Cruise 43

I have 25 weeks left

My favourite food at the moment
Breakfast: Cherios cereal and watermelon, a muffin and danish with a cuppacino
Lunch: salad and usually grilled chicken breast or hamburger patty (tastes like wimpy)
Dinner: salad, watermelon, salmon, broccoli and eggplant in batter with tomato and grilled cheese on top.

trying very hard to eat well..been a bit hooked on the dessert at the moment.

Moved into my new room on Sunday, it's great, it's clean and organized and quiet. My new roomy's name is Justine from Lenasia in Joburg.

Saw the ice show the other night, it is excellent! Went to a place called Jonny rockets on board for a burger, it tastes like steers and they make the best milkshakes- the best part is we don't pay extra cos we are staff!

Shauni and Marissa 2 South Africans left on Sunday so we all went out to the Krypt- it's so horrible when people start to leave. Suppose it is part of the job.

Have realized that it does not make a difference whether the darkies are from America,Jamaica or Africa they are still all the same!

Have been keeping up to date with the cricket, it is great fun having a competition with the Aussies on board cos our 2 countries are always competing, now I can actually discuss it with people from that country. We all have bets on the world cup. The americans are not interested so the Aussies, Kiwi's, British and S.A stick together, it is great.

Had my first good comment the other day. It is a big thing here because the ship and the departments work on ratings. The Spa and the GYm are usually top so when someone gets a good comment from guest relations then you are in the good books, although you can imagine what happens when there is a bad comment about you.

Going for lunch in Mexico tomorrow with Amy then have the whole day off in Grand Cayman on Wednesday, don't think i'm going to get off the ship, going to spend the whole day in the spa, need my hair done, nails and a facial.

I recieved my parcel from my parents today, i love pressies, they delivered it right to my desk in the gym, it was the best surprise when i came out of my consultation to find it waiting for me.
I have the S.A flag as a keyring and i'm wearing the cricket top wherever i go. You become very patriotic when you are amongst so many countries.

It is formal night tonight so have to go get all dressed up to watch the show tonight at 22:45 called MArquee- it is all the broadway shows, i'm interested cos of the Phantom of the Opera and Joseph and the technicolour dreamcoat sections.

This week so far..

I have been a bit distant cos the internet is not working in our rooms so i have to walk all the way to the back of the ship to mail from the crew mail.

It's been a busy week, this week the guests are all wanting there body's tested but not willing to buy the products.

Day off in Jamiaca today, Justine and I went to Dunn's river falls, the largest waterfall in Jamaica. We climbed up the emtire way. It is a 2 hour drive to Ocho Rios to get to the falls. Learnt alot of the history behind Jamaica, saw lots of World cup cricket signs.
Each group has a guide that takes you up the falls, we all link hands at the bottom of the falls to make a human chain and then slowly climb up, rock by rock through the water. I bought the DVD so all at home can see what i experienced. They then took us shopping to buy some souveniers.

Broke the news to my roomy today about me moving out. It was so hard. She started crying, just what i thought, then told me i was unfair cos she was so happy living with me, I feel so bad but now it's done and a whole weight is lifted off my shoulders. I will be so much happier in the other cabin.

Slamming

Well well well....what do we have here???? a new retailer in the making, if i might say so myself. I started yesterday (saturday) on $1400 and that was far to low- well I made $2950 in one day alone, 2 huge dockets of retail, $1200 and $730- so I finished on $4489 for the week, I am saved for this week, out of the bad books for a while.

New cruise today, once again, loads of kids, once again. started at 11:30 2 lie ins this week, wow!
Have made stacks of bookings so far for tomorrow so hold thumbs for me that I can do my retail magic.

Looks like I'll be making a visit to the Dentist in Mexico on Tuesday, I think i need my filling replaced. I am so stingy with my money right now, I really don't want to start having to pay for things.

Only finished work at 11pm cos we had to count and unpack 8 crates of stock. We then had a race down the elevators and all the way along the I-95 (highway) to the garbage place with our trolleys...got to have some fun.

Sea day tomorrow so guess i should make my way to bed now. It's gonna be hectic!!

16th March

Last night Amy, Lyle and I had a date at the Windjammer, so I had Sushi 2 nights in a row, yum yum! From there we went to Vintages which is the wine bar on board, we ordered our wine flights, i ordered the 'Down Under' flight which is all New Zealand wines, they give you half glasses of 4 different wines to taste, from there we went to "the Zoo" which is the Crew bar, in our formal wear and all!! Stayed there till I have no idea when, thank goodness I had today off!

Speaking of which, I made my way to the beach around 11am after a wee deserved lie in! Amy and I lay on floating mats in the middle of the ocean for about an hour, drifting all over the place, I then went and got some snorkel equipment to venture around the reefs, saw some small fish but one of the girls on the other beach had a baby shark following her, how cute, nothing exciting from my side though! Lay on the beach for about another hour until we had tanned enough, had some Labadee lunch and made our way back to the ship.

