one week in

Well, its been a week since I embarked the Ruby Princess in Venice- and what a week it has been! I’m loving life here back on the big ship. The Ruby is exactly the same as my first ship. So, coming on board, I already knew the place like the back of my hand. I’m constantly being jarred by seeing different artwork on the walls here though… strangely disturbing to see a different painting than what you subconsciously expected.

My team on here is great. The whole department is so friendly and welcomed me and Hannah with open arms. It's definitely a party ship, though- which is both good and bad. I havn’t been to sleep before 2am so far.

The weather, on the other hand, has been AWFUL! Cold, rainy and windy every day. I didn’t even go to Cannes yesterday because it was just so miserable. Today, in beautiful Barcelona, was the first day of sun.Already the mood of the passengers has been lifted by the cheerful weather!

The passengers on the crossing are fine, but extremely stereotypical cruisers. Imagine an American couple aged in their mid 60’s. They are wearing walking shoes, bum bags and the man is wearing some kind of technical fishing vest and a US airforce hat. Both have sunglasses with sunglass holders attached and the woman’s shirt may or may not have tropical fish or birds splashed across it. These are passengers who have cruised a million times before and know how to get what they want. They’ll systematically go around and ask each of the cruise staff the same question, then come back to you and tell you what other people have said to try and get their way. They will also talk to you for hours about how our library is crap and Holland America has tea and coffee in it’s library everyday and how they’re cancelling their next princess cruise for this reason.

So, they’re nice, but they are tiring and we’re  all making a big effort to keep on their good side.

The crew club on this ship is great and there are always cool events on to keep us crew members occupied. Last night, we had a crew show with the hypnotist on board at the moment, and of course I volunteered. There are 50 levels of hypnosis.. and I think I was about at a level 20. I was really suggestible and would do all the things he told me to do, but when it came to seeing things that were’nt there (eg. When he told us he was going invisible), I could see him the whole time. SO.. I faked it a bit. But it was really fun and I’m thoroughly embarrassed today!

Then there was a raffle of all this awesome electronics – ipods, speakers, laptops. Of course, I won nothing.

Today in Barcelona I caught up with Tanzer, a friend from Brisbane who’s recently moved to Barcelona. He took me to a bar secluded in the open air atrium created by a block of buildings that contained a beautiful garden.’ Bar in the garden’ was it’s rather apt name. It was great to catch up with him and hear the tales of his recent move, and semi-whirlwind romance with his now-wife, which I missed while I was at sea the last time.

Tomorrow is a sea day, during which we’ll be passing out of the meditteranian sea. The next day we will be in Lisbon, Porgugal and then after that, welcome to the Atlantic Crossing!