Hello my darling and loyal subjects. As a tribute to my obsession with all things British and Royal, I wore a tiara all day today. Last night we performed "Amore" and I actually wear a tiara during the show, so it was perfect timing. I stole my tiara from backstage for today's royal festivities!
Our shows last night went really well and we got standing ovations in both performances! "Amore" is our more classical show, my most featured show, and definitely our grandest in terms of production value. The beautiful Italian Renaissance inspired set is on a turn table and the show features not only us but the big band, a solo classical guitarist and a string quartet. This show is also where I get to wear the amazing Bob Mackey evening gowns so it's of course my favorite show :) I really want to upload pictures but unfortunately our at sea Internet signal isn't strong enough. The next time we can connect to a wi-fi network in port, I'll upload all of our pictures and videos.
Today has been really fun because it's royal wedding mania on board the Volendam. Jeremy and I went to the Royal English Tea in the dining room, which was absolutely beautiful, but also a little ridiculous because they decorated the dining room with an absurd amount of British flags and balloons. I guess they're trying to make their British passengers feel at home! The tea was wonderful with all the tea sandwiches, delicate desserts and scones we could hope for. It was also fun because we sat next to a woman from Guadalahara, Mexico and an Anglican priest from Brisbon, Australia.
After the tea, the wedding festivities in the theater began. Jeremy was pretty much over the whole royal thing (haha) so he stayed in our room while I marched myself, in my tiara, to the theater where they were serving Shepherd's Pie and broadcasting the wedding on a big screen. It was really special to watch the grandeur with a primarily British crowd. I thoroughly enjoyed my glimpse into Westminster Abbey and I must admit that it solidified my dream of visiting London in the near future.
We'll be in Nagasaki tomorrow and because of the crisis in Japan, all of our satellite connections will be disabled so we won't have internet access for about 4 days. Tomorrow is a day off for Jeremy and me so we'll be able to enjoy the day in Japan. I'm hoping to find a war memorial museum in Nagasaki - I'm sure it would be very sobering.
Have a wonderful day! We love and miss you,
J & J
Friday, April 29, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Happy Easter
I know I'm a few days late in posting this but it's never too late to say He is Risen - He is Risen Indeed!!!!
Three shows and two more countries...
April 20th was the day of Jeremy's big show, "It takes Two." The show features him and our other female singer, Keewa. It's a review of all the best top 40 duets like "Islands in the Stream," "I Got You Babe" and of course the title song. The audience loved it - I was very proud of my husband! He and Keewa were phenomenal and with the gorgeous costumes they looked like rock stars. Now they're celebrities on the ship.
On the 21st, we started "Songbook," which is basically a tribute to all the biggest hits of the 40's and 50's. We sing a Rosemary Clooney medley, Three Coins in the Fountain, Unforgettable, It Must Have been Moonglow, etc. The second day of rehearsal we docked in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Jeremy and I were able to get off during our lunch break and we hopped on the back of motorbikes for a quick tour of the city! We had just enough time to ride to the beach, stick our feet in the water just so we could say we did, and ride back to the ship. However, when we went to pay our motorbike drivers, they wouldn't take our money. We didn't exchange dollars to Vietnamese Dong, but that wasn't the issue. Everywhere in Nha Trang accepts US dollars, but the rule in Vietnam is that torn and/or wrinkled money is useless. Our $10 bill was crinkled and had a small tear so they refused it. I guess counterfeit money is such a problem that paper money has to be pristine to be accepted. So I had to run back to the ship and go to the front desk for a brand new $10 bill!
Our performances of "Songbook" went really well and the audiences absolutely loved it - with our senior crowd, the show is a throwback to better and simpler times :) I think it's my favorite show too so I guess I'm an old soul...
On April 23rd, we reached my old stomping ground - Hong Kong!!! Unfortunately, we had rehearsal for our female doo-wop show, "Dinner Belles," during the day so I was only able to get off at night. "Dinner Belles" is Jeremy's show off so he was able to spend two full days in Hong Kong. We did meet up on the evening of the 23rd though and took the cast to Victoria's Peak for the breathtaking view of Hong Kong's unmistakable skyline. We had a classic noodle soup dinner at a local hole in the wall, but after walking all around the city until 1:00am, I'm slightly ashamed to say we had a late night snack at McDonald's...oh it tasted soooo good!
Our "Dinner Belles" shows were last night. This show is our only "book" show meaning it's an actual musical with characters and a storyline rather than a review. All of the music is popular girl group songs such as "Stop in the Love," "Where the Boys Are," "It's in His Kiss," etc. The set is amazing and because it's an actual musical, we have a lot of props, costumes and scene changes. It's a technical nightmare and we had to stop at least 2 times during every tech-run for issues like lighting, sound cues, curtain closures, scene changes and wig changes. There are a few costume changes that happen on stage right behind the main curtain and we rely on our stage crew to bring us our costumes and time the curtain just right. Well, opening night nerves set in and during our first show, the curtain guy jumped a crew and opened the curtain while we were changing on stage! Fortunately we were only taking off a wig and a cape, with dresses underneath, but we had to scramble off the stage half-changed. I had no time to grab my wig so it was sitting on the chair I was supposed to sit in for the next scene. Well, in live theater you have to improvise, so I went out and sat on my wig to cover it up for the scene! What a nightmare in the moment, but it's pretty hilarious in retrospect. The good news is the second show went off without a hitch.
