My Ship Story

Valerie moves from Chicago to Florida and takes a cruise on the Norwegian Pearl where she meets an American photographer who gives her a tip on how to get a job on a cruise ship. She gets a job in 2017 with Park West Gallery and joins the Grand Princess in San Francisco.  She gets a tattoo in Hawaii, has a run-in with security involving a wheelchair on The Independence of the Seas, the Nina incident revisited, #AMTS , finds out about COVID-19, and leaves ships from the Ruby Princess in Sydney March 19th just before the lock-down.    

Neil leaves Brooklyn for Florida and eventually gets a job on the Majesty with Royal Caribbean in 1997. He tells us about life onboard as a stage staff, doing things while drinking, a shore excursion in Jamaica, scuba diving in Cozumel, jet skis and Frankie Valli, and a disco night leads to a new life.     

Originally from Ireland, Harry joins Royal Caribbean in 1980 as a waiter on the Song of Norway.  then goes to Dolphin as Operations Manager, then Premier/Cape Canaveral Cruise Line, Regency, and American Adventure. Harry tells stories about a wine run to Gibraltar, a lost money bag, another purser heist, the love life of a waiter, the repurposed lobster, a scary night, a "Bond" style #AMTS , and a laundry room liaison.

Claudia goes from Mexico City to London to visit a cousin and meets a French girl who is trying to work on cruise ships. She goes with her to the interview and unexpectedly gets hired to work as a cruise staff on the Nordic Empress around 1992. She tells us stories of her six years onboard about a blender, Stevie B! kidnapping her teddy bear, a Tabasco sauce bottle pinata, inheriting a pet hamster named Mary, a hotplate, a shipboard romance that didn't quite work out, and her life now in beautiful San Miguel de Allende. 

Born and raised in the great sea-faring nation of Zimbabwe, Moss goes to South Africa and ends up as a musician on ships. On his first ship, the Astor, he's in a huge storm in 1989. But already bitten by the "cruise bug" he continues to work on ships.  And then Moss tells the incredible story of how the Oceanos sank in 1991, and how he helped save all the passengers onboard. #Oceanos #SilverSea #helicopterrescue #thegreatnancy

Pedar comes out of "TV School" in 1996 and joins The Majesty of the Seas as a stage staff and immediately moves into a video tech position. He goes to Celebrity on the Galaxy for a long contract and then on to the new R-ships with Renaissance. He tells us about meeting his wife onboard, a hard partying sound tech, the video walls, the Acapulco overnights, the joys of the crew bar, some bar in Stockholm, Istanbul restrooms, a stint with NCL, and finally leaving the ships. Check-out the immersive Van Gogh exhibit. Brad challenges everyone to tell a story about him.    

Paul takes his dog for a walk in 1976 and it directly results in him joining cruise ships as a casino cashier.  He works for Atlanta Associates onboard for 9 years before trying a short stint as a teacher but can't shake the ship bug. He goes back to ships in 1984 with RCCL as cruise staff and port lecturer and works his way to Cruise Director. He tells some some great stories from his new book. "You Can't Make This Ship Up"  A total eclipse of the sun cruise, fraternizing in the early days, a honeymoon cruise, The Vistafjord, The Renaissance, stowaways, the business of cruising, the clothing optional charter. and the Garage Mahal.

Nina joins us as our first new generation crew member from aboard the NCL Escape in Civitavecchia. Originally from Lima, Peru, she joined ships 2017 as a cruise staff aboard the Costa Classica. Nina tells about life onboard under the current COVID situation, her first run doing Freeport, crew parties, an unfortunate drinking incident, the guys compare and contrast the past and present, #AMTS gets lucky in an almost missed the ship story in L.A., pseudo celebrities, strange places, flattery gets you everywhere, and stay happy and healthy!

Michael joins the Song of America in 1984 and quickly becomes the youngest Chief Purser in the fleet. Ray goes from Michelin star restaurants in France to the Song of America as a busboy in 1991. Michael, Eric, and Brad tell the story of the dead body found on Coco Cay. Michael tells a story of a murder onboard the ship and the complications around landing a dead body. "Ciao Bella!" and how to clear a ship in Italy. Ray and Michael have a meet-cute at a brothel in Costa Rica. As a waiter, Ray gets propositioned a lot. Makes some serious money and was onboard when the ship runs aground and the Estefan family situation.

Sue starts working for a ferry company in the UK, and after reading an Israeli newspaper ad, decides to go to cruise ships and joins the "Suffering" of the Seas in 1994, finds out she's village neighbors with Gareth Owen, troubles with Americans, Sam Evans, restrooms and safe deposit boxes, the blonde British bitchy one, she's sent to the Viking "Lemonade", is a regular at an Ensenada pizza place, shipboard romance, comment cards, an epic Purser's party, and her American accent.