Rebecca (the new fitness) and I went to go watch the show at 9pm 'ONCE UPON A TIME' It is so good and what makes it so much better is that we are all friends with the dancers so they come to our fitness classes and we go to thier shows.

Came home and watched a DVD.

Told off

15th March

Already half way through another month. No retail yet so i'm in trouble, once again.

Last night we went to Windjammer for Dinner. I was craving my Sushi. Went with Joy, Rebecca, Justine and Marisa. I heard today that they read my global Hi out on the radio, I'm so glad, can't believe how quickly they read it.

I was chatting to the Sports staff supervisor today about getting a job in sports staff, they get paid salary each month, they only work when we are sailing and they get to be outside all day workinga at the rockwall, flowrider, organizing the family quests, Adventure golf etc...think that is far more up my street, that is if I come back onto the ships, just keeping my options open.

Watching the Tennis masters at the moment, wish we got coverage of the world cup cricket but tennis will do.

Tomorrow I have the whole entire day off in Labadee, tonight I have a date with Amy and Kyle.

Cruise 41

New cruise, new fitness girl, new week. It is new everything each week. which is great but each week you start all over again trying to seel and get appointments in, its like starting new job each week, so quite stressful.

Our clocks moved forward 1 hour on Sunday night cos America has gone out of daylight saving now, so we wake up in the dark but on our way from breakfast we walk on the outside of the ship and watch the most incredible sunrises. It is light until 8pm now which messes your head up.

I am really loving my boxing and getting really strong, took on two brothers today for a whole hour and i was the only one not sweating. My shoulders are stiff though and the bones in my right hand feel like they have been smashed together.

Loads of kids on board again, and will be for the next month cos there are spring breaks everywhere. It's so facinating how different each cruise is, one week there are stax of French then the next week is all spanish. This week is all Texas and Canada. I have also realized how different Canadians and Americans are. each week you have to learn how to handle the different people for example if they are New Yorkers they are very strong ubrupt, arrogent people so you have to be over strong and tell them what to do not giving any options. The Irish you have to be a bit gentler with and they are always full of jokes.

The tennis Masters is on, watched Fed lose and Hewitt. So great to watch some normal sport not just Basketball and baseball.

Biggest one yet!

Good news, my cruise was saved tonight by a guy named JP! he bought 9 months detox from me $924!!! I was being told off this morning cos my retail was so low- now i'm back in the good books for this week. My biggest sale yet! and we get an hour incentive for any sale over $600 so next week i have an extra hour off!!! YAY!

It is Marcelle and Shaun wedding today Saturday 10th March!

My roomate bought me PJ pants as a pressie today! I feel so bad cos I'm going to have to tell her i'm leaving her and moving out!

Did some Yoga on the beach this morning in Labadee, then I had my first swim in the sea in about 2 weeks, it felt so good- then lay on the beach for an hour reading and tanning, been very lazy getting off the ship lately cos been using all my extra hours to sleep. Felt good to lie on the sand. I have decided next week i'm going to make my whole day off in Labadee and just Veg on the beach the whole day tanning and drinking Labadoozies (island cocktail) it is the best way to relax and I don't spend any money. Some lady crashed her jet ski into one of the tenders today-such excitement!
My fitness partner Ian and i are going to start swimming tomorrow. (in the huge lap pool that is about 15m) i suppose it is better than nothing.

This evening I had a walk down the promanade for some late night shopping, still very stingy with my money, wish my sis was here,, there is so much i could buy for her. Had a drink in Vintages, the wine bar. My father would love that. My favourite is to buy the wine "platter" which means they give you about 4 different wines to try for $25. No South African wines though so I have found a good New Zealand wine.

Sitting in my cabin listening to Highveld stereo, drinking a Carona (i know, i hate beer but you have to get used to it here, its the only thing everyone drinks). Very long day tomorrow, I start at 07:30 and my last appointment is 21:00 with only one hour off for lunch. Tomorrow evening we set up for sunday Embark so we should finish around 11pm.

FEELS LIKE HOME

I was so excited last night, i managed to Audio stream 94.7 highveld stereo. I was listening to the Rude Awakening LIVE ON AIR!!! it's perfect timing cos 11pm here is 6am back home so i can listen to most of it. ( I am listening to it right now as I write to you) It costs $7 for 99min. It was so good to hear the traffic and news! Although i don't miss the crime! It Really made me feel at home! I love the internet!
Not doing any retail this week, so i'm expecting a telling off session on Sat night that will go something like "so Leisha what went wrong this week, why is your retail so bad, you really need to make target......"
I am moving house next Sunday, moving in with south African girl Justine, I cannot live with Joy anymore, It is going to be hard telling her though, i feel like i'm breaking up with a boyfriend cos she is so insecure and tells me everyday how she depends on me and needs me and I motivate her! I do feel sorry for her but I am so drained trying to work and then get home to moans and groans and sickness and whatever else is wrong with her.
We are back in code yellow which means we are probable going to have to bleach the ship this Sunday, which means I can't get off!!!! i will be most upset.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to TASH WOOD for yesterday!

