Monday, 10 May 2010

Passenger exchange in Hamburg

We always talk about passenger exchange days. One trip is coming to an end, the next one is starting immediately. And how often do we, that work here on board hear "oh, so you are going on holiday again?" when going onboard for work.

So today it is time for a little clarification. And this is a rather typical work day...
06:00 hours- wake up, check mails, any last minute changes? (after going to bed at 2am- I am a night "owl")
07:30 hours- announcement for guests, information about wind speed/ temperature/ arrival time
08:00 hours- arrival at Hamburg harbor. Ship is cleared but... luggage is still on board as it is taken from deck 7 out to the pier and from there to the terminal building.
08:45 hours- luggage is out, guests are leaving the vessel and the shuttle busses are leaving...
09:30 hours- nobody is in the terminal building anymore... Good bye to you! And hope to see you again soon!
10:00hours- meetings, meetings, meetings... Everyone wants something at the same time... Port guests are arriving, there is a press conference going on etc etc etc
The stewards are busy preparing the cabins for the afternoon, everyone settles accounts from the last trip, getting ready for the new arrivals. Daily programmes are printed for tomorrow and suddenly there are a 100 things in ones head.

14:00 hours- Just came in from a quick walk around Hamburg. The terminal is already full of new passengers. Oh, it will be a great trip! Everyone looks excited- and something flashes up my head- I mixed up the lecture halls in the daily programme for tomorrow! So- back on board, printing again, team meetings...
15:00 hours- The new guests can not wait to get on board! The luggage is brought in by crane again. Klaus, Benno and the crew are checking luggage tags, bags and suitcases are handled all around the ship...
And then: announcements, announcements, announcements "Welcome on board MV Fram and to the voyage to England, Ireland and Scotland...." I promise you- I can say it in my dreams...
16:30 hours- everyone is settled in... and then finally at 17:00hours we are leaving the pier.  Other people are waving to the ship, Benno gives narrations to Hamburg from the bridge... and it is time for dinner... and more meetings... and the passenger drill.... and the Welcome by our Captain Rune Andreassen... and more paper work... and ...  Good thing that today the clocks are set one hour back!

We love our jobs here on board! It gives us the chance to see the world, meet interesting people, built quite a few friendships- and have a home far away from home here on board MV Fram! So it is work- but you bet: we do not want to trade to any other job! When I look out of my expedition leader`s office, one day I can see the bridges of St Petersburg opening in the middle of the night. Soon there will be the glaciars of Svalbard, the icebergs in Greenland, the maple trees of Nova Scotia and the penguins in Antarctica. One thing is for sure- it is a dream job!