Who’s ready for an epic blog post!
Let’s run down my experiences on my second Skynyrd Cruise thus far:
Boarding Day – Let’s get it on!
8:00AM – Waking up with a sore throat – NOT GOOD. I need this voice! Luckily, our mobile office is stocked full of Emergen-C, Tylenol cough, cold and flu (daytime edition). 1 Shot of this stuff and I’m suddenly all better. Life is good, let’s get things rolling.
10:00AM – Get on the boat and start hanging up banners. We hope that the Skynyrd flags each guest will receive in their cabin will deter people from stealing the atrium banners. Last year’s lasted probably about 20 minutes.
12:00PM – Begin my shift at the info desk. Run into multiple people who I’ve met through our Simple Man message boards. 
They all tell me that I look EXACTLY like I use for my avatar. I don’t know if this is a compliment or not. Luckily, my cartoon is really really ridiculously good looking, so I compliment them on their astute observations. It’s great to finally meet these guys!
4:00PM – Do everything in my power to avoid the lifeboat drill.
5:00PM – Head up to the deck, and proceed to have my face rocked off by Blackberry Smoke. These guys played one hell of a deck show, and I walked away impressed. I make a mental note tell my friends coming on the Rock Boat next week to check them out.
6:00PM – Message Board Party! “You’re Steve?” “You’re way too young!” “You look exactly like your cartoon!” I finally get to meet the rest of my buddies…the ones who started making fun of me eleven months ago when I was put in charge of these boards. So great to meet you, so glad you made fun of me all year, and so glad you kept my job fun.
8:00PM – I realize I have absolutely no voice left. This stinks! I try to carry on a conversation with people in my company, who just laugh at the pathetic noises barely resembling sentences dribbling out of my mouth. I begin the search for glorious NyQuil. When I find out that MacQueen has two Tylenol PM capsules left in her purse, I flock to her like a moth to the flame. She is my savior.
10:00PM – After a few staff meetings, I stumble up to my room, throat on fire, bleary-eyed, and exhausted. I pass out halfway through the 4th quarter of the BCS Championship. (Congrats Gators, as I would later find out).
DAY 2
1:00AM – Wake up coughing.
4:00AM – Wake up coughing less.
6:00AM – Wake up kind of coughing.
9:00AM – Wake up without coughing! Stever is BACK BABY!
10:00AM – Begin my second Info Desk shift. I get to meet more people who know way more about me than they should. Is this what being a celebrity feels like? Kind of cool, kind of really strange. Can’t imagine what’s its like to be on a cruise named after you. Doubt Sixthman will be putting on any Steve’s Kambination Kruise anytime soon.
10:01 AM -Make note to trademark www.kambinationkruise.com anyway
10:02 AM – Immediately reject that name. I’m an idiot.
1:00PM – Info desk is done, I run into the production office, stuff 3 pieces of cheese pizza into my mouth, and then run off to make sure Guitar Hero is going swimmingly.
1:15PM - I just watched Barb lose to a 4 year old in guitar hero. I’m sure the kid would have said “Nice try, Barb” but he was too busy drooling on himself.
1:30PM – I meet Bobby Ingram of Molly Hatchet, who is helping us host Classic Rock Trivia. Maybe the nicest, coolest dude ever? He reads through the trivia questions he will ask the room (filled to capacity), creates some questions of his own, and thanks us once again for having him on the cruise. Shouldn’t we be thanking him?
2:30PM – We announce the winner of Rock Trivia. Damn. I greatly underestimated these people’s vast knowledge of Southern Rock Trivia. I need to come up with far more difficult questions. I hop up on the microphone to announce that the winning team will have an autographed Molly Hatchet acoustic guitar shipped to their house. Once again, this is not something we asked, just something that Bobby wanted to do to make this cruise special. You’re the man Bobby!
3:00 PM – Podcast interview with Bobby, hosted by Andy and myself. This is my second official podcast interview with a famous person, and I’m freaking nervous. However, once the cameras and tape start rolling, a sudden calm washes over me, and the next 30 minutes is spent shooting the breeze with Bobby just talking about the cruise, music industry, and what’s up for Molly Hatchet in 2009. Bobby comments that he believes this is the first time ever that Molly Hatchet, Skynyrd, 38 Special, and Marshall Tucker Band have been together in one location like this. Very cool.
4:00PM – Andy and I interview Donnie and Don of 38 Special. Donnie has an incredibly infectious smile and attitude, and Don makes fun me within two minutes. These guys are all good in my book. Some highlights: Donnie is a huge fan of land, and not a big fan of boats…he tells us you might see him doing sand angels when we land in Half Moon Cay tomorrow. Very cool guys, some pretty amazing stories about Donnie and Johnny (of Skynyrd fame) growing up, and just some fun stuff. I think I’m getting a hang of this interview process. Exciting.
