Working For Free Travel On A Cruise Ship

[MTJSR]

I hear all the time about people working on cruise ships and traveling for free. The catch is they work part of the time giving talks on ports or many many other topics. Does anyone know details on this and which lines like to do that. More important, does anyone know where to sign up or get more information. For anyone who has done this before, what are the arrangements like and how long are they likely to stay on the ship?

[DrD]

I hear all the time about people working on cruise ships and traveling for free. The catch is they work part of the time giving talks on ports or many many other topics. Does anyone know details on this and which lines like to do that. More important, does anyone know where to sign up or get more information. For anyone who has done this before, what are the arrangements like and how long are they likely to stay on the ship?

 

Well, if you can do dialysis you can go for free!

 

Standard outside cabin and port tax.

 

A companion pays full price, unless they're desperate.

[MTJSR]

Well that makes me wonder then if you are saying that the ships offer kidney dialysis to their crew and passengers?

[UTAH]

You know, at first glance it sounds like a great idea to spend so much time on a ship during a "tour of duty" in exchange for part-time work.

I've talked with several people on Princess ships who do things like pottery class, dance partnering, excursion chaperoning, etc. My impression was that they were pretty blasé and seemed somewhat detached about it all. Maybe it's just the people I talked with, but they just did not seem that thrilled about it after doing it for a while.

I think part of it may be that when something is special, and then you do it for an extended period of time, it becomes something not so special anymore.

Bill

[Bowie MeMe]

When you are working on a cruise ship I bet you know that you are WORKING! I bet you that the workers are not allowed to relax, renew and kick back like the passengers do. Most of the workers that I have chatted with work long hours and have stresses just like we do in our "regular" life. Be careful what you wish for -- you may get it!

[DrD]

Well that makes me wonder then if you are saying that the ships offer kidney dialysis to their crew and passengers?

 

Not crew, but several cruises will have a handful of dialysis patients and a small dialysis unit.

 

I've never actually done it, but I can go for free if I want to in exchange for spending a few hours 3 times during the week in the unit.

 

They have a similar deal for dialysis nurses but I think they spend more time doing the treatment.

 

You can read about it here:

 

http://www.dialysisatsea.com/

[bdjam]

I know an interpreter for the deaf and a destination lecturer who both have worked for Princess and other cruise lines. They have passenger status, including a passenger cabin, dinner in the dining room, all deck privileges, etc. There are online agencies which act as “agents” for people in these positions, but once they are known by the cruise line, they are on their “list” and are called when needed.

[jlp20]

>>>Well that makes me wonder then if you are saying that the ships offer kidney dialysis to their crew and passengers?

 

 

Every so often, dialysis is offered on a cruise. This is for the passengers with kidney problems. I’m positive anyone with any debilitating disease would never get hired by a cruise line.

 

So you can do the math, each dialysis patient is hooked up to a machine anywhere from 9 to 12 hours a week. The dialysis center where my mother goes to is going strong from 5:30AM to 6:00 PM. Six patients per machine a week. Or, working 9-12 a day for six days out of a seven-day cruise, such a deal.

 

Not long ago I read of a preacher of some denomination looking into this type of program. He declined after figuring out he would have about two free hours a day.

 

You have to come up with some type of “educational” program that would bring aboard professionals looking for a cruise to write off their taxes.

[seamama1]

An Uncle of mine signed on with a major cruise line as a "gentleman host". He is retired military and was a widower. He actually did 2 separate tours and loved it. He had full passenger status and his main duties were dancing with the single women on the ship, accompanying them on shore tours (if they needed help or were fearful of going ashore). Every night he dined at a different table.

 

He was required to dress in a tux every evening after 600PM, be at all the cocktail parties, high resort wear during the day. He basically was a "good will ambassador" during the day, paying special attention to the older women traveling alone or with one or two friends.

 

Tough Life!

 

He decided to do something different for a change and signed on with a resort in Antigua in the Caribbean, ended up re-married and moved to Bequia.....He is living large - or as he says, as large as you can live when your pushing 80!

