After the rapid-paced pre-Convention activities at Walt Disney World, Mom, Denise, John Poe, Lisa, and I were ready to depart on our cruise out of Miami, which was doubling as the 10th International Convention of the Sons of the Desert. After taking a bus from Orlando to Miami, we boarded the afternoon of Monday, July 15, 1996. The first order of business was a lifeboat/life-vest drill and then we set sail at around 4pm.
My Dad and his then-girlfriend Becky were also on the cruise, but we saw very little of them on the cruise. I met up with Bob fairly quickly and he regaled me with all of the latest dirt out of California, namely the tale of Joe Cobb and the old naked lady who had invaded his house. But anyways… We got registered for the convention and checked into our stateroom. John shared a room with Lisa and me. We had bunk beds and a single and very little room to move around. But who would need to on a cruise ship?
Mom in her O-Fish-L garb as we depart Miami, Florida
Sailor Denise
Me (with cigarette carefully concealed) and Lisa
Farewell to Miami
We scope out the pool on board
The convention organizers Lee and Dee McBeath (who comprised the Tree in a Test Tube Tent) had arranged to have Laurel and Hardy movies pumped into the ship’s TV system, which was a nice touch considering there was no opportunity to have a film room. Our toilets made a deafening whooshing sound when they were flushed.
Jon and I were on a giddy high and ready to party. One we found out that the name of our porter was Kukuh Widiastomo, there was no end to the number of times we mentioned his name (“Kukuh for Cocoa Puffs”). I even knocked on the bathroom door while John was using it and said that it was Kukuh. We were also heavy into speaking in our Norwegian accents after riding the Maelstrom at Epcot, picking up the room phone and saying “Norway please.” Yes, you could tell we were excited to be here.
We were all given sailor hats and the “O-Fish-L” t-shirt that we were asked to wear at the opening dinner, which included the standard Sons introductions, toasts, singing of the Sons anthem, and information about our ports. I’m sure this is where the Macarena first reared its ugly head as well. This was the first time I had heard this little ditty, which I thought at the time was called the Margarita.
This was which was then followed by a Rum Swizzle Party, where we were given free rum swizzles. Alcohol would typically cost extra. Food however was both constant and free – with buffet after buffet and even free room service at any hour (which we took advantage of only once). There was a stage show that night, but I didn’t stick around long for it, instead opting to catch up with all of my Sons friends in the lounge area outside of the showroom.
Mom ready for the first banquet of the cruise
Denise and Mom
A thorn between two roses
Denise, John, and me after a few too many rum swizzles
On Tuesday morning, we started with an early champagne breakfast and then docked in Key West around 8am. We didn’t do a lot in Key West, mostly aimlessly ambled around after taking the Conch Tour Train from the dock into town. Although I believe we drove past Harry S Truman’s Little White House, we didn’t tour it. I would guess that we had some Key Lime pie, but can’t distinctly remember it. I did find a cool Beatles shirt in one of the shops. We were originally going to meet up with my cousin Rob who was living her at the time and working at the Hog’s Breath Saloon, but we never planned it out properly.
Checking out the day’s activities in my bunk bed
Heading out to breakfast and then Key West
Lisa arrives by the glass elevator
A look back at our ship as we dock
Roaming around in Mallory Square in Key West
A photo too good to pass up: fellow Son Steve Wichrowski gets several birds – as per usual
We got back on the ship around noon and it left shore a short time later. The Sons held the Grand Council meeting where bids for the next convention included Monterey and Birmingham, England. A short time later the Dealer’s Room opened and I made a few purchases: a color photo of Stan Laurel, Rob Stone’s new book Laurel OR Hardy, and couple of CDs of some sort. But the most impressive acquisition of the day was something I had arranged to purchase in advance.
Below are two checks that I bought from Colin and Lori Jones McCaffery. The check from Stan Laurel to Charley Chase check is one of my most prized possession and hangs mounted in my living room. The other check is from the Stan Laurel estate (signed by Laurel and Hardy’s longtime manager Benjamin Shipman) to Stan’s widow Ida K. Laurel.
Check from Stan Laurel to Charley Chase
Chase’s endorsement on the back
Estate check signed by Benjamin Shipman
Ida Laurel endorsement on the back
That evening was the formal Captain’s Cocktail party and dinner. I was forced to bring along a suit jacket to attend this affair, which at the time I was adamantly opposed to, but played along anyway. The theme of the dinner was Formal 20′s and 30′s, so some were dressed in vintage clothes.
Denise gets ready for the formal banquet
Mom, Denise, me, and Lisa dressed to the nines
Full-bodied fanciness. I apparently didn’t have a tie clip
Lisa and me
Lisa wanted the professional shot taken by the ships photographer as well
Since the banquets were for everyone on the ship, not just the Sons, we really didn’t have any presentations during dinner, so we held the Sons session from 10:30 to midnight. This included the L&H Trivia Contest, toasts, and general information.
Would you believe that this was followed by a gigantic Grand Gala buffet and then a mini-breakfast buffet at 1:30am? I was slightly tipsy by the end of this evening, and as I recall, walking back to our room through the swaying hallway made me nauseous for my one and only time during the cruise.
Entering the Grand Gala Buffet after dinner
This fancy stuff looks almost good enough to eat
I’m guessing there was some dessert left over
We would be making our second port the next afternoon in Cozumel, Mexico.
The Cruise will conclude in the next posting…
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