Phuket and Kelang...about a month ago!

Once again I am stuck updating you on a month’s worth of excitement…this may take a while! So the next port after my last update was Phuket, Thailand. I was thinking about just having a relaxing beach day but I ended up getting on a boat tour to James Bond Island. They call it that because it was used in the Bond movie “Man With The Golden Gun”. Although it was cool to see (and even cooler when I saw the movie afterward!) I was a little disappointed that we only drove around it and didn’t have the chance to get off and explore…but there was still lots more to the tour! The boat took us through some caves, and then to a Muslim fishing village that was built entirely on stilts- pretty incredible! We wandered around there for a bit and then it was back on the boat and back to our starting point for lunch. We had a wonderful buffet meal and then it was time to head back to the ship.


A few days later we were back in Port Kelang, Malaysia- and I was back on another tour! Our first stop was a local family’s home for some tea and traditional snacks. They were a sweet, lovely family but I guess they don’t see very many blondes because they kept commenting on my hair and asked to take a picture with me! The tour then took us to the Blue Mosque, Little India, and the Sultan’s home…all the big sights of Kelang! Like always, the tour was over before we knew it and we were heading to another port!


xoxo D

The Future!

Well time has flown by once again- how is it almost the end of August?! Of course since I have lost track of time it also means that I have forgotten about my blog- sorry! But before I go back and try to update you on everything I’ve done this month I first want to look ahead and tell you about my next contract!!! I talked to the Crew Office a few days ago and as of right now I am scheduled to join the Pacific Princess on December 5th. I want to preface this by saying that assignments change all the time (even up to days before!) so nothing is set in stone. But if I did get this contract I would be suuuper stoked! The Pacific is one of our small ships- less than 700 people- which means there is a smaller staff on board. Right now on the Sun we have a team of 7 including the Cruise Director; on the Pacific it would be a team of 3. I would be doing a lot more work and have a lot more responsibility but it would be great experience and I’ve heard it’s pretty much a guaranteed promotion afterwards. And on top of all that, the Pacific has an AMAZING itinerary! I would start off doing a few cruises down the Amazon River…and then I would be off on a 108 day WORLD CRUISE! I’m trying not to get too excited because, like I said, things can change, but it’s definitely the thing that’s keeping me going right now. All of my old team has left and it has been quite the adjustment…I’m feeling kinda lonely at the moment! It’s not the end of the world though- I’ll be home in just over a month!!

xoxo Dianna

Not Just Port Days...

It seems like I only update you on what I do on the port days, but there’s lots happening on the ship as well! I can’t remember if I mentioned that I entered the Biggest Loser competition again. Its run by the health spa and gives us some cash incentives to get healthy and lose weight. The first time I did the competition, although I lost quite a bit of weight, I ended up in second last place! This time around I didn’t really change my regime (if anything, I slacked a bit more!) and ended up in SECOND PLACE! That means I’m $250 richer! Woo hoo!

Not only have there been changes in my waistline but also changes in the Cruise Staff team. Two of our members (including my roommate, Jess) left a few days ago. It was so sad to see them leave- they were part of my first team so they will always mean something special to me! Our new teammates seem nice although I don’t know if we’ll have the same dynamic as before. And of course on top of that I’ve had to adjust to a new roommate- no problems yet though, so hopefully it will work out! Unfortunately those aren’t the only changes I have to go through. Martin is leaving in a few days, then Frenchie a few days after that! I will have one familiar face still around though- my original Cruise Director Mark is coming back on the 21^st so I am looking forward to that! And if all else fails I just have to think about the fact that I have less than 2 months until I’m home! Can you believe it?!

xoxo D

Never Sick of Singapore!

Once again we were back in Singapore and it was another jam-packed day. It feels like I have spent so much time there- not that I’m complaining! Its one of my favourite ports and there is still so much I haven’t seen yet! We started off the day nice and early with a trip to the Singapore Zoo. It is said to be one of the best in the world so of course I had to check it out! It was a good thing we ended up going so early because the animals were still quite active- something you don’t always get to see at a zoo! Although it’s small, I can understand why this is rated one of the best in the world. All the habitats look very natural with lots of vegetation, there aren’t many “cages” per say, and you seem to be able to get pretty close to the animals- no need for binoculars here! But the best part of the zoo would have to be the fact that I got to meet up with my cousin Jennifer and her boyfriend Jeremy when I was there! They were in Singapore for a family wedding and I just happened to be in town the same day- how cool is that?! Around lunchtime we said our goodbyes- Jennifer and Jeremy needed to get back to family stuff and I was headed on my next adventure to Sentosa Island!


