READER’S DIGEST
July• 2019 | 109are always eager to see their state-
rooms. We need to hustle.”
To cut down on congestion on
the accommodation decks as room
stewards ready the staterooms, pas-
sengers will not be allowed to enter
their rooms and be reunited with
their luggage until shortly before the
ship leaves port.
At Deck Zero, 58 crew members
have checked out and left on home
leave, and 58 workers are checking in.
Depending on their jobs, crew mem-
bers work several months on and
have several months off. The compa-
ny flies them home. With more than
55 nationalities represented among
the 1400 crew, passports, visas, and
other documents have to be scru-
tinised, and security checks can be
time consuming.
I
t’s nearly 2.30 and Donato Becce
is smiling. The divers have fin-
ished their hull inspection and
everything is A-OK. Room cleaning is
ahead of schedule. Most of the ship’s
supplies, including 1200 tons of fuel,
have been loaded and stowed away.
“And best of all,” says Becce, “my
phones have stopped ringing!”
I join Becce for an espresso in the
Lobby deck where we watch arriv-
ing passengers ‘oohing’ and ‘ahhing’
at theMagic’s dramatic, 12-storey
glass-enclosed atrium. A boisterous DJ
is spinning reggae and calypso music.
The atrium bar is already packed with
passengers knocking back a welcom-
ing drink.
Becce tells me, “This is one of my
favourite times, watching excited,
happy passengers thrilled to be com-
ing aboard to start their holidays. You
can’t help but smile.” Although, like
most of the crew, he works an extra
long shift on turnaround day, he
says that the challenges and rewards
make it worth all the effort. As he sips
his espresso, he smiles and says, “Just
think, we will do it again next week
and the week after that and ...”
Just then, one of his phones rings.
Happily it’s good news. “We’re mak-
ing up for our late arrival,” Becce
tells me after he hangs up. “Looks
like we have a great chance of leav-
ing on time.”
Thanks to the crew’s experience
and efficiency, theMagiccasts of f
from port at 3.55pm; five minutes
ahead of schedule.SONNY DAYSWe could live inside the school bus and
my son would still find a way to make us
late for it every day.
@DADANDBURIED