Some more highlights and enjoyable parts of our Bahamas cruise:
1) The staff on the ship - 900 in total, in addition to the 2,700 passengers. They are all so lovely and go out of their way to make you feel special.
We became good buddies with our room attendant, Oswald who is from Guyana. He said he'd clean our room twice a day for us and each morning we told him our room was fine and he didn't need to, but he'd sneak in and do it anyway. Every evening we'd come into the room to find the lamps on and a towel creature made on our bed. We challenged him to a kangaroo but he said he needed more time to study it. We sat in the hallway with him one morning and got him to teach us how to make the swan, so you're in for a treat if you ever come and stay at Bundeela St!
The staff work on 7 month contracts and don't get a single day off in that time, it's back to back cruises. They then get 2 months off to go back home to their families and hopefully pick up another contract for the next season. Sounds tough, but our waiter from India said that he earns 3 x as much by doing his job on the cruise ships compared with what he'd get at home.
Our waiters knew us by name and were worried one evening when we didn't turn up to our three course dinner in the dining room. They thought it was hilarious that we decided we needed a night off from all the food and just sat and had cheese and crackers by the pool! Dylan ordered eye fillet one night and the waiter said he 'saw on Dylan's face how much he loved it' so went and got him a second one!And when I ummed and ahhed over which entree to choose, he ended up bringing both so we could sample each one. We certainly felt very spoilt by some very lovely people.
My favourite bar guy guessed my cocktail by my personality after having a chat. He figured out I didn't like too sweet or creamy but something that is 'sophisticated'....and made my a Mexican Margarita - yum, he picked it perfectly! And every time I went back he remembered and whipped it up again. If Dylan came with me he always said "Aaahh, something special for the young mister' and whipped up some gorgeous fruity concoction. Yes, they are very good at making spending money very easy!!
It is like the floating United Nations on board, with all of the passengers, but especially with all of the crew who come from countries around the globe. Unfortunately no Aussies this cruise though....perhaps something to do with us having a minimum wage???? On our final night tonight, there was a lovely flag ceremony where all the countries represented by staff on the boat were involved in parades, introductions and dancing.
2) Boat petrol stations - yes they do exist!
3) GaGa ball - Dylan went to the Kids Club a few times to hang out with some other kids on board. He mostly found it a bit young because he was at the age that he was stuck between the little kids and the teenagers, but he did find a passion for a new game - GaGa Ball. It's a modified version of Dodge ball and he loved it. He went up for the GaGa Championship on the final evening and came third. He is leaving the ship though as the Kids Fireball Champion, I think that's another game where you throw a ball at people!
4) Key West, Florida - we had a day at Key West, the most southern point of the US and went on a fun bike tour cruising around the town. The tour highlighted many sites in town that have strong American cultural significance like Ernest Hemingway's house, the little white House, the influx of Cuban refugees, cigars, Key Lime pie (it was pretty yummy), pirates, shipwrecks and a whole lot of tourism. We didn't understand most of the cultural references (who is Jimmy Buffet anyway??) but enjoyed getting out and about.
The architectural style was really gorgeous - Neens, I think you would love it and it reminded me of your place at Breakfast Point, I wonder if that community was modelled on this sort of style? Lots of pastel blues, greys and greens with weatherboards and white windows with shutters. Plenty of lush plants and a very Caribbean, beachy feel to the place.
5) Games on the pool deck - Note Dylan's game face in the ping pong picture.....it's all for show because he didn't beat me once! Over and over again he kept trying, but I prevailed with my superior skill and a bit of luck :) It was super fun being able to play whenever we felt like it, and the bean bag toss game was equally as addictive, Dylan and I have decided we're going to build one for Oberon!
6) This was on the menu for late night snacks tonight...what the?!?!
1) The staff on the ship - 900 in total, in addition to the 2,700 passengers. They are all so lovely and go out of their way to make you feel special.
We became good buddies with our room attendant, Oswald who is from Guyana. He said he'd clean our room twice a day for us and each morning we told him our room was fine and he didn't need to, but he'd sneak in and do it anyway. Every evening we'd come into the room to find the lamps on and a towel creature made on our bed. We challenged him to a kangaroo but he said he needed more time to study it. We sat in the hallway with him one morning and got him to teach us how to make the swan, so you're in for a treat if you ever come and stay at Bundeela St!
The staff work on 7 month contracts and don't get a single day off in that time, it's back to back cruises. They then get 2 months off to go back home to their families and hopefully pick up another contract for the next season. Sounds tough, but our waiter from India said that he earns 3 x as much by doing his job on the cruise ships compared with what he'd get at home.
Our waiters knew us by name and were worried one evening when we didn't turn up to our three course dinner in the dining room. They thought it was hilarious that we decided we needed a night off from all the food and just sat and had cheese and crackers by the pool! Dylan ordered eye fillet one night and the waiter said he 'saw on Dylan's face how much he loved it' so went and got him a second one!And when I ummed and ahhed over which entree to choose, he ended up bringing both so we could sample each one. We certainly felt very spoilt by some very lovely people.
My favourite bar guy guessed my cocktail by my personality after having a chat. He figured out I didn't like too sweet or creamy but something that is 'sophisticated'....and made my a Mexican Margarita - yum, he picked it perfectly! And every time I went back he remembered and whipped it up again. If Dylan came with me he always said "Aaahh, something special for the young mister' and whipped up some gorgeous fruity concoction. Yes, they are very good at making spending money very easy!!
It is like the floating United Nations on board, with all of the passengers, but especially with all of the crew who come from countries around the globe. Unfortunately no Aussies this cruise though....perhaps something to do with us having a minimum wage???? On our final night tonight, there was a lovely flag ceremony where all the countries represented by staff on the boat were involved in parades, introductions and dancing.
2) Boat petrol stations - yes they do exist!3) GaGa ball - Dylan went to the Kids Club a few times to hang out with some other kids on board. He mostly found it a bit young because he was at the age that he was stuck between the little kids and the teenagers, but he did find a passion for a new game - GaGa Ball. It's a modified version of Dodge ball and he loved it. He went up for the GaGa Championship on the final evening and came third. He is leaving the ship though as the Kids Fireball Champion, I think that's another game where you throw a ball at people!
4) Key West, Florida - we had a day at Key West, the most southern point of the US and went on a fun bike tour cruising around the town. The tour highlighted many sites in town that have strong American cultural significance like Ernest Hemingway's house, the little white House, the influx of Cuban refugees, cigars, Key Lime pie (it was pretty yummy), pirates, shipwrecks and a whole lot of tourism. We didn't understand most of the cultural references (who is Jimmy Buffet anyway??) but enjoyed getting out and about.The architectural style was really gorgeous - Neens, I think you would love it and it reminded me of your place at Breakfast Point, I wonder if that community was modelled on this sort of style? Lots of pastel blues, greys and greens with weatherboards and white windows with shutters. Plenty of lush plants and a very Caribbean, beachy feel to the place.
5) Games on the pool deck - Note Dylan's game face in the ping pong picture.....it's all for show because he didn't beat me once! Over and over again he kept trying, but I prevailed with my superior skill and a bit of luck :) It was super fun being able to play whenever we felt like it, and the bean bag toss game was equally as addictive, Dylan and I have decided we're going to build one for Oberon!6) This was on the menu for late night snacks tonight...what the?!?!
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