Why am I doing this to myself? Do I get pleasure from inflicting pain to myself? These two questions are haunting me for a while and I still can’t get a reasonable answer to them. But more important that what am I asking myself, is why…why am I asking myself this…First contract I had a good reason. I was assistant waitress for 6 months and in the last day of my contract they offered me the Yeoman position. I had to extend my contract 4 months, but it was well worth the bother. It was what I wanted from the beginning, to get an officer position, and of course I would sacrifice myself and do a 10 months contract. I would have done more than 10 if it wasn’t for me getting a replacement. The scheduler in Miami didn’t send anybody and I was onboard for over 9 months when I decided to choose somebody and train to replace me while I was in vacation. After begging all division heads to give me one of their crew, a good friend of mine, the Inventory Manager, gave me one of his storekeepers to train. I completed his training in 3 weeks and finally left home.I got a good reason for the second contract too. I was just starting to get used to the position when, after 3 months of being a Yeoman, the Hotel Director asked me if I want to fill in for his admin for a week, until the replacement will arrive. He had problems with his visa and he was delayed for a week. So here I was, doing two jobs, working 12-14 hours a day and trying to please everybody. I guess I was doing well since the replacement never came and I did both jobs for almost 2 months. I was so burned up I finally said “That’s it!!!” I had to recruit another crewmember to be a temporary Yeoman until I finish replacing the Hotel Administrative Assistant and have my vacation. Nobody helped me; I had to beg again the division heads to give me someone to train. This time was the Dining Room Manager, and here I was again, training this assistant waitress to replace me. This time I was lucky enough to go home after almost 7 months.This time, my third contract, I have absolutely no reason for why I’m doing it all over again except that it looks good in my CV (sort of anyways). I came back from vacation in mid May just to find out that the position has changed from Yeoman, which was something like a secretary, to Food & Beverage Administrative Assistant, which is not just a secretary, but more like and F&B Assistant. What they did was to merge the Food & Beverage Manager Junior with the Yeoman position and create the F&B Administrative Assistant which has the job description of both positions. It would have been ok if the salary and the living conditions would have been on the same level. But guess what? I have to share the cabin, even though I am a two stripes officer, and the salary is under $2000. Anyways, like most of the managers onboard say it, this is it and this is what we have to work with. So I stopped complaining and just did my job. And then was when I start asking my self those questions: “Why am I doing this to myself? Why do I work 10-11 hours a day? Why can’t I just take the afternoon off and go out just like the others do? What makes me so obsessed with this job?” Then, when I was on my third month onboard, I got asked if I would like to replace the Hotel Administrative Assistant while she is on vacation. My heart was telling me to say no, to relax, that it’s not worth the bother, but my mind started to calculate the pro’s and con’s and , just like in a dream, I saw myself saying yes. I got out of the office wondering what the hell is wrong with me. It wasn’t something that I wanted or planned to do… Besides, I was suppose to go in vacation in November and sped the holidays with my friends and family. I have no idea why I say yes. So here I am now, doing again a 10 months contract, just because I am a helpless workaholic.PS: The pictures you see on this post are from when my sister was onboard with her boyfriend. As you might notice, I was wearing the uniform all the time for the simple reason that I was always working. I didn’t even go out with them once…Something has to change! And fast!

