When I first started working at Carnival UK in 2005, like many people I’d never set foot on a cruise ship before. Part of the initial training included showing new employees the marketing videos for various Carnival brands, one of which was their luxury cruise line, Seabourn. Over the years, I’ve observed the evolution of the industry, from traditional marketing methods to the rise of online booking and event ticketing platforms, transforming the way customers engage with cruise experiences.
My overarching memory from this ‘training’ is the sight of hunky waiters dressed in smart uniforms with shorts, wading through the surf on a pristine Caribbean beach, delivering champagne and caviar to happy, smiling cruise passengers. That seemed to me to be a long way from reality and a rather bizarre experience. On the other hand, it was right up my street and I vowed, there and then, that it was something I should aspire to.
Twelve years on (good things come to those who wait!) and I find myself still working for Carnival. And here we are, cruising in the Caribbean on a Seabourn ship. Fancy that. For sure, one of the must do’s has to be Caviar in the Surf!
We arrived on the rather exclusive Carambola beach on the island of St Kitts. We watched from the shore as the spectacle started with a speedboat leaving the ship (which was anchored in the bay), bouncing exuberantly over the waves, sirens blaring as it thundered towards us.
We had a front row seat/sun lounger but before long even that wasn’t enough, as we were eager to greet the arriving bounty. We strolled into the shallow turquoise waters, at which point I was slowed considerably, as my feet had to become acclimatized with the change in temperature. (Most people wouldn’t describe the Caribbean Sea as cold, but I’ve always been a bit special that way.)
The sound of Nicolas Feuillete champagne corks popping was barely to be heard over the crashing of the surf. My ears pricked up at the faint but irresistible sound, and it was enough to hasten my progress into the sea. Champagne erupted from the bottles and flowed freely into awaiting glasses (plastic glasses of course). In a rather enterprising Seabourn gesture, a couple of surf boards were used as serving platters, on top of which the caviar was being served with traditional accompaniments.
The waiters weren’t quite as hunky as the ones in my vague recollection from the video. But they were wading through the surf in their shorts and uniforms. The dream had become reality. Caviar in the Surf on Boxing Day? Yes please 🙂