Most of us can't go on a cruise without wondering what the experience is like for the members of staff and crew—but good luck getting one to spill all the details, at least while you're on the ship. A friend of TravelPost who has worked as a musician on a cruise ship for 11 years agreed to answer our (and your) questions.
What are your living conditions like? Are most staff and crew members’ living conditions the same?
Living conditions are... bearable. You are on a ship, so space is at a premium. There is quite a disparity in living conditions, depending on your job description. Most of the crew live below decks, sometimes four to a small cabin, and occasionally with a shared bathroom. The officer and guest entertainer cabins are fairly spacious—usually featuring a porthole and a double bed. Generally, for staff (musicians, casino workers, cruise staff, boutique workers, etc.) it's two to an inside (i.e. no porthole) cabin. The cabin is functional—bunk beds, desk, and a bathroom. On some cruise lines, the staff have "deck privileges" (i.e., they're free to be in passenger areas when off-duty), which means they're not obliged to return to their cabin or crew areas after work. On other lines, not.
Do you go stir crazy?
Ha ha!! Well, on occasion. If there are a lot of sea days, or if you have a very long contract, it can get to you. But as long as you have things to keep you occupied in the off-hours, it's fine. I bring a lot of books, try to learn other languages, and there's always someone up for a game of chess.
Yes.
Does the staff and crew party belowdecks? A lot of passengers must romanticize your life.
There was a good article in Maxim (of all places) which described crew life very, very well. Yes, the crew does indeed party below decks! The crew bar boasts very cheap drinks, and is the one place all crew, staff, and officers can go to socialize. There is a crew club which hosts parties and events for crew to keep up morale.
As for passengers romanticizing the crew's life, similar to the living conditions, work conditions vary widely. The crew (engineers, stewards, bartenders, buffet stewards, etc) and the cruise staff generally work very long hours—12 to 14 hours, and occasionally longer, while musicians play 3 to 5 sets a night, and dancers and production singers do two one-hour shows a night. I can't tell you how draining it can be to do shows every night for months at a time, yet passengers and crew have this notion that musicians have an "easy life" on cruise ships. Which, compared to a buffet steward working 14 hour days, I suppose we do. But of course, to be a working cruise ship musician, you generally have to have a good 10 to 12 years of training and performing under your belt; and even then you still have to practice during the day!
People often think that the crew live the same life as the passengers do—this is and is not so. The dancers, for example, may go a week without doing a show, and do have deck privileges. However, they are also at the gym every day (sometimes twice) as they have to be in peak physical condition to perform well. For them, as well as the show band and production singers, there are also rehearsals, sound checks, and run-throughs before the show gets put on! The life of a buffet steward is more difficult. They don't have deck privileges, and when their work is done, they're obliged to return to their small cabins, go to the crew bar, or see if there's anything edible left in the crew mess (often there is not). In all cases, the crew (and staff and officers) are there for an extended period of time, anywhere from 3 to 9 months. In addition to working every single day (no weekends, no holidays), they are away from their families, friends and home; often with no way to contact them. Shipboard Internet and phone services aren't always available, and can both be expensive.
What’s staff members’ biggest gripe about passengers? Do you make fun of passengers when you’re not around them?
I suppose the biggest gripe of any crew member would be the occasional passenger's attitude. By and large, passengers are very sweet, display an interest in the crew's life and duties, and are polite and considerate. Unfortunately, you also get the ones with the attitude "I paid for this cruise, and this is now my ship!" These passengers can be very abrasive, arrogant, and rude, but they are more the exception than the rule.
I wouldn't say we "make fun" of passengers, but stories and quotations do make their way into conversation, and it's hard not to laugh at a lot of passenger "bon mots." Such as:
"What time does the midnight buffet start?"
"Does this elevator go to the front of the ship?"
"Do these stairs go up or down?"
In Greece: "Why did they build so many ruins?"
Also in Greece: "Nobody here spoke English!"
In Turkey: "They don't take American money here!"
"I love France. That's in Spain, isn't it?"
How’s the pay?
For someone who lives as frugally as I do, it's great. I think technically I'd still be just above the poverty line, but when you consider that your accommodations and food are paid for, it makes it more worthwhile. In fact, career cruise-ship workers will often not have a place of their own, instead keeping everything in storage. It makes more sense than paying for a house or apartment you're never in!
What do you miss most about home when you’re at sea?
Family and friends, absolutely. Also my "stuff." Sometimes I wish I had a particular book, album, or instrument handy, but it's only possible to bring so much with you.
Do you feel like you get to see the world?
Yes and no. For musicians, we get to see about as much of the ports as the passengers, with the added benefit (well, sometimes it's a benefit) of doing the same circuit several times. That way, since there's a limited time frame each stop, you can revisit a port next time round and see something different. You do get a taste of each place, and you can decide if you'd want to spend more time there in the future.
Could you see yourself ever vacationing on a cruise?
Hmm. Probably not. If I were going to vacation somewhere, I'd like to spend more than a single day. Although, as I mentioned above, a cruise ship is a great way to see a lot of places in one shot (e.g., the Mediterranean).
What piece of advice would you give someone taking a cruise for the first time?
Make sure you choose a cruise line appropriate to your demographic. Sometimes young passengers are uncomfortable with the activities and entertainment of a line that caters to an older crowd, and vice versa. And do say "please" and "thank you" to the crew. They work very hard for you!
Know anyone who works on the front lines of travel who we should do a Q&A with? Let us know!
And if you have questions for someone who left their corporate life to run a B&B in France, let us know here.
And if you have questions for someone who left their corporate life to run a B&B in France, let us know here.
Previous Q&As in this series:
1 comments:
Great Q&A! It'd be interesting to do one with other members of the cruise ship and get their perspective as well.
The questions from the cruisers were hilarious by the way.
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