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
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
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
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
Saturday, May 15, 2010
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
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
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
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!
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!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
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
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
Sunday, May 2, 2010
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
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
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