Out of the three divisions that the Food & Beverage Department holds, the Restaurant Division is the most popular when it comes to money. Its structure has changed recently, but it’s fairly simple and everyone knows who to report to. Described in a simple way, the structure goes like this: 1. Restaurant Operations ManagerHe or she is a three stripe officer and is in charge with the entire restaurant operation. The Windjammer Manager, Portofino Manager and Assistant Dining Room Manager report directly to him or her and, of course, the position is got its own admin now.The contract length is 4 months with 2 months off and, aside the thousands of dollars salary, he or she is got monthly bonuses from china and linen savings, wine gratuity and the big, fat bonus at the end of the fiscal year.2. Windjammer ManagerThe Windjammer Manager is a two and a half stripes officer and is in charge with Windjammer Buffet, Johnny Rockets (fast food outlet) and Café Promenade (coffee shop with snacks). Directly to him reports the following positions: Johnny Rockets Supervisor and Windjammer Supervisor.Just like the Restaurant Operations Manager, the contract length is also 4 months on with 2 months off, and a big, fat bonus included.3. Portofino ManagerPortofino Manager is in charge with the Italian specialty restaurant. Is a two stripes officer with a 6 months contract and sharing cabin. From 2 stripes below, no officer is entitled to the yearly bonus, but they got part of the cover charge. The Portofino waiters report directly to him.4. Assistant Dining Room ManagerThis position was introduced recently. It’s a 2 stripe position with a contract length of 6 months and sharing cabin. Their salary is based on tips, but don’t be fooled by it, they make a lot of money. There are 3 Assistant Dining Room Managers, each in charge with one Dining Room deck (our Dining Room has 3 decks/levels). They are responsible with the booking on their respective decks and the Headwaiters working in that deck report directly to them.5. Restaurant Operation AdminThe admin reports directly to the Restaurant Operations Manager and basically does everything. He has 2 office boys/girls helping in the morning with paperwork. Is a one stripe officer with 6 months contract and sharing cabin.6. Head WaiterThese guys are making more money than a 3 stripe officer because their salary is based on tips. They are one stripe officers, with 6 months contract length and a sharing cabin. Each of them has a station assigned (there are 3 stations on each Dining Room deck) and the waiters and assistant waiters working there report to him/her.7. Johnny Rockets SupervisorHe or she is in charge with Café Promenade and Johnny Rockets and reports to the Windjammer Manager. This is a one stripe officer with a 6 months contract and sharing cabin. They get a fix salary with no gratuities. The Café Attendants and Johnny Rockets Attendants report to him/her.8. Windjammer SupervisorThere are 2 Windjammer Supervisors onboard, both reporting to the Windjammer Manager. They are in charge with supervising the Windjammer operation and the Assistant Waiters working there are reporting to them. It’s a one stripe position, with fix salary, 6 months contract and sharing cabin.9. Room Service SupervisorThe Room Service Supervisor reports directly to the Restaurant Operations Manager and is in charge with Room Service operation and Attendants working there. Is a one stripe position, with 6 months contract, fix salary and sharing cabin.10. Room Service OperatorThe position is pretty much self-explanatory. They are part of the crew with a 6 months contract, fix salary and sharing cabin. The Room Service Operator reports to Room Service Supervisor.11. Mess SupervisorThe Mess Supervisor is in charge with both officer and crew messes and directly to him/her are reporting the Mess Attendants. Mess Supervisor is a one stripe position with a 6 months contract, fix salary and sharing cabin. He or she reports to Restaurant Operations Manager.12. Mess Attendant13. Dining Room Cleaner14. Café Attendant15. Johnny Rockets Attendant16. Room Service AttendantThe above 5 positions are similar; the only difference is the place they work in. Except for the Johnny Rockets who get gratuities from the cover charges in the fast food outlet they work in, the rest have a fix salary and they also get gratuities from the beverages they sell (not too much though). They all have an eight months contract and sharing cabin. 17. Assistant WaiterThis is a much better position that the ones above because they have a salary based on tips. An average assistant waiter salary can be around $2000 or more a month. Also, the contract length is 6 months and they only work in the Dining Room or Windjammer during the dinner time and in Windjammer (during the day time). During the diner time, they work 4 weeks in the Dining Room and one week in Windjammer. They get gratuities in the Dining Room, but in Windjammer they get only the gratuities from the beverages they sell. Might not make sense, but this is how the system is set up.18. WaiterWaiter position is a good position as well due to the amount of money they make and the 6 months contract length. An average waiter makes around $3000 and, during the diner time, works only in Dining Room (no free week in Windjammer).As a first-timer, this structure might look confusing. Indeed there are a lot of positions in the Restaurant Division, but this is what makes it easier because everyone knows exactly what they are suppose to do.

When I decided I want to go back to working on cruise ships, first thing I had to decide is how to do that. I wanted an officer position and I was qualified for it, but unfortunately, most of the agencies are recruiting for entry level positions such as cooks, assistant waiters or bar servers. Few people are lucky enough to get an officer position from the first contract and that’s happening mostly because they come from a fist world country such as US, UK etc. or because they have connections either on the ship or at the agency. If you’re just a normal person, from a normal country, like I was, that’s very hard, and if you get it, you have to wait many months.

So I took the easy way in and I applied for a restaurant entry-level position, knowing that once I get there I will make my way up to a higher position. Well, lucky me, it took me one contract to accomplish that and only because the company requires that anyone who wants to apply for a different job within the company has to finish at least one contract in the current position. I did my 6 months and one day before going home in vacation the Food & Beverage Manager called me in the HR’s Office and gave me the good news. I got the job I applied for a couple of weeks before! Next day I unpacked my luggage, called my family and let them know I am not going home anymore and start working as a Yeoman.

Yeoman - strange name for an F&B Manager Assistant, don’t you think? To me it made no sense until one friend explained to me that long time ago, in England, they called yeoman the one who was in charge with the finances of the ships. That was me alright!

So, if it worked for me, it must work for you too! The cruise industry will always be in need of educated people that know more than just entry level English. Guys, you should be here to believe it! We get new hires that have no clue how to carry a basic conversation in English, not to say about writing it! We have old timers who made their way up because they have 5, 7 or even 10 years on ships, but when it comes to using computers or write a report, they are useless.

If you know how to use a computer for more than just playing games or sending emails, if you have a medium to high knowledge of spoken and written English and a hotel management or accounting degree, then you are most likely to get a higher than the entry level position. Three things you need to do to accomplish that:1. Get on the shipIt doesn’t matter how you get there as long as you do. Food & Beverage Division is the easiest way to get onboard a cruise ship and once you’re there you can pursuit your goals.

You have to do a full contract and have a clean record before you can apply for a higher position. Many people here onboard started as a bar server or assistant waiter, just like me, and moved to Guest Relations Department, Crew Office or being the Food & Beverage Director’s Assistant.

In fact, I am currently looking for a reliever for when I am going in vacation and so far I could not find anyone qualified for this job. Every week I am looking at the list with sign ons hoping that “the one” will sign on. No luck so far!2. Ask for what you want and prove that you can do itSometimes I go on the Back Deck for a smoke and sit with my old colleagues from the restaurant. Once, there was this assistant waiter, on his 4th contract, complaining that there are no promotion chances onboard for him. I asked him a simple question: “ Did you ever went to the Maitre D` and told him you want to be a waiter?” He looked at me with a dumb expression on his face and said nothing. His lack of words said everything!

