Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love surprising people. If I can feasibly pull off a great surprise, I go all out! (Check out part two of my surprise for my best friend Kathryn last year!) This surprise, however, was on a much bigger scale than I think I have ever done.
One of my favorite people from my time working on the Pride of America flew me out to Hawaii to surprise some of our friends onboard! First of all, what a surprise for me! How lucky am I to have such a wonderful friend? Kyle, you're the best! But more on that later!
Of course I couldn't turn down his incredible offer, so off to Hawaii I went!
When I landed in Honolulu, it felt like a dream. Most casts, and all passengers, arrive in Honolulu, Oahu when they board the Pride of America. However, I wasn't in my original cast, so I embarked in Kauai and missed this view!
Getting onboard was hilarious. As I walked with my carry-on luggage to board the ship, my best friend Alexa (one of the many to be surprised!) biked past me. I turned my back quickly hoping she hadn't seen me. She didn't see me, but my friends Andy and Justin sure did! They knew I was coming and helped me get onboard without Alexa seeing me! Thanks, guys!
I got through security, surprised a few more folks as I boarded, and then ran into the embarkation welcome party! On Norwegian ships, dancers and Cruise Staff work together to welcome people onto the ship. I was so fortunate that none of my friends were working, however, I was recognized by the other cast members!
The biggest thing to know about working on cruise ships is how close in proximity you are working and living with the crew. I liken it to living in the dorms your freshman year of college. It's a blessing and a curse, but at the end of the day you end up knowing everyone onboard better than you ever imagined. So, when you disembark the ship or someone comes to visit, you truly feel like you know them. Suddenly, someone who you may have seen in photos or on Facebook comes to life in front of you- and that's exactly what happened!
My new dancer friends promised to keep quiet until I could surprise my friends onboard at the Pool Party later in the day!
I got into Kyle's cabin and got settled. Then, I decided to surprise one of the most wonderful, caring, adventurous people I have ever gotten to work with, Vincent. Vincent, as you might remember, was a performer with me onboard the Pride of America last year. I had the absolute pleasure of getting to sing jazz standards with him every week in the Skyline restaurant. I knew if I wrote a lyric from one of our standards, "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," on his whiteboard he would know I wrote it.
As soon as he saw it, he texted me, just like I suspected he would. I left Kyle's room and walked down the hall. I knocked on Vincent's door. He opened it, saw me, and shut it immediately! I wished I had recorded his shock, but I know I'll never forget it! I was so thrilled to see my Vincent after almost a year apart!
Next came the biggest surprise yet... The cast! But more on that to come!
XOXO,
Meghan
ps: Had so much fun updating you guys from my phone! What! More of that (and figuring out this Blogger app) to come! XO.
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