My First Mirror Ball!

February 19, 2012 

Despite Celebrity’s emphasis on Modern Luxury, the schedule highlight of every cruise seems to be something that is a bit more low-brow than our brand essence suggests. It is the competition that definitely claims bragging rights among officers bold enough to enter, and creates an instant memory for most guests. Occasionally those memories are not frightening. Yes, it is Dancing With the Stripes!

As previously mentioned in this blog, this competition bears little resemblance to the ABC show of a similar name. That show features professional dancers, identifiable celebrities, inspired choreography, beautiful costumes, and great music. Ours has . . . . . . . .  well, our music is pretty good. Our live ‘party band’ sings the songs to which we dance. Yet, the chance for guests to be paired up with Celebrity officers in this fun and sometimes outrageous contest is a hit every time.

I started as a reluctant entrant into this activity. The first DWTS I experienced I was only an observer and cheerleader for Laura. I did serve as her prop man for one bit of shtick, but other than that, I was happy to cede the limelight. The next time I accompanied her, I was begged into action when they had one more guest wish to partake at the last minute than they had officers. That was the time I danced with the lovely Maria, from Chile. We made it to the second of three rounds, I’m convinced on her beauty and grace, and when they booed when we were the last eliminated before the finals I took it as little reflection on my performance. My second entry was on the night I returned from Richmond, and after signing on and working a full day, I had little interest in competing. However, I was asked to be there ‘just in case,’ with our Cruise Director, Lisa, promising to use me only as a last resort. Of course, I was put to work, and with no pressure to succeed, I took a close second to Tsunami after our infamous Michael Jackson dance off. This time the guests told me I should have won, and I started to believe that I had some entertainment value to share.

That led us to last cruise. This time I knew I would compete and put myself into the right mind set for the competition. Laura chose not to compete that night due to a backlog of work, so the traditional training program, a pre-dance martini, was shared with our new Crew Admin, Laverne, from South Africa. She apparently was a consistent finalist in previous competitions so I knew I was in for a battle. However, when we arrived in the backstage area there were only the two of us and the International Host, Matthieu, who were primed to perform. The show was delayed as Lisa scrambled to find four more willing officers including my young Spanish friend, Sabrina. Soon, with seven couples in place we were ready to begin.

The key to winning DWTS, as both Derrick Hough and Mark Ballis will tell you from that ‘other competition’ that shares are initials is you need a good partner. Diane was friendly enough but did not strike me as a robust performer. However, she seemed willing to follow my lead and act immediately on my suggestions, no matter how outlandish. After the couples’ introduction we were set loose on Round I where we performed three ballroom dances: waltz, tango, and lambada. This round is really about not looking too stiff and awkward and working the judges and the crowd. If you have a bit of personality and a tad of rhythm you can normally escape this round, which we did.

Round II separates the contenders from the pretenders. It starts with a Jive, followed by Disco, and ending with Country & Western. I have already learned that this is the point you must step up the entertainment game. As soon as the first beats start I remove my evening coat and hand it to a woman in the crowd for safekeeping. Then I simply let loose and hope my partner and I can stay in some form of sync. Diane certainly did and when we got to the second number, I had decided that part of our routine would be to go into the audience at that point. We boldly danced into the audience and I leapt onto a table to continue my part of the routine. Needless to say that was a hit with the crowd. Returning to the floor for the C&W I try to ensure we have some sense of two-step going, but I will admit I need to work on the show elements there.

We held our breath as the final cuts were made, and I was relieved to be in the final round for the second straight cruise. This is where it gets odd. They have us do an ‘interpretive modern dance’ where you have to tell a story. I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and we play- acted with far too large of movements the story of a man too busy with his work to pay attention to his wife. Diane was great in hamming it up, first taking the phone and giving it to the bartender and then dragging me around by my tie until I gave her attention. It was reasonable fun and set me up for my favorite. We end with Michael Jackson! Seriously? I was clubbing in the 80s. You have hit my sweet spot. When the first beats of Billie Jean start to rock I am ready to channel the baddest, whitest Michael Jackson you’ve ever seen. The crowd ate it up. When the applause-o-meter was engaged for the final crowd vote, I felt our chances were good. Sure enough, we were the ones to take home first place!

Remember how I said it all depends on your partner? I found out from Diane’s friends later that she had won on two other ships! How lucky was I? It is all about your partner . . . unless you are a total stiff, and then it really doesn’t matter.

Whether or not I ever win, again, I’ve stood atop that platform. But the next competition, February 29^th, is on my calendar.

And the adventure continues . . .

Things That Don’t Tend to Happen In a Land-Based Job

February 18, 2012

Cruise ships are often described as floating hotels. In simplest terms that might be a convenient way to grasp what we are trying to deliver to the marketplace. But the reality is that our product is as different from a traditional hotel as water is from land. First, space is at a premium. If you are building a hotel in the middle of swampland in Florida or undeveloped desert in Nevada, land is relatively cheap. So, your goal is to create things as big as possible, where ours by nature is to keep things as small as possible while giving you the impression of size.  Additionally, what we often is far more than a traditional, upscale hotel. We are a complete floating resort, with pools, casino, a full theater, sports courts, two levels of shopping districts, a movie theater, a disco, and countless restaurants and bars. Think about taking a resort the size of Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas and floating it on water. See how that works.

Our resort is over 1000 feet long and weighs 122,400 TONS. Our ‘building’ is actually 18 stories tall. We include all the aforementioned amenities, including sleeping quarters for over 4000 people (guests and crew), and office space for a large number of the 1200 plus ‘below decks.’ Take one luxury resort, maybe even the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, and just add water. But when you add water, the whole dynamic changes. For example, we invite you on a luxury getaway to forget the worries of life and the first thing we do is insist, by law, that you attend an emergency drill. Yes, we do it with grace and gentleness, but see how Marriott guests would feel about that, every time they rented a room.

And Mother Ocean can be a fickle host. Most of the time we have fair winds and following seas, but generally at least a day or two every cruise is met with rolling seas. That is simply the nature of sailing. Most of our guests understand it, but not all. The other night, just before Laura and I reached our respective crew stateroom areas, we were stopped by a man who was very upset that the ship was rolling so much. He felt that we should have avoided the weather. We could have, I guess, if we didn’t have a destination in mind. He failed to understand why we subjected him to that. Having viewed the weather report, I predicted that by the next afternoon things should be smooth as silk. They were, and I looked like a genius. The reality was that I was just damn lucky. But the ocean can affect any of us. Generally as we steam out of New York and head down the East Coast, we have a full day of high seas. Both crew and guests are equally affected. Even if your stomach braved the assault, imagine being a waiter carrying trays of drinks or food. Imagine our singers and dancers performing without knowing exactly where the deck will be next. Imagine our officers trying to be pleasant and charming as we stroll (not lurch) down the corridors. Think of it as our non-stop earthquake on those days, and you get the idea. If you can imagine an earthquake lasting 24 hours.

Then there is the Bermuda Triangle. Each morning and evening I briefly turn on the navigation channel to see where we are. Imagine my distress this morning when it said “Unable to determine destination. Unable to locate satellites.” That certainly got my day off to a memorable start. And we transit the edge of that corridor a couple of times a week.