Hey guys! Wake up! A ship has in average over 1000 crew, half of it being in the Food & Beverage Division. How do you think you’re boss will notice you if you’re not doing anything about it? Just go to your supervisor, or anyone you know in the office, and ask them what can you do or what you need to know to get the promotion/position. Is that easy!

Don’t assume that everyone knows what you know. Tell them your qualification, your education, your experience and what you want. Might not work with the first supervisor, but eventually you’ll find someone willing to help you.3. Have patience and don’t loose your hopeThe most important thing is not to lose faith in yourself. Hang in there, what ever is meant for you will come sooner or later. Sometimes there are no available positions and even though your manager wants to help you, there is nothing he or she can do for the moment.

Just make sure they have your CV and when a position will be made available, they will offer it to you if you’re qualified for it.Good Luck!

You think that if you spend some amount of time with a certain person you became friends with that person. Correct? Of course, but this is happening only when you’re working in a stable environment, like a hotel on land for example. What about the ships? I wish I can tell you yes, but unfortunately, it’s not going to happen. Here, people spend time with each other mostly because they have the same schedules, their cabins are close to one another or just because there’s no one else to spend time with. Once you change schedule or move to another cabin, that’s it! They stop calling, then they stop stopping by for a smoke, then they barely say hello to you and finally you pass by and he or she just gives you a look and half of a smile. <?xml:namespace prefix = o />

I met these guys one by one during my last contract. First I’ve met the Provision Master through my boyfriend at that time. Same thing happened with the Inventory Manager. We had the offices one next to each other, the three of us smokers and same schedules. We start talking over a smoke and, slowly, slowly, we became friends. So I thought…. I’ve met the Australian Sous Chef during my smoke break in the Back Deck. We start talking about our lives and, again, slowly, slowly we became friends as well. At some point we use to meet in the Back Deck every evening, after we finished work, for drinks. It was the Provision Master, the Inventory Manager, my boyfriend, the Sous Chef and I. Then this guy showed up. Brand-new Executive Sous Chef from <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />New Zealand, great personality, nice looking always making us laugh.

I don’t think I ever had more fun on the ships than I had with these guys. I was waiting every day to pass so we can meet for drinks in the evening. We were such a great team. We shared our lives, dreams, failures and successes to each other, we learned from each other and we helped each other as much as possible. Then I broke up with my boyfriend and got promoted as a Hotel Admin. All of the sudden, I had a different cabin and office and a different schedule. The Provision Master barely called anymore. We still use to meet in the Back deck, but that was it. But because my cabin was now close to the chefs’ cabins, we became even more closed to each other. We use to spend our nights drinking and chatting in the cabin. Great times! I really thought they are my friends! I told them how is my life home, who I am, what I did, what I can do. Nobody was judging and it was great.

Then I left in vacation. When I came back, The Inventory Manager wasn’t on the ship anymore. He got transferred to a different ship. The Provision Master wasn’t hanging out with the guys anymore, I don’t know why really. The Australian Chef was the only one who was happy to see me and the Executive Sous Chef from New Zealand was in vacation. The guys weren’t spending as much time together as they use to, just a drink or two and then they were going to bed. I thought, maybe when Lorenzo, the Executive Sous Chef will be back from vacation, will bring the gang back again. I tried to do that, but I failed.

So finally, the day came and Lorenzo was onboard. My God, I was so happy. I could not wait for the evening to come and meet for drinks. The evening came, but except Paul, the Sous Chef, and other 2 chefs, nobody came. It was really disappointing. They had a few beers and went to bed. I ended up chatting with Lorenzo in his cabin then he asked me something that really surprised me. Last contract I was telling him that I am planning to buy my third apartment and that my dad is a lawyer and mom worked in a bank until she retired, and his question was, how come, if I have all those things, I am still here. Basically, he was telling me that he doesn’t believe me and that I am a liar. I was really shocked! I told him about my education, about school, how I graduated both school and university with honors. And in return, he replied that I am showing off how smart I am. That wasn’t my intention at all, I just wanted him to really know me and what he said really hurt my feelings. Why do I have to constantly defend and justify myself? Only poor and uneducated people work on ships? Well, according to him, yes! And what does that say about him? That was the last time we really spoke. I thought we are friends and we can share things, but now I know and learned my lesson.

Since then, we barely see each other, and when it happens, he snaps at me with rude comments, trying to be funny. I am still friends with Paul, he seems to understand me and what I love about him is that he doesn’t judge me, he’s just there for me when I need him to. And I am there for him, helping him whenever I can.

One night I heard Lorenzo bad-mouthing Paul in front of one of the Senior Executive Chefs from Miami. That was the last drop. I look at him now and feel disgusted with him, but more with myself because I trusted him. I feel sorry I let him know me so well, because now he’s judging me and makes fun of my life and who I am. How lame! I am good at assessing people’s personalities, but this one really fouled me. It never happened in my life to judge one’s personality so wrongly and it makes me thing he was fake from the first moment he stepped on this ship. If it was happening at home I would have avoid him completely, but here I have to work with him everyday and see him in the Back Deck every night.

