For my Amazing Cast...

SL8 is over.  I sit here with so many emotions running through my body. It has been a growing, learning, changing contract for me and I have to thank each and every member of the cast for their part in helping me grow.  I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to work with such an amazing cast for the last 7 months.  We have had our additions to the cast and seen people leave, but I genuinely feel like SL8 has been my surrogate family for the past seven months.  It has been an absolute joy seeing every member of the cast change and bond and grow.   I am very sad to see them leave, but I know that it will not be the end of our friendships.  I’m not very good at good-bye’s, so this is more of a “see you later” and know that I will never forget the incredible times we had on the Solstice.

Last day of rehearsals in Florida for SL8

SL8 Cast Photo before Dinner in Tuscan

Last Solstice Show for SL8

Last Cruise with SL8 (and Grace)!

Wow.  This cruise has been quite an adventure.  It was the last cruise with my SL8 cast, the first time I met the new SL9 cast members and I had Grace Caudle on as my guest.  This cruise was full of such high and low emotions.  I am so glad that Grace was able to join me for this cruise.  Having her here helped keep me grounded and reminded me that you will have and make friends everywhere you go and in everything you do.  It was an incredible 12 days.

The first part of the cruise I was able to spend all of my time with Grace.  We were able to see and do so much!  Our first stop was Nice, France where we tasted exotic flavors of gelato, got lost in little French streets and got a feel for the French lifestyle. I had a scoop of strawberry and a scoop of rhubarb gelato.  Some of the other flavors were mojito, thyme, cactus, salted caramel and licorice. Yummm!

 

Next stop was Florence and Pisa where we took hilarious pictures at the Leaning Tower…somehow taking pictures there never seems to get old, no matter how many times you go (I’ve been there four times!).  In Florence, we walked around, went inside the beautiful Duomo, saw the Ponte Vecchio, had a delicious Italian lunch and sang “Light in the Piazza” all day.  haha!  Good day had by all.

 

 

In Rome we took a tour to the Colosseum, Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica.  It was a long day, but Rome is so worth it.  I didn't take any pictures since I already had pictures of what we saw...but here are some of Grace's pictures. 

Walking in Vatican City

Practicing our smiles!

In Napoli we were rather tired from the exhausting few days so we didn’t do too much.  We went and had pizza at Pizzeria da Michele (the same place I went last cruise) and did the Underground Naples tour.  It was a nice little adventuring day.

 

The next port was Kotor, Montenegro and I was so glad to find that Grace loved it just as much as I do.  She and I climbed the walls up to St. John’s Fortress and took so many amazing(ly ridiculous) pictures along the way.  It was the perfect day for it; a warm sun and cool breeze.  After our climb, we had a meal of fresh squid, found Maarten and went for a swim in the crisp, cool harbor water.  I think that it was probably my favorite day of this cruise and quite possibly my favorite day spent in Kotor.

 

On our first day in Venice the new SL9 cast got onboard the ship and I wasn’t able to spend as much time with Grace as I had for the first part of the cruise.  It was an exhausting end to the cruise because I had to rehearse with the new cast all day and perform with my cast at night.  I also had to deal with emotions about my cast leaving.  I have been so busy that I don’t think I have fully accepted that they are gone, but I know when I have a free moment it will hit me and tears will happen.  They are such an amazing group of people and I am so honored to have been able to work with them.   

I’m so glad Grace was here because it allowed me to take advantage of all the amazing Mediterranean ports of call one final time before I have crazy rehearsals for SL9 next cruise and then head down through the Suez Canal. I am truly having the most amazing first cruise ship contract and it is not over yet.  The past seven months have taken me to Europe, challenged my vocal abilities, introduced me to friends from all over the globe, given me an amazing boyfriend, allowed my family to cruise with me to the Greek islands, have my Dad and brother see Europe for the first time, expanded my taste buds and I possibly have two month left! I can’t even dream of what the next leg of my journey will have in store for me.  The best is yet to come.

Special News Cruise!

Not too much to say about this cruise as my pictures speak for themselves, so here is a little photo diary of the last 12 days.

Barcelona: Went to Guell Palau (the Guell Palace designed by Gaudi) with Matthew and Vanessa. 

