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The most amazing feat that never ceases to amaze me is turnaround day. By this I mean the day the cruise ends for some but is an exciting and joyful beginning for a whole new group of passengers. At about 8:00 AM the ship arrives in the port. As the passengers arriving home at the end of their cruise leave the ship with their new memories the crews are hard at work to get the ship ready to go out again. The work begins many hours before the ship arrives in the port. The crew comes in the night to take luggage to be unloaded in the morning at arrival in port. While the passengers are enjoying the last breakfast and cup of coffee the crew is hard at work to make the next cruise happen on time. They are unloading luggage and trash. Stewards are getting the cabins ready for arriving passengers. Supplies are being loaded for the next cruise. Luggage for the arriving passengers is being loaded and distributed to passenger cabins. Food is being prepped for the arrival of the new passengers that will be boarding soon. The ship is being fueled for another long journey to take the newest passengers on their long awaited vacations. I just listed the basics. I am sure there is much much more going on behind the scenes too.
It is nearly time to leave and the passengers are completing the required muster drill. At the end of the drill the ships horns announce the impending departure. Passengers are taking their spaces at the rails and on balconies to wave goodbye as they sail past those left behind. It is a joyful new beginning. The bands are playing and the atmosphere is a happy one
The doors are closed and the walkways are pulled back from the ship. The ropes holding the ship in place are released and the ship is free. She slides away from the pier and heads out to sea.
All of this work goes on on turnaround day. The amazing thing for me is that all of this is done in the space of about 8 hours. Not just once but over and over again every week in all of the cruise ports. An amazing amount of work done in a short time. Kudos to the cruise lines for this accomplishment.
Laura
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“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.“
---Mark Twain
While boarding our cruise, we tend to forget all the work involved each and every day we are enjoying the ship/ports, food and entertainment daily. You brought up a lot of things we over look...Yes, tons of hard work in a short 8 hours and that is just the beginning for the crew.
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CRUISES
Century 4/1998
Mercury 4/2000+4/2006+7/2007
Sensation 4/2002
Infinity 4/2003
Summit 4/2004+4/2005
Carnival Liberty New Year's Eve 2007
Liberty of the Seas 5/2008+11/2009
Solstice 4/2009
Oasis 4/2010+4/13/2013
Allure 1/16/ 2011
Equinox 4/11/2011
You are so right Donna, so much work for the crew. I never mentioned the shoreside people that put effort into each and every cruise. There are many reservationists and people taking care of special requests. Special needs are taken care of. The gifts we order need to be sent to the right place. Just little details that we never think about. It just amazes me.
Laura
__________________
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.“
---Mark Twain
On one cruise we had late disembarkation and a balcony above one of the loading bay doors. It was fascinating to watch the fork trucks zooming in and out. The dock workers work hard but they get to go home at the end of the day. The onboard crew do all that hard work Laura described and then are ready to greet us with a smile.
Don't forget they may have said good bye to friends they have worked with for months and have to beginning training the new faces that show up.
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Bob
A Bad Day At Sea [with power] Always Beats A Good Day At Work
Alaska 2014 - haven't picked a cruise yet
Carnival: Glory 2004, Destiny 2008, Splendor 2009, Freedom 2011, Valor 2012
Celebrity: Summit 2011
Princess: Ruby 2010, Caribbean 2013
And don't forget all the crew members are as pleasent as if they just boarded the ship with us; eventhough it is more of the same for them week after week for months.
O F c'er
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Experiences over the years enabled me to have all the answers, but not necessarily corresponding with your questions.
Don't forget they may have said good bye to friends they have worked with for months and have to beginning training the new faces that show up.
That's a very good point.
TM
__________________
CRUISES
Century 4/1998
Mercury 4/2000+4/2006+7/2007
Sensation 4/2002
Infinity 4/2003
Summit 4/2004+4/2005
Carnival Liberty New Year's Eve 2007
Liberty of the Seas 5/2008+11/2009
Solstice 4/2009
Oasis 4/2010+4/13/2013
Allure 1/16/ 2011
Equinox 4/11/2011
Thank you for all the kind comments. I do apreciate it. This post was posted in my blog that day but I decided to give it a run here and see how it was recieved.
Laura
__________________
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.“
---Mark Twain
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