Tuesday 9th March saw 16 students from St Adelphi High School, St Vincent come onboard to experience “the cruise for people who don’t do cruises” as part of their tourism and social studies classes. All students are in their final year at high school about to sit their final exams before making tourism and hospitality career choices or deciding to continue studying with further education at Barbados or Trinidad universities.
St Adelphi High School, St Vincent
Monday 15th March Antigua, we boarded 26 students representing 25 primary schools across Antigua. The students were selected top graduates from the islands D.A.R.E programme. The D.A.R.E programme is the islands educational approach to teaching youngsters all about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. It involves workers from the Police force, fire department and ambulance services whom all take classes at the schools and involve all the students in interactive events and projects to guide them to make the correct choices in life. The 26 students had all passed with the highest marks, and as a reward got to experience the Ocean Village brand and ship they see every two weeks on their door step during the Caribbean season.
Ocean Village was delighted to invite them both onboard to let them experience first hand what life onboard is really like, and certainly answered one student’s question “Do all the crew live onboard?”.
The tours started in Village Square where students were amazed with what they saw. Next was down to the main galley where Executive Chef Stuart Pitcher took all students on a culinary master class around all galley sections. All you could here was “WOW” and stomachs rumble, especially when reaching the pastry section! In the larder section Jason Ludovico the ship’s fruit and ice carver demonstrated his unique talent and skill to the students as he carved in front of their own eyes various fruit sculptures with all wanting to take some home for mum and dad.
Next was a tour of the restaurants starting at James Martin’s Bistro. Believe it or not, James’ fame stretches even to the Caribbean with at least three students saying they had heard of him.
Students then put Chef’s skills to the test in The Plantations Restaurant as they enjoyed a hearty lunch. One student did comment to a restaurant crew member that they enjoyed it very much but you can’t beat our school cook’s, chicken and bread.
The children couldn’t come onboard and not visit the command and communications centre that is ‘The Bridge’. Students were amazed and desperate to push every button as third officer Michael Kearney explained how life-like it is to “Pirates of the Caribbean”. We certainly saw some aspiring deck officers with one student commenting he now wants to be a Captain when he grows up.
Finally we ended up in the ship’s ‘Marquee theatre’ with a question and answer session. Here the students got a chance to revise and ask those burning questions in preparations for their projects and essays when they got back to school the next day.
My favourite question was “Why does Ocean Village have to go? It’s the best ever”, which really sums up the way people feel about “the cruise for people who don’t do cruises”.
D.A.R.E winners representing 25 primary schools, Antigua
The students certainly had an enjoyable and educational day where they learned and experienced a lot with all determined not to leave and asking how they can book to come on their holidays. All students left with a souvenir photo of their group in the Village Square by our onboard photo team which, I am sure will appear on bedroom walls and mantle pieces all over St Vincent and Antigua. Thanks were given to all the ship’s company, as everywhere they went onboard the core values of cruise were demonstrated to the highest degree in making this a memorable and educational day for all the students to cherish for years to come.
Martin Bell,
Restaurant Operations Manager,
Ocean Village.
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