I got the night off because I was nominated as an employee of the month. You know, that is a big deal because for the crew members every night on the cruise ship is Friday night and every morning is a Monday morning. 

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. 

Have you ever wondered what it takes to make a guest happy? The key is to understand the needs of others and always take pride in your job on a cruise ship. Indeed, we live in a society where time is money. Most people work around the clock to ensure their family needs are met. Sometimes, a lucky percentage of people can go on a cruise, capture unforgettable memories with their friends and family, and create a lifetime experience.

There is an enormous amount of pressure that crew members deal with every single day at sea. It is essential to maintain sanity and a clear mindset when working on cruise ships, regardless of the daily difficulties and high-stress levels that life on board the ship inevitably brings.

The key is to stay positive

The following article is based on a true story by Mladen Jakovljevic - former crew member and author of the book "Modern Age Slavery"

MSC Cruises is expanding its partnership portfolio with major sports clubs and franchises around the globe, swiftly establishing leading marketing exposure among cruise giants. 

On February 3, Japanese passengers sailing aboard the Diamond Princess marked the third-year anniversary of the ship’s arrival at the port of Yokohama and the outbreak of COVID-19 aboard the vessel.

Carnival Corporation’s German brand AIDA Cruises announced that the company will implement several benefits for the crew this year, including an increase of the salaries to all shipboard employees by 5%. The pay rise will be carried out in two steps, with the first increase of 2.5% in February 2023, and 2.5% in July 2023. In a letter sent to its crew members, Aida Cruises said that the company employs about 15.000 shipboard personnel, which will see a pay rise in the coming months.

Viking Cruises is taking the initiative in the cruising industry in implementation of pay raise based promotions. Crew members from every cruise company have consistently made complaints related to the unfairness of pay that is comparable to entry levels even when they have spent years loyally working for the company.

After difficult three years since the start of the pandemic and the amazing return back to cruising in 2022, the cruise lines have many reasons to celebrate this holiday season.