the Pride of Princess Cruise lines, Lori and Alma, make every Day a Holiday
If you ever get the chance to cross the ocean on a cruise ship, the majority of your voyage will be spent at sea. In the summer of 2018, the Trans-Atlantic voyage from South Hampton, England, to New York, New York had nine sea days, which, for me, meant nine chances to spend most of the day in the steam room and spa!
And while those nine days at sea, in addition to the other five port days, are amazing for passengers who enjoy the Lotus Spa, can you imagine being in charge of keeping that same spa clean and pristine with a smile on your face? Well, these two ladies do just that—day in and day out. But they do this job better than I’ve seen on any other ship in my nearly 30 cruises.
These ladies are kind and patient. They make eye contact with everyone, and they remember your name and what you like and what you care about. After meeting them on the first day, I found myself looking forward to seeing them each day after. We shared ideas on the ports, on the day at sea, on learning languages, and, most importantly, on our dreams for the days to come.
Working mother Lori hails from the Philippines, while Alma’s home base is Mexico. Both women are leaders in their families at home and aboard Princess. They lead by example. Every day is a blessing to these women; thus, each day becomes a blessing for those who see their smiling eyes and earn a tender, warm laugh from one or both of them. Professional, glorious, and sincere, their beauty is what the Clever Chicas project is all about: women doing extraordinary things every day. If character is doing the right thing when no one is looking, then character must be the first word used to describe these women. Thank you, Ladies, for your friendship and the example you set for me. May your character continue to touch your passengers and your world.
As the Joan of Arc medals we share remind me, let us exemplify her words in friendship:
“One life is all we have, and we live it as we believe in living it.” -Joan of Arc
Thank you, Clever Chicas, for being out there in the world for us to emulate and follow. Onward! Allez les Chicas!