Hi Carly,
I worked as a youth activities counselor on a Disney cruise ship for six months in 2005. Obviously there’s a fair bit of variation between lines, but I can tell you about my experiences.
I shared a two-person cabin - my roomie was from Botswana, we got on well, but close quarters (VERY close) can be draining. She also was a counselor, but worked with the younger kids, so we didn’t work together, which was kind of important. Our shifts were ten hours a day, every day - I didn’t have a day off for my entire contract. Shifts could begin and end at any time, so we learned quickly to draw the curtains around our bunks, stick in ear plugs, and sleep whenever we got the chance.
The stage ensemble on our ship, being Disney, were a multi-talented lot. Apart from the main stage cast, our other entertainers included a six piece 60’s style rock band and a three piece steel drum. I think they got treated pretty well, with no duties apart from their performances. (Unlike we in youth activities, who were also ersatz lifeguards, snorkel hawkers, deckchair folders, etc.)
EVERYONE came home with an extra suitcase. Our ship did short runs, 3 and 4 day cruises around the Bahamas, with pretty limited shopping opportunities, but somehow, we all accumulated stuff.
You will have to be pretty good at entertaining yourself. I always got a lot of reading done - one of my first stops on port days was Books A Million, followed by B&N.
If you’re eating in the crew mess, be prepared for quite monotonous food. The crew chefs always did their best for us, even having theme nights and ‘submit a recipe’ competitions… but eating bulk cooking isn’t much fun. Even the guest restaurants, which I got to eat in once or twice, weren’t really up to much.
Some of the excursions organised by the ship were pretty good, if you don’t mind group activities, and can provide a hassle-free, if somewhat brainless way, of seeing ports.
Enough? Any questions, I’m happy to have a crack at them.
Congrats on the gig, and have fun!
