Mid Contract Update

Hi there,

I’ve realized that as of tomorrow, I will have been living aboard the Dream for 8 weeks…it seems like a really long time, and short at the same time. Things are good here. It’s not all fun and games like my experience in France was, but I feel good about what I am doing for the most part. 

The hours are actually not as ridiculous as I had expected. Yes, the odd day we can work up to 10 or 11 hours, but most often it’s been between 8 and 9 hours, which is pretty good. Keep in mind that those hours can be spread over an 8am till Midnight time period though, but it’s manageable. 

The maiden voyage is just about to wrap up tomorrow morning, and boy has it been insane! There are many people who have cruised many many many times (some 15-30 times) with Disney alone. Everyone here LOVES Disney, it is crazy. Other exciting events include Donald Duck riding the Aquaduck (the one time I wasn’t there working, hopefully it’s on Youtube), me buying my Maiden Voyage Crew t-shirt (oh yes, I am very excited about it), and oh…me having a 3 hour break right now. Yup, that pretty much sums it up! Nah, it has been a great cruise, nice to start getting into normal operations. I am hoping to get to Atlantis again soon (either this Nassau or the next) and do the Aquaventure, which is their waterpark. The rides look unbelievably cool…sorry Wild Water Kingdom, you have some competition. For example, one of their slides is a straight drop and then you slide down underneath a pool full of sharks. Um…cool.

So let’s recap what I have learned in two months on a ship:

-Bring lots of comfortable clothes (ah my days of accessorizing are long gone, bring on the sweatpants!)
-Make friends in all departments, you never know when you will need their help
-Don’t leave your laundry unattended for too long
-Use your safe (I finally learnt how to use it! Don’t worry mom, they hold on to my passport so it wasn’t in there)
-Buy an American phone because phone cards are ridiculous and I whip right through them
-When using the internet, type all your messages out in Word first and then copy and paste them into the emails once you have signed on…as I am super cheap and stingy with my internet card.
-Febreeze. Enough said.
-Sleep any chance you can.
-Eat when you can, even if you’re not hungry, you will be hungry later when your break gets swapped around or you’re too lazy to get up for breakfast…
-Snacks are your friend when you’re too lazy to get up for breakfast.

-Run around a lot during the day so you don’t feel bad about eating so much.

What I still need to accomplish:
-A trip to the Bridge (a work in progress my dear friends)
-Finish The Good Wife Season 1 (I HAVE MADE IT THIS LONG! I am so proud of myself for savouring every last episode)
-Receiving mail/packages from people who love me…hmm anyone feeling guilty? Just kidding!

I am off to nap now (to fulfill one of the things I learned already)!!