Travel group “Lob-sters of the Seas” on a special pickleball cruise
Cathy Kauffman
Well over a year ago, Mardiece Patrick acted on something she’d been wanting to do for quite some time. She contacted a travel agent who specializes in pickleball cruises and organized a group of players to cruise together on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas. Several meetings were held leading up to the trip so that the “Lob-sters of the Seas” could make plans and get to know each other. Twenty-two happy cruisers, accompanied by travel agent Annette Barnette, left the Port of Los Angeles on Sept. 29 and traveled down the Mexican Riviera, with stops in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. On each of the four at-sea days, the onboard pickleball courts were reserved for two hours, solely for the Lob-sters’ use. The group dined together each evening, and they shared in many other activities and excursions. “We came together through our mutual love of pickleball,” said Mardiece. “While playing on the open sea was wonderful, getting to know this group of people was even better! Oh, and we will never complain about wind at the Ranch again!”