Update from Carnival Inspiration

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Well it’s been quite a while since my last entry so I thought I’d post a quick update with where I am these days. Currently I am working on the Carnival Inspiration out of Tampa, en route to Cozumel and Grand Cayman. It’s a small ship, which means a much closer staff, a more friendly environment, and easygoing guests. I am still enjoying what I do on a daily basis but I have recently faced a few roadblocks which have only served to remind me that I am ready to move forward, whether that means getting off ships altogether, or pushing for the next step within the job description.

Recently my boss opened up the application process for the new ship out of Europe, the Carnival Splendor. She made it sound like this was an opportunity for creativity, rather than the usual seniority used to choose people for the new exciting ships. I went above and beyond with my application, only to find out weeks later that she chose the same guy who brought out the Carnival Freedom last year “because he has experience”… My disappointment was obviously enhanced by the fact that she went with seniority instead of creativity, when we were all led to believe that effort and dedication could be enough to qualify even if we didn’t have years with the company. After some back and forth, she has offered the possibility of working on the other Europe ship for a few months this summer - a small consolation but still something to consider.

Shiplife is a dizzying combination of unique experiences in exotic places and repetitive habit as a result of doing the same cruise every 5 days. Lately I have made an effort to join various shore excursions, and this has ensured that new adventures are a regular opportunity. Last week I went Snuba-diving - a combination of snorkeling and scuba diving. We went 30 feet deep into the coral reefs without any heavy diving training because we were breathing out of long tubes that went to the surface of the water instead of carrying the tanks on our backs. I saw 15-inch rainbow parrot fish, schools of bright yellow fish, poisonous scorpion fish, and hundreds of other iridescent fish swimming through coral and seaweed. It was gorgeous. This coming cruise I have signed up for an ATV ride through the jungles and across the beach dunes, and I also hope to go snorkeling with the Stingrays.

Mom, Dad and David come to cruise in April and I can’t wait to show them around the ports that I have lately called home. My best friend on the ship works in the Purser’s office and she is going to help me upgrade them into the nicest rooms available on the ship, and we are planning to swim with the Dolphins and snorkel the coral reefs. I am looking forward to a bit of familiarity after so much change.

During my work breaks this past September and November (shows how long it’s been since my last update) I had a fantastic time visiting friends in Austin - it’s great to relive the glory days and I remembered how much I genuinely love that city! For Thanksgiving the family took a mega-vacation to Europe, adventuring through Paris, Barcelona and London. I feel so fortunate to be able to travel like this, and I know I have my parents to thank for my wander-lust - their ability to show me the beauties of the outside world is what has inspired me to constantly seek new boundaries. It seems the more I see, the more there is to see!

A few weeks ago I went home for my brother’s Bar Mitzvah. It was a wonderful event that went off without a hitch (aside from my mom breaking her foot on the dance floor!) and it was so wonderful to see all of the family members and friends come together in celebration of such a moving experience for my brother. My brother has grown up to be an incredibly cool guy and I really enjoyed our time together. Being at home solidified my desire to spend more time with the family and I have decided that what I want to do more than anything after ships is spend some time in my hometown. I have started to work on plans for moving back to the Bay Area, and hope to get an apartment in Palo Alto as soon as I am off ships (either as soon as this May, or if I sign one last contract for Europe, in December).

It’s scary thinking about taking on reality again - paying bills and taking a 9-5 job seems so bizarre to me, but I am ready for a bit of consistency instead of chaos. I have considered returning to Austin because I have some amazing contacts out there and I know I could continue my career in Marketing without much of a gap, but most of my friends have moved away and I’m not sure I like the idea of the city without those people. I have some incentive to return to Boston for a while too, but after so much sunshine I doubt I can handle the east-coast winters. I am also looking into a graduate degree in graphic design, but I have a lot of research to do. I am really really exciting about coming back to the Bay Area for a while. I always said I couldnt appreciate home until I've seen everywhere else.

The best thing I can say is that there’s no worst-case scenario. No matter what I choose I know I’ll have the loving support of my parents, the excitement of trying something new, and the reassurance that I can make the best of every situation. I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss reality a little bit now and then, but for now I’ll soak up the sun and sand for a few final months of life in limbo.

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