(Jessica, Matthew and Vanessa)

(The main hall in the Palace)

(View of the Rooftop and Barcelona)

(Hide-n-Seek behind the beautiful chimneys)

 

Pisa: Date Day to the Leaning Tower of Pisa with Maarten.

 

Napoli: Finally made it to Pizzeria de Michele with Matthew.  It is said to be the best pizza in Napoli and was featured in the book-turned-movie “Eat, Pray, Love”.

 

Kotor, Montenegro: Went on a 4X4 Shore Excursion up into the mountains.

Split, Croatia: Went to Krka National Park for a beautiful day walking in the lush, green woods with the sound of waterfalls all around me.

(The main waterfall in the park)

(Panoramic View of a few of the falls)

 

I have recently found out that next cruise will not be my last cruise on board the Celebrity Solstice.  I have been extended due to a Female Vocalist on another ship being on medical leave.  My temporary sign-off date has been changed to December 9^th…meaning I will be home for Christmas! AND I will make it to Australia!  I really hope that the girl gets better, but I selfishly want to stay here until December, so that would mean that she can’t get completely recovered until December.  The extension comes as a great blessing; I would get to stay with Maarten longer, I would get to meet new people, I would get to see amazing new ports (Egypt, Jordan, Bali, Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai, Australia), I would not be missing the holidays with my amazing family (although Thanksgiving will be a bummer). 

In other news, my dear friend Grace is coming on to sail with me next cruise! She is staying in my cabin and we are going to have the best 12 day travel/sleepover ever.  The pictures are going to be epic.  It will be exhausting having to say good-bye to all the wonderful people I have met in my SL8 cast, but having her here will help remind me that friends will always be there and you will see them again if you want to.  I am so thankful. 

Food Crusie

This cruise was all about food for me.  It was our final Greek Island cruise and I ate as much Greek food as I was able to!  I now completely understand why we have weigh-ins every two weeks…there is too much delicious food to enjoy in all the ports of call!

My food cruise started in Barcelona with my first Tapas experience.  Tapas are a bunch of small dishes that are shared with the whole table.  We had hummus, guacamole, cheese in olive oil, Spanish omelet and sangria.  It was delicious. 

(Tapas in Barcelona)

In Mykonos I had the most amazing salad that I will definitely be attempting to recreate when I get home.  It was a watermelon salad.  All you have to do is cut up fresh watermelon into small cubes, add chunks of feta cheese, pieces of mint and some olive oil.  Yumm.

(Watermelon, Feta and Mint salad)

Mykonos continued with more Greek food for late lunch.  Tatziki (Greek cucumber sauce), saganaki (spinach stuffed in pita) and bread. I ate so much! After lunch we went snorkeling to try and burn off a few pounds.  I was snorkeling around, looked down and found €10 stuck in a sea urchin!  What will the exchange rate be for that in the Found Money competition?!

 

Continuing with the Greek Islands, Santorini was our next stop.  Maarten and I had the whole day to ourselves, so we rented an ATV and explored the island on our own.  We saw the Red Sand Beach where we shared a sweet corn, headed to lunch at a restaurant overlooking the ship and ocean, then up the mountain into the clouds.  Our last stop was a Black Sand Beach before getting back on the ATV and heading home.  It was a perfect day spent with my man.

 

(Overlooking the Red Sand Beach)

(Lunch)

(Sweet Corn)

 

(Black Sand Beach)

 

It rained when we were in Athens; a nice change from the 100° weather that we have had in Athens the past two times we were there.  I went to Plaka, a local Greek shopping and restaurant area, with Matthew and Charmaine (one of the nurses on the ship).  The lunch I had wasn’t that amazing, but there was a Greek Frozen yogurt place called “chillbox” across the street that looked absolutely delicious.  And boy, was it good!

 

(Charmaine and Jessica)

The last day of my food cruise was in Malta.  Maarten, Hannah and I went out and found the cutest restaurant with the most scrumptious meal.  We had a cheese platter, sautéed mushrooms, bruschetta and a caprese salad.  It was such a good meal with even better company.

I am such a lucky girl to have had this amazing experience to see (and eat) the world.  I have missed a lot of my favorite American foods while in the Mediterranean, but I know that when I get back to the US I am going to miss all the incredible European tastes I have had here.  I am going to have to recreate some of my Mediterranean favorites with goods from Hannaford…we’ll see how that works out! Two cruises left! Wow.