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 . . .
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