Cruise Jobs

What to Expect of Cruise Jobs

Cruising has always been a glamorous, romantic experience for the passenger, but did you ever wonder what it takes to make that holiday come true? Did you take a cruise and wonder where does the crew sleep, eat, or what kind of life they lead on a glamorous ship? Cruise jobs are not always as sweet as they appear. Here are some pros and cons of cruise jobs; judge for yourself.

The Benefits of Cruise Jobs

First, there’s the travel. Crew members usually have contracts that last between 4 – 12 months during which time they get to see the world for free. Every single day there is a different destination to explore and discover.

Next, food and board are included. Crew members get food and shelter for free which means no bills whatsoever while they work on board. No electricity, phone, or rent to worry about as well as no commuting to get to the workplace. Even though a cruise job does not pay a fortune one can save considerably with these advantages.

And then there are the friends! On a cruise ship there are usually at any given time a vast number of different nationalities hailing from Asia to Eastern Europe. Well, thanks to the close interaction crewmembers have with one another they get to know different cultures and thus make lifetime friends. Where else on earth would someone from Romania share a room with someone from Australia for a number of months?

The Disadvantages of Cruise Jobs

The job description sounds so perfect that it’s hard to believe that it does have some disadvantages as well. But, as with everything else, there are always downsides even to a perfect job.

The first problem a crewmember encounters is homesickness. The ship life is so compact and different that no matter how good it may be, you will get homesick more than once during a contract. The fact that you will be away from your family and friends for a period of at least four months at a time is very hard on some crewmembers, especially those who are married and have kids back home.

Also, cruise jobs may seem very glamorous for those of us who cruise for a holiday, and they can be, however, crew members juggle multiple jobs due to the fact that a ship can only have a limited number of crew and yet all tasks need to be covered. These side jobs, as crewmembers call them, take most of their free time, which often doesn’t give them a chance to get off the ship at a port of call.

Crew members in addition have to abide by strict rules and regulations that are followed by all cruise lines as per the maritime regulations and one such rule requires that one third of the crew always be available onboard in case of an emergency. This rule is applied by what is called ‘port manning’ and some crew members are chosen by rotation basis to stay on board every day.

Conclusion

All jobs have their good and bad parts; in the end it depends how you look at it. If you want to gain something you will need in turn to give something up so, if you think you are cut out for a cruise job, why not give it a try. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.