 

I tip my hat to him, fer sure.

[cruznliz]

I think Princess uses an agency for their lecturers and religious service leaders (priests and such). I've talked to some of the guest entertainers and they don't always get passenger cabins. It's the luck of the draw if you are in a crew cabin or a passenger cabin, and you can be sure you won't have a window! :eek: It does sound like a fun life, but I think when it comes right down to it I'd rather be a passenger.

[Bequia]

....... ended up re-married and moved to Bequia..... .

 

What part of the island did he end up on? We could be neighbors...:p

[Mrs. Gump]

Do they ever do this for Dentists?

Do ships have their own full-time dentists? I think I read somewhere that crew members visit dentist's in port but what if there's a passenger emergency at sea?

[karen2cruz]

I took a Power Point class on a Princess Ship a year ago. The "teacher" and her husband were on a 4 week contract to teach computer classes as part of the Scholarship at Sea program they have. They only taught maybe 6-8 times the whole cruise and got free cabin, etc -full privileges for both of them.

[caviargal]

When you are working on a cruise ship I bet you know that you are WORKING! I bet you that the workers are not allowed to relax, renew and kick back like the passengers do. Most of the workers that I have chatted with work long hours and have stresses just like we do in our "regular" life. Be careful what you wish for -- you may get it!

 

I have done contract work as part of the entertainment staff. Luckily, since I worked for the CD, I had passenger privileges which makes a difference. My shipboard emplyoyees (6 month contracts) did not.

 

I was in a passenger cabin - minimum cateogry - but it was way better than the crew decks.

 

I enjoyed it for a couple of weeks at a time, but, there are lots of rules and regulations from how you are allowed to dress to permitted behavior. I wish I had signed on in my 20s for a year or two, but these days a week or two is enough for me.

[mrgabriel]

I hear all the time about people working on cruise ships and traveling for free. The catch is they work part of the time giving talks on ports or many many other topics. Does anyone know details on this and which lines like to do that. More important, does anyone know where to sign up or get more information. For anyone who has done this before, what are the arrangements like and how long are they likely to stay on the ship?

 

On Mariner there was a woman who did the shopping excursions. She had seminars in the lounges, was on tv constantly, stood in the Promenade and helped people decide where they could get the best "deal" on watches or gold or diamonds. She was a Canadian, and had a home in Ontario that she seemed to commute to on a bi-weekly basis. I saw her one morning and she was heading off to talk to merchants on one of the islands.

 

I suspect that she was a contractor with Royal Caribbean, and part of her job was to negotiate with shops on islands and get them involved in RCCI's affiliate programs. It was more of a sales job than anything else.

 

You could contact one of the cruise lines and see what they can suggest. Or if you are on a cruise at some point in the future, you could certainly ask the lecturer for their insight.

[RichardK]

Years ago I met a young man who, for 6-months out of the year, was a full-time Ski School Instructor. I said, "Man, that must be a great job?"

 

His answer was: "Yea, it was for the first two weeks. Now it's just a job!"

[catmand]

Do they ever do this for Dentists?

Do ships have their own full-time dentists? I think I read somewhere that crew members visit dentist's in port but what if there's a passenger emergency at sea?

 

I wish I could give you MORE info but the basic answer is yes, they do it for Dentists. My wife manages a practice, both the Doc and one of the Hygienists has received info for short stints on-board.

I did a little looking as I thought my RN license would be put to good use. I am much happier sailing as a paying passenger.

[kitty9]

To the OP: You have to posses a special skill in order to be hired as a part time guest lecturer or instructor. You just can't go on and talk about anything like ports of call unless you have some sort of special knowledge of that area. Those that are hired are usually highly accomplished individuals who have had interesting jobs, like authorsm, politicians and famous entertainers. I've done cruises on Crystal, a line that has some of the best programs at sea, and I've seen ambassadors, playwrights, authors, TV personalities, military experts, famous actors/actresses, professors who are well known in their field, astronauts, Olympians and people like that. They generally only hire those who are well qualified for what they want to do.