There are many ways to get to the island- taxi, monorail, or the mode of transportation I wanted to take: cable car! It had been closed every time we had been in Singapore before so I was excited to finally get a chance to go on it! But, it wasn’t exactly all it cracked up to be…first off, it took forever for Martin and I to find the entrance to it. When we finally did we discovered it was $26! Since we had made so much effort to find it, we figured we might as well take it. It was a great view- we could pretty much see everything!- but once we stepped off in Sentosa we were a little disoriented. We wanted to get to Café del Mar (a beach bar) to meet up with a few people…but we couldn’t figure out how to get there! The buses seemed to be going other ways and we couldn’t find a taxi, so we just decided to walk! Well, it turned out to be a little further than we thought, but we eventually made it! The sky was pretty overcast and we didn’t have much time to hang out but it was worth it! On the way home we decided NOT to take the cable car but the monorail which turned out to be 500x easier. I think Martin is still holding a grudge for the wild goose chase I sent him on…oops! Like I told him- it’s all part of the adventure!


xoxo D

Bangkok!

This was my very first time in Thailand and I was so stoked. The ship anchored in Laem Chebang which, like many of our ports, is pretty far away from the city. The bus ride into Bangkok took about 2 hours, leaving only 3 hours to explore the city. We managed to take quite a few modes of transportation throughout the day- Skytrain, river taxi, tuk-tuk and a normal taxi! We first stopped by Wat Pho and saw the country’s largest reclining Buddha- and let me tell you it was massive! 46m long and 15m high! Connected to it is the Wat Pho Thai Massage School and if we had time I would have definitely got a massage- an hour long massage only cost 250 baht which is less than 10 bucks! We then headed to the Grand Palace but apparently there was a special event going on and only monks were allowed in- bummer! As we were standing outside the Grand Palace trying to decide what to do next, a man who looked like he worked there came up to us and suggested a few other places to visit. He hailed us a tuk tuk, got us a cheap price and sent us on our way- how nice was that?! Well, actually not as nice as we thought. In my Lonely Planet I was warned about tuk tuk drivers who get commission by taking you to their friend’s silk or jewelry shop…and that’s pretty much what happened to us! We were told we were going to a market but when we pulled up to the place it was like a warehouse. We told him to just take us back to the hotel we were meeting at, but he just shook his head and refused. So we were stranded in this random area of town trying to hail a cab to get back to our bus. Fortunately it all worked out in the end- we even had time to eat some yummy Pad Thai before heading back to the ship. A few of the girls I was with said they didn’t really enjoy Bangkok but I found it fascinating! I really want to go back again one day and explore it more!

xoxo D

MARTIN!

I want to tell you about my awesome friend and co-worker Martin. He complained that I never mentioned him in this blog so I thought I would dedicate a whole entry just for him! I’m not only doing this so that he will stop harassing me but because he deserves it! He is one of my favouritest people ever! Why, you ask? Well, here’s a list:

1. He has awesomely hilarious t-shirts
2. He plays our “Cruise Staff vs. passengers” water volley ball game wearing water wings and an inflatable tube around his waist.
3. He nicknamed me “Crazy”…and for some inexplicable reason to me- it stuck!
4. He is soooo nice- like switching IPM’s with me so that I can get off in Phuket instead of him!
5. He is caring- when I was in quarantine he was the only one to call me to see how I was doing!
6. He is ALWAYS up for a drink!
7. He is so funny- and he has the best laugh!

The list could go on and on but I better stop there before his head gets too big! I am soooo sad that he is leaving in a few weeks. I’m going to miss him soooo much! I only hope that I get the chance to work with him again one day!

Love you Martin!

xoxo D

Bali & Vietnam!

I’m going back a few weeks but I still need to tell you about my wonderful time in Bali. For a while though, it looked like we wouldn’t make it there. The rough weather we experienced at the beginning of the cruise continued to ease off, but it still wasn’t perfect conditions quite yet. As we neared Bali the Captain was unsure if it would be too rough to stop there. He announced that we would get there around 3:30 am- if the weather was good enough we would anchor, if not we would head to Vietnam and make an extra stop there instead. We all went to bed with our fingers crossed that we would be able to get off in Bali. When we woke up we were happy to see that we had made it to Bali! I managed to get on a passenger tour that day to an Elephant Safari Park. The bus ride was a few hours long but it was really nice to see the beautiful countryside, as well as some intricate gold structures. When we reached the elephant park I was amazed at how close we could get to the animals. Unlike zoos where the elephants are miles away, we were able to go right up to them and pet them, take pictures with them, feed them- it was incredible! We also got to go on an elephant ride, see an elephant show, and have a wonderful buffet lunch.

