Each crew member working on cruise ship has an extraordinary life story to share. Crew members are unique breed of people who life on land and life at sea taught them to be strong, smart, pleasant and companionate. One crew member is inspiring thousands with his passion of life on cruise ship and his book “My Way to the Seven Seas”. His name is Martines Rocha de Souza, a Brazilian bar waiter working on Cunard Line.

Martines was born into a poor family in a small village in Brazil and raised in a single parent family. Young and poor, he left his home in a small village in Brazil with very little education to seek and fulfill his life’s dreams. He departed for Sao Paulo with $150 in his pocket to begin his epic journey of resilience and achievement. 

“After leaving my home village in 2000 I move to the biggest city in Brazil, São Paulo. I left where I was born sad, however I wanted to become a football player, it didn't work anyway. Leaving for three years in the middle of the slums in São Paulo. While working in parking lot two hours from home, I decided to go back to school because I used to see a lot of people well dressed and driving nice cars, having a good life. I went searching how I could do something similar. Coming from a very small village in Brazil with 3000 inhabitants my mum though me not to do wrong thing or taking anybody else belongs. Then I decided that I should go back to school.“ Martines says.

After finishing my high school in São Paulo I went studying English in a big school in Brazil, I got a scholarship for three years even not knowing a single word when I started, I became the best student among the others. Nowadays when I am in Brazil I give lectures for free at Senac São Paulo, school of commerce. This lectures are motivational, inspirational, etc. 

After mastering my English I went to work in a five star hotel also in São Paulo. I worked for Renaissance São Paulo Hotel, Marriott. In 2008 talking to friends at Renaissance that had worked before on ships I saw the possibility of making money, improving my English and get to know the world, of course. I started searching for companies and agencies in Brazil. In April 2009, after almost a year of trainings, courses and waiting i embarked on board Voyager of the Seas in Galveston, Texas in my first trip abroad ever. 

I worked six months for Royal Caribbean, learned a lot, made friends and got some experience. Such experience drove me to CUNARD in 2010. Even did pass in both interviews, for Crystal Cruises and Cunard. I joined Queen Victoria in 14 of June 2010 in Southampton, even Crystal called two weeks after I joined Cunard, I said no and never looked back. Worked for almost three years on board Queen Victoria, got to know loads of countries and saved some money. With the money I saved I bought a part share in a hotel back in São Paulo. I still have it.

How life at sea changed your personal life and life back home in Brazil?

My way of seeing the world, it became small and now I know I can go anywhere I want to. We just need dreams and good imagination. 

What was your starting position and what is your position now?

I started as a bar waiter and still love doing it. Even being a bartender on board Queen Elizabeth, in Australia and also in Brazil, I like best to waiting on ships for its freedom to chat to passengers. I love talking to them.

What is your message to people who want to work on cruise ship?

I've written in my first book loads of things that may inspire others to work on cruise ships, in my home Village for example, after me six of them are going to the sea, one is already and over ten young adult are learning English after seeing my story.  Work on a cruise ship is having a different life style, hard work, long hours, trainings, courses, bad and bed days, however is the only place where you will feel able to conquest the world, I would say your own world. Working in a cruise is having no borders. 

The content within each of the 20 chapters of the book is embellished by one or more videos of rich material – all narrated by Martines adding his special appeal – accessible directly from the book via QR codes or web link. The experience for the reader is one of feeling that the author is talking directly to them and showing them his world through both his written word as well as spoken word and real-life excerpts via film. This book was originally published in Portuguese and then translated into English by the President of the Brazilian Writer’s Association. We have now published a completely revised and updated New Edition.

Check out Martines Inspirational Book My Way to the Seven Seas at www.amazon.com/Way-Seven-Seas-Resilience-Achievement/dp/1925198006 

You can visit Martine website at www.martinesrocha.com.br 

Visit his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mywaytothesevenseas