Hello Everyone,
Well, since the last day that I wrote my blog, we had Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Years….what a crazy cruise.
Lets not waste anytime:
Tuesday, December 21st was a sea day…traveling to Grand Turk for our last visit there. Again on the sea days…nothing too exciting happens, just watching movies and resting and doing the occasional duty throughout the day. That night we had the show of Rocketman and the crowd seems to be responsive despite the crazy face lifts….oh well…its going to be an interesting cruise.
Wednesday, December 22nd we arrived in Grand Turk and of course…I was on IPM. Gosh, I hate IPM days…they are so boring. However, I did clean my room and sat outside for a little bit to just enjoy the sun. At around 3pm, I went up to the pool deck to have some lunch (when we are in port, we can have lunch up on the pool deck as long as we socialize with the guests). Got a good meal that day which was nice but the one waiter that was suppose to wait on me wasn't the nicest…he was actually quite rude. He said to another waiter, "I don't serve staff members". So instead of telling me, he made me sit there and ignored me until I heard this comment…to which I moved but that really really pissed me off.
Thursday, December 23rd once again we are at sea traveling to St. John's, Antigua for the last time. Again, another lazy day of watching movies, napping and duties. Lately, I have been feeling really tired and I don't know why….oh well. Tonight we had the show of Jazz and what a funny audience we had. In one of the numbers, Cody and I do "Me and my Shadow" and at the end we have a little dialogue back and forth where we include the audience in for a little bit. Well, I say to the audience, "would you like us to do the end again?" And normally they are really responsive and fun. This group…was another story. So I say to them, "Would you like us to do the end again?" and you would have thought we were at a golf tournament or something…GOLF CLAPS EVERYONE - DONT EVERYONE CHEER AT ONCE. So I turned right around and was like, "wow….you make us really want to do it again…haha." to which they responded a little better but for the rest of the show…I was cracking up because it was just SO funny. Hahahaha…..
Friday, December 24th (Xmas Eve) we are in St. John's, Antigua which was a hard day for me. I knew that it was Xmas eve where my family would be meeting up and spending time together, doing our traditional things every Christmas. Also, at the same time…I was in 78 degree weather and there was no snow on the ground…granted I don't really miss the cold weather but its Christmas…you want to see snow. I spent the day on my computer getting the free wifi from the port…there wasn't anything else to really do. After doing that for quite some time…I went to Subway to get one last Subway before we don't come back there again…it was nice. Not the traditional food that you want on Xmas eve but I'll do…haha. All day, I keep thinking about my family and close friends back home and wishing I could be with them…I officially don't like being away for the holidays….at least I figured that out during this contract…haha. Later that night, we had a special Christmas for the guests and I sang a song dedicated to my mom (and recorded for her)…"The Christmas Song". (You know…Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…that song). After I walked offstage…I got a little emotional because once again, I started thinking about my family and how I wanted to be with those people that I love. After the xmas show, I stayed and went to Midnight mass on the ship and boy, that caught me off guard. That is the first time in a LONG time that I felt my dad's presences with me…which made me cry again. His presence was really strong and I think, that is what got me through Christmas day. What also caught me off guard was the fact when I was walking back to my cabin through the main bar area…there was an older lady sitting there all by herself. It was after midnight but she was all alone which was sad to see. After she noticed me, her face lit up and said, "Merry Christmas young man" and I said, "Merry Christmas Ma'am…you have a wonderful Christmas". When I walked away, I started tearing up again because that was just something so sad but special that night. I realized that family and those people in your life that you love….are the biggest thing and most important things that matter…and how I don't want to be alone for Xmas in my life. Not to sound rude or selfish…I just realized how important those special people in your life are…and not to take them for granted.