So, listen to my advice if you want. People around you don’t want to know that you are happier than them, that you have more money than they have or that you are smarter. The miserable you are, the more they will love you and want your company because that way they look better and smarter. If you are lucky enough to find someone who won’t judge you, don’t ever let him/her go. Those people are so precious and rare.

Anyway, coming back to the ship life. When you first come onboard, be careful whom you’re spending time with and what you tell them. Now they might seem to be your friends, but many of them will kill their mothers for a promotion and more money. Choose your company carefully and never talk about work and yourself too much. Might seem extreme, but remember, you’ll work in a close environment and you have to work with and see those people everyday. It’s not like on land where you go home and forget about it or change the bar you’re going to and never see the person again. So take my example and don’t learn this lesson the hard way like I did.

But believe me, the lesson is very well learned!

I wouldn’t even consider the thought of it if I was home, but here, on the ship, after 2 months of being single, the idea is appealing to me. So what’s the story about? Oh well, lets start with the beginning.

Last contract I met this fun, nice looking guy who, to my surprise, was single. Lets call him JOE. Single here usually means that you don’t have to avoid each other, you can go out for a coffee or lunch and in the evening you can have a few drinks and go to sleep together, without being afraid you’re going to be seen by someone. What a wonderful idea! So we get together by the time I was suppose to go home. I left thinking everything is ok and we can pick it up again from where we left it when he and I come back from vacation. So 4 months pass, I come back, he comes back, first night we get together and everything was wonderful, until next day. I was expecting him to call me in the evening, but nothing happened. One more day passes and he says he’s going to sleep. He did, again without calling me. I began to get upset. “What the hell did I do this time?” I asked myself because he was acting like he was upset. So, after a week, I decide we should talk. My God, what a disappointment! Turns out that he only wants casual sex and he likes to sleep alone and his focus is on his work (like it isn’t mine too!). Basically, he wants sex, but doesn’t want to give nothing in return. On the other hand, this handsome, intelligent man is hunting me since the day I came onboard. ALEX invited me for dinner, for drinks, every time he sees me in the hallways he stops and talks to me, but he has one big disadvantage: he’s married and has 3 kids. I know him since last contract too and he straightforward told me back then that he’s married but looking for someone to spend his free time while onboard. At that time I said no, this contract I don’t know anymore. So, after the discussion I had with JOE, I got so upset I went straight to ALEX looking for someone to hug me I ended up sleeping with him. He took me in his arms and slept with me and in the morning I was smiling again. He called me again in the afternoon, then again in the evening inviting me over. He really makes me feel special and because he’s European like me, we have many things in common. So now the big question that I am asking you, the reader, is… Would you prefer to date a single man who only wants sex and gives you no attention whatsoever or a married man who give his whole attention and free time to you, who takes time to go with you for dinner, to go out for a coffee or just sit and watch TV with a glass of wine? Just remember you're in the middle of the sea, not at home. Since I am not planning to take any of them home, right now I am really considering continuing to see ALEX. I deal with jerks all day at my workplace, I don’t need one more in my bed and definitely I wouldn’t say no to a big smile on my face every morning if you get my idea! I’ve changed so much since I first stepped on this ship. Many of my beliefs shifted just like the one about dating married men. I work all day, I focus on my job trying to get higher in the hierarchy, I go to the gym and study for the exam I have in about two weeks and I really don’t have time to waste on idiots who think casual sex is the way to relax. I need some good loving at the end of the day and a pair of arms wrapped around me. That’s all I need right now!

First contract is always the best. The food is good, the places we go are exciting, the work is fun, the people we work with are new to us and we always have something to tell each other. That’s always the case when we do something new. But what about the second or the third contract? If you have assigned a permanent ship like I have, things become boring.

Actually, these are my last hours of freedom. I’m waiting in the hotel’s lobby for the bus that will take us to the ship. The flight was long as usually. Even though to go from Bucharest to Barcelona is a 2 hours flight, the company always sends us through London or some airport in Germany, probably because it’s cheaper. At least I didn’t pay for the flight, which is always good. We all like free stuff, don’t we?

So, instead of 2 hours, I flew 7 and finally got to the airport. All Royal Caribbean employees are sent to Best Western Alfa Hotel in Barcelona, a 4 star hotel near the airport. They have a shuttle that comes to the airport every 30 minutes, but this time, I just didn’t want to wait any longer and took a taxi. Cost me less than 20 euros, which I gladly paid just to see myself at the hotel.The first one to greet me was a good friend of mine from Trinidad. He’s a executive sous chef on Voyager. He posed for me when I did the post about uniforms, you can see him here. Next one I see is a waiter I use to work with. It really feels like home seeing all this familiar faces. When I stepped into the restaurant, my manager was having his dinner with other crewmembers. Us joining together was great because it gave us some time together to know each other outside work. We had some after dinner drinks, play some pool and we went to bed as all of us were tired after the long flight. Transportation to the pier in the morning is also provided by the company, so basically, if you’re an officer, you don’t spend any money at all. If you are a waiter, stateroom attendant, bar staff or have any other position that is paid based on tips, you have to pay for the return ticket, which can be a lot if you have to fly across the ocean. So that’s it! The buss is here and the crew started to load their luggage. My last hours of freedom are rapidly turning into my last minutes of freedom. Boy! Here we go another 6 months……

Last Saturday my cousin and I celebrated my birthday. I also celebrated my last days home since this Friday I will go back to work. It's really hard to leave my friends and family behind, but for now I have to do it.

