A British woman who is obsessed with travelling has now revealed what it is like working on a cruise ship – from no days off to cheeky guests ‘cheating’ on board
Many of us adore cruise holidays, but could you imagine making a ship your permanent home? While we catch glimpses of maritime life through TV programmes like Below Deck or Disney Channel’s Suite Life on Deck, you might wonder what the reality is actually like. Fortunately, a young British woman has satisfied this curiosity.
Travel enthusiast Anaya revealed what life is genuinely like residing on a cruise ship – from all the benefits she receives, as well as the exhausting shift patterns. She has been able to journey to destinations including Bali, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Bali, Amsterdam, Singapore, Laos, Dominican Republic, Australia, Italy, Monaco, Spain, Germany, Portugal and Antigua – to mention just a few.
Anaya is employed by Marella Cruises, owned by TUI, in destination services – assisting people in crafting their ideal trip when they disembark the ship, as well as helping them navigate their way around new locations and arranging excursions and activities.
Although she gets to undertake extensive travelling, enjoys exciting experiences and the facilities aboard the vessel, Anaya acknowledges she also grafts tremendously hard. And apparently, securing any time off is virtually impossible, she claims.
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Speaking on TikTok, Anaya revealed: “Basically, it’s like an unwritten rule that when you work on a cruise ship, you just don’t get a day off for the entirety of your contract. Because the cruise is running nearly every day of the year, we can’t have any days off.”
Anaya typically works several hours, enjoys some leisure time, then returns to her duties later in the day. During breaks from her responsibilities aboard the vessel, she’s able to experience ship life and discover the destinations she visits.
The cruise ship employee explained that while each shift differs, she never exceeds 10 hours of work daily.
The travel enthusiast revealed: “Sometimes we have breaks off in the middle of the day and I work in the excursions department so I spend a lot of time on the trips and seeing the places that way.”
She added she “wouldn’t trade it for the world”.
In the comments section of her video, someone enquired what occurs if a crew member becomes unwell.
Anaya responded: “You would see the medical centre if you were ill. If they thought you were too sick to work then you’d get ‘signed off’. If you’ve not been signed off by medical then you’d still have to work.”
The cruise ship worker clarified that employment contracts for staff can span from three months to eight months.
She continued: “In my department you wouldn’t really do more than seven [months], but in my experience I haven’t really done more than five and a half.”
Anaya says people frequently assume you must speak several languages to work aboard a cruise ship, though this isn’t necessarily true. The vessel she works on chiefly accommodates English and Canadian passengers, so she doesn’t need to be multilingual. Nevertheless, other companies might require this on job applications. On top of this, she doesn’t have to fork out rent for her cabin.
She also receives complimentary meals daily and can enjoy onboard entertainment without any extra cost.
Another bonus is that she’s exempt from paying tax while aboard the vessel. What’s more, social gatherings are frequently arranged for crew members each month.
These evenings off can become quite raucous – as Anaya disclosed it’s “very common” for passengers to be unfaithful to their partners while on board.
So could you cope with life on the ocean? If you’re not scared of grafting hard, it sounds like it could be an absolutely brilliant way to explore the globe.