Saturday, December 25th (Merry Christmas Everyone) we were at sea again which made the day go a little quicker. We had our normal duties on the sea day, which was sad but at the same time….made the day go faster…just sad that I had to work on Xmas day. After I skyped with my mom, nene, ryan, heidi and riley and had a little Christmas Skype (which was very hard but extremely nice to do)….it was time to go do secret santa with the cast. We went to the theatre and gave each other our gifts. Cody was my secret santa, to which he gave me a whole movie package (PJ bottoms, coke, chips and salsa and the movie, "Eat Pray Love" which means a lot to me). I had got a little gift for the cast (a $10 ITunes card) but did to the cast what my dad did to me as a child….scavenger hunt. It was cool to do this for other people…I appreciate that from my dad. Right after secret santa, was water volleyball and oh, this game a JOKE!!!!! Well, we get in the water and everyone (meaning the cast) had a good attitude about everything. We get in the water and this man was disagreeing with us from the start, saying that we didn't know what we were doing and everything. At one moment, he looked at me and said, "You're wrong…I know how to keep the score, you don't" to which I responded, "Well, sir…I've been doing this for 5 months and we have been playing it the same way each time…so I do know what I'm doing". Well, I guess thats all he needed…he started raising a fuss and said, "well, I'm not going to play then…I don't like you entertainers…you don't know what you are doing." I said, "Well, I'm sorry that you feel that way sir, but you have a wonderful day and oh, Merry Christmas". "Don't patronize me kid…don't you patronize me by calling me sir" he said…."Well, I'm just doing my job, SIR". "You come over here…I have some things I want to say to you"…"No, I don't need to come over there…I don't need to" and I took myself out of the situation…like you are suppose to do. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? I didn't know that we let Scrooge on the ship. The rest of the game…he sat at the bar staring me down and I made sure that I was very vocal and having so much fun…just to let him know that he didn't win. I had told my boss about it before this gentleman came and complained about me…to which I find out that he has been going around the ship (this scrooge man) and complaining about EVERYTHING and for some reason…had a vendetta with the cast…even though we didn't do anything to him. I found this to be funny and from that moment on…anytime I saw the guy…I made sure I gave him the biggest smile…which I'm sure pissed him off. The rest of the day was fine and I was surprised that Christmas wasn't harder for me. I hope that everyone had a great day with your family.
Sunday, December 26th again we were in Bequia…where the cast decided not to get off the ship. We were all EXTREMELY tired…and I don't remember doing a lot of stuff this day…just sleeping…I was EXHAUSTED. We did have the show of Euro 2010 that night…which all of us were fine to do…at least we didn't have to do the show on Christmas. After the show, it was the entertainment department secret santa giving. The person I had, I had never met before so I had NO clue what to get her. Apparently she liked my gift but at first, I could have sworn she didn't….we I DONT KNOW YOU…EH. From my secret santa, I got a $20 gift card which is one of the best Christmas gifts that I could get….I use them all the time. After the party, we all were exhausted and just went to bed…whoosh.
Monday, December 27th we are in Bridgetown, Barbados again FOR THE LAST TIME!!! We got off in the morning (I had to be back for a 2:00 duty…stupid, no one was going to be there) and we went to the Boatyard….I really enjoy this place and the food there is GREAT!! We had a wonderful lunch and then we decided to go lay on the beach for a while…it was nice. Eventually this creepy man was walking by with a BABY MONKEY with him. I got a picture with the monkey and he actually kissed me too and played with my fingers…it was SO cute. Afterwards, I went back to the ship to do the duty of shuffleboard….BORING…NO ONE SHOWED UP. After that…Lesley and I went back to the Boatyard, where I had taken off my wristband because I had to go work…well, the woman was really rude to me and said, "You have to pay again…there are RULES". Now normally, I wouldn't say anything because…I don't need to start anything with people…but this was the first time that I thought that she didn't need to be rude about it and I commented on it. "Well, thats fine ma'am but you don't need to have an attitude with me…you could have been a little nicer." I don't know whats gotten a hold of me but I don't like that people sometimes feel that they can just walk all over you just because you are younger than them…I don't believe thats right. After that, Lesley and I ate at the Boatyard again….I'm going to miss that BBQ Chicken Sandwich…one of the best I've EVER had. We stayed there until about 5:30 and then we had to go back and get on the ship again. We were both exhausted when we got back to the ship…we had been laying in the sun for sometime and whoosh…just wiped us out. No show that night…thank the lord. This night however, I did have the duty of Table Escorting where I met and talked with Adam Guettel (musical composer - Light in the Piazza, etc.) and his mother Mary Rodgers Guettlel (musical composer "Once Upon a Mattress" and daughter of composing genius, Richard Rodgers). ARE YOU FRICKIN KIDDING ME??? I was so excited…I let them know what a wonderful honor it was the meet them and that I enjoy their music very much. They were very friendly and I would talk to them many more times throughout the next 7 days….what a wonderful group of people. (And come to find out, Michael Buble was on one of the sister ships during this cruise….REALLY? I mean…REALLY? AHHHHHH!!!!!!