Today we're rehearsing for "Amore," our more classical, or as we like to call it, "pop-era" (as in pop and opera) show. It's my most featured show and has a good mix of love songs, hence the title :) We are all exhausted from this grueling rehearsal/performance schedule but we only have two more weeks until we're done tech-ing the shows. Then, we'll only be performing at night with occasional brush up rehearsals.
For our anniversary tonight, we have reservations at the high-end restaurant on board, The Pinnacle Grill. All of the food on the ship is free except for the Pinnacle. Guests and crew pay $20 each for the Grill, but since it's our anniversary, and I guess they like us, the cruise director arranged for a complementary dinner and bottle of wine :)
Well, our Asian adventure is coming to an end but we still have Japan, South Korea and Russia. Then it's on to Alaska!
We love you so much,
J & J
On the 21st, we started "Songbook," which is basically a tribute to all the biggest hits of the 40's and 50's. We sing a Rosemary Clooney medley, Three Coins in the Fountain, Unforgettable, It Must Have been Moonglow, etc. The second day of rehearsal we docked in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Jeremy and I were able to get off during our lunch break and we hopped on the back of motorbikes for a quick tour of the city! We had just enough time to ride to the beach, stick our feet in the water just so we could say we did, and ride back to the ship. However, when we went to pay our motorbike drivers, they wouldn't take our money. We didn't exchange dollars to Vietnamese Dong, but that wasn't the issue. Everywhere in Nha Trang accepts US dollars, but the rule in Vietnam is that torn and/or wrinkled money is useless. Our $10 bill was crinkled and had a small tear so they refused it. I guess counterfeit money is such a problem that paper money has to be pristine to be accepted. So I had to run back to the ship and go to the front desk for a brand new $10 bill!
Our performances of "Songbook" went really well and the audiences absolutely loved it - with our senior crowd, the show is a throwback to better and simpler times :) I think it's my favorite show too so I guess I'm an old soul...
On April 23rd, we reached my old stomping ground - Hong Kong!!! Unfortunately, we had rehearsal for our female doo-wop show, "Dinner Belles," during the day so I was only able to get off at night. "Dinner Belles" is Jeremy's show off so he was able to spend two full days in Hong Kong. We did meet up on the evening of the 23rd though and took the cast to Victoria's Peak for the breathtaking view of Hong Kong's unmistakable skyline. We had a classic noodle soup dinner at a local hole in the wall, but after walking all around the city until 1:00am, I'm slightly ashamed to say we had a late night snack at McDonald's...oh it tasted soooo good!
Our "Dinner Belles" shows were last night. This show is our only "book" show meaning it's an actual musical with characters and a storyline rather than a review. All of the music is popular girl group songs such as "Stop in the Love," "Where the Boys Are," "It's in His Kiss," etc. The set is amazing and because it's an actual musical, we have a lot of props, costumes and scene changes. It's a technical nightmare and we had to stop at least 2 times during every tech-run for issues like lighting, sound cues, curtain closures, scene changes and wig changes. There are a few costume changes that happen on stage right behind the main curtain and we rely on our stage crew to bring us our costumes and time the curtain just right. Well, opening night nerves set in and during our first show, the curtain guy jumped a crew and opened the curtain while we were changing on stage! Fortunately we were only taking off a wig and a cape, with dresses underneath, but we had to scramble off the stage half-changed. I had no time to grab my wig so it was sitting on the chair I was supposed to sit in for the next scene. Well, in live theater you have to improvise, so I went out and sat on my wig to cover it up for the scene! What a nightmare in the moment, but it's pretty hilarious in retrospect. The good news is the second show went off without a hitch.
Today we're rehearsing for "Amore," our more classical, or as we like to call it, "pop-era" (as in pop and opera) show. It's my most featured show and has a good mix of love songs, hence the title :) We are all exhausted from this grueling rehearsal/performance schedule but we only have two more weeks until we're done tech-ing the shows. Then, we'll only be performing at night with occasional brush up rehearsals.
For our anniversary tonight, we have reservations at the high-end restaurant on board, The Pinnacle Grill. All of the food on the ship is free except for the Pinnacle. Guests and crew pay $20 each for the Grill, but since it's our anniversary, and I guess they like us, the cruise director arranged for a complementary dinner and bottle of wine :)
Well, our Asian adventure is coming to an end but we still have Japan, South Korea and Russia. Then it's on to Alaska!
We love you so much,
J & J
Cambodia!
