Cruising The Seven Seas: Sign Off Party

Sign Off Party

25th October 2011

Finally the other photogs finished work in the gallery and the party (for us, anyway) officially started.

Back Deck was heaving. I went to get a 6pack of beer only to find out that my Sea Pass Card had been blocked – crap! I'd put plenty of money on my card to ensure that we had an endless flow of drinks! Luckily enough two people, yes only two out of 13, had unblocked Sea Pass Cards: Sanela and D. The poor new hire and Sanela had to lend us their cards. I’m sure they were blocked the next day after we’d plunged their accounts in to the red.

Before leaving the cabin, I spoke to Sandra who was going for a shower before joining us at Back Deck. I told her I had a small present for her. As cowardly as it was, I couldn’t physically give it to her without opening the tear flood gates, instead I told her where to find it. It was only something small, a pair of multi-coloured hoops earrings that she’d previously seen in the on board shops and a small leather booklet key ring from Punta del Este, Uruguay (where my parents currently live). Inside the booklet were two small slots for photos. One side had a little photo of me and the other, a picture of Sandra. It was our photo from the fantastic, mad day we’d had in Monaco.

Once Sandra joined us she gave me a huge hug along with “that present killed me”. She’d had a good cry by the looks of it too. Tonight we were all going to make the most of our last night on the ship and party like never before. It was certainly a night I won’t be forgetting in a long time, no matter how under the influence I was by the end of it!

Inside the bar, off Back Deck Sandra gave Hernan and David their leaving presents from the team (Sandra had already given me my scrap book). Both had a new set of clothes and by the looks of it, David was over the moon with his new Barcelona football shirt. Hernan looked very Italian in his new purple shirt. Of course, the cameras were out at this point, clicking away at the good memories we’d be taking with us. The Lauras from bar even joined us for a couple of games of pool and group shots before we headed out into the madness of Back Deck.

With the drinks flowing, everyone was up, dancing and joking with everyone else. At one point there was a circle of photographers and Whitney, our adopted team member, dancing. Leandro and I were doing our best attempts at Indian dance moves when an Indian themed song came on. We failed, but everyone else joined in and were having a great laugh. We must have looked like real plonkers – but then again, the photographers are always known as the shameless bunch!

Dione and Rueben were soon at Back Deck to wish Hernan, David and I well. Reuben even bought us a round of drinks before retiring for the night. Dione carried on sinking endless beers with Zoran.

A few shocks and surprised popped up during the Sign Off Party. Anna from Spa was leaving. She could earn better money on land – good luck to her. Alex popped up from nowhere and was dirty dancing with Sanela who was quite responsive…! I never thought I’d see the day that would occur but hey, ho! Ship life!

Sanela would soon be moving into the cabin I shared with Sandra. It felt strange knowing someone would be living in my little shoe box where I’d spent six months.

Darren from House Keeping was signing off too and finally made an appearance at about 1am. By this time, we were all well and truly smashed and some of us were getting emotional. Whitney was crying more than me! That, of course, started me off, which started Sanela off, then Sandra started. What a bunch of cry babies we were! I am going to miss this bunch!

Hernan soon came over to announce he was leaving and going to bed. Talk about mashed – I’d never seen Hernan in this condition before. He gave me a massive hug, kiss on the head along with “Te quiero hermanastra” to which I burst into tears. I was sure that was the last time I’d see Hernan as he was leaving the ship at 2pm while I was due to depart at 10am.

3am reared its ugly head and so did security!! They’d come to end the sign off party, switching on the lights and telling the DJ to pack away. Everyone started chanting for one more song which was reluctantly played for us. During the last song everyone was in tears, hugging everyone and saying their goodbyes and wishing others well. Even those who you knew from sight but never really spoke to, came over to wish you the best.

Living on the Mariner of the Seas is like living in a small village where your team is your family. That was rammed home to me on the final day and made it sadder to leave the place. It was a place I’d become comfortable with and started to see as my second home. Everything, of course, was exaggerated through my drunken mentality.

Prashant came up to Back Deck to see us all and told us to get down to our corridor. We could carry on partying there if we were quite. One look at us was enough for him to see we were all far too gone to be within sight of Officers and other members of security!!

Back in the corridor, Whitney couldn’t stop crying. Prashant popped his head inside the corridor a few times. At some point, God knows when, I crashed out… only bolting upright to run to the bathroom with the world around me spinning out of control. Like I said, it wasn’t a night I’d be forgetting in a long time and the hangover would quite possibly see to that, too!