Diary of a seaman

By Michele Villanova

Most of the times people have a wrong idea concerning the job related to the seamen, especially for those ones as in my case working on board of cruise ships. Usually we are pictured as people going around the world and having an adventurous life, but all of this does not correspond to the reality sometimes. The life on board was and is hard and sad, especially at the beginning. The only one I used to talk to every evening was my diary. I used to write two every contract. It was the only one I was opening my heart telling it all about me, without no secrecy or shame. I am not sure if I would repeat this experience of working on the ships in my life, if I had the chance to go back to the past. It is true that the ships have given me money, the chance to make investments, power and his career in the hotel business, but the price I paid is still very high. My personality has changed as well as my identity. I have been away for many years from my family and this is what I regret more.
Presently I keep on working on board but now the contracts are much shorter, four months on board and two month holidays. Still few more years and I have planned to retire, trying to find a job ashore. Saying this I do not want discourage through this book people interested in undertaking the maritime career as I did , but I would like to emphasize the importance of the family only. The years I missed with my family cannot return back!
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michele Villanova
• Release date: Jun 17, 2014
• ISBN: 9788890962677

Book preview

Passion and work in eighteen years spent on board of the cruise ship

Michele Villanova

Finish to be printed on June 20th 2014

First Edition

This book is work of fiction. Names, character, business, organizations, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead or actual events is entirely coincidental.

Copyright 2014 Michele Villanova

Code ISBN 978- 88-909626-7-7

Diary of a seaman

Michele Villanova Passion and work in eighteen years spent on board of the cruise ship

Michele Villanova

Translated by Marco La Mesa

To My Family,

To Rabbinald

To my dear Friend Pasquale,

Whose soul may rest in peace.

Preface

I believe that the most of you consider me to be very lucky because of my job. In nearly eighteen years it has given me the opportunity to travel throughout the world, to meet new people, and to know different cultures.

This is perhaps the idea that one has of us, seamen, especially for those who like me are working on board of cruise ships. In reality there is nothing more incorrect  than this.

The idea of writing this book was put in place about three months ago, during my last contract before the holidays, when I spoke during a dinner with some of my colleagues on board regarding the old times passed.

Since then many things have changed. Today there is a new regulation related to working hours, the duration of the holidays between one contract and another, but above all, there is for sure much more respect for every single person than in the past. 

The cruise ships for me have been a sort of spring board for my life; they have given me the opportunity to better know myself and to temper my character. At the same time I have to be thankful to them if I managed to make my dreams come true.

I was able to build my own a house and now to live in another country.

But God only knows the price I had to pay for all of this!

I suffered a lot from the loneliness, I had to deal with people that have hurt my feelings, far away from my family, not being able to ask for any help to anyone and above all I was trying to escape from them, blaming everything and everyone for the situation occurring at that moment.

At the same time I found also some friendly people, whose memory is still today in my heart.

The only one I used to talk to every evening was my diary.

I used to write two of them every contract.

It was the only one I was opening my heart telling it all about me, with no secret or shame.

Last September I was in Baliwag, in the north of the Philippines, where I do live now.

I was preparing all my stuff before moving from my old house to the new one and while packing the various boxes, I found back all my diaries since that first September 1997, day when I have started working on board.

At that time I was a shy boy, always attached to my mother’s skirts and with the mind set of what said by my father was the bible.

I used to dedicate myself to study and to work only, ignoring my dream to have my own family, maybe different from a regular one, but for sure without any prejudice.

Eighteen years later finally that dream came true and here in Baliwag I have built my house and family.

I reread all those diaries and going through them I relived again those last eighteen years.

Back on board for the new contract, I kept everything printed in my mind, and after that dinner, I started writing this book, with the purpose of sharing with all of you experiences that were not always pleasant.

I don't know if I would do it again by having the chance to go back to the past with my life.

It is true that the ships have given me money, the chance to make investments, power and career in the hotel business, but the price I paid is still very high.

My personality has changed as well as my identity.

I missed for many years the support of my family. I was unable to attend to any family ceremony, to assist my father twice, almost close to death in hospital.

Those are the things that I regret more.

All the hatred that was in me was finally appeased and I began to live the second part of my life with more serenity.

I keep on working on board, but nowadays contracts are much shorter. We spend only four months on board with two month holidays after every contract.

Still a few years and I am planning to  retire from the cruise industry, trying to find a job shore side to keep myself busy and at the same time pamper my beautiful cats. I spent hard years in the past  but they have given their fruit after all.

I don’t want to discourage people to undertake a maritime career, as I did, but I would like just to emphasize the importance of the family. The missed years with your beloved ones do not return back unfortunately!

Michele Villanova

Chapter I

Almost eighteen years have gone by, but I still remember as if it was yesterday that first day of September 1997, the day when I started working on board of the cruise ships.

It all began one night of July while I was doing my shift as night receptionist at the residence Parco Salario in Rome.

