(This is a post by new Sixthman staffer Jen Wedick’s dog, Shags!)

Hi! Shags here!

Yep – I’m the new dog in the office. That’s because my mom (Jen) just got a job here at Sixthman. For those of you on the past few Sixthman cruises, she was there, too! She was one of the people wearing a gray shirt and was running around working like a crazy person. Not that I saw her do that, but she told me about it. Anyway, I’m glad she did that, because now she works at Sixthman all the time and I get to work there, too!

My new life here at the office is pretty sweet. I mean, there’s lots of other dogs to hang out with, and they all bring their toys and we play. Then there’s this one rug that everyone pees on (humans excluded, of course), and on my first day, that’s where I hung out so I could meet all of my new k-9 co-workers.

For now, I spend most of my time in the Call Center with Minnie – we keep those ninjas in line and make sure they tell all of you the most up-to-date information about the cruises. That’s where my mom works right now.  Speaking of her…I guess I should tell you more about her. The reason they actually let me write this blog was so I could introduce her to all of you.

Her name is Jen, and she’s pretty awesome. She gives me treats, takes me on walks, scratches my belly…but I’m guessing you don’t care about that stuff if you’re a human. As I told you earlier, she worked on a few cruises and got to know the Sixthman team, so when they needed a little extra help in the office, they called her up!  If you didn’t see her working (on Simple Man, Cayamo, Best Cruise Ever, Kid Rock and Malt Shop), you might recognize her from the Rock Boat. She’s been going on that since 2004. Don’t worry- she leaves me with some REALLY cool friends when she goes on these crazy trips. And then when she comes back she has that weird boat smell – my favorite!

We just moved to Atlanta from Orlando, where we both worked at SeaWorld. It was so much fun. I starred in the pet show (yep, fur-real), and she worked in the marketing office and did a bunch of creative advertising stuff. When we’re not at the Sixthman office, my mom usually spends her time painting and doing artsy things. She likes to go hiking (and sometimes she takes me!), and she’s always going to really fun concerts.

Anyway, I think I hear Danger and Pistol playing with a ball in the hallway – gotta go!

Oh, and I hope you all have AMAZING vacations on your Sixthman cruises! (Honestly, I just don’t get cruises. I mean, there’s not even grass there…)

The Carnival Inspiration is beginning to feel like a home away from home, like your vacation house. Even though you spend just a few weeks out of the year there, you know where everything is, see familiar faces and get the same excited feeling every time you plan a trip back. This year we brought some new visitors to our vacation home, the Malt Shop Memories Cruise! And like a good host, especially one entertaining on vacation, we wanted to show our company the best time we’re capable of showing them.

Bringing a new guest into your home always has a fair share of exciting and anxious feelings; almost like the emotions you feel when you meet your new roommate freshman year. You hope you get along. You hope you have things in common. You hope you meet their friends and create a bigger group of friends. You hope you create memories that will last your lifetime.. You ultimately hope you were what they were hoping for. I REALLY hope we did this for our new friends this week and that they’ll go home with excitement and stories to share.  And most importantly I hope they leave us wanting to come visit us again, wanting to be our roommates’ sophomore year.

Tomorrow is Sunday, our last day on Malt Shop Memories Cruise 2010, we’re over the “getting to know you” part, and ready to spend the day with some great new friends before packing up the house. What a vacation we’ve taken together! Here’s to awesome houseguests and the luck of getting roommates that have the potential to be friends for life.

From Little Anthony and Frankie Avalon to Gino Monopoli and The Fireflies, the performers on Malt Shop Memories are taking our guests back to a time of innocence and youth. I got to witness the nostalgia at Lesley Gore’s show in the Candlelight Lounge last night.

It was Lesley’s first show on the cruise, and the room was so packed that we had to close doors and monitor the capacity for fire safety reasons. People were standing in every corner of the lounge trying to catch a glimpse of a star from their childhood. She played her biggest hits, “Judy’s Turn To Cry,” “It’s My Party,” and closed with “You Don’t Own Me.” At the end of “It’s My Party,” she had the entire room singing along with her. It was one of those unparalleled moments we love on Sixthman cruises.

After the show I talked to a guest who said she had grown up listening to Lesley’s music. She said, “You always felt like she must have a spy at your school because she was singing about exactly what was happening to you.” It made me realize that these guests don’t just LIKE all this music, they LIVED it. It’s deeply personal to them; they want every chance they can get to see the artists perform the songs that were the soundtrack to their lives.

We are changing times and venues for the artists to help folks do more and see more, and it’s making them happy. I love that we are able to give our guests the best vacation possible, and now that we’re learning more about our Malt Shop Memories cruisers, we can make next year’s event even better, and help people relive their formative years.

Who was the most poignant artist from your childhood?

In case you haven’t heard yet, there is a new member to the Sixthman team:  Malt Shop Mike.

Malt Shop Mike is a blast from the past and has taken over the ship as a “greaser.”  He joined the team on Thursday as the ship set sail and “regular” Mike transported back to the ’50s & ‘60s.

Today was Sock Hop day on the Malt Shop Memories Cruise and everyone was dressed up.

