Into the Unknown

Right now I am one of the few people in the world that are quarantined on a cruise ship during the COVID-19 pandemic. When I signed my Disney contract back in July I did not realize just how lucky I would be eight months in the future. My parents sailed with me a month ago, and now they are back home socially distancing themselves in the Philadelphia suburb where I grew up. They are spending their time home from work going on walks, burning sticks, and catching up on Netflix. My mom loves Schitt’s Creek now and I’m so excited because it is the first time we are both following a series together since I was in high school when we watched Sex and the City reruns on TBS. Anyway, my parents are very happy and envious that I am stuck on a luxury cruise ship right now, since they have seen the beauty of it so recently. I am one of about a thousand crew members aboard the Disney Magic. Our last group of guests debarked two weeks ago. We are on what is referred to in the industry as a “ghost cruise”—no guests on board. 

This normally lists our showtimes.

Our crew has been practicing Social Distancing just like the rest of the world. In the dining and cafe areas all lines for food and coffee must be spaced out, no more than four people to a table, and social gatherings are discouraged. Disney is already a very clean company; the constant hand washing the rest of the world is encouraged to do is nothing new to us. But unlike the rest of America, each crew member on board takes part in a daily temperature check. This is to ensure that no crew member has a fever. If any crew member feels unwell they are to report to the medical center; however, this was the case even before the pandemic.

What is it like being quarantined on a ship with the most famous mouse in the world? The first week of our ghost cruise included a few trips to Disney’s island Castaway Cay. The Bahamas has since closed, and we are no longer allowed to dock there, so we have been spending our days anchored outside of docked at Cape Canaveral, but we cannot leave the ship. I really want to stage a “Cabin Fever” (Muppet Treasure Island) flashmob if it gets to the point where I have cabin fever. Right now because of Social Distancing my department is not allowed to put on shows for the crew. A thousand people gathered in a theatre is the opposite of what the government wants. Until Social Distancing is over my department has found other ways to stay busy. We are escorting Mickey and his friends on strolls around the ship so the crew can finally get those candids with the characters. I finally got mine. 

Some wonderful things have come about because of this situation. I finally had time to finish the coffee table books I had been designing for four years. One of them is already printed and was delivered to my parents! I picked up a writing project that I put on hold when I left for Toronto, I am working on a new juggling trick, and I am working on a cabaret with my cast. I am learning more about the hidden skills of my fellow cast members. Amanda led a workshop in rolling out which I desperately needed, Rachel leads Alexander technique classes which I have always been curious about, Ralynne leads IntensiT fitness, Shelby is a certified yoga instructor, Stephen is giving voice lessons, KP is teaching photography, and Joe put together an Amazing Race style competition for our whole department. I work with some very talented people.

Here is a list of daily ghost cruise highlights:

Day 1: I filmed an “Into the Unknown” video with my cast as we sailed out of the Miami port into the unknown

Day 2: I watched Emperor’s New Groove on funnel vision

Day 3: I got free WiFi!

Day 4: I rode the water slides and watched our ship have a horn battle with the Disney Fantasy

Day 5: I watched a rocket ship launch from the Kennedy Space Center

Day 6: I prayed the Rosary with some of my cast, the same time as thousands of others across the world

Day 7: I did a photoshoot with the photography team in front of one of the funnels

Day 8: There was good falafel today

Day 9: Day 1 of the Amazing Race with my cast

Day 10: I ate an ice cream with sprinkles while watching the sunset and listened to live jazz and Disney covers 

Day 11: I watched the first five Harry Potter films

Day 12: I looked at the stars for a very long time

Day 13: I had a photoshoot with Captain Hook and Mr. Smee

Day 14: I took part in a security drill aka played Hide and Seek around the ship with my cast and the security team for ninety minutes

Day 15: I sat quietly and studied the fish hawk that perched on our ship for an hour

Day 16: I had my first music rehearsal for the cabaret my cast is putting together. It felt great to be back in rehearsal.

I feel extremely fortunate during this very unusual period of time. Though I do not know how long I will be employed on board or when I will be able to perform again, I have great food and company, warm weather, and hand sanitizer. I am taking this time to practice gratitude. The content that artists have put up on the internet over the last few weeks is thrilling and makes me smile. I am hoping we can all take this time in history to pause, create, reflect, and take a breath. And learn to wash our hands.

I'm in Miami

The ship docked in Miami at 7:00 in the morning after the last night of every cruise, and I was able to get off shortly after. I called an Uber while standing in disguise in a terminal crowded with guests and I slipped away into downtown Miami to get my fill of internet before I had to get back on the ship and run the guest safety drill at 3:45. Miami time was precious. I needed to go to Target to stock up on goods, I needed data and WiFi to call my family, and I needed to touch the world for a second. This was my break, and because I did not have much time, I used this opportunity to be alone and completely off the clock and away from everything work-related. In addition to checking my email and buying toiletries I stumbled on a number of cool places around the city.

Palm Court

This kind of flower was all over the place.

Not pictured: orchids growing in trees. In Pennsylvania, orchids are magical inside plants. In Miami, orchids live outside and it's regular.