I was watching today my cousin's dogs play in the back yard. Two carefree, innocent souls enjoying a sunny afternoon, no worries, no problems. I wish I could feel the same, I wish I can control my worries and just erase them from my mind, if only could be possible... Oh, and by the way, for those who in time became bitter and cynical, yes, i know they are animals and I am a human being and no, I don't want to be a dog...I just envy their innocence.

Yesterday I went shopping, got what I wanted and came back home. Nothing wrong with that, is it? Well yeah, until my mother asked me how much I paid for the groceries and other stuff. When I told her she looked at me and said: “You know, people live with that kind of money for a month”.

Later on I start thinking about it and I realized that most of us that work on ships need a regular reality check. My mother was right. A lot of people live with 400 dollars a month in Romania and I just spent that kind of money in one day without even realizing how much they mean.

So what’s happening with us? Why we become so detached from the real world so much? After a lot of thinking I finally answered those questions. Ship life isn’t a real life. Not even close. We live 6 months in an enclosed environment where, even thought we have TVs in each cabin, we don’t have enough time to watch what’s going on in the world, and who’s dating who or any other gossip becomes news of the day.

If you go around and ask the crew members what date or day is, half of them will take seconds to give you an answer and most of the answers would be wrong. We are lost in time and space, sometimes we don’t even know where in the world we are, we just know it’s 6 am and we have to go back to work in our metal windowless offices, galley, pantries etc.

That’s the result of 6 months of constant work, 7 days a week, 10 or more hours a day, combined with a workplace that have no natural light, no means for us to realize if it’s light or day outside, if we are at sea or in a port. And then again is the time zone that messes out our internal clocks.

But yeah, we make good money and the best of all is that we can save up most of them. But there’s a catch there as well and most of us fail to realize it, just like me. We shuffle hundreds of dollars every day and slowly we forget that some people in our countries can live out of a 100 dollar bill for days, or even weeks. We are used to the prices in USA or Europe, and when we come back home it takes us a while to realize that the prices aren’t the same.

Did you know that you can have a chauffeur, maid, cook and cleaner for less than $150 a month? I didn’t…until one of my managers from Philippines told me he pays that much for it. Apparently, it is the same in India. Romania is a bit more expensive, but still, the medium salary per economy is around 400 dollars.

I find myself talking about thousands of dollars like it is nothing, then I see my friends’ faces change and I realize I do need a reality check. Or maybe I just need to get away from that kind of environment that ships represent. Something definitely needs to change. Maybe me...

While having my coffee and reading my RSS news, I came across this interesting site that shows which celebrity you resemble based on a picture you upload. So out of curiosity, i uploaded a picture and waited quietly for the result and surprise surprise! I look like Paris Hilton! Well, yeah, just 55%, but could not help think that it would have been nice that my wealth resemble hers too, even 55%. What a wonderful dream...Anyways, here's the site link. Have fun!

Working on cruise ships is a wonderful job, especially if one is part of the middle management. You get to see places, meet people, work isn’t too hard, actually is enjoyable because I love what I do. But always the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.

I’ve seen many coming onboard with a big smile on their faces that says “God, I am so lucky to be here!” and after a contract (or less) going home and never come back. Why is that, you may wonder. Well, first of all, not everybody is made for this kind of life, always traveling from place to place, no day off for 6 months, working 10 hours or more a day. Second of all, they probably came to the same conclusion as I did, that money don’t bring happiness and peace of mind and being close to the ones you love and love you back is more important that counting money all alone in your cabin. Yes, money help you reach happiness, but without your family and close ones they mean nothing.

Main reason for resignations onboard the cruise ships isn’t money or work conditions as you might think, but loneliness and missing the loved ones. Being all alone is a big stress factor and no money in the world can fix that. Some are stronger and last for years working on the ships, some are weak and leave after a contract.

It is very frustrating wanting to be in somewhere and having to be somewhere else. Like me for example: in about 2 weeks I have to be back at work, but what I really want is to stay home. I am 28 years old and I want to start my own family, but this isn’t possible with the lifestyle I have, so soon I’ll be looking for a job in Romania and start building my dream home like I always wanted.

I already found the land and most likely I’ll be buying it this summer (photos to come :-)). And the house…..well….the house will follow, not sure how soon, but it will as I always get what I want sooner or later.

So the plan goes as follows:

<!--[if !supportLists]-->1. <!--[endif]-->finish this contract

<!--[if !supportLists]-->2. <!--[endif]-->apply for a job in Romania while onboard

<!--[if !supportLists]-->3. <!--[endif]-->hopefully getting a job when I come back in vacation

<!--[if !supportLists]-->4. <!--[endif]-->settle close to my loved ones

<!--[if !supportLists]-->5. <!--[endif]-->start building a social and love life

<!--[if !supportLists]-->6. <!--[endif]-->reorganizing my finances and investments, maybe sell some, so I can start building my house

<!--[if !supportLists]-->7. <!--[endif]-->start some kind of business (gosh, I have so many ideas)

If the step 3 doesn't work from the first time, I’ll keep repeating it until it will or until I’ll win the lottery :-).