It's Tuesday, April 26 (our two year anniversary) and I feel like we're settling in to our new home. They moved us out of our Verandah Suites and into our staff cabins on April 19. They're much bigger and nicer than I was expecting but the bathrooms are tiny! Thankfully, Jeremy and I have our own rooms right next door to each other so we have our own bathrooms and storage spaces. We also have flat screen tv's, refrigerators, "queen" beds and daily housekeeping so I really can't complain. I almost wish we hadn't experienced a suite though, because now we know what we're missing :)
After we moved the morning of April 19th, Kurt, Justin and I took a shuttle from our ship into Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Since Jeremy had rehearsal, he couldn't come...
Based on our first sights and smells of Sihanoukville, I was not expecting to enjoy the day. Cambodia, or at least the part we experienced, is the most poverty stricken country I've personally seen. "Downtown" is a fly infested and sewage smelling marketplace with rotten food and pikes of garbage on every corner. The infrastructure within the city was basically shacks with straw roofs and a few poorly designed concrete buildings.
As soon as we got off the bus, we were followed by about 10 Tuk Tuk drivers (open air taxi carts). Only about 3 cruise ships port here every month so the drivers have 3 chances a month to make a living wage. One of them, Lux, stayed with us for about 15 minutes and we rewarded his patience. We hopped in the Tuk Tuk pulled by a motorcycle and enjoyed an amazing private tour of Cambodia! Lux first took us to the largest Sihanoukville temple, Wat Khrom. We were again swarmed with trinket-selling children and I was suckered into buying 3 bracelets. One of the children, Roger, spoke incredible English and was quite a salesman. I'd cast him as the Artful Dodger in "Oliver" any day! He charmed us, asked our names and started pulling out his phrases, "open your heart and open your wallet" and "you can lie to me but you can't lie to yourself!". Haha! How could we resist? I'm sure we overpaid him and the others for their bracelets but I don't mind one bit!
After seeing the temple, Lux took us on a beach tour. There are a few nice resorts along the beach but most of it is very remote. At one of the beaches, we got off our Tuk Tuk to swim in the ocean. Again, like Thailand, I am not exaggerating when I say the ocean felt like warm bathwater. It was so warm that it wasn't even refreshing. We were sweltering hot and melting in the humidity and the warm ocean gave little relief.
Lux's next stop for us was "Lapona," his friends Cambodian restaurant. I have to admit that after seeing the rotting food and garbage throughout the town, I wasn't too anxious to eat. However, we knew it was part of the adventure so we ate and hoped for the best... I'm so glad we did because the food was delicious and I feel great! I had coconut chicken curry and vegetable spring rolls with an ice cold Cambodian beer. What a wonderful day in Cambodia!
After we moved the morning of April 19th, Kurt, Justin and I took a shuttle from our ship into Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Since Jeremy had rehearsal, he couldn't come...
Based on our first sights and smells of Sihanoukville, I was not expecting to enjoy the day. Cambodia, or at least the part we experienced, is the most poverty stricken country I've personally seen. "Downtown" is a fly infested and sewage smelling marketplace with rotten food and pikes of garbage on every corner. The infrastructure within the city was basically shacks with straw roofs and a few poorly designed concrete buildings.
As soon as we got off the bus, we were followed by about 10 Tuk Tuk drivers (open air taxi carts). Only about 3 cruise ships port here every month so the drivers have 3 chances a month to make a living wage. One of them, Lux, stayed with us for about 15 minutes and we rewarded his patience. We hopped in the Tuk Tuk pulled by a motorcycle and enjoyed an amazing private tour of Cambodia! Lux first took us to the largest Sihanoukville temple, Wat Khrom. We were again swarmed with trinket-selling children and I was suckered into buying 3 bracelets. One of the children, Roger, spoke incredible English and was quite a salesman. I'd cast him as the Artful Dodger in "Oliver" any day! He charmed us, asked our names and started pulling out his phrases, "open your heart and open your wallet" and "you can lie to me but you can't lie to yourself!". Haha! How could we resist? I'm sure we overpaid him and the others for their bracelets but I don't mind one bit!
After seeing the temple, Lux took us on a beach tour. There are a few nice resorts along the beach but most of it is very remote. At one of the beaches, we got off our Tuk Tuk to swim in the ocean. Again, like Thailand, I am not exaggerating when I say the ocean felt like warm bathwater. It was so warm that it wasn't even refreshing. We were sweltering hot and melting in the humidity and the warm ocean gave little relief.
Lux's next stop for us was "Lapona," his friends Cambodian restaurant. I have to admit that after seeing the rotting food and garbage throughout the town, I wasn't too anxious to eat. However, we knew it was part of the adventure so we ate and hoped for the best... I'm so glad we did because the food was delicious and I feel great! I had coconut chicken curry and vegetable spring rolls with an ice cold Cambodian beer. What a wonderful day in Cambodia!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Thailand Adventure
April 17, 2011 was our first port day and if every port experience is equal to this one, our adventure is going to be more life-changing than I imagined. We actually docked in Ko Samui, Thailand on the 16th but we couldn't get off because we had rehearsal. However, on the 17th we sailed north to the Laem Chabang port - about 2 hours from Bangkok. Since Jeremy was rehearsing for "It Takes Two," he only had the evening in Thailand. I wish we could have at least shared the evening together but without active cell phones there's no way to reach each other once we split up. How did we ever live without cellular communication?!