Tuesday, December 28th we went to Castries, St. Lucia where Lesley was on IPM so I got off the ship by myself. It isn't a very nice place…very run down. I hear everyone always tell me that St. Lucia is so nice…well, this place isn't. I went to a cafe that we went to last time and got something to eat and had some wifi…a nice day I feel. Got back to the ship JUST in time before we headed off…going to Gustavia, St. Barts (which we never got to go to because of the swell of the storms in the area). I will give St. Lucia a bit of credit…it has a extremely pretty sail away. This night we had the Aquarius show and everyone seemed to like it…we got a standing ovation…I think thats a good sign.
Wednesday, December 29th we were suppose to go to Gustavia, St. Barts but due to the swell from the storms in the area..we went to St. Kitts instead. Made no difference to me because once again…I was on IPM. What a boring, non productive day….I hope that I am not on IPM on days in the world cruise that I want to see…that would really suck. This night, we did Spirito out on the pool deck and it was a great show. Adam Guettel came up to me after the show and said that he was very impressed with me and asked me a few questions about where I am from, what I'm doing after the contract and if I had my equity card. AHHHHHHHHHHH…he is such a cool guy.
Thursday, December 30th we went to Tortola, BVI again instead of Spanish Town, BVI…due to the swells again. Lesley and I got off the ship and found a English Grocery store…so she was in seven heaven. Got some stuff and then we headed to a restaurant to have a nice meal…it was a good day. While we were waiting for the tender, Lesley and I were laughing so hard…at this bird that kept diving into the water to catch a fish. He was just flying around for ever and then…all of a sudden would just dive really fast…out of our sight (cause the side of the port block us seeing him enter the water) and all of a sudden we would see a splash of water. It CRACKED us up and we laughed the entire rest of the tender ride back to the ship.
Friday, December 31st and Saturday, January 1st we were at sea and celebrating the New Year traveling back to Key West, Florida. On Friday, the cast had to do our normal duties and then we had to decorate the ship for that nights party with balloons. We all had a fun time decorating the pool area with them even though we almost lost an entire bag of balloons…haha…oh well….they are environmentally friendly…haha. That night, we watched Mickki's show in the main theatre and Lesley and I actually got to sing with her in the last number…it was a great time and one of Mickki's best show. Afterwards, we all went upstairs and celebrated the new year on the pool deck. Its crazy that its already 2011…THE YEAR THAT I'M COMING HOME. I only have 5 more months left on the ship and that isn't a very long time if you really think about it. We had a wonderful time…celebrating the new year. I love my cast mates…I'm really going to miss this guys when we leave…I have become very close to them.
Sunday, January 2nd we were in Key West, Florida for the last time. This morning I had to work the immigration duty again and I swear, I never want to do it again. We get blamed for everything, even though we don't have anything to do with it….we are just nice enough to help out. The guests were suppose to fill out some green customs form and didn't have them for the guests and people were getting angry. One of the guests looked at me and asked what they were suppose to do and a guy next to her said, "Don't ask him, he's a f***ing idiot" To which I responded with, "No sir, I'm not an idiot…I'm not in the immigration department for the ship, I sing on board but you have a WONDERFUL day". Didn't really say it in the nicest way, I'm sure…it was 8:00am but I got my point across. Other guests made the guy feel bad because he did it very loud and they were like, "Jason, you are doing a great job…we understand that its not your fault". After, we came by me…I wanted to say to him, "Actually sir, I graduated college with honors….so no, I'm not an idiot" but I didn't think of that quick enough and it wouldn't had been the professional thing to do…I just let him know I wasn't pleased. Well, after that we all got off the ship in the morning and got a quick buffet breakfast…which I actually ate bacon and pancakes…I was hungry. After that…we walked around and then went to the Hard Rock to eat lunch…it was a nice meal. We got back on board and then had a boring night of socializing with NO ONE because everyone was packing…haha…it was funny to just walk around and have no one there.
Well, I am officially done with the Caribbean part of this contract. I have done 2 of the 4 stages of my contract….on to the 3rd part…which is the biggest but most exciting part. I officially will be going to a new location EVERY day for 4 months…that is AWESOME!!!! Our cruises will become longer and since this blog was QUITE long…I'm going to try and update every Monday instead of the end of each cruise….I don't need to bore you with these long blogs. Next blog will consist of the following days: Fort Lauderdale on Monday / At Sea on Tuesday and Wednesday / Cartagena, Colombia on Thursday / San Blas Islands, Panama on Friday / going through the Panama Canal on Saturday (which I am SO excited about) / At Sea on Sunday and the blog will end on Monday, when we are in Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
I hope that everyone is having a very happy and safe new year and I hope that everyone lives by their resolutions this year….try something new this year!!!
Until Next Time,
Jason
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