Cruise workers get to take in countless countries around the world as part of their career. While this international travel might spark visions of endless excitement and unique experiences, one worker has revealed that is not necessarily the case.
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Though cruise workers do find themselves in new locations almost daily while at sea, things might not be as awe-inspiring below deck as it is for guests.
One worker, who specialises in technical theatre production on board, dealing with the events and shows onboard, shared an exclusive insight on Reddit.
The anonymous worker said: “Cruises are BORING.
“Sure, cheap booze and free travel is great for the first little while. But after a while…[it becomes] so routine. So boring.
“Wifi is usually anywhere from $5/day to $10/hour (£4 to £8) and there is no cell service.
“So, when you’re not working, you’re trying your best to find anything to do.
“So a lot of the time you’ll start spending money on anything new, and then you’re not saving or enjoying yourself, so there’s little point.”
While guests get to enjoy entertainment, great food and frequent shore excursions, for staff jobs are a round-the-clock necessity, and even when they aren’t working, they are rarely allowed to use the guest services.
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Joshua Kinser – a former cruise musician – explained to Express.co.uk that the delicious food served up in restaurants is off-limits to cruise staff.
“I wish I could have told passengers how much I wanted a lobster tail or some of the great food that they were eating in the passenger dining rooms,” Kinser told Express.co.uk.
“I know it may seem petty to some people out there, kind of a first-world problem sort of thing, but after three months eating the same slop that is served on some of these ships, most employees just want a taste of the wonderful food that the passengers eat.”
However, there are some situations in which staff can indulge.
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“On some ships passengers are allowed to invite cruise employees to dinner in the dining room,” Kinser pointed out.
The anonymous cruise worker added that although journeys can sometimes be boring, there are also perks to the job.
“Most of my friends work for cruises, since we work in technical theatre production, it’s an easy hire,” they wrote.
“Cruises are either a great way to save money or an awful one.
“Your lodging and food is paid for, and you’re getting paid, so that’s great.”
Other cruise workers have said that staff parties make up for the long hours on shift.
Kinser wrote about these shindigs in his 2018 book Chronicles of a Cruise Ship Crew Member.
He said: “Once a month on most ships, the cruise ship company paid for an official crew party, usually with a theme like ‘70s Disco party,’ or ‘Dress Up Like a Superhero.’
“These parties were often helpful when ship life began to get us down.
“It was always enjoyable to have the opportunity to bring music to the crew and entertain those who worked so hard on the ship.”
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