Or what about strange and mysterious creatures appearing from nowhere. The last time we pulled into New York Harbor at 7am, to begin our immigration process, three of the female officers asked me if I would come into Sky Lounge A to remove a ‘moth.’ Okay, this moth was ‘mothzilla.’ With a wingspan of over eight inches this dark brown beast was laying on the floor of the conference room. Please note we had been out of the tropics for three full days. Where had our stowaway been all this time? Well, I calmly wrapped it in napkins and put him to rest. But seriously, how they heck did he get there and nobody had noticed him on the ship? That never happens at home.

And yet both the bizarre, the ridiculous, and the downright irksome are handled with our crew with great equanimity. I think this group of people would simply be bored by the commonplace of a job on land. That’s why we are here.

And the adventure continues . . .

We Are Not the Love Boat!

February 17, 2012

Let’s start with the basics . . . neither our Captain nor any of the officers wear white shorts and white shoes. I know there were some who wanted to see me in my Captain Stubing outfit, but that picture will never be available. As mentioned in a previous post, our day uniforms are white short sleeve shirts with black slacks, shoes and socks. Our evening uniforms replace the day uniform with a white long sleeve shirt, black tie, and a black double-breasted coat  to augment the aforementioned trousers, shoes, and socks. Celebrity Cruise Lines is about 21st century Modern Luxury, not 1970s ‘fun.’ Even so, we are a relaxed and fun ship, but our officers will never be confused with their sitcom counterparts.

Neither Captain Kafetzis or Captain Pagonis, the two Masters of Silhouette, bear any resemblance to Gavin McCleod’s Captain Stubin. Both are Greek, Pagonis with a full head of wavy black hair, while Kafetzis’ ‘do’ is shorter with a touch of grey. Both are tanned, muscular, and full of the vibrant energy that comes from working three months on and three months off. Each are commanding presences in their own way. Kafetzis is more of a man of his people, the crew, but subtly funny in addressing the guests. Pagonis is a bit more stately and regal, great with the guests, even though he is probably a bit more shy. Neither are bald, goofy, nor appear indecisive at any time. No Captain Stubing on this vessel.

Our cruise directors are in a whole different league than Julie. Both Paul, who was here when I arrived, and Lisa, our current CD, are about far more than smiling at guests. They are responsible for all guest facing activities on ship, so they are one part manager of an insane and complex schedule, and each also has enough talent to step on our stage in the 1100 person Silhouette Theater, and bring the house down with their voice. Lisa toured with the production of Mama Mia. Paul rocks it at that same level. These are consummate entertainers and excellent managers.

Our doctors actually practice medicine. I’m really not sure what Doc on Love Boat did, but medicine was rarely the prescription. Our two doctors, two nurses, and medical secretary run a fully functioning medical clinic on the ship, and treat numerous patients and crew throughout each cruise. During the accelerated outbreak of gastrointestinal virus that hit the ship two cruises back, I don’t think I saw any of the medical personnel except when they were responding to a medical emergency. Dr. Jennifer, our head physician from the Philippines, looked like she hadn’t slept the whole cruise. It has been good to see them surface occasionally during the last two weeks. But unlike Bernie Koeppel’s character, their engagement with the guest is very light.

In place of Gopher, the purser, we have a full finance team. You’d need one to keep this floating hotel in the black. You rarely, if ever, see these people above decks, and when they are up top they are not out in front of the engagement. Their biggest concern each cruise is making sure that the bills and crew are paid in a timely manner. That is a never-ending job that rarely allows time for the guests.

Isaac, the Love Boat bartender, may have had the closest job to reality. Our bar managers and bartenders are truly exceptional at guest satisfaction, and some of those bar tenders put on a quite a show, and every member of the bar staff works to ensure that are guests are happy. But most of them do it with exceptional service, and not just a cheesy smile.

Finally, if you are looking for ‘love’ with a member of this crew, you need to understand we have a strict non-fraternization policy with guests. Guests may discover romance; crew may do so if they choose to on our side of the line, but never the twain shall meet.  That’s one of the classes I teach in the first two weeks to all crew members. How serious are we about it? Serious enough to walk someone off the ship and put them on a plane home if they fail to heed that directive. Our guests have fun, exceptional service, and create great memories, but this is no Love Boat.

And the adventure continues . . .

Officer Guest Slots Tournament

February 16, 2012

One of the oddest Guest Encounters in which I participate is the Officer Guest Slots Tournament. This is not to say this is the oddest competition on ship. From my perspective, the Officer vs. Guest ping pong tournament, or the Bocce Ball tournament on our top lawn are a little unusual to me. Other activities, such as the Thriller Dance Off are even more out of the ordinary. But this is one that Laura roped me into right away, and I find it the most absurd 15 minutes of my cruise cycle.

It starts with being raffled off. Literally. Every guest who wishes to participate in this tournament is given a raffle ticket. The officers arrive while our Casino Host, Ralph, hawks his wares, meaning us. “We’ve just been joined by Dave, our amazing T&D Manager . . . let’s give it up for Dave!” Hard to sneak into an event with eagle-eyed Ralph on the lookout. Each officer then picks a raffle ticket and he is paired with the lucky ticket holder. Several minutes of banal ‘getting to know you’ conversation follows until all officers are paired up with a guest.

Then the ‘competition’ begins. Each officer and guest are paired on a electronic slot machine. The entire object of the game is to see how many points your team can earn in four minutes. The guest plays for the first two minutes, and then the officer jumps in for the final two. The key to this game is to keep hitting the Spin buttons as fast as possible, so that the machine never stops recording the results. At this pace of frantic hammering on the buttons, it becomes less a game of slots and more an out of control “Whack a Mole” session. Generally speaking, the guests that play in this event are among our more senior members, and at that frantic pace you are mostly concerned that no one has a heart attack in their efforts to earn a prize.

This is all about luck and nothing to do with skill. Such is the nature of slot machines. In my last competition my guest hit the jackpot twice in the first minute giving us a commanding lead. Unfortunately, Lady Luck turned against us soon thereafter, and we watched as our lead frittered away until we ended in 6th place out of ten teams. Not surprisingly, the one officer who had not played before and who was pulled in as she was simply passing by, our Senior Doctor, Jennifer, pulled off the victory. I accused her of being a slot machine hustler and that we’d be watching for her next time.

In just a few minutes, the guests get an up-front and personal engagement with an officer, three guests walk away with nice prizes, and the officers’ only take-away are bruised hands from hammering on the buttons. But, once again, Celebrity scores big by having infinitely professional, yet completely approachable, officers. Even if we talk insufferable ‘smack’ to one another behind the scenes prior to this intense little competition. Ship’s officers are some of the most competitive people you ever want to meet.

And the adventure continues . . .

Bad Romance Valentine's Day Party

February 15, 2012

Last night was the most upscale crew party I have seen. It was the annual Valentine’s Day party, and it adopted the ‘Bad Romance’ Theme from Lady Gaga. With almost all the crew away from their loved ones, Valentines is more of a celebration of absent love, except for those who have struck up a shipboard romance. Since the Production Cast was hosting the party, I was curious to see what flair they might bring to the evening and how the rest of the crew would connect with a party hosted by a group with a very different set of privileges and expectations than most of those onboard.

