Sunday, November 25, 2018

Lieutenant Commander’s Log #3


So how would I compare the Silja Cruise to the Color Line Cruise? That’s tough. They both have things I like and things I don’t prefer.   
The band rooms on Silja are a lot nicer. I like how there are bed covers for the twin size beds. So even if the sheets are all messed up, just throw the bed cover over it and PRESTO, nice bed. Color Line has that elongated pillow-looking bed cover, that no matter how hard you try, it’s always wrinkled up and messy. I like having my room in order, so it bothers me to have a messy looking room.  Of course, only the cleaning staff will ever see the room and the ‘room inspectors.’ But that’s me.  

The Food? I was much happier with the crew food on Silja. I admit, I ate salads most of the time. But it was nice to see pasta and rice almost regularly instead of potatoes everyday and they regularly had soup.  Believe me, I would have been happy to serve myself two servings of rice or pasta with a little gravy of whatever the meat of the day was. But I never eat like that on the ship. Home sometimes. But never while on the ship. I’d rather have need of a life jacket in the water instead of being able to float without one. 
On Color Line, I don’t do salads much because I don’t care for leafy lettuce with stems. It’s like having a built-in tooth pick. I like gambling with deadly Romaine Lettuce. You really appreciate life if you survive the serving.  I also eat sandwiches more on Color Line because the selection spread is nicely layed out and mayo is easy to find. Mayo on Silja was too much work to find, no one knew what I was talking about. To hell with processed foods.

Also on Color Line, it was so nice getting to see some familiar faces and others who after 3 years of working on the ship, can’t look at you in eyes or face and say “Hi hi.”  I find the Portuguese personal to be the nicest. They smile and they actually will talk directly to me. After weeks of living in almost isolation, you really appreciate these little things.
   
I often think of Star Trek when I’m on the ship. I recall that Gene Roddenberry wanted the enterprise to display diversity. Diversity is a nice thing to “see”, but there’s another side to it. There are cultures, ethnicities, etc, that will never like each other. Never.  But they are civil towards each other. Don’t let Romanians and Bulgarians spend much time talking about their history. It can get hostile. I’ve witnessed it.  However, I was quite impressed at how much they knew about each other’s history.  Most Americans seem to have lengthy opinions but don’t know much about their own history. Yet, they speak with authority.  Ah... the privileged.

I have one more week on this ship (Color Line Magic), then it’s six weeks on the sister ship (Color Line Fantasy). 




Sunday, November 18, 2018

Lieutenant’s Commanders Log #2

I’m on the Oslo-Kiel ship now.  I would have thought that I’d have made a few blog entries before leaving Stockholm-Finland, but I guess one has to be in the mood. And to be honest, when I noticed how few people read the first blog, it lessened my enthusiasm. But here I am writing because I LOVE writing.   Ha, don’t believe that crap. I’m bored as heck. :)

I think Political Correctness has made deceivers and liars out of everyone.  We now politely judge no one, with a smile, while thinking, “I can’t believe that fat bastard just ordered three ‘Whoppers’ with cheese, a # 5 and a Slurpee.”
If you’re a world traveler, there are things you can’t help but notice in people. For example, physical traits, temperaments, tardiness, etc.   Although I keep my distance from people, they do fascinate me upon observation.  I’ve been that way since I was a kid.

I mentioned that on the Silja ship, the band plays on the promenade as the passengers stroll in. You see everyone and they see you. I’m not on a stage, I’m on the floor, so people literally walk by me. Unlike the Swedish, I found that trying to get Finnish folks to smile is a hell of a lot of work, usually in vain. Particularly the women. 
I was beginning to take this personally, but as I got to know a few of the shop clerks who are Finnish btw, they informed me that that’s “What we Finns are like.”  “We have to get to know you...” They mentioned that because it’s usually cold and cloudy, that lack of sun makes them... Finnish. :)  Hmmm. Well if that’s the case, I’d never knock on an Eskimo’s igloo and ask to borrow some sugar.   Vitamin D is a required supplement in Finland.  One of the clerks recommended a book, “Xenophobes Guide To The Finns”.  That should be a good read. :)

I was chatting with a gentleman who was born in Finland but was raised in Stockholm. He recalled as a kid, returning to Finland only to ask his parents if someone had died. “Why do you ask...”  “Everybody looks like a casket exploded.”   

