January 27, 2012
The say the best way to learn is to teach the subject. But I never thought the first Celebrity course that I would teach would be a required course for all new crew members that I had not yet taken. It is called the STAR training, and is the fundamental class for teaching the Celebrity service standards. It is at the heart of everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, that we do.
Celebrity invests heavily in training of our crews, which is one of the greatest contributors to our success. In the first two weeks onboard everyone crew member is required to attend nine courses including several on safety, security, ethics, environment, service and the company brand. The course schedule is set in place before each cruise, and all who have not yet attending the requisite training are scheduled. If you join mid-cruise, as I did in Antigua, you simply pick up with the next offering, and continue forward till you’ve completed each course. Since STAR training is one of the first classes we teach that had already been offered on my sign-on cruise. So, I was scheduled to take it on this last voyage.
By, then, of course, I had become an experienced Celebrity crew member, having been on board for a total of eleven days! So Laura asked me if I simply wanted to teach the course and kill two birds with one stone. I would become STAR certified and get my first full facilitation under my belt at the same time. I spent the night before preparing the 90 minute seminar, and boldly entered the training room the next day. I was so tempted to begin the class with the line from the pilot, Rex, in the Star Tours ride at Disney.
“Is this your first flight in space? Well, it’s mine, too!” However, with 20 students from 6 countries in the class, this was not the way to inspire confidence. So, instead, as I often tell the forensics students, I acted like I’d been there before. The class is straightforward, fast-paced, and integrates a STAR board game to get some healthy competition fueling the learning. With plenty of opportunity to interject stories to illustrate our guest service principles, I was in my element. The class engaged quickly and the session flew by.
And I received a standing ovation! Okay, they did need to stand up to leave anyway . . . but they actually applauded when I was done. One of the students, Jaroslav, a young bartender from Ukraine, told me it was the best training class he had ever been in. This from a young man who had never been on ships, and had been too seasick to stay in the safety class on his first day. I guess what made it great was the fact that he wasn’t vomiting!
Since then I have taught Diversity, Mentoring, and conducted both the Sign-off and Sign-on trainings! I will add Business Ethics and Zero Tolerance (sexual ethics) and New Hire Orientation this cruise. I plan to take over the leadership development modules soon, thereafter.
Oh yeah . . . and I earned my Silver Star pin that shows I know how to deliver exceptional guest service.
And the adventure continues . . .
Monday, 30 January 2012
A "Typical Day"
January 26, 2012
Although my work day averages a span of 15 hours, it doesn’t begin particularly early. I generally awaken between 7 and 7:30am, and get ready for work. There is not a lot of wasted motion as my ‘home’ is only 17 by 8 feet, so it is a very quick trip from bed to bathroom to wardrobe to door. Always great to have a way to save some time. For those wondering if I have a porthole, the answer is ‘no.’ Though I live in a ‘high rent’ district, between the Food and Beverage Manager and the Cruise Director, my room is the filler between their suites. Still my accommodations are far above most on the crew, so I’m not complaining. The crew mess is below me four decks. However, I enter and transit guest corridors to make my way back into crew areas, so I must generally be in the uniform of the day within ten steps of my room. The Crew Mess is cafeteria style, with a predictable . . . oh so predictable . . . assortment of foods. I normally eat a quick meal of eggs and fruit or cereal, yogurt, and fruit, and ensuring my traveling coffee mug is full to the brim, head down the I-95 to my office. At that time of the morning it is rush hour, resulting in my exchanging greetings with easily a hundred people in this three minute walk.
Remember the Genie’s line from Disney’s Aladdin, “Great cosmic power . . . itty, bitty living space?” The same can be said for the T&D Manager’s office. Thank God for modular furniture, for I’m wondering if a traditional manager’s desk would even fit into the entire room. One does not roll their chair back to sit, but rather rotates the chair 90 degrees to sit and then swivels it into position. The good thing about this office is that almost everything is in reach! The start of the morning is the typical email, to do lists, and paperwork incumbent with any job. Before the beginning of each cruise, I put together a twelve day training schedule, mostly the same with only minor variations, that is offered to the constantly changing crew. Generally once in the morning and once in the afternoon, I head three decks down (yes, below the waterline) to my training room to teach a one to two hour course. The training room is actually very nice, seating 45 in comfortable padded chairs with writing tables attached. We can fit another 15 in folding chairs if needs be. The room is outfitted with high end video and audio which makes presentations quiet easy. Most of my storage of materials is in this room, which is good as it would never fit in my office.
Our team normally breaks for lunch between 12:30pm and 1:00pm. We try to eat together most days, normally after a number of phone calls to determine when we can all get free at the same moment. Two-thirds of the time we eat in the Crew Mess, although in the middle of each cruise we try to break free from our offices to eat either in the Ocean View Café, the guest equivalent of what we have below, or at one of the quick specialty restaurants such as The Porch (panninis in the open air), or Le Bistro (a creperie inside on Deck 5). We return to work in 30-45 minutes, and continue to crunch desk work and handle drop-in requests until mid-afternoon.
A cruise ship’s crew tends to try to respect an international siesta period. The mid afternoon is when the guests’ requirements of us are at their lowest point, so most crew try to take a couple hours off for personal time. For most it is an actual nap. Generally, I will grab a ‘poor man’s mocha’ (mix hot chocolate mix with coffee), take a quick 5-10 minute walk on the top deck (longer if guests want to talk), and then head to my cabin to write, exercise, or take care of personal tasks. By 5:30pm, or so, I change into my evening dress uniform and return to my office to work until dinner.
Occasionally, either around lunch time or at 6pm, I am scheduled to attend a Captain’s Elite reception with our return guests. This requires me to be charming with strangers, which is a stretch, I know. But somehow I pull it off. Planning and preparing for my next day, “day ahead,” and next cruise fills the time until we can grab dinner sometime between 8 and 9pm. Mostly it is at the Ocean View, but every few days we pay the uplift and eat at one of the specialty restaurants. We need to, of course, so we can honestly recommend them to guests . . . and we are sticking to that story. The Tuscan Grille, Italian country fare, is generally our favorite. Qsine, a highly creative, high tech restaurant that you need to experience to appreciate is also very fun. Sometime either before or after dinner, Laura and I do a ‘walk around’ of the primary guest areas making ourselves available for conversation, which seems to be the highlight of many guests’ experience.
Yep, more office work still awaits normally running from 9:30pm until 11pm, or so. Our team tends to start emailing and calling each other as we each get tired, trying to convince the others they should go to bed. It is a brilliant perversion of the old Walton’s ‘good night, John boy.’ Some nights Laura and I have volunteered for some late night guest event such as Dancing With the Stripes or Guest/Officer Slots. If not, we try to drop in on one of the crew events that Dwight schedules almost every night of the cruise.
Crew events rarely start before 11pm. The reason is obvious. If we are taking care of guests, most of us are working until at least that late. So we may poke our heads into a crew wine and cheese, nacho and karaoke night, Latin dance night, etc, etc, etc. Most nights I’m not back into my room until midnight, with just enough time to spin down just a little before collapsing into the gently rocking arms of my bed (we are always at sea at night), so that I can start it all over the next day.
Rinse and repeat . . . seven days a week. About once a cruise, I am learning to use my mid-day break to go into a port for a couple of hours. A welcome break from the routine.
I haven’t mentioned that I’m also the manager of the Crew Laundry . . . but that’s a story for another day. Time for lights out. Turnaround Day in Bayonne, tomorrow. 96 off and 106 on. Very full day.
And the adventure continues . . .
Although my work day averages a span of 15 hours, it doesn’t begin particularly early. I generally awaken between 7 and 7:30am, and get ready for work. There is not a lot of wasted motion as my ‘home’ is only 17 by 8 feet, so it is a very quick trip from bed to bathroom to wardrobe to door. Always great to have a way to save some time. For those wondering if I have a porthole, the answer is ‘no.’ Though I live in a ‘high rent’ district, between the Food and Beverage Manager and the Cruise Director, my room is the filler between their suites. Still my accommodations are far above most on the crew, so I’m not complaining. The crew mess is below me four decks. However, I enter and transit guest corridors to make my way back into crew areas, so I must generally be in the uniform of the day within ten steps of my room. The Crew Mess is cafeteria style, with a predictable . . . oh so predictable . . . assortment of foods. I normally eat a quick meal of eggs and fruit or cereal, yogurt, and fruit, and ensuring my traveling coffee mug is full to the brim, head down the I-95 to my office. At that time of the morning it is rush hour, resulting in my exchanging greetings with easily a hundred people in this three minute walk.
Remember the Genie’s line from Disney’s Aladdin, “Great cosmic power . . . itty, bitty living space?” The same can be said for the T&D Manager’s office. Thank God for modular furniture, for I’m wondering if a traditional manager’s desk would even fit into the entire room. One does not roll their chair back to sit, but rather rotates the chair 90 degrees to sit and then swivels it into position. The good thing about this office is that almost everything is in reach! The start of the morning is the typical email, to do lists, and paperwork incumbent with any job. Before the beginning of each cruise, I put together a twelve day training schedule, mostly the same with only minor variations, that is offered to the constantly changing crew. Generally once in the morning and once in the afternoon, I head three decks down (yes, below the waterline) to my training room to teach a one to two hour course. The training room is actually very nice, seating 45 in comfortable padded chairs with writing tables attached. We can fit another 15 in folding chairs if needs be. The room is outfitted with high end video and audio which makes presentations quiet easy. Most of my storage of materials is in this room, which is good as it would never fit in my office.
