It happened slowly and then all at once.
I used every tool and resource I had to hold the grasp of happiness I had found aboard the Odyssey.
I smiled and tried to convince the residents that I was happy, that I was fine, that everything was okay. Meanwhile the Hotel Director removed the karaoke monitor from the lounge without telling me and then scolded me for not having a karaoke monitor.
This was the Hotel Director I preferred to work with of the two. After a month (for me) he went on vacation and the other Hotel Director resumed the position.
This Hotel Director was very polite to my face, but undermined me as a manager and sent emails to management that highlighted his perception of my incompetence. He gave me contradictory direction as he smiled and explained how easy my job was.
Soon, tears would well up whenever someone genuinely asked how I was doing.
Each individual act of disrespect seemed too small to justify a confrontation, so I kept gently brushing them aside – even as they continued to pile up.
One night, I went to show my face at karaoke. The system wasn’t working, which happens frequently. Mac, the Activity Host (who reports to me), came up to me, explained that karaoke wasn’t working and asked whether they could play music instead and try karaoke again in a few nights.
“Great solution!” I said.
He announced that they would play music, and the residents responded favorably, calling out requests for the decades they wanted to hear.
Problem solved.
Then Mac picked up the microphone again. He announced that I was there and I would be giving a theatrical performance for everyone. He then encouraged everyone to chant my name.
No – he hadn’t consulted me about this.
Furious, I avoided a confrontation with Mac in front of everyone and left the lounge.
The next morning the Hotel Director asked me what had happened, and I told him my version of the story.
Mac had told him that there were problems with karaoke and that they were struggling to manage the residents’ requests. According to Mac, when he told me they were struggling, I snickered, rolled my eyes and left the venue.
So we had a team meeting with the Hotel Director.
I led the discussion. Everyone explained what they were upset about, and then I explained why I had left.
The Hotel Director responded by saying that everyone was new to their positions in this department. He said Mac was doing a great job and I was doing okay.
He asked the team to be patient with him because he was looking for another Entertainment Manager, but he just needed more time.
He said that Mac and I needed to get along or one of us would have to go – and that decision would have to be made quickly.
I don’t think this ultimatum had the intended effect.
I had learned that the way to “get along” with Mac was to smile, tell him what he wanted to hear and give him what he wanted. Whenever my opinion differed from his, we “did not get along.”
I had already begun erasing as much of myself as possible around Mac to avoid his wrath.
If I did as I was directed- ignoring my input and giving the loud complainers (both Mac and select residents) everything they wanted, what Entertainment was I even Managing?
Shortly afterward, I received an email from a contact at Princess. Princess was looking for Destination Experts- was I interested?
What do you think?
April 22, 2026
Because of the time difference between Indonesia and the United States, my interview with Princess took place over video call early in the morning. They needed a Destination Expert in Japan on the Diamond Princess.
There could not have been a more attractive offer.
My last contract with Princess had been in Japan. Because the company liked placing Japanese-speaking crewmembers on that ship, more of my friends were gathered there than any other vessel in the fleet.
Not only had I visited Japan with Princess before, I also had all the presentations I’d prepared on Japan for Villa Vie.
They had initially asked whether I might be available at the end of April or on May 18. I told them I could not do April but May 18 was a possibility. During the interview, however, they said they actually really needed someone on May 8. They asked if I could let them know by the end of the week.
It was Wednesday.
I met Anthony for coffee and filled him in. I was concerned. Didn’t people always say the grass is greener on the other side, only to discover that it wasn’t?
Anthony said there was no question.
I hadn’t known him for long, but he had become my closest confidant on the ship. He said that he could see the real me when I talked about Japan. He hadn’t seen that version of me since the first few days after I returned to the ship and reunited with the residents.
We had a drill that morning. While I was on the bridge with the Captain, the opportunity presented itself. I told him that I regretted to inform him that I would be leaving sooner rather than later.
He wished me the best.
I think his daughter had already spilled the beans about how unhappy I’d been.
After the drill I went to see the Crew Purser. I wanted to confirm that if I completed my contract as Entertainment Manager, the company would repatriate me according to its terms. If I completed my contract, the company would pay for my flights. If I quit, I would pay for them. When he confirmed the terms, I told him that I would not be signing a Destinations contract (which had not even been officially offered to me yet), and that I wanted to be repatriated upon completion of my current contract.
My contract ended on April 29.
I then went upstairs, but the Hotel Director was too busy to speak with me, so I went to the scheduled meeting with my team. We discussed a project he assigned that seemed ridiculous to me, along with challenges we were facing implementing it (the challenges were what made it ridiculous).
Later, I updated the Hotel Director on those challenges and then, when he asked if there was anything else, I said, “I will be completing my contract as Entertainment Manager, but I will not be signing a Destinations contract. I’ve asked to be repatriated as per my contract.”
He did a double take.
He asked whether I was leaving the company.
I told him that I was completing my current contract, but I was no longer available for the Destinations contract.
He asked whether I might come back.
I said that I didn’t know, but I couldn’t continue to be there now.
I mean, to be fair, I didn’t think I would go back to Princess.
