Passengers see cruising as a glamorous, romantic experience, but did you ever wonder what it takes to make that holiday come true? Have you ever wondered where does the crew sleep, eat, or what kind of life they lead on a glamorous ship? As cruise jobs are not always as sweet as they may appear, there are some pros and cons of cruise jobs.

Cruise Job Benefits
First of all, it is the travel. The members of the crew generally sign contracts that last between 4 – 12 months during which time they get to see the world for free. Every day there will be a special destination to explore and discover.

Food and board are included. You will have food and shelter for free which means no bills whatsoever while they work on board. You will not worry about electricity, phone, or rent as well as no commuting to get to the workplace. Although a cruise job does not give the greatest salary ever paid one can save significantly with these advantages.

And one more benefit - there are the friends! There are usually at any given time on a cruise ship a great number of different nationalities hailing from Asia to Eastern Europe. And due to the close interaction crewmembers have they get to know different cultures and make lifetime friends. There is hardly a place on earth where someone from Romania will share a room with someone from Australia for a number of months.

Cruise Job Drawbacks
The description of cruise job sounds so ideal that it’s even hard to believe that it does have some disadvantages as well. But there are downsides even to a perfect job.

First of all, a crewmember may have homesickness. You will get homesick more than once during a contract, as the ship life is so compact and different that no matter how good it may be. You will be away from your family and friends for a period of at least four months at a time and it is very hard for some crewmembers, especially those who are married and have kids at home.

Though cruise jobs may seem rather glamorous for those who cruise for a holiday, and they can be. But crew members cope with multiple jobs due to the fact that a ship may have only a limited number of crew and yet all tasks need to be covered. Such jobs take most of their free time, which often doesn’t give them a chance to get off the ship at a port of call.

In addition, crew members have to keep strict rules and regulations that are followed by all cruise lines as per the maritime regulations and one such rule obliges that one third of the crew always should be available onboard in case of an emergency. That is why some crew members are chosen by rotation basis to stay on board every day.

Anyway all jobs have their good and bad parts. And it mostly depends how you look at it. If you think you are cut out for a cruise job, why not give it a try.