For nine months I’d been organising entertainment and refurbishment for the Silver Helm ship. Arabella and I had pored over carpet samples and fabric swatches, discussed which bars or public areas different entertainers would perform in and ordered hundreds of books for the library. For the last few weeks I’d been preparing detailed itineraries for ship visits, discussing which cabins on which decks we would be able to show prospective passengers even what we’d eat for lunch. During all this I had never actually seen the ship. Finally, on 21 May 2013 I was going to board her.
21 May 2013
Last night there were more walking dreams. This is becoming a bit of a regular thing and I really need to get some real walking in, if only to try to get them to stop. This time I was walking a Moonwalk but it wasn’t around London. The course was strange with lots of obstacles and I was not doing well, feeling like I was running out of time (perhaps that’s because that’s exactly how I’m feeling in real life right now), then I came to a strange water section, like a big flume. I almost gave up there and then because I hate things like that but I couldn’t bear the thought of giving up so I jumped in. The feeling of being in the water was so vivid, taking a deep breath, afraid of when I’d be able to take another, the blue of the water, big bubbles all around. It seemed to go on forever but finally I was at the finish line, people were putting big fluffy towels around me and Nina Barough, the founder of Walk the Walk, was personally presenting me with a medal. Then I was in the office. The top of the building was being spun round like some crazy revolving restaurant and I thought I was going to be sick. Goodness only knows what it all means.
Anyone who knows me will tell you I’m not a morning person. It isn’t even worth talking to me until I’m showered, dressed and have at least one cup of coffee inside me. That isn’t to say I’m a night time person either because I’m strictly an early to bed kind of girl. In fact there is quite a small window during the hours of daylight when I’m more or less human. In my opinion my bed and I don’t spend enough quality time together. This morning we parted company far sooner than I’d have liked. Half past five to be exact.
Today was the first ship visit and, because of the early start, I got everything prepared last night, well as much as I could. My smaller Ted Baker handbag was found in the box in the bottom of the wardrobe and cleaned. All the paperwork Arabella had asked me to bring was packed neatly away in it along with my diary, a brochure, paracetamol (just in case it turned out to be one of those days) a bottle of water (because heaven only knew when I’d get a drink) pens, purse, passport (very important or I wouldn’t get into the port) and various other junk that may or may not have been necessary.
Even my clothes for the morning were all put on a hanger in the gym in readiness. Smart buisiness dress of black Jasper Conran trousers with a matching jacket and white shirt plus a cardi just in case it was cold on the ship. After all that it was out to the kitchen to cook the potato topping for tonight’s cottage pie dinner. By the time all that was done it was almost ten o’clock and, given the early start, cocoa and bed time. Organisation is the key to these things and, while I am super organised at work, it is a rare event for me to be as prepared at home these days. Maybe I should make more effort on an everyday basis then I’d have more time in the mornings.
I have to say I was feeling quite nervous about what the day held for me. There were so many things that could go wrong. Yes I’ve organised far bigger events in the past but it has been a while and this ship business is all new to me. The nearest I’ve ever got to a port, apart from walking past Southampton Docks, is the car ferry to France. Then there was hosting the lunch. All I could hope was that no one would ask me anything I didn’t know the answer to and, if they did, that my blagging skills would not have deserted me.
When I worked at the Mad House I would have given anything to be doing what I’m doing now but there was a moment, just a tiny flicker, yesterday evening when I longed for the simplicity of those days. The walking out of the office and leaving it all behind. Then I remembered the horrible calls, the pressure of the stats, having to take call after call, complaint after complaint, never knowing what was coming next. Yes I could go home at night and forget all about it, although sometimes the horror of it stayed with me and I’d wake in the night in a cold sweat, but it was mind numbing and stressful all at the same time. There was no job satisfaction and no thanks for any extra effort. The more you did the more there was expected. The very sight of the old building still makes me shudder and I used to feel sick when I saw it in the mornings.
It is impossible to have excitement without having a little stress I think and I know which job I’d rather have. The running round like a headless chicken trying to be like a swan, all graceful above the water but paddling like mad underneath is kind of fun, mostly. The never knowing what each day will bring, rather than knowing and dreading it, makes life interesting and the days fly by.
Today certainly flew by. Gigi was driving Gail and I down to the port and, as usual, she was late. She seems to be pathologically incapable of being on time. This morning the problem was shoes. She could only find one of her comfortable ship visit shoes and had to turn everything out of the wardrobe in a panic before she finally had a pair. While I waited outside my house for her I took a look at the garden. The aquilegia look lovely, especially surrounded by the new bark chip. Both choisya are covered in sweet, honey scented flowers now, one on either side of the gate. The golden leaved one is slightly smaller but, what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in the brilliance of its leaves.
We arrived at the ship at about eight and the first job was to lug all the marketing equipment up to the observation lounge right at the top. Why do I always seem to be at the front of the queue when there are boxes to be carted? As the lifts were all taken up with disembarking passengers we had to use the stairs. By the time we got to the top the cardigan came off and was stuffed in my big bag. I was boiling. Who knew there were so many flights of stairs in such a little ship and why do the heavy boxes always have to go to the top?
