Travellers, cruisers and crew in St Thomas

For those of you who do not already know, I live on the ocean. And yes that is amazing yet somehow possible. I work as a photographer on a luxury cruise line. I see a lot of places, travellers, cruisers and crew, and, most of all, stupid people everyday. Sometimes I share some of my observations.

Today we are docked in St Thomas- a U.S Virgin island. It is also the day I get the great honour of dressing in a corny pirate costume that is probably older than I am. While I loped the gangway- feeling like a mix between a street beggar and a prostitute in my short skirt and boots- I started to really pay attention to the swarm of holiday makers leaving the ship. I happened to notice three vastly different types of people: cruisers, travellers and the ship's crew. They all are leaving for a day away from the ship and, of course, coming back on after having their own adventures yet they all seem to do this very differently. 

Travellers set foot on the ships gangway in their shorts, shirts and swimsuits. They arrive early, coffee in hand looking dumbfounded while searching for the nearest tour guide. Cruisers step off the gangway after a lengthy and full breakfast. The women's semi-precious earrings gleam in the Caribbean sun as they take a picture with the costumed pirate (a.k.a me). Crew leave quickly with name badge attached. No taxi driver can lure them into the trap of an extra $20 spent. 

Travellers have excitement brimming in their sleep-filled eyes. Cruisers are wide awake at 10am in their tasteful beach sarongs and summer dresses. Crew are an assortment of the exhausted to the wide-awake depending how deep they are in their six month contract. They are a diverse bunch-ranging from the Asians in their t-shirts to the dancers in their bikinis. 

Travellers arrive back with an adventure fresh on their mind with an SD card filled with pictures to show for it. Cruisers arrive back with a diamond ring, a Pandora, a case full of souvenirs and a belly filled with food from one of the local restaurants. Crew arrive back a few dollars less after browsing through amazon with some fresh snacks from K-mart.

Travellers arrive after a full day of sailing the aquamarine waters of the Caribbean. And yes, the Caribbean sea is so turquoise blue that-if you look down you can see your feet staring back at you. Their skin is the same shade as the lobster the cruisers had for lunch after a long day of women shopping and men sitting on the sidewalk wondering if it is too soon to ask when is lunch. Crew arrive with a healthy brown tan after a mere two hours at the beach. After nine months in the Caribbean there is no ray of sunlight my skin has not been bared naked to. The one plus of my job is that it comes with a free tan. 

Travellers come back late, exhausted and traumatised by the wind. The only thought on their mind is climbing into bed for a one hour nap. Crew are just the same- dreading the long night of work they have ahead of them. Cruisers come back early- just in time for a quick dip in the pool before they get dressed up for a full evening of dinner, dancing, shows and, much to my dismay, family portraits.

These groups all seem so different but whether that have spent a day snorkelling around the island, shopping for their wedding rings or speaking on Skype to their children back home they all watch the sun setting over the horizon knowing they had a good day today.