No, I don’t know everyone on board. Really, sometimes it just seems that way. But then, as my Eldest found out, unlike at home, I talk to anyone and everyone.

I may have mentioned that there were ~400 Back-2-Back cruisers from Copenhagen to Fort Lauderdale and a goodly number over 200 from Southampton through to San Diego. A certain number will be on the ship for five weeks. Take that as a bit of background. Another piece is that each one of us is actually in contact with certain of the staff over and over: example is that you meet all of the cruise directors staff if you participate in the craft programs or dance lessons (crafts for me).

Membership in certain groups (Cruise Critic, Crown & Anchor) also means that you will wind up seeing certain of the passengers plus supporting staff several times over the duration of a transatlantic cruise.

Plus, I have been organizing get togethers for the knitters/crochets/needlework crew.

The end result is that sitting in the Showboat Lounge with a knitting group. This is a high traffic area transversed by those looking for the Enchantment Lounge, the restrooms, conference rooms or bridge. I gets to spend time with two women who were on the last cruise (UK and Ireland), plus a couple of women from Cruise Critic (Hawaii and California) . I am happily waving at passengers and staff walking by. We are looking for more people to join us and it is interesting hearing everyone’s stories and comments.

At the point where Davy (Bridge Instruction staff – I am trying to remember which cruise I previously met him on) comes over to try and wheedle me into helping him with some repair work I get a strange look and the comment: Do you know everyone on this ship?

No, I don’t but I think a lot of people know or at least recognize me. I am consistent about where I am and when so I see the same people over and over. I am normally moving rapidly (do we notice people who pass us in the hall repeatedly), or in the fitness center in the evening on this cruise so that there are a lot of people walking Deck 10 in the evening and peering into the gym enclosure from the outside. They can see me – I can see that they are there, but not who.

There are 1800+ passengers and 765 crew. I don’t know anywhere near all of them – not even a small percentage. But I am working on increasing that number.