New Year’s Day has come in like a Lion, and 2013 definitely did not go out like a lamb, at least not out here.
The seas were rough enough last night (and still are this morning) that everything in the crew cabins that wasn’t secured was tossed helter skelter – and our cabins are mostly on or below the waterline, so that should give you an idea what life was like top-side during the evening.
Of course, you can’t cancel New Year’s Eve. So the show went on, despite the fact that every few moments the ship would lurch and the dance floor would drop out from underneath you! I lost track of how many glasses of champers were dropped (at one point an entire tray went over, I felt so sorry for the poor beverage steward carrying it!). Thankfully everyone was good humoured about it, as there really isn’t anything we could have done. The ship would tilt, everyone would fall slightly sideways together, and laugh, and get back up. Eventually it became kind of a dance in and of itself.
Except of course, when the rocking triggered the balloon drop five minutes early, which…was unanticipated. After the poor stage crew spent ages getting them up there in their net in the first place, Mother Nature goes and turns against us! There was nothing to be done of course except just watch the balloons tumble…with five minutes still to go before midnight! One of those moments where we were glad we had an understanding crowd this time around, because by that point no one really cared.
Can you believe that just happened?
Honey, at this point I’ll believe anything!
Thankfully, the rest of the countdown went without a hitch, the confetti fell in a sparkling snowfall from the ceiling, the balloons were burst by a multitude of spiked heels, ticker-tape flew from the balconies like something out of an old Love Boat episode, and no one remembered the words to Aulde Lang Syne, but then no one ever does…
Normally I would kick off my high heels and head for the after party, but with the seas being what they were I was exhausted by the time midnight rolled around. I went upstairs briefly, but I hid in my usual corner behind the DJ Booth – chatting with one of my fellow team members (new year’s eve the singles tend to team up for the sake of commiserating…I’ve discovered it’s an oddly good way of making friends) – staying safely out of sight of those who might attempt to ask us to dance; because by that point there was no way we were staying on our feet. I can wear my ‘Dorothy’ shoes for hours and still be comfortable, but in those high seas, it was my ankles that were starting to grumble.
When we were satisfied that we had fulfilled our duty of seeing and being seen, we made our way to the nearest crew staircase, shed our shoes, and crept – giggling somewhat – down the cold metal stairs to the warmth of our respective cabins; grateful – as usual in these cases – to slumber away the first few hours of the new year.
After all, work still comes early out here, even on New Year’s Day.