Airport beaches, Forts and Beached Whales
So, before I start I would just like to state that I have no clue how I am functioning like a normal human being, my friends have been on Night Owls I have been going to the Crew Bar at 1 and I am running off little to no sleep- sat here typing wondering whether I’m just still drunk? Possibly.
I would also like to apologise with how slow I have been updating this thing. I’m not going to lie I am tired and I have a social life on this ship so any time I’m not working I’m either eating, sleeping or socialising (which is a job application/ interview term for drinking) so don’t worry because I know you’ve not been sleeping waiting for the new blog post.
Anyway, let’s get back on track. This week I’ve been off the ship. Yes, that is right I’ve actually been off the boat! It’s bizarre because before I came on the ship I thought I’d be craving land, greenery and stillness but because the boat is that big you feel like you are on land. So, what am I three weeks in? Nearly at the month bench mark and I have lost all sense of times and days I just know whether it is a sea day or a port day.
Don’t forget to check out my photo album at the bottom of the page…
Started this cruise off doing DEBARK. Which pretty much means I have be at work at 6am telling guests where to go in a nice way. The pros to it that I got to say goodbye to all my favourite children and I got to speak to the guest. However, the massive CON is that I was awake at 5:15am. But, the Cruise director rang our Y.D (Youth Director) to tell us what a fabulous job we were doing. I got asked so many times am I from London? And when I replied no it is usually followed up with a are you sure? Erm you know what now that you’ve questioned it I’m not 🙄 however, one guest made my day when they asked was I from near where Hollyoaks is filmed? I was like YAASS. Debark was followed by Seuss table- which I might have accidentally oversold oops, safety briefing and Sail away party. The meeting was fun because I got told I got my first TGM. Which stands for… well I’m not that sure but… I was buzzing. Pretty much it’s when guests leave they have to fill out a survey and they can mention any staff that has made their experience and yep that’s right I got my first one. HOW EXCITING. I also made it to the gym that day whilst I was being a top mate waiting for Jackie and Marianna to finish night owls.
Monday was elegant night which if you’ve been on a cruise before you will understand how hard it is to gage the dress code. Some people go full on prom- long, sparkly dresses and some people go slightly more cocktail attire. We went out to the nightclub to celebrate Ana’s 11 years in the company. I’ve noticed here they bloody love a line dance here. Think less country music and more cha cha slide. It’s odd you have to pinch yourself at times to make sure you’re not dreaming or secretly in a musical (god help me if I am with my voice) We then sloped off to crew bar where we stayed up late talking and making plans where we going the next day.
Grand Turk and with not much time off the boat we decided we would just go for lunch. First impressions were wow. It’s truly beautiful. The moment you walk off the boat/ship (not quite sure which one) you are greeted by beautiful, golden beaches and clear, blue water which is such a cliché but it is a beautiful, breath-taking cliché. Only a five-minute walk away we ate at the Beached Whale. The food was lovely I had coconut shrimp and staff were super friendly and helpful. The only downside was no Wifi. I know having to converse with one another is such a social faux-pas these days. But eating your lunch looking out at the beach is not a bad way to spend a Monday morning. After food, we went to sample a smoothie. Now the large smoothie was only $1 more and honestly when I was ordering I didn’t really see a size difference. Oh, how wrong I was. How extremely wrong I was. IT WAS HUGE. I also felt slightly sick after finishing it.
After work I went to watch one of the shows (Amore I recommend it) and I went to Havana to be subtly reminded that I have no rhythm and I can not dance. Honestly, I could give you a list of excuses but top and bottom of it is I am shocking at dancing. My A.Y.D (Assistant youth director) however, wow! She dances like she has no bones in her body every move is so fluid. I just watched her in awe. Havana was then followed by crew bar (shock such a creature of habit) and then pizza which was lovely but when you are strolling in at 3:45 in the morning and you want to go to San Juan the next day that is when problems start to develop.
I’m not quite sure why the girls of West Side Story never wanted to go back to San Juan because I could quite happily live there. It is stunning. It almost reminds me of Palma in a way. It has that romantic air about. Almost like you could fall in love. We went to visit the fort which was amazing. It was huge and the views were outstanding. It was only $7 to get in and your ticket allowed you to access both forts- side note no clue where Fort numero two was… Now I would love to recommend this place to you, as it was brilliant but, I have no clue what it was called and all I can tell you it was on top of a hill (helpful I know) and about 10 minutes away from the port that I docked in. So, good luck finding it, right? I loved walking around San Juan all the building were so colourfully printed and Jackie (who is my own personal tour guide thanks girl!) took Gerry and I to the amazing popsicle place (ice lollies to all of us Brits) Senor Paleta. It was so nice I asked for a Strawberry lemonade in perfect Spanglish. Whilst I was waiting for Jackie to finish Tamara, Aminta and I went to Havana again (more awkward white girl dancing) and then we went to the nightclub. I bailed slightly earlier so that I could get changed, go get Jackie and we went to watch Ready Player One. Not a bad film but at the same time not the best film either.
During St Kitts, I stayed on the boat and me and Jackie watched Bring It On (the fifth one) and I fell asleep so I would just like to apologise in again! St Maarten was so much fun. I didn’t have much time off the boat but we ended up going to airport beach. Okay, so if you are going to Airport Beach (I can’t remember the proper name but everyone knows it as that) see if you can jump in a mini bus (you’ll know the ones because they will give you a wrist band) in a taxi we were told $20 one way however, on the mini bus it was $16 each. I don’t really understand the logic behind it but, I wasn’t going to argue, was I? It took about 40 minutes to get there- they say Friday is the best day to go because they have less traffic. During the drive, we got to see the damage that the hurricanes did last year, it is a tragedy but the people of the island have a real ‘get up and go’ mentality and they are starting to rebuild. Let me tell you about Airport beach, it is one of the most bizarre and brilliant places that I’ve visited. It literally is the beach next to the airport- how cool and when planes are landing they fly right over you. It is crazy. It was also so busy- I was there Easter weekend though and when I say a beach it is more a strip of sand surrounded by the crystal, clear ocean. Honestly, each port I go to I think the water can’t get be more beautiful than the last but I am wrong. We ate at the restaurant next door which I wouldn’t recommend. We both had a soda (so American now) and we shared guacamole, Jackie had tacos and I had coconut shrimp-which were all classed as starters. Don’t get me wrong the shrimp was delightful, nice to taste hot food and I would’ve liked some chilli flakes and some salt in my guac but that is just personal preference. My real issue with the place was the price. Like it was $50.30 between us. Which is a lot for what we ordered. It reminded me slightly of Mambo beach in Ibiza, you’re paying more for the location rather than the food. I was amazed at how blasé the parents were when they were telling me they were at airport beach it was like they were telling me they saw someone from Corrie at the Traff (something that happens all the time)
So, this was my third week in and it’s honestly strange I feel like I’ve always been on a ship/been here a day. I pinky promise I will update you more because I know this is your everything. Okay so know I’m off for a nap and sushi… hard life…
xoxo