5 shows, 16 days, and 3 time zones later...

...we are DONE with our installation!!

What. A. Whirlwind.

...sometimes in a very literal sense.

We have had some incredibly smooth days of sailing, we've had insanely rough seas (during which I discovered that my cabin is directly above the anchors. That was a loooooooooong night), we've had a few blissful hours on honest-to-god dry land, but most importantly, we've had a very warm reception from crew and guests alike.

We had a bit of an Entertainment Department shindig after our final show performance last night, and we were lauded not only for our strong shows, but also for adapting so well to ship life and for remaning a good team through it all. The newbies (Heather, Meredith, and Anthony) were especially mentioned for getting into the swing of things as well as they have. I know we'll all really feel settled and calmer as these cruises go on, but I remember what my first few weeks on board my first ship were like, and I can definitely say that this install has been a CAKEWAKE in comparison, and we are all very fortunate for that.

My life on this Seabourn ship is a bit different from life on Holland America Line, mostly in the sense that we as cast member are epected to really be visible and chatty with the guests. The guests love that type of one-to-one interaction, especially since these cruises are so long (16 days for this last one!), but it also definitely gets reflected in the responses we get at the shows. We received our first standing ovation last night after Rock at the Opera, and I'm willing to bet it's partly because we finally got to get around the ship in the last few days and really meet some of the guests and boogie down with them in the club, etc.

Also, partly because we were AWESOME.

I'm just sayin'.

So, now that all our shows have been put on their feet, our production manager Judy will leave us tomorrow in Sydney (OH MY GOD I'M GOING TO BE IN SYDNEY TOMORROW) and we will split our time between performing and socializing with every new batch of guests on board. I'm really looking forward to this adventure, but I have to admit that this social epectation is a little daunting for me—I've always had a hard time with breaking the ice with strangers and trying to walk that fine line between being pushy and being friendly. Tomorrow night will be my first eperience hosting a table of guests in the dining room, but luckily, I'm co-hosting with Anthony, who is MUCH more at ease about this than I am. I know this will get easier as time goes on, but I would honestly rather do an hour of stand-up comedy than embarrass myself at a table full of classy strangers.

Okay, that's dramamtic.

Maybe only a HALF hour of stand-up.

We've been meeting some really great fellow crew members since we got on, and we've been getting a really good vibe from the crew in general. I don't sense a lot of drama or discontent (yet), so that' heartening. It will be nice to not have rehearsals every day now, and we'll get to spend more time really integrating ourselves into the ship's family.

It hasn't been all work work work, though...I did actually get the chance to get off for a few hours in Oban and in Melbourne, so I can now officially say that I have been in Australia! So far, I don't have much to report, but that could partly be because I'm so just overwhelmed to think that this is not a dream, and that I am actually in the Southern Hemisphere. And thank goodness, too...my tan faded something fierce whiel I was in England, and I am indesperate need of my crispy bown summer coat before “autumn” sets in down here. Of course, I'll be in Thailand and India by the time that actually happens, and I don't think that autumn there is quite what it is in, say, New York City, but all the same... the sun down here is certainly stronger than in the Northern Hemisphere, so I've had to bump up my sunscreen SPF, but it is SO worth it to be able to feel the sun on my back in the middle of JANUARY. Still so so bizarre.

That's really all for now, but I promise that future blog posts will be far less technical and far more full of adventures and shenanigans—I'm actually considering taking a crew tour to visit the set for Hobbiton from the Lord of the Rings movies in Tauranga. Should be fun!

Here's our upcoming itinerary, through February 11. Cool!!

Hope you're all well!!

Cabin 1503

I. AM. HERE!

proof!

I am sitting on my bed, in my little cabin on the 5^th deck, port side of the beautiful Seabourn Odyssey, with the early New Zealand sunshine filtering through my porthole, and simply feeling blessed. People in my profession have a tendency to overuse or misuse that word, but I truly cannot think of any other adjective to describe the sense of fullness and relief I have been waking up with for the past two days.

Or maybe it's the jet lag.

We are in the midst of the installation of our five shows, and I am feeling very confident about this cast and our amazing crew. We are in the very capable and seasoned hands of Judy “Judes” Cheesman, who is essentially ou production manager for this process. She has been installing shows for BK for many moons, and she knows these shows, this ship, and this crew like the back of her hand. For the past two days, we've been teching through our first show, BRAVO (which we perform TONIGHT!!), and it has been a shockingly smooth process. Judes is efficient, professional, calm, and just everything you could possibly want in someone who is handling all the logistics of our existence on this ship. We had our first dress run of BRAVO last night, and we received high praise from both Judes and Jeff, our audio master/lead tech. And more importantly, we were done at 5pm!! After my experiences with Holland America ships, the concept of not having to do midnight rehearsals is just baffling.

After tech yesterday, I went out on Deck 11 aft, which is the reserved crew area, to do a bit of sunbathing. I only made it for a few minutes because the wind got a bit chill, but it was worth it to feel the warm sun on my back after being inside almost all day and—more severely—in the English winter, where daylight was a thing that happened to other people. I'm still feeling a little dream-like, what with the summer heat and the sunshine til late evening...I'm convinced I'm going to wake up some morning and discover that I'm actually still in Northampton, or New York, or Upland! But then the G-force of the ship rocking on the ocean waves reminds me that, no, this is real, and I am indeed in the Southern Hemisphere. On purpose, even! That same G-force put me to sleep at around 7 last night, and I didn't wake up til about 6:30 this morning. This whole crossing the International Date Line and being 13 hours ahead of GMT is a liiiiiiiiiiiiiittle disorienting!

Pictured: my internal clock[s]

Speaking of waking up, here's a pic of my cabin!

Though she be but little, she is fierce!

I'll upload the rest when I'm not on lackluster satellite internet in the middle of the ocean, I promise.

That's it for now! Think some good thoughts for us at whatever 10:00pm Auckland time is for you, and lots of love to you all!