I have been many things over the last few years, but I have never been a guest on board my own ship. As crew members, we do have the ability to bring friends on board to sail with us; I’ve had someone sail with me before, when Amras came to join me on my first computer teacher contract almost two years ago now ; but I’ve never sailed with someone.
It’s…surreal.
It’s an experience that’s made even more surreal by the fact that the ship I’m sailing on? Is the flagship. My flagship. My people, my friends, my crew, my workshop….the exact same ship I’ll be sailing on as a regular crew member come August.
Talk about your busman’s holiday!
It does, however, present me with some opportunities I’ve never had on a ship before: I’m technically a guest (though I’m being sponsored by a crew member, so I can’t do anything too crazy) – I can sit on bar-stools, stay out past curfew (yeah we have one), wear jeans in the buffet line-up. It is all kinds of strange…
It’s also giving me a chance to get some work done as far as prep for next cruise, not to mention dropping off my uniforms. There’s the usual onboard meetings and raft drills to attend…and then once all that is done….I get to have the very unusual experience of being a lady of leisure for two weeks…
So if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go and find a barstool to sit on…
Enjoy!