PIZZA GALORE!

PIZZA GALORE!

17th April 2011

We’ve finally arrived in Naples, Italy! 

I’ve just finished my first shift – displaying the images from the formal night. I checked through my images now that they are printed. When you see the prints it gives you a better idea as to where you need to improve. 

My Ressi images need a lot of work but hopefully that will come in due course with a bit more practise and experience under my belt. The Bolero shots were great – some of them were absolutely fantastic! I was so pleased! 

The English couple with their baby came in today to check their photos. They bought their whole family along too. The lady spotted me, pointed me out and told the family I was the girl who took the photos of her daughter. She said she loved the images and that I’d done a great job. Giving myself a mental pat on the back, it's fair to say, this has made my day. Okay, so you are trying to please the managers etc. but the main people you want to please are obviously the guests as they are the ones who will buy your images. They are effectively your bread and butter. Being told you’ve done well by a guest is a real confidence booster!

One thing I don’t understand is, the English couple want their images put on a CD ($249.95) but they’d like to include one or two images of their parents and the lady’s brother and his girlfriend. They are all staying in different staterooms (cabins). The manager won’t allow them to put the few extra photos on to their CD for the same price. Now the couple are having doubts as to whether they should buy the CD or just prints which will come to $80 approximately. To me, this doesn’t make sense. From my point of view, we should just let them have the extra four images they want so we can get $249.95 rather than just $80. We’ll be closer to our target, the photographers get their commission, the guests are happy and everyone’s a winner. Money is money isn't it? Give the guests a bit extra and we take a bigger chunk? Lee’s going to talk to the BM again and see what he says but it’s probably going to be a "no". Seems a little Irish to me but that's company policies for you!

Later on today Luci and I are heading into Naples for lunch. She knows a place where “they do the best, best pizza”. If there’s pizza involved – I’m there... No questions asked. Luckily enough I have Luci as a cabin mate. She’s been showing me places to go when we are on shore and where the best places to buy things are. Everyone is waiting for Athens to go to Carrefour – that’s where everyone buys their stock as it’s much cheaper than Mariner of the Seas' crew shop.

Anyway, the sun is shining, it’s not particularly warm (19ºC) but Naples looks brilliant!! Right by the port is a huge fortress and the old buildings slope up the hill another castle/fortress.

At five I’m back in the gallery to try and flog as much as I can before the cruise ends. Hopefully, when we leave Naples and into the "tax free zone! I’ll be able to sell some folios. Get a bit of commission in my pocket. Hopefully it won’t be long now until I’m photog 2 and can start earning “team commission” from the prints.

Hopefully while in Naples I’ll be able to find somewhere to upload the blog updates and call the parents. I won’t forget my headphones this time!

**UPDATE**

We’ve just got back from walking around Naples. Luci took me to this small Italian restaurant and the food was amazing! Between us, we shared this enormous ball of mozzarella cheese with tomatoes and rocket. Next came the pizzas - so nice, unbelievable! It’s easily one of the best pizzas I have ever had. I’m so full, I feel like I’m about to give birth to a food baby or a ball of mozzarella! 

We carried on walking around and Luci was pointing out good places to go to eat or mini supermarkets where we can pick up cheap bits and bobs. As it was Sunday most of the shops were closed.

It’s quite surreal walking around Naples. It’s a mixture of small and large, run down and done up. The rubbish points where the best: there were 10-15 metre stretches of rubbish bags and containers. Something tells me there's a strike on.

When I used to live in Spain everyone said the Spanish were crazy drivers. After moving to England, I could see what people meant, but believe me, the Italians are far worse, especially those riding motorbikes and mopeds. They are insane! Even if there’s a crowd walking across a pedestrian crossing, people on motor bikes were trying to zip through. There were a couple of hairy moments while walking around. Especially in some of the narrower, cobbled streets. Luci said the area of Naples we were in was featured in the new Julia Roberts film “Eat. Love. Pray”. I’ve never seen but it's something to watch when I've finished my contract.

I managed to get online at a local café. They were swamped with people from our cruise ship so after 20 minutes the connection started running slowly before repeatedly disconnecting. I’ll try and get on to one of the ship’s computers to use the internet, it’s only 6 cents a minute.

Gaz posted on the group message we have going on Facebook. He’s recently returned to Miami, the lucky sod. He’s just finished his first cruise around Mexico and Honduras. Sounds like he’s having a great time. Becks hasn’t been in touch, I hope she’s okay. Knowing her she’ll have been caught up in a hurricane around the Caribbean.

I’m back on the ship now to relax alittle before work. At 17.00 I’m back in the gallery until 20.00h. I’ve got an hour break for dinner, not that I’ll be able to fit anything else in my bloated belly. Afterwards it's back to work. To be honest, I’ve got a relatively easy day today, or as Luci says "Good Life".

Even though I’ve only been working on Mariner of the Seas for 5 days I’m starting to settle in and come to grips with the way things work. I’m not going to lie, I still get lost in the maze of passages and stairs.

One thing I try to do is every so often take an hour out as “my time”. As I’m constantly surrounded by people I’ll often disappear for a bit to spend some time alone. I’ll put my headphones on, listen to my music, type up blog entries so it’s ready to be uploaded once I get online and just drift off into my own little world. For me it’s a way of staying sane, everyone needs their own space. Plus it gives Luci a chance to have time to herself. It can’t be easy living in a rabbit hutch with someone you hardly know. She might be used to it, but still.

Elvis (India) our AMP (Assistant Manager of Production), who works in the lab printing is signing off tomorrow morning. Tonight we’re all heading up to the staff bar to have a few drinks and give him a good send off. Any excuse to have a party!!

Starting from the next cruise which starts tomorrow I’ll be taking my camera out with me where ever I go. So no doubt they’ll be a huge amount of photos to upload if the internet connection will allow it. My Flickr account, http://www.flickr.com/photos/lou_tickle, is going to get well and truly used and abused!

I’d better get ready for my second stint in the gallery... So from Italy, Ciao!

**UPDATE**

Tonight was extremely busy in the gallery. While speaking to Luci afterwards she told me that the gallery wasn’t so busy!! It must be utter mayhem in there. The good news is, I managed to sell two IOCDs (All images on CD) and four folios. Unfortunately I don’t get commission on the CDs as I’m not a Photog 2 yet. At least I get a little something from the folios, even if it is just $1.

The Latin couple who posed themselves were the winners of the biggest stack of prints. They bought the IOCD (the prints from the display board are theirs too, if they bring them to the till) and 6 discs were needed. They have over 300 images!!! What would you do with some many images!? An extra 3kg was probably added to their suitcase weight. Mind you, I’m not complaining, the other photographers have earned their commission.

The English couple with the baby came looking for me to buy the CD. They asked if I’d get a commission on the images/CD saying I deserved it as the photos were fantastic. It would’ve been good if I had, but I guess that’s just the way things are at the moment.

Andy from Image (Miami) has sent through our login and passwords for ImageU. I can now start on my competencies and work my way up to photog 2. It’d better get my backside in gear and get it done and dusted with as soon as possible. I want photo commission, more money!

Right now the ship is sailing to Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy. I’m getting pretty excited about it, especially as Naples was something completely unexpected and a great place to visit. If you are going to Italy, stop by Naples, you won’t be disappointed.