Gone Cruisin': Switching things up!

Hey guys,

Well I know I just posted a blog not too long ago, but it took me a while from the time I wrote that to the time that I actually posted it. I figured I’d write one and post it actually after I was finished. The reason it took me so long to post the last one was that I finished it on my second sea day of the cruise and then the following cruise I was host on duty, which means I can’t leave the ship for a whole cruise so I wasn’t able to go get any free Wi-Fi. When you are on a cruise ship for so long, your first stop off the ship is usually to get some free Internet.

So, I am going to back up a bit to last cruise. I was host on duty as I said earlier and that means that I have to stay on the ship from the morning we arrive in Boston until the last sea day obviously. Then, the following morning when we arrive in Boston I will no longer be on duty. As host on duty, you must run all the activities while in port for those guests that either choose to stay on board, come back early, or leave the ship late. The activities are usually a basketball free throw competition, beanbag toss (what the ship calls it) or corn hole (what I call it), and then a mini golf tournament followed by a trivia usually. Most of the time you have the same people following you around to the activities so you kind of gather a little mini family. I really enjoy this part of being on duty because you can really get to know some guests. It’s really nice. Other things that I have to do while on duty are: pick up the bingo cards, set up for some activities (fun hop, 60 seconds or less, prepare for deck Olympics, etc.), put out the morning puzzles, and do the morning trivia every morning. Again, most trivias you have the same people showing up all cruise long so you can kind of get to know them a bit more as well as them getting to know you.

Oh, I don’t think I have mentioned this yet, but our entire host team has nicknames so when I came on board they had to think of one for me. Suzie, our Cruise Director’s wife, thought of one for me; she decided on Alycious. Everyone decided that it fit pretty well so I now introduce myself as Alyssa but around here I go by Alycious. I have guests calling me Alycious once in a while lol I’m finally getting used to it. At first it would catch me off guard or I wouldn’t recognize it lol. But now, I’ve gotten used to it and I will respond to it just like Alyssa.

Well the last couple of cruises have flown by. Since our last 4 day cruise, We have had two 5 day ones. The first one I was on duty, this last one just flew by. I think it was because there was a lot going on at home that I was thinking about. Happy Belated Birthday Cameron!! And Happy Birthday Aunt Betty!! I hope you both had wonderful birthdays. I was definitely thinking about you guys and I definitely watched Spiderman on your birthday Cam. I wish I could have been there to celebrate with everyone, but I’ll try and make it back for next year.

As of right now, I’m sitting on one of our open decks writing to you all (although, you won’t be reading this until 2 days later). Today we were in Boston and it was our last day in port here until September. We will be back here in 5 days but it will just be to debark the guests then we will take off for New York City for our relocation. We will just have an over night and embark guests the next day in NYC. I’ve really loved what I have seen of Boston, but I’m very excited for NYC. Today I was lucky enough to go tour Fenway Park!! I had been pumped about this for the entire cruise because I had planned it as soon as we left Boston the time before. I went with two girls from Camp Carnival, which is our youth program here on board. Kellie, Meechy, and I all went together and had a blast. It was nice to spend a day out enjoying baseball with some girls that enjoy baseball as much as me. I was completely in awe of Fenway. All the history that is there and just the fact that I can say I sat on the Green Monster is pretty cool. I would have loved to catch a game, but maybe I can in September when we start coming back to Boston. I even charged my phone while I was in the press box!! How many people can say they did that?! Haha not too many! Well I will post some pictures that I took on the bottom of the post so those of you who have never been there can check it out.

Well, this next part is just about as surprising to you all as it is me because I had just finished telling you about getting ready for relocation. I finished writing about Fenway and it was time for me to start working for the evening so I shut my computer down and went to get ready. As I’m getting ready to head up to the Lido deck for our sail away party, I see our cruise director and he said he wanted me to stop by after I finished sail away. That was fine with me because he has had me do that before just because there are little things I’m working on to try and be an even better host. That is what I figured he wanted to talk about. Well I come down after sail away and he let me know that I am being transferred. I’m being sent to the Conquest because they need some help on their ship and the Glory is the only ship in the entire fleet that has 4 hosts and we are only budgeted for 3.5 hosts. I’m not sure where you can find half a host, but oh well. So yes, I’m only being transferred temporarily to the Conquest as of right now. This will be my last cruise on the Glory and I will debark in Boston and miss the relocation to NYC. I will then meet the Conquest in Belize on August 2^nd. I will be there until the 24^th of August and then fly back to the Glory. The Conquest is out of New Orleans and does a couple of different 7-day runs while I’m there. I’m sad to be leaving here so soon because I’ve started to make some really good friends, but I’m also excited because I get to do some more traveling and have some more adventures. The thing that I’m least excited about is that I have to pack again and lug all my crap through the airport and all that jazz, especially since I’m going to be traveling internationally. Yes, I know my life is rough. Haha I don’t know too many hosts that can say they have been on 3 different ships in their first 2 months with the company. The whole reason I am going is because I am the newest one to this ship, the girls have contracts that are ending soon and Jason needs to stay to balance out the girl to guy ratio. I’m perfectly fine with transferring; I’m honored actually that Josh, my CD, has enough faith in me to send me. It is only going to make me an even better host. I’m also very excited that I will be back in the Caribbean for a little while. I’m going to try and get as tan as possible while I’m there. I’m feeling a bit white since I wear long pants and a sweatshirt just as much as I do a tank top and shorts.

Well, I think that’s enough excitement for now as I will be posting this tomorrow when I get into St. John, New Brunswick. I got lucky and don’t have to do gangway in the morning so I can get off the ship a bit earlier. For those of you that are reading this and are either on their way up or already there, I hope you have a blast at Lake Almanor. I had been doing a good job of keeping it off my mind that I had even forgot that it was the end of the month already, but then I was talking to Mom yesterday telling her that I was getting transferred and she didn’t even want to tell me what she was doing on Saturday because she knew it would make me upset. As hard as I tried to keep it in, I ended up crying. I’m definitely going to miss being there with you guys. I hope to skype with you all on Sunday maybe? If not I’m sure I will have a day off before I head to the Conquest. I hope everyone has a drink and an extra bite for me while you are up there. J Also one last major thing as well, congrats to my absolutely amazing friends Elizabeth and Ande!! I wish I could be with you two today to celebrate the joining of your lives. I’m definitely thinking about you guys. I’m there in spirit.

Love and Smiles to everyone,

Alyssa

ps. I'm attaching the link to my cruise director's blog. He is a pretty cool and funny guy. I also got mentioned in his last post! :) http://bigsexyinc.com/