Being aboard the world’s largest cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas, is akin to being in a tony neighbourhood that moves on water, finds Mridula Dwivedi.
In a casual conversation, I mentioned to the commander of our ship, Captain Guss Andersson, “This is my first cruise.” Without hesitation, he replied, “After Harmony of the Seas, it is going to be all downhill for you.” The statement wasn’t an exaggeration, as I discovered during my two-night stay on the brand new cruise ship of the Royal Caribbean cruise line. At 1,187 ft, the length of Harmony of the Seas is more than the height of the Eiffel Tower, which boasts of 1,063 ft.
With seven ‘neighbourhoods’ and 20 dining areas, the ship floats with a crew of over 2,000 for its 6,000 guests. As I have motion sickness, my first fear was of the rough waters. I did not wish to go green in my face. On this pre-sail for media, we were starting from Southampton, UK, for a little spin in the English Channel. Though gale-force winds were predicted in the area, the ship barely rolled; the anti-nausea medicine stayed firmly in its place in my bag.
With 16 floors on the ship, and just two nights to explore, I was overwhelmed, to say the least. However, after a few deep breaths, calmness prevailed. I could see public areas clearly marked next to the lifts. Some floors have only rooms or ‘staterooms’ as they are called. Soon enough, I was absolutely at home on the ship.
Esta historia es de la edición November 2016 de Harmony - Celebrate Age.
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Esta historia es de la edición November 2016 de Harmony - Celebrate Age.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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Wrapped In Love
My Dadi Meenakshi Banerji was a short and tubby woman with great gumption who raised 10 citizens of the world.
Sharing Her ‘Mettle'
To me, this bell metal vaarpu, which weighs about 80 kg and is at least 120 years old, is an enduring reminder of my paternal grandmother Aleyamma Abraham.
Medical Overload
Your doctor may walk the talk while writing out your prescriptions but here’s the thing: make sure he hasn’t prescribed one too many.
An Act Of Faith
One act of kindness can save someone’s life.’
Armed For Business
The sheer glory and glamour of the Olive Greens motivated me, a third-generation soldier, to join the Army. Thus I enlisted, brimming with enthusiasm, in 1984.
Capture the fracture
Fracture owing to osteoporosis can have a serious impact on a person’s health and quality of life. Dr Abhijit Y Pawar, consultant orthopaedic spine surgeon at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, speaks about the significance of timely intervention in preventing fractures
Friends With Benefits!
Incontinence need not interfere with life.
Yellow, Yellow, Gritty Fellows!
It was a nippy Sunday morning but nothing that would keep the rugged Delhiite away from the annual Senior Citizens’ Run supported by Harmony at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon. Not even the mood-dampening smog that had descended on the capital a week earlier could do that! So said 74 year-old Sarla Rani and her band of regulars at the run who arrived at Nehru Stadium on the morning of 19 November even before the sun did. Soon they were joined by busloads of silvers from all over Delhi, Noida and Gurugram.
Magic By The Sea
From Lord Jagannath to oceanside beauty and green initiatives, Braja Sorensen uncovers the many layers of Puri.
Indian Rhapsody
In a span of two decades, Roshen Dalal has attained renown for her painstakingly researched books on history and religions in India. The Puffin History of India and The Puffin History of the World, each in two volumes, have not just received critical acclaim but are bestsellers as well. Her other books include The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths; Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide; The Vedas: An Introduction to Hinduism’s Sacred Texts and The Compact Timeline History of the World.
