Living The Life of a Cruise Ship Worker
Cruising can be one of the most amazing experiences ever! Between the excursions, the views, and the food, cruises can be hard to beat. While we typically focus on the ports of call or the off-ship adventures we're going to take, it's easy to forget about the ship's crew and staff who are there to make sure we're safe and well taken care of.
Depending on what cruise line and ship you're sailing on, there may be less than 100 staff & crew or there could be as many as 2,300. Each of these individuals is hired to help you have an unforgettable cruising experience.
Chima Travel friend Szilvia is a cabin steward and was kind enough to share with us some inside info about herself and what life has been like working on cruise ships.
Q: How long have you been working on cruise ships?
A: I've been working on cruise ships for 7 years.
Q: How many cruise lines have you worked for?
A: I've worked for 4 different cruise lines - Princess Cruises, Uniworld River Cruises, AmaWaterways, and Avalon Waterways.
Q: What would you say to someone who wants to work on a cruise ship?
A: My main piece of advice is, "Don't give up!" It's important to be strong, diligent, and persistent when searching for jobs on a cruise ship. I would definitely recommend trying it because it's a great way to make money while seeing the world. It's also a nice way to find friends, build relationships, and have lots of fun experiences.
Q: What's your favorite part about working on a cruise ship?
A: I love being around the guests. I enjoy serving them and making them happy because when they're happy they have a better experience. It makes me happy to know that I can help them to have a great experience.
Q: What is the atmosphere like among the crew members?
A: At the beginning of the season we're usually very distant because we don't know each other very well. As time goes on, we get to know each other and become like family. We really enjoy the opportunities and variety this job gives us, because no 2 days are ever the same. We all love that special feeling of being able to wake up in a different port, city, or country every day. We're able to bond and create friendships over our love of travel and the privilege we have to see so many different places.
Q: What is your least favorite part about working on a cruise ship?
A: I really enjoy my job as a cabin steward. The only tasks I really don't like are the ones not directly related to my position. Occasionally we'll have to help with things like loading and unloading the luggage or helping the restaurant team, but this happens more on river cruise ships than it does on ocean liners.
Q: What would you like passengers to know about your job?
A: We work very hard, and we do it all for the guests. Even when things go wrong, we want to make them as comfortable as possible while they're away from home and want them to return home with many positive memories. We love seeing guests come back for repeat trips because it means they left happy after their previous cruise.
It was such a pleasure to meet Szilvia on our cruise and we really enjoyed getting to know her and hearing how much she cares about the guests on the ships.
If you're thinking about taking a cruise (or planning any other type of trip), please reach out to us! We'd love to help you plan an amazing vacation where you'll be well taken care of from the time of booking to the time you arrive back home.