I had just finished the university and got my degree as interpreter and translator, and although I had already a job, I was continually searching for another one, a solution for going away from my house and start living my own life in the way I've always wanted and desired.

My decision was also dictated by a family and economic situation not very wealthy at that time. My father was tied up of debts up to his neck, for wrong choices and perhaps too much trust in his friends, and he had dragged into the abyss the whole family.

It is said that going from the hell to the heaven one gets used very quickly, but it is the opposite case, such as my own, that leaves perennially signs in life and in the years to come and that makes one better understand and appreciate the things in the whole of their value.

I had bought Il Messaggero, the local newspaper, something that I normally used to do every Friday, when published the job advertising. I was browsing the pages sitting at the reception desk. My dream was to become flight attendant, a dream that I still have today, which unfortunately for me can no longer come true due to my age.

I was reading the job offers when out of the blue my sight stopped on a small frame at the bottom of the page. A catering company with headquarter in Genoa was recruiting staff to employ on board of cruise ships.

During those years the myth of Love Boat was still alive and kicking in the Italian people’s mind and during that time the large Italian cruise companies had begun to build and launch their large capacity ships.

I decided to write the fax number on a piece of paper, planning to send my curriculum the following evening.

And so I did.

Arrived back to my working place, around one o’ clock in the morning, I dialed the fax number on the machine and sent out my resume. I was not that much confident in getting an interview with them, since I had received until that moment always negative responses from all companies where I had applied. The fax printed the transmission receipt on the thermal paper.

The first step was done. At that point I had to wait for a possible phone call only.

The following morning at around nine o’clock, my cell phone rang. I answered and a lady named Helke, with a strong German accent, told me that she had received my curriculum and that she had found it interesting; she was also inviting me for an interview in Genoa as soon as possible.

I was amazed and perplexed at the same time, because I was not expecting that someone would have gotten in touch with me so soon.

I replied that I would have thought about it, among the other things, Genoa was far away enough from Rome and that with the night shift work I would not have been able to travel and to show up the interview.

Helke answered me to contact her at any time, if I had changed my mind and she left me her private number.

That morning I came back home to rest after my work shift but I couldn't sleep.

I kept on thinking that maybe that would have been the right opportunity for me to leave and begin to live my own life.

The only problem was to go to Genoa and to ask somebody to replace me at work for two days.

I spoke to Roberto, one of my work colleagues, asking him to cover my duty for two days,+  telling him that I had to leave without giving too many explanations. Roberto accommodated my request and accepted to cover my shifts while away.

I called back Helke and I fixed an appointment with her for the interview. She was very pleased to hear back from me.

She gave me all the necessary information and place where to meet.

I told my parents that I had to leave for a couple of days for a job interview.

The following morning I caught the train to Genoa, where I arrived in the early afternoon. The first thing I did was to look for a hotel where to spend the night and I was able to find one near Piazza Principe, but more than a hotel, it was an hostel at low price.

It was the only one I could afford and then I did not have any other choice.

I got the room and arranged my things; later I decided to stroll a little bit around the harbor area because that was also my first time to visit the city.

At the same time I was thinking also of the following day.  The night was long and I did not manage to turn a wrinkle, planning how to behave during the interview the following day and thinking what the possible questions could be.

Finally the morning came and I went down to reception quite early, I settled my bill and I went out to a bar nearby to have breakfast.

Later on I caught a taxi to via Dei Marini. This was the address that Helke had given to me.

When I reached my destination, I found myself in a place that I was not expecting. I was in a sort of dockyard, with trucks containing food items moving all over, and with an exaggerated traffic of fork-lifts everywhere. I was almost afraid to have reached the wrong place.

I opened my bag and checked again the address to be sure to be in the right place. Then I saw other people and I noticed also they were in the same situation.  I approached one girl, asking if she was there for the interview too.

She smiled at me and nodded, inviting me to join the group. All together we crossed the square and then climbed the stairs up the third floor, if I remember correctly.

Here were located the offices of the catering company that contacted me.

We were about fifteen people all together. We were made accommodate in a room around a large rectangular table. 

Mrs. Helke stood in front of us and she started giving us some general information relating to the cruise company where, once passed the interview, we were supposed to work in the roles of front desk operators.

The first thing that some of us asked, as it might seem common thing, was the wage offered. One thousand and fifty American  dollars for the first contract, equivalent more  or less to one  million and six hundred thousand  lira.

My salary at the time was a million and two hundred thousand only. So the wage offered for me was already much better, considering also that I had committed eight hundred thousand lira a month for three years to return to Findomestic.

At that point two candidates stood up and went away, saying that they were not interested. 

I was thinking: That’s good! At least I will have more chances. We started then the real test for the interview, in other words the test proving the knowledge of the foreign languages.