Of course I then had to find my way back to reception which proved to be more difficult than I’d expected. On the way up I’d been too concerned with getting the boxes upstairs before my arms dropped off to pay much attention to where I was going. There was a fair bit of wandering around going up and down stairs until I realised there were two sets of stairs, one forward and one aft and I was on the wrong ones. Getting lost seems to be another of my fortes. Panic over but what a relief to see the reception desk again, there was a moment there when I thought I’d be spending the whole day running round in circles on those stairs.
Within moments Arabella had whisked me off to look at things, we did a whistle stop tour of the public areas, her eagle eye spotting lots of little things that needed attention, a tiny mark on a wall here, a smudge on a chair there, a little pull in an organza curtain somewhere else. The note book came out and I took down a mass of things to remind her of later. After a quick private view of the owners suites we went onto the bridge and I met the captain and senior officers. I’ve never been on the bridge of a ship before and the array of buttons and levers was astonishing. I was frightened to move in case I accidentally touched something and the ship started moving. The radio officer gave us walkie talkies to distribute to key staff. Thankfully I didn’t have one, who knows what damage I could have done?
After that there was a briefing back in the observation lounge, so more running up and down stairs almost getting lost. There was also a staff photo shoot, goodness knows what they’re going to do with those. From there it was back down to reception to meet the first of our guests, a naval officer, then back up to the observation lounge with him to take him to Arabella who sensibly stayed where she was. Straight away we were called back to reception to meet a second guest, the Zumba teacher, but by the time we got there she’d already been sent up to the top of the ship. Turned out we’d actually passed her on the stairs but as neither of us had ever met her we had no idea.
Back in the observation lounge and feeling rather hot, we caught up with her and joined the throng of ship visitors gathering for the Cruise Directors introductory speech and a welcome drink. Boy did I need a drink by then? Unfortunately there was a bit of a mix up and I was given Buck’s Fizz rather than orange juice. What a shame!
Arabella went off to organise some maintenance work and I was left to entertain the guests on one of the ship tours. I made sure I joined Alice’s group and stayed at the back to keep an eye on the stragglers. We did lose two in the first bar, both had travelled many times before and were really only there for the meal and a few drinks so we left them there and let them make their own way to dinner. This part of the day was very reminiscent of all the educational trips I’ve done in the past, walking round to look at all the public areas and a look at all the different cabin types. Guess what, lots more stairs.
Lunch was wonderful, Arabella disappeared leaving me to host the group, the naval officer, the Zumba teacher, the pianist from the last cruise who had stayed on to play for the visits and the father and daughter team who deal with soft furnishings. There was a dainty little starter, I chose the beef in Stilton sauce, so rich and tasty but just a morsel to whet the appetitie. For the main course I chose lamb with perfectly cooked broccoli, carrots, peas and a potato gratin, creamy, cheesy and probably a zillion calories. Luckily because I was talking I left more than I ate.
Arabella appeared just as dessert was about to be served. She chatted and nibbled at her main while I took the opportunity to polish off a lighter than air square of chocolate cake, pistachio ice cream, a strawberry and a smear of fruit coulis. Yes it sounds like loads but these were nouvelle cuisine portions thank goodness. I also refused wine but I’d have killed for a coffee. There was no time though. There were guests to see off and things to do.
The afternoon was spent running here and there. We had two rival piano technicians arriving to give us quotes on part exchanges for a new grand piano, neither of which knew about the other. Although we’d planned it so they would both arrive at different times the first seemed to take an age to inspect the piano and after a call on the walkie talkie, Arabella mouthed to me that the second had arrived early. Panic stations! She dashed off to keep the second piano man out of the way while I waited with the first. When he finished I had to sneak him down the stairs to reception while Arabella came up in the lift with the second. It was touch and go whether we bumped into each other but we managed to pull it off by the skin of our teeth.
After this bit of excitement, there were new scales to take to the gym, once I’d found it, an inspection of the entertainers cabins, new books and book repair tape to take up to the library. By this time new passengers were embarking and I spent an hour or so putting books on shelves and talking to people in the library, showing them where things were and explaining how things worked. I even had a long conversation with an elderly gentleman about the merits of the different types of kindle.
When I heard the announcement for the safety briefing I thought it was probably time to find my way back to reception just in case I found myself still aboard when the ship sailed. Much as I’d like a Baltic cruise I’d rather have one when I have a cabin and some clothes with me. By this time I’d more or less got the hang of what was where and I manged to get down stairs without actually getting lost. After a few trips up and down the gangplank with various items to stuff into Arabella’s Tardis car and a final visit to the loo it was time to leave. They were all standing around waiting for us to go so they could set sail. We were the last people off the ship and we stood and watched while the gangway was raised and she sailed off.
So that was my first ship visit. The first of many between now and August while the turnarounds are in UK ports. It was exhausting but fun and it was great to actually see the ship I’ve been talking about for so many months. Maybe next time I will have some idea where I’m going and there won’t be so much running up and down stairs. Still it was all good exercise and helped to burn off some of the lovely lunch I almost ate. Now I could do with a week off to recover. Sadly it’s back to work tomorrow though so I guess I should have an early night.
