Another cruise for me; another cyclone to avoid.

On our winter cruise aboard Oceania Nautica, you might remember a three-day period when the captain had to avoid a cyclone (hurricane) near Madagascar.

The current cyclone is not a direct threat, but winds and high seas will not allow us to safely approach the port of Salalah, Oman, where we were supposed to dock today and where I had an archeology excusion booked.

So for the sixth consecutive day the 150 passengers will be stuck on the ship. What do we do? 1. Attend many different types of lectures. 2. Eat. 3. Do laundry. 4. Dancing, bridge and golf lessons. 5. Eat. 6. Enjoy many kinds of entertainment all afternoon and evening at different spots on the ship. 7. Avoid the pool area because the winds are high, the sun is very, very hot and the hot tub doesn't work. 8. Socialize or write a travel blog at The Bistro while sipping on a half-dozen coffee drinks and listen to wonderful piano music. 9. Call Bonnie, Carlee and Andrew on WhatsApp. 10. Eat some more.

It hasn't been boring. About 20 hours ago we slip past the strait between the Arabian peninsula and Somalia without encountering pirates.

Around the same time, a terrorist group in Yemen (which we're sailing south of right now) launched missiles and drones toward Israel that were intercepted and eliminated by a U.S. Navy vessel in the north Red Sea. No one on the ship is aware or frightened.

The Symphony has just returned to service after more than a year in dry-dock in the Caribbean following a Crystal bankruptcy and repurchase by the founder. It's similar in size to the Nautica, our home on the sea, last winter.

Most of the passengers have been on between 10 and 50 Crystal cruises. Most of the passengers know each other. Most of the passengers know most of the crew. The brand loyalty is astounding. The passengers have been extremely welcoming to any first-timers like me. (The crew is too, but are paid to do that.)

A bonus on Symphony is that the wifi connections have been excellent, so I'm looking forward to watching the Torino-Inter Milan game tonight without scrolling interruptions followed by the Missouri-South Carolina football game. Obviously, I'm a happy guy.

Monday we should be able to port in Muscat, Oman and a round of golf could be ahead of me before we leave on Tuesday.

On Wednesday we'll get into Dubai around 2 p.m. and 12 hours later I expect to be aboard at United flight that takes me home when, obviously, I'll be an even happier guy.