Well folks I only have one more cruise left before I return to the real world. Today my replacement comes onboard so I'll spend my last week making sure he is ready to replace me when I sign off next Saturday. I know this blog has probably been underwhelming as I haven't had the ability to update it as frequently as I'd have liked, but I appreciate the dedication if you're still reading! For those who don't know, I was offered another contract on a larger ship in Europe, but I declined the offer so once I return to land I'll be there for good! The main reason I decided against another contract is that I would like to try to start making a name for myself outside of the Royal family where growth is limited to, well, cruise ships.
It's definitely been an amazing past 7 months. If you would have told me a year ago that I'd be living and working on a cruise ship I would have laughed in your face, but now here I am about to say goodbye to my floating home and job in just one week. Both the job itself and the ship lifestyle have been so unique. Where else can you create videos, lower life boats, dress up as an elf, live in a closet, work with people from over 70 different countries, inflate thousands of balloons, hang out with Ms. Puerto Rico candidates, watch the sun set over the Caribbean Sea and have it all be part of your job? I'm definitely glad to have had this great experience.
Here is short list of things I will miss about the Serenade as well as some things I'm looking forward to on land:
MISS
- Everyone I work with
- Waking up in a different location every day
- Being able to "commute" to work in 60 seconds (depending on elevator traffic)
- Living and working with people from all over the world
- The control of creating projects entirely on my own
- The motion of the ocean
- Crew parties on the aft mooring deck
- Watching my work on the big screen in the theater
- The complete darkness of being at sea
- Exploring the islands
- Having a nice gym with the world's best view
- Dinner's at Portofino's
- The rare but glorious nap outside on Deck 13
- Waffles and ice cream on the I-95
- Lazy lunches filled with procrastination at Messofino's
LOOKING FORWARD TO
- Being able to sit up in my bed
- Having access to and using reliable internet that is faster than dialup
- Living in a room with windows
- Having a sense of time
- Simple things like sitting on a couch or at the kitchen table
- Eating something other than ship food (rice anyone?)
- Reconnecting with the real world
- Avoiding the Norovirus
- Cold water from the tap
- Cold water in the shower
- Water that isn't a different color every day
- A shower that drains
- A shower that is bigger than a dwarf's phone booth
- Being able to buy things in a store whenever I want
- Being able to leave my house without receiving a full body pat down
- Spending time with friends, family and pets
- Driving my car
- SNOW!! (I hope)