Palms on the corner of 29th Street and 1st Avenue

unh

I had a good crepe here.

This greeted me at the Wynwood Walls.

So did this.

I do not know what kind of plant this is but I think it is neat.

Similar to Philadelphia's 12th Street.

Familiar

Versace

Café Bastille

I was usually off the ship for five hours, then I would return for a brief company meeting refreshed and ready to set sail again.

So if You Care to Find Me: Look to the Key Lime Pie

One of my favorite destinations on our itinerary was Key West. My cast was always given some time off to enjoy the fruits of the island, and by fruits I mean key lime in the form of pie. I am not a huge fan of key lime pie, but I obviously ate it because hello it is Key West. 

If you do not know what to do in Key West the sidewalks will give you an itinerary.

My friends Stephen, Emy, Rachel, and I got a table at Blue Heaven for brunch and key lime pie with chickens. This restaurant/bar/gallery is located in a sandy courtyard off of Key West's main drag, Duval Street. If you are headed here, be prepared for a thirty to sixty minute wait for a table. This is fine because there is a gift shop with really festive art and signed copies of The New Key West Bucket List which you should buy and plan your day as you wait for your breakfast. Once you sit down to eat, chickens, chicks, and roosters walk around your feet. These creatures are all over the island. They are like the squirrels and pigeons of the Keys. A canopy of sails shielded us from morning sun as we ate breakfast potatoes and banana bread and sipped water poured from a Skyy Wodka bottle. We each ordered an enormous slice of key lime pie and then we ate it all. 

"Showers $1, To Watch $2"

For the days we were looking to eat without waiting for a table we went to Two Friends. Key West is low-key very gay which is why I believe in my heart that the guys in the Two Friends logo are more than just friends. Anyway this place is good.

Many of the cast members and guests went to the Starbucks in the middle of Duval Street. There was plenty of seating and really great WiFi there, but I felt like I was at work. This is why I snuck away to the cool blue atmosphere of Keys Coffee Co. I had some bangin' avocado toast here and an enormous cup of coffee. 

There were reminders of home throughout my experiences in Key west. One day I took and posted the above photo on Instagram, and one of my classmates from high school messaged me and told me he was in Key West as well! We caught up and walked the island, eventually landing at Date & Thyme for smoothies. I love a reunion. We also came upon this mural behind a house somewhere.

When my parents sailed we spent the day together in Key West. 

My parents and my boss

Not Key West

Also not Key West but I wanted you to see this cool drink which comes with a bracelet on the bottom of the glass.

My parents' visit to Key West was bookended by key lime pie. Blue Heaven for regular key lime pie and Gator Joe's for chocolate covered key lime pie on a stick.

My dad used a printing press similar to this one from the 1800s

My parents went to the Hemingway House for a tour and I would have joined them but it is filled with cats and I am deathly allergic to cats. So I wandered into a shirt store around the corner called Seaplanes, mainly drawn in by the marketing ("shirts for everyone") but also because I needed to kill a half hour by myself. I took a look around and spoke with the shopkeeper. He told me that the shirts are made from fabric remnants in textile factories. Only a certain number of each shirt are made, and that number is embroidered on each shirt. Then I learned that she shirts are made in Callowhill in Philadelphia! I let him know that Philly is the home. And then I bought this shirt. 

Deck 9 Aft in the Bermuda Triangle somewhere

View of my house from the lighthouse

The ocean in Key West is the same color as key lime pie.

Their first Cuban coffee from Cuban Coffee Queen

The Kapok Tree

Spongeman (not the original)

My parents' Key West visit fell on Ash Wednesday, and St. Paul's was distributing Ashes "To-Go" so we did that.

This is a neat sign on someone's private property.

My parents' visit presented me with the opportunity to enjoy some of the activities on the ship I normally would not be able to do. I spent a few nights in our club Fathoms watching our club host #TonyfromSpain play games with the guests. My parents love Tony from Spain. We enjoyed the trivia and Match Your Mate. MYM featured three couples, one married forty-three years, one married eighteen years, and one married for one day. One half of each couple was asked a question and the other half (after visiting the Irish pub) had go guess their spouse's answer. Another night included a fireworks viewing and fancy Italian dinner at Palo. This is the most gourmet place I have ever attended. On our Marvel Sea Day we watched my friend Bobby host a baby race in the atrium. My parents met a number of super heroes and princesses; saw me serve tea, defeat Dormammu, flail with a shoe, and play with puppets; and got a much deserved vacation. 

We ended our time on board with a backstage tour of the theatre. They were able to ride one of our lifts on the stage and see the trap room (and all of my puppets up close. My mom loves puppets.) Even I learned some things about our ship and sailing culture which I didn't know before! For example, an anchor tattoo means a sailor has crossed the sea, there are speakers hidden behind in the red fabric all along the walls of our theatre, the patterns on the "Circle of Life" costumes represent different tribes across Africa, and there are Swarovski crystals on the "So This Is Love" ball gowns. I am so happy they were able to share the magic with me.