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- Cruise ship jobs have a number of features that set them apart from most land-based jobs.
- Current and former cruise ship workers have described to Business Insider a wide range of experiences.
- Workers who described both positive and negative experiences told Business Insider they were disappointed by some parts of their job.
- Their disappointments included limited free time and a hostile work environment.
Cruise ship jobs have a number of features that set them apart from most land-based jobs, like unusual schedules and an intense hookup culture.
Some current and former cruise ship workers have told Business Insider they find "ship life" appealing due to close friendships with their colleagues and freedom from long commutes and cooking their own meals. But others have painted a different picture, saying they have felt overworked or mistreated.
Workers from both camps told Business Insider they were disappointed by some part of their experience. Here’s what six current and former cruise ship workers said was the most disappointing part of their job. (Each requested anonymity for fear of reprisal from their current or former employer.)
Have you worked on a cruise ship? Do you have a story to share? Email this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com.
Limited free time
Horacio Villalobos – Corbis/Getty Images
A former cruise director for Holland America Line said he thought he would have more free time, particularly at ports.
"You’re not in these places long enough to really appreciate them," he said.
The former cruise director said he would often have around three to five hours at each port, though he was able to return to some ports on later cruises.
Read more: 8 things cruise-ship workers want to tell passengers but can’t
A hostile work environment
Ivan Cholakov/shutterstock
A former Carnival bar waitress said the work environment on her ship was "not healthy."
She said a former bartender she worked under "kept yelling rude things at me" in front of guests. After one incident, a guest asked why she let her boss treat her poorly.
"I didn’t know how to answer," the former Carnival bar waitress said.
Carnival did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Read more: Cruise workers say they have so much sex on ships that it’s comparable to college dorms
Long hours
Courtesy of Seabourn Cruise Line
A former Seabourn Cruise Line production manager said the hours he worked were "grueling."
"It was like working for minimum wage some days just due to the workload," he said.
Seabourn did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Rather than working traditional five-day weeks, cruise-ship employees often work seven days a week for the duration of their contracts, which can range from about two months to 11 months. Between four and eight months was the most common contract length cited by 31 current and former cruise-ship employees who spoke with Business Insider.
The hours can also be intense, from about eight to nearly 20 hours a day. The employees Business Insider spoke with reported an average of about 12 hours.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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- A lawyer who reps cruise-ship workers reveals the most shocking thing he’s heard about their job
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Source: Business Insider – mmatousek@businessinsider.com (Mark Matousek)