He didn’t ask me why I was leaving so abruptly. He may not have been allowed to.
During a call with the head office, they asked if I could extend my contract so that I could complete a handover with the incoming Entertainment Manager. I agreed to extend until May 3rd.
My flight to Japan was May 6th.
I quietly allowed the news to spread, telling the people closest to me first.
I put hints in the program: “Kelly’s last Zumba class.”
I told anyone who asked exactly why I was leaving. Some asked whether I would work with the other Hotel Director.
I realized that it was bigger than that. My values were out of alignment not only with my supervisor, but also with the people who had put him in charge of the Hotel department. Once I was close enough to see it, I couldn’t unsee it.
As much as I adored most of the residents, I had to go.
I intentionally left in a way that would be disruptive, hoping to draw attention to the reason why I was leaving.
But I still hold the kindred spirits I met there in my heart.
April 26th, 2026
By the time we anchored just five minutes from the shore of Komodo Island, we had already experienced our fair share of drama. We had ended up organizing some tours from the ship. Anthony had gone ashore, and when the number of people who appeared for the second group didn’t match the list, the only logical solution was for me to go ashore and provide an update.
I was dressed for work, not play. I wasn’t wearing sunscreen. I don’t even think I had any identificaion with me.
Fortunately, the dragons weren’t concerned about government issued photo ID.
Water bottle in hand, I hopped on the tender. Once it departed for the ship again, I had no choice but to join the tour.
Looking back, the first time I visited Komodo Island, I had extended my contract at the last minute, and this time I wasn’t planning to go ashore – so both ventures have been a surprise!
The fun facts I’d heard three years before came back to me: Komodo dragons eat their young – if the young dragons don’t escape first. They eat about once a month and then spend a lot of time sleeping.
It was so much fun to explore the island with a ship carrying 300 residents rather than 2,500 guests.
I shamelessly borrowed some awesome videos that other people had taken, and I captured another great picture of the ship with the intention to use on the next Hotel Update newsletter.
April 27th
On my final sea day, we held an employee-of-the-month ceremony, and I was able to nominate Anthony.
I hadn’t nominated him before because he was so clearly my closest friend that I worried the nomination would appear biased. This month, I couldn’t let that stop me.
Aside from being my greatest source of personal support, he knew more about management than I did and helped me navigate some tricky situations. He also went far beyond his job description (which I knew well) and I had to shed a light on his efforts.
He arranged transportation so that the crew could enjoy Bali. He helped residents organize transportation. He used his connections to bring Balinese dancers on board. He also handled countless details involving port changes that most people never saw.
Then the Women with Wanderlust – I think that’s the name of the group – gathered at the last minute for a lunch in my honor.
Thinking about how much love was shared still makes me cry.
April 29th
Then we arrived back in Bali. I was waiting for my replacement to arrive, but each day passed and she still wasn’t there. Anthony had completed his contract and arranged to stay ashore at a hotel for a few days before flying home.
We met up back at Bar 69, this time with Alisa.
Sitting at that same table I’d been seated at weeks before with people who had helped me remember who I was, I could feel how much had changed since the last time we were there.
I was leaving Villa Vie with friendships I will carry forever, proud that I had chosen myself and ready for a new adventure.
But first, elephants!
My views do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.
Wishing you the continued best of everything. Your work on the Odyssey was awesome. I hope people on the ships where you work now. Appreciate you the way we did.
Thank you so much Clare-Ellen!
You were fabulous at your job. You had a history of being fabulous at your job (which you maintained) which is why the previous cruise director Lauren specifically asked if you would come work with her again this time on Odyssey. I remember before you even arrived somehow it came up that you were already working on the upcoming pork talk presentations, (which were the best we ever had, clearly no other port destinations speaker put in the hours behind the scenes that you did.) And you weren’t even being paid by Odyssey yet, but as Lauren put it, “that’s what Kelly does, one of the reasons I asked if she would come to Odyssey.“ Together you two were unstoppable, or so it appeared. You helped the residents laugh, play, feel heard, you truly enjoyed each other and you enjoyed your job. You always went above and beyond. What other destinations manager or cruise director would also volunteer to teach fitness classes on their time off? Because many of the residents of Odyssey were “lifers“ (or so we thought 😉) another skill set required by Odyssey officers/crew unlike other cruise ships is that when a less than pleasant passenger is on board usually they will get off at the end of the week or two weeks or a month… But you all had to deal with us forever and you were one of the best at doing that. After Lauren left the dynamic changed when (you were too professional to mention this, above) someone with a different personality joined the ranks and repeatedly bragged to most of us that he had worked with the Hotel Director for 10 years and thought they were more like friends. I think that new guy had aspirations of becoming a Cruise Director himself and you were in the way. I just know I would find it next to impossible to supervise an employee who constantly went around my back to his longtime friend, my superior. I remember feeling deep sadness and really stepping back to observe and think about how VVR treated females in management when someone whispered under their breath, “Well, VVR has chased away another quality, female officer.“
Shirene ❤️❤️❤️❤️ This is such a lovely comment. Thank you!