As English-speakers, we would be a small minority among the possible 2,446 passengers.
Once on board, Colombians and Panamanians celebrated their top rankings at a champagne reception, cheering “Eso es! Eso es!’’ (“That’s the way!’’) when the captain announced where the passengers were from. Shouting “Eso es!’’ too were the next most numerous, from Chile, Venezuela, and Argentina. The 150 Americans and Canadians were more subdued.
That good-natured international rivalry reached fever pitch late one night when a Latin dance contest demonstrated that salsa and meringue are a matter of national pride.
More than just dipping our toes into another culture, the cruise proved to be an entree to more meaningful, enjoyable conversations than one typically gets as a tourist abroad. Throughout the week, sharing meals and sightseeing created a common bond. Curiosity flowed both ways. We met Latin Americans well informed about US history and politics.
In 2005, the Enchantment of the Seas was enlarged and updated. The ship felt crowded only in the plush theater for the biggest extravaganzas, a Broadway-style musical and a fabulous Argentine tango performance. Neither needed translation, nor did our tango class taught by the show’s stars. Hugely popular Spanish-only comedy shows eluded our grasp, but a trivia contest was a riot and required only that we recognize American TV and movie theme music.
The experience isn’t for everyone. Lois Lustig, Elaine Bergenfeld, and their husbands, from Long Island, N.Y., said their travel agent failed to tell them everyone would be speaking a language they didn’t know. All four were still upset in the airport heading home.
“We picked this itinerary for the ABCs and because we had great past experiences with Royal Carib,’’ said Bergenfeld. “I had a good time, but the language barrier put a pallor on it. If I had known in advance, we would have picked another cruise. During the shows, when people laughed, I wanted to understand what was said. Even exercise classes weren’t translated.’’