 

Crystal has what they call their Creative Learning Institute on board their ships and they have highly qualified instructors in foreign language, investments, computer science, art and physical fitness. These people are hired out by a talent agency, of sorts. They screen all applicants to make sure they are extremely competent in their field of knowledge. The cruise lines don't just hire anybody to teach their courses---you must be highly educated in that field.

 

Some cruise lines also hire clergy during religious holidays to conduct services. Then there are the dance hosts, men who are retired, and who must demonstrate a total knowledge of all types of ballroom dancing---these guys go through strict background checks.

 

How long you stay depends on the cruise line, but for the most part, it's generally two to four weeks. And don't let anyone fool you, these people work hard and some of the instructors have long hours. I know the people who handle the computer classes on Crystal, have to be in the computer lab from 7am until 6pm, with an hour off for lunch. The lecturers have it a little easier, but they also must be tour escorts for the ship's shore excursions.

[MTJSR]

To the OP: You have to posses a special skill in order to be hired as a part time guest lecturer or instructor. You just can't go on and talk about anything like ports of call unless you have some sort of special knowledge of that area. Those that are hired are usually highly accomplished individuals who have had interesting jobs, like authorsm, politicians and famous entertainers. I've done cruises on Crystal, a line that has some of the best programs at sea, and I've seen ambassadors, playwrights, authors, TV personalities, military experts, famous actors/actresses, professors who are well known in their field, astronauts, Olympians and people like that. They generally only hire those who are well qualified for what they want to do.

 

 

My original thought in the question was just me being curious. I like many other cruisers love being on a ship a couple times a year but cannot see myself enjoying being a worker on one. I use to think my friend who pilots for a large major airline had it made but he thinks he is just a big bus driver.

[DrD]

>>>Well that makes me wonder then if you are saying that the ships offer kidney dialysis to their crew and passengers?

 

 

Every so often, dialysis is offered on a cruise. This is for the passengers with kidney problems. I’m positive anyone with any debilitating disease would never get hired by a cruise line.

 

So you can do the math, each dialysis patient is hooked up to a machine anywhere from 9 to 12 hours a week. The dialysis center where my mother goes to is going strong from 5:30AM to 6:00 PM. Six patients per machine a week. Or, working 9-12 a day for six days out of a seven-day cruise, such a deal.

 

Not long ago I read of a preacher of some denomination looking into this type of program. He declined after figuring out he would have about two free hours a day.

 

You have to come up with some type of “educational” program that would bring aboard professionals looking for a cruise to write off their taxes.

 

Well, maybe for the nurses, but we docs only have to visit for about 20 minutes per shift.

 

And they don't run full shifts, it's usually about 6 patients for a total of 12 hours during the week.

[DanJ]

I was chatting with the girl on Sapphire who did the airbrush tattoos. I noticed she was from Canada which was how we got to talking. She said that since she didn't work for Princess, she wasn't required to do other duties when her tattoo booth wasn't open. She had to wear her name badge at all times in public but was allowed to partake in passenger activities on a space available basis. I don't know where she ate, but I'm sure it was in the crew area. Her cabin, which she had to herself, was on deck 4 at first, then she moved up to deck 5 where the entertainers who came and went through the week stayed.

[RichardK]

Somewhat OT, but this thread got me thinking about some of the NCL Ships, and the horror stories that first came out, and somewhat persists, about service, etc. Those ships being fully manned (and woman'ed) by an American crew as we know.

 

I can just imagine how it went>>>I'm so lucky. I'm going to work on a Cruise Ship!! Then two weeks later --- I didn't know that I'd have to work 18 hours a day, and clean toilets...... That must have been a real wake up call!

[rada628]

Do they ever do this for Dentists?

Do ships have their own full-time dentists? I think I read somewhere that crew members visit dentist's in port but what if there's a passenger emergency at sea?

 

Yes. A friend of mine is a hygenist(sp?). She said that she can travel for free and she only has to work for 4 hours on sea days. Port days are free time. Apparently, there is either a dentist or hygenist on board alternately. I think you have to get on a waiting list, though.