Ship Life ~ Welcome to the Constellation....

Constellation in Antigua 

I thought I had been prepared for what ship life would be like. Having lived in a small space, working for little money and drinking all the time in Jasper, I didn’t think that coming on board the ship would be a large departure from what I had previously experienced. Perhaps it is that I am getting older, perhaps it is that I have seen more of what is out there and life has to offer. Maybe I have just forgotten all of the difficult times I experienced while living in Jasper ~ who knows, but it has been harder than I thought it would be.

When you put people (954 to be exact) in a small, enclosed space and ask them to live harmoniously, there will always be some issues. It is like living in a small town ~ where everyone knows your business, and folks sometimes have nothing better to do than gossip. I have found that people tend to form into groups or packs to which they are fiercely loyal. It takes me back to high school some of the antics that go on where each group is trying to position themselves to get the advantage. I tend to float from gathering to gathering without pledging loyalty to any one specific group ~ and feel that this may be the better course ~ befriend all, and make promises to no one.

The actual living space on the ship while small, doesn’t feel claustrophobic. I say that now while I still have my single cabin. Yes, word on the street is the new berthing assignments are out and I am sharing. God help them. The cabin I will be sharing is not much bigger than mine, but it will not have the large desk, nor will it have the PC, which is a bit of a bummer and will mean that I need to come to the office to do things in lieu of my cabin… :(

Photos don’t really do the justice to the size of the room. The bathroom is quiet literally a closet and I need to be pretty neat ~ doesn’t take much to disorganize the room, but it for now is mine…


Cabin view from the door 


Cabin view from the bathroom 


Cabin view from the bed 


The wee bathroom 

The main deck (Deck 1) is primarily used for crew, with the exception of the gangway which passengers use to exit the ship. The corridor leads to the messes and one of the staff bars. There are some cabins on this deck and offices for Housekeeping, Food and Beverage Department and Security.


Deck 1 

The mess, is just like University ~ only they give us cloth napkins. The menus are on a 2 week rotation, so you get to learn what days are good and what days are bad. Still hitting the deserts ~ but alas, with the renewed running on the treadmill, I’m still OK.


Officer Mess 

Officer Mess and the Boys 

The staff do have one outdoor space ~ Metal Beach. It is on Deck 5 at the front of the ship. They have 2 jacuzzis that were used more often in the Caribbean season and often the deck was sprinkled with sun worshipers looking to enhance their bronze beauty. Since crossing, I don’t know that many folks go up there due to the temperature. It is a good place to be when we are coming into and out of port as you are able to get a birds eye view of the scenery.

Metal Beach 

Metal Beach 1 

Metal Beach 3 

The second bar ~ the smoking bar ~ is the more popular location and tends to be where most people gather at the end of the day. (End of day being sometime after midnight…) They have a DJ booth which some of the crew members offer up their services and provide music to the masses. The Heineken and Becks are a buck a bottle, which can be a bit dangerous in and of itself. You will often see the rounds being bought and can end up with more drinks than you should ~ hmmm… The benefit, when it is your turn to shout, you don’t break the bank.
There are public areas of the ship which are available to the staff ~ while I have been there, I don’t have photos, so I will write about those later…


People dancin' it up at the Crew Bar 


Those One Dollar Heinies... 


More folks hanging at the Bar ~ pst the guy in blue is my boss...