A few days later we were in Phu My. Vietnam. Since we had an emergency drill in the morning we didn’t have enough time to go into Ho Chi Minh City again, so instead we decided to check out the resort town of Vung Tau. We asked our cab driver to drop us off at a nice restaurant but when we arrived it was all passengers from the ship! Kind of wanting some “alone” time away from passengers, Frenchie remembered a place she went to last time she was in Vung Tau so we headed there instead. It was beautiful! It was right on the water with excellent food and service. The only downside was 1) it started to rain as soon as we started eating (luckily we were under a canopy) and 2) by the time we finished our meal it was time to head back to the ship! It was a short but sweet day in Vietnam!

xoxo D

Birthday Blog!

On July 8^th we started another cruise from Fremantle. As you know, its winter in Australia now so we have been encountering a bit of stormy weather in that area. The Captain warned us that the conditions would be quite rough the next few days…and he wasn’t joking! I thought that I had gotten my “sea legs” after being on the ship for a few months- but that wasn’t the case this time! The next day I definitely needed to take multiple sea sickness pills. The plus side was that most of the passengers weren’t feeling well either so it was very quiet at all our activities, but on the other hand I was worried that my birthday the next day would turn out to be a bust if the weather continued like this! Fortunately that wasn’t the case. By the evening of the 9^th the seas had settled down a bit and people were ready to party. I know, I know, my birthday isn’t until the 10^th, but for some reason on the ship people like to start celebrating right at midnight! I don’t want to get into too many details (the pictures on Facebook will do most of the talking) but the night turned out to be pretty ridiculous! If that night is any indication of what my 26^th year will be like, then I am looking forward to a very fun time ahead of me!

The next day, my ACTUAL birthday, I woke up slightly hungover and extremely exhausted. My morning and afternoon was spent like any typical sea day- hosting activities and events for the passengers, but my boss was kind enough to give me the night off so I could relax and enjoy my birthday. Although my evening wasn’t nearly as crazy as the night before, it was kind of nice to have a more low-key celebration! The Cruise Staff team had a nice meal all together in the Officer’s Mess complete with some red wine, then we had a few more beverages in the Crew Bar, and then it was off to Frenchie’s cabin for a small wine and cheese party. My team all pitched in and bought me a beautiful Swarovski crystal necklace and a few other good friends stopped by- I couldn’t have asked for a better ending to my birthday! Well actually, it would’ve been better if all my friends and family back home could have been there as well, but you can’t have it all! I received lots of wonderful cards, emails and well-wishes so thank you very much!

xoxo D

Where was I...Oh yeah, Canada Day!

Where do I begin? So much has happened this month and there is so much I need to fill you in on! I’m going to have to update you in segments because otherwise this entry will be about 20 pages long! Let’s start where I left off- Canada Day. On July 1st we were in Port Kelang and I didn’t have to work. The day started off pretty low-key: me and my co-worker Martin (he says I don’t mention him enough in this blog so watch out for his name lots more!) took the shuttle bus in Kelang town where they dropped us off at a mall (it’s actually the largest mall in Malaysia!) Our first order of business was lunch. Martin had been to this really cool “hot pot” restaurant before and I wanted to try it too, so that’s where we went! It’s like those Korean BBQ places where you cook your meat at your table, except instead of a grill it’s a boiling pot of broth that you cook your food in! It was a really fun experience- and really tasty as well! After our meal we cruised around the mall for a bit and then it was back to the ship.

Of course since it was Canada Day we couldn’t let the day pass without a big celebration. Apparently Canada Day is always HUGE on ships, so we had a lot to live up to! There were only 8 Canadian crew members on the ship but by the end of the night I think we had a few “adopted” ones too! We decorated the crew bar with red and white balloons, we printed off lots of “Canadian” pictures (the Stanley Cup, beavers, the loonie, Don Cherry, etc), and we even “borrowed” the massive Canadian flag from the bridge to hang up! Someone had brought temporary tattoos from home, and I stole some red and white leis from the Cruise Staff storage locker…we even had special Canadian drinks like Caesars and Canadian Club! It turned into an amazing night and a Canada Day I will never forget!

