Recently, one of my coworkers said that she is going on a cruise vacation.

It’s not a cloudless world for people going to work at sea. Ship life is definitely not as easy as it seems to be. I would like to talk about my experience as a woman after I signed a contract with a reputable British cruise line. I was employed as a “Demi Chef de Partie” in the pastry section, to be a part of the galley team. Until I came onboard a cruise ship, this world was totally unknown to me. Galley. As we call the kitchen in a ship.

We all have great bar stories to tell, witnessing awkward moments with our friends, but all of our stories probably don't compare to the ones bartenders could tell. Here are some of the stories told by a cruise ship bartender.

The Seagull and the Hotdog 

The following article is an interview with Princess Cruises' crew member describing her personal experience as a buffet stewardess. Find out the process how to apply for the job, how long it takes to board the ship and the first day at work and much more

What made you decide to apply for a job on a Cruise ship?

The following article is an interview with a Carnival Cruise Line crew member describing his personal experience. Find out the process of how to apply for the job, how long it takes to board the ship and the first day at work.

What made you decide to apply for a job on a Cruise ship?

One of the worst things about my second contract on a cruise ship was the supervisor. And what a story it is... The man was in his 30’s and he already avoided a harassment complaint before he became a manager. Instead of getting fired and kicked off the ship he got promoted. 

The First contract on a cruise ship was to last from November 5th, 2017 to February 28th, 2018. The best part about it was the route – I would board in Miami and then cruise south all the way to Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile. Exactly the parts of South America that I haven’t seen. Then from the end of November till mid-February, we would cruise to Antarctica. The only places I haven’t seen and traveled to are Africa and Inner North Europe.

Since previously I worked in the Bar Department on Princess cruises I decided to try something new and joined Seabourn. The day I embarked on Seabourn Quest reception was at the Show Room where we would go one by one and hand over all our paperwork. 

The Last Night of the contract with Princess Cruise line. A slightly uncomfortable situation occurred on the last day. My Supervisor from the  Philippines didn’t allow us to finish our shift slightly earlier which was the regular practice in Princess Cruises for day before you disembark. The last shift should end at 9PM so you have time to pack and take your bags to security so they can be scanned overnight. After that you get dressed up a bit and go to the Crew Bar to have a drink with everyone.

During my first contract, I spent my birthday alone. Sure I was surrounded by people but not the ones that I wanted there – my parents, my sister, and my best friends. That moment was very difficult. I was less and less happy near the end of my contract. One of the worst moments was Orthodox Christmas (January 7th) that we celebrate at home.