Just before the sock hop got started, everyone was up on Lido Deck watching the hula-hoop contest.  I seriously cannot believe how long people can hoop for!  We finally had to make folks show us their best dance moves, while still hula-hooping, or they would have gone ALL DAY!  Our host, Jerry Blavat, helped pick a winner and then kicked off the sock hop, spinning those great oldies.

EVERYONE was dressed up!  Poodle skirts and saddle shoes were everywhere (even on a guy).  And the rest of the “greacers” joined Malt Shop Mike with their slicked back hair, rolled up jeans, and leather jackets.  It was full tilt boogie up on Lido!

This crowd absolutely loves to dance!

Not only do they love to dance, but they are really good at it too!  They put my generation to shame (I’m 25) when it comes to impressing your girl and twirling her around the dance floor.  I stood there with envy watching couples immediately look 50 years younger as they danced together.  The ‘50s and ‘60s were alive again.  The dancing continues until early hours of the morning in the Doo Wop Disco or anywhere there is music playing.

There is nothing I enjoy more than 2000 people having the time of their lives.

The Malt Shop Memories Cruise is a first time event for Sixthman and Time Life, and having the opportunity to WOW a new community of people and welcome them into their new family is a special thing.  I’m so excited to see what the next couple of days bring, but for now I’m going to join my new Sixthman family in sunny Cozumel.

-Malt Shop Mike

There’s two things that are very apparent here.  1.  As Steve said, this is definitely a Sixthman cruise.  2. This has become a bit of a family reunion not only for him, but for many of the Sixthman team.

Why this is apparently a Sixthman Cruise:

We pride ourselves on bringing together like-minded communities to have one amazing experience.  And the Malt Shop Memories Cruise is awesome.  Seeing all these people relive the memories of their teenage years through music is a site for sore eyes.  The apparel is spot on.  The dance moves are sweet.  The smiles are endless.

Why this is apparently a Sixthman Family Reunion:

If you’ve met us you know that our generation isn’t well represented here, but our parents definitely are.  So, we were able to invite them on a cruise where they get to experience all that we do.  They get to enjoy the music, and we get to know that they are proud of us and the work we do.  In fact, one specific Sixthman employee (Becki) was told by her parents that they were enjoying themselves so much that all her childhood sins were forgiven.

So, Sixthman makes miracles.  That’s right miracles.  One amazing experience for 2,000 people.  And Becki was forgiven her sins.  And there were a lot of sins people.

-Lisa

Just like everyone has a preference of isle or window when traveling on a plane;  or has a favorite seat at the table for dinner every night; we all certainly have a favorite place in a venue to watch your favorite artists.

Some love it up close and personal – first row, dead center, up against the stage & so close you can see the perspiration beads rolling down the drummer’s face.

Others love it a little more relaxed –further back, maybe balcony, a little off center so they can really take in the entirety of the show, and.enjoy the panoramic view of the stage and performance.

And I am sure both groups would argue that their preferred seat is “the best seat in the house” for lots of reasons.

However, last night at my very first Kid Rock show, I might like to argue that I had the BEST seat in the house.

I was ushering the show on the floor in the center isle.  So although I would stroll up and down the isle every now and then, most of the time I was standing between the 3^rd and 4^th row.

But what makes my spot so great, and so much different than any anyone else’s, is that I wasn’t facing Kid Rock – I was facing his fans, who i’m proud to call our guests.

For the entire show, I watched fans faces light up when he started a new song. I saw hands jump in the air on demand from the Kid himself. I saw some of the biggest smiles and most excited faces I have ever seen on adults. I saw hundreds of people who knew every word to every song and sang it with all they had.  I saw fans cry, when a slower song was played and it touched them. I saw a guy propose to his girlfriend – and I saw her say yes.  I saw couples having the time of their life together, dancing all around and connecting through Kid Rock’s music.

I didn’t see Kid Rock at all.  But I saw his music through his fans. And from now on I want that seat at every show.  It is by far the best seat in the house.

Ape

Okay, in all fairness, I missed Kid Rock arriving at the port and the madness that ensued…because for the first time in a while I was one of the first on the ship instead of the last.

And I missed all of the excited people getting their picture taken with the man himself, but I heard it was a blast. That aside, I have had AT LEAST ten super moments since we’ve set sail. I could not be more excited about this cruise, these guests and the next four days- and the sun has not even set!

10. First info desk shift- biggest problem? The Friday lap dance class filled up in under an hour.

9. Going under the bridge. I got to see it. For the first time. Pretty neat. Everyone on the lido deck cheered.

8. Everyone on the Lido deck cheering. They cheer about EVERYTHING. These are some of the happiest people I have ever seen. I hope we get out the confetti cannons because that will be mind blowing.

7. Meeting some of the passengers I have been talking to all year and celebrating the cruise with them. They were some truly awesome people and I can’t wait to meet more of them (and hopefully give them more free booze.  Free booze = Happy people!)

