GPS and Cruising

After a 49 day (7 week) cruise starting in Florida and following the coast of South America around the Horn to San Francisco, I can sum up the usefulness of the GPS in two words, “why bother?”
To be sure, the Garmin worked well and showed the little boat icon as well as the cruising speed, but really added nothing that the cruise ship didn’t supply on a much larger screen. Almost universally now, a modern cruise ship will have one TV channel devoted to a GPS showing speed, position on a relatively large map, the ship’s time, and another showing a forward view from the bridge.
The Garmin came in handy for converting local currency and distances, but for me it wasn’t worth the effort of keeping track of another gadget. A small cheap calculator will do the job at a much lower price and will also eliminate the need for recharging.
I found almost the same to be said for the airline flight home.
I missed the “factory” and it feels good to be home.