It's true. In May 2012 the Voyager of the Seas will be re-located to Asia, doing a few cruises out of Singapore, then the rest of the summer will be spent sailing out of Shanghai. In October, the ship will once again be re-located, this time to Australia and New Zealand. Voyager of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship in Asia, and the first with an ice skating rink and indoor promenade. It's odd to think that about how much we take this ship for granted as crew members, or indeed even as guests in Europe and North America. Being almost 12 years old, Voyager of the Seas is nothing new to anyone here, however when we become the first Voyager-class ship to sail out of Asia, this ship represents many firsts that have never been offered on a cruise ship in that part of the world before.
The itineraries have not been finalized yet, but it sounds like we will be doing a few cruises out of Singapore to start with, followed by spending the Summer sailing out of Shanghai, and finally being repositioned to Australia and New Zealand for the winter season. At this point it is not clear if I will be coming back to Voyager for my next contract or going to a different ship. Luckily enough though, our head office sent out an e-mail request to all production managers to ask if they would like to request any specific technicians to stay with their ship for more than one contract. The premise of this is of course to assist in building a knowledgeable team on board, which particularly for techs takes some time as we really need to know the ship bow-to-stern as it relates to our job; but of course it would work in my favour if I get to come back to sail to Asia. It seems likely that my Production Manager, Marie, will submit my name to have me return to this ship as everything in my venues runs smoothly (lighting-wise) while I'm here.
This past Friday and Saturday there was a press conference in Studio B that is part of a program to promote Voyager of the Seas to Italian cruisers while we are in Italy. Everything went off without any problem despite some lack of information being provided in some cases.
Right now I am saving up for a new laptop so I haven't really been out in any of the ports, except a brief couple of hours in Venice. I am looking forward to possibly taking a couple of tours as a Tour Escort. So far it sounds like we don't have any "dud" ports -- that is, ports where there is nothing to do-- on this itinerary, so when I do have the time and money to go exploring I will definitely do so.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Busy Back on Board
Hard to believe I've been onboard for more than 2 weeks and have not posted anything yet. Just goes to show how busy it has been!
Coming back to the same ship is something I haven't experienced before. It's nice to see so many familiar faces, not just within the production team but all over the ship as well. The other 3 times I have signed onto a ship, I didn't recognize more than 1-2 people and it took some time to feel comfortable. This was not the case this time however, and as soon as I got onboard I immediately set about writing out plans for how I'm going to get my venues back in top shape.
Unfortunately there has been a lack of maintenance with some of my fixtures while I was away, leaving a bit of a pile-up for me upon my return. This, coupled with the double charter cruise we did last week, has lead to an extremely busy first couple of weeks... with no end in sight at this point. The charter was especially demanding on all of us. We had two 3.5 day cruises with a total of about 5000 guests between the two, and 100% of them were from France. It was very unusual hearing all of the usual announcements made over the PA solely in French. We were expected to compress many of our usual activities of a 7 day cruise into each 3ish day cruise. This meant doing 6 ice shows, 4 parades, 6 theme nights, 2 captains welcome receptions, and 8 production shows during a 7 day period where we would normally only have half as many (with the exception of the ice shows, of which we usually have 4 in a week).
A nice benefit of this charter was getting to sail into Istanbul on what is probably the largest ship ever to call there. Istanbul is one port where you definitely do not want to miss the sail-in. I went up to the Helipad while we sailed into Istanbul so that I would have the best possible view.
This week we started cast install in the theatre. Since my 4 follow spot operators in Studio B are usually dancers, this means I will have a bit more difficult time getting spot cues done correctly over the next few weeks as generally the replacements that are sent to me have not used a follow spot before. In a few weeks time they will have learned all their shows/events and then I will finally be able to start teaching them the spot cues for Ice Odyssey. It’s a difficult show when it comes to spot cues so it’s really important to consistently have the same people doing it every time. By the time they’re halfway through their contract, generally spot operators will have memorized all of their cues and I will no longer have to call them. Unfortunately for me, I missed most of the second half of the previous dancers’ contracts so I never really got to sit back and watch the show a bit without having to call the spot cues. The solution to this is to record the spot cues… which I will be doing sometime next month after I have the money to buy the equipment and software to do it. The beauty of buying my own stuff is that I can take it to every ship and use it over and over with different shows which will be great.
