Quinceañeras
28th July 2011
Like all sea days there isn’t much to do if you’re crew, so I tend to take the chance to catch up typing my blog. Today was no exception. Waking up a couple of hours before work, yet still getting more than four hours sleep I came up to Back Deck armed with my laptop, i-pod and can of coke.
Business has been very slow during this cruise. In three days we’d taken approximately $2,000 which is nothing when normally we’d be taking in about ten times as much. Everyone had their fingers crossed that there’d be a surge of people coming into the gallery before disembarking tomorrow in Civitavecchia.
During my afternoon stint we weren’t busy at all and I, for one, was having my doubts as to whether we’d make any money at all. It was quite worrying when you thought about it. We are here to make as much money as possible during our six months on board. We are doing this one week cruise for seven weeks. Did that mean we’d be making next to nothing for an entire seven weeks? Originally we were told we’d make a heck of a lot more on one week cruises than the Holy Land eleven and thirteen day cruises.
The real kick in the gonads was Italian tax. As all our ports are in the European Union we have to charge tax according to our home port and 20% is a huge amount to put on everything. It’s taking the price of 8”x10” photos up by nearly $4. The GTP has been increased in price from $299.95 to $349.95 plus tax which gives you a grand total of $419.95. Most of the guests think they can’t get their money’s worth so aren’t bothering. I’m all for squeezing every penny out of the guest’s pockets (hey, we all have to make a living) but for once, they have a point. It’s too much for too little.
During my afternoon stint we weren’t busy at all and I, for one, was having my doubts as to whether we’d make any money at all. It was quite worrying when you thought about it. We are here to make as much money as possible during our six months on board. We are doing this one week cruise for seven weeks. Did that mean we’d be making next to nothing for an entire seven weeks? Originally we were told we’d make a heck of a lot more on one week cruises than the Holy Land eleven and thirteen day cruises.
The real kick in the gonads was Italian tax. As all our ports are in the European Union we have to charge tax according to our home port and 20% is a huge amount to put on everything. It’s taking the price of 8”x10” photos up by nearly $4. The GTP has been increased in price from $299.95 to $349.95 plus tax which gives you a grand total of $419.95. Most of the guests think they can’t get their money’s worth so aren’t bothering. I’m all for squeezing every penny out of the guest’s pockets (hey, we all have to make a living) but for once, they have a point. It’s too much for too little.
We needed to get Fede a present. After 9.5 months, he was finally leaving, going home to Buenos Aires (Argentina) and we were all pleased for him. It’d be so sad seeing Fede go, especially for Sandra, he’s been here since the start of my contract and been a great help and friend. Having said that, he was dog tired and needed to go home for a break. If anyone deserved the vacation, it's Fede!!!
Sandra and I had previously tried to get Fede a present but had been chased out from the shop by the manager - a real prat, I might add. He’d fit in nicely at Swanley’s ASDA along with the other overly self-important managers. Previously, when we’d got to the front of the desk to pay a guest even tapped us on the shoulder and asked us to move a side so she could purchase something. How about "no"?
Later on Hernan, David and I went back up and found a jazzy watch Fede would love. We had to wait about 20 minutes for someone to come and get the watch out to have a look and pay. Every time the shoppie (crew members working in shops) finished with one guest, another would come in and we’d have to wait until they’d finished looking around the store or buying. You just have to stand around and wait. It's all part of the fun of being a crew member on board a Royal Caribbean ship!
During the evening, things in the gallery picked up. We had queues of people buying photos, some had stacks while others only had a couple. Although we were busy, they didn’t seem to be buying as much as guests on previous cruises. It felt like we were all trying to flog a dead horse! As midnight came around a huge group of Mexicans came in looking for the photos from their daughter’s Quinceañeras party.
In Latin America countries turning 15 is a huge deal, especially if you're female. For the rest of us it’s like your Sweet 16, 18th and 21st birthdays rolled into one! Reaching 15 for these girls was like reaching woman/adulthood, a sign of maturity. They go all out, saving up for years to pay for the numerous ball gowns and dresses, cruises and photos.
There were about 6 girls from this group celebrating their 15th birthdays and they’d rented out Dragon’s Lair for the party on the last night of the cruise. Hernan and Jomar had been shooting the event. Rather than closing the gallery at midnight, we had to keep it open for them.
Each and every family bought the GTP (CD of just the Quinceañeras party photos) – and printed images plus extra copies. Other family members were buying huge stacks of images. They didn’t care about the cost… it’s a once in a life time moment and they wanted everything they could get their hands on to remember the day.
Looking through some of the photos, I’d have passed all the girls off as celebrating their 18th birthdays! I wouldn’t have battered an eyelid if one or two of the girls had even told me they were 21. Remembering back, I looked like a little kid when I was 15 rather than a woman.
There were about 6 girls from this group celebrating their 15th birthdays and they’d rented out Dragon’s Lair for the party on the last night of the cruise. Hernan and Jomar had been shooting the event. Rather than closing the gallery at midnight, we had to keep it open for them.
Each and every family bought the GTP (CD of just the Quinceañeras party photos) – and printed images plus extra copies. Other family members were buying huge stacks of images. They didn’t care about the cost… it’s a once in a life time moment and they wanted everything they could get their hands on to remember the day.
Looking through some of the photos, I’d have passed all the girls off as celebrating their 18th birthdays! I wouldn’t have battered an eyelid if one or two of the girls had even told me they were 21. Remembering back, I looked like a little kid when I was 15 rather than a woman.
By the time we closed the gallery it was 2am and we were all shattered beyond belief. Why would you come in to the gallery to purchase everything on the last day of the cruise when the gallery is set to close?
Luci, sitting in the BM's office, looking over the figures, told me that the Quinceañeras group had literally just saved out arses for the cruise! I didn’t deny that and usually I love the Quinceañeras lot as they take plenty of images and buy the lot. The down side is they always come at the last moment but today's group had taken the biscuit by turning up at closing time.
Although we were thankful for the Quinceañeras for saving the day and our arses, when I pointed out the time to Luci, she couldn’t believe it. What she shouted is not fit to be posted on my blog!!
Luci, sitting in the BM's office, looking over the figures, told me that the Quinceañeras group had literally just saved out arses for the cruise! I didn’t deny that and usually I love the Quinceañeras lot as they take plenty of images and buy the lot. The down side is they always come at the last moment but today's group had taken the biscuit by turning up at closing time.
Although we were thankful for the Quinceañeras for saving the day and our arses, when I pointed out the time to Luci, she couldn’t believe it. What she shouted is not fit to be posted on my blog!!
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