NOT ALL SMOOTH SAILING

​As my new mates on ControlBooth point out, working on a cruise ship is not all smooth sailing.  If you’re interested in working on a cruise ship, you should know the pros and cons.

​First, as they said, working on a cruise ship “can be a great start to a career”, although it could just be “a stepping stone job”.  It is true that you don’t see many ‘older’ people working on cruise ships (unless they’re management).  According to a quick Google search, the average person changes jobs every 4.2 years, and theatre technicians are probably no different – probably more often in my experience.  
 
Another great piece of advice is to check your contract carefully.  For instance, does the cruise line offer a retirement benefits package, or are you a ‘contractor’?  Also, what long term and preventative medical benefits are actually offered.  And, are you paid hourly or daily?  You’ll be working more than 8-hour days, so look at that carefully too!
 
But, don’t let any of this stop you checking out this career option – you should check these types of things for any job you are offered anywhere –  because the experience is a great resume builder, and you never know where you will end up!
 
BTW - if you haven’t yet discovered ControlBooth, check it out at https://www.controlbooth.com/   It’s a wealth of information for techs, and an especially good place for student techs to check out all sorts of topics related to work in the entertainment industry!