Hi Everyone,

Today I’m in Amsterdam and I have 1 week and 3 days til Chris comes onboard!!!! I can’t wait!!!!!!! I feel like time has slowed down now that it’s getting closer to him joining me, and to top it off I’ve got Tonsillitis. I think it’s only a mild case and this morning I’m feeling much better. I’m on Penicilllin so hopefully I should be as right as rain again very soon.

So since I last wrote last cruise in Lisbon we had another two sea days following that day followed by our Le Havre Port in France where I did a tour to Rouen and saw where they burnt Joan of Arc at the stake. The next day we stopped in Harwich, UK where I caught the train into the London and had the best day catching up with my good friends Brett (who was in my last cast on the Regal), he now lives in London, Dan (who was cruise staff on my last contract on the Regal) and Conan who I did my first contract with on the Pacific Princess. I had the best day with them travelling around London, riding the tube, having lunch and visiting St Paul’s Cathedral and climbing all the way to the top. I had such a fun day.

The following day we were in Amsterdam and I visited Anne Frank house. That I found quite emotional and so extremely sad.

The next day was Dave’s 35th Birthday, so the night before after we had done a show that night, I invited everyone around to my cabin for drinks and nibblies so we could all count in his birthday at midnight. Bit of a ship tradition that. The day of his birthday the ship travelled through the Kiel Canal but we all opted to do a tour of Hamburg. The weather was wet that day but we had a fun day regardless. That night we had dinner Sabatini’s an Italian restaurant onboard that is a 3 hour dining experience. You have never really experienced being full til you’ve eaten there.

After another sea day we were in Helsinki and David (aka Nipples) organised for 8 of us to do Helsinki at 40 knots which was very fun. I thought it would be like jet boating which it kind of was, but without the sharp turns (ie the really scary part). It was basically just going really fast which I amazingly coped with quite okay…. some of you will know I don’t cope very well with speed… I’m a big scaredy cat.

In St Petersburg I did a walking tour which had us experience the Russian Metro. That was interesting, thankfully we didn’t lose anyone from our tour group. The metro in peak hour requires you to basically shove yourself onto the train regardless of how packed it is. A bit like trying to get on at Central in Sydney in peak hour after they’ve cancelled the train before, but just worse. At the end of the tour we got to spend 1 hour at my favourite markets in St Petersburg which is outside the Church of Spilled blood… yes that’s it’s name.

In Tallinn I spent the day with Dave and his two friends he had on board that cruise. Misha (Dave’s best friend) family is from Estonia so he gave us the Misha tour of Tallinn, which involved a fabulous lunch at what I would describe as an old Medieval Tavern.

In Stockholm we went to the old town where we saw the changing of the guard. What impressed me the most was the marching band on horses. That day we bid farewell to Misha and Kim and hello to Dave’s Dad and his wife who are travelling with us this cruise.

In an effort to not make this too long I’ll leave it there for today. I should be able to get wireless onboard the ship in Lisbon on Monday so I’ll fill you in on what’s been happening this cruise then. Plus hopefully by then I will have some show photos for you.

Love to all,
Jess xx

Hi Everyone,

Today I’m in Lisbon, Portugal. I’ve just had a lovely sunny day here. I did a coach and tram tour of the city this morning and then met up with friends for lunch. It’s Sunday here so not much was open in the way of shops, so no danger in spending too much money! I’m now back on board and have discovered I can get wireless internet onboard here while in port.

So since I last wrote I finished my last cruise doing a fabulous tour to Cinque Terra in Italy. Cinque Terra is five coastal villages along from Portofino that are not accessible by car but only by sea and now train. It’s truly a beautiful place.

The next day we arrived in Rome where Mum and Annette disembarked. They were to spend 4 nights there before travelling back the UK to visit rellies in Cornwall.

In Rome, a group of us caught the train in and Dave and I met up with his best friend and his girlfriend who are joining us for this cruise. We spent a great day walking around Rome. We visited the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and the Spanish Steps amongst many other fabulous sites. I really really love Italy!! I’m so excited that next time I’m in Rome is when Chris gets on!! We’re planning to see the Colosseum and Roman Forum together on that day.

So the first day of this cruise I did what I have to say is the most amazing tour I’ve done so far. I went to Tuscany. I visited Volterra a medieval walled city and San Gimignano. On the tour we also visited a beautiful old farmhouse for lunch in their garden. It was truly amazing. The scenery is breathtaking.

The next day in Cannes, we visited Nice, which is a beautiful town/city on the French Riviera. There we even drove past the hospital Angelina Jolie is in…. that’s the closest I can get to celebrity spotting. That afternoon we travelled to St Paul de Vance, another medieval walled town. The history of these places blows me away.