6. Life Jackets. Just ask Barb.

5. Crazy Train in the Candlelight. Enough said.

4. Jill Bessey Being the LAST ONE ON THE SHIP. Ha ha Kappy! You lose.

3. The vibe on the Lido deck even before the sail away show. Did I mention how much I love these people?

2. KID ROCK playing the sail away show. SURPRISE!!!! The show was AMAZING and I am pretty sure everyone’s face was rocked the f off!

1. 2000 shots of Jim Beam!!! Ever seen 2000 REALLY happy people? Yeah, I have.

So, four hours in and I already have a top 10 list. Jealous yet? This is going to be one hell of a cruise and you should really be here with us chillin’ the most! Since you’re not, keep an eye on the blog (if you can stand it) and we’ll be sharing the next 1000 over the top and kick ass moments.

-May

As many of you probably already know, Elvis was one of the biggest icons in during the ‘50s and ‘60s.  He changed music and is regarded as the king of rock ‘n’ roll.  As Jack Soden, President and CEO of Elvis Presley Enterprises, once said, Elvis is unique – timely, but timeless… ubiquitous all over the world, in every culture, every language.  The story of Elvis, his unique charisma, the sound of his voice, connects with people.”  So what’s the gap?

There is an ongoing debate in the world of Elvis Presley fans that sounds a little something like this:  “I absolutely love the Elvis tribute artists!  They bring so much life and energy to the music and truly pay tribute to Elvis and his art.”  Then, there is, “No more ETA’s!  I only want to hear from people that personally knew Elvis and can share real life stories and experiences with him.”  You can read this thread to get a better idea of the conversations that happen around this topic.

We experience this sort of thing constantly with the many different events that we have on sale today.  How do you keep an event fresh and attract new guests, yet still bring back guests who want more of the same?  It’s a balancing act and we’re excited for the opportunities and challenges this brings because it will only help us grow, but it’s tough not being able to please everyone.

Sixthman is all about bringing like-minded communities of people together, and although these different groups of people are, no doubt, passionate fans, they sometimes have different views and expectations of how they envision their vacation.  So, how do you bridge the gap and make an unforgettable cruise for everyone?  What’s your take?

-Mike

And we’re back.

Well, I’ve been here the whole time, because I got left behind…but I’m not bitter!

The majority of the Sixthman team has returned from Tampa, FL where they spent the past weekend on the VH1 Best Cruise Ever.  In case you missed out on all the fun, here are the articles that were written while at sea.

• From the Middle of the Ocean – From Carolina Liar
• Best Moment Ever – from Melissa
• A-MAZING – From Lisa
• Firsts – from Mike
• Goonies are Good Enough For Me – from Becki
• First time for Everything – from Calli

We’ve started to have some articles from guests and the press roll in too (I bet they’re still getting their land legs back):

• Here are about 1000 pictures from the event on TampaBay.Metromix
• A Quick Review from the Tampa Examiner

If you were on the cruise, hopefully you had a great time!  Got any great stories to share?  Post them in the comments.  If you WEREN’T on the cruise (like me), then you’re probably feeling pretty left out right now.  Sounds like the bar has been set quite high for the next round of cruises, and I couldn’t be more excited.

Kid Rock Cruise, you’re next.

-Steve

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Not to back track, but my “moment” on Best Cruise Ever came last night. There have been countless times on this sailing where I’ve just been amazed at what’s happening around me. Whether it’s a fan/artist interaction, a kick ass show or a new seating plan coming together flawlessly, they’re all awesome. But my favorite has to be in the Paris Lounge last night during Shinedown’s show. In that venue, we have a section reserved for friends and family of the band to enjoy the show, giving them a comfortable place to sit, while doing our best to keep the “VIP”ness limited and under the radar. Similar to our guests are coming aboard for a vacation, we love to invite our artists to have their families and friends join them to get a little mini vacay out of it themselves. During this particular show we had a booth reserved for Lifehouse and a few other bands. The show got started and the section began to fill up. Shinedown was bringing the roof down, almost literally. Out of all of the past Sixthman events I have been a part of, it may have been the most insane show I’ve seen in that room. They made a room of 1000 people seem like they were playing to a crowd of 50,000. The energy was there, the crowd was into it and the band was playing their heart out.

So you might think that was my “moment”, and it is probably a close 2nd, but a brief conversation with a member of Lifehouse, just put the icing on my Best Cruise Ever cake. Lifehouse showed up during the 3rd or 4th song and took a seat in the booth we had reserved for them. By the end of the 4th song I felt a little tap on my shoulder and it was one of the guys asking if they could go downstairs into the huge crowd of guests. I was a little stunned but “yes! Of course you can go down there!” The whole band piled out and ran down the steps into a massive crowd. They didn’t look for a VIP section, or the front row, they just climbed into the group and found a place alongside their new friends, and enjoyed being a fan for once. I know this might seem like a tiny moment, and one not felt by many. But I can tell you that the look on those guests faces when they looked over to see Lifehouse rocking out with them to one of their favorite bands was priceless and unforgettable. We talk a lot about Sixthman tearing down the walls between artists and their fans but seeing an artist do it themselves was as refreshing and inspiring. And my Best Moment Ever on the Best Cruise Ever.

See you on land tomorrow. Can’t wait to share the rest of these stories we’ve made!

Melissa