I’m currently typing this from my cabin onboard. Using my TIM 3G USB stick I am able to get Internet in my cabin, courtesy of the porthole which I am very lucky to have (I believe there is only 1 tech cabin with a port hole).
Anyway, better get back to work.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
How I know this job is the right fit for me
I have been on vacation just about a month now and I have to say that although I love being home, I also find myself missing the ship. This never happened when I was a stage staff, but as a light tech I enjoy my job so much that even during my vacation I'm thinking about things I'm going to accomplish when I get back.
In the past few weeks my mom has both sold her current house and bought a new one, so my last few weeks of vacation are going to be spent moving and doing some wiring at the new place.
One last thing: I don't know if there are any first time cruisers reading this blog, but if there are MAKE SURE YOU SEE THE ICE SHOWS (if you are on an RCI ship that has them). I truly can't believe the number of people who never even get to Studio B until the last day of the cruise and sometimes those guests will ask me when the ice show is and it's painful to tell them that they're too late. The showtimes are advertised both in the cruise compass and by the cruise director at every possible opportunity. Even if you don't THINK you'll enjoy the show, just go. Give it a chance, what's it going to cost you, 45 minutes? It's worth it.
In the past few weeks my mom has both sold her current house and bought a new one, so my last few weeks of vacation are going to be spent moving and doing some wiring at the new place.
One last thing: I don't know if there are any first time cruisers reading this blog, but if there are MAKE SURE YOU SEE THE ICE SHOWS (if you are on an RCI ship that has them). I truly can't believe the number of people who never even get to Studio B until the last day of the cruise and sometimes those guests will ask me when the ice show is and it's painful to tell them that they're too late. The showtimes are advertised both in the cruise compass and by the cruise director at every possible opportunity. Even if you don't THINK you'll enjoy the show, just go. Give it a chance, what's it going to cost you, 45 minutes? It's worth it.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Almost There
This will be my final blog post for this contract. It's so strange to think I leave in four days, and I know when I get home it will likely be quite similar to the end of my first contract. Driving away from the ship you feel the instant relaxation of knowing you have no schedule, no work, no commitments to the ship at all until the end of your vacation. Going from working 6-12 hours a day every day for more than 6 months to nothing at all is such a dramatic change but it is very satisfying.
As I mentioned in my last post, this week and last we have had the lighting designer for Ice Odyssey, Marcia Madeira, on-board to facilitate the replacement of some old lighting fixtures, as well as giving the show some much-needed TLC as after 6 years, the show file had been severely "tampered with" by previous light technicians. Marcia brought along her programmer, Chris as well and it has been great working with both of them. I certainly hope to still be on this ship when we get the next round of new lights (hopefully around September). It would have been better to have them here in the middle of my contract though, compared to now where I am days from leaving. Nearly everyone on ships suffers from "checked-out syndrom". As the end of the contract approaches, you start to become a little more lazy and not interested in making new projects on board. For me, the point where this happens is about the 1 to 1.5 week mark. Luckily since I have had Marcia and Chris here, it has made it easier for me to avoid thinking about going home and concentrate on the the tasks at hand. Since they are using the Studio B lighting rig every day for these two weeks, and everything besides the 14 brand new lights is 11 years old, it is a constant process of fixing lights as they break. I wake up every morning to a new punch list of things that broke the previous night (they program in the evening and into the night usually, since the room is available then).
Today I will be doing my laundry and probably starting to pack. Unfortunately my flight details have yet to arrive which is making me a little antsy, hopefully that will be resolved by the end of the day.
During my vacation I may post once or twice but otherwise I look forward to having new stories to share when I return in May. It should be interesting having Venice, Italy as a home port.
