Transatlantic Voyage Begins

Today is our final Barcelona Embarkation, where we pick up everyone who'll be along for the ride across the Atlantic Ocean to Galveston Texas, our future home port. We've had some problems with people getting sick (GI) on the ship, so have have to go into a more strict health code. So today everyone had to help sanitize the ship. I was assigned deck seven, port side, and my job was to hit all the doorknobs and handrails with my rag and chlorine bleach, 1000 parts per million (watch your eyes!) Luckily it only took about 20 minutes to do. Everyone has a job like that so that the whole ship can be sanitized in that short window between disembarking and embarking guests.

We were finally granted shore leave at about 12pm, and I managed to make a quick Metro trip out to the Sagrada Familia, and actually go inside this time (no lines in late November!). It was neat to see, even though it is still heavily under construction. After a couple of photos, back on the Metro to my favorite café for the last time, where I'm writing this post. I am pretty excited for the crossing, and can't wait to see these two islands I've never been too in the next couple of days. Well, I've got to run back to the ship since we have an earlier call time before the transatlantic, but I have some good news re:my last post - due to excessive complaining by people like me, the ship is going to pull together a Thanksgiving dinner for us in the mess hall in a couple of days. It'll be December, but better late than never, right? :-)

Thanksgiving

I just had my third Thanksgiving in a row on a ship instead of at home. Usually ships pull together a nice Thanksgiving dinner in the buffet area or in the crew mess halls, but unfortunately the Voyager dropped the ball this time. Their Thanksgiving dinner selection included someone's idea of "American food" instead. So instead of Turkey with stuffing and cranberries, we had hot dogs and barbecue ribs. But I guess they tried.... Thanksgiving isn't widely understood by the rest of the world since it is a pretty distinctly American holiday. On the other hand, the cruise staff did walk around all night with Turkey hats on their heads, so we can't say they didn't make an effort. I'm told there was even a themed crossword puzzle. One thing I will say, the next time I am lucky enough to be home for Thanksgiving, I will be doubly thankful for it.

Tonight the new cast will open the Broadway production show for the first time since they came on board, so it is a big night for them. After tonight they will be able to relax a bit, especially once the production company bosses leave the ship in a couple of days. But its been hard work up til now. We had to do an extra run of the show yesterday with them, plus another dress run this morning. WE even had to dress up as if it were the show - who wants to put on a tux or formal dress before 10 am?? Not any of the musicians, thats for sure. But its only this week we'll have to do these extra rehearsals.

I've seen the schedule for the 14 day crossing staring this Sunday, and it looks very full and exciting. I was especially happy to see a familiar name among the guest entertainer acts - Mark Donoghue, whom I count as a friend. I know I posted about him before, back in the day....if you dug through the archives I know he's mentioned a few times. Anyway it will be so nice to have someone I consider a kind of old friend on board for the crossing. I thought about Facebook-ing him (we're friends on facebook) to tell him he'll be coming on my ship, but I'm thinking that it might be more fun not to tell him. I think I'll find out what room he's in and what day he boards, and then just knock on his door and surprise him. :-) That prospect has put me in a pretty good mood, I'm really looking forward to seeing him. Hooray for it being a small world! You never know when you're going to run into someone again.