Tinkerblue

Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad! Christmas on a Ship.

Seems like everyone wants to know what Christmas on the ship is like.  Sometimes it's just like any other day, and sometimes it's very Christmasy. It's really up to me and how I much effort I put into it. The ship doesn't have a lot of decorations.  A tree  and the Santa Mailbox in the lobby, a tree or two in the main theatre, and some garland in the atrium.  

 

I decorated my headboard.  

 

We put some stickers up on the door. If we'd been more organized Trudy (my cabin mate) and I may have actually decorated the door properly and entered the crew cabin door decorating competition. Yes, there was actually such a thing. Needless to say we did not win!

 

All the shoppies have a stocking hanging in the office.  I put some chocolates from home in each one...Caramello Koalas, Turkish Delight, Magic Elves and Freddo Frogs.  We are opening our stockings before work tonight.

 

Two weeks ago we picked our Secret Santa names.  Our Secret Santa exchange is after work tonight, but mine has been leaving me goodies on my door almost daily!

 

You could say I've decorated myself! I've been wearing christmas earrings (glass Santas from Key West, and a cheapie pair from the mall), charm bracelt and a santa or elf hat everyday for the past week.

 

The coffee shop is selling Strawberry Santa Claus. They are so cute. And  very easy to make!

 

My cabin steward left me a monkey, at least I think it's a monkey, wearing my santa cap.

 

There was a non denominational service for guests this morning and there's one for crew today as well. Yesterday there was a holiday show including Santa in the main theatre, there's been carolling in the lobby, and a couple of times it's "snowed" in the atrium.  I'm pretty sure dinner in the crew and staff messes tonight will be Christmas dinner with turkey and ham and all the trimmings.  

Some of the ports are all decorated.  Grand Turk....

 

and Cozumel...

 

So that's Christmas on the ship.

B I N G O! B I N G O! B I N G O!!!

Last night was a good night. No, a great night even.

It was my night off.
I went for a run.
Watched the crew talent show.
Had a glass of wine.
Played bingo with Sachin and Vikas - we split a two packs of tickets three ways and agreed to split the winning three ways IF we won.

We won.

Bridge Tour

Yesterday, we got to do a tour of the bridge.  I can't post photo for security reasons so you'll have to make do witht a photo of the ship!

 

 

The tour with the Captain and Staff Captain was supposed to last 30 minutes but we were there for an hour.  It was fun to see all the instruments and screens and hear about how we approach a port, how we line up the gangways with the dock, which are the most difficult ports to dock in, when is the most dangerous time, how many crew are on the bridge at any given time, how far we can list before we capsize and so on.  

 

 

See You Soon Vancouver. When It's Warmer!

It's that time again already. Time to say goodbye to my Vancouver friends and head back to work. Tomorrow (or technically later today) I fly to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Then on Sunday, I'll sign on Carnival Freedom.

I have had a great month in Vancouver.  The highlights in no particular order:

• Spending time with Erin, Paul, Mackenzie and Ailis. Trying shots of Baileys in toasted marshmallows.

 

• A month with Michelle and Jamie. Wine. A new pair of mitts knitted for me by Michelle. Wine. French onion soup. Meat pies. Ribs with limed asparagus and roasted yams. Toobs even got to meet some family. Nights curled up in front of the fire with Bella purring on my lap.

 

• Mockingjay Part 1 at the VIP cinema with Erin. Deep fried pickles.
• Staying with Andrea, Sean, Noah and Logan. Cupcakes. Shopping at the outlets. Dinner at Olive Garden.
• Coffee and cake with Andrea C and meeting Oliver for the first time. He's such a cutie. I didn't want to give him back.
• Watching a Canucks game at my old local with Loraine and Trevor. I even won two prizes!

 

• Gluwein at the Christmas Market with Judith
• Dinner and cocktails and wine with Marla, Shannon, Max and Michelle. Thanks Jamie for driving us.
• 4 days at Disneyland with Tate.  

 

• Dinner with Joanna and Merdeka and lunch with Joanna. So happy to hear everyone is healthy. Missed seeing Kim.
• Working in the Kaethe Wohlfahrt store at the Vancouver Christmas Market again.  Some familiar faces - Steve from Minnesota and Tricia from Vancouver.

 

• Lunch and a pint of Blitzen with Goose at Steamworks
• Macaroni and cheese made by Michelle's mum, Susan
• Mac and Cheese made by Andrea O. Are you sensing a theme?

I'm sure there's more.  But at 2am that's all I can think of.  I'm sad that I didn't get to meet up with Susan or Kyla or even get to talk to Carlea and Andreas or Steph and Scott or Jacqui and Sean. I wasn't able to get to Kelowna to see Heather, Yves and Isabelle or to the Sunshine Coast to see kayaking friends, or to Whistler etc.  A month seems like a long time, but then it just flies by and it's time to leave again.

 

 

 

 

Silent Night by Pentatonix

It's day 2 of the advent calendar, or it was. I'm a little late posting this.

I've been updating my Christmas music. I've added two new (to me) albums to my Christmas playlist...

That's Christmas To Me by Pentatonix.  They have an amazing rendition of Silent Night, which is my all time favourite Christmas carol.

 

 

 

The second album I downloaded?

Under the Influence Holiday Edition by Straight No Chaser.  Text Me Merry Christmas just cracks me up. I especially like the Vanilla Cinnamon Baileys.

 

 

 

What are you listening to this Christmas?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's December Already

I'm running late. I forgot to buy an advent calendar.

What's been happening lately?

In my world...
I'm working part time at the Vancouver Christmas Market. Because everyone works during their vacation.
Tate and I spent three days in Disneyland for US Thanksgiving.
I've been able to catch up with several friends during this vacation.
Back to work on another ship at the end of this week.