Princess Update 3

Tuesday, March 26, 2013 As I write this, I am waiting for the article change to finish (one of the many shipboard regulations that keep us in compliance with something). It has been an interesting week. I finally got to learn the "plan" that the company has for me, which is for me to actually get the training they promised me, and to promote up into the original position come July. As a result, I have been moved to a different position in my department, which has the additional benefit of getting me out of the somewhat toxic environment in which I had been working. The only thing is that the training still isn't any kind of formalized structure - they hope that the shift will give me the time to meet with the lighting director to learn what I need to learn about programming the board and caring for the intelligent lights. In the meantime, I run around like a demented ferret trying to keep everything going and done that is my new responsibility. It is challenging, as I often literally have 2-3 events starting at the same time in different parts of the ship, and the presenters tend to arrive at the same time to check their setup. I will say, though, that even with all the chaos and running around, I'm having fun for the first time since I got on board, and am really enjoying myself. In a lot of ways, this new position is a lot more in line with what I thought I had signed up for. It will be interesting to see what the next few weeks bring. Life on a ship is a unique animal - there are usually around 2800-3400 passengers, and about 1200 crew members on the Crown Princess. There are 19 decks, and a LOT of activity. You would think it would be hard to get to know anyone, but as it happens, it is more like a small town - you tend to see the same faces all the time, and friendships form fairly easily. I often run into Fabi (the Fabulous!) from Rio, who was my roommate the night before I joined the ship. I also see the cook, Riccardo from Rome, who joined the same day as well. My friends range from 3-stripe officers to cabin stewards and the guys who work on the ships septic system. For the most part, people are really friendly, and the company policy is to actually encourage people to be friendly in the hallways. Roatan, Honduras, tends to be hot and humid, I haven't gotten off in Belize yet, and Cozumel, Mexico is slightly more humid, but with a climate more resembling Southern California. I will say, however, that it really does make you grateful for what you have when you see the conditions in some of these countries. More soon, with job news, but for now....Adios! :)

