You know, it's hard not to think that a cruise ship surfaces on the water just in time for you and your family to enjoy all its pleasures, then when the trip's over it just sinks right back into the ocean again. The time on the ship is so unreal and pleasant: everything is free (until you get the bill at the end!) and everyone is so nice (on the off-chance that you'll tip!).It's when you start talking to the people who work on cruise ships that you realize real-life is pretty hard for the ones you leave behind when you're vacation's done. There are children and spouses left far away for months at a time, very low wages, and loooong hours of trying to be nice to everyone no matter how tired you are and how rude they've been. Then again, as sad as it is, there is not a whole lot of opportunity where many of these workers came from (lots of Eastern Europeans, Filipinos, Indonesians) so I guess this would be nice work if you can get it.
Anyway, didn't mean to get depressing... on to more pictures!
Sawyer Glacier
Icebergs! Um, didn't those sink the Titanic?
The train ride in Skagway
View from the train ride in Skagway
There was a Chocaholic Buffet at midnight on the last
night of the cruise... ahhh, indulgence!
night of the cruise... ahhh, indulgence!
And finally... Chameans, all sugared-out & loving it
2 comments:
FUN!!!! Cruise ships are fun, and did you know that because they are in so many different ports admiralty laws are different for them so the US's OSHA standards, overtime etc etc don't apply to peeps on the boats? It's crazy, I worked with a lot of people who used to work on cruise ships before hotels and they are like sweatshops in a big tin can.
that sawyer glacier is so goddamn frightening!!! now i'm gonna have nightmares. thanks, alaska.
Post a Comment