It's something I always do at the last minute.
Until the last minute there is a ship to be enjoyed and as one cruise is ending we always have an eye on the next one to take the sting out of parting: in this case it was a Caribbean cruise in January 2013 on the Ruby Princess.
Yes I was up early as I wanted to savor every minute of this day. I had an Ultimate Ship Tour scheduled at 10.30 after my Sabatini breakfast. That would be a three hour Behind-the-Scenes visit for 12 lucky passengers-the first 12 to sign up for it at a cost of $150.
First my quiet time, pretty much alone with the sea as most passengers are still fast asleep, Carol among them. The ship wakes up one person at a time, minute by minute. Coffee and hot food is waiting for all in the buffet, the Patisserie and around 7 am the dining room opens for an elegant breakfast experience. We only go there on our last morning when Sabatini's is closed (sigh)
We are within sight of land as we continue on our 500 mile trek from Glacier Bay to College Fjord.
Other people with coffee cups in hand and maybe a plate of food emerge to join me on deck by the aft pool. A nod and a smile to a kindred spirit. Your food would stay hot longer indoors but you wouldn't be able to watch the wake as the ship eats up the miles and the clock.
Carol had a schedule today too. She had to attend a final rehearsal of the Princess Pop Choir to prepare for their show in the Piazza at 5.15 with hundreds of people looking on. On her first pop choir adventure aboard the Crown Princess in January 2012 she was in a choir of 40 people but on this trip only 7 brave souls participated. She never missed a rehearsal and that won my admiration. I coined a phrase "the Show MUST go on!" which has now entered the lexicon.
Bears, whales, eagles and glaciers flitted across my mind as I sat reflecting, staring out to sea.
We always have great vacations as we dream, then plan, then follow-through like a well-oiled machine but the cruise ones always seem to have a sprinkling of fairy-dust applied. I blame the sea, the comfortable surroundings, the constantly changing scenery, the friendliness of people we meet on board and the crew who make you feel welcome and attend to your every need. If I have a crumb of toast at the corner of my mouth at breakfast there is always a crew member, maybe even the captain, who will come dashing over with a napkin to dab the offending bread-speck from my lips. Now-that's service!
The crew, far far from home for most of the year and living three to four in a cabin without a 160 sq.ft balcony and with only one tiny bathroom, work up to 12 hours a day with never a day off. Yet they smile and work, work, work to a high standard. They can't slack-off: YOU would notice and complain and then their boss would not be happy with them. There are of course cruise lines where the management on board may not give a rat's ass....but if you do your homework as I do then you avoid those.
The crew on an American-owned cruise ship, flying the Bermudan Flag, are not Union workers from the USA. They may come from 50 or more countries and there are 1100 of them. Maybe two are from the USA. Some don't speak English but you won't mix with them as they are in the engine room or among the crew who wash the decks and paint the hull in port. They are in blue overalls. They won't bring you a drink so don't bother clicking your fingers or raising an eyebrow.
Those that serve you food and drinks will speak English if that's your language of choice.
A Philippino gentleman brought me my breakfast in Sabatini's. I met the Captain half an hour later and he was Italian. The Chief Engineer was British as was the young woman who led Carol's choir practice. My Mexican waiter Juan whom you saw in the video brought me drinks on deck after my ship tour. My two waiters at dinner were from Thailand and the funny MC at the karaoke evenings was from India. It's a harmonious melting pot.
Here's a video of some of the happenings on our last day at sea. You'll notice we are having dinner while still in College Fjord as we don't get there until 6pm and by 8.30- glaciers or no glaciers- we had to eat dinner. The glaciers will still be there next time we cruise Alaska. Shrunken? Perhaps.
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