it's time for my...recount of today

Today started hilariously badly.. I was scheduled for a meeting with Collette, the DCD, to discuss my “goals” for this contract at 9:30… However when I woke up, I was SURE that the meeting had been postponed- so I got up and started organising my stuff for the day (medals, prizes, champagne etc) I got a phone call from collette at 9:45 “umm, where are you Jess”? I was like.. umm.. I thought it was cancelled.. then I realised.. I must have dreamed that it was cancelled. I woke up SO SURE it was not on. Oh well – we have rescheduled it for tomorrow anyway.

Today is a sea day… Sea days are really big days for cruise staff – every person works from 9:30/10 until midnight on a sea day. Today I started off with two hours of ceramics, which is quite fun. Passengers come to the ceramics cart on deck 16 and I explain the process to them – I do a bit of a demonstration and then I get them all set up. They then spend an inordinate amount of time painting really simple designs onto their pieces- but occasionally a work of brilliance emerges. Actually, they all turn out really well – its nice to see them once they have been fired in the kiln on deck 2.

Once people are set up I either chat to them or fill up little squeezy bottles with glaze. Today was a squeezy bottle day. I got ‘ cotton tail’, ‘tuxedo’, ‘java bean’,’ jack-o-lantern’ and ‘cheeky pink’ done today – tomorrow I conquer the cool colours!

The ceramics cart is my area of responsibility – I have to make sure it is stocked, tidy and ready for the next person. I generally also bring speakers along and play enya music as well.


After that, I had to run a basketball shoot-out competition. For that, I play some basketball style music (boom boom boom a let me hear you say way-oh (way-oh)) etc. and then get them to do a warm up drill. Then we play shots in a minute – and I give points for different types of shots.. they get 7 points for a shot from half way. At the end I do a medal presentation and interview with the winners.
After basketball I hosted a vetrans get together in crooners cocktail lounge.. I blow up balloons and write on them- I drew lots of stars because I think americans seem to like them. Then I wait. Today only 6 people came – a young soldier who has served in Afghanistan, A Vietnam Vetran and a 2nd world war vetran (plus wives). It was very interesting to hear their respective stories and see the older guys giving advice to the young soldier.

After get together I had library.. my god I love the library. You pretty much just sit there and hang out – I normally go on the computer and do some princess U courses- today I did one on email etiquette that was pretty pointless, but extremely extremely hilarious- I felt bad for laughing in the library.
At 5pm, DJ dave and I had to decorate club fusion for 80’s night. We don’t have any 80’s decorations so we had to improvise… rainbow balloons and streamers. As we were finishing up, a passenger who had been watching us said “yeah, doesn’t look very 80’s”… sad face.

I now have a short break until 7:15 – which I am using to write this AND get dressed in my formal dress. Tonight is the piazza party and champagne waterfall. It’s a bit rough tonight so I hope the champagne waterfall doesn’t collapse (like last week – we lost about a fifth of it… shattering glasses and awkward silences.
After that, I’ve got a chance to grab dinner (the security department are doing curry night tonight- I’m not quite sure what that involves but… hmm) and then off to de-greet at the princess theatre- chat to passengers, tell them about what is happening around the ship – push 80’s night (because the more the merrier)
After that, we have our 80’s night party – we do 80’s dances, teach them thriller and have a Michael Jackson dance off. After that, I have to do some hosting at the second princess popstar heats.. top two singers as voted by the audience go through to the finals on Saturday night.

Swanning 9-12 any time I’m free…
Tomorrow we are in Jamaica (which apparently is.. not so nice?) but I can’t get off the ship as I’m on IPM… however in two weeks time I’ll be off.. so I will have to wait until then to make my own judgement.