Cruise ship worker says it’s ‘not worth it’ as he reveals exhausting schedule and living conditions
Topics: Cruise ship, Travel, World News
Callum Jones
Featured Image Credit: Chris Libreros / ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Cruise ship, Travel, World News
Cruise ships have been in the news a LOT lately.
In particular, the 2,000 person nude cruise - operated by Bare Necessities - has gone viral following a Reddit Q&A from one of the passengers on board.
And with all the cruise ship stories about people abandoning life on land for life on sea, it has led to some wondering whether working on one could be a viable career option.
Well, one cruise ship worker has advised against that, stating it's 'not worth it' due to the apparent exhausting schedule and living conditions.
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Chris Libreros worked for a major US cruise line from March to November last year, and he certainly wasn't a fan.
He told Business Insider: "I've lived in Miami my entire life, so I've always watched the cruise ships go in and out of the port — but I never really understood what happened on board."
"I had a friend who worked for a major cruise line, and I heard it was sailing in Asia, an area of the world I'd always wanted to explore. He helped me get a job in the guest-services department, which is like the general front desk of a cruise ship."
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Essentially, Chris' role involved a lot of customer service, as he assisted guests with any queries or complaints they may have had.
Chris left the US with a wage of $2,100 a month before taxes, as he sailed to the likes of Malaysia and Thailand before returning to the states.
However, the first few months saw Chris working on 'cruises to nowhere', where you got out to sea for a few days, without any port stops, before coming back.
"During those cruises, we worked about eight to nine hours a day," Chris told Business Insider.
But when the 'normal cruises' began, that's when things changed.
"But once the normal cruises began, we worked between nine and 11 ½ hours a day, depending on staffing levels," Chris said.
"On a cruise ship, most crew don't get any days off. It's continuous work seven days a week.
"The living conditions were also much different from what I was used to. You're in a very small room that you probably share with another person."
Now, Chris is back working a 9-5 - and he can't seem himself working a cruise ship ever again.
"Personally, I would say it probably wasn't worth it. Maybe if I had done it at another time, my experience would've been different," he said.