There are two other cast members, Kurt and Justin, that aren't in "It Takes Two" so the three of us left for Thailand as soon as we could. We couldn't get off until the afternoon and since Bangkok would've been about four hours roundtrip, we opted for the beach city of Pattaya about 30 minutes from the shipyard. Riding in the taxi, we noticed that pedestrians all along the streets had squirt guns to drench all the cyclists, bikers and open air busses. Our cab driver told us this was called a "Thai Shower" and we assumed it was just a normal gesture to cool people off. However, when we got to the main strip in Pattaya, called Walking Street, we saw a city-wide block party and squirt gun fight that I could never describe with just words. We then realized that these "Thai Showers" were for Thai New Year and the way they celebrate is by soaking every single passerby. And I mean soaking. Drenched. All over the city, street vendors were selling plastic phone cases and ponchos. In Bangkok, fire trucks drive through the city spraying people down with the fire hose! It would've even more fun if I had been more prepared but I was wearing my Frye leather sandals and carrying my nice purse. (Don't worry mom, my sandals aren't ruined! Thank goodness, you know how much I love those!). However, I bought a pair of cheap flip flops, put the shoes in my bag and I was ready! We took a lot of pictures and video of this crazy Thai New Year celebration so I'll upload those when I can.
Even with the constant "showering," the heat and humidity was unbearable so the first thing we did was buy boba tea milkshakes on the beach. I'm used to boba tea being in LA but Kurt and Justin had never heard of it. We payed $10 baht per tea which works out to about 28 cents! ($1 US Dollar equals about $33 Thai Baht). The only Asian city I had been to before this cruise was Hong Kong. Even in the cheapest areas of the city, it's still expensive compared to mainland China. Now having been in Thailand, Hong Kong is far more expensive.
In Pattaya, the three of us got 1 hour Thai massages for $6 US Dollars. I had never had a Thai massage back home but this was an incredible experience. All over the city are these restaurant/convenience store/bar/massage parlors. I'm obviously used to private rooms but here they have you put on scrub-like pajamas and the massage rooms have about 10 beds each. So we all laid next to each other as the masseuses worked in unison. The best way I can describe this massage is that they use their whole bodies to massage our bodies. We were walked on, pulled, rocked up and down, kicked, poked and prodded. It was awesome! :) We were already planning on giving a good tip but it was pretty funny because they demanded a $100 baht tip which is about $3 US dollars. I'm sure not everybody tips 50% but they knew we didn't know any better. I was happy to give them my money though considering I had just gotten the best massage of my life for a total of $10!
After the massage, I indulged in a malibu pineapple cocktail, with fresh squeezed pineapple, and of course amazing Thai food. The entree sizes were tiny compared to what we're used in Obese America and each dinner cost about $3 US dollars. So, we all got two dinners! We obviously played into the American stereotype! It was without a doubt the best Thai food I've had, which I wasn't necessarily expecting since there are so many authentic Thai restaurants in LA. While we were eating dinner, a Karaoke band in the restaurant sang "Morning Has Broken" and "Amazing Grace." It was so great to meet local Christians so we supported them by singing Karaoke for 2 hours! We had a blast and drew a huge crowd with "I Will Survive" and the backstreet boys - requested by the locals. My favorite part was when a Russian man sang Russian karaoke. In fact, I was surprised by the population of Russians in Thailand. I guess it's their vacation spot and almost every sign is in Thai and Russian.
After dinner, karaoke and a squirt gun fight in the street, we walked down to the beach and experienced the bathwater, nay spa water, that is the Gulf of Thailand. At 10pm, the water was about 80 degrees. To top off our amazing day in Thailand, we had Thai beer at an Irish Pub while listening to a live Thai pop concert. What an experience.
Before I sign off, I have to mention one of the sad truths of Thailand. As soon as the sun set, hundreds of women, or should I say girls, lined the streets waiting for a night's work. I felt so hopeless and disgusted as I watched men of all ages approach 14-20 year old Thai prostitutes. We've all heard the rumors of the Thai red light districts but I was not expecting to see such depravity on the main drag of a tourist friendly street. I felt sick to my stomach and my prayers go out to all of the organizations and missionaries trying to help women in sex slavery and prostitution.
With that, please pray for these women (and men!) Soon to come - Cambodia!
