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Topic: what is life like on the ship?

november
Just Boarded
Member # 4135

posted 06-16-2004 03:08 PM

Does anyone have any experience working in cruise ship spas? (specifically as a technician)
What was your experience like? Do they REALLY overwork you?
Working on the ship,do you actually get a full day off to see a port? Do they offer shorter contracts, say 4 months during the summer? Is the food edible? Basically, on a scale of 1-10, 10 being best, 1 being worst, how well were you basic necessities met? I guesse I'm really trying to find out if living on the ship is actually livable.

Posts: 3 | From: Raleigh, NC | Registered: Sep 2003 | IP: Logged

Barryboat
First Class Passenger
Member # 33

posted 06-17-2004 10:37 AM

Living on the ships is certainly livable. The food is not bad, although sometimes it got a bit tedious because of the repeated menu week after week. Cruise ship life being "livable" is also relative to your personality. If you don't mind a room mate, and long work hours, then you should be alright. If you're a heavy social drinker, you will find ship life to be especially inviting. On the ship, you will learn to take cat naps throughout the day. Yes you do get a number of ports days free, but it depends on your position. What type of technician were you planning to apply for? If you are a maintenance technician...you may be more busy while the ship is in port, because most of the passengers are ashore and you can work more freely on what ever needs fixin.

Posts: 1851 | From: Bloomington, Minnesota (Home to the Mall of America) | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged

chrisrotlmacin
First Class Passenger
Member # 4531

posted 06-17-2004 04:02 PM

What was your experience like? Do they REALLY overwork you?
Working on the ship,do you actually get a full day off to see a port? Do they offer shorter contracts, say 4 months during the summer? Is the food edible? Basically, on a scale of 1-10, 10 being best, 1 being worst, how well were you basic necessities met? I guesse I'm really trying to find out if living on the ship is actually livable.

First depends the cruise line you will work. Spa is not bussy in the port days unless is a formall night in the evning so you will get time to see the ports . How is the food? depends the cruise line and sametimes even the ship . Depends your position also . If you can share a cabin will not be a problem , from my experience the worst time you will have is the first week as you have to learn many thinks and the moment you leave the ship to go home . Depends on your luck about witch ship you will be working can be many travelling . Alaska or europe in summer , carribean or south america in winter . So good luck . Do you already aply for a job ?

Posts: 233 | From: Romania ,the home country of Dracula and with the best cruise crew in the world | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

Liner Buff
First Class Passenger
Member # 4908

posted 07-24-2004 10:17 AM

I do not have 1st hand experience of employment in an onboard spa but I do work on a cruise ship where the spa is operated by the dominant company in the business, Steiner.
What I hear from the spa staff is that conditions of living obviously depend on the cruise line. When it comes to conditions of employment, the spa staff have 8 months contract and get a day off almost every week. It is to be noted that the crew employed by the cruise line never get a full day off. However the spa staff say that often, especially after a few months onboard, they are too tired to take full advantage of their day off and prefer to sleep instead. I work on a ship whith a no-tipping policy. Consequently, the average crewmember's basic salary is higher than in the rest of the industry. If I compare a spa staff's basic salary with that of the rest of the crew, the average spa staff make as much money as a Filipino deck steward (!) Even spa managers have comparatively low salaries. So I would say that if you want to make money, working in a spa onboard a ship is not always the best solution, unless your passengers give you generous tips.

Posts: 31 | From: France | Registered: Jul 2004 | IP: Logged

chrisrotlmacin
First Class Passenger
Member # 4531

posted 07-31-2004 02:27 AM

What kind of technician ???? Signed Chris , Slot tech , crew M/S Norwegian Dawn

Posts: 233 | From: Romania ,the home country of Dracula and with the best cruise crew in the world | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

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