There was this one ship worker who cleans the promenade.  I’ve crossed her path a few times. She always had this blank look on her face.  I decided to say hello. “Hi you.”  “She looked at me with that blank look, said “Hi hi” and proceeded with her work.  She had an unassuming presence and well... I wouldn’t describe her as pretty. But I was determined to try to get her to open up, just a little.   We met in the mess one day, just the two of us were there. I’m not sure what I said, maybe it was, ”Hey baaaaby you shoooo rock the dust mop.”   And behold, she smiled and she became unquestionably pretty.  She proceeded to ask me questions, I was totally unprepared. Down in the mess I never sit with the acquaintances I’ve made. I figure they want and need their few moments of food and relaxation. I didn’t want to take up much of her time, but she kept talking.  I was actually grateful.  I measure a friendship by people who actually talk ‘to and with’ you.    
Now that was a sense of accomplishment.  Shockingly, the next time I saw her, I had to start from scratch. I was so confused. “Hi, remember me? We were in the mess. We sort of talked...” Blank look.  
There’s much more to say on the subject, but I’ll talk about that later.

Once again, observing people, it was hard not to notice a woman in a striking black dress with gold lacings and a rather large bottom.  She sat near the band and was clearly enjoying the music. During a break I sat next to her and said, ”Well look at you. What pretty a dress.”  She didn’t speak English, but she understood what I had said.  I suppose her lack of English might have been a good thing.  
The next day, I thought I saw her again. Same dress, and that large bottom. But it wasn’t her.   
Hmmmm.  A couple of days passed and BEHOLD two different ladies with the same dress and rather large bottoms. What are the chances?  I later learned that that is the attire of the Finnish Gypsies. The dresses are like small petticoats.   Yes. We live and learn.     
  

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Lieutenant Commander’s Log # 1

 Well, it’s taken me long enough to get around to writing this blog.  Yes, I’m back on a cruise ship in Europe. This time, in addition to my usual adventures in Oslo, Norway and Kiel, Germany, I’ll be spending an extra month on a different ship, ‘Silja Line’, a Finnish ship that travels back and forth from Stockholm to Helsinki.  
I’m singing and playing with a trio. The pianist is someone new to the trio cruise band line up, although not new to working on cruise ships. Pianist Aurel Dragalina, spent 15 years as a band director on the Royal Caribbean Cruise line. Sadly, the new Caribbean Cruise Line insurance policy now has strict rules about weight etc, even type 2 diabetics will not be employed. I think that’s what put the stop to my working for them. After 15 years, Aurel was let go due to being overweight.    

About the band... Aurel is from Romania. Aurel was recommended by another Romanian pianist, my friend, the original ship trio pianist Doru Apreotesei. If Doru says he’s good, that’s all I need to know, and of course he’s VERY good.  And then there’s the world traveling maestro, bassist, Jair Rohm Parker. We’ve played many ‘Color Line’ shows together.  
When I first started doing these cruise ship gigs, I was overwhelmed by ALL the rules and how easy it is for some over zealous power holder to fire you just to confirm their position.   The rules on the “Silja” ship is similar to Color Line, BUT different. For example, on Color Line you always have to wear your name ID. On Silja you have to wear your ID card whenever you’re in the mess, but you’re not permitted to wear it anywhere else. They want you to look like a passenger.  “Hey, ain’t you one of those black guys in the band?” “No. Not at the moment.”   Now this doesn’t seem like too big a deal until someone sees you with or without your ID in an inopportune time. You’ll get chewed out and you’re saying to yourself,  “What’s with the indignation?”  
Instead of performing in a lounge, on Silja, the trio performs on the promenade in view of everyone boarding and or strolling the promenade.  We can see everyone and everyone can see us. It’s full exposure, instead of being tucked away in a corner of a lounge where people have to make an effort to see you and of course they’re not there to see you but socialize and occasionally notice that there’s a live band.  
The ‘Silja’ crew seems friendlier and less stressed than the other ship.  

There seems to be more dining options on Silja.  Color Line has a Cinema. There’s no Cinema on Silja. Color Line’s theater and productions are a bit larger.  However, the quality of the entertainment is top notch on both ships. Both ships have casinos.   
One of the things that really stick out on Silja is the large number of couples with children.  There’s a whole floor just for children. 
Apparently, the older kids are just as addicted to the slot machines as their grand parents. 

Next:  The Finnish and the finish.