Much love,
J & J
There are two other cast members, Kurt and Justin, that aren't in "It Takes Two" so the three of us left for Thailand as soon as we could. We couldn't get off until the afternoon and since Bangkok would've been about four hours roundtrip, we opted for the beach city of Pattaya about 30 minutes from the shipyard. Riding in the taxi, we noticed that pedestrians all along the streets had squirt guns to drench all the cyclists, bikers and open air busses. Our cab driver told us this was called a "Thai Shower" and we assumed it was just a normal gesture to cool people off. However, when we got to the main strip in Pattaya, called Walking Street, we saw a city-wide block party and squirt gun fight that I could never describe with just words. We then realized that these "Thai Showers" were for Thai New Year and the way they celebrate is by soaking every single passerby. And I mean soaking. Drenched. All over the city, street vendors were selling plastic phone cases and ponchos. In Bangkok, fire trucks drive through the city spraying people down with the fire hose! It would've even more fun if I had been more prepared but I was wearing my Frye leather sandals and carrying my nice purse. (Don't worry mom, my sandals aren't ruined! Thank goodness, you know how much I love those!). However, I bought a pair of cheap flip flops, put the shoes in my bag and I was ready! We took a lot of pictures and video of this crazy Thai New Year celebration so I'll upload those when I can.
Even with the constant "showering," the heat and humidity was unbearable so the first thing we did was buy boba tea milkshakes on the beach. I'm used to boba tea being in LA but Kurt and Justin had never heard of it. We payed $10 baht per tea which works out to about 28 cents! ($1 US Dollar equals about $33 Thai Baht). The only Asian city I had been to before this cruise was Hong Kong. Even in the cheapest areas of the city, it's still expensive compared to mainland China. Now having been in Thailand, Hong Kong is far more expensive.
In Pattaya, the three of us got 1 hour Thai massages for $6 US Dollars. I had never had a Thai massage back home but this was an incredible experience. All over the city are these restaurant/convenience store/bar/massage parlors. I'm obviously used to private rooms but here they have you put on scrub-like pajamas and the massage rooms have about 10 beds each. So we all laid next to each other as the masseuses worked in unison. The best way I can describe this massage is that they use their whole bodies to massage our bodies. We were walked on, pulled, rocked up and down, kicked, poked and prodded. It was awesome! :) We were already planning on giving a good tip but it was pretty funny because they demanded a $100 baht tip which is about $3 US dollars. I'm sure not everybody tips 50% but they knew we didn't know any better. I was happy to give them my money though considering I had just gotten the best massage of my life for a total of $10!
After the massage, I indulged in a malibu pineapple cocktail, with fresh squeezed pineapple, and of course amazing Thai food. The entree sizes were tiny compared to what we're used in Obese America and each dinner cost about $3 US dollars. So, we all got two dinners! We obviously played into the American stereotype! It was without a doubt the best Thai food I've had, which I wasn't necessarily expecting since there are so many authentic Thai restaurants in LA. While we were eating dinner, a Karaoke band in the restaurant sang "Morning Has Broken" and "Amazing Grace." It was so great to meet local Christians so we supported them by singing Karaoke for 2 hours! We had a blast and drew a huge crowd with "I Will Survive" and the backstreet boys - requested by the locals. My favorite part was when a Russian man sang Russian karaoke. In fact, I was surprised by the population of Russians in Thailand. I guess it's their vacation spot and almost every sign is in Thai and Russian.
After dinner, karaoke and a squirt gun fight in the street, we walked down to the beach and experienced the bathwater, nay spa water, that is the Gulf of Thailand. At 10pm, the water was about 80 degrees. To top off our amazing day in Thailand, we had Thai beer at an Irish Pub while listening to a live Thai pop concert. What an experience.
Before I sign off, I have to mention one of the sad truths of Thailand. As soon as the sun set, hundreds of women, or should I say girls, lined the streets waiting for a night's work. I felt so hopeless and disgusted as I watched men of all ages approach 14-20 year old Thai prostitutes. We've all heard the rumors of the Thai red light districts but I was not expecting to see such depravity on the main drag of a tourist friendly street. I felt sick to my stomach and my prayers go out to all of the organizations and missionaries trying to help women in sex slavery and prostitution.
With that, please pray for these women (and men!) Soon to come - Cambodia!
Much love,
J & J
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Ship Life!
We performed our first show, "Back to Broadway!" Since we have a long cruise, the 35 day Asian adventure, we have about 3 days to rehearse and tech each of our 6 shows. For every show we have 2 full days of rehearsal, a midnight tech run on the 2nd day and then a noon run and the shows on the 3rd day. There are always two seatings for every show, 8pm and 10pm. The 8pm crowd was bigger than the second show but the 10pm audience was much more responsive because they were the younger crowd. It was a little rough performing for the first audience - if there were crickets on the ship we would have heard them :). I know they enjoyed the show but they were quiet observers... In fact one of the guests who's been on every Holland America ship said it was by far the best show he'd seen.
We perform with a live band on stage and the production quality of the show is astounding - amazing lighting, beautiful sets and gorgeous Bob Mackey costumes. They spare no expense on the technical side of entertainment here at Holland America. Our next show is "It Takes Two" which I'm not in so I have 3 days off. Each cast member has at least 1 show that they aren't in. Jeremy is the lead male in "It Takes Two" and he'll have his days off when we do the all female show, "Dinner Belles." Besides rehearsals and costume fittings, we've been doing a lot of safety training and crew lifeboat drills. One interesting note - we are quickly learning the hierarchy of Holland America ships. The Captains along with the Chief and First Officers are almost always Dutch and the rest of the officers are either Australian or British. All of the crew is either Philippino or Indonesian, the spa girls are British, the String Quartet is Ukrainian and all of the musicians and singers are American. I'm surprised at the demographic of the passengers too. I was expecting a diverse group since we're sailing in Southeast Asia but 99% of these guests are over 50 and caucasian. Every guest I've met is either British, Australian or American. I'm surprised we don't have more Indians, Asians and wealthy middle-easterners on this cruise.