A few days later it was American Independence Day and although there are about double the amount of American crew members as there are Canadians, their party didn’t compare to ours! Since my roommate is from Florida I still celebrated though- any excuse for a party, right?!

xoxo D


PS. Both those guys aren't even Canadian! HAHA

Yay for Malaysia!

Work hard, play hard- I think that should be my motto! It was a busy few days at sea but now that we have 5 port days in a row it’s my chance to finally relax and have some fun! Our first port day was Phuket- unfortunately I was IPM so I was stuck on the ship. But on the plus side the weather was quite miserable so I wasn’t too disappointed! And being on the ship gave me the chance to get my hair done- something that was much needed! Our 2^nd port day (yesterday) was in Langkawi. We could only get off the ship in the afternoon due to the fact that we had emergency drills all morning- joy! With only a few hours to spend in town I decided to go for an hour long full body massage. It was amazing- so relaxing…and so cheap! Back home you would probably pay at least $100, but I paid 80 ringitt which is less than $30!! After my massage I wandered to the beach. I was planning on doing a little sun tanning but I figured it probably wasn’t a good idea since I was all oiled up from my massage! I didn’t want to get burnt to a crisp so instead I called it a day and headed back to the ship. My evening was also quite eventful- it was quiz night in the crew bar…and my team won! Our prize was $50 each!!! (If you were wondering how a team of not-so-smart Cruise Staff managed to win its because the game was “Majority Rules”- all we had to do was guess the most popular answer!) Today was our 3^rd port day in a row and we were in Penang. In the morning I headed to a local mall with a few friends so that we could use the free internet at Starbucks- I know, thrilling! Fortunately my afternoon was a little more exciting than that. I managed to get on a passenger tour as an escort so I spent the rest of the day exploring Penang by trishaw! We stopped by a temple, a museum, and finished the day at a fancy hotel for some snacks. Just like in Vietnam, it was a wonderful way to see the city- much nicer than if I was on a tour bus! Tomorrow it is off to Port Kelang for (hopefully) another great day!

xoxo Dianna

New Photos!

Hi there boys and girls!

Well, not too much to update you on. A new cruise started 2 days ago and already I have a good feeling about this one. Its a lot younger crowd, the people seem really friendly....PLUS we are now out of Red Level! That means we go back to the gym, the passenger restaurants, and the SPA which I am very excited about because I am in desperate need of some highlights!

Yesterday we were in Geraldton- not the most exciting port but it always gives me the chance to pick up some necessities from Target, and use the internet. I managed to upload my pictures from Vietnam and Singapore so if you don't have Facebook, here is the link to see them:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=186931&id=501456765&l=2846a7e777

Today is the first of 5 sea days (groan...) and then we will be in Phuket, Thailand. We are finally able to go back there since the violence has stopped in Bangkok and the travel advisory has been lifted. On the down side, it means no more overnights in Singapore- but I have been dying to go to Thailand so I can't really complain! Unfortunately I am IPM this time around so I will have to wait a little longer to see it but I am here til October so I still have plenty of time!

Enjoy the pics!

xoxo Dianna

Super Day in Singapore!

So remember that whole Norovirus outbreak we had on our ship? Well apparently it wasn't Noro that everyone had- apparently it was a parasite from bad vegetables we picked up in Bali. I know, GROSS, eh? So that means its not contagious, no one had to be in isolation, and a lot of this hooplah was all for nothing!

Well its been a few days since we've been in Singapore but I had such a great time when we were there that I couldn't miss telling you all about it! The port in Singapore is connected to a massive shopping centre, so we didn't have to go far for our first order of business. I bought a bunch of stuff- although, I swear, its all stuff I needed! I got a few outfits for the evening (most nights we don't have to wear a uniform, just "smart casual" clothes), a necklace, and a pair of heels. Mission complete! After our whirlwind shopping spree we were starved so we went for a yummy sushi lunch. I hadn't had sushi since I got on the ship even tough all these wonderful Asian ports are THE place to get it! The restaurant we went to was the kind that the dishes were on a conveyor belt and you just picked off which ones you wanted. We tried not to get too carried away but it was just so good! Next on the agenda was a movie! Being a HUGE Sex and the City fan I was dying to see the latest movie and now was my chance! But instead of going to just a normal theatre we paid a little extra and saw it in a Gold Class theatre. There are only about 35 seats in the theatre- and they are all big Lazy Boy recliners! They give you a nice warm blanket plus concierge service so that you don't even have to leave your seat if you want snacks! Even though I was still pretty full from lunch I just HAD to order to chocolate brownie with ice cream- how often do you get that at the movies?! Even though the movie wasn't amazing (disappointing to say since I love SATC!), I LOVED the Gold Class theatre- its the only way I want to see movies now! If they don't have these in Canada yet they need to get them!

