Life on a Cruise Ship

Many people ask me about life onboard a cruise ship: how to apply for the job? Where do you sleep? What do you eat? Don't you miss your family?... The list goes on.

First of all, life onboard is NOT as glamorous as you see on the Instagram shots and Facebook posts; don't get me wrong, you will most definitely travel to some AMAZING countries, meet lots of new friends, and create memories that will last a lifetime; BUT working onboard a cruise ship is also very hard work. You will miss your family, you will miss home, you will miss taking a hot bath and ordering Chinese takeaway...

Depending on your position, the work schedule can vary and one of the best positions onboard is Retail Sales. Usually when a ship is docked in port, the stores are legally not allowed to open due to tax laws, resulting in a lot more free time for the sale associates.

HOWEVER, your first two weeks onboard will consist of nothing but training, working, and sleeping; one thing you learn very quickly whilst onboard is to sleep whenever possible... even if it's for 10 minutes.

During sea days you can work a 14+ hour shift.

3 sea days in a row and you're already dreaming of the nap you will take on the beach tomorrow.

Oh, wait... 'No time off tomorrow, you have a delivery,' and the next thing you know you're in your sweatpants pulling in 50+ pallets of Caribbean rum cake.

Business aside, living on a ship also has a HUGE impact on your personal life, too. At the end of the day you all work, live, eat, sleep, and party in the same place. People come and go every week — the guy who said he loved you last week just ditched you for the hot new dancer and your 'best friend' who promised to keep in touch will never contact you again. You will love, you will hate, you will laugh and you will cry, but you learn to live with it, because, well, quite simply, you have no other choice.

You will likely live in a small cabin with another person of the same sex (yes, a complete stranger). The cabins have a bunk bed layout, small shared wardrobe, TV, fridge and a small bathroom which you will share with your cabin mate. Some positions onboard allow you a single cabin and married couples who work together onboard often share a cabin together. You eat in a place called 'the mess,' which is a buffet style area usually consisting of basics such as rice, pasta, meats and vegetables. The quality and quantity of food available varies hugely depending on the ship.

Lets talk money.

Its important to bear in mind that starting a career onboard can be an expensive process. It is likely you will have to travel to your interview/training days which may include hotel stays and, if successful, you will need a full medical at an approved medical centre chosen by the company, vaccinations, approved visas, a valid passport, and in some cases you must cover the cost of your travel to the ship.

In 2014 I began my first 6 month contract onboard Royal Caribbeans Independence of the Seas with a company named Harding Brothers. Harding Brothers are a UK based company, which means they pay in GBP (£) and I was earning roughly £700 per month (plus commission); you have to consider that when you live onboard you have ZERO outgoing expenses — your accommodation, food, drink, electricity, and water are covered.

My second contract was in 2016 with a company called Starboard during which I spent 9 months onboard Royal Caribbean's breathtaking Harmony of the Seas. Most contracts last an average of 6 months, but you can request to shorten or extend to suit your needs. Starboard is an American company which means they pay in USD ($) and I was earning roughly $500 per month (plus commission).

So, what's the difference between the two companies?

In my honest opinion, neither is better or worse than the other. The company you work for rarely influences your time onboard the ship — factors such as management, team members, the ship you are assigned, the ports you will visit, and most importantly your own attitude are the things which determine how much you love or hate your time onboard.

Now, bad points aside.

I created some of the most fantastic memories of my life whilst working onboard. The 50 pallets of Caribbean rum cake all seem totally worth it when you're drinking cocktails in the theatre with your girls, swimming with dolphins in Mexico, zip-lining across Labadee with your love and tossing a coin into the Trevi Fountain in Italy.

I was blessed to meet the love of my life and some of my favourite friends onboard. You will experience some of the BEST parties of your life in the crew bars and have the opportunity to explore the ship itself.

You receive love and happiness from all over the world as your ship friends continue to share their stories and photos.

You will also work with top designer products, meet celebrities, receive some freebies, and you can save a lot of money if you work smart! Not to mention the unbelievable sunsets you will see.