ROCKY

The ship has gone headfirst into a thunderstorm, we are rocking all over the place, it's great, you can;t walk straight and when you sit down you have to hold on...it's so much fun. I was sitting doing a consult and one of the pilates machines rolled straight past me. I couldn't help but laugh, it's like everything comes to life.
However it means that tomorrow we might not be able to dock in Gran cayman cos it is a port where we rely on tenders to take us across to the island and if the sea is to rough we can't use the small tender boats, nevermind trying to get people across from one boat to another. which means that everyone with a day off tomorrow can't get off/ Lucky my day off is in jamaica..

The new Fitness that arrived on Sunday is leaving tomorrow, he found out today that his dad is really ill with Lukemia and might not see the end of this week. I swear the fitness centre on this ship is cursed. I don't know when we will ever settle down, into a routine and have some conssityancy, the managers must be freaking out.

We are getting a new girl on Sunday fresh out of Boot camp, which sucks cos we need experience on this ship. that makes 3 new people on this monster of a ship. sometimes i don't know how our managers think!!!!

Been eating really badly this week, i tend to look for comfort food when i'm stressed, as i said before we get so many choices, however you have to choose the healthy stuff cos you can chosse all the desserts and boy are they divine!!!! yip been pigging out a bit.

I got into trouble again this morning, it was my fauilt though, i forgot to set my alarm and arrived at work half our late...you can imagine how much i got told off..i'm getting used to it though! Think I am back in pre school.....

i'll keep you up to date with the ever changing fitness as the days go by...

Friday
Started the day with Yoga on the beach...saw my first ant since leaving home, walking on the sand, sat and watched it for ages, such an insignificant thing but so meaningful to me. I lay on the beach and listened to the birds, such an amazing sound. Makes me feel normal to lie under a tree, listen to the waves, hear the birds..i even didn't mind having a fly buzzing around my head!
My sister would love the ship there is not one fly or insect anywhere to be seen...

Very busy at work, I started helping a guy with a knee replacement, doing rehab on him. I really enjoy rehab training, seeing how much better they feel after the week. The people here this week are really a great bunch, so easy to get along with, most are from Michigan and Massachusettes. Couple of freanch people and 16 South Africans (from Glenvista), so you can imagine the joyous cries when they visit us in the gym and the Spa cos there are 10 South Africans in the Spa and Fitness team.

Went for Dinner at a resturant named CHOPS, with the fitness team, Tim, Wayne, Ian and I. I had a fillet, is was amazing, my father would have loved it. They are really happy with the hard work we did this week and told us that we are going to so very well.
We are getting one more fitness on sunday named David, he is New Zealander. Apparently he is making lots of money on the ship that he is already on, so hopefully is will all be up from here on.

I found out that they hire out bicycles on the ship so guess what i'm going to be doing next time i get a day off, i'm gonna be riding a bike! I miss it so much!
I have been here for 6 weeks and I still have not seen half of the ship. I wish i could explain how big the ship is, it takes about 10 minutes to walk from work on the 11th deck in the front of the ship to the dining room on the 3rd deck at the back of the ship.

1st March

my car is the elevator, the highway is the I-95 (main corridor) my family consits of people from 25 different countries, my garden is the ocean!

good week this week, fantastic people on board, 2 managers have come on to help us. making loads of money, they are giving us all the money they are making. i have learned a lot.
never had a day off this week cos we having training, worked till midnight each night but it feels so good cos i'm learining, everything is more organized and the vibe is incredible. I made my biggest docket this week, i sold $725 worth of products.
Got my first commision pay so i feel like i'm working for something.

My end of contract date is the 16 September- i hope all of you are going to plan the biggest welcome home party ever with all the South african stuff you can conjure up!!!!


One of my guests offered me a job in America organizing events at a university in michigan. I would never move to the US though.

had a PJ party the other night, was so great to go out and dance in my Pajamas!!
Going for dinner tomorrow night with the fitness team.
The new Fitness guy is from SA Cape town....he knows how to work hard, i am so glad.

Losing weight...but have eaten all the desserts this week, they are so awesome!!!

Think i may be settling in finally, i have been away from home for 2 months, i miss home and can't wait to get back but like my manager said the other night "you have been given the biggest ship in the world, grab the opportunity, even if you don't want to be here, live every moment"

Tomorrow is Labadee again, doing yoga on the beach.