The party was in the Sky View Lounge, a large bar and dance floor at the bow of the ship. It has spectacular 180 degree views and is very, very comfortable. It is where the Captain’s Club parties are held. For this late night, it was closed to guests and made available to crew.  The starting time for the party was at 11:30pm and its duration was scheduled until 2am. I arrived at ten minutes to midnight, having worked late to ensure that I was still awake at the appointed hour. Much to my amazement the lounge was almost completely empty. Four or five crew were standing at the main bar, while about a half dozen of the Production Cast was sitting in one of the comfortable alcoves. I chatted at the bar with the CMs standing there for a few minutes and then took my drink over to the group of entertainers, determined not to let the cliques stay cliques.

My entrée into their circle seemed to surprise them, at first, as few seem to cross that line. We quickly started sharing stories, and any perceived barrier quickly dissolved. By about 12:30am, there were probably 50-75 people in attendance. I purposefully approached different peer groups as I saw this as a great opportunity for every department to intermingle. At this point the large dance floor in the middle of the lounge was essentially empty, even though the DJ had been playing music since midnight.

Sometime between then and 1am, the party exploded. I ran into Laura and her friend, Deb (Youth Activities Manager), about that time and when we looked up from our conversation there were almost 300 people present and the dance floor was packed! Sometime shortly thereafter I bought a drink for the Casino Host, Ralph, which led to a lengthy conversation, followed by his obligatory return of the complementary beverage. By the time I next looked at my watch it was 2:35am and the party was still going strong. When I asked what time we had the lounge until I was told that the Staff Captain had approved an extension until 3am.

Looking around Sky Lounge at that point, I realized how much the people in attendance seemed to need this night of luxury. I left the party with it in full swing, understanding how soon the morning would come. From the facial expressions on the I-95 the next morning, it was clear that many others should have realized the same. But the morning after for most was undoubtedly worth the time in celebration.

And the adventure continues . . .

Port Day in St. Thomas!

February 14, 2012

I will admit to being an addict. There, I’ve said it, and I hope those who have suspected it for years are satisfied. I am addicted to fast paces and always having plenty of work to do. For an addict like me one of the hardest things to do can be to simply relax when I need to. My mind is always racing to engage the ‘what’s next.’ So, you can imagine how life on the ship can feed that addiction. We work ten or more hours a day, seven days a week, for four straight months. Somehow the cycle of addiction must be broken.

And that’s, what I’m discovering, port days are for. In my first five weeks of my contract there have been only a few spare hours in which I have gone ashore when we reach port. (It goes without saying that going ashore without reaching a port is a far more difficult proposition.) However, after my time spent with Audra, Marcos, and Karolis in St. Maarten a couple weeks back, I realized that I needed to start building more of that into my schedule. This requires a clever allocation of time, first ensuring that I create a training schedule with sufficiently unencumbered blocks of time; and second, working to get ahead on the 101 administrative tasks that always seem to need to be done. But with that preparation, a few hours in port are vital to sanity and balance.

There is something special about US territories in the Caribbean. Not only do you get the beautiful tropical weather, but the convenience of calling home without extra charges on a US based cell phone is another distinct benefit. So, on Valentine’s Day, I took the afternoon to go ashore in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. I completed my morning class and few remaining daily tasks and agreed with my manager Laura that a burger and a beer sounded like the perfect antidote to the daily routine. After the prerequisite change into ‘real clothes’ that allowed us to blend into the tourists on the street, we walked a few short blocks to a local tavern which an outdoor patio to so dine. However, Laura is a bit of a cheese ADDICT (notice a theme, today) and when she saw fried mozzarella sticks on the menu that became the necessary first course. The cheese sticks quickly were followed by massive burgers and a beer each (drink responsibly!) as we enjoyed the warm weather and watching the world flow by. At the end of lunch Laura went to find the local post office and I decided to walk into ‘downtown’ St. Thomas.

With almost two hours left before I needed to be onboard, I chose to take the 25 minute walk around the bay to get to the main ‘shopping district.’ The bay is quite beautiful and provided a picturesque stroll. Along the way I had the chance to sit for a few minutes on a bay-facing bench, stare at my ship across the water, and most importantly, call home! In rapid succession I was able to talk with Rosie, my mom, and Brendan. Dani was not available when I called, being in class (what a surprise for a college student). After completing the calls, I found a local coffee shop to accomplish three things. First, to have a tasty cup of coffee, something not generally available in the Crew Mess (coffee, yes . . . highly caffeinated, yes . . . tasty . . . not so much). Second, to read a local paper to get to know what was important to the people of this small island. Third, to talk to people who really didn’t care what was happening on my ship. What a refreshing break that was!

All too soon, my time had elapsed, and I needed to briskly traverse the distance back to Silhouette. Along the way I stopped to offer to take a picture of a couple who was posing to take a photo with ‘their ship’ in the background. Sadly it wasn’t ours, but I snapped the shot, anyway. However, I did use the encounter to sell them on Celebrity Cruise Lines, as they walked with me for several minutes before the progression of numbers on my watch encouraged me to walk more briskly than my companions.

Just before reaching the ship, with only minutes to spare, my busy daughter was able to return my call. I postponed the call until I had proceeded through ship security (receiving the typical harassment I always due from my friendly security guards), and then went straight to my ‘backyard,’ Deck 6 forward the crew’s outdoor area. Not wanting to end my time outside I was able to complete my family calls for the day while enjoying a few more minutes of the tropical sun.

The time ashore may have ended, but the refreshment of my soul lingered. I returned to work with high energy, a clearer mind, and sharper focus. When you never have a weekend, you must find your Sabbath in short spurts in any way you can. This day in St. Thomas was definitely the blessing received for the non-stop work we do.

More afternoons like this one may lead to another, perhaps more healthy, addiction.

And the adventure continues . . .

Yearning for the Caribbean Sun

February 13, 2012

Little did I realize when I joined the crew of a cruise ship that I would continue to experience the changing of the seasons . . . every 12 days. It’s a bit like living in Colorado. Although in Colorado, you can experience all four seasons in an afternoon. Because of our itinerary that takes us from Bayonne, NJ to the Southern Caribbean, enjoy the rich diversity of what Mother Nature has to offer.

As you may remember, I joined Silhouette in mid-cruise on the island of Antigua. I joined my ship on a balmy tropical morning, and my first few days on ship the weather was similar to those I’ve experienced most times as a guest. It was only the last two days before we reached our home port that I realized that all cruising did not reflect the weather consistently shown in the advertisements. As we headed north past the coast of North Carolina the weather changed in color to a murky gray, the winds and waves increased in intensity, and the blue of the Caribbean water was no longer even present in the sky overhead.

By the time we reached home port it was flat out cold! There is a reason that our day uniforms include a wool sweater and a water resistant lined jacket, and that Celebrity knit caps, scarves, and gloves are part of our ensemble. Fortunately, on the day each cruise when it is the coldest is when my department is generating extra body heat through our labors of getting crew members signing off to the port and our new sign ons properly embarked. It is as if the cold weather reminds us that ‘the vacation is over’ and we need to get back to work! By the end of that day we are steaming back out of New York Harbor, eager to return to the tropical warmth.

As a result, the next two days of transit can seem interminable. In fact, my days are generally spent holed up below decks. Without a great desire to stroll in the elements of the North Atlantic, I can go 2 or more days with only fluorescent light. Generally speaking, this early in the cruise I am extremely busy in the office and don’t even spend much, if any, time in guest areas.

