The cruise ship at night was alive with entertainment. Theater shows, dance classes, ice skating, trivia, and much more. However, down in the depths of the ship, the most exclusive party was just getting started.
They were known as ‘blue boys’ amongst the crew because they wore messy blue overalls. They handled maintenance and were the fix it people onboard. Extremely important team for a ship. I luckily had a friend who knew one of the blue boys so I had my in, and got an invite to my first ‘Engine Party’. Through the maze of crew passages, we pushed open the heavy metal door into the warm engine room. Tables were covered in delicious food, drinks were handed out freely and karaoke was in full swing. As many of the blue boys hail from the Philippines, the ample food on offer was mouthwatering. Tocino, Ensaymada, Filipino Spaghetti just to name a few. Despite the food and drink, it was the people who made these parties legendary. There were blue boys, chefs, bridge officers, musicians, technicians, beauticians and crew from a variety of departments. This was a positive space to relax, be yourself and grab the microphone because if I learnt anything, it’s that karaoke in Filipino culture is huge. It brought people together and connected us. People who were working away from their families for months at a time, came together to create community.
Navigator of the Seas - 2015
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