End of the World Cruise

I can’t believe the world cruise has finally drawn to a close. This morning we said goodbye to all but 42 of our passengers – a large percentage of which had been on board for the full 107 days. It’s been an emotional few days, with many tears spilled from not only the eyes of the passengers, but of the crew as well. We’ve really come to know these passengers, and the majority of them I genuinely like. I think the real difference is that we’ve become comfortable with each other – the line that normally exists between passengers and crew has become blurred a bit – we’re friends with many of them.

Sending them down the gangway this morning was a strange feeling. But it was nice that in my final disembarking group in the cabaret lounge were Merle & Eddie, Zi Zi and a few other passengers who I really know well- and really like. We just sat and hung out. On which other cruise does one get to “hang out” during disembarks.

I have delivered 40 trivias (it would have been 43 had I not gotten sick), done 3 instalments of my music game show, hosted 12 games of deck quoits, had a water balloon fight on deck with Greg Brady and his adorable son Brandon, Painted myself purple for Indian theme night, been to dinner 8 times with passengers in the dining room, given out several hundred luggage tags, survived margarita madness 3 times(with the same passengers in attendance each time), saw 5 boats made of rubbish successfully traverse the pool in the rockiest, most insanely dangerous boat building competition ever, received 31 photos from passengers, thrown-up during the judging of the scavenger hunt- only to be joined by two of the passengers 2 seconds later, greeted 72 shows in the cabaret lounge, survived 6 Frankie-style karaokes, came third in the crew pop-idol, received 8 huge bags of shampoo and sundries from disembarking passengers (it’s like Christmas in our cabin right now- we have 10 bottles of sunscreen!), witnessed the likes of Oman, Mozambique, Namibia, Togo, Ghana & Senegal, worn my stupid horse hat for 11 horse racing sessions AND collected more random arts and crafts stuff for passenger’s random projects than I’d care to remember. It’s been an amazing experience- I just completed the world cruise. Hells yea!

50's and 60's night - me, frankie and nat

Merle (an aussie passenger) and I at the random NYE party

Tim's Mum & Grandma with Me and Nat

The team in the pacific lounge saying bye to brett

 

New passengers are here. And there are young people! I have been virtually mobbing them and inviting them to hang out with me. All the new passengers seem really friendly – and they can’t understand how people could cruise for 107 days. They think the world cruisers are crazy... and I guess they are- but, my gosh we had a good time together!

Brett has gone on holidays and I have a new boss today, Susan. Brett was a wonderful cruise director and I am so glad I got a chance to work with him. Susan seems really nice though, so I’m also looking forward to getting to work with her. I am just so stoked to be in the Med. This is why I signed up in the first place- and I’m finally here.

Tomorrow, we’re in Sorrento- where we are planning to rent bikes and take them all over the island. Coming soon, Egypt and Greece. I just have to pinch myself constantly to believe I’m here.