On the Surface

we were among the youngest cruise directors in the 1970s and virtually the only americans. it was a unique and exciting career. my chronicle offers a record of events and incidents of earlier cruising days in a time when communication with land was sparse, captains were in complete control, and the destinations, ship and sea were the primary attractions. this narration contrasts the adventures of the pre-"love boat" era when passengers read books to pass the time and the ships' promenade decks were within reach of the ocean spray with today's "mega ships" that are like floating amusement parks with their deck chairs having their backs to the sea. it was a serendipitous series of events that "landed" us at sea, including a brush with new york mafia, and it was good fortune that led us from one escapade to another without major mishap, at least, that is, with the benefit of hindsight.
having fled the new york mob by finding cocktail lounges in miami where we could sing, we were seen by someone with the connections to put us on a cruise ship as entertainers. when this company went into partnership with a greek shipping company, we became cruise directors and eventually were asked to produce the shows. we sailed out of mediterranean ports, around south america, to south africa and australia, the norweigian fiords, and the caribbean. There were heavy seas and storms, health scares, colorful and occasionally lunatic passengers and crew, tiny accommodations, dreadful dressing rooms and stages, wonderful ports, personality clashes and also splendid camaraderie .
as communication and profits increased, so did the escalating involvement of the cruise offices. this made the job both more efficient and more complicated. the romance of the life eroded and, though our thirty years at sea was spectacular, it was enough.
most of these memories were preseved in letters written to my parents. obviously, there were certain things i did not tell them, but these are the kinds of events that are unforgettable.