It's hard to describe "ship life" and I don't think anyone can prepare themselves without having the actual experience. For one thing, I would have no idea what day it is if I didn't have my iPhone that automatically updates time zones. Apparently it's a common issue on a ship because all of the elevators have day of the week floor mats. So when all else fails and every day feels like Saturday, the daily floor mats will set you straight! It hasn't set in that we will be living on this ship for 7 months. I definitely feel like I'm on vacation even with rehearsals and shows. I'm sure our living situation is a factor...remember how I mentioned that they put us up in guest cabins when we first arrived in dry dock? Well, those were Deck 3 interior cabins. When the passengers boarded the ship they moved us out of those cabins and into empty guest cabins. However, the only available guest cabins were...wait for it...Deck 7 Verandah suites equipped with private balconies, jacuzzi bath tubs, a King sized bed and a separate living area. I know. Amazing. I really don't want to leave but unfortunately our staff cabins will be ready tomorrow. They are very nice for staff cabins but after living in the lap of luxury it's going to be hard to get used to!
Now for the food...it's delicious and there's a lot of it! Since we're considered "officers," we eat with the guests at the Lido buffet. However, we aren't tempted to eat all day nearly as much as I thought. The meal times at the Buffet are very specific and the food is so rich that I usually can't bring myself to have more than one plate. Shocking I know. We primarily eat at the Lido but can eat in the dining room if asked by a passenger or if it isn't too crowded and we ask permission. Another place we'll frequent (but not too often...) is the Officer's Bar for $1 glasses of wine and $2 cocktails. We also have 24 hour free room service so our first night in the Verandah Suite we had caesar salads and Grilled Salmon with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. Yep, I could get used to this! I'm sure I'll miss cooking and having the freedom to prepare my own food, but right now I'm not complaining!
As I write this blog, I think to myself that this really is too good to be true and wonder, "what's the catch?" Well, I discovered a small one. I caught the sea sick bug on our first day sailing out of Singapore. I was told this was not a good sign since the water was extremely calm sailing through the south China Sea and into the gulf of Thailand. Fortunately, we have 24 hour access to chewable sea sickness pills as well as green apples and ginger ale. When dad, Laura, Piper and I went on a cruise, our Carnival ship was much bigger than the Volendam and the only time I felt any real rocking was during a storm. I'm already more assimilated to this motion, but I can't say I'm excited for the 6 day trans-Pacific crossing to Alaska!
Since I'm not in the next show, I'll be able to explore Thailand and Cambodia. Jeremy will get to spend some time in Thailand but unfortunately won't be able to go to Cambodia. We'll get to explore most of the other ports together though.
So...coming soon...Thailand and Cambodian adventures. We love you!
J & J
We perform with a live band on stage and the production quality of the show is astounding - amazing lighting, beautiful sets and gorgeous Bob Mackey costumes. They spare no expense on the technical side of entertainment here at Holland America. Our next show is "It Takes Two" which I'm not in so I have 3 days off. Each cast member has at least 1 show that they aren't in. Jeremy is the lead male in "It Takes Two" and he'll have his days off when we do the all female show, "Dinner Belles." Besides rehearsals and costume fittings, we've been doing a lot of safety training and crew lifeboat drills. One interesting note - we are quickly learning the hierarchy of Holland America ships. The Captains along with the Chief and First Officers are almost always Dutch and the rest of the officers are either Australian or British. All of the crew is either Philippino or Indonesian, the spa girls are British, the String Quartet is Ukrainian and all of the musicians and singers are American. I'm surprised at the demographic of the passengers too. I was expecting a diverse group since we're sailing in Southeast Asia but 99% of these guests are over 50 and caucasian. Every guest I've met is either British, Australian or American. I'm surprised we don't have more Indians, Asians and wealthy middle-easterners on this cruise.
It's hard to describe "ship life" and I don't think anyone can prepare themselves without having the actual experience. For one thing, I would have no idea what day it is if I didn't have my iPhone that automatically updates time zones. Apparently it's a common issue on a ship because all of the elevators have day of the week floor mats. So when all else fails and every day feels like Saturday, the daily floor mats will set you straight! It hasn't set in that we will be living on this ship for 7 months. I definitely feel like I'm on vacation even with rehearsals and shows. I'm sure our living situation is a factor...remember how I mentioned that they put us up in guest cabins when we first arrived in dry dock? Well, those were Deck 3 interior cabins. When the passengers boarded the ship they moved us out of those cabins and into empty guest cabins. However, the only available guest cabins were...wait for it...Deck 7 Verandah suites equipped with private balconies, jacuzzi bath tubs, a King sized bed and a separate living area. I know. Amazing. I really don't want to leave but unfortunately our staff cabins will be ready tomorrow. They are very nice for staff cabins but after living in the lap of luxury it's going to be hard to get used to!
