update

16 March 08

Today was a very crazy busy day. Mix that with a touch of seasickness and whew. Glad the night is over! We have a bunch of new guests that came aboard yesterday. I think it will be a busy week. I make the sushi for the buffet upstairs and it’s been crazy just trying to keep up with that plus the orders for the sushi bar and other 3 Asian restaurants. I work at the sushi bar but the overall restaurant is called East meets West. In it, there are a total of 4 outlets – the sushi bar, Shabu Shabu, Teppanyaki and Asian fusion, which sits about 100 people.

Every Sunday, the sushi chefs teach a class on how to make sushi and have a sake tasting. The class was packed with 22 people. Last week there were only 4. We were behind from the moment I started work. There were only a handful of people that signed up for the class – everyone else was a walk-in. There were so many orders today – these groups of passengers really enjoy sushi. Plus, the sushi bar is only $15 for all you can eat sushi – made to order. Our third sushi chef, who usually makes the rice, was so busy helping us, he forgot to make more rice – we ran out twice. All three of us skipped our breaks and dinner in order to keep up.

It’s really bad when you have to borrow cooked rice from the crew mess hall. It wasn’t even sushi rice but there were orders coming in and it was the only rice we had until more was made. How horrid! So we’re talking kinda like using Uncle Ben’s - it doesn’t stick so you have to squish the rice in the rolls but then when you cut the rolls, all the rice fell out. If it weren’t so busy, it would have been really funny although frustrating at the time.

Then the waves tonight – we’re traveling from Hilo, Hawaii to Kahului, Maui, - are really rough. I figured out I’m okay when I’m on deck and can see the water or have some fresh air but most of the time I get seasick is when I’m at work or in my room. When it gets dark, the restaurant staff close the window blinds so it’s just really dark in the restaurant. The combination of rough waves, someone’s perfume was a touch too strong and starving made me really queasy. Even the guest sitting in front of me eating dinner was having a difficult time with seasickness. We kept giving him green tea and dramamine hoping that would help alittle.


12 March 08

Tonight was an interesting night. We didn’t have any customers until 8PM, then it was just a few regular crew members. My sushi chef partner and I thought we had it easy and started our bi-weekly deep cleaning of all the equipment, storage bins, etc. Then a call came through – I’m suppose to sing? Uh uh.

Once a week about 50 crew are chosen to go onstage in front of the guests and sing “Home Away From Home.” I’d never heard of the song before and didn’t know the words. A classmate of mine has been chosen twice already but I had been lucky enough until today. There are two showings, one at 8 and the other at 10… glad those crew customers came in when they did since the 8PM show is recorded and broadcasted on the ship television network.

Got off the ship today and explored Kona for a bit. It’s kinda cool since the ship stays away from shore so guests and crew take a tender (which is one of the lifeboats to ferry back and forth to the island). It’s only a 5 minute ride but it’s nice – the water is a really beautiful blue. Even got to see a few dolphins far off.

Finally quit being stubborn and went to medical for my cold. After a week and a half, my roommates highly recommend I go. Whew! I haven’t been this sick in about 3 years! (The South Pole altitude sickness doesn’t count.) I guess there are a lot of colds going around and everyone is getting the same 5 different kinds of drugs. They sure do make me happy and I feel so much better than yesterday – at least today I can breathe. Fortunately, I just have a cold, there are some cases of GI going around. The crew that have it are totally quarantined from everyone… my roommate is one of the “lucky” ones to wear a respirator and suit-up to clean up after them. I guess it can get pretty nasty funky.

Oh, by the way… I guess it just took about a week to adjust but I don’t get sea sickness anymore. Yahoo! Glad for that.


10 March 08

I just looked at my calendar and it surprised me that I’ve only moved rooms one week ago today. It seems so long ago. And that I’ve been in Hawaii for exactly one month. Again, it feels like I’ve been here for such a long time.

Yesterday was daylight savings. I forgot all about it but it’s a good thing my cell phone automatically adjusts the time… and thankfully, that is my alarm clock or I would have been late for work! I guess once a week all the cooks take turns at the omelet station. Yesterday was my day flipping omelets for all the guests from 630-11AM. Whew! That was a lot of omelets. It was fun seeing so many different people – there really are people from all over the world on the ship.


9 March 08

These past few days I’ve been really thinking about whether to remain on board or pack up and go home. Plane tickets are inexpensive and there’s a job waiting for me when I get back. Seems like everyone I speak to really dislikes their job and had very different expectations on their position. Even with working 7 hours a day, there are other folks who only work 5 and are miserable. There are just too many personnel for the amount of jobs so instead of gradually letting people go, everyone is working as close to 40 hours per corporate management. As far as kitchen work, the food isn’t that great – all the outlets and main restaurant are trying to serve 5 star food but working with a 2 star budget. I am constantly amazed when guests compliment the food and say it’s “the best they’ve ever eaten.” I guess that’s what makes a good chef – working with what you have in order to make a great meal and presentation.

With some thought and a lot of ‘highly persuasive’ friends on ship and back home, I’ve made up my mind. I’ve decided to stay since it’s only 8 more weeks. I’ve lived in worse situations and much worse conditions so enough about the sushi job. With this decision, I’ve made plans of getting off the ship as much as possible and make the best of this situation.