Oh Captain, my captain.

Oh Captain, my captain.
Thursday, February 14, 2008

Today we had lunch with the captain in Versailles. It was thrilling. He looks like Santa Claus—a gentleman, perhaps in his late 50s, with white hair and a white beard. He regaled us with stories of fuel tonnage, arsonists on ferries and what he does on vacation (Rides his harley on 13-day trips in Thailand during the celebration of the Thai King’s birthday). We all had so much fun….a great cast outing.

Then, I tried to do laundry. I picked the two laundry machines that weren’t working---I called the crew electrician who wanted to know what staircase I was near---and I didn’t know. I tried to get some help from other crew members—and then I just gave up. Gave up. The reason I was doing laundry was because now we have crew privileges. Yup, I’m heading back to crew bar!!!!

We actually got crew privileges on San Pedro day. We tried to go to crew bar that night---but it was DEAD as it usually is on embarkation day. While for us, embarkation day means a jaunt to the lovely San Pedro post office, a pop into the salon for some Aveda products, and perhaps, going to the public library, and then eating delicious sandwiches while catching up on all things internet, most of the crew have double crazy duties on embark---and only get off for a short time. For example, our room stewards, have to clean the rooms, say farewell to the debarking passengers, strip the beds, take out a weeks worth of cruise flotsam and trash, and then re-make the bed, scrub the hell out of the bathroom, and then turn around and start learning a whole new set of passenger names and making nice to try to get the tip.

And I can’t imagine the kind of work that the luggage guys have—hauling the bags from the pier to the rooms---ugh! So exhausting.

Anyway, after realizing how very hard the room stewards work, and since they weren’t leaving us with laundry bags like they did on the Spirit, and the fact that Keith does his own laundry, I decided I could do laundry today. And it was super-frustrating.

So, then I went to the gym, and worked out for 50 minutes, catching the tail end of Nanny Diaries and then the second half of Stranger then Fiction. I love that movie—and I want to watch it again and again.

But, back to last night. My cast was teasing me about how excited I was to go to crew bar—I was treating it like it was my coming out ball. But it’s just so much more real then any other place we can go to. And I just am not that into Spinnaker or the Pearl Martini lounge or the Carousel. The Red Lion is just fine, but it’s primarily a walk-through place. The Bier Garten is lovely when it’s nice weather but often is too windy to sustain for very long. I just really really like going to Crew Bar, and hanging out with friends.

Last night, after a failed attempt the night before, we finally got down there. And man, it was fantastic. Our cast (minus Derek) bought each other rounds, and everyone was sitting together, but turned and chatting with another group of crew members. Megan was talking to the new magician, I was chatting with Hernan, a Youth Counselor from Argentina who I knew and adored on the Spirit, as well as Matt, a much maligned YC, who I find delightful. Mark was chatting with some folks from the cruise staff from the Phillipines, and Tilliski was yukking it up with some of the YCs (Canadians, Australians) while Keith talked to the airbrush tattoist (Romanian, really Translyvanian, within ½ an hour of Count Dracula’s castle. For real). I mean, in what other place can we have those conversations? And the beers are real real cheap. I love it, and am surprised by how much I missed it. I don’t think I’ll be there every night, nor do I think it’ll solve the world’s that we get to interact with so many different nationalities…but, it is a big part of why I love this cruise job. And last night, we got it back.

I may try to do laundry later today---it’s Valentine’s Day, so the restaurants will be packed, so I should be able to get a working machine as most of the crew will be working.

For now, I’m off to walk the track with our international receptionist. We’ve had a change in itinerary due to a medical emergency—so we are veering off-course to drop the sick passenger off at Puerta Vallerta, which means that we will be late getting into Acalupulco tomorrow. I’m curious to see if we’ll be able to tell the difference in itinerary just by looking and I hope this passenger is ok.

