Thursday November 4th, 2010 - Charleston, SC Another new adventure. New port city. New staff to meet. New people to entertain. Too bad I’ll be doing it all on the oldest ship in the entire fleet. Every previous week has had a lot of adjustments for me to make, so why not this one too? I’m sure getting an education. This week’s cruise leaves from Charleston, SC and goes to Nassau, Bahamas. I have no idea where else it stops, if anywhere, and like last week I’m on for the full five days. Most other cruises are either three or four days and off, or seven days with me staying on board while passengers change. Those are the best, because I get paid for two separate weeks. Each cruise has a different length of duration and destination and the company is trying to fit comedy into each of them. I’m assuming they’re bouncing me around to see where I might fit in the best, and I think they really are trying to give me an opportunity. I will just shut up and show up as long as they’ll let me and sock the cash away like a greedy pirate. This sure can be a tough test though. Going through airport security is getting WAY old already. The last thing I feel like doing at 6am is taking my shoes and belt off and hearing some minimum wage halfwit with a plastic badge bark instructions like I’m in the army. Last week, everything seemed to go smoothly with no effort whatsoever. This week has been a lot different, and it’s only the first day. My flight this morning was into Charlotte, NC and then I had to take a shuttle to Charleston to make it to the ship by at least 4pm. My seat on the plane to Charlotte was almost in the very back of the plane. By the time everyone got their bags off, I was in a race for time to make my connection. Of course my gate was clear on the other side of the airport, THE most difficult situation imaginable. Sure enough, by the time I got my bag and made it to the new gate, I was within three or four people from the very last ones on board. I was drenched in sweat, and I can’t believe the airline can’t help someone when this happens. They knew it was a far walk and didn’t even give me a warning much less a ride on one of those emergency golf carts that beep. Charleston was worse. I found the shuttle to the ship, but some lady lost her luggage in Atlanta and they waited for the possibility of it arriving on the next flight. It didn’t, and it made us almost miss the ship. This particular port requires us to be dropped off by a crew van, and finding one with an empty seat was pure hell. Nothing fell together to help me. Just as I finally managed to jump through all the hoops, I received a call from the office in Miami asking if I’d made it. I was just going through final security games but I made it with about two minutes to spare. Stress and tension, welcome back to my life once more. This week is going to be a challenge. I feel it. I’m going to shut my mouth and do what my superiors tell me. I’ll give my very best on stage, and that’s the best anyone could do. Every week seems to be it’s own little unique puzzle to solve. This is a brand new one.
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