So it looks like I am not part of the strong ones after all, even though I like to think so. To me, as the years passed by, money is not as important as it use to be, maybe because I got it already. Or maybe I am just in a bad mood because I just got together again with the man I always loved and now I have to leave him behind another 6 months. I hate it!

One thing I can tell you. If you plan working on a ship to save some money, don’t get involved with anyone back home, don’t give the opportunity to have your heart broken. Leave it for when you decide to stay home, it’ll be easier for you, trust me. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself at a crossroad where your mind will pull you to the left and your heart to the right. Which road you’re going to choose? I think I know which one to take now…

It’s been almost 2 years since then, but I remember my frustration as clearly as if it would have happened yesterday and I promised to myself that one day I will write a blog and one of the posts will be about this so you guys, the ones who want and get a job an a cruise ship won’t have to go through all that. What is it about? The answer is….uniforms.

I remember stepping onboard Voyager of the Seas in 2006 with 40 or so pairs of stockings, thinking that the uniform will be a skirt and shirt, just like NCL (another cruise line I use to work for). My room mate started to laugh when she saw me and that made me feel uncomfortable. I looked everywhere online to find out something about life onboard Royal Caribbean ships, but could not find anything, so I assumed it’ll be the same like on NCL. Well, it wasn’t… Might not seem important now, but when you have to spend hundreds of dollars for things that you don’t need or you could have bought home, you’ll see my point.

Some companies, like NCL, will give you free uniforms and you only buy your stockings and shoes, others, like Royal Caribbean, will make you pay for the whole uniform except for the items that don’t touch the skin, such as bow ties, epaulets (for officers) etc. Royal Caribbean’s uniforms consist mostly of pants, vests and shirts, and you’ll have to buy them. The good news is that you don’t have to wear stockings which are a pain, especially when you have to wear them the entire day. Also, the company rule says that you have to wear company slip-free shoes for your safety, but many of the employees wear their own since they are more comfortable and sometimes more slip-free than the company ones. I advise you to follow the rules because in case of an accident (slip in the galley, etc), you won’t get paid medical insurance if you wore yours.

If you got a job with NCL you definitely need to bring lots of stockings with you if you’re a girl. The uniform consists of skirt and vest or shirt. You can buy a skirt back home, one that will fit you. As long as it’s knee length and black, nobody will say anything. Also, from what I know, you’ll have to buy your shoes as well so bring one pair from home.

You’ll also have to buy a safety belt, something like the body builders wear at the gym. It’s mandatory and you could lose your job if you don’t wear it. You can buy one back home, a quality one, or you can buy one onboard, your choice.

Grooming policy is the same for most of the cruise companies. For girls, the hair has to be pulled back, no other hair accessories except for a hair net (which is mandatory if you work with food), for boys, the hair needs to be short, no goatee or long beard, no fancy haircut. Needles to say that, if your hair is pink, your supervisor will send you to the hair dresser to change it. No earrings for boys, nickel size earrings for girls. Just the wedding ring is accepted, leave all the rest home or in your cabin when you go to work. If you’re working with food, your nails need to be short and no nail polish on them.

Annoying? Yes! Safe for the company and yourself? Definitely! I use to blame the company for stripping us of our personality, but after I got into middle management, I understood their reasons. They are only trying to protect us ( of harassment, injuries) and themselves (lawsuit from employees and guests).

Being away for so long is tough on you, your family and your friends. Keeping in touch with them is important and there are several ways you can do that without spending a fortune. I spent a lot of money on that until I learned how to do it the smart way so here are a few advices.

Communicating the smart way:

1. Activate roaming on the phone sim card you’re using home

Before leaving home, don’t forget to activate the roaming service. It is very important since some of your friends or family will call you or text you and you need to know. You can use the number to text back.

1. As soon as possible go out in each port and find a local internet café

Every port has so called “calling centers” where you can use internet to check your emails and write back to your friends. As soon as possible, once onboard, go and find them, you will pay less that you pay onboard.

1. Buy a local phone sim card

Check out the itinerary of your ship and buy a local prepaid sim card. For example, if you’re in Europe and have 3 Italian ports, buy an Italian sim card, if you’re in USA and going to Puerto Rico and any other USA territory, buy and American sim card. You can call at cheaper rates from the sim card directly or using a calling card.

1. Buy calling cards from a calling center

You can find them in every port in calling centers or at the news stands. They have really cheap rates and you can talk to your family for over an hour for 5-10 dollars. Ask the seller which one is good for your country.

1. Send postcards

This is a great way to send souvenir postcards and keep in touch with your friends. Everybody loves to receive post cards, it shows you care since you took the time to buy one, write on it and send it. You can send mail from any calling center in the world or just go to the local post.

1. In some ports you can get free WiFi

This only happened in Europe so far. There were a few ports such as Livorno where you could bring your laptop outside the deck and connect at no charge. Don’t know why or how it was possible, but it was. Sometimes, in some bars or near a calling center, you can connect wireless as well. Usually, I bring my PSP (portable play station) with me and if I sit in some bar/park etc, I try to connect. Sometimes it works, so try it.

