Its been 7.5 weeks since I left Ireland to my latest and by far, greatest, challenge. I often question myself about whether if I knew what I was getting into would I actually have gone ahead of it but the answer is still yes.
Why am I here? Its a question our ever curious guests ask and some times I have to ask myself.
The answers are simple, and the same for most of the crew on board - we're here for the money and the adventure. God knows, you can pick up a challenge like this anywhere but this is a different level of experience and personal and professional growth! My first contract should pay off a substantial amount of the bills left behind by trying to keep my beautiful restaurant afloat, Inland Revenue off my back and my staff employed and paid on time. After receiving a 5 week extension that I applied for I can now also fly my amazing mam to Singapore to spend a few days unwinding from work and getting to thank one of the most brilliant people I know before returning to Eire for a cold and wet week or two before coming back for another long contract.
Working on board is a huge step up and also a step down from where I was but there are some amazing parts to it, for one I have the absolute pleasure to work alongside some of the most hard-working and dedicated team of people who are experts in what they are employed to do. I cannot even try to tell you on here how the utility guys (the ones who wash the dishes, scrub the ship kitchens from top to bottom three times a day) the housekeeping girls, the laundry guys - the nuts and bolts of the hotel end of the restaurant and bars, are the most incredible people. Mostly Filipino and here on 9 month contracts, yes ladies and gentlemen, that is 9 solid months of early starts, late finishes and not a single day off! I shared a transit back to the ship with one of my colleagues who's wife gave birth 2 weeks ago his first born, a son, who he will not see until he is 4 months old. So when I feel a bit sorry for myself that I am spending 5 months without a day off or a night off I don't feel so bad all things considered.
Then there's the management, the Maître D and all the assistants below who help form the management team who 'manage' us. And boy do they manage us. I've now learned to know what is expected of me and try my very hardest to play by their rules! When you figure out the rules and how best to avoid a trip to the office or getting 'banana' (into trouble) on your shift you must play the game well. Rules change all the time but the basics remain the same. But remembering that everyone above has in one way or another had to suck it up like I am doing and have worked their way to where they are. Nothing good comes easy here but am hoping that it will be all worth it.
As for the guests, they're pretty damned awesome too, currently on a private charter of Jazz musicians but will be swapping them over to 420 new guests for our Greece cruise coming up next before we depart the Med and move on through Jerusalem and Nazareth and on to Asia and Dubai.
Photos as always available on Intagram @moiraswanderlust and on FB https://www.facebook.com/moiraswanderlust