As I mentioned in my last post, this week and last we have had the lighting designer for Ice Odyssey, Marcia Madeira, on-board to facilitate the replacement of some old lighting fixtures, as well as giving the show some much-needed TLC as after 6 years, the show file had been severely "tampered with" by previous light technicians. Marcia brought along her programmer, Chris as well and it has been great working with both of them. I certainly hope to still be on this ship when we get the next round of new lights (hopefully around September). It would have been better to have them here in the middle of my contract though, compared to now where I am days from leaving. Nearly everyone on ships suffers from "checked-out syndrom". As the end of the contract approaches, you start to become a little more lazy and not interested in making new projects on board. For me, the point where this happens is about the 1 to 1.5 week mark. Luckily since I have had Marcia and Chris here, it has made it easier for me to avoid thinking about going home and concentrate on the the tasks at hand. Since they are using the Studio B lighting rig every day for these two weeks, and everything besides the 14 brand new lights is 11 years old, it is a constant process of fixing lights as they break. I wake up every morning to a new punch list of things that broke the previous night (they program in the evening and into the night usually, since the room is available then).
Today I will be doing my laundry and probably starting to pack. Unfortunately my flight details have yet to arrive which is making me a little antsy, hopefully that will be resolved by the end of the day.
During my vacation I may post once or twice but otherwise I look forward to having new stories to share when I return in May. It should be interesting having Venice, Italy as a home port.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Three Weeks Left!
I can't wait to get home. It's been such a long time... by the time I leave I will have been away from home more than 8 months. A few weeks ago I was asked to extend by an additional week because my replacement was not ready and I accepted, so my new sign-off date is March 6. Last week they sent another request, this time to extend 'til the end of March (once again, something to do with my replacement being delayed). I responded that it was not possible as I already have a plane ticket to join my mom in Aruba for a week starting March 12 and after 8 months away from home I am not giving that up. I have yet to hear back but hopefully they will be able to find someone else to fill in for me; I simply cannot do 9 months.
Last night we (finally) started a full ice melt in Studio B. This melt has been overdue since November but unfortunately it is difficult to schedule time to do it during 7 day cruises with so many sea days. We simply can't afford to be without a venue for ice skating and/or ice shows for 2.5 days. However we were able to work it out so that we would melt the ice on the evening of the last day of last cruise and then build the new ice over the first two days of this cruise. It is going to be a tight schedule this week. On top of the full ice make, our fleet head sound and light technician, Jeff, is going to be onboard Voyager this week. Definitely a good thing since it means we can get some maintenance and repairs done that may require a little more expertise, but it will make this week all that much more busy. In addition, the lighting designer for Ice Odyssey is expected to come sometime in the near future for a week or two to install some new lights we have onboard but cannot use them until the show has been re-designed for them. In preparation for her visit, I have been working very hard in Studio B trying to ensure that the lighting rig is in 100% working order (minus the broken lights that we are replacing).
My last few weeks are shaping up to be the busiest of my contract. I guess I'll certainly be earning my vacation now.
Last night we (finally) started a full ice melt in Studio B. This melt has been overdue since November but unfortunately it is difficult to schedule time to do it during 7 day cruises with so many sea days. We simply can't afford to be without a venue for ice skating and/or ice shows for 2.5 days. However we were able to work it out so that we would melt the ice on the evening of the last day of last cruise and then build the new ice over the first two days of this cruise. It is going to be a tight schedule this week. On top of the full ice make, our fleet head sound and light technician, Jeff, is going to be onboard Voyager this week. Definitely a good thing since it means we can get some maintenance and repairs done that may require a little more expertise, but it will make this week all that much more busy. In addition, the lighting designer for Ice Odyssey is expected to come sometime in the near future for a week or two to install some new lights we have onboard but cannot use them until the show has been re-designed for them. In preparation for her visit, I have been working very hard in Studio B trying to ensure that the lighting rig is in 100% working order (minus the broken lights that we are replacing).