Our team normally breaks for lunch between 12:30pm and 1:00pm. We try to eat together most days, normally after a number of phone calls to determine when we can all get free at the same moment. Two-thirds of the time we eat in the Crew Mess, although in the middle of each cruise we try to break free from our offices to eat either in the Ocean View Café, the guest equivalent of what we have below, or at one of the quick specialty restaurants such as The Porch (panninis in the open air), or Le Bistro (a creperie inside on Deck 5). We return to work in 30-45 minutes, and continue to crunch desk work and handle drop-in requests until mid-afternoon.
A cruise ship’s crew tends to try to respect an international siesta period. The mid afternoon is when the guests’ requirements of us are at their lowest point, so most crew try to take a couple hours off for personal time. For most it is an actual nap. Generally, I will grab a ‘poor man’s mocha’ (mix hot chocolate mix with coffee), take a quick 5-10 minute walk on the top deck (longer if guests want to talk), and then head to my cabin to write, exercise, or take care of personal tasks. By 5:30pm, or so, I change into my evening dress uniform and return to my office to work until dinner.
Occasionally, either around lunch time or at 6pm, I am scheduled to attend a Captain’s Elite reception with our return guests. This requires me to be charming with strangers, which is a stretch, I know. But somehow I pull it off. Planning and preparing for my next day, “day ahead,” and next cruise fills the time until we can grab dinner sometime between 8 and 9pm. Mostly it is at the Ocean View, but every few days we pay the uplift and eat at one of the specialty restaurants. We need to, of course, so we can honestly recommend them to guests . . . and we are sticking to that story. The Tuscan Grille, Italian country fare, is generally our favorite. Qsine, a highly creative, high tech restaurant that you need to experience to appreciate is also very fun. Sometime either before or after dinner, Laura and I do a ‘walk around’ of the primary guest areas making ourselves available for conversation, which seems to be the highlight of many guests’ experience.
Yep, more office work still awaits normally running from 9:30pm until 11pm, or so. Our team tends to start emailing and calling each other as we each get tired, trying to convince the others they should go to bed. It is a brilliant perversion of the old Walton’s ‘good night, John boy.’ Some nights Laura and I have volunteered for some late night guest event such as Dancing With the Stripes or Guest/Officer Slots. If not, we try to drop in on one of the crew events that Dwight schedules almost every night of the cruise.
Crew events rarely start before 11pm. The reason is obvious. If we are taking care of guests, most of us are working until at least that late. So we may poke our heads into a crew wine and cheese, nacho and karaoke night, Latin dance night, etc, etc, etc. Most nights I’m not back into my room until midnight, with just enough time to spin down just a little before collapsing into the gently rocking arms of my bed (we are always at sea at night), so that I can start it all over the next day.
Rinse and repeat . . . seven days a week. About once a cruise, I am learning to use my mid-day break to go into a port for a couple of hours. A welcome break from the routine.
I haven’t mentioned that I’m also the manager of the Crew Laundry . . . but that’s a story for another day. Time for lights out. Turnaround Day in Bayonne, tomorrow. 96 off and 106 on. Very full day.
And the adventure continues . . .
Saturday, 28 January 2012
Dancing With the Stripes!!!!!!
January 25, 2012
I knew this moment would come someday, but I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly. Dancing With the Stripes (you are required to say this out loud with a robust British accent each time you read it . . . or so I’m told), is one of the premier guest/officer activities on the ship each cruise. Are you familiar with the television show, Dancing With the Stars? In truth, it is nothing like that show.
In fact, to win this competition has very little to do with dancing! For the second straight cruise I accompanied my manager, Laura, up to the competition which she had entered, to provide moral support. I sat at one of the tables in the staging area as we took a few sips of a drink to provide her the courage to enter ‘the ballroom,’ and as she left, I waited for the insanity to begin. Only moments before the competition was to star one of the cruise activity staff strode purposefully up to me and asked if I would be willing to join the competition as they had one more guest entrant than they had officers who had volunteered. What’s a guy to do? I was hoping to get through one or two more cruises to get the lay of the land before entering this very public demonstration . . . but customer satisfaction is our business . . . so I reluctantly consented.
I was paired with Maria. The average age of the guests on this cruise is well above 60. Maria was not average. Most of our guests on this run are North Americans, not true for Maria. The vast majority of our guests are of reserved demeanor. Again, Maria would take a pass on that. Maria was probably mid-20s, Chilean, and definitely not conservative of dress. And, my, could that girl Lambada! However, Maria was a bit intimidated by the dance floor surrounded by hundreds of enthusiastic spectators. I tried to describe to her the craziness I had witnessed in the competition of the last cruise, but she wasn’t clicking on the fact that this was less a dance competition than a bizarre ritual of showmanship. So, with only one common language, dance, we decided to treat it as a true dance competition.
Which ultimately led to our downfall. Nine couples took the floor, with me as the only officer who had never previously competed. I knew one thing. If I beat my boss, Laura, I would live to regret it for the next twelve days. The first round was three ‘ballroom dances,’ as we were challenged with the waltz, the tango, and the salsa. Trying to learn to dance with a new partner in front of three hundred well ‘lubricated’ audience members was a bit of a challenge. With only one minor misstep, we completed the waltz. With slightly more confidence we tackled the tango. We now were getting into our groove, and with kicks and flicks proceeded to take out one of the legs of the tripod of the guest relations videographer’s camera. We ended the tango by striding dramatically to the judges’ table and kicking our legs up and landing them with a profound heel placement right in front of the cruise director. That got their attention! We finished round one with a convincing salsa, as I simply mirrored Maria, whose main regret was that I didn’t know enough Spanish to plot secretly!
As the first three couples were relegated to the recycle pile of DWTS has-beens, Maria and I lived to dance another round. We were challenged first with the Lambada which gave us the early lead. Then they added first a jive, followed by disco, both which we attacked convincingly, and I was confident of our placement in finals. Finally, we were challenged with Country & Western. I led Maria through a passable two-step imitation, while other couples were now on the floor playing horsey back ride. The final cuts were now to be made to reach the finals. Two couples were eliminated and four stayed standing. The final cut was to be made . . . and we heard our number called to leave the dance floor.
And the crowd boooooooooeeeeeeeeddddddddd! I like to think that it was because we had executed the most artistic and precise dance steps. In reality, I think it was simpler than that. Maria was quiet pleasing to look at. Regardless, we knew who the best dancers on the floor were, and, with all due respect, it wasn’t the three finalists. (Sorry, Tsunami, but I’m ready to throw down right now with dueling Michael Jacksons.)
Who won the competition is now unimportant. (Sadly, it wasn’t Tsunami!) Oddly, though, I gained instant notoriety from this participation. Fortunately, I was eliminated in the second round, the same as Laura, so no price to pay! Somehow, guests remember this event clearly . . . and I pray all videos are burned . . . for today I was approached during the Captain’s Elite reception and during my evening Guest Encounter as that ‘guy who danced last night . . . we thought you were the best!’ More importantly, the word has spread through the crew, which now makes everyone suddenly find me approachable as I’m now one of the ‘fun’ officers. And, Maria’s family loves to throw me kisses from across whatever guest space I’m in.
So, public humiliation can be beneficial . . .
Oh, did I mention that Lady Gaga was the guest judge?
The adventure continues . . .
I knew this moment would come someday, but I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly. Dancing With the Stripes (you are required to say this out loud with a robust British accent each time you read it . . . or so I’m told), is one of the premier guest/officer activities on the ship each cruise. Are you familiar with the television show, Dancing With the Stars? In truth, it is nothing like that show.
In fact, to win this competition has very little to do with dancing! For the second straight cruise I accompanied my manager, Laura, up to the competition which she had entered, to provide moral support. I sat at one of the tables in the staging area as we took a few sips of a drink to provide her the courage to enter ‘the ballroom,’ and as she left, I waited for the insanity to begin. Only moments before the competition was to star one of the cruise activity staff strode purposefully up to me and asked if I would be willing to join the competition as they had one more guest entrant than they had officers who had volunteered. What’s a guy to do? I was hoping to get through one or two more cruises to get the lay of the land before entering this very public demonstration . . . but customer satisfaction is our business . . . so I reluctantly consented.
I was paired with Maria. The average age of the guests on this cruise is well above 60. Maria was not average. Most of our guests on this run are North Americans, not true for Maria. The vast majority of our guests are of reserved demeanor. Again, Maria would take a pass on that. Maria was probably mid-20s, Chilean, and definitely not conservative of dress. And, my, could that girl Lambada! However, Maria was a bit intimidated by the dance floor surrounded by hundreds of enthusiastic spectators. I tried to describe to her the craziness I had witnessed in the competition of the last cruise, but she wasn’t clicking on the fact that this was less a dance competition than a bizarre ritual of showmanship. So, with only one common language, dance, we decided to treat it as a true dance competition.
Which ultimately led to our downfall. Nine couples took the floor, with me as the only officer who had never previously competed. I knew one thing. If I beat my boss, Laura, I would live to regret it for the next twelve days. The first round was three ‘ballroom dances,’ as we were challenged with the waltz, the tango, and the salsa. Trying to learn to dance with a new partner in front of three hundred well ‘lubricated’ audience members was a bit of a challenge. With only one minor misstep, we completed the waltz. With slightly more confidence we tackled the tango. We now were getting into our groove, and with kicks and flicks proceeded to take out one of the legs of the tripod of the guest relations videographer’s camera. We ended the tango by striding dramatically to the judges’ table and kicking our legs up and landing them with a profound heel placement right in front of the cruise director. That got their attention! We finished round one with a convincing salsa, as I simply mirrored Maria, whose main regret was that I didn’t know enough Spanish to plot secretly!
As the first three couples were relegated to the recycle pile of DWTS has-beens, Maria and I lived to dance another round. We were challenged first with the Lambada which gave us the early lead. Then they added first a jive, followed by disco, both which we attacked convincingly, and I was confident of our placement in finals. Finally, we were challenged with Country & Western. I led Maria through a passable two-step imitation, while other couples were now on the floor playing horsey back ride. The final cuts were now to be made to reach the finals. Two couples were eliminated and four stayed standing. The final cut was to be made . . . and we heard our number called to leave the dance floor.
