So, you are thinking of working on a cruise ship instead of a land-based job. Well, before I go further, I would honestly love for you to do it for the experience. Most persons advise on the pros and cons of working on a cruise ship. But really, good or bad, it all depends on the individual and how you choose to receive the experience.

What I view as advantages might not be so for others, so I do not categorise the points as such. This research is from my own observations and interaction with fellow cruise ship workers. But personally, I have never had an issue with any of these. I simply enjoy what I do. You can read for yourself and make your own determination.

Before I started working on the cruise ship, I did research. From the research, everyone (except one) said it would be horrible a experience, management and crew are mean, you work very long hours and very hard, the food is awful, the cabin is small etc. So of course, I did what any sensible individual would do. I ignored all the warnings and pursued a career at sea with confidence. I have not regretted it since.

My main goal was to see the world, to work in a multicultural environment, and learn some patience along the way. All while being grateful for the opportunity to do something different. So, as long as the ship is still sailing, I am very motivated to be positive and do my best work (which is always good enough, I mean it goes without saying, right?).

It is an amazing experience to work on a cruise ship. Opportunities await, for you to meet some very interesting people across the globe (not only crew, but guests as well). Every day brings new experiences, some more challenging than others. But ultimately, you live, you to adjust and you learn from it. And I am all about that learning life. Make the decision for yourself. And who knows, it could be one of your best decisions yet, or not. But you will never know until you try, now will you?

WORLD TRAVELER – #1 reason of them all … in fact, I should just stop here, but read on anyway…

Always on the top of the list, as it should be. When you work on a cruise ship you can confidently say you are a World Traveler, a Globe Trotter and all those other trending travel titles. How exciting is it to wake up each day in a new country or port? You experience wide array of food and cultures different from your own, in places you have never even heard about until you visit. You get the unique opportunity to see some land marks (The Vatican, North Point Post in Barbados, Red Light District in Amsterdam) and experience so many things that others could only dream of (northern lights, sailing in Venice, swimming in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland). Then these same travels take you all the way back to the white sand beaches of the Caribbean.

Here’s a quick glance on just a few of my photos over the years:

WORK IS SEVEN DAYS PER WEEK

You work Sunday to Saturday. On average for 10 -12 hours (sometimes less than 10 or even more than 12 depending on your area of work and time management skills). But, great news, this work day has split shifts. For example, the shift could be 07:00 – 10:00, 10:30 – 12:30, 16:00 – 17:30 then 18:30 – 22:00. Working on a cruise ship is dynamic. So, based on operational needs, you might be assigned to a different area within your department and/or a different work schedule. This change can be without prior notice, so you need to be flexible. Because each area offers something new to learn, I LOVED this particular aspect of the job.

VERY DIVERSE WORK TEAM

Ship work means that you work, live and interact with persons from several (as much as 50) different nationalities. It means there is an opportunity to make new friends from across the globe. You eventually see that there are many different ways to do the same things, with even more interesting outcomes. Ultimately, you become more culturally aware and develop better people skills. It is fun to learn that something that is viewed as normal and accepted where you live, is possibly considered rude or disrespectful somewhere else or probably never heard of.

GREAT WAY TO SAVE MONEY

You live where you work so there is reduced living expenses (food, accommodation, water, medical care, uniform laundry and electricity to name a few). Think about it… while others are saving to travel, you are multi-tasking and doing both, except now, you have extra money to spend on other things (like food and lots of it), because you’ve already traveled the world.

AWAY FROM HOME FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD

Cruise ship workers get contracts that range anywhere from 3 to 9 months. This varies based on ranks. Crew members sometimes feel homesick especially if they have spouse, children or an ailing relative back home. But use this as motivation to know that you are bettering yourself, to then benefit them.

CREW CABINS ARE SHARED

Depending on the ship you are on, the cabins can be double occupancy, triple occupancy or a quad (four people). If you have a higher rank then you will have a single cabin or for some double. The person you share cabin with maybe from a different country. The person might speak a different language. Sometimes, your cabin mate works in a different area of the ship. This experience is a “teachable moment“.

OTHER CREW FACILITIES

There are several facilities on board for crew. For instance, Crew bar, Crew lounge area, Crew Games Room, Crew Gym, Crew Open Area (for fresh air), Mess (eating area), Computer Room. Just like home, you are expected to treat the areas with respect and clean up after yourselves.

MANDATORY TRAINING SESSIONS

Similarly, with land-based jobs, you will have orientation. All new crew have trainings within the first week of joining. These include Safety familiarization, Environmental training, Security training, Medical training etc. It is your responsibility to check the training schedule and attend as part of your orientation. Do not miss your trainings – knowledge is power. Throughout your contract there might also be other planned trainings depending on operational needs, its a great learning experience, and it is FREE.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Do your work well and you can cross train to a different department. And even get promoted, which translates to more pay. Sometimes, it is felt as if the opportunity for growth will not present itself or a particular Supervisor or Manager seems unusually difficult. But, as they say back home “what is for you, cannot not be for you”. So, just keep doing what you know you should and assert yourself. Be patient and know it will work out as it should.

Secondly, once you work on one cruise line, it makes it a little easier to take an opportunity on another ship. And honestly it opens doors for your own personal and professional growth.

MANAGEMENT STYLES

I mentioned already that the cruise ship has a multicultural work team. This means you need to adjust to behaviours that differ from what you are accustomed to. This often seems to be a challenge to many. But what you need to know before you join, is that Managers/Supervisors have shorter contracts than the lower levels. So you only have a particular set for a portion of your contract. Simply adjust and stay in character for each of your superiors, they will leave soon anyway.

CREW WELFARE

If for any reason you are having issues or concerns, or you just need a listening ear, then you can visit with the Crew Office or Crew HR Manager. This person will help and guide you.

And, as I said before, you can message me too, I am confident in my guidance skills and use of discretion.

In summary: Ship life is for you if you enjoy traveling and meeting new people. If you are flexible to change or want to learn how to adapt. Because the idea of working with different cultures is of interest you. If you are ready for a new life adventure. And of course, if you are looking to save as much as you can, then do not delay.