As a swimming holiday resort situated in a steel cage, seagoing cruise vessels inhabitate several thousands of passengers and crew.
All on bord are interconnected, that's why a rather strict rules apply to all crew: ordinary crew as well as those with stripes on shoulders have to present a boarding pass when leaving ship or a obligation to wear a name tag as long on bord. Among other most famous is zero tolerance to drugs - positive urine test results in immediate contract termination and same day leaving the ship.
Some regulations are exquisite to maritime environment esp those concerning privacy. Any medical issues preventing crew from performing the assigned duties, need to be reported immediately to supervisor who issues them a written consent for seeing the bord medical doctor.
Only fraction of crew has advantage of a single bed cabin. The higher in ship's hierarchy, the more spacious room and maybe even with a bulleye window. So getting on well with a roommate, setting few cabin internal, bilateraly confirmed rules, play enormous role in everyday life. Quite a challenge is to set a cabin temperature. In general, in crew area flows only cold air while sailing in warm climate. Winter cruises mean having only hot air pumped into living space. Imagine coming back from excursion or heated up after a workout in gym... At first somehow comfortable to be cooled off. However, this big difference in temperature brings a cold / fiever even in tropic destinations.
Warm tea made of fresh grated ginger may help here.
Seven days week goes simply with the nature of this industry. However, colleagues from different departments happen more or less voluntarily very often to help out each other mainly during peak hours like passenger check-in. There is always some extra task to be completed ...
Coming on time means be always several minutes in time. For official functions like consultancy time for excursions, presentation or crew participation on stage being on site even quarter of an hour is desired. All man on board means for crew to check in at security latest one hour before scheduled end of shore leave.
Preparation
As internet access on open sea prevailingly exceeds the rates charged on shore and in internet cafe at ports of call usually one needs to either order something or buy a voucher, it makes sense to ask other crew member for free wifi hotspots.
First, after getting on board I fully realised how useful it would have been to do thorough research about the destinations of current season. Having portable devices at hand, with downloaded pictures, maps, flags in colour may save trouble and generate gratuites from happy passangers later on.
Packing the right items in your suitcase
Most important rule: ask questions to confirm your persception even when the question seems to primitive. However, best to aim them at personal on the ship. Recruiting agency has details only from bord manuals / position descriptions, which they might send as attachement prior to boarding.
After placement been issued, the hiring agency sends the candidate a list of necessary documents and items to bring with on bord. Just remember, your life on board a cruise ship focus predominantly on work i.e. 7 days a week for 4 to 6 months in a row.
For work everybody receive a uniform in company conform colours. No need to bring your favourite pieces. Watch out, accessories as bike shoes, socks, gloves etc ought to be brought by yourself. Shopping outside in ports of call takes time to reach a professional bike shop, having delivered online ordered stuff faces the dilema what address it
Free time is a scarce word on a cruise ship - predominantly used for relaxing on crew deck or sleeping out. Useful activity is to learn some other foreign language or get better in currently spoken one.
Seasickness
Eat lot of solid food that makes the stomach busy for a while - this is actually what the seadizzines pill does. Avoid drinking alcohol or sprinkling water. Best to keep liquid intake at minimum.
... and you will see the world from sadle
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