And the crowd boooooooooeeeeeeeeddddddddd! I like to think that it was because we had executed the most artistic and precise dance steps. In reality, I think it was simpler than that. Maria was quiet pleasing to look at. Regardless, we knew who the best dancers on the floor were, and, with all due respect, it wasn’t the three finalists. (Sorry, Tsunami, but I’m ready to throw down right now with dueling Michael Jacksons.)
Who won the competition is now unimportant. (Sadly, it wasn’t Tsunami!) Oddly, though, I gained instant notoriety from this participation. Fortunately, I was eliminated in the second round, the same as Laura, so no price to pay! Somehow, guests remember this event clearly . . . and I pray all videos are burned . . . for today I was approached during the Captain’s Elite reception and during my evening Guest Encounter as that ‘guy who danced last night . . . we thought you were the best!’ More importantly, the word has spread through the crew, which now makes everyone suddenly find me approachable as I’m now one of the ‘fun’ officers. And, Maria’s family loves to throw me kisses from across whatever guest space I’m in.
So, public humiliation can be beneficial . . .
Oh, did I mention that Lady Gaga was the guest judge?
The adventure continues . . .
TGI... PORT DAY!
January 24, 2012
Our ships and guests visit exotic ports of call. The crew rarely does. We follow the first rule of the hospitality industry; we work so you can play. On port days, the different service teams work together so that at each stop a couple people from each department can generally get off for a substantial block of time. But for most of us a quick walk on the dock in the sunshine is the best we can hope to squeeze in to busy schedules. For officers, it can almost be worse. We have a never ending list of administrative tasks that beckon us back to our desks. It is easy to ignore the siren song of the ports as it can be some of the quietest times in our offices, and so much work can be done.
It may have been a conspiracy, or it may just have been a happy quirk of the schedule that led me to my first ‘real’ time in port. Since we returned to St. Maarten the same day as the Eclipse, Laura suggested that I try to have lunch with Audra, again, who I met the last time here. She is the T&D Manager on our sister ship and Laura thought it would be good to debrief with her over lunch about my experiences so far. My plan was for a quick lunch with Audra, her husband, and their bambino, as her family has been sailing with her this month.
To truly be ‘off work,’ one needs to change out of uniform and get as far away from their ship as possible. For one of the few times since I’ve been in uniform, I put on my own cargo shorts, polo, and tennis shoes and headed down the gangway and across the dock to Eclipse. The sun felt amazing, and the comfort of one’s own clothes belies description. After only a short wait, Audra, Marcos, and little Karolis disembarked from the Eclipse. Since I had never left the dock in St. Maarten before, I put myself at their mercy for restaurant choice. Audra and I walked ahead, catching up on all things T&D, while Marcos shepherded his 20 month old son behind us. As we talked I realized that we were queuing up for a water taxi (nothing gets by me!), and started to realize this might be more than an hour lunchtime. We took the short boat ride across the harbor enjoying the Caribbean music blaring from the speakers, the light spray of the warm water, and the brilliance of the sky, the ships, and the vibrant colors of the buildings onshore.
Once we landed, we began to wander through the narrow, cobbled streets of this Dutch outpost. For what were we searching? The type of food that everyone craves in the Caribbean, of course . . . . Chinese! Apparently, Audra has a thing for Chinese food, and Marcos knows the way to every decent Chinese restaurant at the ports of call. With little Karolis along for the journey, this resulted in a much longer trek than any of us imagined. We had been off the ship for an hour by the time we entered the restaurant! Along the way, though, Audra, who has served the company as both a T&D and HR Manager started to counsel me about finding more balance . . . not to be a workaholic, but to schedule time to enjoy a port or two on each cruise. She cautioned me that as the T&D I will continually try to serve the endless needs of such a large crew, not only training, but emotionally and spiritually. Yes, in many ways this is exactly like running a parish.
Audra and Marcos were a tag team while we ate, caring for their son who, typical of that age, could not sit still. This was wonderful for me, as I got to know each of the two of them very quickly through one-on-one conversations about background, experiences, hopes and dreams. They are a very interesting couple. Audra is from Lithuania, and Marcos from Honduras. They met, of course, on ship. (We currently have crew members from 62 nations!!) Karolis is concurrently learning Lithuanian, Spanish, and English. It’s fun to be part of those family conversations!
When I next looked at my watch we had been off ship for 2 ½ hours! Since the other crew members from both ships had mostly already left the restaurant, we decided that heading back to the dock would be wise. The trip back was far quicker than the one out (I think Marcos was making it up as he tried to find the route to the restaurant and actually could now find his way back! ). We then said our goodbyes before heading to our respective ships.
The difficult truth of our industry is that you are constantly saying goodbye. I hoped to see Audra again, soon, as we share a port with Eclipse one more time next month. But before that date, Audra will be transferring. She has been assigned to be the HR Manager on Infinity, which is currently on our South America run before heading to Alaska for the summer. Marcos and Karolis will return to Honduras during that period, until Audra’s contract ends, and then they will relocate their family to Lithuania.
So my new friends are soon to be at a great distance . . . But the needed joy of those three hours was so beneficial, and I returned to Silhouette recharged and invigorated. Was it a coincidence that Audra and Laura both shared the same message with me? Did Laura set this up to be a longer break than I intended? Was that all Audra’s doing? No matter, it made me appreciate the life-giving power of a good Port Day. And I would need that energy before the day was out.
For at 10:29pm I was drafted at the last minute into . . . Dancing With the Stripes!!! But that’s a story for tomorrow . . .
The adventure continues . . .
Our ships and guests visit exotic ports of call. The crew rarely does. We follow the first rule of the hospitality industry; we work so you can play. On port days, the different service teams work together so that at each stop a couple people from each department can generally get off for a substantial block of time. But for most of us a quick walk on the dock in the sunshine is the best we can hope to squeeze in to busy schedules. For officers, it can almost be worse. We have a never ending list of administrative tasks that beckon us back to our desks. It is easy to ignore the siren song of the ports as it can be some of the quietest times in our offices, and so much work can be done.
It may have been a conspiracy, or it may just have been a happy quirk of the schedule that led me to my first ‘real’ time in port. Since we returned to St. Maarten the same day as the Eclipse, Laura suggested that I try to have lunch with Audra, again, who I met the last time here. She is the T&D Manager on our sister ship and Laura thought it would be good to debrief with her over lunch about my experiences so far. My plan was for a quick lunch with Audra, her husband, and their bambino, as her family has been sailing with her this month.
To truly be ‘off work,’ one needs to change out of uniform and get as far away from their ship as possible. For one of the few times since I’ve been in uniform, I put on my own cargo shorts, polo, and tennis shoes and headed down the gangway and across the dock to Eclipse. The sun felt amazing, and the comfort of one’s own clothes belies description. After only a short wait, Audra, Marcos, and little Karolis disembarked from the Eclipse. Since I had never left the dock in St. Maarten before, I put myself at their mercy for restaurant choice. Audra and I walked ahead, catching up on all things T&D, while Marcos shepherded his 20 month old son behind us. As we talked I realized that we were queuing up for a water taxi (nothing gets by me!), and started to realize this might be more than an hour lunchtime. We took the short boat ride across the harbor enjoying the Caribbean music blaring from the speakers, the light spray of the warm water, and the brilliance of the sky, the ships, and the vibrant colors of the buildings onshore.
Once we landed, we began to wander through the narrow, cobbled streets of this Dutch outpost. For what were we searching? The type of food that everyone craves in the Caribbean, of course . . . . Chinese! Apparently, Audra has a thing for Chinese food, and Marcos knows the way to every decent Chinese restaurant at the ports of call. With little Karolis along for the journey, this resulted in a much longer trek than any of us imagined. We had been off the ship for an hour by the time we entered the restaurant! Along the way, though, Audra, who has served the company as both a T&D and HR Manager started to counsel me about finding more balance . . . not to be a workaholic, but to schedule time to enjoy a port or two on each cruise. She cautioned me that as the T&D I will continually try to serve the endless needs of such a large crew, not only training, but emotionally and spiritually. Yes, in many ways this is exactly like running a parish.
Audra and Marcos were a tag team while we ate, caring for their son who, typical of that age, could not sit still. This was wonderful for me, as I got to know each of the two of them very quickly through one-on-one conversations about background, experiences, hopes and dreams. They are a very interesting couple. Audra is from Lithuania, and Marcos from Honduras. They met, of course, on ship. (We currently have crew members from 62 nations!!) Karolis is concurrently learning Lithuanian, Spanish, and English. It’s fun to be part of those family conversations!
When I next looked at my watch we had been off ship for 2 ½ hours! Since the other crew members from both ships had mostly already left the restaurant, we decided that heading back to the dock would be wise. The trip back was far quicker than the one out (I think Marcos was making it up as he tried to find the route to the restaurant and actually could now find his way back! ). We then said our goodbyes before heading to our respective ships.
The difficult truth of our industry is that you are constantly saying goodbye. I hoped to see Audra again, soon, as we share a port with Eclipse one more time next month. But before that date, Audra will be transferring. She has been assigned to be the HR Manager on Infinity, which is currently on our South America run before heading to Alaska for the summer. Marcos and Karolis will return to Honduras during that period, until Audra’s contract ends, and then they will relocate their family to Lithuania.
So my new friends are soon to be at a great distance . . . But the needed joy of those three hours was so beneficial, and I returned to Silhouette recharged and invigorated. Was it a coincidence that Audra and Laura both shared the same message with me? Did Laura set this up to be a longer break than I intended? Was that all Audra’s doing? No matter, it made me appreciate the life-giving power of a good Port Day. And I would need that energy before the day was out.