1. Get the ships phone number (the unofficial one)

Each ship has a phone number your family can use to call you directly to your cabin. The official one is very expensive, but there’s another one you can use and it’s got affordable rates. Usually, you can find the official one in the crew office. Talk to the other crewmembers, ask around and eventually you’ll find it out.

1. Bring your family and friends onboard to cruise with you

This is another way to keep in touch with them and if you can not go to them, then bring them to you. As an employee you have discounts when you bring your family or friends onboard. My company charges us only $45 per day per person so it’s very convenient to have them there with you for a week or two. Once onboard check with the crew office, they will let you know how long in advance you need to fill in the form and how long you have to work with the company before you can do it.

Avoid to:

1. use the ship’s calling cards

They are very expensive. With 20 dollars you get only 20-25 minutes while with a calling card outside, for that money you can talk for hours. Unless you need to contact your family urgently, I recommend you not to try it.

1. use the ship’s internet café

Try and use the ship’s internet as little as possible and only when you really need to contact your family. Otherwise, wait until the ship is the port and go to a internet café.

1. call from your home sim card

Usually, roaming service costs a fortune so you should use it only to text your friends and family. Call from a calling cards or from the local prepaid sim card.

You got the job and you think this is it, huh? Well, think twice because it’s just starting. I’ve got a big question for you: “How do you fit your life in 2 pieces of luggage?”. Yes, your life, because 6 to 10 months you’ll be living on the ship and only 6 to 9 weeks you’ll be home. It’s not an easy task, but it can be done and I am here to help you out.

The secret is to pack only the necessary things and the rest you’ll find it on the ship or in the places you’re going to. So here is the list of things you need and whether to bring them from home or not.

1. Clothes – Bring only the necessary because, if you’re a girl, for sure you’re going to shop a little bit and when you’re going back home you won’t have enough room in your luggage for all of it, and trust me, you won’t have time to wear all of them anyway since you’ll be working at least 10 hours a day. Caribbean islands and USA are cheap when it comes to clothes, buy all your brand clothes from there because Europe is much more expensive. Also, when you choose your clothes, don’t think of the time of year, think where you’re going to be at that time ( even though is December, what’s the point of buying/bringing warm clothes if you’re going to be somewhere in the Caribbean?). One more thing should be mentioned here and that is that you should bring one or two formal dresses for the parties (Christmas, Easter etc.) and shoes to match. Royal Caribbean Cruiseline’s policy on shoes is pretty strict, meaning that no open toe or heel shoes are allowed onboard unless you’re on your way out of the ship, so remind yourself about that if you got a job with them.

1. Shoes – All the above applies to shoes as well. Bring a pair of snickers, a pair of formal shoes, a pair of flip flops and a pair of casual shoes and that’s enough. You don’t need work shoes since the company policy requires you to use their own shoes.

1. Cosmetics and make-up – It all depends on where you’re going. If it’s Europe, you better bring most of it from your home because there it can be pretty expensive. If your ship does the Caribbean then bring only the necessary things and buy the rest from there as everything is cheap. And by everything I mean really everything: from cotton pads and tampons to shampoos, shower gels and any type of make up. You can find pretty good deals for brand cosmetics in the USA and Mexico.

1. Medication – You don’t really need to bring anything with you because you’ll find everything that you need in the medical office free of charge.

1. Electronics – Both 110 and 220 voltage outlets are available in your room so you can bring any piece of electronic you want. What I found very useful to have with you is: laptop, mobile phone, ipod or any other MP3 player, hair dryer, photo camera and speakers. Anything else is just optional and if you ask me and if you don’t have enough space in your luggage don’t bring it. If you don’t have it, you can always wait until you get in the USA and buy it from there since is so much cheaper.

1. Books, music, and movies – Each ship has a library for its crew so no need to bring books or magazines with you unless it’s something you really want to read. Bring music and movies from home, it’s a great way to socialize and make new friends by sharing it.

1. Towels, linen – This is nothing you should be worrying about since they are provided by the company. Bring just one big towel for when you’re going to the beach, but you can also take the company towels as well if you don’t have your own. Some bring their own blankets and pillows too just to feel more at home, but you don’t really need it and they take up a lot of space. If you really want one of your own, buy one in one of the ports your ship is sailing from. Did I stress enough that USA is cheaper than Europe? It is when it comes to this as well.

1. Accessories – They make or break the outfit. In my opinion, you better bring more accessories and less clothes because, even though you’re wearing the same clothes, the entire outfit looks totally different depending on what accessories you’re wearing. Same like everything else, if you are in Europe, bring most of them from home, if you’re in the Caribbean islands, you can find better and cheaper there.

1. Personal stuff – Bring your teddy bear or your mini fountain garden with you, or anything that reminds you of home. It’ll make you feel less lonely onboard. Bring a few photographs of your family or boyfriend/girlfriend, it’ll help you stay on course and remind you you’re there to make some money so you can provide for them.