Now for the food...it's delicious and there's a lot of it! Since we're considered "officers," we eat with the guests at the Lido buffet. However, we aren't tempted to eat all day nearly as much as I thought. The meal times at the Buffet are very specific and the food is so rich that I usually can't bring myself to have more than one plate. Shocking I know. We primarily eat at the Lido but can eat in the dining room if asked by a passenger or if it isn't too crowded and we ask permission. Another place we'll frequent (but not too often...) is the Officer's Bar for $1 glasses of wine and $2 cocktails. We also have 24 hour free room service so our first night in the Verandah Suite we had caesar salads and Grilled Salmon with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. Yep, I could get used to this! I'm sure I'll miss cooking and having the freedom to prepare my own food, but right now I'm not complaining!
As I write this blog, I think to myself that this really is too good to be true and wonder, "what's the catch?" Well, I discovered a small one. I caught the sea sick bug on our first day sailing out of Singapore. I was told this was not a good sign since the water was extremely calm sailing through the south China Sea and into the gulf of Thailand. Fortunately, we have 24 hour access to chewable sea sickness pills as well as green apples and ginger ale. When dad, Laura, Piper and I went on a cruise, our Carnival ship was much bigger than the Volendam and the only time I felt any real rocking was during a storm. I'm already more assimilated to this motion, but I can't say I'm excited for the 6 day trans-Pacific crossing to Alaska!
Since I'm not in the next show, I'll be able to explore Thailand and Cambodia. Jeremy will get to spend some time in Thailand but unfortunately won't be able to go to Cambodia. We'll get to explore most of the other ports together though.
So...coming soon...Thailand and Cambodian adventures. We love you!
J & J
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Welcome to Singapore!
Blog #1
The Lord is good and He brought us safely 1/2 way around the world!!!! I'm currently sitting in the Ocean Lounge of the gorgeous MS Volendam! So, where to begin....
Singapore Airlines is everything it's cracked up to be. Granted, the only international experiences I have to compare it to are United Air flying to Hong Kong (Horrible) and Eva air flying home from Hong Kong (Amazing because I flew business class so it isn't a fair comparison). Maybe these perks I'm about to fawn over are common place for savvy international travelers but I was astounded at the elegance, service and quality of Singapore Air.
First of all, the "coach" seats are like no other economy seats I've ever seen. There was twice as much leg room with built in foot rests and pillows with foldable headrests. The individual tv screens were enormous compared to other airlines with a selection of 143 movies, 180 tv shows and too many music channels to tally. I watched "Tangled," "Black Swan," "High Society," and a few episodes of Modern Family and Fresh Prince :)
When we first sat down, we were given warm towels and individual Givenchy bags filled with slippers, headphones, a toothbrush and toothpaste. Then, we immediately partook of the complimentary drink options that included a signature cocktail called "The Singapore Sling," vermouth, whiskey, gin, vodka, Cointreau, Cabernet, Chardonnay, Riesling, beer and all the usual sodas and juices. We both had a few Singapore Slings, wine and gin/tonics...it was a great flight! :)
Now for the best part...the food!
Jeremy chose the international selection for his first meal:
Smoked salmon chopped salmon
Braised beef in red wine sauce with buttered vegetables and mashed potatoes
Cheese and crackers
Rolls
Coffee/tea
I opted for the Japanese Selection:
Zensai-Japanese appetizers that included Ahi tuna sashimi - yum!
Japanese noodles
Donburi teriyaki chicken and rice
Rice crackers
Rolls
Green or Oolong Tea
There were also snack and lighter meal options such as vegetable curry, turkey wraps, Macaroni and cheese, shrimp fried rice, carrot cake, chocolate bars and more) and to top it all off -the gorgeous flight attendants in their beautiful silk regalia passed out individual cartons of Ben and Jerry's cookie dough ice cream after every meal. I was in heaven.
Our first flight was 14 hours and the second leg from Tokyo to Singapore was about 8 hours. All in all, we had a wonderful experience traveling the 22 hours to Singapore! And yes, we did sleep a little...
When we got to Singapore, we hopped in two vans and headed straight for the ship. Our van got there within 20 minutes but an hour and a half later we were still waiting for the other van with half of our cast. After a lot of panicking on our part, they finally pulled up and told us their van had overheated twice and that they were stuck on the side of the road for an hour! In hindsight, it's s pretty funny start to our adventure!
