You were probably like me, thrown into the deep end, without any training, and told to MC the ballroom dancing in the Lounge. At that time, my only experience in dancing, was Scottish Country Dancing, at school dances in my home town of Rothesay, on the Isle of Bute, Scotland

On my first voyage on Shaw Savill's Southern Cross in 1967, we were alongside Papeete on Hogmanay ( New Year's Eve to the English) and staying overnight, sailing at 6am.

I was running a disco Under the Stars on the Sports Deck, Sundeck Square, in these days we had a mobile entertainment centre which we could move from room to room and onto deck. It had facility for LP's and all sizes of records, and reel to reel audio tapes! (Before digital technology)

The disco was going well until about 11pm, when I decided it was time to change the mood, and being Hogmanay, we had to have Scottish music. Race up to my cabin (Pilots cabin on bridge) to collect my record case of Scottish albums. Much to my surprise the youngsters and some oldies too, enjoyed the music.

Being pursers, we were encouraged to drink socially with the passengers, and after a few wee drams, I was in dancing mood!

Just on midnight we formed a huge ring on deck, linked arms, and sang Auld Lang Syne, and then the party began in earnest!

If you are aware of a Scottish Ceilidh, then you will know how fast the dancing gets with eightsome reels and jigs an aw' and lots of whisky sets the scene!

The Chief Engineer, a fellow Scotsman witnessed the rubber man in charge (me) and told me time to wind up as sailing at 6am. As I was little under the weather, expiring with sub tropical heat, he decided to escort me to the hospital which was closer than trying to navigate me to the pilots cabin on the bridge. He returned to wake me up at 5.30am so I could get to my cabin before sailing and get out of No 10's and into tropical gear !

It was a wild night, which could have cost me my job if the Chief Purser had seen my antics but fortunately for me, the Chief Engineer saved me, and I learned my lesson. Know you guys in P&O had stricter alcohol rules and regulations and would never be inebriated in front of passengers.

This young purser, survived to enjoy many more voyages with Shaw Savill on mainline voyages to the Antipodes, till 1973.

Cheers Jamie