Tendering is never an easy procedure for anyone, but this ship tends to make it pretty smooth running. Moreover, we somehow manage to make it fun – especially since it means we get to play with the walkie talkies.
Yes yes, I know, you should be professional over the channels, after all, the bridge is probably hearing everything you’re saying. But this is such a fun loving team, and you hand our cruise director a walkie? Seriousness is just not going to happen.
So the whole procedure is really quite simple, two of the entertainment staff (usually myself and one of the workers from kids’ club), man the table in the show lounge to give out the numbered tickets to the passengers. We then wait to receive a call up from the gangway telling us how many groups of numbers we can send down to be loaded into the tender boats. The whole thing is just crowd control. Since I am usually the one most comfortable on the mic, I’m usually also the one manning the walkie, and White and I have developed a random rapport on tender mornings. Yesterday, the newest (and quietest) kids’ club worker was on with me for the first time..
So, White on the walkie talkies? Is a little bizarre…
Oh?
You’ll see…
And the walkie goes off.
Gangway to show room,
Gangway this is show room what can I do for ya
Hey Shaughnessy, that you?
Yup
He-ey beautiful, was hopin’ it’d be you up there, you don’t want to know what it’s been like without ya!
Am here now handsome, what can I do fer ya?
Nothin’ just called to say that security looooooooooooooves you…we looooooooooooves you Shaughnessy
Awww, thank you, we love you too…
Oh, and can you send down four numbers?
Comin’ your way…
And there were calls that came through with a random Spanish accent, calls that came through with (and were returned with) a full Southern drawl, calls that came through with requests for hugs and kisses at the end…etc etc
And we wonder why the entertainment department has the reputation it does….