After my first two Alaska summer seasons I was ready to explore some more. I went to work for a salmon cannery in Excursion Inlet Alaska. I worked in the can shop making cans for the processed fish. In short, I did not touch fish. This was a character building experience.

Throughout my time at the cannery, I kept in touch with many of my friends from Bartlett Cove and found out that many of them were going to work at a new lodge in Cooper Landing Alaska for Princess Tours. When I was contacted to work at the Kenai Princess Lodge I accepted without hesitation. We had a great time working in Cooper Landing. We had friendships with many of the locals and of course each other.

I worked at Kenai Princess Alaska Lodge during the first two seasons. My position was not well defined as it was a new lodge and a new property. Our uniforms consisted of: white blouse, blue acrylic vest, tie, white slacks, and white pumps. In the middle of the woods! I was the night auditor but also had many other duties, including cleaning the restrooms in the lobby, cleaning out the fireplace, opening the dining room in the morning. I filled in at the gift shop and the general store when needed and was able to interact with the guests when I volunteered to bus tables.

The next summer season, I went to work for a hotel company in Fairbanks Alaska as a Hotel Accountant. I lived in a cabin without running water. I finished the season and returned to Seattle. While working as a Night Manager at a hotel in Seattle, I saw an ad for Purser’s staff on board Princess Cruises. I had been on a cruise as part of the space available plan that Princess Tours offered after a pre-determined amount of hours worked and had not seen any American staff. This did not stop me. I submitted my resume and was interviewed and hired!

In 1993 I started as a Junior Assistant Purser aboard the Golden Princess. I was the only American in the Purser’s Department. I traveled all over the world and spent a great deal of time cruising the Alaskan waters and meeting up with many friends I had made along the way. I took a small break from sea and worked as the Sales and Services Manager for Princess Tours in Skagway but returned to sea when the season was over.

I left sea in 1999 when I was a Senior Assistant Purser to round out my career base and became a General Manager at a restaurant. After four years in the restaurant industry, I was ready for a change and wanted to return to Princess. I applied online for several positions in Alaska and Seattle. I had several interviews and was hired as the Manager of Port Operations and Services in Seattle. The main focus of my job is coordinating the turnarounds of our ships in Seattle. I am lucky to work for such a great company and am able to work with many of the people I started out with in Alaska and also the people I worked with while I was at sea.