For at 10:29pm I was drafted at the last minute into . . . Dancing With the Stripes!!! But that’s a story for tomorrow . . .
The adventure continues . . .
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
My Fairy Godmother... or Taskmaster... or Both
January 22, 2012
Cinderella had a fairy godmother to aid her in her transformation, and so did I. Her name is Donnna and she joined us for six days from Bayonne to St. Lucia to help me transform into a true Celebrity Training & Development Manager. Even though my predecessor in the job is still on the ship, she is now rather fully engaged as the Human Resources Manager with a crew of 1200 under her care.
For two weeks Laura was expected to do both jobs. I now feel slightly guilty for my request to delay my starting date by a week. Now that I know what each of these two jobs entail, I cannot imagine where there are enough hours in the day to even make a serious dent in either. Fortunately Laura realized that, as well, and requested a ‘relief’ T&D be temporarily assigned to the ship to help get me settled. So Donna joined us on Turnaround Day in Bayonne for a six day crash course in the responsibilities of shipboard training and development. (Perhaps given recent events in the cruise industry I should not say ‘crash course’ . . . but you get my drift . . . hmmm, probably shouldn’t say drift, either . . . wow, this could get rocky . . . ah, heck . . .)
Donna has the look of a kindly fairy godmother and if you picture one of the ladies from the Disney version of Cinderella, you will get the general idea. Her ‘god motherly’ ways are evident when she interacts with the crew. Given that she is a ‘relief T&D’ she moves from ship to ship to cover vacations and help struggling departments. As a result, she has crossed paths with a good number of the people on our ship. Her greetings are warm, affectionate, and genuine. A couple of the crew even call her ‘mother.’ (In the nicest possible way, of course!) One of the keys to her success in doing what she does is that genuine concern and care for the crew.
This fairy godmother also has dragon’s teeth. She knows very well the tedious details of this job and had determined best practices for everything she does. These are invaluable, but anyone who knows me knows that my mind likes to reconnect the dots in new and unusual patterns. If we are speaking the language of Myers Briggs Personality Type Indicators, while I am an Intuitor who likes to embrace the big picture and find new ways to cross the finish line, Donna is definitely more of the Sensate, who likes to embrace the detailed process to ensure she gets to the goal. This was good for me and really helped me learn the job, but the one-on-one training did always not proceed without a ruffled feather or two. I quickly learned to pull my hands back from the keyboard unless I was exactly sure what she wanted me to do. (Thank the Good Lord for Previous Screen arrows and the Undo function!)
The first time she reached into the drawer and pulled out a red plastic ruler, I winced as memories of 2nd grade and Sr. Rosario flooded my mind. Fortunately Donna only used the ruler to point at exactly what she wanted on the computer screen, but she certainly seized my full and undivided attention any time that ruler was visible. This increased attentiveness certainly aided my learning and the repetition of tasks has served me well in the day since she left, as my muscle memory has kicked in as I deal with a diversity of non-integrated computer systems, allowing my creative streak to be employed in the classroom and devising more robust process improvements.
When we walked Donna down the gangway to the car waiting to whisk her to the airport in St. Lucia, I was sad to see her go. Her insights and experience were invaluable, and I told her that I hope my service to the crew of SI (fleet code for the Silhouette) will make her proud. Donna is currently flying literally half way around the world to join our ship sailing out of Australia through ports in Oz and in New Zealand. Then they will traverse the islands of the South Pacific on the way to Hawaii. Once in Hawaii they will run a couple of loops between San Diego and the Hawaiian Islands. Then up the West Coast with a two-day stop in San Francisco before finally starting their Inside Passage tours through Alaska starting in May.
Yes, I’m coveting my neighbor’s itinerary . . .
But Silhouette is my home ship . . . and I feel more at home every day.
The adventure continues . . .
Cinderella had a fairy godmother to aid her in her transformation, and so did I. Her name is Donnna and she joined us for six days from Bayonne to St. Lucia to help me transform into a true Celebrity Training & Development Manager. Even though my predecessor in the job is still on the ship, she is now rather fully engaged as the Human Resources Manager with a crew of 1200 under her care.
For two weeks Laura was expected to do both jobs. I now feel slightly guilty for my request to delay my starting date by a week. Now that I know what each of these two jobs entail, I cannot imagine where there are enough hours in the day to even make a serious dent in either. Fortunately Laura realized that, as well, and requested a ‘relief’ T&D be temporarily assigned to the ship to help get me settled. So Donna joined us on Turnaround Day in Bayonne for a six day crash course in the responsibilities of shipboard training and development. (Perhaps given recent events in the cruise industry I should not say ‘crash course’ . . . but you get my drift . . . hmmm, probably shouldn’t say drift, either . . . wow, this could get rocky . . . ah, heck . . .)
Donna has the look of a kindly fairy godmother and if you picture one of the ladies from the Disney version of Cinderella, you will get the general idea. Her ‘god motherly’ ways are evident when she interacts with the crew. Given that she is a ‘relief T&D’ she moves from ship to ship to cover vacations and help struggling departments. As a result, she has crossed paths with a good number of the people on our ship. Her greetings are warm, affectionate, and genuine. A couple of the crew even call her ‘mother.’ (In the nicest possible way, of course!) One of the keys to her success in doing what she does is that genuine concern and care for the crew.
This fairy godmother also has dragon’s teeth. She knows very well the tedious details of this job and had determined best practices for everything she does. These are invaluable, but anyone who knows me knows that my mind likes to reconnect the dots in new and unusual patterns. If we are speaking the language of Myers Briggs Personality Type Indicators, while I am an Intuitor who likes to embrace the big picture and find new ways to cross the finish line, Donna is definitely more of the Sensate, who likes to embrace the detailed process to ensure she gets to the goal. This was good for me and really helped me learn the job, but the one-on-one training did always not proceed without a ruffled feather or two. I quickly learned to pull my hands back from the keyboard unless I was exactly sure what she wanted me to do. (Thank the Good Lord for Previous Screen arrows and the Undo function!)
The first time she reached into the drawer and pulled out a red plastic ruler, I winced as memories of 2nd grade and Sr. Rosario flooded my mind. Fortunately Donna only used the ruler to point at exactly what she wanted on the computer screen, but she certainly seized my full and undivided attention any time that ruler was visible. This increased attentiveness certainly aided my learning and the repetition of tasks has served me well in the day since she left, as my muscle memory has kicked in as I deal with a diversity of non-integrated computer systems, allowing my creative streak to be employed in the classroom and devising more robust process improvements.
When we walked Donna down the gangway to the car waiting to whisk her to the airport in St. Lucia, I was sad to see her go. Her insights and experience were invaluable, and I told her that I hope my service to the crew of SI (fleet code for the Silhouette) will make her proud. Donna is currently flying literally half way around the world to join our ship sailing out of Australia through ports in Oz and in New Zealand. Then they will traverse the islands of the South Pacific on the way to Hawaii. Once in Hawaii they will run a couple of loops between San Diego and the Hawaiian Islands. Then up the West Coast with a two-day stop in San Francisco before finally starting their Inside Passage tours through Alaska starting in May.
Yes, I’m coveting my neighbor’s itinerary . . .
But Silhouette is my home ship . . . and I feel more at home every day.
The adventure continues . . .
Monday, 23 January 2012
In the Moonlight
January 21, 2012
She literally shimmers in the moonlight. A ghostly incandescence rises from her very skin. With the only illumination in the sky a brilliant star behind us and the faintest suggestion of the moon low on the horizon, she still glows in the depth of the black of the night. The most beautiful ship on the oceans is spectacular during the day but simply takes my breath away at night. Forgive my poetic rant, but after walking the top decks in the warmth of the quiet Caribbean night, my heart, mind and soul are filled with these amazingly images of peace and beauty.
After three days below decks I finally breathed fresh air. We do have fun on this ship, even as we are working, but there is no question that the work is intense. This will never be confused with a cruise vacation. From the time we left New Jersey my pace has been insane. Still learning my job, I was responsible for organizing and then participating in a number of training classes. In addition, an experienced T&D Manager from another ship, Donna, came on board in Bayonne to spend six days with me to help me accelerate my learning curve. So, today, for the first time in four days, I grabbed two brief walks around the deck. The first was this afternoon when I was able to feel the sun’s warmth and see the shimmer of the impossibly blue Caribbean.
Then there was tonight . . . Finishing work around 11pm, I headed topside to simply stroll the deck one more time. Most of decks 12 through 15 were fairly empty and I was able to amble unencumbered. The sky and the sea had both faded to black, but the brilliance of the stars and hint of moon comforted us like old friends. As I strolled in solitude it all just felt so ‘right.’ Almost as if I had come home, to quote John Denver, “to a place I’d never been before.” This thought baffles me at times, but for now I’m simply happy to enjoy the experience.
Only twice on my walkabout was my solitary journey interrupted. At one point I gazed down on our dance band, Spira, singing top 40 covers for a large group of animated dancers on the pool deck below. The high spirits and energy stood in deep contrast to the stillness of the night. When I reached the far end of the ship, a group of officers had gathered at the Mast Bar on Deck 14 to relax at the end of the day. An invitation was quickly offered to join them . . . but tonight was a night to be alone . . . and rest.
For tomorrow . . .
The adventure continues . . .
She literally shimmers in the moonlight. A ghostly incandescence rises from her very skin. With the only illumination in the sky a brilliant star behind us and the faintest suggestion of the moon low on the horizon, she still glows in the depth of the black of the night. The most beautiful ship on the oceans is spectacular during the day but simply takes my breath away at night. Forgive my poetic rant, but after walking the top decks in the warmth of the quiet Caribbean night, my heart, mind and soul are filled with these amazingly images of peace and beauty.