The ship is beautiful but we're currently in dry dock so it isn't a good representation of how our ship will look and feel. Passengers don't board until the 14th so until then the ship is being renovated, cleaned, inspected, etc. Basically, the ship is filled with tape, plastic, tools, and contractors-most of whom are Russian and all of whom are male. I think our female cast members are the only women on the ship right now. Don't worry mom, I won't explore the ship alone! :)
We've seen most of the ship but a lot of it is blocked off for renovations. Our actual rooms aren't ready yet so we're staying in passenger cabins for the next few days. They're really nice for those planning to join us...! We've been stuck on the ship all day today but tomorrow night we'll be able to venture into Singapore. The ship has to do weight checks so every crew member has to either leave the ship or stay in bed for 5 hours. Hmmm...tough choice...I think we'll opt to leave and have dinner in Singapore :)
Tomorrow will be filled with costume fittings and trainings and then Wednesday we start rehearsals in the theater! We love you all so much and can't wait to email and skype when we get a chance.
With much love,
J & J
The Lord is good and He brought us safely 1/2 way around the world!!!! I'm currently sitting in the Ocean Lounge of the gorgeous MS Volendam! So, where to begin....
Singapore Airlines is everything it's cracked up to be. Granted, the only international experiences I have to compare it to are United Air flying to Hong Kong (Horrible) and Eva air flying home from Hong Kong (Amazing because I flew business class so it isn't a fair comparison). Maybe these perks I'm about to fawn over are common place for savvy international travelers but I was astounded at the elegance, service and quality of Singapore Air.
First of all, the "coach" seats are like no other economy seats I've ever seen. There was twice as much leg room with built in foot rests and pillows with foldable headrests. The individual tv screens were enormous compared to other airlines with a selection of 143 movies, 180 tv shows and too many music channels to tally. I watched "Tangled," "Black Swan," "High Society," and a few episodes of Modern Family and Fresh Prince :)
When we first sat down, we were given warm towels and individual Givenchy bags filled with slippers, headphones, a toothbrush and toothpaste. Then, we immediately partook of the complimentary drink options that included a signature cocktail called "The Singapore Sling," vermouth, whiskey, gin, vodka, Cointreau, Cabernet, Chardonnay, Riesling, beer and all the usual sodas and juices. We both had a few Singapore Slings, wine and gin/tonics...it was a great flight! :)
Now for the best part...the food!
Jeremy chose the international selection for his first meal:
Smoked salmon chopped salmon
Braised beef in red wine sauce with buttered vegetables and mashed potatoes
Cheese and crackers
Rolls
Coffee/tea
I opted for the Japanese Selection:
Zensai-Japanese appetizers that included Ahi tuna sashimi - yum!
Japanese noodles
Donburi teriyaki chicken and rice
Rice crackers
Rolls
Green or Oolong Tea
There were also snack and lighter meal options such as vegetable curry, turkey wraps, Macaroni and cheese, shrimp fried rice, carrot cake, chocolate bars and more) and to top it all off -the gorgeous flight attendants in their beautiful silk regalia passed out individual cartons of Ben and Jerry's cookie dough ice cream after every meal. I was in heaven.
Our first flight was 14 hours and the second leg from Tokyo to Singapore was about 8 hours. All in all, we had a wonderful experience traveling the 22 hours to Singapore! And yes, we did sleep a little...
When we got to Singapore, we hopped in two vans and headed straight for the ship. Our van got there within 20 minutes but an hour and a half later we were still waiting for the other van with half of our cast. After a lot of panicking on our part, they finally pulled up and told us their van had overheated twice and that they were stuck on the side of the road for an hour! In hindsight, it's s pretty funny start to our adventure!
The ship is beautiful but we're currently in dry dock so it isn't a good representation of how our ship will look and feel. Passengers don't board until the 14th so until then the ship is being renovated, cleaned, inspected, etc. Basically, the ship is filled with tape, plastic, tools, and contractors-most of whom are Russian and all of whom are male. I think our female cast members are the only women on the ship right now. Don't worry mom, I won't explore the ship alone! :)
We've seen most of the ship but a lot of it is blocked off for renovations. Our actual rooms aren't ready yet so we're staying in passenger cabins for the next few days. They're really nice for those planning to join us...! We've been stuck on the ship all day today but tomorrow night we'll be able to venture into Singapore. The ship has to do weight checks so every crew member has to either leave the ship or stay in bed for 5 hours. Hmmm...tough choice...I think we'll opt to leave and have dinner in Singapore :)
Tomorrow will be filled with costume fittings and trainings and then Wednesday we start rehearsals in the theater! We love you all so much and can't wait to email and skype when we get a chance.
With much love,
J & J
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Welcome to our blog!
Hello!
Welcome to our blog where we will write weekly updates on our big adventure! We're obviously not very blog-savvy as this is probably the simplest blog on the internet (!) but it will serve our purpose of online journaling.
We are flying to Singapore via Singapore Airlines on Sunday and will be immediately boarding the ship to begin tech rehearsals in the theater.
We love you all and can't wait to share many stories, pictures and videos!
~J & J
Welcome to our blog where we will write weekly updates on our big adventure! We're obviously not very blog-savvy as this is probably the simplest blog on the internet (!) but it will serve our purpose of online journaling.
We are flying to Singapore via Singapore Airlines on Sunday and will be immediately boarding the ship to begin tech rehearsals in the theater.
We love you all and can't wait to share many stories, pictures and videos!
~J & J
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