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Crew Insights

Articles and experiences shared by crew members working on cruise ship. Find out more about ship life at sea together with tips and advices for first time crew members and cruise oldtimers.

Articles and experiences shared by crew members working on cruise ship. Find out more about ship life at sea together with tips and advices for first time crew members and cruise oldtimers.

Inspirational Story: Former Cruise Ship Cook Becomes Celebrity Chef

Most of us when we board our first cruise ship all we can think about is to have some fun, see the world, meet amazing people, and make some money along the way. After several months on board, we may start thinking about how many hours we work versus how little time we have to rest and have the fun we wanted to. But then hits the hard question after several contracts when we’re at a family function such as a wedding and a family member asks us what is it that we do on the cruise ship.

Former Crew Members Open Russian & European Restaurant Visit Mama in Cozumel

My name is Margarita, I am from Minsk, Belarus, and Carlos from Mexico. We used to work on board first European ships, after Carnival ships: Paradise, Conquest, and Breeze. Effy jewelry store. Now we live on Cozumel island.  But this story is not about us. And even not about working on board. All of you, guys, know how hard and at the same time exciting it is, and how it is changing life. This story is about life challenges and courage. 

Carnival Cruise Line New Policy for Team Member Movement Request

Carnival Cruise Line introduced a new movement request policy for their shipboard team members from Deck, Engine and Hotel Departments. The new movement request policy applies for Early Vacation Requests, Work Break, Vacation, Request for Specific Sign Off and Sign On date, Contract Extension, Specific Ship Request and Personal Vessel Transfer. Crew Members are permitted to make one request per calendar year.

Mental Health Professionals Need on Cruise Ships

The need for mental health professionals on board cruise ships is enormous and for many reasons that are sometimes apparent, other times very much covert. The apparent reasons are simple and borderline common knowledge and understanding. The covert ones are a bit of a mystery to the public eye as most often people do not see or even understand what happens behind that door that says crew members only.

Your Life Matters: Former Crew Member Story

Crew Center was born out of the need for crew members to have a voice related to their everyday life challenges, to obtain resources, stay connected and informed, as well as support crew members.  The website started as nothing more than wanting to help crew members by veteran crew members who have experienced everything that they may just now be for the first time.

“Paisano promotes Paisano” Is this a common practice on cruise ships?

The crew members who work hard, execute their duties and responsibilities flawlessly, and as the cruise lines love to say “Going above and beyond guests expectations” are often promoted to higher positions. In theory, this is the only way to get promoted with more responsibilities, but also more money on the paycheck. However many crew members say that there are other ways for some crew to get promoted.