My Ship Story

The Rick Chatterton Story: Dry Dock Disaster

Rick joins The Song of Norway in San Juan 1990. He quickly works his way through the ranks on ships and eventually goes to the shore-side office, but continued to spend time aboard. He tells stories about Brad, has an unexpected meet up on land with Spike, brings out the Rhapsody from France, has a nightmare cruise bringing the Sovereign out of dry-dock, golfing in Casablanca, an over-night in Marrakesh, and another wild night in St. Petersburg.        

The Levent Story: Master of Illusion

Levent begins his magic career in 1975 and joins ships in 1985 working for Home Lines. He tells us stories about a noisy cabin, an onboard prostitute, and creating cabins. Levent goes back to land to hone his craft in NY and then moves to Florida in 1990 and goes back to ships. He works many different lines and ships, has to create new shows on the fly, the tough travel of an entertainer, a bunny rabbit burial at sea, American Family Cruises, and an X-ray gag.

The Julie Stevens Story: A Model Traveler

Julie goes from Seattle to Miami in 1993 to try to work on ships, talks her way into Royal Caribbean HR and gets a position onboard the Majesty of the Seas. Julie tells stories about Greek cabin parties, TV probs, goodies from home, goodies from the islands, the Paxton band prank, an #AMTS story, the scavenger hunt, and she decides to leave the U.S. and go international.   

The Amy Bruinsma Story: Franks and Beans

Our first nurse and first Carnival crew member, Amy joins ships in 1997 after working for years in the emergency rooms around Miami.  which lead to an appearance on an episode of Miami Vice, which lead to working on an emergency flight crew, which lead to a Nurse gig on Carnival.  Worked on a ship servicing oil platforms. Tells stories about a heroin addict, how to cure seasickness, stupid passenger questions, a helicopter rescue, drugs on ships, and an unfortunate zipper mishap. 

The Dion Meels Story: Cruise Control

A our first guest from Seabourn Cruise Line and The Netherlands, in 1994 Dion joins the Nordic Prince as a dining room waiter on it's last season for Royal Caribbean to get some ship experience before fulfilling his dream of working for Seabourn. He gets his first warning on his first day on the Spirit - but goes on to log 17 years on ships. Dion tells about the operation of the high-end cruise operation, a failed attempted at promoting Dutch chocolate with the owner of Lindt Swiss chocolate, stories from when the movie Speed 2 was filmed aboard the Seabourn Legend, being an extra in the production and meeting Sandra Bullock. Willem Defoe, and Jason Patric. He talks about his years on the only residential ship The World. And gives us a second-hand story of the pirate attack on the Spirit.

The Bucky Heard Story: Righteous Times

A singer from a young age, Bucky joins the Sovereign as singer in the cast and is soon recruited to become cruise staff. He tells stories about driving the elevator, the Fat Boy Club, a wild party with Scott and Eric, fixing a drug test, meeting his wife onboard, Mr. Bucky gets a warning, leaves the ship in 1994 to perform on land. And how he met Bill Medley and became a Righteous Brother!  

The John Melnick Story: Can I borrow a Fifty?

John moves from New York to Florida working as a musician. He starts on ships in 1990 aboard a gambling ship called the Europa Sun doing day cruises. He then moves up to Carnival in '92 to work in the Piano Bar on the Jubilee out of San Pedro. John tells the stories about sneaking off the ship in San Juan to do a side-gig in St. Croix, a stowaway onboard, compares Holland America, Carnival, and Windstar. And shares his experiences being in the Piano Bar for many years.

 

The Garry Mulcahy Story: SharkyTales

Garry follows a girlfriend onto ships in the early 90s to work in the Gift Shop.  Garry tells the story about abruptly leaving the Majesty and a wild trip back to Miami. He fills us in on the details of stealing a policeman's hat, gets pushed into the San Juan harbor, transitions to working as an Art Auctioneer with several cruise lines, stories about intimate guest encounters, Mary Wilson, and gets banned from the Jolly Roger.   

The Bibi Jehaludi Burroughs Story: Kissing the Ground in New York

Bibi comes to the U.S. in 1979 and then goes from her bathing suit factory job to CCTI to very quickly working on ships. She joins Premier as Youth Staff in 1989 and then does a whirlwind of cruise lines and ships, Sea Escape, Admiral on the Emerald Seas and Azure Seas while dealing with some traditional Indian family transitions. She quickly meets up with Scott and Eric on the Majesty in 1992. She tells about the adventures of bringing the Majesty from St. Nazaire to New York. Name drops a bunch of people, Lisa Merkel, Penny Lesavoy, Julie Luxton, Seinfeld, Bucky Heard, Flo Jo, Gloria Estefan, Susan Lucci, Alan Thicke, Robin Thicke. Bibi introduces Scott to Indian food Food in St Martin... not so much the nude beach. If I were not upon the sea and beer bongs behind the stage and then ends her shipboard career in 2001 on the Enchantment of the Seas. Whew!

The Mark "Kingston" Switzer Story: How to get a visa

Mark goes from Dublin to London and joins ships in 1992 on the Sovereign of the Seas as a photographer. He tells stories about the legendary dark room parties, an infamous racy crew show, photographing whatever sells, how it all happened before digital, the B-2 visa escapade in Kingston, Jamaica, and a crazy night in San Juan.