Neptune Day: from a Pollywog to a Shellback
Semester at Sea students gathered on the pool deck (me included) waiting to participate in the “shellback” ceremony on January 24, 2023. Photo by Austin Trapnell, Semester at Sea’s social media manager.
The loud clanging of drums jolts me awake. My equally confused roommate and I groggily yet curiously reach and open the door. Other students also poke their heads out of doors, rubbing their eyes, yawning, and trying to fix their morning bedhead. In the hallway, staff, faculty, and even a few ship kids march down the halls, clanging pans, whooping, and grinning from ear to ear. They shout, “Wake up! It’s Neptune Day!”
MV World Odyssey crew members waking up students with drums for Neptune Day on January 24, 2023. Photo by Austin Trapnell.
So, what is Neptune Day?
On the MV World Odyssey, Neptune Day marks the unofficial ceremony and celebration of crossing the equator. On this voyage, that fateful day fell on January 24th, as we voyaged from Mumbai, India, to Mombasa, Kenya, our next port of call.
On Neptune Day, all classes were suspended so students and staff could enjoy the festivities. Neptune Day involves asking for permission from the great King Neptune to cross safely through the equator. To do so, we needed to be recruited from “pollywogs” to “shellbacks.” But to do so, we needed to pass through an exciting ceremony.
The Ceremony Begins
Once dressed and ready, we’re herded to the pool on deck 9. When we arrived, the staff and faculty wore elaborate costumes and face paint. Some wore bright gold tunics and crowns similar to King Triton’s from The Little Mermaid. Others wore white tunics decorated with faux seaweed and tied together with ropes to make them appear like assistants to King Neptune. And, of course, King Neptune, his wife Queen Amphitrite, and their royal jester stood at the end of the pool. King Neptune had a white beard covering his stomach, a blue trident in his hand, and his entire face and body were painted green (in fact, I couldn’t tell which faculty member was playing him because his costume was so good!). Queen Amphitrite looked regal in a long white gown, feathery headpiece, and iconic diamond ring. Dean Dan played the jester; he wore a white tunic and cracked a lot of ocean-related puns and jokes.
Photos by Austin Trapnell.
To start the day, Geno, the “royal announcer,” introduced us to Neptune and his royal court. He used a thick pirate accent to do the honors. After that, they told us what the ceremony entailed:
Swear to be a loyal Shellback and love Neptune and the Ocean
Receive a marking (a bubble drawn on the shoulder by a navy blue sharpie)
Become one with the ocean (eat a pinch of sea salt)
Bathe in seaweed (green slime is dumped on the soon-to-be shellback)
Immerse yourself into the sea (swim across the saltwater pool)
Kiss the fish (yep, they had an actual fish, and we all had to kiss it!)
Pay respects to King Neptune (bow)
Pay respects to Queen Amphitrite (kiss the diamond ring)
Correctly answer the jester’s riddle (how do you know the sea loves you? Comment your answers!)
The knighting ceremony
Shave your head (for real or just for show!)
Photos by Austin Trapnell.
Students crowded eagerly around the pool entrance to complete the ceremony, myself included. I spent an extended period waiting for my turn in extreme heat (after all, we were in the hottest part of the world), but eventually got to go.
The vows, marking, and sea salt parts were easy enough, but I had to prepare for the slime. The slime was cold, but luckily it was more like a green liquid than gooey slime. I stood soaking in the slime for a moment before swimming across the pool and climbing on the other end. There, I was met with the cold side of a fish, which I pecked as quickly as possible to move on. Then, I met King Neptune and Queen Amphitrite and correctly answered the jester’s riddle.
After that, I went through the knighting ceremony, which was tapping a foam sword on each soldier, and rose as a newly induced shellback! Afterward, I went to the shaving station, where I “shaved” my head. Of course, I didn’t do it for real, but I could have if I wanted to! Multiple students, faculty, and ship kids literally did shave their heads that day.
Students, faculty, and ship kids who shaved their heads on Neptune Day. Photo by Austin Trapnell.
Once everyone was officially declared shellbacks, the World Odyssey crossed the equator a few minutes later. As we did, they announced it over the intercom, and cheers erupted throughout the ship. It was an incredible day, and knowing that I’d just crossed the center of the Earth, the imaginary line I’d learned about for years in school, was surreal.
Meeting my Ship Family
Later that afternoon, I showered and dressed to meet my ship family. One of the most popular clubs on the ship is the ship family system, organized by my academic advisor Cindy Zomchek. Students who sign up get paired with faculty, lifelong learners, students, and ship kids to be a “ship family.”
The ship families act as real families would by organizing dinners and other social events. It’s a great way to meet new people in the shipboard community, especially people not in your age group. It’s a fantastic experience.
My ship “parents,” Chris and Bonnie, are amazing, and they’re best friends with Geno and Nancy Carr, who I also get along with really well. They have two kids, Briar (age 12) and Kale (age 9), my ship siblings. And fellow students Nicole, Ella, Riley, and Claire are also my ship siblings.
Our first social was a cookie social. My family has a great dynamic! We got to know one another, traded stories from ports for the first half, and played a card game called “Kids Against Maturity” for the last half (a PG13 version of cards against humanity). It was so much fun, and we weren’t ready for the social to end when we needed to leave the dining hall so the staff could prepare dinner. However, Bonnie was already organizing more family meetings! In fact, we met up again last week for “cake and cards.”
Neptune Day was an unforgettable extravaganza, and I wouldn’t have wanted to cross the equator for the first time any other way. Semester at Sea events like this make being so far away from my real family a little bit easier.
