As a prelude to the forthcoming 1996 Laurel and Hardy Cruise convention postings, here I am sharing the article I wrote at some point following the trip. It isn’t a complete breakdown, but rather a nice tongue-in-cheek overview of the goings-on of our crew. The issue of Dante’s Info #17 that contained the article was slated to come out in the late Summer of 1996, but for reasons of laziness, it didn’t actually come out until the late Summer of 1997! So I’m not sure at exactly what point I actually wrote the article, which is presented here exactly as it was written, but it was probably almost a full year after the convention. Unfortunately, I have been unable to locate the actual color prints or negatives of the two photos that I used in the article, so I have simply illustrated it with the crummy black and white versions – exactly how they would have been displayed in the newsletter.
Sure the convention’s been over for twenty years, but that doesn’t mean I can’t still tell you about it or that it wasn’t great! On July 15, 1996, the Sons of the Desert embarked on their first ever convention “voyage” giving new meaning to the term “ship of fools.” Seven lucky members of the A-Haunting We Will Go Tent, an all time convention high, were in attendance.
Several of us began our week by flying into Orlando, where we spent two days at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, MGM Studios, and Epcot Center. On an interseting note, Sons founder and Ollie lookalike Chuck McCann rode on our bus trip from Orlando to Miami and visited Disney the same time we did. He was the voice of the Dreamfinder in the Epcot ride Journey Into Imagination.
Monday, after arriving in Miami, weaving through customs, and boarding the Ecstasy cruise ship, first on the agenda was to figure out what we would do if the ship went down for a third time. So all of the Sons and other unimportant people on the boat put on life preservers, gathered on their respective decks, and learned how to shiphike. Eventually we got through all the formalities, introductions, instructions, and about five or six rum swizzles, and the fun began.
Celebrity guests attending our cruise were Jerry Tucker Schatz, Dorothy DeBorba, Trudy Marshall, Pineapple Jackson, Chuck McCann and Jim MacGeorge. As always, it is great having these invaluable resources and wonderful human beings joining in on our festivities. They truly always help to make the week just that much more perfect.
Tuesday morning the boat docked in Key West, Florida, where we all took a “Conch Tour Train” into the town for a lovely tour. We were able to get off the tram, walk around the town, pick up a t-shirt and some key lime pie, and then reboard and return to our vessel. Later that evening we were forced to dress up in monkey suits for the Captain’s formal dinner party (see photo for the deboanir A-Haunting We Will Go monkeys).
All dressed up and one thing on our minds: you guessed it — FOOD!
This may be a good time to break in and tell you about two of the constants on the cruise. First, there is food. And then more food. And then for dessert: FOOD. Then if you’re still hungry there’s an after dinner buffet and a dessert followed by a buffet and then an early breakfast. Between meals, we felt free to order room service, which was all free. It’s kind of the same theory as the Sons constituion, except instead of cocktails, substitute food. Secondly, there were constant Laurel and Hardy films piped into the rooms on television. So although there were relatively few times when anyone wanted to spend time in the rooms, there were those times when you needed to let your stomach settle, your hangover subside, or your seasickness simmer, and catch a couple L&H shorts. It was a nice touch.
After eating breakfast and lunch on Wednesday, we arrived in Cozumel, Mexico where we spent a good portion of the day. Lisa and I opted to save some money and just do a bit of snorkeling with the Sons, which was quite fun. The water is amazing – crystal clear! Many Sons enjoyed a Tulum Mayan ruins tour or a trip out to sea with snorkeling and margaritas galore. Later in the evening, Bob Satterfield, Lisa, and I traveled into town via cab to see the Cozumel Hard Rock Cafe. Noteworthy was the cab ride, which was worse than any in New York. It was pouring down rain and felt as if we were going ninety miles per hour. Secondly, we made sure that the prices on the Hard Rock menu were in pesos because sixty dollars for a sundae was a little steep. We returned to the ship in time for dinner, then a Mexican buffet, and then an early breakfast.
Thursday was the fatal day I overslept for the Grand Council meeting and the Birmingham, England tent edged out the Monetrey, California tent by two votes to host the 1998 convention. Nothing against Brimingham of course, but believe me, I never heard the end of it from Monterey supporters. By missing the meeting, our tent missed the vote. I would love to see Birmingham and have not missed a convention since the last one in England (1984), but cost-wise, it just won’t be possible. The rest of the day was a day of sulking, saying goodbye, and meandering around the ship. Could it be over so soon? We wound things up with a fun filled Elegant Gala Dinner. Unfortunately, due to goings-off (on) during dinner, I will now always associate this convention with the Macarena.
Friday, we said good0bye and flew home. None of our tent attended the post trip in Miami. But by then, we were all exhausted beyond belief anyway. The convention was a blast even if I had to miss the KISS reunion tour going on in Dayton and WCW Monday Nitro at the MGM Studios in Orlando. As Stan said “All things come to him who waits.” It was true - I caught KISS that Fall in Indianapolis (sixth row!) and have seen Monday Nitro twice here in Dayton.
I never really got seasick. There was one time that I had drank a few cocktails, was wearing a hot and sweaty suit, and remember walking back to my room and the hallway was just rocking back and forth. That makes me sick thinking about it now, but other than that my stomach was iron.
Just two words: SAILORS BEWARE!
More on the Laurel and Hardy Cruise ’96 up next…
This convention was so much fun. My big memory from this convention was the snorkeling/beach party that Denise, John and I went on in Cozumel. After some truly beautiful snorkeling, we got back on the boat and the margarita’s starting flowing – and of course everyone was doing the Macarena. Denise and I thought we were truly in Paradise as we lounged on our beach chairs in the water on the private island and waiters brought pitchers of margarita’s to us. So we pretty much drank our dinner. I went to the midnight buffet to get a late snack, but I don’t think Denise ever ate anything that night. This cruise convention and the pre-trip to Disney has to rank up there as one of the best conventions I’ve ever attended.
Mom/Barb
October 6th, 2008