So this is it, time to pack your bags now. Just remember 2 things:

1. don’t pack your bags full since you need some space for presents when you’re coming back

1. check the airline company weight limit ( as a seaman, you are entitle to bring more luggage than the usual airline costumer – call and ask)

So you have this friend who works on a cruise ship and you’ve notice his improved life style. All of the sudden he can afford to buy brand clothes, go to the expensive bars and restaurants, go on vacation in all those exotic places you only dream of and you start feeling a little jealous of him/her. You want those things too, but you have no idea where to start from.

Here’s the first thing you should do. Go to a recruitment agency and talk to one of the people there. Is what I did long time a go. I went there and asked them how I can get a job on one of the cruise ships. They told me the options, I chose and several months later I embarked a small ship called Norwegian Dream.

It is very important to choose a well known, reliable agency in your country and when you get there asked them for their portfolio. Also, ask them about the commissions they’re taking and any other payments you have to make until you get the job. A solid, trustworthy company won’t ask for their commissions until you get your contract.

Some cruise lines employ directly themselves, others require you to apply through a local agency. For ships that cruise out of the UK, you will need to be at least 19, and for international ships, at least 21 years of age, hold a valid passport and not have a criminal record. Once employed, the company will make all the necessary travel arrangements, to and from ship, and any Visas that you may need. To work on a ship sailing out of the United States, you will need a C1/D Visa.

You can virtually apply for any position you want to as long as you have the back-up documentation showing you have related work experience in that field, but from my experience, if you’re not from USA, UK or any of the first world countries, you can only apply for entry level jobs such as waiter, assistant waiter, cook, front desk personnel, inventory store keeper, bar server or bartender, cruise staff, youth staff etc.

Don’t aim for managerial jobs, you’ll get disappointed. Most of the cruise lines prefer to promote from within for 2 big reasons:

<!--[if !supportLists]-->1. <!--[endif]-->they know and trust the person since that person are already working with the company for some time

<!--[if !supportLists]-->2. <!--[endif]-->they maintain the crew morale who sees that hard work is rewarded

Here you can find a list of cruise ship job employment agencies and here is the best agency in Romania, Job Selection.

There are things that you can or can not do when you find yourself traveling alone in a foreign country like Thailand. Some are related to their culture, some to your own personal safety and some to money. So here are 10 things you shouldn’t do when you travel alone in Thailand:

1. Wear shorts or tops when visiting temples – You need have respect for their tradition and religion. Although Buddhist religion is a very tolerant one, when visiting their temples you need to have your legs covered as well as the shoulders, otherwise they won’t allow you inside. So, whenever you’re going to visit a temple, make sure you’re wearing long pants or skirt and a t-shirt or a shirt. And if you want to visit the Tiger Temple near Bangkok, wear neutral colors so you won’t make the tigers too nervous.

1. Buy food out off the streets – Trying the local food is a must when you visit Thailand, but don’t buy it off the streets, otherwise you risk spending the rest of your vacation in bed with food poisoning and I am sure you don’t want that.

1. Walk alone at night – Needless to say that walking all alone on the streets at night is not safe, no matter which country you’re visiting. Just don’t do it. Use taxis instead, they are cheap and you can find them anywhere in Bangkok. Don’t forget to ask the taxi driver to start the meter otherwise they will charge you double.

1. Shop in the big malls for souvenirs – Might seem convenient to have everything in one place, but shopping in the malls is a big mistake. You can find the same things on the street markets or shops and it’ll cost you a lot cheaper. Besides, you can’t bargain in the malls and that’s the whole fun of shopping in Bangkok.

1. Go in bars or clubs at night – If you really want to have a drink late at night you better use the hotel’s facilities. Going by yourself in a bar or club at late hours isn’t safe and you better leave it for when you’re with friends.

1. Drink – And by that I mean having one too many. Besides the heat that will make you feel really sick, drinking too much might make you a pray for thieves. Just like going out in clubs, leave it for when you’re with friends.

1. Visit places outside Bangkok without a tour guide – Getting lost in the city is ok since you can take a taxi anytime and go back to your hotel, but getting lost outside the city is not advisable because taxis are hard to find and few local people know English. Remember, there are no directions in English anywhere in Bangkok or around it, so if you want to go and visit places outside the city, you better go with a group and tour guide.

1. Use tuk-tuks – if you need transportation in Bangkok, use taxis instead of tuk-tuks. Tuk-tuk drivers have an understanding with the shop owners and instead of bringing you to your destination, they will try and get you to a particular shop and make you buy things that you don’t really want to buy. Besides, they are much more expensive than the taxis and they have no air con and believe me, being stuck in traffic in a tuk-tuk with no ventilation or protection from the pollution and sun is not something you want to experience. In my opinion, tuk-tuks are good only for short distances, but make sure to bargain before going into one and tell the drivers you don’t want any other stops but where you want to go.

1. Trust people too much – Making friends is great, but you need to be cautious about it. Not all of them have good intentions, some will try to get you into their hotel rooms, some will try to get you drunk, and some will try to rob you. That doesn’t mean you have to be scared of anybody who says hi to you, just use your common sense and be careful.

1. Go outside without putting sunscreen lotion – Thailand is a really hot country and you can get sun burned in a matter of hours if you don’t use sun protection lotion. Even if you go outside for a short while, use it otherwise you’ll end up looking like a lobster.