We were given a text to be translated from Italian into English, quite simple I would say, related to the presentation of the new flag ship that the cruise company, which asked for recruiting the staff, had launched on the market.

Later we ended up with an oral test with some conversations and situation related to the hotel business, in English, French and German or Spanish.

I  felt myself quite confortable from that  point of view,  since I  had  already the  hotel experience  as  well as  a good  knowledge of  three languages. Learning foreign languages had always been my passion since the time of the high school.  I can write and speak fluently six languages at the moment.

The time for lunch had come and at the same times the conclusion of the tests.

The last one left was an individual interview with Helke.

The recruiter did not provide the lunch service for us and we were told that nearby, there was a bar where we could have some snacks.

Around two thirty in the afternoon, I came back to the office to have the last interview with Helke, before catching back the train to Rome.

I was invited to sit in a room, where together  with Helke there was another person, a high, slender and beautiful woman of about thirty-five, forty years old,  that  with no doubt she  would not  have passed  unnoticed to  anyone’s eyes .

Her name was Veronica. She was very courteous and polite and after having invited me to make myself at home we started the final interview. 

I was asked me if I had a special reason to apply for a work on board and how I was expecting the life aboard of a cruise ship to be.

My response was clear and concise:

I think it is a little different from Love Boat!.

Veronica answered me with a smile:

This is for sure!

The interview lasted for about fifteen, twenty minutes, with the usual sentence of farewell:

We will let you know you as soon as possible, within a week.

I was thinking: Here's another hole in the water! Maybe I should have avoided coming here so that I could have saved some money!

I've never been a patient person and still today just the idea to wait for even a single minute, makes me frustrated.

So I said goodbye to both of the ladies and left the office. I caught again a taxi to the railways station in order to go back to Rome. I just waited one hour more or less before departing. 

When the train arrived close to Civitavecchia my cellular phone started ringing.

I knew that it was Helke!

It could not be otherwise, I did not expect any other calls. 

I had put all my effort to pass that interview!

I really deserved a reward for all this!

I answered the phone, and it was really her announcing me that I was considered qualified  for the job and that she would have contacted me furthermore for other updates and information.

I had interpreted all of this as a sign of fate finally, as a revival to the precarious situations that characterized the darkness in my life during those years, the final answer to my all frustrations and problems.

I arrived at home and I did not mention anything to anyone. 

I had also to return to the Parco Salario to make the night shift.

My mother asked me how the interview had gone and I just replied that I would have had some news within one week or so.

That night at work I was quite cheerful and relaxed, in a good mood and it hadn’t happened to me for quite some time. 

The worst was over, the interview had gone well and I was opening the doors to a new life and career.

I needed just to wait.

I had to finish my shift at six in the morning but around eleven p.m. Roberto  called me  asking  to replace him for the morning as well, since he’d had  suddenly a commitment and he was not able to come to work on time.

I accepted.  Besides I owed him already a favor. At nine o'clock in the morning my cellphone rang again. This time was Veronica informing me regarding my schedule. 

All was set for the following week. 

I was almost petrified because i didn't expect that it could have happened so fast.

Of course I  showed  my happiness and appreciation,  but  I  answered  her that I could not  embark if not in one  month, because I had to resign from my current job, being employed  with a regular contract.

Veronica was very sympathetic and told me that there was no problem at all and that, on the first of September, I would have join the ship I was assigned in Bari.

I called my father at work and I told him that I had already received the confirmation of the assignment. 

He asked me if I was going to accept it.

My response was: Yes clear and decided, without thinking twice.

There was a moment of silence at the other side of the phone. My father probably understood that the time had come also for me to move away from home.

Fabrizio, the director of the residence did not accept easily my request for resignation and he asked me to stay. I declined it.

That month of August passed in a twinkling of an eye.

I went back to Genoa once again. I went by car that time and accompanied by Mario, my brother-in-law.

I had a meeting with Veronica once again for the latest details and to have the address of the tailor’s workshop where to collect my uniform before boarding the ship. 

I was also informed about the procedures to follow and the documentation required.

As always Veronica was very friendly and accommodating and still today I remember with great affection and respect.

She asked me if I had few more questions to ask. I asked her if there was the chance to go on excursion occasionally and what kind of clothing I was supposed to bring with me.

She smiled and she gave me the itinerary of the ship assigned.

Mediterranean during the summer and the Caribbean in the winter.  She also suggested bringing different cloths for the various crew parties that would have taken place on board, talking about an environment where friendships and fun were on the first line.

I believe that anyone would have been super excited with the idea of having found such a job!  Travelling around the world and having fun! 

The future in front of me was undoubtedly incredible.

It was like having won a jackpot at the lotto! 

This unfortunately was the idea that I had at that moment.

Still today people have the tendency to believe that seamen have a very adventurous and confortable life, but the reality once on board is much more different from what told and prospected.

Chapter II

On August the 31st in the early morning I and my family left Rome towards Bari. Inside the