Happy New Year!!

Last night was New Year's Eve here on the Rhapsody, which meant a busy night for the orchestra. After a morning rehearsal and our two evening shows, the night was just getting started. The orchestra did a big band set in the centrum from 11pm right up until the countdown. The Centrum is a big open lobby that goes up for 5 decks, and was absolutely packed with people. We were right in the middle of things, and all got covered in confetti and had balloons falling all around us when Captain Rick led the final countdown, as we all were sneaking sips of champagne while playing Auld Lang Syne. It was a really great atmosphere with so much energy and excitement in the room. We finished playing around 12:30 as people danced all sround us, and then all went to the back deck to have our crew celebration. We did a belated countdown at 2am for all of us who were working at midnight, which was pretty funny. It was a really fantastic night. Happy New Year to everyone at home!!!

Wrapping up Christmas

On Christmas Eve after our two shows, the band gathered to play carols in the Centrum Lobby, which was totally packed with people. We had planned for ten songs, but ended up doing many more than that because people wanted to keep singing and kept calling out songs. We finished just past 11pm, after which my friends came over to my cabin for a while to hang out. The ship crew welfare had organized a crew Christmas party on Back Deck (the crew bar), so we all headed up there eventually. People celebrated all over the ship, and a few of us ended up at smaller parties along the way, in the engine room and the aft mooring deck. Eventually we all ended up at back deck, and stayed out until the wee hours enjoying each other's company. The next morning I was up at 8am to open my stocking (thanks, Mom and Dad!) and then to go to a secret santa revealing party with the cast. It was a lot of fun, and really made things feel like Christmas. I watched a Christmas movie in the afternoon with my friends, then after work (one big band set in the Centrum) we all reconvened to give our little gifts and enjoy a Christmas mini-feast of crackers and nice cheeses that we had bought and smuggled on in Noumea a few days before. It was a really wonderful day, spent with good friends on board, and I stayed busy enough that I didn't get too lonely being away from home on Christmas. It was great to open presents from family at home, and to be able to call and talk to them from the ship as they opened mine.

Today we begin another special week - our New Year's cruise. Traditionally the most expensive cruise to buy as a guest, it is always very full and with a generally younger and livelier crowd, much like Christmas is. All week the guest gym has been totally packed, and it will be next cruise as well, quite a change from the norm. It is nice to have so many young people on board. I've also glimpsed a welcome name on the guest entertainer line-up for this cruise - Mario D'Andrea. The first show I ever played on a ship, on the Galaxy in May 2007, and a good friend that I haven't seen in a couple of years. He should be on board today in Sydney, and I plan to track him down right away. I'm really looking forward to seeing him again. It should be a great end to the year 2010....time to start thinking of my resolutions!!