A LIFESTYLE; WHAT’S IT LIKE LIVING ON A CRUISE SHIP

​We’ve been talking a lot about what it’s like to work in a theatre on a cruise ship, but what is it like to actually live on the ship, too?
 
As we saw in a previous blog post, a crew member’s contract can be around 6 months.  That’s a long time to be away from home, living in a small – usually shared – space. Let’s look at some insight about crew turnover from Joie and Abby, aboard the Norwegian Bliss…

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A lifestyle on board a ship is not for everyone but others seem to thrive at sea.  It seems like there are two types of cruise techies – those who have been working on ships for only a few month, and those who have been there for 14 years or more!
 
Abby says that it’s a different vibe working on a ship, and you have to be very willing to work – a lot of people don’t get that you’re working seven days a week.  In her experience, a lot of PSMs (Production Stage Managers) who have worked on land and think they’d like to work at sea, don’t last long. On the other hand, some people, like Abby and Joie love their lifestyle.  As Abby says, “It’s worth it, trust me, I wouldn’t keep doing it”!
 
How do you know whether it’s the right thing for you?  Will you last a few months or many years?  All the more reason to take a Discovery Cruise before you sign a multi-month contract!
 
Let’s first look at the reason many people want to work at sea – the opportunity to travel and visit places all over the world.  Yes, you do get some time off, particularly in ports when there is not so much going on on the ship because most of the passengers are off on their shore excursions.
 
When the passengers are away, the crew will play!  In some cases, crew are permitted to use the gym and other facilities on board the ship normally reserved for passengers. 
 
Although there will always be something to do, some piece of equipment to repair, cues to go over, a piece to rehearse – just as in any theatre – when the ship is in port the crew can be allowed to get off and experience different lands and different cultures.
 
And speaking of different cultures, as Abby says, it’s amazing to be able to meet and work with people from all over the world.
 
What about your cabin, when you’re not working and when you’re not playing - what will that be like?  Your cabin situation really depends on your rank.  If you are a technician it’s most likely that you will be sharing a cabin with another person.  In some cases, there are four people to a cabin, but it completely depends on the ship and what job you do.  This is a really important thing for you to check your contract for. 
 
In the case of the Bliss, everyone in the large production show (“Jersey Boys” at the time I was on board) has their own cabin. However, not necessarily their own bathroom.  It’s common to have a “jack and jill” situation where two cabins are on either side of one shared bathroom.
 
For management the cabins situation is usually a bit more generous.  Both Abby and Joie are lucky to have their own “officer cabins”.  And, while this isn’t always the case with crew cabins, which are typically inside cabins, they have a portal in their cabins.
 
Abby’s cabin has a full bed, a desk, wardrobe, and a bathroom to herself.  She also has a pullout couch, and she is allowed to have a family member or close friend stay with her.  More on relationships and family below.
 
But the thing that makes your cabin more like home, whether you are sharing or have your own, is your decorations.  Crew members are allowed to decorate their cabins as they like.  And, one thing that makes it easy to decorate your cabin is that the walls are metal.  So you can just stick things up on the wall with magnets wherever you’d like.  Be sure to take some magnets with you when you’re on your Discovery Cruise – check out some ideas in the Slop Chest!
 
One thing that they do on the Bliss – and this may be similar on other ships and cruise lines – is to have an area of a dressing room put aside, called “Sad Santa”.  It’s a place where crew who are finishing up their contracts can leave anything they’re not taking with them, and income crew can find free decorations for their cabins.  What a great idea!
 
And speaking of crew coming and going, what’s it like to be away from your family for months on end?  You can't just get off and go fly home in between shows.  Luckily there’s video conferencing (internet is only getting better and better on board ships these days), as well as apps such as WhatsApp.  Another logistic you have to take into consideration is different time zones – they can be changing all the time as the ship sails around.
 
Some people, like Joie, who has a wife and kids back home, always have a place to go home to (and fix things!  But, being a theatre tech, that’s one of the things he enjoys doing!). Most people who are single won’t keep an apartment back home, and will keep their furniture and belongings in storage or at a family member’s house.  Your salary includes your room and board, so it doesn’t make sense for some to also be paying rent for an empty place back home.
 
In some cases, in this mobile world, extended family don’t live close anyway, and may see each other two or three times a year, so in many ways living on board a ship is no different.  The silver lining about time off from working on a ship as opposed to office bound 9-to-5’ers, is that you don’t have to work for what could be several weeks, so you have all the time to devote to your family and friends.
 
Plus, family can come and visit you on board your ship, and get a vacation at the same time.  In the case of people who have their own cabins, as mentioned above, they may be able to have family members and close friends stay with them, or as Abby recently experienced, her family surprised by booking a cruise on the ship she was working on. 
 
But, not everyone is away from their family. Some crew have family and relationships on board ship. Cruise lines recognize that people are on ships for a long time…. Relationships may develop on board or sometimes people apply for jobs wanting to work with a significant other or family member.  The main limiting condition, it seems, is that you can’t be the direct supervisor of another employee with whom you are in a relationship.  If, for instance, you were a theatre technician, and your sister, or spouse was an actor, then that would not be a conflict of interest, and the cruise lines would take your relationship into consideration.  Happy crew members are dedicated crew members!
 
But, it seems, cruise lines do try to accommodate family members working together as much as possible.  For instance, Norwegian’s Creative Studios wants you to tell them if you’re in a relationships with someone, so that they can put you together if possible.
 
Of course, in the case of casting actors for a production, though, the people do have to be the right fit for the parts, so it’s not always possible. In the case of theatre technicians, you have to have the right combination of skills that they need for the open positions.
 
That said, in the case of “Jersey Boys”, there are couples in the cast who are married, engaged, and dating. So when they auditioned, they likely stated that they were couples.
 
Well, that’s it for now for what your lifestyle will be like when you’re working in a theatre on board a ship.  For a list of “cruise-tubers” who live on board ships and have great advice for anyone considering doing so, be sure to check out the Master Class.
 
NEXT WEEK’S BLISS-FUL TOPIC:   Control consoles on a ship – how much do you need to know
 
Curious about working on a cruise ship?  Check out the Master Class
 
Serious about working on a cruise ship?  Check out the Discovery Cruise
 
Don’t forget to check out the Slop Chest for your must-have cruise related apparel, supplies, etc! 
https://www.cruisetechies.com/slopchest.html