Just as on land we eagerly anticipate spring, on the ship we count the days and then the hours until we enter the Caribbean. Sadly, there is no groundhog to tell us how much more time we should expect before enjoying our ‘spring.’ But when it does the mood of all the crew lightens considerably. As soon as the weather begins to warm up and the sea grows more gentle, I find myself taking every outside passage I can find to get to and from my destinations. If I get a break in the afternoon, I like to take one circuit of the ship on the top decks. The only downside with this is that all the guests have been ‘bottled up,’ too. So, invariably an officer walking the mid-afternoon deck must at least double his or her expected transit time, as we find ourselves engaged in frequent conversation.

My favorite moments, of course, are the warm Caribbean nights. I often take a walk topside just before returning to my cabin for the night. The decks are normally quiet then and you can really appreciate the peace, feel the warmth, and admire the brilliant display of stars overhead. There are far worse ways to prepare to go to sleep. These are memories worth holding on to. And one needs to hold onto them.

For in less than 10 days, winter will always return . . . in the form of New Jersey.

And the adventure continues . . .

Upstairs/Downstairs

February 12, 2012

Old time cruise ships maintained a definite cast system. The ships were clearly stratified by position and each position was associated with a specific physical location on the ship and generally a nationality that staffed those positions. Think about the movie, Titanic. Do you remember how the people who lived in 1^st class had nothing to do with the people in ‘steerage?’ Do you recall the scenes of the Irish immigrants partying down below decks? The same thing was played out among crews, as well. Those that served the 1^st class passengers would have nothing to do with those who served below.

When I first started cruising as a passenger in the early late 80s, we quickly noticed distinct nationalities populating each service profession on the ship. Most of the sailors were Indonesian or, perhaps, Indian. Housekeepers were almost exclusively Filipino. Assistant waiters were mostly from Central Europe, while head waiters were from Italy or Spain. Ship’s officers were often from Northern Europe. Fortunately, this national stratification has slowly been evolving, and cruise lines have a greater diversity of nationalities in each position.

Celebrity Cruise Lines, and I will assume most cruise lines, strives to create equal respect among all her crew members. But the reality is that rank still hath its privileges. While every company gives greater privileges to its senior managers and executives, I have never seen it so clearly distinguished. In fact, there is a privilege grid that describes the specific benefits that each of us receive. There are odd derivatives in this schedule. For instance, I can eat in any restaurant except one café, and all bars except for Michael’s Club. I can eat from the Ocean View buffet, but must have hands off the sushi. I may walk up and down guest staircases, but not in guest elevators, unless I am accompanying a guest. Not that I’m complaining, though. You see, there are many crew members who never see the nicer parts of the ship.

Crew cabins are also assigned and working your way up through an organization describes a physical reality. Most crew cabins are on decks 1 and 2. Cabins are generally assigned by position. Once you wear two-and-a-half stripes, or represent a concessionaire, you are moving up. I believe I’ve already told you that I’m on Deck 6, and my cabin is in between the Cruise Director and the Food & Beverage Manager. This often made me a little uncomfortable, as I felt my position was nowhere near the prominence of theirs. Even though they have portholes and I don’t, I felt slightly out of place in their neighborhood. That is, until I discovered a truth I didn’t yet realize. Out of a crew of 1230, there are only 40 people who wear 2 ½ stripes or more! I guess you don’t know what you don’t know, and being knew to the cruise industry, I wasn’t aware of the gift that I had been given.

It now made clear to me why so many entry level employees call me ‘Sir David.’ No, I haven’t been knighted, but there is a definite respect to those who wear the funny boards on their arms. But anyone who knows me knows that I’m not one who likes to revel in the power of the position. So my goal is to be the great equalizer, giving as much time and attention to the Utility Cleaners as I do to the Captain. I generally climb the crew staircases, not even taking crew elevators, as this gives me more time to engage the cleaners that are cleaning those areas.

Given my position, I am called to walk equally with our guests and officers as I am with our newest entry level employees. I am no superhero. I would truly rather eat in one of our specialty restaurants than in the Crew Mess. I enjoy the perks of my job. But I never want to forget the people who I’m here to serve. The cleaners, stateroom attendants, and the dining room staff are my heroes. They are the ones who make or break the experience for our guests. And fortunately, most of our officers understand that.

And our Captain . . . he gets it, too. He mostly eats in the Crew Mess and is the first to throw his arm around any crew member who crosses his path. That’s the sort of leadership I can follow.

The adventure continues . . .

Reflections on the First Month at Sea

February 11, 2012

On January 8^th, I stepped into the unknown. With only two moderately sized bags in which to pack my life I headed into a completely new existence. I did so believing that I could do anything for four months, the length of my contract. If it was a fundamental mismatch, then the simple answer would be to not renew and find a more traditional land-based job. If it did connect then after two months at home for vacation, I would be open to giving it at least another four month cycle. No ‘final decisions’ had to be made. And given the employment market at the time, it seemed to be the best option in front of me.

Like most transformative moments in my life I have seemed to stumble into the place I need to be. That has certainly been my pattern. When I first encountered Forensics as a high school student it was after reluctantly giving a speech in a public speaking class I didn’t want to take. My career path that led me to HP started when I was laid off from a small construction company after getting in the middle of office politics battle between a chief financial officer and the chief accountant. My career transitioned to IT as a result of my complaining about inadequate systems we were using in accounting at HP. My training career truly launched after a co-worker talked me into attending The Stuff Americans Are Made Of quality seminar at Disney. My marriage resulted from an unlikely job placement when my division was closed in HP, and I was told a needed to share a phone with a woman the next cubicle over. My invitation to the diaconate happened when it had no right to happen, given that I didn’t have a residence in the Diocese of Colorado Springs, or so they thought. For some reason my house hadn’t sold. You get the picture . . .

So once again strange twists of fate have me living and working on the newest cruise ship on the oceans. And surprisingly, it has been an extremely comfortable fit. Living in a self-contained floating community, training and administering development programs, and being present to both guests and crew, simply seems to fit like a comfortable pair of sweats.

This is not to say that the challenges of this life are not hard. There are many. In the first month being away from friends and family was not overly taxing. With the convenience of email and cell phone calls from US ports, contact has been fairly constant. But not being able to see the people you have been with for years and years can be wearing. If some are concerned they would go ‘island crazy’ if they lived on an island, unable to easily drive to different locales, then shipboard life is the extreme of that. The pace of shipboard life was the perfect match for my pent up energy when I arrived. Yet, as the second month gets under way, I can feel a little bit of reality setting in. I may have to succumb to those afternoon siestas that so many take, in order to survive the steady stream of 10-14 hour days. I miss being able to reach into my refrigerator and simply grab exactly what I want. The menus of the Crew Mess and even the restaurants grow quickly predictable. And, of course, I miss my forensics team.

