“I shall be punished for it now, I suppose, by being drowned in my own tears! That will be a queer thing, to be sure!” ~ Alice

It’s 12th September 2001. The Ship is dark in mood as we have all watched the twin towers destroyed the day before.

This is the day the ship I was on, decided to list (lean) due to most powerful high winds and swirling currents I had ever experienced in my 4 year Cruise Ship Career.

We careened sideways over and over again. Everything sliding off the shelves, TV sets came crashing down to the floor, glasses toppled over and smashed as if it was hailing indoors.

This is where the ludicrous idea of Cruise Staff being used as bomb searchers was put into place. We were all instructed to search the ship for bombs.

The Cruise Director called us all to his office. “After you’re done your bomb search, you have to go out and calm down the passengers. They all think there’s an attack on the Ship! Dress up, look glamorous and buy them all drinks on us. For God’s sake don’t wear your Life Vests it will scare the passengers”

We were terrified and sent to the wolves. Meanwhile Officers ran around confused and stressed (wearing life vests I might add) as furniture slid from one end of the ship to the other. You couldn’t walk without gripping onto anything bolted down. The ship would list so far, full windows were blocked out by deep Ocean.

We teetered about in our our stupid little uniforms. Gritting our teeth and reassuring passengers, fake smiles plastered on our faces.

How conditioned we were to ‘do as we were told’.

One of the American dancers had come running out of her cabin distraught, she was worried for her family and her Cabin was being destroyed by heavy objects crashing to the floor. She came out into the hallway hysterical.

I will never forget the disrespect we received the next day.

The Captain called an entire Staff and crew meeting. He commended the Officers for their swift action on keeping the ship upright and reassured us that the listing was due to weather only, not afterall, an attack on the Ship. He then decided to point out, in a little laughing quip, how the dancers were ‘silly’, distressing those around us because one of us was crying in the hallway. This dancer was 19 years old.

This is when I put my arm around that dancer, stood and said to my Cruise Director. Excuse me, but the Captain can ‘Suck my Dick’. (I know, I know…but it’s such a lovely expletive)!

I left the meeting.

I was known for my little outspoken rants. The misogyny and hierarchy on ships was fucking outrageous. My Mum raised me well. Fuck that. I will NOT have young dancers ridiculed under my watch. (Sweary Alice was in full effect).

I was not particularly popular with the Ship’s authority figures, I did not tow the line. I always stood up myself and other younger dancers.

The moral of this story? Be loud, stand your ground and don’t always do as you are told.