5:00 PM – Dinner: 3/4ths of a Powerbar
5:00 PM (in the Atrium): The first annual Tattoo Social Hour – Grab a drink and Show your INK! Although I was not in attendance, I have been told by multiple sources that this party was a great success…clothes flying off left and right, massive tattoos displayed proudly, and stories shared by all. I hear Lauren even got a tattoo of her own (drawn with a sharpie by our own Ashley Bothwell).
5:30 PM – Barb and I interview the guys from Jupiter Coyote on the promenade stage in front of a live studio audience (and by “live studio audience” I mean the people at the casino bar and passers-by who hadn’t passed out yet). JC was gracious enough to bring the entire band and perform two full songs just for the podcast. Bad ass.
6:00 PM – Blackberry Smoke interview. Andy’s first question to the guys: “So what bet did you lose to have to do this interview?” Charlie responds with “Hey man, we artists just do whatever is on our daily sheet!” At this point, you can already see the wheels turning in Andy’s head as he formulates a plan to screw with their daily sheet for tomorrow. If you happen to read any news stories about the guys from Blackberry Smoke and some ridiculous scenario, it’s because Andy wrote it on their daily sheet.
6:05PM - As they discuss their daily activities, I wish I could have somebody break out my daily activities minute by minute for me. Life would be far simpler.
6:06 PM - An random gentleman, possibly over-served, storms the stage and demands that everyone should be told of the greatness of Blackberry Smoke. I agree with said individual, and extend my hand for a high five. Apparently said individual took offense to the mere suggestion of said high five, and I was left hanging. Actually, I think at this point he fell off the stage and was carried away. SKYNYRD! WOOOOOOOOOO
6:30PM - Pat McGee joins us for an interview and song. He discusses his experiences on previous Rock Boats, and how they are different from the Simple Man Cruise. Pat dedicates his song to Andy, and says it was “written in the house that Andy built.” Andy, you may be “the best man I’ve ever worked for, sir,” but you are no carpenter. It all becomes clear when Pat begins to play the last song recorded at the Bluff Plantations during the previous Summer’s Sixthman Sessions!…except it now has lyrics. Great song, and I can’t wait to replace the humming version in my iTunes with this new one. Thanks again Pat.
7: 30PM – Dinner time! ..I eat the other 1/4th of that powerbar.
7:45 PM - I run downstairs into the dining room, and record a killer rendition of “What’s your Name?”, a Skynyrd classic, performed by every waiter and waitress in there. I have this on video, and I will get it up on YouTube as soon as humanly possible. Nothing better than seeing guys who barely speak English yelling “What’s your name, little girl!” as they dance on the tops of tables in front of a crowd of astonished and ecstatic cruisers. Well done guys!
8:00PM - Doors open, and we have our first real challenge of the year (as we do every year), figuring out the best way to put 1200 people into a venue that can only seat approximately 800. “Standing room only please!” “No that’s not your seat!” “Hmmm, I don’t think Andy would have told you that you could have front row seats…”
8:30PM- 38 Special takes the stage and blows the doors off the place. I am ashamed to say that I had only heard a song or two of these guys prior to their performance, and I’m sad that I didn’t know more. I stop a man dancing in the hallway, who must have had tickets to the next night’s show, and ask him for the names of a few songs so I can remember them when I get home. It’s surreal to see guys commanding a stage like Donnie and Dan are doing when just a few hours earlier I was sitting with them and talking music. I love my job.
8:45PM - Johnny Van Zant comes on stage and sings a song with his brother. Very cool moment for those boys, and a beyond-memorable moment for the fanatical crowd.
10:00PM - Skynyrd takes the stage. Sparky’s solo on the first song leaves everybody in shambles. As usual, Skynyrd was amazing. I can’t say enough good things about these guys, and no words could do justice to their performance. It’s always a treat to see them completely take over a room and bring up everybody’s spirits with them. Johnny, Rickey, and the rest of ya = thanks again. Your performances set the pace for this boat, and make people that much happier.
11:00PM - Staff meeting! Apparently Andy’s secret codeword has been compromised. Next time I’ll get him a megaphone so the entire boat can hear it. We devise a new code word, crack some jokes about ticketing in the main show, pick each other up, and then get into our end-of-night huddle and call it a day.
12:00AM – In the past, this is when I would make a bee-line for the craps table. However, I am still battling this cold, and I think one more night of rest would do me well.
12:05AM - Genius strikes, and I decide to write this blog.
1:00AM - Red asks me what I’m still doing in the office.
1:15AM – Damn I write way too much.
1:30AM - Laura asks me what I’m still doing here.
1:45AM - April asks me what I’m STILL doing here.
2:00AM – I finally finish, and now I am ready for bed.
Author’s note: when you read this tomorrow, know that I will be on the beach of Half Moon Cay working hard, making sure each and every grain of sand is where it should be. Who knows, I might even test out a beer or two to make sure it’s cold enough. All in a day’s work I guess. Check back later on for more blogs, and you can see if I survive the final 48 hours.
-Steve