Part of the challenge of working on a cruise ship is packing one's belongings. Crew members bring 6 - 10 months of clothes and living supplies with them for contracts and the trick is generally to be able to fit all this into luggage that one person can carry. Not to mention that there is not exactly ample storage space in the cabin for empty suitcases. On my second contract now, I'm able to fit all of my effects into a suitcase, a garment bag, a trombone case, and a backpack. Pretty impressive, I know. That's a lot to carry, but, made much easier by putting my garment bag and suitcase together like a Jenga game and rolling them around the airport.
I had the opportunity to see how the rest of the sign-ons pack their gear on Saturday as we are herded from the hotel to the ship in various shuttle-type transportation and through security checkpoints and introductory meetings like jet-lagged cattle. Most people have the same amount of luggage that I do (minus the trombone) and are able to get along fairly easily. That's not the case with everyone, however, thus the main crux of this post.
Standing outside the Hotel Monte Malaga early Saturday (sign on) morning, I was watching a beautiful sunrise over the top decks of the Adventure of the Seas about two miles away when I heard a quiet and polite "excuse me, please" from behind me. I looked back to see what appeared a small and athletic young woman making her way through the crowd of crew members and tobacco smoke. To be fair, her physical description information had to be filled in later because I really couldn't see much of her. I assumed she was athletic because she was almost completely obscured by luggage. She was carrying at least two suitcases, a huge purse, a backpack bursting at the seams, and another duffle bag roughly the size of a modern hockey equipment bag…and that's just all I remember.
Now, at this point in the story I'd like to make it perfectly clear that once she got everything balanced she was doing fine and able to carry the luggage adequately. It clearly took a significant physical effort, but, she was more than managing. However, the starting, then stopping, then unloading, then waiting, then gathering up belongings, and starting again was also taking it's toll on her as we made our way from the hotel to the shuttle bus to the dock to the security line to outside the ship.
We ended up walking next to each other during the journey to the ship. This can be an awkward time, by the way. Most of us don't know each other, we work in different departments, the ever-present language barrier continues to exist, we all have been playing various kinds of time zone Bingo, and perhaps most importantly the vast majority of us are going to a new ship or maybe a ship for the first time ever. This can make for a lot of tired eyes and awkward pauses in whatever conversation that may happen to take place.
What I'm trying to say is, I never introduced myself and didn't say much of a word to anyone for most of the trip…including this girl carrying luggage for three people. I'm also trying to preemptively defend myself against people who are thinking that I wasn't being much of a gentleman. I have excuses even if they're not very good ones.
So, sign on morning goes like this. Hotel, bus, dock, security check. After we get through security we all collect (there were over 30 sign ons with my group) and move together to the pier directly adjacent to the ship where luggage is lined up and drug sniffing dogs inspect for contraband prior to all of us moving onto the ship proper at last. The security checkpoint is much like the waiting area outside of a gate at the airport with uncomfortable plastic chairs, linoleum floors, and duty free shops hawking alcohol and tobacco. After the last person had made it through the security metal detectors and x-ray machines we gathered our luggage for the walk to the pier.
For some reason at this particular time it occurred to me that I hadn't seen anyone propose to help this young woman with her luggage. Apparently, I hadn't woken up enough or become clear headed enough yet to actually extend a hand to help her myself either. What I did do was approach her as she was struggling to gather her various cases to begin her balancing act and say, "You know, I can't believe that no one has offered to help you carry any of this yet." And then I turned to walk away as we followed the crowd down the escalator. She laughed said something like, "Well, I'm a strong and independent woman here!"
It didn't occur to me until we had reached the bottom of the escalator that I hadn't helped her either. I had just pointed out that none of us had helped her and let her continue to struggle. In my defense, I didn't have a free hand because I was carrying my trombone, but, I still probably could've/should've made it work.
When I reached the pier I turned around and saw her walking about 20 yards behind me…with another guy next to her carrying her huge duffle bag. She pulled up next to me and said, "Isn't he the nicest guy?"
I replied, "Sure seems so. I just realized that I never actually offered to help you. I just pointed out the silliness of the situation that no one had. I feel like a total ass right now."
She laughed back, "It's not a big deal. I can't believe I have all this stuff. Thanks for the 'almost offer' anyway!"
We struck up a conversation and I learned that she was going to be part of the ice cast onboard. The only reason that she has all this luggage is that she is transferring from another contract and hadn't had time to drop some of her stockpiled stuff from the previous contract at home before coming to Adventure. I also learned that I'm clearly not at my best in the early morning in terms of accountability, selflessness, and general awareness of my surroundings.
After all this, I do have a new nickname. She calls me Almost Offer now. Or, just Almost for short.
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