Yet, the benefits of ship life are immense. First, I’m training again as the major component of my job. Teaching, coaching, encouraging and counseling truly make me happy. I like the fast-paced rhythm that makes me feel like I’m always accomplishing something. The warmth of the Caribbean is a real blessing for someone as solar powered as me. Waking up every morning and being in a different place, with enough familiarity, fulfills my wanderlust and desire for the familiar. The people here are mostly amazing, high-energy, hard-working, positive, and funny. Having over a dozen restaurants and even more bars within walking distance of home is pretty nice. Engaging our guests and representing our brand is something that makes me feel good to do. I am definitely spoiled, since I have a cabin attendant who makes my bed and cleans my room each day. Not sure I will know how to take care of myself when I’m home on vacation. If I stay on Silhouette I will get to explore the Mediterranean later this year. I truly look forward to the second contract which will allow family to sail with me at times. My life is pretty simple, which gives me the solitude and time to write.

Will I become a ‘lifer?’ I truly have no idea what the future will bring. But a second contract, at least, definitely seems to be in the offing. They tell me that they have been ‘turning over’ a lot of T&D Managers throughout the fleet lately. This life at sea isn’t for everyone. But it does seem to fit me.

It appears that the adventure will definitely continue . . .

STARRING CREW 2 – Guest Facing STARS!

February 10, 2012

Two days ago I spoke of the ‘invisible stars,’ but today I’d like to introduce you to a few who you might have a chance to meet if you were on Silhouette. One of the things I love most about this ship is the great people and amazing contributions that are made in so many different ways at so many different levels, even by people who have never seen an ocean before.

Let’s start with Iaroslav from Ukraine. Iaroslav joined us January 17th in Bayonne as a brand new bar server. He had never been on the ocean before and probably had never seen the ocean before. He is a gangly young man. One guest described him as the Ukranian Mr. Bean. This was the cruise that started with two days of 20-25 foot swells in the Atlantic. I first noticed Iaroslav when he showed up at a Safety Training on his first day sporting a pale green complexion and politely informed the Chief Safety Officer that he was not feeling well from the ‘ship rocking’ and wasn’t sure if he should stay for the training or go back to his cabin. The Safety Officer looked at me and we nodded that we didn’t want a ‘clean up on aisle 7.’ We sent Iaroslav to the Medical Center and told him to try to make the training the next day if he felt up to it and he would make up that day’s on the next cruise. The next day, only slightly less green, he made it through the entire training session. He quickly got his sea legs under him in the first 12 day cycle, so much so that he received 8 ‘by name’ positive comments from guests on his very first cruise. I copied these out for him and put them in a Word document so that he could send them to his family. Iaroslav is all smiles and great attention to details. Just seeing his sincerity and hard work makes you smile. He is self-studying English using Rosetta Stone, and has asked about how to cross-train in other positions. He already asked me what it would take to put in to be part of the opening crew for Reflection. He is already a superstar and I hope he stays along time with us bringing smiles to the faces of our guests.

Ralph is from India by way of Nashville. He is a seasoned cruise casino host who is very proud of his recently earned American citizenship. He has a gregarious personality and is all about guest satisfaction. When a lady came on board at the start of this last cruise and asked when she might avail herself of the electric ‘scooter’ she had ordered to traverse the ship, given her limited mobility, Ralph went down to the loading gangway, found the vehicle which had just been brought on, had the technician immediately install the battery and personally delivered it to the woman, all in less than 15 minutes. Ralph can’t help but make you smile. He will help anyone in any department at any time. He’s a big football fan. American football, of course!

Valentina and Nikolina started on the same day. They are both from Central Europe, but two more distinct personalities you will rarely meet. Valentina is tall, blond and brassy. Nikolina is petitie, with short dark hair and glasses, and quite respectful. They are both bar servers and have become fast friends. They each enjoy serving me wine when I’m in guest restaurants and catching up on the day. You see, they were in the first training class I ever taught on the ship. Niki has already gotten a promotion from the casual dining room to the main dining room. She had two by name positive comments on her first rotation in the Grand Cuvee Restaurant. I think Valentina will be right behind her.

Sam is the resident artist on board. She is one of the few Americans. She not only displays her art but she teaches art classes to the guests. In addition, she has volunteered to teach English classes to enhance the language abilities of some of our crew. She is a gentle and artistic soul. For some reason my deck phone kept dialing her in my first two weeks whenever I tried to call someone saved in my phones memory. Our phones obviously were fast friends before we were.

Finally, there is Sabrina. She is a Junior Guest Relations officer from Spain who started one cruise before I came on. She has become my ‘go to girl’ whenever there is a guest problem. She is very bright and a great problem solver. She is persistent in getting her answers and professional with the guests. She is amazing at what she gets done. Amazing for a young woman just out of college. She has expressed interest in maybe becoming a Training and Development Manager. I’ve been told that they only like to hire T&Ds that have previous shore side experience. However, I think she would be perfect in this role. So, my plan is to mentor her and come up with a development plan that will prove to the company that she can and should be considered for this role. Young talent like hers should not be lost.

Seeing all of our new hires in training reminds me daily that Celebrity is truly STARRING CREW!

And the adventure continues . . .

In Sync . . .

February 9, 2012

This blog entry has nothing to do with a boy band from the turn of the millennium. It has to do with a certain biorhythmic connection that seems to happen when people live and work together for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for weeks on end. Although we all retire to our own cabins at the end of the day, there seems to be an almost mystical connection that takes place when you live and work in such intimate proximity.

I recognized this strange phenomenon about three weeks into the cruise. I had experienced a rough night sleeping. Generally, I sleep well, rocked gently to sleep in the arms of Mother Ocean. But that night, despite a fairly gentle sea, I laid awake for a good part of the night. When I reached my office at approximately 8:30am, I mentioned this to Laura who arrived only minutes later. She commented that she, too, had a difficult time sleeping. We hypothesized that since our cabins are only separated by less than 10 meters there may have been some unnoticed disturbance that we had failed to identify but which had kept us awake. That made sense to us until I checked in with Yez and Dwight who informed me that they had similar problems, and they ‘live’ on Deck 2, four decks and half a ship’s length away from Laura and me.

Almost a week later, I was blessed with a nighttime of strange dreams. No one should share the absurdity of their dreams, if they are wise. But I’m not always wise. And halfway through the next day, I traversed the few feet to Laura’s office and shared my bizarre nocturnal stories. After hearing my recitation, Laura then shared that she had a similar set of twisted tales that had invaded her dormant subconscious. You guessed it, when I met with Dwight and Yez, the pattern prevailed.

Okay, maybe there is a lunar cycle that affects such things, but seriously, does it control injuries as well?  Three days later, while changing uniforms, I noticed an unexpected and unexplained bruise on my arm. It was significant, and I should have known when I incurred the injury. However, I had no idea how I had earned this badge of honor. Okay, you are ahead of me and have fast forwarded to the end of the story. Laura, Yez, and Dwight all showed me similar, though not exact, injuries which had occurred unexpectedly in the previous 24 hours. Even Bruna, our Marine Admin, weighed in with a similar injury. I was frightened at this point to inquire of Bruna about sleep patterns or dreams over the previous fortnight. I knew what the answer would be.

I won’t try to explain it, and can’t give you a reason. But the pattern has repeated several times in diverse ways.

Without explanation and without reason the pattern continues. I’ll accept any reasonable analysis from those of you who think you can explain this  . . .

And the adventure continues . . .