My last few weeks are shaping up to be the busiest of my contract. I guess I'll certainly be earning my vacation now.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
My New Position
I'm now getting settled into my new job here on Voyager of the Seas as a Light Technician. All the paperwork is done, and I've also received my next contract offer. Leaving Voyager on Feb. 27 and coming back to the same ship (no surprises there) on May 1. It will be awesome to spend nearly 5 months sailing out of Venice, Italy. In fact, every port on the itinerary should be great. I'll have to try really hard not to spend all of my money in port next contract haha.
Now that I'm a light tech instead of stage staff, my duties have changed and responsibilities have increased considerably. My two main venues are Studio B (the ice rink), and the Royal Promenade (AKA the mall, the street, and whatever else guests call it the first time they see it). For the technically inclined, below is a list of fixtures in those venues (which I am responsible for repairs, maintenance, changing lamps, etc.)
Studio B
and the Vault Nightclub:
That's 112 moving fixtures that I am responsible for, plus a bunch of other lights and associated equipment which also require maintenance. It's a job that never ends, but I'm glad that I'll be coming back to this ship because it means I get to benefit from all of the work I'm doing right now when I come back. Many of these fixtures have been left for more than a year without proper maintenance and therefore I have created a new maintenance schedule for my Production Manager both to track my own maintenance work and to ensure that my replacement (for my 2 month vacation) takes on a couple of maintenance tasks as well so that I do not come back to a totally broken ship (lighting-wise).
Now, off to go work on the Vault so that I can hopefully get it back to what it looks like in the photo above... it certainly doesn't look that way right now haha.
Now that I'm a light tech instead of stage staff, my duties have changed and responsibilities have increased considerably. My two main venues are Studio B (the ice rink), and the Royal Promenade (AKA the mall, the street, and whatever else guests call it the first time they see it). For the technically inclined, below is a list of fixtures in those venues (which I am responsible for repairs, maintenance, changing lamps, etc.)
Studio B
 |
| Ice Odyssey ice show |
- 18 Lightwave Studio Color 575s
- 12 Martin MAC 500s
- 12 Lightwave Cyberlight SVs (half of which are to be replaced by MAC 700s which we already have onboard but cannot use until the show is redesigned for them in Feb.)
- 12 Martin MAC 250 washes
- 4 Martin MAC 250 entours
- about 10 data flash strobes
- 8 "9-lites" with scrollers (AKA the biggest pain in my life right now), to be replaced by Elation LED ELAR216s (also in Feb.)
- 100 or so source 4s (combination of pars and ERS)
- dimming for conventionals accomplished by about 280 ETC Sensor Dimmers in 3 racks
- 1 DF-50 Diffusion Hazer
all driven by a Wholehog 2 console... unfortunately (it's a really old system).
I'm also responsible for Royal Promenade lighting:
 |
| The Royal Promenade on Country Western night |
- 12 Martin MAC 600s
- 12 Martin MAC 250 Entours
- 4 Martin MAC 500s
- 4 Martin MAC 250 washes
- 8 Chauvet Colorado1 LED wash lights
- about 20 Source 4 ERS and PARs
- 1 rack of ETC sensor dimmers
- 3 DF-50 Diffusion Hazers
and the Vault Nightclub:
 |
| The Vault |
- 12 Martin Mania SCX700
- 4 Martin Mania SCX500
- 8 Martin Smart MAC
That's 112 moving fixtures that I am responsible for, plus a bunch of other lights and associated equipment which also require maintenance. It's a job that never ends, but I'm glad that I'll be coming back to this ship because it means I get to benefit from all of the work I'm doing right now when I come back. Many of these fixtures have been left for more than a year without proper maintenance and therefore I have created a new maintenance schedule for my Production Manager both to track my own maintenance work and to ensure that my replacement (for my 2 month vacation) takes on a couple of maintenance tasks as well so that I do not come back to a totally broken ship (lighting-wise).
Now, off to go work on the Vault so that I can hopefully get it back to what it looks like in the photo above... it certainly doesn't look that way right now haha.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Surprise! You're a light tech.
