Here is an attempt to explain one average working day onboard. 

Most of the time, after a few hours of sleep, I would wake up with only one question: Why am I still stuck here? Tired of unrealistically long working hours, I dragged myself out of bed. 

My anticipated working schedule usually said that my work should be finished precisely at midnight. Still, because of extra cleaning duties and some public health inspections expecting to board the vessel anytime, we stayed at work until 4 am. The schedule is one thing on paper; practically, it is something different.

 That explains why I felt drained and overfatigued when I woke up. Just getting off the bed was a real struggle itself. 

The first goal for the morning was simple- try not to hit a shallow cabin ceiling; special force training should be required to move around my cabin. A small toilet was shared with another cabin, so it was rare for me to get a chance to use it right away. 

Here I am, on the way out of my cabin, but I still need to work because my official schedule for the day starts in the afternoon. For now, I will be part of the mandatory safety briefing that is scheduled to be on my time off.

 Safety briefing took place from 0930 until 1030. Finally, it finished around 1030 am, and now I am running to my cabin, trying to get at least another 1 hour of sleep before going to work. When I finally got to stretch my numbing feet on the bed, the phone rang. My manager called me to come to the office immediately because I was scheduled to be part of the medical center's random alcohol and drug test. Having no alternative option, I went to the security office and the medical center; it took an hour to get that part done. Now, at this point, there won't be any more time to rest. It's noon, and it's time to go to work.

On my way back to work, I struggled physically and mentally. I had a lot of ongoing problems back home at the same time. Yet, my job was to smile and be helpful, and somehow I have mastered high performance under pressure. I kept smiling and greeted every person who came across my path. I did not allow my problems and feelings to affect my work and people. Despite all this, I tried my best and successfully created a positive difference for the thousands of guests I served that busy day. Why? I decided to act myself into feeling good! It took a lot of courage on the days like this to come out there and become a positive influencer, a difference maker, and someone who creates memories for our respectful guests. It takes a horrendous effort to eliminate the victim's state of mind. 

That is what I was doing on the cruise ship. I have decided not to give up. That day, I worked for 14 hours. After a long and tiring shift, I dragged myself into my tiny cabin. The ship rocked so much, and my baggage moved from the left to right side, hitting the cabin walls.

 Just when I was finally about to take a rest after a very long day, the phone rang again. It was my manager. " Please, come straight to the office. I need to see you urgently". I got up from my bed and quickly went to the bar office without hesitation. It was already almost 4 am. I thought I could not get tired more than that, yet I felt my body slowly collapse minute by minute. My feet were swollen, and I could not walk properly. Without saying sorry for disturbing me at this late hour, without any logical excuse, my manager said to me straight: " There was an incident involving a few of our passengers last night. You were the last person who served them an alcoholic beverage, so you must make a statement according to company policy. Security officers will come to take you to their office, and all you need to do is write down a short statement about those passengers who were involved in the incident."  Don't worry, it will be quick."

 I was shocked. It was 430 am, and my new day at work was about to start again in only a few hours, yet, I was still stuck in the office. 

" This is all wrong; with all respect, Sir, I was working hard all day long, and I should be off duty a long time ago. How on earth could you expect me to be fresh, efficient, and polite with our guests tomorrow?" I did not sleep properly for several days, and I am working 14 hours shifts?!" I felt this doesn't seem right." 

I was getting frustrated already. Instead of showing empathy and compassion, the manager replied to me,

" This is part of your job. It does not end when you go to your cabin. If you are not happy, there are thousands of people who are ready to take your job. Just let me know, any time". 

Wow. What an inspiring manager. Leader? For sure, not.

What a lack of emotional intelligence. Instead of trying to find an emphatic answer, he made it even harder for me. I almost felt like collapsing at the scene, yet my manager showed zero compassion. 

While I was walking towards the security office, something struck me like lightning. Why am I still working for this company? How could I not identify any other income source if money is my answer? I have developed experience at my job throughout the years, and many skills were not utilized in my current role. In other words, I felt like I was losing my time here, swimming against the strong current. 

When we went to the security office and completed all the needed statements and forms, it was already 6 am. Somehow, I managed to walk to my cabin, trying to rest my feet for a few hours before starting another 15-hour shift. The boat was rocking too much. While lying in my bed, I looked at that tiny, limited space. The baggage was bouncing back and forth due to bad weather. We did not have much extra room in the small cabin, so we tied our bags with a rope and positioned them next to the small sink in the middle. I never felt so tired. Not physically, but emotionally. 

The following morning, I started my work at 10 am, and with two lunch and dinner breaks, I finished the next day again at 4 am.

 With no ability to calm down, I drank some cheap white wine to relax. Finally, I had a chance to sleep for five straight hours after a long time.

This is just an everyday story that our crew members are experiencing every; we deal with it in various ways.

Ultimately, it's our choice, but we should use these challenging experiences to build our long-term resilience.

Yes, you will be tested at times; that is inevitable on the cruise ship. But how you respond to it, it will determine your future. Stay strong and positive; no matter what happens, keep going forward!