Day Two, first Sea Day- by Host Mach

Stephanie — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Despite my late evening I got up quite early to shower and dress. I was on a mission. I dug my camera tripod out of my case and sallied forth. Breakfast was obtained in the Brasserie and I went aft to the open deck area spreading smiles and ‘good morning’s as often as possible. It was my intention to enjoy my breakfast, attach my camera to the tripod and take some panoramic shots of both the Serenity Area and the amazing Water Works.

Few folks were out and about yet as the bars weren’t yet open and I had the entire aft end of the ship to myself. Taking these shots is a bit time consuming but I got them done. As it turned out, I wasn’t terribly impressed with the first go so I redid them the next morning when we were docked in Cozumel.

It was time to get to know the ship in more detail and depth.

The Inspiration is a soft ship. I don’t mean physically soft but visually soft. It’s difficult to find a straight line or a hard angle anywhere other than the Atrium which is awash with neon and sunlight. As I wandered, the curves of the wooden sconces, the graceful arc of an archway or the way a bar meanders through an area reinforced my opinion about her appearance. Everything rolls and dances, nothing looks static. I began to feel the talent of Joe Farcus draw me on, forcing me to peer into every space I happened across. Like the other ships that Farcus has designed, the continuity of the vessel only slowly dawns on you. One might wonder what Violins, Shakespeare, Rhapsody in Blue and Chopin have in common but they work together. When one recalls that the theme of this ship is Creative Spirits of the Arts it all starts to make sense… the curvaceous lines; the dramatic colors of the lighting; the sight and sounds of violins; the heavy, wooden, classic feel of the library all melt into the harmonious picture that becomes the Inspiration. As she’s a smaller vessel than the Conquest class ships there’s a bit less to explore but she’s no less dramatic.

The Brasserie is probably the most whimsical space on the ship. Purple tubes erupt from the deck and dart across the ceiling without regard for the patrons who often bump into objects as they pay a bit more attention to the décor than they do the direction they’re headed. At the aft end of the Brasserie, on both port and starboard sides, you’ll find my favorite haunt, the area where I had previously enjoyed cocktails and breakfast. Open areas situated above the Serenity area and below the water park beg a quiet moment and a cool drink. Watching the world slowly recede into the distance became my favorite pastime.

Splendid Things in Life : The Brasserie

Day Two, first Sea Day- by Host Mach