The Room and Rules (1)

As the door is opened, Donita and Sandra are surprise to find a steward in the room. He smiles and introduces himself as Dom. He will be responsible for keeping their room clean, bringing towels, and turning down the bed covers each night. He turns on the television and explains:

Dom:          Everyday there will be announcements through  
              the television and on the loud speaker. You          
              will also receive a daily paper of the events        
              that will be planned while we are in port or         
              at sea. Do you have any questions?
Sandra:       Yes, Dom. Where are you from? 	
Dom:          I’m from the Philippines.
Donita:       How many rooms do you have to clean?
Dom:          I take care of 11 rooms everyday.
Donita:       That seems like a big job!
Dom:          It is, but I have all day to do it. The       
              biggest problem is getting into the rooms when I’m   
              supposed to clean. Some people like to sleep late,   
              others like to take an afternoon nap.
Sandra:       Your English is so good; how did you learn to 
              speak it?
Dom:          Thank you, I studied a lot in school. We have 
              to take a test in my country before we can get a     
              position  working on the ship. It’s a good job!
              (An announcement comes over the speaker telling
              passengers there will be a lifeboat drill in one
              hour.)
Dom:          Let me show you where your jackets are. (He   
              goes to the closet). Don’t put them on until you are 
              on deck. It is too crowded in the halls.
Sandra:       Where do we go for the drill?
Dom:          There will be another announcement telling you 
              the place. I have to leave now, goodbye.
Both:         Goodbye. Thank you.

Learning About The Ship

The women listen to the instructions from the speaker, and then 
walk down the hall to the first door on the left, which leads to 
the deck. They are surprised to see so many children and adults 
passengers. Everyone is standing in small groups as the crew helps 
them put on the jackets. A staff member looks at Donita and Sandra 
and directs them to their group.

Staff:        You are in cabin 621, so you need to go there. 
              (Points to group.)
Donita:       How did you know what cabin we are in?
Staff:        There is a code on each life jacket that tells 
              your room number and the assigned life boat. (He     
              blows a whistle.) May I have your attention, please. 
              (Everyone quiets down.) The captain has requested    
              that we have this drill for everyone’s safety. It is 
              also required by maritime law. Does anyone still     
              need help with their jacket?
Passenger:    Yes, I can’t figure out where all these straps 
              go! (Two staff members go to help him.)
Staff:        I am going to demonstrate the correct way to  
              put your life jacket on. If you are traveling with   
              children, or someone who needs help, put their on    
              first. (He demonstrates putting the jacket on with   
              straps going between the legs.) Any questions so far?
Sandra:       What are these two “straws” on either side?
Staff:        Good question!  Your jacket is equipped with  
              inflation and light devices. When you pull the cords, 
              your jacket will inflate. If you want to inflate it  
              more, just blow into the straws. 
Donita:       Is this jacket any different than the ones    
              used in small boats?
Staff:        That’s a good question! Yes, this one is      
              designed to turn people who are unconscious in the   
              water from the face-down position to an upright and  
              slightly backward position. The jacket helps the     
              person stay in that position for a long time
Sandra:       What about the children’s jackets?
Staff:        They are the same except for the size. The    
              adult size jacket is for people who weigh more than  
              90 lbs and the child size is for anyone weighing less 
              than 90lbs. (Points to lifeboat). This is your       
              assigned boat. The same number is on your life       
              jacket. That’s the all clear signal. Now you can     
              return the life jackets to your cabins. 
              Everyone walks back to their rooms. An announcement
              comes on over the speakers. 
Captain:      This is your Captain speaking. Welcome aboard 
              everybody! Tonight will be casual dress for dinner.  
              There will be a sail away party on the Lido deck in  
              fifteen minutes. Be sure to bring your camera.  We   
              will be at sea until 8:00 tomorrow morning when we 
              arrive at our first stop, Half Moon Cay, in the
              Bahamas. There will be Tenders leaving every 15
              minutes to take passengers to shore. Further
              announcements will be given by the activity director.