After the movie finished we only had about an hour until our final adventure of the night- the Night Safari at the Singapore Zoo! The Zoo is supposed to be one of the best in the world- and from what I saw, I would have to agree! We were only there for a short time but I hope that next time I am in Singapore I'll be able to go back to the zoo and explore it a little more.

By 11pm we were back on the ship- and I was absolutely knackered! I had a wonderful day and I couldn't have asked for more! These are the days that make all this hard work worth it. How lucky am I?!

xoxo D

Good Morning Vietnam!

The great thing about being on a cruise ship is that you get to see lots of places in a short amount of time. The problem is- its only a short amount of time! A few days ago we were in Vietnam. Our port of call was Phu My which is about 2 hours away from Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon). It was a long ride, but I had to make the trek into the city! It was definitely an eye-opening trip. Before, whenever I thought of "Asia" I just grouped all the countries into one category. But from the few places I've seen so far, they couldn't be more different from each other! Malaysia and Singapore were very clean, very Westernized, and every spoke English (even better than some countries I went to in Europe, in my opinion!) On the other hand, the same can't be said about Vietnam. It is definitely the most "third world" country we've seen so far. The drive into the city was quite interesting- someone mentioned that it looked like the war had just ended! Among only a few newer looking buildings were many run-down shops and huts. The "highway" was pretty much 2 lanes the whole way there and 99% of people ride motorbikes- cars are only for the wealthy. It didn't look like there were many rules on the road (at one point I believe we were pulled over by a cop who let us go after our bus driver paid him some cash) but we managed to make it to Ho Chi Minh City safely.

Our first order of business was to get some money exchanged- and with the exchange rate we were more than happy to do so! $1 USD = approx 19,000 Vietnamese dong...I only exchanged $30 which I figured would be more than plenty! We then headed to the Ben Thanh Market for some shopping and food. There was lots of great stuff there- lanterns, plates, fancy chopsticks, jewelry...even though it was super cheap I didn't indulge- no room in my suitcase! I did enjoy some yummy Vietnamese food for lunch though. I had "pho" which is a brothy soup with rice noodles in it- delicious! That and a pop cost me about $2, I think!

After getting separated from a few other people we were with (the market was jam-packed!), me and my Deputy Cruise Director, Frenchie, decided to go off and do a bit more exploring. When we exited the market we saw some bike taxis, or cyclos, and thought it would be a great way to see the city. They said it would only cost us 50,000 dong to take us to the Reunification Palace so we hopped on! I must admit it was a little scary being right in the middle of all that traffic- especially when they didn't seem to stop for anything! When we got to our destination we took a few photos and our "taxis" offered to take us to a few more sights. We agreed, and went on to see the Jade Emperor Pagoda (beautiful!) and a store that sold cheap bootlegged DVDs (its a huge thing here!).

We then headed back to where the bus was picking us up. This is when the trouble started. After we got off the bikes we were told it would cost us 1 million dong each-- thats about $50!!! I began to argue (first off, I didn't have that much on me, secondly, it was ridiculous!) but Frenchie just gave in and handed them a bunch of money so they would stop harassing us. It was very frustrating that they ripped us off after they were so nice to us earlier. Though as it turns out, I talked to a few people later on and it seems like we weren't the only ones who got into that situation! So remember, if you are ever in Ho Chi Minh City and you want to take a taxi (whether its a car, motorbike or cyclo) ALWAYS decide on the price beforehand!

We had a bit more time before the bus left so we headed into the Rex Hotel for a drink on their rooftop patio- a great way to end a (mostly) fun day! With all the travel time we only had about 3 and a half hours in Ho Chi Minh City but it was definitely worth it!

I wanted to say thank you to all my well-wishers when I was sick. I am all better now- although I can't say that about everyone! We are having a bit of a Noro outbreak right now. It has spread to more crew as well as a whole bunch of passengers...not fun! We have gone into red level which means LOTS of disinfecting, but even worse, we are not allowed to use passenger areas like the restaurants, pool, gym, spa, etc. Hopefully this won't last for too much longer so we can go back to normal! (Although I've heard it might last until the end of the cruise...which isn't until the 21st!)

