Time for the Fun Part of the Job!

January 14^th – 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 . . .