Travel by Working on Cruise Ships
There are many different types of people who find themselves craving a bit of adventure, yet don’t have the funds to just go off into the wild blue yonder. Some go backpacking – working along the way picking fruit or doing bar jobs. Others choose to set sail on the many different cruise ship operators around the world. The major difference I guess would be that you are being paid to travel around the globe instead of going from place to place earning enough money to move on to the next destination.
Allot of people have the impression that working n a cruise ship is full of fun, adventure, alcohol and sex. Speaking as one who has done it, these things and more are all true
When you work on a cruise ship you eat, sleep and breathe life on the seas. A major bonus of being part of a cruise ship crew is that you are being paid to have fun and adventure. Alcohol is cheap as chips (as little as a dollar a drink), and you’ll find yourself amongst likeminded people who all want the same things. Not to mention that there is a lot of room swapping and sleepovers.
Another advantage of working on a cruise ship is that you are paid in cash and depending on what you are doing on the ship as part of your job you can return home at the end of a contract with quite a fair bit of money in your pocket. People who have been doing it for a number of years quite often have bought and paid off houses outright and if you choose to make a career out of it which quite a number of people do, well most cruise directors are often quite wealthy and live the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle.
It must be said that life on the seas is not for everyone and there are cases where people have signed on for a contract and have found themselves wanting to catch the next plane home. However, those that do stick it out and are more relaxed have the time of their lives. Not only do you get an adventure, but also you make friends with people all over the world and come home with enough memories to write a book. The other thing to remember is that life on a cruise ship can often be intense including the fun. Cruise ships often work 7 days a week and so you can find yourself having time off rather than whole days off, yet most find their work on a cruise ship a totally enjoyable experience that it is not that much of an issue.
Another thing to consider is that different cruise ship companies allow different levels of freedom or privileges for crew on the ship. Disney for instance, as they are a Christian Family values type company can be quite restrictive on what crewmembers are allowed to do whilst living on their ships. For example I believe that you must be a non-smoker to be employed by Disney and the consumption of alcohol by crewmembers might be very restrictive. As far as I can tell, the best cruise ship to work for at this stage is Princess Cruises where they allow crewmembers the most freedom and the best pay rates.
If the money or the thrill adventure is enticing you to think about applying, make sure to think about it carefully before signing up. Things that must be taken into account is the fact that you will have initial expenses that include a full medical check up, sea safety training as well as travelling expenses to meet up with the cruise ship, after which this initial expense the company generally pays. You are signing up for a contract period of about 6 – 8 months that will mean you will be away from your family and friends. (Although most cruise ship companies offer very cheap deals for family members to visit). If it still sounds enticing and you decide to take on the experience then you will surely have an experience of a lifetime.
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