Today we are in Cambodia...but I am IPM! I'm not too disappointed though- we are in Sihanoukville where there is not much to see, plus the weather is a little rainy! In a couple of days we are going to be in Port Kelang where I hope to get on a passenger tour, and after that we are in Singapore for 2 days! I have lots planned for when we get there- sushi, seeing the new Sex and the City movie, and going to a night safari at the Singapore Zoo! I can't wait!

xoxo Dianna

Well This is Shitty! (Literally.)

Living on a cruise ship has lots of perks- meeting new people, traveling the world...And then there are the downsides- like the fact that the Norovirus is easily spread throughout the people on board. Since my immune system is a piece of crap, of
course I managed to catch it. At first, I thought my stomach was just reacting to some greasy food I had eaten. Unfortunately that wasn't the case. After going to the medical center yesterday it was confirmed that I have NLV. Since we live in such close quarters the chance of the virus spreading is extremely high so they take this very seriously. We are immediately put into isolation (I had to pack up some things and move into another room) and we are not allowed to leave- not even allowed to open the door!- until we are better.

Isolation typically lasts 1-3 days...I'm on hour 15 right now and I haven't gone crazy yet! I have my laptop with a bunch of movies, music, a book to read- the only thing I'm worried about is that my internet card is running low! Since we aren't
allowed to leave our rooms we get to order room service- but its not as luxurious as it sounds. We have to order from a special menu with choices like chicken broth and saltine crackers- yum!

I'm feeling a lot better this morning so hopefully I won't be stuck in here too much longer. Although its kind of ironic- today the cruise staff has a very busy schedule (its a day we always dread doing!) so maybe I will just relax in isolation for a little bit longer...

xoxo D

Why can't every day be a port day?

What a wonderful past 5 days it has been! Although I didn't get to go ashore at every port, the ones I did get to see were amazing and I can't wait to go back! A few days ago we stopped in Port Kelang which is about an hour away from Kuala Lumpur. They offered the crew a bus into the city for only $15 so of course I jumped on that immediately! Me and a few others toured around the city for about 6 hours and saw as much as we could! The Petronas Towers, the KL Tower (which is just like the CN Tower but a little shorter!), and Little India. We ate in Chinatown at a sketchy little street vendor. Well, thats kind of exaggerating- it was more like some ladies in an alleyway with a grill and a hot plate! But it was delicious- and cheap! By the end of the day I was exhausted. Fortunately I had the night off so I ended up going to bed at about 9pm!

The next day we were in Singapore. Like I mentioned before, since we had to cut Thailand off the itinerary we got to spend the night there. Unfortunately I was on IPM the first day there so I couldn't leave the ship til midnight! But you bet your ass when 12:00 rolled around I was the first one off! A bunch of us headed to Clark Quay which is an area that has a lot of bars and restaurants. It was pretty quiet since it was a Monday night but all of us from the ship made it a party anyways!


Even though we didn't get to bed until about 4:30 that night (or should I say morning!) I was up by 9:30am because I wanted to have as much time as I could to explore Singapore. I was with two girls from the photography department and the first thing on our agenda was getting our feet eaten by fish. Ha Ha, yes I know how weird that sounds but they are special fish that eat the dead skin off your feet...apparently its the thing to do over here! It was certainly weird, and it definitely felt funny. The whole shopping mall could probably hear us screaming/laughing! It was quite the unique experience but I don't think I'll be doing it again any time soon, mainly because my feet don't feel any different!!

After that we headed to a massive food market (that dates back to 1822!) for lunch. It reminded me of the Food Building at the CNE- except all the stalls were either Asian or Indian food! The 3 of us split a massive meal that was delicious- although definitely not on the Biggest Loser diet!! After that we decided to walk to Raffles Hotel. This hotel is over 100 years old and its where the Singapore Sling cocktail was invented. Its sort of cliche but we decided to head over and indulge in a $30 cocktail. While the drink wasn't all that special the hotel was beautiful! Most of it is closed off to guests but what we did see was gorgeous!

Its true what they say about Singapore- it is VERY clean! They are very strict about their littering laws, and yes- chewing gum is illegal! Singapore has been one of my favourite ports so far, and I am looking forward to heading back their again! There are still many things I want to see there such as the Singapore Zoo (which is apparently one of the top 5 in the world!) And good news- if the situation in Thailand remains the same we will be having plenty more overnights in Singapore! Yay!

xoxo d

Getting Closer to Home!

