Joining Voyager

Well it is 4.40 on Sunday 29th of July and I have just awoken from a deep sleep, and for the first time on board the Voyager of the seas, I am able to relax and indulge myself with some computer time.
Friday night, my last night at home was eventful, in so much as I had dinner with friends and being my last night at home partied perhaps a little too much. The resulting wooliness at 8 oclock the morning of my travel to join my new ship has made what is always an apprehensive experience, more tiring.
So I had to leave home for the airport feeling the worst for wear. Slept on the plane for the hop from Alicante to Barcelona and awoke to the stares of sleepy passengers. I was stirred awake by the sound of the reverse thrust of the giant jet engines at the moment of landing in Barcelona, they apparently where kept awake the entire journey by my vocally trained snoring. Strange how the sound of four Rolls Royce jet engines outside a mere ten feet away offer little comparison to my snoring inside the cabin. I am sure one day I am going to wake up strapped to the wing !
So a short taxi ride into Barcelona port and there was the Voyager of the seas. Since arriving on board yesterday I have had to attend two induction courses, which involved watching crew safety videos ( Almost as easy to fall asleep to as those jet engines!) .
Nothing could have compared me for the sheer opulence of this ship. Never mind ship, this is probably the most luxurious environment I have ever experienced on or off land! That feeling of sadness for not having someone to share yet another wonderful experience with returned, and an insane jealously for guests arriving on board together who where able to digest this wonderful place together. I must take pictures but I can’t see them doing justice. There is a MAIN STREET going up through 3 floors with bars restaurants shops street cafes either side. There is even a car parked on the pavement and a British red telephone box which on closer examination contains an A.T.M.
It has an Ice rink ! a rock climbing wall, crazy golf, tennis courts, two huge theatres, discos, bars, live music everywhere, the Pig and Whistle English pub with live guitar vocalist, and my piano bar Schooners. The carpet in each lift has a panel inset with the day of the week on it. A glass wall which on closer examination is a tropical fish aquarium, I see something new every time I venture into the guest area.
I met the musical director who is my head of department, and made myself known to the staff of the Schooner bar. Dave the MD told me he has had a run of problems with the last few piano players, unsuitability, inappropriate behaviour excessive drinking which is why I have been called in! I nodded in disgust and assured him that I will always pass out long before my drinking becomes excessive! So no pressure on me to turn out a good performance then. I made arrangements for a sound check at eight pm an hour before my start. The system is involved and just as capable of returning a crap sound as a good one. Got it how I want it and work started at nine. Good response from the crowds, nice people, youger crowd than my Princess experiences, but by the time one oclock came, I needed to sleep. So introduction to the crew bar was put off for another time.
Eight this morning I am off to the training room for another lecture on company policy. They have a credo called G.O.L.D: anchor standards. An acronym which they proudly indoctrinate their crew with to make the experience unique within the fleet and consistent. On Princess they have C.R.U.I.S.E which makes them unique too. In precisely the same way! And although I completely admire the philosophy behind both company policies. At the time of writing, I am buggered if I can remember what the words stand for ! Except that basically we all have to be nice to one another. Oh and not s**g any passengers!
We had to listen to a lecture on the zero tolerance policy for drug alcohol abuse, and then watch a cheesy video about some engineer who was not happy about smiling at the guests. They stopped the film and asked what should he do. I had to muster all willpower to prevent myself from suggesting he go ashore and buy a joint ! Then it showed him practicing his smile in the mirror to the amusement of all watching the film. After that there was no stopping him. I know I am getting old and cynical. If only my old mate Marty Brill or even Mel Mellers been there, they would have said what I was thinking! Hell they get paid more than me for that kind of input. But you have to see the funny side don’t I!
I may have some trouble getting wifi on board. It is not available to crew, so unless I can find a passenger willing to buy it for me, I will have trouble getting my emails out. There are computers in the crew mess but you have to do everything on line that way. This has taken an hour and a half to compose in my cabin. Couldn’t do that on line. Have to see what I can do.
Well it is six now. Dinner at 6.30 work starts at 9, so off for a wonder, some grub and chill out before work.
BBFN