What would it be like to work on a cruise ship?

Question

and please include how much your payed

Answer 1

The hours are very long.  Room stewards have to be up early in the morning to prepare and clean lots of rooms, and do it again and again throughout the day, into the evening.  Wait staff has to work every meal, often changing uniforms as to which dining room, bar, or time of day it is.  I always notice that there are almost no Americans working the ships.  (some say Americans won't work as hard as they need to?)  I have talked to some workers who are happy with the pay.  It is easy to save up because all your expenses are covered on the ship.  Others say they don't get hardly anything.  Some are given $3/day/person in tips, but not everyone tips!  Some ships automatically charge the tips and then spread it out amongst the staff.

Answer 2

when my hubby & I went on a cruise we got to talk  w/ two people who worked on the ship, they said it was great fun going to different places & getting to meet all kinds of people, but after

being on the ship for 6 months & not seeing their

family they got home sick.  Sorry I never found out about the money they maid.

Answer 3

I think it would suck because you'd be on the ship all the time working while the passengers are having fun.

Answer 4

I also work on a cruise ship and absolutely love it.  Some people love it, some people hate it -- just like any job in the world.

I'd be cautious of the information given to you by the above posters who have never worked on a ship and clearly don't know what they are talking about. I do not work "all hours of the day", we have just as much (if not more) fun than the passengers, we get time off in all of the ports, and the people who you think "only make $3/person/day" are making alot more money than you think they are (they often tell you that so you will tip them more -- how much would you tip them if they told you they lived in a mansion?).

Americans tend to shy away from working on ships because taxes are taken off of their paycheck which makes it less lucrative for them.  There are other reasons why there are so few Americans, but that's a whole other post.

I am purposely not including how much I get paid.  I can't think of any instance where that is an appropriate question, even in Yahoo Answers.

Answer 5

I've worked on ships, various lines, for over two years and am marrying an engineer I met while on board.  You work hard and you play hard.  Also to be noted, I am an American.  

Your experience can vary widely, depending on what position you join as and your supervisor.  You have to be willing to work your butt off, but it's great fun and you will meet good people and have a fantastic time if you put in the effort.  Good luck!