The following letter was sent by a former crew member sharing his personal experience about how work on the cruise ships changed his life.

I always wondered what it would be like working on a cruise ship. After a few cruises as a passenger, a window finally opened and I was able to experience the crew life on board. A lot has to be done before embarking, many courses to attend and things to prepare. After a safety and security training, there was also the training with the company where they told us they would explain everything that somebody needed to know before embarking.

With the outbreak of the Corona Virus in China the cruise ship MSC Splendida had to cancel the voyage for guests leaving the crew onboard without work at this time.

Azamara, the luxury brand of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. family is the latest cruise line to offer their crew members complimentary texting through WhatsApp on their ships.

Crew Center received a large number of emails from crew members related to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) restrictions that brought about uproar by the crew in several US ports in October 2019. The concerns related to the restriction came in especially from crew members aboard cruise ships that only dock in US ports.

This marks my 12years of ship life. I embarked on my 1st journey on 20th Dec 2007 on Celebrity Summit and I can say one thing that no matter what anyone has to say or think or feel it is one of the toughest jobs in the world, it changes you physically, mentally and emotionally but I do admit that I am loving every minute of it and thank from the bottom of my soul to all who had made this journey possible for me through support and encouragement.

The following article is an interview with Princess Cruises Buffet Stewardess describing her 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 cruise ship?

I always thought: “On your own, you go where you want to. But together you go farther…” I obviously didn’t come to sea to fall in love, but to run away — around it.

Holland America Line has provided free WhatsApp access for its crew members on all 14 cruise ship in the fleet. This comes just in time for the holidays so the crew can connect with family and friends back home from the comfort of the ship. All the crew throughout the HAL fleet can now chat on WhatsApp at no cost.

MoneyGram International announced an innovative partnership with the FinTech Company Brightwell, which will help crew members send their money back home safely and easily. The new MoneyGram option is now available to all crew members using the Brightwell app. This empowers shipboard employees to support their friends and family in over 200 countries around the world.