After three days below decks I finally breathed fresh air. We do have fun on this ship, even as we are working, but there is no question that the work is intense. This will never be confused with a cruise vacation. From the time we left New Jersey my pace has been insane. Still learning my job, I was responsible for organizing and then participating in a number of training classes. In addition, an experienced T&D Manager from another ship, Donna, came on board in Bayonne to spend six days with me to help me accelerate my learning curve. So, today, for the first time in four days, I grabbed two brief walks around the deck. The first was this afternoon when I was able to feel the sun’s warmth and see the shimmer of the impossibly blue Caribbean.
Then there was tonight . . . Finishing work around 11pm, I headed topside to simply stroll the deck one more time. Most of decks 12 through 15 were fairly empty and I was able to amble unencumbered. The sky and the sea had both faded to black, but the brilliance of the stars and hint of moon comforted us like old friends. As I strolled in solitude it all just felt so ‘right.’ Almost as if I had come home, to quote John Denver, “to a place I’d never been before.” This thought baffles me at times, but for now I’m simply happy to enjoy the experience.
Only twice on my walkabout was my solitary journey interrupted. At one point I gazed down on our dance band, Spira, singing top 40 covers for a large group of animated dancers on the pool deck below. The high spirits and energy stood in deep contrast to the stillness of the night. When I reached the far end of the ship, a group of officers had gathered at the Mast Bar on Deck 14 to relax at the end of the day. An invitation was quickly offered to join them . . . but tonight was a night to be alone . . . and rest.
For tomorrow . . .
The adventure continues . . .
Saturday, 21 January 2012
Turning Tragic into Magic
January 20, 2012 – Turning Tragic Into Magic
I really appreciate the lessons I learned from the people at Disney. They prepared me well for the Guest Encounters that are a part of my job. As a ship’s officer it is my responsibility on most evenings to spend at least 30 minutes strolling the public areas, greeting guests and engaging them in conversations. It is part of the experience that distinguishes Celebrity in the eyes of our guests. Guests enjoy the chance to speak with ship’s officers in a relaxed and generally friendly exchange.
My first ‘guest encounter’ was definitely unplanned, and certainly did not start as friendly. On the afternoon of my first full day, I decided to head up to the Ocean View Café on Deck 14 to grab a quick cup of coffee. (In a later posting I will need to describe the value of climbing 12 flights of stairs to get guest coffee instead of crew coffee . . . but I digress.) I poured a cup and headed out to the aft deck behind the restaurant to sip my coffee for five minutes and watch the ocean flow past. As I turned to reenter the restaurant, I noticed two ladies setting up their dominoes on a table near the restaurant’s entrance. As I passed I intended to greet them, but before I could say a word, one of the ladies spotted me and addressed me in the following way.
“Why is your ice machine not working?” These may have been the first words a guest had addressed to me beyond a passing ‘good afternoon.’ And both the words and the tone will be forever memorable. I paused at the table ready to address this customer service crisis. Before I could say a word, she continued, “ . . . and I’m not talking about that one,” hooking a thumb over her shoulder to the beverage station just inside the door. “I know that is only open during meals, I’m talking about the main one in the center of the café that is supposed to be open ALL the time. It’s not working and someone needs to fix it.”
This is where the instincts of so many years visiting Disney and working with some of their team came into play. I apologized for the inconvenience and thanked her for bringing it to our attention. I told her I’d immediately look into it and would bring her some ice. “Tell a waiter to bring me some ice,” she responded, returning full attention to her dominoes. Feeling summarily dismissed, I proceeded to the beverage station to check out the ice maker . . . which was working perfectly. Ah, but here’s where the Disney training really paid off. I simply filled two glasses with ice, one for my newest acquaintance and one for her friend, and personally delivered them to her table. That’s when the tragic turned to magic. She was caught totally by surprise that a ship’s officer should fetch her ice. Instinctively, I had delivered on the Celebrity STAR promise: Smile and Greet, Take Ownership, Attention to Detail, and Reach Higher. (You each have now passed your STAR service course and I should probably enter you all in our training database!)
Then there was Steve and Penny. The following night I performed my first official Guest Encounter. Dressed in my evening uniform I strolled slowly through the Ensemble Lounge sharing brief greetings and conversations about how their days had been. Just as I was completing my rounds, eager to return to my office to learn more of my job, the last couple I greeted in passing decided to offer a challenge. The husband, Steve, began our conversation with the following, “There is one question that I’ve asked on every cruise ship I’ve been on, and no one has ever been able to ask it. If you are the training manager, you should know this. How much fuel does this ship burn in an hour?” Second day on the ship and I’m supposed to know its technical specifications? But when you apply our service standards, there is no guest inquiry that we don’t ‘own.’ After agreeing with him on certain parameters: full ship, 20 knots/hour, calm seas; I promised to get him his answer. He was skeptical, repeating that no one on any ship he had been on, and he had cruised a lot, had ever answered that question. I asked him for his stateroom number and promised him an answer by tomorrow. Returning to my office I sent an email to the Staff Chief Engineer of the ship and asked for his help. One hour later he not only responded with the answer by email, but then called me to ensure I received the information and added an offer to meet personally with the guest to discuss more information if he so desired. The next morning I called Steve and his wife Penny and conveyed the long sought after answer.
In case you are interested, it is 1892 gallons/hour.
This is the way we ‘roll’ at CCL. Our guests obviously enjoy the experience as our repeat business is amazing. When I attended a Captain’s Elite Club reception I talked with many of our return guests. For one couple with whom I spoke it was their 65th cruise with Celebrity! One of the hostesses told me she was heading to another ship next month where they are planning a reception for a couple who will be celebrating their 100th cruise. Please understand that we’ve only been in business 22 years! You do the math and answer the following question for me. When do these people have time to work to make the money to cruise this often?
Inquiring minds want to know . . .
And the adventure continues . . .
Friday, 20 January 2012
Wardrobe Malfunction!!!!!
January 19, 2012 – Wardrobe Malfunctions!!!!
Got your attention, right? I thank Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake for providing that provocative phrase to our lexicon. Fortunately, for me, the problems have not be as dramatic, but still a bit embarrassing.
Let’s start with the first time I put on my uniform. It felt good to be in uniform that first day, and that feeling lasted about two minutes. As I walked down I-95, I crossed paths with a couple senior officers. They greeted me and then started to laugh. One stopped me and asked me to tell me what was different about their uniforms and mine. I was clueless, until they gently (mostly) pointed out that my shoulder boards with my stripes were securely attached . . . BACKWARDS! I had the point out instead of in. What do I know, I’ve never warn stripes before. I quickly headed back to my cabin to adjust these only to run into my manager, Laura. I explained what had happened, and fortunately, she was kind enough not to laugh but compassionately adjusted them for me.
Then there are my troublesome name badges. We have two types, and Bruna, our Marine Admin, has graciously provided me with both. No problems the first few days. But on Turnaround Day, we needed to don our sweaters and jackets to insulate against the Northeastern Winter. I pulled on my coat as Laura and I raced to the gangway to bring our first group of sign-ons aboard. When I tried to poke the pin through my coat, it immediately bent in half. Still in a hurry (is there any time we are not in a hurry on this ship?), I pulled it straight and reattached it . . . or so I thought. An hour later, after bringing the first group onboard, I realized that the name shield had fallen off . . . somewhere. Knowing I was now out of uniform, I raced to my office to grab my magnetic badge, as I knew I would need to swap it quickly between coat and sweater several times that day.
All went well . . . for awhile. As the day went on, we got a little lazy in making sure our name badge was always transferred after we entered Celebrity Central to process our sign-ons. Realizing at one point that I had been inside for awhile and had not transferred my badge to my sweater, I decided it was important to do so. I grabbed the badge off the jacket on the chair behind me and continued my tasks. That is until Laura told me that she couldn’t find her name badge. Thirty seconds later we both identified its location. Yep, I had grabbed Laura’s badge and was wearing it. Trying to cover my error by saying I just wanted to be like my boss was a pretty lame justification.
And the magnetic badge continued to fail me. Given its ease of transferring between garments, it became my badge of choice . . . for about two days. The problem I have found that on my evening uniform coat, the material is so thick that the badge can begin to twist. If one is not paying attention it is easy to unconsciously straighten it without looking at how far it has turned. So twice in two days I straightened its horizontal axis, without paying attention to the vertical. That’s right; I started to wear my name badge upside down! Now, that was fine for me, as I could now look down and read it perfectly . . . but not so good for others . . . or for professional appearance. The first time it was noticed by a casino worker on I-95. No worries, as it was a helpful comment to an officer before he went into a public area. However, the second time I had just entered the theater passing a gauntlet of senior officers including . . . Captain Pagonis. Somehow, I escaped that one, as NO ONE NOTICED! For some reason I then looked down to adjust it, and said a quick prayer of gratitude that my captain had not seen the faux pas. So now, lessons learned, I have a tag permanently pinned to my evening coat (that troublesome bent pin one which was recovered) and use my magnet only on my day shirt.
I still have nine days to figure out what I will do with the sweater and jacket when I next get to Bayonne!
And the (sometimes embarrassing) adventure continues . . .
Rocking and Rolling on the High Seas
January 18, 2012 – Rocking and Rolling on the High Seas
I’ve always enjoyed Rock and Roll, but it is not nearly as much fun on the High Seas. Cruise ships today are floating hotels, built primarily for the comfort of their guests. As such, they have state of the art stabilizers to reduce the amount the pitch and roll of the ship as a result of the movement of the sea. But the sea is a living thing far mightier than man and his technology. There is only so much we can do to control her movement. While the Caribbean, where we spend most of our time, is fairly smooth the two days in and out of our home port in New Jersey can be much more challenging. Lucky for me that I spent the first few days of my cruise experience sailing out of Antigua heading for St. Maarten, St. Croix and San Juan, PR. Most of the time it was like floating on a gentle cloud.
