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Published: November 30th 2007
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The Carnival Destiny
My home for the next three months I am officially at sea again!
Early Sunday morning, Mom & Lee drove me to the airport. I flew Toronto to Atlanta to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The flights weren’t too bad, but I was so overtired from only sleeping 2 hours the night before yet I was unable to sleep, so the flights felt so long. When I finally arrived in San Juan, I had to wait at the airport for 2 hours for the crew shuttle bus. When I reached the ship, there were more lines, more waiting for all of the security and paperwork that has to be done. I got to my cabin and had just enough time to eat dinner, my first meal all day, before security training.
The Destiny sets sail at the start of each cruise at 10pm, whereas on the Legend we were sailing around 5pm. Such a little thing but it makes the first day feel really different. It’s strange doing boat drill with the guests at night time when some of them have been on the ship since the early afternoon. But I think I’m going to like it. It’ll mean far more time in our home port which should be both more relaxing but also more productive. After boat drill was our department meeting and then work began! The social host team (which I am considered a part of) hosts a Sail Away Party as we leave San Juan. So line dancing and crowd cheering was had. After work, my roommate, Karisa, and Ashley, the Club O2 director I’m taking over from, informed me it was Girls Night and I was going. I met a bunch of spa girls and the youth director and the rest of the social hosts were there for snacks and drinks and girly things. It was good to attempt to socialize, but I remember little because I was collapsing at this point! I went to bed almost 24 hours after getting up for the day back home.
I’ve spent my first few days just trying to figure out the ship. Giving myself self-guided tours around. I know where everything is located but I find the passageways confusing. There are a few decks where you can’t just simply walk from one end to the other, you have to change levels and go around. I’m figuring it all out though.
One of my biggest work challenges is going to be language. Because we’re out of Puerto Rico, we get a lot of Spanish speaking guests. And by a lot, I mean give or take half of the guest population. My Spanish is basic, possibly lower than basic. I can read most things and understand, listening I will catch a word here or there that I recognize. But speaking? Forget it. Of course this means that lots of my teens are Spanish speaking and therefore I can’t say hardly anything to them. Basically I can say my name, hello, good night and that the party is at whatever time it is set for that day. We’ll see how that goes over the next few months.
I’m trying to meet people, but I’m so bad at it. When it’s my job to make others comfortable, I’m fine. But personally, I’m always so intimidated. It took my so long to get comfortable the last time around. I think that I can’t let it take that long this time, I’m only on this ship for three months before I transfer! But I’m reminding myself it’s still the first cruise, it’s only been a few days. Just go with it.
I’m already getting sick. The sign-on ship illness. It’s the air conditioning, breathing recycled air, getting used to living so closely to thousands of people. Head ache, sore throat, sinus pain . . . I can feel it coming.
We’re already in ports. With this itinerary we’re in port nearly every day. But between training and not having the proper immigration paperwork (I’ll get that Sunday when we’re back in San Juan), I haven’t gotten off yet. Tomorrow’s Barbados though and I think I’ll get off and do something.
So that’s a bit from the ship. Hopefully soon I’ll have port stories to share!
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swills82
Sarah Willett
Spanish
Good phrases to learn..... - No Sexo en mi club - Que tal? (It's slang for what's up?) - Que Pedo? (Pedo means fart but this is also slang for What's up?) - me gusta bailar (I like to dance) Hope this helps ;)