The first time I got sick was during the fifth month of my contract. I got the infamous Norovirus which spreads so easily and if you don’t report symptoms right away you get a formal penalty. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain. 

It was the end of September 2013. This is the period when I got really scared on the ship Royal Princess for the first time. We were still on the Mediterranean cruises and the ship was on its’ way from Marseille to Barcelona. The sea was so still and I was working the first shift, a little before midday.

During my first contract, I had one lady giving me the biggest shock in 8 years of Hospitality, so what happened. 

We passed through many cities on our way to Alaska. I went to Cabo Saint Lucas with Aleksandra my roommate, although we only had an hour and a half to be there. But no matter, it was just enough time for us to take some photos, buy hats and scarfs, have a Corona and go for a little dip in the water. We also met with a few people and had a chat with them.

The positive side of the job is the travel, of course. We visited lots of cities because the ship is always ported somewhere else. 

The bar manager Janice was English and was very fair during my contract on Island Princess. She would make Bar waiter rotations so that everyone would get a chance to work in different bars. If there were four-bar waiters in one bar, then you would spend four weeks working in that bar and after that, the crew would rotate places. I thought that was really fair.

For the last two months of my first contract as a Bar Waiter during the Antarctica season, I worked in Cafe Bar. It was a mess every day, working from 12 pm till 6 pm. From the moment when I arrive at 12 o'clock in the shift, I spend an hour and a half just clearing up everything from morning tours of coffee and dishes. 

Not long ago P&O cruise ship Oriana was sold to the new China-based Cruise Company Astro Ocean Cruises‬. After the ship was fitted with a new livery and logo during a technical stop-over in Greece the vessel was renamed Piano Land. The new Company has just entered the cruise market but they have strong support from their crew members who know the business due to the fact that most of them are former employees of other major cruise lines.

At Princess Cruises Line from the Bar Department, I was nominated 3 times for Consummate Host of the Month award. 

I met a lot of great people, made a few friends and the passengers were generous with tips. I met two writers and an amazing traveler form Brazil.