We’ve been at sea the last two days before arriving in Lisbon today. Lisbon is usually the port where the weather turns from hot to cold for us. Our cruises are half hot and then half cold(er) as we head north.

The passengers are quite enthusiastic this cruise. We even got a standing ovation in our first show for the cruise the other night. We did Cinematastic, one of my faves. Last night was meant to be a deck party but the weather was too windy so the Cruise Director got Dave and I to do our show. Considering we felt rather under prepared it went really well. I think the best thing was how supportive our crew mates were in coming and cheering.

We’re about to sail out so I need to hurry.

I’ll try and quickly upload some pictures from Italy and today in Lisbon, I did the tour today with David (aka Nipples), his girlfriend Vanessa who’s onboard for this cruise from Melbourne, Josh (dancer) and Luciana (cruise staff). I’ll also include a photo of my hair after I had it cut and coloured the other day. The hairdressers onboard are quite good which is a relief. I’ll hopefully have some show photos for you next time.

Oh one last thing I forgot to mention… last cruise can you believe I received an award for 5 years of service to Princess Cruises. The really funny part is that even though Dave and I started our first contract together he didn’t get one. I’ve had great fun milking that. Princess can be random at times so he’ll get his in the next round I’m sure…. But in the mean time he he.

Love to all,
Jess xx

Oh My Gosh!!! I have been very busy!! Mum and Annette have been on this cruise and we have been having a wonderful time together.

Since I last wrote in Dover we finished our second cruise. I did a tour in Amsterdam where I got to see windmills and how they make clogs and travelled to Edam (where they make baby cheeses). On the day we travelled through the Kiel Canal we were able to get off and do a tour to Hamburg in Germany which is an amazing city. In Helsinki, Dave and I did a bike tour, a great way to see such a beautiful city. In St Petersburg in Russia we did a tour to see the sites of the city and to visit the famous Hermitage.

Turnaround day in Stockholm on June 22nd Mum and Annette joined the ship!!! Very exciting!! The next day (my birthday) we spent a very wet day in Tallinn, Estonia. Old town in Tallinn, is really very beautiful. I’m looking forward to seeing it again in better weather. In St Petersburg this time Mum and Annette did the tour I had done days before there and I did a tour to see Catherine Palace and Peterhoff. These places are truly beautiful and wonderfully restored since the war.

In Helsinki we did a tour that saw the sites of the city and travelled to one of Finland’s oldest towns, Porvoo. This time in Amsterdam we went into the city and did a walking tour and canal cruise. I’m really looking forward to exploring more of Amsterdam with Chris when he comes on board, which, can I just say is in 4 weeks and 6 days today!!!!!!

In Dover we did two tours on this day. We visited Canterbury and also Leeds Castle, which is magnificent on simply stunning grounds. The next day we travelled to Paris and had a lovely lunch cruise down the river Seine. After two days at sea we arrived in Lisbon, Portugal and now after another two days at sea we are in Cannes, France. Mum and Annette are off to Monte Carlo today and I’m hanging with my cast for the day. At this very moment though I’m sitting in a café just down the road from where the Cannes Film Festival is held. How cools is that!!

Mum and Annette have had a wonderful time onboard. They have loved the shows and the socialising onboard. Tomorrow we are in Livorno before they disembark the next day in Rome.

It’s been so great having them onboard especially for my birthday. Everyone really made me feel so special and spoilt me with presents and a lovely dinner. We all went back to my cabin after dinner to my room covered in streamers. I really missed Chris terribly on my birthday and was sad not to be spending it with him. It will be his birthday when he comes on board which will make up for it.

To try to give you an idea of the photos I’ve uploaded they are firstly of mum and Annette and then the three of us in Lisbon. The three of us at island night and beforehand having drinks in the casino bar with Loraine (she’s the godmother of our ship… a very wealthy lady that lives onboard). Next is my birthday dinner. How funny am I…? I wore the dress I wore to my 21st to my 31st… how’s that for recycling!! Next is the boys and I on our way to a Moulin Rouge themed disco and the next is me in my cabin on my birthday where I found it showered in streamers and balloons. Next is obvious… us in Paris and then mum and I in Lisbon. Then there’s me on my bike tour with Dave and Mum and I in Amsterdam. Another themed disco was 80’s night…. That was a very very fun night. More bike tour and then the three of us in wet Tallinn on my birthday. Okay I’m now realising I’ve put a lot of photos up, so to summarise, me in Amsterdam, Hamburg, Porvoo, St Petersburg and lastly mum and I at the rock church in Helsinki.

Thanks everyone who sent me birthday wishes… I loved that!!

Be sure to keep in touch.

Lots of love
Jess xx