# What's it like to work on a cruise ship? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 10, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-it-like-to-work-on-a-cruise-ship/174377 "2003-05-10T20:21:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dreamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@dreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamer)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-it-like-to-work-on-a-cruise-ship/174377/1 "2003-05-10T20:21:01Z")
My SO and I are thinking of being a lounge act for a cruise ship but have no idea what the conditions are. It seems it pays pretty well and you get a room and food included. Has anyone had any experience? ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-it-like-to-work-on-a-cruise-ship/174377/2 "2003-05-10T20:30:09Z")
I have no information or experience at all, but I’ve also always thought working on a cruise ship would be cool as hell. What is the pay like? How does one go about getting hired? Anybody running any cruises with an opening right now? That is _just_ what I need. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-it-like-to-work-on-a-cruise-ship/174377/3 "2003-05-10T21:52:02Z")
We talked to one of the employees once when we were on a cruise and it sounds pretty awful. You have to work like 18 hours a day for months and months at a time. I think the pay is pretty crappy too (another industry that relies heavily on tips). This is of course for kitchen people/chambermaids, etc. I think if you’re a hired performer or activities director or something you’re going to make more and have better conditions. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-it-like-to-work-on-a-cruise-ship/174377/4 "2003-05-11T13:53:58Z")
My old tap teacher did this once – one cruise, they did, IIRC, two performances over five days, and the rest of the time just hung out and did the cruise thing. He said it was a great vacation. ---
**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-it-like-to-work-on-a-cruise-ship/174377/5 "2003-05-11T18:05:06Z")
I’m sure your questions will be answered if you just watch an episode or two of _Love Boat_. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-it-like-to-work-on-a-cruise-ship/174377/6 "2003-05-11T18:12:12Z")
I don’t know anything personally, but [this book](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1854582925/qid=1052676933/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-9847119-0073506?v=glance&s=books) should answer quite a few of your questions. I looked into cruise ship working a while back and found it useful. ---
**Author:** ![Rita\_Eata\_Pita](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d07c76/32.png) [@Rita\_Eata\_Pita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rita_Eata_Pita)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-it-like-to-work-on-a-cruise-ship/174377/7 "2003-05-11T20:09:35Z")
My sister worked on a cruise ship once about a year ago. Her job was to give lectures to the tourists about natives and their culture. (It was an Alaskan cruise and she is an anthropologist.) She enjoyed it, except that she was seasick often. Her pay was very good, but like **Voguevixen** said, the cerw members worked very hard, and only earned about fifteen dollars per day.