Well...maybe not exactly, but I am in the Northern Hemisphere now! A couple of days ago we crossed the equator- and it wasn't without celebration! It involved men dressing up as women, passengers kissing a dead fish and people getting covered in whipped cream, spaghetti and jello...thats all I'm going to say about that!

Last night we had another celebration of sorts- the Cruise Director threw a party for all of the entertainment staff including the dancers, production team, etc. Even though we all work closely together every single day we don't often get the chance to just sit and chat! Since I've been doing The Biggest Loser I have been staying away from alcohol but I did allow myself to splurge yesterday! BUT, I am proud to say that I didn't indulge in any of the greasy snacks they had- you win some, you lose some!

After 5 days at sea, today was our first day in port. We were supposed to be in Phuket, Thailand, but because of all the violence that is happening in the country at the moment, it was decided we skip Thailand and go straight to Malaysia. It was a little disappointing to hear the news, but on the plus side it now means we get to spend an overnight in Singapore instead!

Today we were in Langkawi and I got to go ashore for a few hours. It was beautiful, but SO hot! It wasn't even that sunny out but the humidity was insane! I definitely need to adjust to this tropical climate! Besides the weather, the other great thing
about Malaysia is the exchange rate. I bought a nice watch for only $35 and a pair of Nike running shoes for $40!

Tomorrow we are off to Penang but unfortunately I am on IPM so I will be sticking around the ship. But in a few days I will be getting off in Kuala Lumpur which I am very excited for!

xoxo Dianna

Turnaround Day = Evil

From now on, whenever I hear the words "Turnaround Day" I will cringe. Turnaround day is when one set of passengers are finished with their cruise and they disembark in the morning, and then a new set of passengers embark a few hours later. I was up at 6am to assist with disembarks which made it a not-so-fun morning to begin with. Then I had to deal with the fact that it was absolutely FREEZING out and I had to stand in a windy doorway for a few hours. And don't think I'm being a baby and exaggerating- my hands were numb and my lips were blue! I'm surprised I haven't gotten sick from it!

The new passengers seem good- at least they are a little younger than last cruise where the average age was 76!! Yesterday we were in Geraldton and I finally got to go ashore. The only downside was that there is not much to do in Geraldton! I pretty much just did some shopping for necessities- pantyhose, shaving cream (which by the way, was 7 dollars!!!!!) and then headed back to the ship.

We are headed up to Phuket now, which means we have 5 sea days in a row ahead of us! Sea days are our longest since we have lots of activities scheduled to keep people busy...so it should be a tiring next few days! hopefully we don't all go crazy before then, although at the end we have a big reward- 5 port days in a row! Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore...as you can guess I am pretty excited!

xoxo D

Now You Can Stop Bugging Me!

After being berated for not keeping up with my blog, here is a long awaited new entry for you! I'm sorry I don't update very often- not only is my schedule pretty hectic, but the internet is extremely slow, PLUS we have to pay for it so I try not to go online too much!

Tonight is my first night off- EVER! Most nights we are out socializing with the passengers, welcoming them to the shows, hosting theme nights, etc, but tonight is a little quieter so they didn't need everyone working!I don't have very big plans though...I might just act like a passenger and watch one of the shows! I haven't been feeling the greatest today- the ship has been quite rocky! Plus add to the fact that I was drinking last night, and I had a big greasy lunch...probably not the best combination!

My first cruise is almost done- only 2 more days til our first set of passengers leave and we get new ones! I can't believe how fast time has flown- I've been gone from home for over a month! It's been crazy, busy, exhausting, exciting, thrilling...and I still have another 5 months to go! The job has had its challenges from its long hours to cranky passengers, but also many highlights like having the chance to ride a camel on the beach in Broome right after the sunrise! If I were to make a prediction on whether or not I will continue doing this for more than one contract I would have to say its a good possibility!

Besides the actual work aspect of this job, the social part is great too! I've met lots of awesome people already and have started to form friendships with quite a few people. We have a "Crew Club" which organizes different events for the staff such as karaoke and trivia nights. I have just signed up for "The Biggest Loser" which is being put on by the spa. There are cash prizes for the people who lose the most weight so I thought I would join in! I'm not doing it just for the money though- I thought it would be a good way to keep motivated for at least a few weeks! It begins tomorrow so tonight I think I'm going to the pizzeria for one last night of unhealthiness! haha

Well I am off to enjoy my night off! I hope this blog entry will satisfy you for a while...thanks for being so interested in what I'm up to! I'll try and post more pictures too!

xoxo Dianna

PS. Here's a pic from the sunset tonight. Don't mind my hair- it was a little windy out there!