Caribbean update

Friday, 15 March 2013 As I write this, I am on my way back to Galveston, TX, from the Caribbean - on this 7-day cruise, we spend a total of 3 days at sea, a day in Roatan, Honduras, a day in Belize, and a day in Cozumel, Mexico. I admit, I haven't seen a whole lot yet, but I'm hoping to get to go to they Mayan ruins before we leave this part of the world. I don't regret what I have done (which is sleep and talk with my man via internet), but I don't want to feel like I didn't take advantage of the situation and see things I may never get a chance to see again. So we've talked briefly before about the job situation, and the fact that it isn't quite what I thought it would be, so I won't belabor that point here. Just suffice to say that I am working hard to up my game, be a "team player", and have asked the lighting director to include me in any maintenance calls he has so I can become intimate with the intelligent lighting systems. So I know a lot of folks are curious about life onboard a cruise ship. Many have taken cruises with Princess, and I can honestly say, I would totally be a passenger on a Princess ship - they really know how to do it right. They have a mission statement of being the "consummate host" - both to passengers and to each other. That really resonates with me - to be the best you can be to both the people you serve, and the people with whom you work. Overall, it seems to be something fairly well implemented - my particular department seems to want to be a world unto itself, but I still strive to keep a positive attitude and model the mission statement, regardless of the attitude of those around me. The crew with whom I work is comprised of 7 or 8 different nationalities - primarily Philipino, we are losing our one guy from Mexico tomorrow (he's rotating home), with a Brit, a Canadian, a South African, a couple Indians, and an American (that's me!). Probably the most challenging thing is the language issues - many of my crewmates (especially the Philipinos) are VERY soft spoken, and tend not to enunciate very well. Last night, working on the followspot, the LD (lighting director) said he wished he could use some of my volume. It is frustrating on both sides that I have to constantly ask them to repeat things, but it is getting better. I'm starting to get it by the 2nd or 3rd time rather than the 5th or 6th. The heavy physical work is still heavy, and I'm still experiencing a great deal of frustration in that I get yelled at and told not to touch things when I take initiative and try to plug myself in, and I get yelled at if I stand back for a moment to assess what is going on and see where I can fit in. That is one of the most frustrating parts to me. That said, the running of the actual shows is finally going a lot more smoothly, and within the next round of performances I think I will feel fairly confident about almost all of it. We're also finding our way around fitting me into the changeover tasks, because I don't have the physical strength of my predecessor. Food-wise, things are challenging as well. I have found that the more I stay gluten-free, the better I feel and the more energy I have. It is challenging, though, because I seem to be the only crew member who is willing to speak up and say that I do have dietary issues. Fortunately, I am still eating fish and eggs, so I'm not quite as limited as I would be otherwise with regard to actual choices. Lets just say I eat a LOT of salad these days. I also walk and climb stairs CONSTANTLY. Yesterday in Cozumel I was on duty (that meant I couldn't leave the ship) and logged over 15,000 steps - just over 7.5 miles over the course of the day. That's a lot of running around for work! Fortunately for me, I also have what is called "deck priviledges" - this means I can go out and be where the passengers are. Almost every day at least once a day, I get assigned to either set up or tear down (or both) a band setup in one of the upper deck pool areas, and/or to run the "movies under the stars" - I love doing all of these because it means I'm up on deck and out in the fresh air for a few minutes. Often it is a beautiful day, warm, breezy, and a delight to be outside. The performers are also a joy. Many are Australian or Italian, and the greatest concentration of Americans are in the performers. Believe it or not, the first American I met onboard is actually from the town I grew up in! I also seem to be settling in with them, and becoming part of the crowd - which always makes me feel really good. They seem to know I am looking out for them, and are very sweet to me. My cabin is very small, with two bunk beds, a desk, a bathroom with a shower, toilet and sink, closet and one small set of drawers (pictures will be posted). Oddly, this is probably the easiest transition I've had to living with someone - it's maybe twice the size of the trailer bunk I shared in the Smirkus, although the bathroom is actually smaller than the trailer shower. The bed is surprisingly comfortable, and I sleep very well. I am delighted that there is a curtain I can draw and be private, and I am glad I had the forethought to bring some decorative pashmina-type things with me - I was able to attach them to the curtains, and it makes it a nice, comfortable, hidey-hole for me at night in my bunk. I don't have internet at the moment (only when I am in port) because it is wicked expensive onboard ($40 for 6 hours). I can get calling cards ($10 for 1 hour 15 min), but am working on getting a "global" plan for my phone - I think it is about $30 a month, and will be more cost effective than the calling cards (and hopefully better service). The hardest thing about this whole experience is being apart from my family - Paul and I have become incredibly close over the past months, as well as his son and I. I miss them every moment of every day, and wish I knew a better way to handle all of this. I know my mom misses being able to pick up the phone and ring me - hopefully when I get the extra plan on my phone, we can talk more.

Princess Update 1

As I type this, I am sitting in a cafe in Cozumel, Mexico, and it is a gorgeous day. The long and the short of the situation is that I was given to understand that I was being hired as Stage Crew to train and "fast track" into a Lighting position within 2-3 months. Apparently that wasn't communicated to the ship I am on, and I am now "general stage crew" - which means a LOT of heavy lifting, late nights, early mornings, and overall general exhaustion. I was also told that there would be plenty for me to eat (I am mostly vegetarian and gluten free), as there are crew members from around the world who have specific diet issues as well. Mostly I eat salad, and 1-2 out of 10 times, there isn't salad dressing I can eat. I get salmon almost every night, but some days they don't really even schedule us time to eat. I'm working on things, but I am really beginning to feel like I was hired under false pretenses, and that I'm either going to be stuck doing this job (I would have turned them down if I knew this what what I would be doing), or will have to pay my own airfare home. I won't say there aren't some good moments, but they tend to be few and far between. More late.