Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

Earl and I are veterans of at least a dozen cruises in the Caribbean, the Pacific, the Atlantic, and the Mediterranean.  We have platinum status which means we get certain perks.

But this morning we were first-timers on the SS Badger, a car ferry that chugs between Ludington, Michigan, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.  It takes four hours to cross Lake Michigan; and in that time we saw similarities and differences between the Badger and the cruise ships we also frequent.

Both ships have sunning decks, but this morning’s passage saw the travelers bundled in parkas, long pants and hats as they “sunned.”  Both ships have what we call “troughs,” those all-you-can-eat buffets on the upper deck. Both ships have staterooms, although Earl and I didn’t purchase one for the four hour trip.

There are differences too. Princess cruises are strictly tourist fare, while Badger mixes vacation with business. One of the vehicles off the ship in Wisconsin was a sixteen wheeler followed by a bevy of motorcycles. It’s America on the move, and I loved it as much as I love cruising the Caribbean on a giant luxury liner.