Truly STARRING CREW

February 8, 2012

Despite the beauty of Silhouette, that is not the reason that guests love returning to us and our sister ships. You can have the most beautiful ship or hotel in the world but if you don’t have a world class group of people meeting every one of your guests’ needs, you will not have many returning. Celebrity Cruise Lines understands this, and hence was born our STARRING CREW campaign. This business focus recognizes that the true stars of the show are our crew.

But many of our stars hide behind the scenes. If you really want to understand how the magic happens, you need to meet the people who are often ‘invisible.’ These are people that I have been privileged to meet but you may never see. The all are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made.’ And they make the magic happen, and our guests may never realize it. Let me introduce you to some of them.

Let’s start with Jess. Jess is from Nicaragua. As a large, dark-skinned man he has an imposing presence. But Jess is a gentle giant. Jess’ primary job is to keep the I-95 clean. So Jess spends a vast majority of his time working from one end to the other of our ship-long corridor first sweeping and then mopping this heavily trafficked area. It is a truly thankless job. No guest ever sees this avenue. But by Celebrity standards it needs to be just as clean. Jess must do his job while hundreds of crew walk this corridor every hour. During Turnaround Day, Jess takes off from his normal assignments and steers dozens of luggage carts with our guests’ suitcases on and off the ship. When turnaround is done the I-95 is trashed. But each morning after we sail I walk down this corridor and it is spotless and shining. When I first met Jess he seemed more than a bit down. I asked him how he was doing, and when he gave the standard Celebrity response of ‘Excellent,’ I pushed just a little harder. He admitted he was homesick and wasn’t sure if he could make it to the end of his eight month contract, which was still six weeks away. I told him I was sure he could and I told him I would check in with him every day as I passed him, which I have. I like to tell him how much it means to me to walk down such a beautiful crew corridor on my way to work. Jess is now two weeks away from going home. He has worked eight months and no guest has probably ever seen him. He receives no tips. But I’ve seen him. And Jess ROCKS!  Jess has a big smile now as he looks forward to his sign-off date. And I will miss him.

Then there is my amigo, Antonio. Antonio was a high school teacher in Honduras. On Silhouette he is a Utility Cleaner. He works in the Crew Mess Galley washing dishes and cleaning pots and pans. For 11 hours a day. Seven days a week. Antonio also volunteers to teach Spanish classes to the Crew. He is a natural teacher. He works extra hours helping man the Crew Laundry. He aspires to more and has begun to cross train to be a Crew Welfare Specialist, a one-stripe officer who is the front line of taking care of crew needs. I think he will be great at it. For several mornings in a row we had breakfast together. He has a sharp mind and a desire to excel. I can’t wait till he crosses the threshold and becomes an officer, hopefully on his second contract. He is now working graveyard shifts. I miss our breakfasts together.

Jude is a Celebrity Cleaner from India. A Celebrity Cleaner is a general custodian for the ship. He is the one picking up trash and sweeping and vacuuming floors in crew and guest areas. This is also not a tipping position. Jude is also the head of the Catholic community among the crew. He offers Bible study once a week and is part of a prayer group every night. Since most crew get off between 10 and 11pm each night, their meetings start at 11:30pm. He wishes I would attend more. So do I. His birthday is coming up at the end of February. I think I will get him a card.

Joseph is the cabin steward that takes care of my room and several other officers as well as the Captain’s. He is a young man from the Philippines who always has a quick smile and a winning personality. You wouldn’t get the job of taking care of the Captain’s quarters unless you did. He misses being home in the PI, but is willing to make the sacrifice so he can make money for his family. Joseph and I talk a lot. Officers do tip our stateroom attendants. When we get paid, he gets a little bonus. He never takes this for granted and always finds me to thank me. We are good at checking in with each other to see how we each are doing. I really hope my contract ends before Joseph’s does. I can’t imagine anyone else taking care of my cabin.

Walter is our Junior Payroll Purser. Walter is also from the Philippines. Obviously, being responsible for paying a crew of 1200+ twice a month is a major responsibility. Perhaps I told you we are paid in cash. Walter does a consistently solid job. I’ve never heard anyone complain about inaccuracies. Walter is a bit of a joker and has given me a hard time from the day I stepped onto the ship. I return it in kind. Walter is actually a computer ‘geek’ who wishes he could work in IT for the company. Since I made that transition from Accounting to IT, I’m happy to help him. Well, unless he keeps teasing me too much . . . then he’s on his own.

Finally, for today, there is Marian. Marian is a he. He is from central Europe. Marian is the Crew Mess Supervisor. He started the job about four weeks ago. On his first day he wore a coat and tie. I liked his style. He is a first time supervisor, and I can see him managing a guest restaurant in a year or two. He has since dispensed with the coat, but still wears shirt and tie. By doing so he reminds me of my dad who honored his students by always wearing a tie, even when teachers became less formal in their clothing. I believe Marian is one of many who you never would see who have a bright future with our company.

Yes, especially with the ones you would never see, Celebrity Cruise Lines is truly STARRING CREW!

And the adventure continues . . .

Hitting the Ground Running . . . or Sailing

February 7, 2012

No time off is ever without cost. The ship didn’t stop moving nor did the activity cease in my absence. As a result, when I returned I had significant catching up to do. A task made even more difficult by the additional Level 2 duties.

From the time I reached the gangway in St. Maarten to the time I was back teaching was just over an hour. I had just enough time to return to my cabin, rapidly unpack, and head back down to my office to check on email and any backlog of work-related requests that I may have. Fortunately, Laura had opened my office door that morning or I would not have been able to get in. As I said when I left the ship, my APass card was disabled. I would not have time to get that reissued until the evening. After this quick check-in, I grabbed my materials and headed down to Deck 30 (the only below water line deck on the ship) to the Crew Training Room. I had two classes to teach that day. The first was STAR Service Training. Then in the afternoon, I conducted the Cultural Diversity Training. While not fully ‘on my game’ the training seemed to go well, but took 3 hours out of the day that I needed to catch up on paperwork.

Then there was the return of Dancing With the Stripes! The email requesting officer volunteers came through about 4pm. I really did not want to be involved given my backlog of work and having just returned to the ship. But they were short on volunteers, so I promised to at least present myself for assignment, if needed. Sadly, I was needed. Unlike my last encounter, I was not blessed with a natural dancer like Maria from Chile. Instead I was paired with Bonnie, a game and enthusiastic guest more typical of our demographic this time of year. Even though my motivation was lacking, I decided to give it my all. As soon as we were introduced, the adrenaline of the crowd and spotlight fueled my natural performer’s instincts. After six intense dances I found myself in the finals head-to-head against the irrepressible Tsunami, a junior payroll purser from the Philippines. We battled head-to-head with our partners first in an interpretive dance, which Tsunami’s homage to a sanitizing bottle won out, and then Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean, where my time clubbing in the 80s paid off as I channeled the King of Pop. With a fairly equally divided vote, Tsunami and partner edged out Bonnie and me.

Unfortunately, again, my efforts were recorded on Cruise Keepsake Videos and played throughout the ship until disembarkation resulting in a notoriety beyond what I was hoping. I’m glad the guests were happy, but now I feel I may be trapped in this role as a DWTS dancing officer, despite my protestations.

I’m thinking that the Norovirus was not the cause of ill guests as much as having to watch me dance!

And the adventure continues . . .

OPP Level 2!

