pros and cons of working on a cruise ship as an American?

Question

Misty · Answer

well you get paid but you can't go home after 6 weeks it is fun if you get to go though

Mrsjvb · Answer

Most Americans are not prepared for 14 hour days 7 days a week for 6 months at a time.  Especially for the pay offered.  It’s great if you are from a developing nation where $1 goes a lot further.  It sucks otherwise.

something fishy · Answer

Well you get to travel the world and all your expenses are paid.

When in port with a day off you get to explore different places and cultures.

It would be a great experience at lease for one contract of 8 or 9 months. If you liked it sign up again.

Ok, you need to be a hard worker like 8 to 10 hours a day of hard work and then you might have to volunteer or help elsewhere after your shift. For $8 an hour.

You share a room with 1 to 4 people its tight living.
They have shared crew spaces too, food , tv...

I think it would be a great time to save money, work on a degree on line and then move towards a career in hospitality in Las Vegas NV.

Herfnerd · Answer

Depends on what you will be doing - and if you have the job already.  In most cases, cruiselines don't like to hire westerners for the majority of jobs as its a 3-6 month contract, 12+ hours a day, 6-7 days a week........

Reporting · Answer

Pro - You get to travel the world, Con -You work for a relative pittance

Gypsyfish · Answer

Most Americans who work on the ships either organize the entertainment events- like the pool parties, or work in the shops. The better a person's English proficiency, the better the job they can get on a ship. Cruise staff DO get to get off the ship in ports- they rotate, so some are on the ship in one port but get off in another. There are contracts of different lengths, and then you get a few months off to go home. The cons, I guess, would be living in close quarters with the rest of the cruise, and always having to be nice to the passengers.

Diane A · Answer

The Pros are you get reduced or free voyages in the future as a passenger. The cons are its not what many people think: you are working, you dont go off the boat on shore excursions, you stay in crew quarters, and its a bit of a never ending fantasy-like being in Vegas all the time, which actually gets very old and tiring. You have to be NICE at all times. The shifts are long.

pros and cons of working on a cruise ship as an American?

7 Answers