These past few weeks have been quite eventful. First, we had 2 very successful cruises over Christmas and New Year's, with especially high praise regarding the new year's eve festivities. All of us on the "black shirt" (production) team worked like crazy (I was up until 5am on new year's eve programming the lighting for that evening). We filled 2 25' balloon drops, 2 50' balloon drops, and installed rigging for a mirror ball drop in the "occulus" skylight above the promenade, with another 500 or so balloons placed around it. The countdown was quite spectacular and I was impressed that everything went off without a single glitch that evening. Some people had their doubts but we pulled it off and everyone loved it. I will try to post a few photos soon.
On another note, I had some interesting news on Saturday night. The Studio B lighting technician resigned from the company at about 9pm that evening, to depart the ship the following day in Galveston. I had a brief meeting with the 2 production managers, who informed me that I would be officially placed in the position on a temporary basis until I after I had my interview. From that point I had a few hours to gain whatever additional knowledge I would need from the departing light tech in order to take on the position, and that was that. The next day (Sunday), I was no longer a stage staff. It has been great to be able to finally take on the position that I have been training and waiting so long for. It was all truly worth it, and I am quite a bit happier with my job now. Since then I have been doing my best to assess the maintenance needs of Studio B and the Royal Promenade and I believe I have everything sorted out now, so I can continue to tackle maintenance projects over the coming week.
Today I had my interview with Amy and Paul from shoreside. It was somewhat brief, I think they asked me about 5 questions pertaining entirely to my experience in lighting fixtures and control, both on and off the ship (but mostly on). They have said to expect an official answer either tomorrow or early next week as of course this is an unusual situation I am in on Voyager right now, and obviously they would want to make sure a qualified person is filling the position. If the decision is made to promote me, I think it is quite likely that I will be simply converted to a permanent light tech (instead of temp) and kept on this ship until the end of my contract. Conveniently, the last day of my contract is the exact same day as the previous light tech's sign-off date, so I think this will all work out quite smoothly. Certainly much easier than moving to another ship for my last 2 months of this contract.
I moved into my new single cabin yesterday (exactly the same layout as my old one but with the bunk beds ripped out and replaced with a double bed). It feels good to be doing what I've been training for years to do. I also have to admit that there are parts about being a stage staff that I won't miss if I get the permanent light tech job.
Update Jan.7:
Just got the news that I passed the interview have been accepted for the position. :)
On another note, I had some interesting news on Saturday night. The Studio B lighting technician resigned from the company at about 9pm that evening, to depart the ship the following day in Galveston. I had a brief meeting with the 2 production managers, who informed me that I would be officially placed in the position on a temporary basis until I after I had my interview. From that point I had a few hours to gain whatever additional knowledge I would need from the departing light tech in order to take on the position, and that was that. The next day (Sunday), I was no longer a stage staff. It has been great to be able to finally take on the position that I have been training and waiting so long for. It was all truly worth it, and I am quite a bit happier with my job now. Since then I have been doing my best to assess the maintenance needs of Studio B and the Royal Promenade and I believe I have everything sorted out now, so I can continue to tackle maintenance projects over the coming week.
Today I had my interview with Amy and Paul from shoreside. It was somewhat brief, I think they asked me about 5 questions pertaining entirely to my experience in lighting fixtures and control, both on and off the ship (but mostly on). They have said to expect an official answer either tomorrow or early next week as of course this is an unusual situation I am in on Voyager right now, and obviously they would want to make sure a qualified person is filling the position. If the decision is made to promote me, I think it is quite likely that I will be simply converted to a permanent light tech (instead of temp) and kept on this ship until the end of my contract. Conveniently, the last day of my contract is the exact same day as the previous light tech's sign-off date, so I think this will all work out quite smoothly. Certainly much easier than moving to another ship for my last 2 months of this contract.
I moved into my new single cabin yesterday (exactly the same layout as my old one but with the bunk beds ripped out and replaced with a double bed). It feels good to be doing what I've been training for years to do. I also have to admit that there are parts about being a stage staff that I won't miss if I get the permanent light tech job.
Update Jan.7:
Just got the news that I passed the interview have been accepted for the position. :)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
