108 | July• 2019
and placed on the bed. (Most popu-
lar are elephants, followed by swans,
rabbits and monkeys.)
Before oncoming guests arrive, a
two-man security team checks each
room safe to make sure nothing has
been left behind. Jewellery and other
valuables are often forgotten in the
safes and are returned to passengers.
Oddest item left behind by a depart-
ing passenger? A prosthetic leg.
One of Becce’s mobile phones ring.
It’s a call from the maintenance de-
partment updating him on the pro-
gress divers are making during a
hull and propeller blades inspection.
“Nothing wrong yet,” he says. “But
let’s hope there’s no cause for delay.”
But there is a delay that is caus-
ing Becce and his team concern. It
is 10.50 and there are still nearly 600
passengers who have not yet left the
ship. “Because we were
delayed getting into port,
we’re behind schedule,”
he says. He makes a few
calls and moments later
the ship’s cruise director
announces to remain-
ing passengers over the
Magic’s loudspeakers: “All
Zones; you are clear to
proceed to the gangway,
have a happy holiday, and
we will see you soon.”B
y 11.30 the ship
is empty except
for crew mem-
bers who are feverishly cleaning,
mopping, repairing, restocking. In
any minute new passengers, each
of whom have been given specific
embarkation times to stagger the
crowd, will board the ship. On the
ship’s Lido Deck, I meet 26-year-old
Eden Rollan, a hotel stewardess from
the Philippines who started working
on theMagicjust seven months ago.
“Turnaround days are crazy busy,
and everyone pitches in to help get
the ship ready,” she tells me. “It’s
hard work but it’s also fun. In a cou-
ple of hours the ship will be full of
new, smiling, excited passengers.”
By 1pm several hundred passengers
have come onboard and are eagerly
exploring the ship. Becce checks up
on housekeeping and seems a bit
concerned that rooms still need to be
cleaned. “Naturally, oncoming guests PHOTO: PETER GONZALEZ/COURTESY CARNIVALThe ship's ready, and it's time to
welcome passengers