winner was the SS Martini, a giant engineering feat that not only carried soda pop, but also our jolly Social Assistant, Stephen. Dressed in costume and in character to parody our Insignia staff members, my team of six built the Submarina, whose hull began as a laundry basket and not only proved seaworthy, but handily carried two cases of soda cans, won runner up in the overall competition…and provided far beyond a week’s worth of fun and laughter.
That water looks so inviting especially with the weather the way it is in Kansas. I am sure you had so much fun with your team and all of the folks. What a great way to get to know the passengers you were sailing with. Marvelous pictures!!!