Fort Lauderdale, FL

Stage Manager’s Log
Ms. Prinsendam
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Today started very early. Well, I suppose that 0700 is not early, but it felt like it. Anyway, I had to be up then to take care of US Immigration even though I can’t get off the boat until Tuesday on account of my training. I still need to complete one more course. So that means that I can’t get off until Portugal, not that this is a problem since we will be at sea for a week.

So today was my first day on my own. It wasn’t so bad. As it was debarkation and turnover day there wasn’t a lot going on in the morning. In fact there wasn’t much going on most of the day, for me anyway. I took some time in the morning to make a lots of phone calls. This was the last day that I would be in a place where my US Cell phone would work (in theory) so I figured I would take advantage of that. So I called the Papas to wish them happy birthday, though I never managed to say that to Papa Bernie on account of the long discussion we had about being on the ship and work and such. I called home and Becca and Dan. Wished a happy graduation to Becca (even though I was a day late) and Happy Birthday to Dan as well.

For the next few days I will be out of communications range for voice, so email will have to suffice. Once I get to Europe the global phone should work, and people can call me and I will be able to call them, though I would much prefer if people called me so that I didn’t loose all my minutes. Not that my current minutes cost me anything, since my dad was nice enough to buy them for me, but once I use them up it will cost me.

Aside from the lighting booth and back stage I share an office with the Cruise Director and Asst. Cruise Director. So I have a mailbox and share a computer where I can take care of any ship business. It is kind of fun to sort of have an office. We have a computer in the booth, but it is not connected to the ships network, so I can’t access the server that has all of the paperwork that I need. I think I am going to put a bunch of paperwork on my flash drive so that I can work on it on my computer when I have time, and where I can find slightly more space to work than the booth.

I have to keep “Voyage Reports” which are similar to a Performance/Rehearsal report except we only file them at the end of each cruise or every couple weeks if it is a long cruise. Voyage Reports not only consist of information such as things that went wrong or lights that needed to be fixed, but any repair orders or purchase orders, and also stage crew time sheets for the Indonesian and Philippino crew that helps change the sets for the production shows or the tailors who run the follow spots. It just ensures that they get paid.

Also today I had the second part of my environmental training. That took about 20 minutes and then I was off again. I watched Sail Away from Deck 12 forward, the highest outside deck that is accessible. It was fun, but Port Everglades isn’t that pretty to sail out of. The pier and terminal are in an industrial shipyard type area so there are lots of containers. Hopefully some of the ports in Europe will be more interesting to sail in and out of.

I also took some time to help the new lounge pianist set up in the Crow’s Nest Lounge. Yes, technically as the stage manager I am in charge of that too. He ins new to ships too, like me, and he brought a ton of his own equipment. He had looked at the picture of the lounge online and thought that it was huge, but it really isn’t. He had huge speakers and a rack and all sorts of other stuff. We made it fit nicely, but he could probably really overpower that room if he isn’t careful. I think that he will get in the swing of it all.

The show tonight was just introductions, so it was relatively simple. Turn on the band, turn on some lights, and call it a day. And the Cruise Director’s mic of course. Simple. I also had quick meeting with Paul Romahny who is the guest entertainer tomorrow just to find out what he needed for rehearsal time. Tomorrow at 1400 for half an hour.

Went down to the OB later on just to hang out. Not many people there tonight. Played darts with Chris, the company manager for the cast. Then we all went home. Tomorrow we are back in Half Moon Cay before we set sail for Portugal.


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