Reality set in when we left the Caribbean and headed for New Jersey. When you reach the open Atlantic and start to head north the sea becomes much rougher. The winds pick up driving the waves and the ‘rock and roll’ of the ship becomes far more dramatic. The movement is less at midship, but when you are at either end the movement is much more severe. Float a toy boat in your sink or bathtub, if you’d like, and watch this action when you disturb the water. Also, the higher you go on the ship, the more you will feel the movement. My office is on Deck 2, just a bit aft of midship, so generally not too much of a problem.
My cabin is not so blessed. I live fairly far forward on Deck 6. So, when the seas get rough, so does my bed! The first night on the open water as I went to sleep, instead of the gentle rocking that normally lulls me to sleep, I literally found myself lifting off the mattress! A bit disconcerting at first . . . but when you are tired you can adjust to anything.
To say someone walks like a drunken sailor is a bit of a misstatement. I’m thoroughly convinced that a drunken sailor on land walks a perfectly straight line. It is the sober seaman on terra firma that probably appears to be a bit out of sorts. Why? Because when you get used to walking on board a ship, you have to continually compensate for the pitch and roll. So instead of placing one foot in front of the other in a fairly tight line, I have found the best way to keep steady is to plant one’s foot forward and off to the side in order to keep your body centered. If the floor beneath you isn’t moving, then this exaggerated motion probably looks a bit odd. Think about doing this when you are carrying a plate of food and a drink in the crew mess, and you will realize the importance of not toppling over. Now think about doing this in the mess with a lot of other people moving around carrying the same items, and you will get the picture of a fairly complex ballet taking place. Probably would look pretty funny if you weren’t in the middle of it.
With the Crew Mess on Deck 2, you get used to seeing the foam off the top of waves splashing past the port holes. It is a little more disconcerting to see ‘blue water,’ not the waves but the sea, itself, momentarily covering your ‘windows.’ It freaks some of the crew out, but I’m perverse enough to enjoy the view. Always hoping to see a fish swim by . . .
Unfortunately, because most guests join us in New Jersey their first two days at sea can be fairly ‘dramatic.’ The first day out of Bayonne, I answered many guests’ questions about when the ocean would become calm. I told them that while I wouldn’t promise anything, they could probably expect smooth sailing by the end of day two. When the water mellowed out by the end of that afternoon I looked like a bloody genius. First time for everything, eh?
And the adventure continues . . .
Thursday, 19 January 2012
Turnaround Day!
January 17, 2012 – Turnaround Day!
The middle of a cruise is like Wednesday in the typical work week, a virtual ‘hump day.’ From that moment forward, every day accelerates a downhill roll of activity toward Turnaround Day, the day that we offload 2500 – 3000 guests and in four hours or less prepare the ship to receive the next equally large group of guests. What you may not consider is that due to varying lengths of contracts of crew members, at every port we have crew changes with the largest number taking place at our home port. On this particular Turnaround Day, we would sign off 117 crew members who were going on vacation or transferring to another ship, and we would sign on 136 new crew. The HR department is at the heart of this ‘troop action.’
Although we are cruising the Caribbean, our home port is Bayonne, NJ. Before you wonder too much about that location, it will make more sense if I tell you that it is a new port, named Port Liberty, with a clear view of New York City. For our northeastern US guests, this is very convenient port for them at which to embark on a Caribbean vacation, especially in the heart of winter. The day-and-a-half at sea when leaving or approaching this port can be ‘interesting’ due to weather, which makes the calm seas and warm weather of the rest of the trip a real blessing. (I’m actually writing this entry on our first day at sea having left Bayonne last night. Cold and a bit ‘rocky,’ but I’ll share more about this in another entry. We are currently off the coast of North Carolina, having passed Virginia this morning . . . Hi Dani!)
Tunaround Day starts early and, like the Steven Bishop song of the late 70s, goes “on and on and on.” I rolled out of bed at 5:30am and arrived at the Crew Mess (cafeteria on Deck 2) at 6:15 for a team breakfast. Three of the four of us made it, as Yez was already prepping for the first event of the day. Eggs, yoghurt, fruit and coffee charged me up for what was ahead. We then proceeded straight to the Sky Conference Center on Deck 14 for immigration processing. All 117 who would be offloading had the pleasure of going through US Immigration on board the vessel once the Customs officials arrived. In addition, all those who had joined the ship since our last US port in San Juan, PR, had to go through immigration since we were now at a US port. When we arrived at Sky, we handed out passports which are kept in the ship’s vault so no crew members lose them. Once they have their passports and documentation we must keep them corralled in the room with us lest they wander off. We were not even at dock until 7:15am, which caused the natives to begin to get restless.
As the fog and darkness lifted from the harbor, I realized I was staring at the Statue of Liberty across the channel. What a wakeup call that was. She looks smaller in person. I guess television does really add 20, or 20,000, pounds. She was obviously built in simpler times when ships of our size were uncommon. Still the symbol is so profound in our national consciousness that I got a shiver up my spine simply seeing her from this vantage point.
Despite the delays in getting Customs onboard, we processed all the immigration by 8:45am. However, before that could even end Laura and I received a call that the sign-ons were already gathering in ‘the tent’ and we needed to get set up for them. So leaving Dwight, Yez, and Bruna (Marine admin, from Brazil . . . great young lady . . .) to complete immigration, Laura and I headed down to Celebrity Central, a guest venue on Deck 4, to prepare the room for nearly 140 arrivals. As soon as we were set we layered on sweaters and jackets and headed ashore. The security officers know us well and the port agents knew Laura, so we blew off the ship at a brisk pace. The docking facility is not very attractive but certainly functional. We crossed the cold and damp dock and arrived at ‘the tent,’ a temporary metal building with a peaked roof that is the welcome center for all sign-ons. By the time we arrived there were already 30 of the new crew present with more arriving each minute. After checking letters of employment, passports and visas, I began to escort them in groups of 30 onto the ship where they dropped their luggage and then proceeded to Celebrity Central for welcome packets, completion of documentation, medical records, and to be picked up by their supervisors who gave them cabin keys and got them settled. Amazingly, all had arrived and were processed prior to noon! This was apparently unusual, for we were able to actually sit down and eat lunch for about 20 minutes by 12:30pm.
You know the old Army commercial that said ‘we do more before 6am than most people do all day?’ That’s the way it felt, but we now had to fit in a couple of office hours before co-facilitating an onboard training for new crew at 2:30pm. Once that was done prior to 4pm, we returned to our offices to catch up on the regular tasks of the day in addition to the myriad of problems that come with adding 136 employees to your operation in one day. Finally got to dinner break at 7:30pm, back in the office at 8:00pm, before finally retiring to my cabin just after 10pm. Yeah, pretty much a 15+ hour work day.
All this occurring, of course, as a full complement of guests was boarding. As an officer who can save steps by crossing guest areas, it was my pleasure to greet many guests and welcome them aboard. Since they were new on the ship they naturally had many questions. To go from a full out sprint and intense work mode to calm, cool, collected host is a skill that must be demonstrated by every ship’s officer.
Not surprisingly, slept like a baby without colic last night . . .
And the adventure continues . . .
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
I'm Sure God is Laughing . . .
January 16, 2012 – I’m Sure God is Laughing . . .
God’s imagination and sense of humor will ALWAYS be greater than mine. One of my biggest concerns about taking this four month contract was that I would not have a guaranteed way to get to weekly mass or church services of any kind. As I have jumped into the work rhythms around here, it even seemed like the opportunity to get off at a port to attend a weekday mass might be more limited than I expected.
As Sunday dawned, I realized that the day would unfold like any other workday. Except for the NFL playoff game that was on the big screen in the crew mess as we ate our lunch, it could easily have been a Wednesday. Late in the day I began to wonder if I might be able to sneak away from my desk to attend the mass in the guest area that I saw listed on the schedule. When I approached my boss, she checked with the hotel director who said that crew was not allowed to attend with guests, if there was a separate option available for the crew. That was when I found out that the priest onboard was willing to come down at the end of the evening to offer mass for any crew interested. At 10:15pm, Dwight, our Crew Welfare Admin, came by my office to see if I would be interested in accompanying him to pick up Fr. Chris at Guest Relations and escort him down the crew area. I jumped at the chance.
Our first surprise was that there was not one, but two priest waiting for us. The second, for me, was to see them holding vestments, large candles and crucifix, Roman Missal, and a full set of sacred vessels, which we found were provisioned by the ship. We introduced ourselves to Fr. Chris and Fr. Mike, and escorted them six decks down to the room in which our mass would be held. Since the announcement had gone out so late to the crew, Dwight got on the phone to call friends on the crew to get the local grapevine started. I helped Fr. Chris and Fr. Mike setup in the process sharing that I was a Catholic Deacon. When I mentioned my interest in perhaps finding a way to offer communion services once a cruise for crew members, if I could get the permission from the Archbishop of Newark, NJ, the ‘home’ diocese of the ship, Fr. Mike stopped what he was doing and shared my next surprise of the night . . .
Fr. Mike Andraede is the secretary for the Archbishop of Newark! On my sixth day on ship, I find that the very person I needed to connect with in Newark was actually vacationing with his friend, Fr. Chris, on my very ship! If you want to know the odds, I’m figuring that the way God is playing His hand right now; it was a 100% stone cold lock. As the mass commenced, I relaxed comfortably into the flow of the mass in this unusual venue, for the room was indeed comfortable to me. You see, the mass was offered in the Crew Training Room, the veritable extension of my office.