Photos!

Hey folks!

Sorry I don't have much time for a proper blog post, but here is a link to some pictures I posted on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=173142&id=501456765&l=57cf49f833

Enjoy!

xoxo D

More FAQ!

Do you have to do your own laundry?

We have a free laundry service we can use- although apparently most people don’t use it! I’m not sure what the reason is- maybe it’s just the time it takes to get it returned to you…its just easier to do it yourself! We do have our own washing machines though which are free and a lot more convenient!

How’s the food?

In my first week of training we only ate at the passenger buffet which was delicious! I indulged in lots of desserts and not-so-healthy foods, but I am now trying to get back on track! For employees there are 2 places we can eat- the Crew Mess and the Officer’s Mess. The Crew Mess is where most people eat and is like a cafeteria. The Officer’s Mess is a big step up- there is a daily menu, waiters, linen napkins and tablecloths…fancy! For some reason Cruise Staff is considered “Officer Status” so that’s where we get to eat! I am trying to avoid desserts and the bread and butter on the table at every meal…lots of temptation though!

Can you use the gym?

Although we usually don’t have much time, YES we can use the gym! There is a Crew Gym but according to my roommate its not the nicest. But luckily because of our “Officer Status” we can use the Passenger Gym! Yesterday was my first chance to get up there for a workout and its really nice. During dry dock they got all brand new machines, new carpet, and it has big windows that look out the back of the ship! I must admit, it’s a little weird running on the treadmill on a moving ship- you have to make sure you don’t lose your balance!

Do you get days off?

We never get a full day off work, but we do sometimes get the chance to go ashore on port days. Since most passengers get off the ship on those days, there are not many activities going on therefore not many staff are needed. The only other thing stopping us from going ashore is In Port Manning (or IPM for short). Two people from the Cruise Staff are put on IPM every port day which means they have to stay on the ship in case there is an emergency. Since there are a bunch of us on the Cruise Staff we only have to do it every 1 in 3 or 4 ports- so still lots of chances to go ashore and enjoy a few hours!

xoxo D

The Real Thing!

The passengers have arrived! Yesterday felt like my first “real” day of work. The past few days have been busy with training, preparing, etc, but yesterday it really sunk in that I’m HERE and will be doing this for the next 6 months! For the most part, it wasn’t a hard day, but it sure was long! The hardest part was definitely the Welcome Aboard Show we did last night. It’s a show they put on at the start of every cruise which pretty much introduces the Cruise Staff and informs the passengers on what activities we have planned for them. The catch? WE are the ones on stage giving them the information! Yes, I’ve been on stage before; Yes, I’ve been on the radio, but it was still a little nerve-wracking! Fortunately, it went off without a hitch! After a long and busy day we all went to the Crew Bar to have a few drinks to unwind- but I didn’t last long! I was so exhausted that I soon headed to bed and passed out immediately.

Today was another busy day. It was a day at sea so that means we had LOTS of activities planned. Since I’m still new I wasn’t responsible for many events- I was more of a helper and observer. It doesn’t sound like much, but after 10 hours I’m exhausted yet again! I’m definitely getting the hang of things and tomorrow I actually get to host some events on my own!

Well tomorrow is another busy one- surprise, surprise- so I am off to bed!!

Xoxo Dianna

Koalas and Kangaroos and Crocs, Oh My!

Friday April 23rd

Today we went to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Its pretty much a zoo, but with its main focus on koalas. They have over 100 koalas plus lots of other animals like snakes, kangaroos, birds, crocodiles, etc. We all gave in and got pictures holding a koala- even though they force you to pay $16 for the photograph! A rip-off, I know, but how often do you get to hold a koala?! We also got to feed kangaroos (which was only $1 for food, thank God!). I took a bunch of pics so hopefully I can post them for you soon!

That night a bunch of us went out to the clubs in Brisbane in an area called The Valley. The bars are all right beside each other, one after another so it’s a pretty crazy place to be on a Friday night! We first went to a gay bar and it was hilarious! (PS. 90% of the men on this ship are gay so its going to be a lot harder than I thought to find a man! haha) In one room they were playing “Spice Up Your Life” and “Barbie Girl” and in another room they had drag queens dancing/lip syncing! That was a little too much for some people though, so a few of us ended up going to another bar that was more “our” scene. I’m happy to report though, that I behaved myself and came home fairly early that night (well, it was 2:30, but that was earlier than everyone else!) and I was NOT hungover the next day!

xoxo D