February 6, 2012

Most who travel the world are concerned about the threat of terrorism or war. For those who are on a ship, however, the enemy we fear most is much, much smaller. We are obsessed with protecting ourselves from virus or bacteria. With a living and working community of over 1200 crew members, the ship is not only our office, it is also our home. With 2800 guests in our home at any one time, the odds that someone will smuggle one of these treacherous organisms on board is far too likely. Have you ever filled out a questionnaire when boarding a ship or entering another country asking how you are feeling upon entry. I’ve laughed at those when entering a country whose sanitation is far less stringent than the US. But I will never again lie about how I’m feeling when asked upon boarding a cruise ship. Sadly, many people do prevaricate, as they do not want to delay or cancel their vacation. The result can be unfortunate.

Our greatest threat, as previously mentioned is gastrointestinal disease, aka the norovirus. Many of you would call it the stomach flu, which is a misnomer. The flu is a respiratory infection. However, norovirus is the culprit that makes you sick to your stomach. Due to the close proximity of a ship, once it starts, it is hard to contain. When I left Silhouette for my four day jaunt to Virginia and back, we have been closely monitoring the number of cases among guests and crew. This virus is prevalent this time of year, and the number of cases was increasing, but still maintained below 1 percent of our population. Even still, we had implemented enhanced sanitation levels with extra cleaning and precautions around the ship. Sometime in my brief absence, however, the percent of stricken passengers began to rise dramatically. It very quickly jumped to almost two percent, and doubled again the next day. So, when I was greeted back on board I was immediately advised of the new OPP (Outbreak Prevention Plan) Level. We were now at Level 2.

And by the end of that day, we were at what is called Enhanced Level 2. With now well over 100 cases and still climbing, our obsessive nature for cleanliness really kicked in. What was fascinating is that among the crew the number of cases was still below 1 percent. Even we have constant exposure and interaction with guests our sanitation rituals were keeping the virus from spreading. If only the guests would follow our lead.

What are Enhanced Level 2 protocols? First and foremost . . . wash your hands! Sounds simple enough, right? But it is amazing how many people do not follow this simple maxim. Wash your hands after going to the toilet. Wash your hands upon entering the Crew Mess, or leaving the Mess. Wash your hands just to wash your hands at least once an hour. Now that you are clean, sanitize your work and living spaces. At least twice a day, wash down the high contact surfaces in your office with an oxidizing formula. Okay, now that you and your area are clean, assume that no one else is. No handshaking, no kissing, no hugging, no touching of any kind! In a bizarre but somewhat endearing ritual, if you really feel a need to shake hands, you touch elbows with the other person. As we moved deeper into the enhanced protocols, the officers were limited from going to the Ocean View Café, which is the guest buffet. And ‘self service’ for food was now strictly banned. The cafeteria lines in Ocean View and in the Crew Mess were now staffed and everything was served to you. You could not even pick up your own plates and utensils for fear you would touch someone else’s. Where did this extra staffing come from to perform this task? Officers, entertainers, gift shop and spa workers who were not on duty. Finally a person was posted at each door of the mess as the handwashing police. I am now dutifully cross-trained in that role, along with dispensing beverages and plate and utensil distribution. Very quickly you learn the particular preferences of each culture in both of those areas!

Despite all these efforts we were only making a small dent against our aggressor. So, on Turnaround Day in Bayonne, guests were delayed in boarding for three hours. In that period of time, we sanitized the entire ship top to bottom . . . TWICE. Every linen was stripped, bagged, and washed. Every remaining service was ‘fogged’ with Oxifer. Every crew member, regardless of their position, was engaged in this service. When the guests finally came on, they were possibly walking into the cleanest facility on the planet.

Did it do any good? We hope so. As of Day 2 of the new cruise, we have had only two cases among guests and two among crew. If we can get through two more days, especially our first port day in St. Thomas, we will claim victory for now, and return to normal operating conditions, Level 1.

Never again will I underestimate the power of a simple virus.

The adventure continues . . .

Coming Home to a Place I’ve Never Been Before

February 5, 2012

My life seems to be captured in song lyrics. The phrase above from John Denver’s Rocky Mountain High seems to capture my feelings as I flew back to the Caribbean to join my ship. There was an expectation of returning ‘home,’ even though I had been with Silhouette and her amazing crew for only 3 ½ weeks.

Once again, and most unexpectedly, my flights from Richmond to St. Maarten were smooth as silk. Having not had smooth travel in some time, I’m not sure I knew how to deal with plane flights that are on time (or even early), with smooth connections, attentive service, and in a half empty place that allows you to stretch out. Yes, I realize that I will now have to pay the price in the future for the blessings of this trip. Cosmic Karma must be kept in balance, after all. I flew on a 9-something flight from Richmond to Charlotte, where I boarded a flight direct to St. Maarten. The last time I flew into the Caribbean, I had arrived in Antigua. That trip led me to a rather ‘old fashioned’ airport with lengthy immigration lines. However, arrival in St. Maarten brought me to a very modern terminal and one of the more efficient immigration processes I have experienced since travelling to Singapore. With only minor difficulties I found my car to the hotel and was quickly transported to my overnight accommodations in anticipation of my ship’s arrival in the morning.

The Pasanggrahan Hotel faces Front Street and backs up to the beach in Phillipsburg. It is an older properly that has recently undergone renovation in many of its rooms. I, of course, did not get one of those rooms. However, despite the more weathered appearance of my room, it did open up through French doors to the boardwalk and beach less than ten steps away. Overall, I’d take the tradeoff. The air conditioning was not quite up to its duty, but the ceiling fan provided enough breeze to make sleeping possible. Fortunately, the few mosquitoes that had taken up residence in the room showed no interest in me. After getting settled, I took a stroll up the boardwalk and watched the sunset as I came back down the beach. Now totally immersed in the relaxation of the island, I continued down to the Greenhouse for dinner, requesting a patio table right along the Boardwalk to keep tabs on the world passing by. A meal of fish tacos and Margarita was capped by a pot of tea and key lime pie, with the ever-changing landscape of local humanity nearby. I walked back up the beach to my hotel, and let the sounds of the Super Bowl lull me to sleep.

The next morning I awoke to the sun streaming through the aforementioned French doors, and was up early enough to watch Silhouette enter the harbor. My heart leapt with anticipation of rejoining my ship. I ate breakfast at the hotel’s open air café, and continued to work online through the restaurant’s WIFI over an endless cup of coffee until my ride arrived at 8:30am. I was joined on the trip to the ship by two young Filipino men, Joshua and Wendell, who had just arrived from the PI, and would be joining the ship for the first time. An hour later, after an interminable delay at the port gate awaiting paperwork, we were driven onto the dock only steps away from our gangway.

It was touching to hear the greetings of ‘Welcome Home,’ as I approached the gangway. The new crew administrator, Lavern, who had replaced Yez while I was away, greeted me. She pointed me to the ship with a chuckle, ‘you know where you are going,’ as she turned attention to my two young traveling companions. I bounded up the gangway to more warm greetings, turned down the I-95 and headed to my cabin to pull my uniform back on so that I could teach a class in just over an hour. There was only one significant difference I noted since I had last been there only days early.

We were now operating under OPP Level 2!

And the adventure continues . . .

