You Never Forget Your First

When looking over all the photos I’ve taken, I have a million and one of my very first ship, the Celebrity Century.

Anyone who has ever worked on any ship will tell you there’s something special about that first ship on that first contract. People have asked me time and time again which ship was my favorite and I always pause. I loved each of my ships for different reasons, but the first one always stood separate from the rest. To me it’s like the first dorm I lived in, my first apartment, my first home away from home. It’s in a league of it’s own. The first ship is where you learn the ropes. It’s where you timidly make new friends. It’s where you are ripped out of your shell. You never forget your first ship. The Century is a small ship. Very small. She’s the smallest and oldest in the fleet. The equipment was falling apart and I had to learn outdated software on a computer older than me in order to do my job. She has a martini bar with color changing lights, a theatre with a booth reminiscent of what you’d find in a public high school, and a grand staircase like you’d expect on the Titanic. She took me to meet the trolls of Norway. She introduced me to wine and cheese nights. She was my haven after a crazy night in Russia. I loved the Century, and I haven’t laid eyes on her since I signed off (hungover and crying) four years ago.

Now she is starting her final season. That’s right, my first ship is leaving the fleet after 2014. I have very mixed feelings about this. I know the poor old gal is having trouble keeping up with the mega ships of today, but I also think there is a place for smaller, more intimate ships. Perhaps this is just me being sentimental.

I am seriously toying with the idea of trying to catch one last cruise with her.

What would you all do if you were me? Would you attempt to see your ship one more time before it was gone? Or would you let it remain a memory? Feel free to tell me if I’m just being a sentimental drama queen. It happens.