Sat next week

Hi everyone,

so some of you might know, some might not but as of 10th Sept 2010, I am a proud member of Harding Brothers shopping team, i.e. I'm a shoppie :)
Harding brothers is a concession company operating Duty Free shops on more than 50 cruise ships, around the world.
Yes people, I get to work on a cruise ship. Hip hip Horray.
The reason I am writing all that stuff in English is, because as of 26th I will be living in English-only community, so I'd better start switching back to my English-speaking mode (did it once I was in Malta for 3 yrs)
Anyways, after losing my much loved job at Carpe Dieam and after having lots and lots of trouble with my famil, I decided that it is time for a change. I really have no idea how it came to looking for a job on a cruise ship, but it so happened, and I applied, had 2 telephone interviews, got the "Congratulations, you have been approved" e-mail 2 hours after the interview, went to Varna to get STCW95 and crowd management cert, Norvegian Maritime medical cert, chest x-rays, yellow fever shot, MCV Australian visa, Bahamas and British Seaman's Booklets, C1/D American Visa (still have to have my interview on mon 20th), just to receive an email two days ago that as I will be joining Celebrity Cruises Eclipse, I would need another round of medical examinations including:
1. Drug test
2. Hepatitis A,B,C
3. Syphilis test
4. Full Blood Count
5. Urine pregnancy test
6. Urine sediment test
7. Biochemistry
8. Total cholesterol, HDL and LDL
9. Electrlolytes

Want some more?
Hearing and eyesight test
and on and on and on

Literary, every single part and particle of my entire body will be checked and rechecked over the next couple of days.
Now, If you want to work on cruise ships there are couple of ways you can apply.

1. Via local agent - usually this takes a lot of money, is very very inconvenient and also timely. However some cruise line companies would only employ through local agents so you'll have to suck it up. You will be absolutely always charged with "agency fee" which might be up to 500 EUR. For example - Harding Brother's biggest competitor - Starboards Services, which is also a concession company and also tuns duty-free shops, would only employ through their local agent for Bulgaria, which happens to be Invermore shipping and is located in Slovenia. Once a year Invermore would do a pre-interview in Sofia (this year it was on 10.09) and if you are approved you would have to travel to Budapest on 26.09 for an interview with Starboards representative. If you pass the second interview, you would have to pay Invermore a fee of 350 EUR. And then you get to start preparing you docs - which costs at least another 300 EUR, and buy your own ticket to the States to meet the ship. For other positions onboards there are other local agencies, however I am telling you - It's a waste of money and time.
2. You can apply directly to the concessionary. If you are interested in casino/spa/duty free vacancies, apply dirctly to the cocessionary. Harding Brothers would employ vie telephone interview, so it's rather convenient (don't fool yourselves, the interview is really hard and you really have to prepare for it). Steiner is your deal for spa staff, I think Harding have spa staff as well. Casino - you would have to look on your own.
3. For all other positions onboard - you can apply directly to the cruise line, by sending them a cover letter, CV and photos. The easiest way to "get in" is through the so called "Food and Beverage Division" or as a waiter, bartender, cook or ay of the relative. Believe me, there are so many positions onboard that sometimes I have no idea what do pople of certain positions do.

Blah, that was a big one. Anyways you send your CV, wait, get an interview, wait, get 2nd interview, wait, get confirmation letter, wait, prepare and send in all docs and required cert, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait juuust a little bit more, and receive your ship assignment.

That is the usual procedure. But not for me. Nope - I get to always be the exception. First of all I received an invitation of my interview just 2 days after sending my CV, then had the 1st interview and was offered 2nd interview on THE NEXT DAY. Then 2 hours after the 2nd interview I receive the "congrats" mail.
Then, still not having send ANY docs (althogh I already have the Nowegian medical, but no c1/d ot stcw95), I receive the letter that I join Celebrity Eclipse ASAP. ASAP. YEP.
AND ASAP MEANS SEPTEMBER 26. Lord. When you gotta go, you gotta go :)
The Eclipse is the newest ship in the Celebrity fleet - it carries 2850 passengers and 1200 crew - which means "THIS MAMA IS HUGE" and ooooo me likie, me likie.

It has 17 Decs, 10 restaurants, 16 shops, 10 bars, 4 pools, library, internet cafe, movie theater, spa, gym (with c2 rowers yupeeeeeeeee yuppppeeeeeeee), golf course, sports course (basketball and voleyball) and one of the decs is completely covered with green grass.
Crew fascilities include 2 crew bars, crew mess, crew deck and pool, gym, library and internet cafe.
I get to share a tiny tiny cabin with one more mate and have "limited passenger priviliges" - I am Staff which means - I get to eat in the passenger buffet restaurant 30 mins before it closes, can use their gym (oh THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU), go to their bars and discos (but never ever sit on a barstool...serioulsly...WTF?), and literary go everywhere I want to.

So, Today I received my ticket and I will be flying to Venice though Rome, where I meet the ship. On sept 26th. Sat next week. Still it has not sunk into my brain....
The ship's itinerary ROCKS. hehe - month and a half in the Mediterranean, and then the rest in the Carribean. So for all of you who will be freezing in ungly, cloudy, windy Sofia - just think that at this time I will be in th sunny Carribean and you will instantly feel better... no? NO? Seriously? Oh, whatever.

Longest.Post.Ever.

Goodnight everyone.