Ring Dance at University of Richmond

February 4, 2012

The day started at midnight. Of course, strictly speaking every new day starts at midnight. But generally, most of us aren’t up at that time to greet the turning of the calendar. However, February 3rd was an exception. After two smooth flights (not a common occurrence for me) I arrived at the Richmond, Virginia airport just before midnight. Moments after the start of the new day Dani and Rosie pulled up in front of the arrival terminal to collect me.

Although I had only been away from home for just under a month, it felt like forever since I had seen family. It was great to catch up, but it quickly underscored the transformative nature of this experience. I felt a need to recount and share my shipboard experiences yet realized that there was not a common point of reference for them to understand the intense activity and deep friendships that form almost instantaneously in that contained community. It was an odd feeling of being an ‘outsider,’ even with my family. However, the weekend would quickly restore those bonds.

We spent over an hour catching up at the hotel, but with the long day of work and travel, I called it a night (or a new day) at about 1:30am. The next morning Dani had to work, which allowed Rosie and I to run errands, the most important of which was picking up my tux for Ring Dance and then making a shopping run to Target. It is the little things that one misses while living on a ship, and the convenience of the vast choices at a major department store is one of them. My list of necessities was simple, but important. To be able to buy bar soap, shoe polish, file dividers, batteries, and black socks, all in one place and at a reasonable price gave me inexpressible delight. Ah, the things we take for granted! That afternoon Dani joined us for lunch at Topeka Steakhouse followed by a trip to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, where we especially enjoyed a display of Faberge eggs. (Interestingly, our ship now has a special guest lecturer on the history of Faberge. Is a Faberge renaissance in the offing?)

That evening we dined with Lane, Dani’s friend and Ring Dance date, whose sense of humor was truly in keeping with the finest Camous family sarcasm. The next day was the big day, and flew by in a hurry. It seems like we spent most of the day in restaurants. Despite being on a ship with excellent exercise facilities, I have not had the chance to work out once in the first month. So, it was with great pleasure that Rosie and I awoke early and took advantage of the YMCA facility connected to the Omni Hotel at which we were staying. Our next stop, after showering, of course, was for a leisurely breakfast at Starbucks, also connected to the hotel. How I miss Starbucks! With endless topics for conversation, we frittered away the opportunity to fit in any serious sightseeing that day, but did have a nice walk along the James River. Soon it was time to meet Dani’s friend Kate and her parents for lunch at a great little restaurant right near the campus. After lunch we realized the time to prepare for the big event was nigh. Dani dropped us at the hotel and went back out for her hair appointment at 4pm. She was confident that there would be plenty of time to get her hair done, return and get dressed, and be at the Jefferson Hotel by 5:30pm for pre-dance pictures with friends. She would have been right if the hair stylist had been able to take her right at 4pm. However, she did not get into the chair until 4:35pm which now created a mad rush. Realizing that preparations were now about to get tense, I put on my tux and headed down to the lobby to have a drink with Lane and stay out of the ladies’ way.

With a flurry of activity, and little help from me (sorry Dani and Meghan for not coming out to get the car . . . but, seriously, Lane and I had just received our drinks!), we left for the Jefferson right at 6pm. We quickly checked in for the procession and then Dani led us on a veritable sprint in formal attire up to the room for quick pictures. Then back down to the foyer we hustled, and lined up to be part of the third group entering the ballroom.

Despite my lifetime of experiences, I had never been part of an event like a Ring Dance. One at a time over 350 ‘rising senior’ women of Westhampton College at the University of Richmond processed down the Grand Staircase into the Ballroom at The Jefferson, escorted by their fathers, while they were announced by name and degrees, all majors and minors listed. There is no question that this is a group of exceptional young women. At the bottom of the stairs we were met by the Dean of the College who presented the student with her school ring, and thanked the father for his support (i.e. ‘thanks for paying the bills, Dad, now please go away’). The ladies stayed on the ballroom floor to form the letter W in honor of Westhampton, and the dads tried to find the rest of their party in the mod surrounding the dance floor. The entire procession took about 100 minutes. Formalities concluded and picture taken, we returned to the hospitality suite hosted by one of Dani’s friend’s parents, shared some food and libation, and then the students returned to the function area for a night of dancing to a live band. The parents dispersed shortly thereafter. Rosie and I headed back to the Omni, and wanted nothing more than room service and a good night’s sleep.

For tomorrow would start much too early, and with it a flight back to the Caribbean.

The adventure continues . . .

Taking My Leave . . . or . . . Being Drummed Out of the Corp!

February 3, 2012

People don’t take temporary vacations from their cruise contracts. Except, apparently, one landlubber from Colorado. There is not a process for you to simply ‘go away.’ Instead your contract is ended, all accounts are squared and you leave the ship. There is no guarantee that you will return.

Except, of course, for the several hundred dollars and valuables I left in the safe, and the clothes and personal belongings still at home in my cabin. So there was no question in my mind or anyone else’s that I would return. But the process would be just the same. There were moments when I felt that I was being drummed out of the corp. I first needed to sign a paper saying that I was voluntarily terminating my contract. For someone who had lived the reality of unemployment for half a year, that was not the most psychologically comfortable moment. Not by a long shot! I then proceeded to payroll and they paid me for the whopping two days that I had worked in the month of February . . . in cash, of course.

Things became distressingly real when they took my APass. This is not only our ship’s debit card, but authorized access to all the secure areas on the ship that I needed to enter. In fact, as crew it is the required identification to re-board the ship. It is your lifeline to this unique way of life, so to surrender it is a very disconcerting feeling. Fortunately, they let me keep my cabin key so that I could proceed to my room, change out of my uniform and grab my bags. Then the previously described immigration process unfolded, followed by a quick trip to the gangway.

Although the trip was not so quick. As I had been on ship only slightly more than three weeks, many crew were befuddled to see me in civilian clothes with luggage in tow. Far too many times I needed to explain that I was leaving for only a few days and would rejoin in St. Maarten. As already stated, this is not a common occurrence resulting, therefore, in even more confusion. Fortunately by then most senior officers knew my status and most wished me well and a quick trip back. As I reached the boarding area, I received a call from Dani in anticipation of my arrival that night in Richmond. While we chatted our hotel director, Damian, walked by. Hearing me talking to Dani, he grabbed the phone and told her that she should appreciate what her old dad was doing for her. That is the kind of quick familiarity that forms in a self-contained, floating, village.

I proceeded down the gangway into the warm Puerto Rico sun to the crew van that was waiting. The bus was promptly loaded with all the sign-offs heading to the airport, many of whom repeated the curious looks and inevitable questions that accompanied my exit while on board. In half an hour we had arrived at San Juan airport. In my mind I kept hearing the Jimmy Buffet song where he speaks of ten minutes in that airport feeling like a day.

But obviously Mr. Buffet has not been there recently. My departure was one of the smoothest airport experiences in years. Both the USFDA screening and the security check went quickly with no lines. At my gate almost 90 minutes before departure, I dropped into a Margaritaville themed restaurant where I celebrated the start of my brief holiday with fish tacos and a Corona, while the aforementioned Jimmy B’s music played in the background. Our plane was fully boarded ten minutes early and we smoothly began our journey back to the continental US.

As I looked down on the harbor from our rapidly ascending plan, I felt a pang of longing as I watched Silhouette recede into the distance. How did that connection happen so quickly?

And the adventure continues . . .