Has anyone on here worked aboard a cruise ship & if so, what was the experience like?

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ocean.denis

Depends a lot on what you do really.
Staff positions are a lot better, something like gift shops, spa, casino, reception, excursions etc...
the really hard work is for the crew, waiters, bartenders etc.
among the positions the one i found easiest was at the gift shops...
some hints bellow i just sent to someone else.
i did it for 10 years, traveled the world... no regrets

I would try the gift shops, the work is easy, you are staff rather than crew (better cabins, deck privileges etc), and since the shops dont usually open while the ships are in port, you get to see all the places.
Also since the service is a concession you get to work for many different cruise lines, all over the world.
There are 2 major companies:
www.hardingbros.co.uk
They have some 40 ships and are growing fast.
Interviews are over the phone
Salary is a little better
Work place is better, more friendly.
http://www.starboardcruise.com/
Bigger, some 90 ships, including Carnival/Royal etc...
Interviews are face to face
Salary is low, if you dont hit targets and make comission you can end up not making too much money.
Work atmosphere stinks.

The comissions are based on targets for each cruise, depending on your destinations it makes all the diference.
Caribbean usually is very bad, Baltic and Brazil very good.
Mediterranean depends a lot.

I did it for 10 years, first at reception, then shops... shops are much more easy. You only have a hard days work on sea days.
good luck.

It's Kippah, Kippah the dawg

It's not fun, like most people would assume. You're there to work. Some lines run 12 hour shifts. You don't get to use the ship for entertainment, and you don't mingle with the guests. You've small quarters, typically shared by 1-3 others.

Conditions vary across cruiselines.

Bum Gravy.

I did a season aboard a cruise ship in the Med as a photographer. It was about 20 years ago and the ships were real dangerous old rust buckets. It was a Greek shipping line, and I have to say the Greeks were not the friendliest people. The passengers were either American or Australian and they were great fun though. I worked for a while on a Russian ship with German passengers, a very miserable time!Standards have improved over the years and the ships now are fantastic. You can earn good money as there is nothing spend your money on, but it is hard work. Most people couldn't wait to get off at the end of the season but when they came home they couldn't wait to go back again.
I have a Friend working in the Caribbean on a ship and they love it. If you get the chance to do it, take it but bear in mind you are almost always on call and it really is hard work, but enjoyable.

Brenno

I didn't but a friend of mine did it.
Well,he worked as a waiter on a cruise for some 2 years.
I saw a lot of pictures he took during this period and he can really say he has seen almost the whole world.
When asked about that,he told me that on the one hand it has been a wonderful experience because he had the chance to visit so many places all around the world.On the other hand he said he was really boring and at times even unbearable to stay on a ship for such a long time.Furthermore,he slept in a tiny room and found it difficult to stay all that time in such a cosy place.
Anyway,after that experience,he gained a lot of experience and now he works for an Italian restaurant chain (we are Italians indeed),based in the USA.

I didnt but I know someone that does. You have to fly from whereever you live to the cruise ship terminal. The rooms that you sleep in are tiny. Usually bunk beads. When you are not on duty they have special partys and bars that only the workers can go to. The worst thing is that they probobly have to work around 8 monthes straight and they only get to stay home like 4monthes. Its not like you work for 1 cruise ship and then you get to go home. hope this helped!

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