Feb 17, 2009

Yesterday we went to the Blue Hole which is a mountain with a stream running down it with waterfalls. We did some cliff diving, they have a rope set up just off one of the waterfalls then we climbed up the mountain to another waterfall and Nick and I ran off the edge of the waterfall and jumped into the river! I did it twice and my friends thought I was nuts! haha, we had the best time there and then finished with a few beers at Margaritaville!

Jan 14, 2009

Woke up in Miami and after a shower and some breakfast, made it downstairs just in time to catch a bus I almost missed! So about 4 hours and 2 buses later I finally get on the ship. Lotta waitin around! :-/ I get on board and sit through some boring meetings in the conference center and after I turn in some paperwork I find my room. Somehow luck is still on my side and I’ve got another porthole room! I believe these rooms are typically reserved for manager types. I’m frickin BEAT at this point, all the travel, the information overload, I get back and find my Movie 40-Year Old Virgin on and relax in my new bed. Phone finally rings, it’s Wes my Head Broadcast Tech. He asks me up to the broadcast room and I meet J****** and D*****, a Philipino and a Canadian. This is the first I’ve seen of the my new Broadcast Room, it’s neat and clean compared to the Explorer. Plus theres this cute lil Sony HD Cam in D*****’s hand! Oh it was sweet! I got my first chance to work with the camera about 20 minutes later covering Sail Away on the Pool Deck.

Jan 20, 2009

Inauguration day, I wake up around 9:30 so I can watch the feed on Fox News, I started in my room, but later made it up to the Ixtapa Lounge where we set up a projector and screen and about 40 people collected to watch the coverage. It was nice, looks like it was cold there, was it? Haha… I made it on shore to Jamaica today, not bad, not great, but I went for a walk and a tourist trap named Jimmy took me on a tour through “The Plantation” it was a quick tour of a farmers market, a flea market and an art gallery. He then requested $30 for the 15 min we were in contact. I tried $5 and agreed on $10 if he’d take my picture in front of “The Beer Joint” this shit hole bar that he took me passed. He was showing me different spices that were available in the markets.

Jan 11, 2009

Holy Hammered I woke up late this morning! Got back to the room around 4am from drinkin with my friends for the last time in the chamber. Woke up at 935 am. Realized I was 2 hours 35 minutes late to meeting Immigration at 7am! OH SHIT!!! I’m also 35 minutes late to getting paid! I pack up the rest of my shit, throw some random clothes on that I left out, and then run up to deck 3! Luckily I get all my stuff taken care of I’m waiting in line with my bags to get onto the shuttle to the airport. Turns out dads in port and can take me himself! So we go get some breakfast and trade some goodies. We catch up at the restaurant and head for the airport. First I find out my flight is delayed from 205 to 315. We finally board and then find out the plane needs a part replaced and can’t take off! So we wait and wait, and finally the part come from Leguardia, sadly, the Giants (who just lost to the Eagles) . It’s about 615 when we finally leave. 3 hours later we arrive in Miami and I check into the Hotel. Crazy fuckin day, but tomorrow, I become a Navigator!

Ready for some big news!?

So sorry I've ben away from the Blogger, Quick catch up right now, Xmas was decent, spent the morning in Studio B with friends as Santa gave out gifts, New Years was Badass. We lowered a projection screen from the ceiling and Ii setup two projectors to cast a countdown and CNN live coverage from Times Square so that everyone on the Royal Promenade could see and celebrate together. I was running around with a camera getting footage of all the people yelling and screaming, it was a lot of fun! We were in Labadee, Haiti last Monday, we had a good time there, my coon eyes showed that night! It was really good. Tuesday we were in St. Thomas, made it to Kmart, Radio Shack, and Blockbuster for a variety of things. I picked up Pineapple Express, hoping to see it for the first time soon! :-D Now for the big news... Yesterday I get on headset in the theatre to do a production we call Captains Corner (guests ask the captain and chief staff whatever they want) and my co-worker Mickey says I've got an e-mail about a transfer! E-Mail says they're transferring me to The Navigator of the Seas. At first I was bummed, then I saw the Itinerary and people on board told me the tech is better and the ports are rockin too! This ship sails out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL and does 4/5 day runs to Coco Cay, Cozemul, Mex and the Bahamas (probly others too...) then on Apr16, we take a 14-day TRANSATLANTIC voyage to the Canary Islands and various Euro ports! I should be in Europe this spring traveling between Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, etc. I'm getting a bit more excited about my transfer! ;-) Sorry again for not keeping up to date, I'll try and back log some stuff for ya. Media is still in the works as well... Rock On Crew! -Ben!

St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.

Today we woke up in port at St. Thomas, we had a boat drill and a scheduled blackout to take care of. The blackout consists of powering down all the equipment and then pulling the main power on the ship. (I admit, it was a bit creepy seeing all the dark hallways.) Then we power everything back on and be on our way! So I go ashore with a buddy and we hit this bar named Ship Wrecked. It's pirate themed of course, all kinds of cool stuff in there like a manican casting a line over the ceiling, a female manican busting out of her plaid tied shirt and capris. It surprised me to see the US Football team logos inside. They had a Denver Broncos sign and a Steelers sign too. But it is a US Territory (I should find out for shore) and they accept USD and such. The guy brings our tab which is $60! Holy crap right!? couple$12 burgers and $25 pitcher of some French beer that I felt should have ben much colder! and then $10 gratuity included "For Our Convenience" psh.. We walk down the road to hit Kmart and Radio Shack and I notice all of the cars are much like the ones from home. (several Grand Cherokees in the line of course!) What I found odd about that is that the cars drove on the wrong side of the road! Then I focused on the fact that the driver was still on the right side of the car! So the passengers side with the median, and the drivers side with the sidewalks! Weird eh?! Couple hours later we make it back to the ship and I fell asleep watchin another movie! haha Rock On Crew! -Ben

San Juan, Puerto Rico

So yesterday we ported into San Juan, Puerto Rico. We were two hours late and couldn't leave the ship until about 6pm due to a medical emergency where we had to helivac a guest out because they were terribly sick. We're on a higher alert and are being told repeatedly to wash our hands more regularly to prevent the spread of any other illnesses, as this is flu season of course! I get off the ship with some friends and we grab a cab to the Mall. (I know, not the best thing to do in a foreign country, but I'm with friends and checking things out anyway!) So we share a cab for about twenty minutes and arrive at this huge mall! We wander around, have some Taco Bell (me and this Boston kid were feinding!) and wander the mall some more. We branch off and see other ship people wandering the mall shopping for things and then head back after we hit Borders. We get back to the port and were'nt allowed in. So we had a few freak outs, then realize its for safety purposes, because the ship next to us was sailing away and they dint want the huge ropes that were tying it to the port, to wack us in the head as we walked by! haha I wander around, have a pina colada at this little stand, then a beer at a sidewalk restaurant where other ship friends were sitting. So the gates open up and I get back on board just in time to a show we call "Love and Marriage."