For Mary Subach, cruises and exercise go together

By Diane Daniel, Globe Correspondent, 01/26/03

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You might say Mary Subach is crazy for cruises. Not just any cruise, but one that combines cruising with her other compulsion — exercise.

"I love to work out, and I've always wanted to do a cruise," said Subach, an administrator at Travelers Insurance in Hartford.

In the last two years, she's been on four cruises, and hopes to save enough money for two more this year. It all started when she saw a flier at her health club for the Fun & Fitness Travel Club (www.fun-fitness.com and 800-955-9942). The group, based in McLean, Va., reserves blocks of space on cruises and adds its own amenities, including exercise and touring options.

"The first thing I thought was, are they going to put us on a diet? I hope I don't have to eat lettuce and carrots and that kind of stuff," said Subach, 47, who lives in Windsor Locks, Conn. She was happy to learn that wasn't part of the plan.

She has now been to Hawaii, Bermuda, and two parts of the Caribbean. This year she hopes to return to Bermuda, and also take her first trip to Alaska. Her most recent cruise was for 11 days in October. She departed from Baltimore on Celebrity Cruises' Galaxy, making stops in Charleston, S.C., and the ports of San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Martin, and Nassau.

The Fun & Fitness group totaled close to 60 among the thousands of passengers. They first met up at dinner, where they were assigned to tables in the same area.

"The first night we sit where we're assigned," said Subach. "After that we'd mingle and roam from one table to another. Jim would walk around our table and give events for the next day," she said of Jim Sealy, who, with Cynthia Neu, runs Fun & Fitness.

A typical day at sea for Subach would be "I get up, grab my coffee, and jump in the pool" for an hourlong water aerobics class, which Sealy led at 6 a.m. and again at 8. "The first one was usually full. Sometimes people would stay for both classes. Water aerobics is not a really strenuous thing, but you do get a good workout. Jim would make it fun. We did the hokey-pokey, the Electric Slide line dance. One day, Broadway shows.

"Then we'd go in and have breakfast. Then we'd go up to the room, read, do the shops, or sit around the pool. Around 11:30 we'd all get together and walk around the ship. We'd walk a mile. Sometimes people would see us and say `What are you guys doing?' and join us. After that, Jim would lead us in chair yoga, designed for older people."

Subach was younger than the majority of the passengers, who were mostly in their 50s and higher. Many are repeat customers.

Fun & Fitness reserved the ship's movie theater in the afternoon, but Subach preferred to stay outdoors. "I'd rather sit by the pool or be walking and looking at the ocean."

"After dinner every night, a couple of us would get together and walk around the track. At one point I was trying to get myself up to five miles." She made it to four.

During the days they were docked, Subach would go sightseeing after breakfast. Some activities were arranged by Neu. High points included a horse-and-buggy tour in Charleston, a local bus ride through Nassau, and a tram ride to the top of St. Thomas. Subach stopped at every Hard Rock Cafe she found to add to her sweatshirt collection.

Then there was the lure of gold. "You only live once," she said, laughing. At a jewelry store in St. Martin, she bought a 14-karat gold chain and a diamond bracelet.

"I never wear bracelets," she said. But when the store owner slid one on her wrist, she had to have it. "I wear it constantly. I love it."

"When I got back to work I couldn't even remember what my password was for my PC. I was on vacation."

Diane Daniel can be reached at ddaniel@globe.com.