Can You Find True Love on a Cruise Ship?
Yes you can, and it happens when you least expect it. When Cassandra and I met we were in our 20’s and living a carefree lifestyle on the high seas. We’d been working on cruise ships for years before our paths finally crossed on Carnival’s Ms. Holiday in 2001. Our home port was Puerto Rico and our weekly routine involved stops at 7 beautiful Caribbean Islands. Cassandra sold diamonds & jewelry at the ships boutique. I was the DJ, Ship Emcee, Volleyball Instructor and Wedding Specialist. On formal nights key staff would be allowed to dress up and visit the ship’s disco.
Cassandra got a little to close to the DJ booth one evening and a whirlwind romance ensued. We kept this tryst a secret for months and would communicate via walkie talkie when we planned to “accidentally meet up” for meals, laundry or late night strolls on the top deck.
Our first date was on Virgin Gorda off the coast of Tortola. On our dates we would disembark separately to deter cruise ship gossip. We met in a pre determined shop and then snuck off onto a boat that whisked us away to the Baths. Our next rendezvous was at Stingray City in Grand Cayman. Sneaky getaways to Playa Del Carmen, St. Thomas, Dominica, St. Kitts and Barbados soon followed.
It almost fell apart as quickly as it started. Our ship was dry docked for maintenance in the Bahamas. Carnival transferred me from the Caribbean to Los Angeles on my birthday and put me to work on the Ms Elation the next day. After two weeks of sailing from LA to Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas, the assistant cruise director called me into his office. He informed me that I was to stay on the Ms. Elation and he was having the rest of my belongings flown in from the Ms. Holiday. Knowing that meant I would probably never see Cassandra again, I explained my situation and refused to stay in LA.
I was in limbo for a few hours – packing my bags and preparing to be fired. Carnival had already flown in another DJ from Canada to take my position in the Caribbean. Amazingly, Carnival didn’t fire me. Instead, they gave me a promotion and flew me to Miami to rejoin Cassandra on the Holiday! I’m always grateful to Carnival for that outcome. A few weeks later that assistant cruise director in LA was promoted to Cruise Director and joined our ship in New Orleans. The secret romance of Sean & Cassandra was soon out of the bag, but we didn’t care- we just felt lucky to be together again.
Was leaving Cruise Ships Easy?
No it was not. Cassandra worked 10 month contracts and mine were for 6. The next contract is always around the corner and you get used to having a staff chef, a cabin steward and a car free life. Its hard for unmarried couples to stay together on ships- one usually ends up in the Mediterranean while the other is dispatched to Alaska. We were fortunate once, but we knew we’d be separated if we stayed at sea. I had timed my contract to be back in Ocean City (OC), MD for the summer. Carnival was flying Cassandra back to London a few weeks later. If you complete your contract, Carnival pays for the flights. I helped Cassandra book a stopover in Baltimore before her flight home.
We spent two amazing weeks in Ocean City. We had worked every night on the cruise ship and finally had our first night off as a couple. I showed her all the sights of Ocean City, hoping she would fall in love with it. I still DJed at Fager’s Island she would visit me at work. Alas, when she returned to England we were at another crossroad. Visa issues were complicating our relationship. When Cassandra finally returned to the states, she wasn’t allowed to stay long. Winter was approaching and she’d always wanted to visit Australia. We decided to apply for J1 student visas and find jobs down under. A few weeks later, we joined the mile high club on a 20 hour flight to Sydney.