...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!!
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