My Ship Story

Carey Sue leaves Ponca City, Oklahoma, and joins ships with Norwegian Cruise Line in 1990 as a Youth Coordinator and quickly works her way to Cruise Director. She tells stories about life as a "newborn adult" after Cruise Ships, working on 12 different ships, taking kids ashore, the challenges of shipboard relationships, "popping the top" through the Kiel Canal, Carey Sue's luggage, an Elvis theme...

First guest from Renaissance R-ships, Tanya originally joins with Princess on the Regal in 1997.  She goes to Renaissance, and then Disney. She tells the story of a very abnormal first contract, an almost missed the ship story in Cartagena, has a first degree of separation connection, and a dry-dock/road-trip to NYC. A letter to Ellen turns into a book - All Over the Map: Two lovers, Six continent...

Rhoda joins us with co-guest and partner in crime, Mary Giuliani, they tell stories from their many years onboard as pursers with Premier and Royal Caribbean. Rhoda goes from shore-side to onboard with Premiere Cruise Line in the late eighties and later meets up with Mary who threw her keys overboard. The episode is packed with stories that reference previous episodes. Psycho "B"s from hell parts...

Our first guest from the Housekeeping department, Annette joins the Song of America in 1988 as a stewardess. She has a noisy unidentified neighbor, loses something, learns about shipboard horse racing, runs down a day in the life of a Cabin Steward, tell about housekeeping wicked tricks, a crazy third party sex-slave story, a crazy pax hook-up story, a storm story, the perils of water-tight doors,...

Our first guest from the Casino department, Pippa gives us some gambling tips, joins ships in 1996 with Cunard, loses a big bet, Bushwackers, Besties, Bungee Jumping, another Ship board romance, the Ultimate Wedding Crash, and Notes! Oceantime.com  

Our first guest from Germany, Olaf is inspired to work on ships by the German love boat TV show, "Das Traumschiff" (The Dream Ship).  He tells us what is was like working on super high-end ships as waiter, bar waiter, bar manager, and and eventually port lecturer.  He was on the maiden voyage of the The Berlin, worked on a river boat, distilleries in Scotland, and modern cruise sailing ships with...

Cruise Director, Gordon Whatman, leaves England and joins the Viking Serenade in 1990. Gordon tells us stories from his 30 years working for Royal Caribbean.  Always hustling, and always charming, makes Joan Rivers laugh, mends a skirt for Susan Anton, has a wardrobe snafu, a performance that turned a mistake into hilarity, and gives everyone some important words of wisdom.

First guest from the Dining Room, Alex leaves Croatia and joins the Nordic Empress in Miami. He tells stories about what it was like working in the dining room on many Royal Caribbean ships, wins three bottles of Crystal on a bet, makes a tipsy announcement in the middle of the night, a VERY special bracelet, and serving the most difficult passengers ever. Babaloodesign.com

The first guest from Australia, Eva joins ships as a purser with Radisson Song of Flower and the Premier Oceanic before working for Royal Caribbean for many years.  She tells the story about "Splash and Flipper" in St. Thomas, surviving a Captain's hearing, she and Mary Giuliani christen the Vision of the Seas and become the ship's unofficial godmothers, an almost missed the ship story. #AMTS  And...

Former Stage Manager and current ACD for an HVAC company, CJ Romano, tells about her pre-family life in entertainment, joining the ships as a dancer in 1988. Creating Rock n Roll night with Jeffrey Arpin, the Ship Shape program, dealing with Jerry Lewis (again!), RAIN, Ben Vereen (again!), Liza Minelli, Labadee, the Haitian Voodoo god, and Fire story on the Sovereign. 

Current Guest Services Director with Celebrity, and much requested guest, Julie Sherrington, tells how she started on ships as a hairdresser, moved into the purser department, and worked her way to the top. Julie shares how working onboard has changed over the years, her trials with technology, Babyface the taxi driver, being on the front line, dressing up as a chicken, working the desk with Mikey...

Our first guest from South America, Pablo tells the story of joining Princess as a buffet boy, goes to the Nordic Prince as a busboy, Hurricane Bob touches destiny again, transfers to the Purser's department and works his way to Chief Purser, THEN gets caught up in the theft of the payroll money investigation, and THEN twists and turns! #Supercharge #burialatsea

Our first guest from NCL, former Purser/Hotel Director Ricardo tells the story of how he started on ships, works his way thru the ranks to a Chief Purser, talks about the trials and tribulations of working on an old ship, meets his wife onboard, has a New Year's surprise, International Nap Time #INT,  the weird story of the Windward launch, the SS Norway, and the guys discover they all have one de...

Scott Record tells about his career working with Rodney Dangerfield, Frank Sinatra and Anne Margaret, becomes a star entertainer on ships after meeting an RCCL executive at a golf tournament, does a show while injured, tells about his version of New York, New York, gives a sample of his many impersonations, an audience member dies during a show, and tells about a helicopter rescue at sea.   

Gary finishes up with the aftermath of the April Fools story, plays another prank on a Hotel Manager, has an unpleasant pax encounter, and talks about how guest services has changed over the years. 

Former chef and current Hotel Director, Gary tells the story of an elaborate April Fools prank and the subsequent aftermath, transferring from Purser to Food and Beverage, bringing out new ships for Royal Caribbean, and more keys get thrown overboard!

David tells the story of his influence on the innovation and evolution of the ship's Piano Bar. A master of music and puns over 30 years aboard. Stump the Music Man, drunk pax, making the audience the show, the ice bucket, the guest talent show, the entertainer's entertainer, an auto-obituary, #LeaveItToBeaver  Waves Goodbye!!!

Mikey's episode continues with Cozumel stories, jet-ski accidents, Eric meets up with Mikey in Texas, Mikey has been everywhere, crew members must clean up their own vomit.

Mikey tells a classic sail away story about an impromptu party with the Steiners, visits another mess and enjoys some Chicken Adobo. more nights in San Juan, rents a Mini Moke in Barbados and tells another great #AMTS story that includes a crazy biting horse.

Former Purser, and current Cruise Planner, Carol Ross tells how she gets from Long Island to the Nordic Prince, gives her version of the voyage through hurricane Bob. She also talks about Hairpieces that are not Scott's, scary bits, a classic #AMTS (almost missed the ship) with the casino of course, elephants and crushes. 

Jeff tells the story about how he joined ships as a 16 year old magician! He tells many stories about his 22 years working onboard as a Cruise Staff and Cruise Director.

Carolyn tells her story of joining ships as a Cruise Staff / Entertainer and eventually meeting her husband Les onboard.

Fred leaves Michigan to join the ship as a DJ without ever having been one before, tells stories about cabin crawls, The Come Song, ice carving malapropism, minges, Hotel Managers, The Viking Lemonade, hooking up with pax, Boise Idaho, a Sugar Mama, and gives us an encore of The Taxi Driver.    

Former Youth Staff and Dancer, Sharon is now a Corporate meeting planner, Zumba instructor, and member of the Largest marching band in the world called the Awesome Original Second Time Arounders. She tells the story of when Shirley Jones attended her bridal shower, meets Norm Crosby, Rosalyn and Jimmy Carter join her exercise class, partying with animal feet, and gets fed up with a passenger. #Mic...

Kara returns to the story after she gets pregnant while working for Disney Cruise Lines, talks about the exhausting routine of working both as a Cruise Director and mother, and reminds everyone... Don't pet rodents!