A Night at Sea

The senior cruise is a Nutley High School tradition, celebrated annually to honor the start of senior year. It is a night where students can enjoy the company of their class, dancing, and good food. For this event, seniors got dressed up and many girls got their hair and makeup done.  The class took a school bus out to the Hoboken docks to catch a cruise for the night.

Days before the night of the cruise, girls set out with groups of their friends to find the perfect outfit. Then the hunt for shoes began, which is definitely the most important part of the process. Finding shoes was the hardest part, because they have to be cute, but also trying to pair looks with practicality was not easy.

The day of the cruise, many senior girls left at lunch to get ready. Many had nail, hair and makeup appointments.That night, I spoke to 20 of my female classmates on the cruise. Of those girls, more than half had their hair done by a friend or family member and quarter of the girls got their nails done specifically for the cruise.  

The average that these girls spent on their outfits was approximately $50, not including makeup, hair, nails, or shoes. “It’s like a casual fashion show, so everyone kind of dresses to impress,” Amy Jacobsen says about how she got ready for the night.

Some of the boys said they spent a lot of money on their outfits, because they have to impress the ladies. One NHS senior, Matthew Rodriguez spent $1,145 on shoes alone. These were not just any shoes, but a brand new pair of Christian Louboutins!

Most girls used shoes they already had. Although not many girls still had shoes on after the boat left the dock, they were still an important part of the night.

The three building principals and other NHS personnel chaperoned the event. Vice Principal Mrs. Devore, she said that she and the rest of the chaperones did not dress up, because they, “let the spotlight shine on the students.” Instead they, “dressed more practically for the weather.”

“I was very pleased with what I ate, and it was better than I anticipated,” Courtney Wilde says about the food. There was a lot to choose from, including pasta, rice, two different types of chicken, and salad.

The boat was a very classy event. The dining hall was large and spacious, set with tables of people mingling with their friends. The wait staff was very friendly and efficient with cleaning up and filling water glasses. The second floor of the ship was a dance floor, with a DJ, where the students danced the night away.  “They should book the DJ for prom,” Wilde says about the music. Many people said they enjoyed the music. “I had a lot of fun dancing to the music. My friends and I were on the dance floor all night,” says Caitlin McCue.

Overall, the night was a success. The night was beautiful and clear, not a cloud in the sky, making for the perfect pictures of the Statue of Liberty as the ship sailed passed it. The food was good, the music was wonderful, the company of friends was great, but the memories that were made was absolutely priceless.