The San Pedro post office, by the way, has a museum in it’s basement, and was a former Military hospital, built in the 30s, now converted to a post office. For the past two weeks we have been serviced by the same gentleman, who each time give us news on the PO Box, until finally, this week, gave us the honor of having PO Box number 1. As Megan might say, “That seems crazy.”

This whole ship life is freaking crazy.

Whales, wildlife, water, whatever

One day last week—in Cabo

Is it possible to be cynical about whales?

Today in a resort in Cabo, with a giant beautiful multi-pool and hot tub filled terrace, overlooking the ocean, with whales nearly at the sand’s edge, I sat huddled under a beach towel, below a thatched hut, online, and stressed out about everything. I read about how cold it was in Chicago, and worried about my friends, I felt guilty about not keeping up with emails and phone calls, fretted about a job when I get back in May/June, I felt like I was boring and felt sad/mad about everything. Finally, I just shut the laptop and came into the sunshine. I felt better, but man, I was starting to freak out.


So, this next cruise, I will strive for a little more structure and work, which I am clearly craving. And maybe then I won’t be compelled to blow off walking to the beach to look at the whales just off the shoreline because I have free internet. I mean, get over myself.

Lazy crazy days of crusing

Tuesday, February 6, 2008
I’m cruising…..on a giant boat

Today was the first real cruise day. On most cruises, there’s a big, lovely day full of nothingness—just empty space and time in which you can fill your time with whatever you want. And this, to me, of ALL the reasons to work on a cruise, is my favorite part of it. It’s a true blessing to have a day to fill as you want, and then have another day just like it, and then know that you have many more of these days to come.
It answers the question of if I didn’t have to work—how would I spend my time? You can create absolutely anything you want…..do whatever you want with your time.

Today, I chose to sleep in until noon, got up and watched the old “Little Woman” with June Allison and Elizabeth Taylor, worked out at the gym (Elliptical and legs) and then we rehearsed for our new song, and did a line bash.

Next, we played a game with castles, green farm spaces, roads and cloisters. It hurt my brain a bit but I think I’ll like it.

Now, catching up on CNN on Super Tuesday. I voted early in the state of Illinois, and I really am anxious to see the outcome. This is one of the most exciting elections for a long time—my hope is that the dems win for this year.

Tonight, we’re going to dinner at the Italian place on board—La Trattoria. I finished my book that included pasta recipes, so it sounds delightful to me to sit down and have some pasta.


I’m thrilled to be back on board---so many choices to just chill.

Ship Life

Well, we're back.

Loyal readers will recall that almost exactly a year ago I left the plains of Illinois and headed out to the MS Norwegian Spirit for 4 months, visiting ports of call in both the Western Carribbean and the Bahamas.

Well...now it's 2008 and I'm on the Norwegian Star, a slightly bigger ship, with an entirely new cast: Derek Miller, from LA, Keith Reay, from Detroit, Megan Kellie, formerly of Chicago now of LA, Mark Piebanga of Chicago and Tilliski Ramey, our music director.

It's really fun so far on many levels--being back on a ship--it's the same vibe--but this time I know what it means to be aboard--who and what the shore ex team does, why you want to get know the cruise staff, how to get internet cards, blah blah blah.

But it's so different, too. This cast is exactly half and half oldies and newbies to ship life (I actually hate the word newbies, but don't have time to carefully edit), and it's super-fun to experience a new ship with people who want to be there, and want to spend time getting to know it. I loved my old cast, but this one feels different--more willing to interact as a group. I hope it continues as we have had other social interactions change on this contract that may limit our crew interaction.

Our cruise goes to lots of Love Boat stops....Puerto Vallerta, Acalupulco, etc...and so far so good. We took a private Pleasure Boat around Acapulco Bay--lovely, fun, and a great trip until one of the JARS cut her foot pretty badly in the engine block. That was weird---she had this major injury and the boys of the cast took good care of her.

I'm going to go check more email at the lovely local coffee shop we found in San Pedro--but more to come.

Happy Dori???


Becky