The mass, itself, showed a wonderful blend of cultures. We ended up with about 30 crew members in attendance, not bad for a last minute announcement. I was the only Anglo present, with about half of the attendees from the Catholic parts of India, and the other appeared to be from the Philippines and Hispanic cultures. The integration of these cultures had a blend of relaxed and formal, old and new. A keyboard was quickly set up and music was played. I did stand out as the only Anglo, the only officer, and the only one still in uniform. But by the end of the liturgy, a sense of comfort and family among us had begun to grow. As I escorted the priests back up to the guest areas, Monsignor Andraede promised to offer me his contact information so that we might begin the discussion on how I could accomplish the desired communion services.
Seriously, God is laughing and all delusions I’ve had that I’m in control of my life have been cast aside.
The adventure continues . . .
What Time is it, REALLY?
January 15th – What Time is it, REALLY? . . . More to the Point, What DAY is it?
Clocks and calendars are interesting devices. They help us break our lives into measurable units, upon which we construct repeatable and comfortable schedules. But when one is serving on a cruise ship, and probably any ship for that matter, the conventional measures of time are meaningless. The primary calendar is the cruise itinerary, for our only anchor points are ports, the most important of which is our embarkation/debarkation port, the place we begin and end each cruise. And since we are in the hospitality industry, each day requires us to serve our guests and our work schedules accommodate that service.
When your office is continually moving, time, itself, can be unpredictable. Early and late in our Caribbean cruise cycle, we cross a time zone. Meaning that every few days, you are setting your watch forward or back. The first experience I had with this change, I was determined to get it right. So, determined to get it right, that I did so . . . twice. It took place on the crew wine and cheese party night, and the cruise director reminded us all to set our watches back before we left. Apparently, my manager and I chose to do so right at that moment to ensure we didn’t forget. However, when my alarm went off at what appeared to be much too early a time the next morning, in my semi-awake state I was convinced that I hadn’t set my clock back, yet, and proceeded to repeat the process. Halfway through getting ready, I realized my mistake, and flew into work at 8:58am. Still on time, as we don’t have to report until 9am, but definitely later than I intended.
(LOL . . . as I wrote this on my afternoon break, I received a call from Laura. She had just agreed that I should head back to my cabin to take a break, and then realized fifteen minutes later that she and I needed to conduct a sign-off meeting for the dining staff who are leaving the ship on Tuesday in just ten minutes. I now understand how firefighters get dressed so quickly! The meeting went fine, after all that rush. . . Thanks for asking . . .)
The day of the week really doesn’t matter much, either. Sunday looks like Wednesday, and Tuesday like Friday. Today, was Jan 15th, the eleventh day of Voyage 015 for the Silhouette. In your world it is Sunday, which means little to us, as we are at sea today. However, our great fortune is to have a Catholic priest on board for this voyage, and he has offered to say a mass for the crew at 10:30pm, tonight. So, my first Sunday on board, I will actually get to go to mass on a Sunday. Not something to take for granted, anymore . . .
Speaking of time, I need to pull on my evening dress uniform and Encounter Guests for a half an hour with my team. That will be followed by an HR team meeting, and then after grabbing a quick dinner, we will be back in the offices, preparing for the Turnaround Day on Tuesday. Since I’m going to mass at 10:30pm, it makes sense to put this time to good use.
And the adventure continues . . .
Monday, 16 January 2012
Time for the Fun Part of the Job!
January 14th – Time for the Fun Part of the Job
All work and no play makes Dave . . . but most of the play is work related . . . so, does that mean that even play makes me dull? Last night I finally donned my evening uniform, as it was time to begin Guest Encounters. After dining yet again in the crew mess, as I was the only one of my team ‘changed out’ and you can’t go into the public areas in the wrong uniform for the time of day, I headed out to do my first evening stroll. I spent about 30 minutes walking through the lounge areas and truly enjoyed engaging guests from different countries and hearing their backgrounds and experiences. The first couple of times were a bit awkward for me, but I quickly grew into the role. Laura then joined me for the last fifteen minutes and it was interesting to compare our styles in this role.
But there was still desk work to be done, before returning for late night events. So, we returned to my office and worked for another hour-and-a-half prior to heading back to one of the lounges to ‘prepare’ for her ‘duty’ in Dancing With the Stripes. Her training consisted of having a martini to both discuss her strategy and to reward ourselves for the hard work of my first three days. We then headed ‘backstage’ for her to get her contestant number and be paired with a guest only minutes before the competition began. At the last minute we found a rose, which we quickly decided I would bring out on a tray to her partner when the tango began. Unfortunately, the reigning champ, Carlos (Head Bartender) saw this ploy and decided to use me as his ‘prop man’ for the next couple of dances. I was now serving two masters and one of them was my boss. Sadly, Laura was eliminated one round before the finals, not that she is competitive . . . much . . . or questioning the judging . . . no, not at all! Carlos won, again, and he certainly brings the outrageous amusement factor. Fortunately, others may have a chance soon, as his contract ends in a couple of weeks.
But the night was not over. We left the public lounge and dropped down 12 decks to the crew nightclub where a Wine & Cheese party had been arranged for the crew. It is a small lounge and it was definitely standing room only. Most were in civvies, so when two evening dress officers walked in, we were a bit noticeable. Despite how packed the place was we scored a comfortable couch right near the guitarist/singer who was playing. Martin plays in the main lounge, and is excellent at covering a wide range of music. We bought a bottle of wine, and filled a plate with cheese and fruit, and had a very relaxing end of the day.
Sadly, in the middle of this crew celebration, we heard the news about the Costas ship running aground and sinking off the coast of Italy. I asked Martin to take a moment to offer a tribute to all those in danger and then he dedicated a song to them. It was a somber and very touching moment, as all who ply the seas believe themselves brothers and sisters. The party then slowly ramped back up, with one of the onboard a capella pulling out a bongo and sitting at Martin’s feet to add a drum section. By the time 1am came around it was definitely time to hit the rack. Eleven hours of office work, and three hours of ‘party work’ made this a long day.
Morning came way too early. But that’s another story.
And the adventure continues . . .
The Best Team in the Fleet
January 13th – The Best Team in the Fleet
The only thing that makes this intense pace endurable is the people with whom I work. Even though they are the only team in the fleet that I know, I am doubtful there is one better.
The Silhouette Human Resources department starts with our brand new HR Director, Laura. She was my predecessor in the T&D job and is considered a cruise ‘lifer,’ as she has worked with Celebrity for over six years. She started in youth activities, moved up through guest services, and then entered the world of training. When the previous HR Manager went on medical leave, she was promoted and added a stripe. She is a high energy, Type A Canadian (which is definitely a contradiction of the typical stereotype). She is quick witted and wants everything to be not just good, but exceptional. Our work styles mesh very well together, although we reinforce each other’s tendency to not stop working. The fact that I worked until 11:15pm on my first night, and that last night’s 10pm office closure was my earliest return to my stateroom so far, gives you an idea of the workload we are tackling. (The good news is that most of the officers try to observe an ‘international siesta,’ getting away from our offices from 2:30 – 5pm, just to get some personal time during the day.)
The Crew Administrator, Yez (Jess), is from Mexico City. She is also a ‘lifer,’ with over ten years on ships. She is responsible for all the paperwork and processing of crew members either on or off boarding. Almost every port we have a couple crew members arriving or departing. Today, in San Juan, PR, we had 19 join. At the start of the next cruise we have 140 adding, with an equal volume leaving. ‘Turnaround Day,’ as it is called, is a non-stop sprint. Yez is rock solid at everything she does, an incredibly hard working teammate.
Dwight is our Crew Welfare administrator, responsible for most of the crew events. Dwight is from Jamaica, and was recently promoted into a ‘white shirt.’ It is amusing to watch him instantly change his speech patterns from the professional tone and language with officers, to his Jamaica rhythms of speech and action with crew members. He is well-liked by the crew and is learning how to translate his passion to work on their behalf into organized and effective action.
Despite our different roles, we tend to consistently muster to help each other get a task done. This has caused me to get involved in working closely with Dwight to set up a Crew Dance Party on the Solstice Deck one night, and the Shining Star Award Ceremony with the captain the next morning; assisting Yez in preparing welcome packages and then on-boarding new crew members this morning in San Juan. Finally, of course, setting up, and assisting in several training classes delivered by Laura in the first couple of days.
Almost like a family, we try to do lunch and dinner together, when at all possible. So far, that has mostly been in the crew mess, although as officers, we do have guest restaurant privileges, which we hope to use more once we establish a rhythm.
Today we were in San Juan . . . which started with a brief shopping trip to the local CVS for me to pick up a few items that I found I needed as I started to figure out life on ship. The work day has been full with the on-boarding process for new crew, scheduling and recording training in the employee database, attending a safety training class, and brainstorming a crew-focused wellness program based on the Biggest Loser television show. This evening we will end the night by cheering on Laura, who is participating in Dancing with the Stripes, and wind down at a crew focused wine & cheese party in Cellar Master’s. Looking at the last two items, you may think this is one big party. Well, there is partying, but it is only scheduled after 10-12 hours of work each day . . . every day. Not for the faint of heart.
And the adventure continues . . .
Sunday, 15 January 2012
The First Time in Uniform
January 12, 2012 – The First Time in Uniform
It’s time to put on the last suit you will ever wear . . . or so it felt as the line from Men in Black ran through my mind. It is a mark of how full the days are that the day-and-a-half on board without a uniform seemed like it lasted forever. When you are the only person in a crew of over 1000 who is consistently not in the uniform of the day, one does tend to stand out. When you are the new T&D Manager, who has been awaited for over a week, the scrutiny is even more intense. But due to the rigors of the schedule during the first day, we didn’t even requisition the uniform until late on the night of the first day. With requisite tailoring of slacks and evening coat, the uniform was not ready until the morning of my second day. So, only after lunch on my second day did I finally pull on my day uniform. Officers day uniforms consist of black slacks, socks, and shoes, topped by a short sleeve white shirt, topped with shoulder epaulets with the markings of your rank. I am in the ‘middle management’ ranks, sporting 2 ½ stripes. Like the Navy, the captain wears four, and his senior staff has 3 or 3 ½. Junior officers wear a single stripe, which puts me solidly in the middle of the pack.
Two things happened when I put on the uniform. First, I immediately felt like I was now part of the team. Individual identity dissolves into the single personality of a crew united in service to a common purpose. Second, and more bizarre to a guy who grew up in the HP culture of egalitarianism, you are viewed by the rest of the crew through the lens of your stripes. I have never been addressed as ‘sir’ so many times in a given day. The Celebrity culture is predicated on engaging your crew mates. So, walking down the I-95 becomes a constant flow of greetings as all personnel pass. For an officer, it is virtually impossible to walk through an area unnoticed. This is more than a bit disarming and is only made bearable for me by my opportunity to share these moments of camaraderie with such a broad diversity of talented, culturally diverse teammates. However, I’d often like to express the line that my dad shared with me which I believe is attributed to army sergeants, “Don’t sir me, I work for a living.” Actually, I don’t know anyone, regardless, of their stripes, who doesn’t work hard on this ship.
Unfortunately, for me, this is very much a small town. The word that the new T&D has arrived and has not yet received his luggage seems to be a well-shared story among the crew. As a result, almost no initial encounter with a crew mate proceeds more than ten seconds without the question being raised if I have my bag, and since not, if I have any need that they can help me fulfill. While charming in sincerity, I can hardly wait to receive my bag, which is scheduled to be delivered to the ship in San Juan, tomorrow. The fact that 20 new crew members will join us at the same time should certainly help me become yesterday’s news. Not to mention the 170 who will come on board (a 15% crew replacement!) as we start the new cruise in New Jersey next Tuesday.
And, of course, we all know who is responsible for training them all!
The journey continues . . .
Discovery . . .
January 11, 2012 – Discovery … Guest Areas Easy . . . Crew Areas . . . Not So Much
All who wander are not lost . . . but all who are lost, wander, and wander and . . . If you have every cruised, you know how large and complex the ships can be. These are floating cities with ‘homes,’ restaurants, bars, shopping districts, entertainment districts, sports and recreation activities, libraries, casinos, and even art galleries. It takes most guests several days, perhaps an entire week to begin to feel completely comfortable with the lay of the land. Guest areas are conveniently marked with directories to help you find what is on each deck, and where on the deck is each venue.
The crew areas are far more of a mystery. This is a city within and beneath the city that the public sees. It is a virtual labyrinth of twisting corridors, steel staircases, and less than obvious nooks into which are crammed every conceivable necessity to support this floating community. When I first arrived, Laura turned me loose to explore the public areas of the ship. I was impressed with the beauty of the décor and the diversity of amenities for the guests. I started on the Solstice deck, the beautiful Deck 16 viewing area and proceeded through the Lawn Club on Deck 15, where, yes, an actual lawn is growing at sea for those who miss the feel of grass under their feet. Deck 14 included the cafeteria style restaurant and the running track, while Deck 12 (there is no 13th deck on a ship) held the spa, fitness center and pools. I continued down through each deck discovering a library, card room, theater, multiple restaurants and lounges, and two floors of shopping. By the time Laura called to meet for lunch, I felt comfortable I knew the layout of the ship pretty well.
Boy was I delusional. After we ate, Laura began my tour of the crew areas. My brain quickly over-filled with all the details, and without nearly as clear directories, I was soon totally baffled. When we returned to our offices on Deck 2, she challenged me to find my cabin on Deck 6. With only a few minor missteps, I was able to make that journey (more through inspiration than intelligence). However, the return trip was not nearly as smooth, taking me far more than double the time to return. Simply understanding which crew staircases went to which decks, and which crew elevators stopped at which, is in itself a major puzzle to solve. I believe that once I get through the first month, I will add a half an hour of productivity to my day, simply by reducing my travel time over the course of my work shift. The most extreme case of this confusion was when I traveled the length of the ship looking for our crew admin’s office, only to find that it was less than fifty steps from mine . . . just in the other direction!
Yet, by the end of my second day, I feel I’m starting to at least put the borders on the puzzle. I can now always find my cabin and office and each of the primary workspaces at which I serve. My confidence level has grown in trying to find places that are more arcane, without needing a ‘seeing eye’ coworker. The best aid is the friendly Celebrity Cruise family. This is truly a caring group of people. They all have been lost and are quick to help each other with a guiding hand. That sense of camaraderie makes the corridors a lot less intimidating, for it seems that each time I lose my way, I find a friend.
The adventure continues . . .
Saturday, 14 January 2012
Seeing Her for the First Time . . .
January 10th, 2330 hours – Seeing Her for the First Time
Have you experienced ‘love at first sight?’ If so, you have a sense of how it felt on Tuesday morning as I saw the Celebrity Silhouette peeking above the buildings of the port city of St. John’s, Antigua. With only minor delays, I cleared immigration with the assistance of the always present Joseph, and started down the long dock toward the beautiful floating city named Silhouette.
I stopped to take pictures, as much to capture the moment as to relieve the strain on my arms from carrying my far too heavy shoulder bags. But there was no denying the grandeur of the vision that lay before me. The sleek lines and glistening white hull adorned only with the crisp blue lettering that was at once both bold and understated, filled my every sense with her beauty and sense of wonder. Another ship lay at rest on the other side of the dock, but I had eyes only for the ship that will be my home for at least the next four months.
With passport and letter of employment in hand, I presented myself at the foot of the gangway. Only minutes after having been asked to wait, I was met by two ship’s officers who I quickly found out were members of my four person human resources team. Yez (pronounced ‘Jess” . . . no kidding) from Mexico, and Dwight (pronounced, well, ‘Dwight’) from Jamaica escorted me up the gangway and quickly into a corridor which is nicknamed, and again I’m not joking here . . . I-95. If you have ever lived on or visited the East Coast, you will recognize this as the easternmost north/south interstate in the U.S. This crew only corridor, which runs the length of the ship, is just as busy and generally as fast-paced as its namesake. For a more contemporary reference, think the EAC from the movie Finding Nemo.)
I was whisked into a tiny office, which I soon learned was quite common in size for this ship where space is lavished upon the guests, but at a premium for the crew. Sign-on paperwork was quickly accomplished, and I was showed my office and immediately introduced to my boss, Human Resources Manager, Laura McCauley. With the speed of light, she handed me back to Dwight to be shown my cabin and informed me that she would have time for me after a crew emergency drill and crew cabin inspections. Just like that, I was turned loose on my own to explore the guest areas of the ship. But that story is for another day.
The adventure continues . . .
Caribbean Hospitality
January 10th – Caribbean Hospitality
Despite the additional night in Miami, the end of the journey to the ship was in sight as I boarded the plane to Antigua, to join the Silhouette at the port of St. John. This was to be a leisurely travel day, with one three-hour flight, followed by a relaxing night in a Caribbean hotel.
We arrived in Antigua on time and the walk down the jet stairs and across the tarmac into the Antigua airport definitely had the feel of an exotic adventure. But the tenor of the adventure as I processed through immigration was not a positive one. The line moved on ‘island time,’ and it was almost 90 minutes before the entrance stamp was place on my passport. The good news as I approached baggage claim was that there was no line waiting for the bags. The bad news was that neither was my bag waiting for me. Fortunately, I had expected that as a possibility, given the previous night’s re-routing. However, when I submitted the report to the baggage desk, there was more of a sense of resignation than hope, no instant computer check, and only a promise to call me if it is found.
Bag or no, it was time to try to get to my hotel. However, given the change of ports of embarkation, I had no instructions on how to get to my hotel, or even what hotel it was. I asked the information desk at the airport to tell me who provided transportation for the cruise line. They directed me to one transportation stand, who pointed me back to two men I had just passed on the sidewalk. Each held a crumpled welcome sign in their hand. As I approached, I could tell that one of those tattered forms had my name on it. After a quick introduction, I was told that they had given up hope on finding me since it was so long since my flight ended. Fortunately, there was good conversation to be had on the sidewalk, so I had bought that extra time. My driver grabbed my bag, much heavier than he expected, as my carry-on held all my electronics and books. Up the hill we went to the farthest parking lot on the property, to begin the journey to the hotel.
Let me tell you about Joseph. Joseph is large in stature, and even larger in personality. It seemed he knew every person we passed, and had a work or brief exchange with each we met. The same was true as we barreled along the winding hilly roads of central Antigua. Waves, shouts, and toots of the horn emanated from the car every half block or so, including in front of the police station. He told me that in addition to working as a driver, he was an aide to the Prime Minister of Antigua. That gives you an idea of the size and sense of community in this small nation.
My drive with Joseph was a kick, especially when he decided that he was going to play me some sedate, elevator music for the drive. I turned to him and commented that I was pretty sure he didn’t generally listen to that music. I encouraged him to play whatever he liked as I have a broad taste in music. He cautiously put on a station with a mix of reggae and hip-hop sounds, at a very low volume. As he saw me nodding along, he slowly increased the volume until we were both generally jammin’ to the music as we cruised the scenic byways.
We eventually made it to the Trade Winds Hotel, perched on a mountain top overlooking the Caribbean. Tucked back into the heavily forested area, it was a quaint retreat with spectacular views. When I stepped out onto the verandah of my room, I was stunned by the beauty of the sea below me. I ate that night at their patio restaurant, and simply watched the sun go down. The servers were gently accommodating, and the food wonderful. Of course, even stale bread and water would have been remarkable in these surroundings. As I was leaving, a busboy that came to clear my table paused and stared out at the dying light. When I commented how beautiful it looked, he said how amazing it was that so many had never seen this beautiful sight, and how easy it was to take it for granted. It made me think of how much so many of us can so easily take for granted.
The adventure continues . . .
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