How much time off do you get working on cruise ships & what job onboard gives you the most time off?

Hey sailors
If you are going to work on a cruise ship then most likely, you are doing it to be able to travel. While this is one of the main perks of working on a cruise ship, you have to have time off work to be able to explore the ports you will be visiting.
Working on land normally means you work Monday to Friday and then have the weekend off, and you have a certain amount of days during the year you can book off work. This isn’t the case when working on a cruise ship. You will be expected to work every day of your contract but hopefully you will get enough time off to see the amazing destinations.
In today's video I explain how time off is given when working onboard and list a few different jobs you can do that will give you the most amount of time off.
This video will be good for anyone thinking about working on cruise ships or maybe you want to travel and are looking or jobs that will allow you to do so.
I hope this video helps you decide what job would be good for you onboard a cruise ship.
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Thank you for watching.

[@batboy555]

Did 50 days at sea. Every day 12 to 16 hours a day. I was exhausted. Got a nice hotel and slept alot.

[@melodymills5432]

Just found your channel. Very interesting. I am so thankful for all the staff that work so hard to make cruising simply wonderful. Can't wait for when we can finally get back to cruising. I've only been on one (Alaska 2019) and now I am hooked. Have a glorious day,

[@i-love-space390]

You sweet girl. Thanks for your service. You all made my cruise the best! If you ever get discouraged, please remember you are providing a tremendous service to many hard-working civilians. You are wonderful. :)

[@TatiAna-vg9fi]

LUCY U are AMAZING, very clear and exactly the type of videos I needed to watch to decide whether to join Virgin Voyages or not, but I am still undecisive, SUCH A HARD DECISION! Thank you and all the best to you, greetings from Argentina!!

[@filipamatos3854]

this video was actually really helpful, thanks

[@sophiedushku9234]

Your videos about cruise are helpful because you explain topics in seperate videos which give us a better understanding rather than explaining everything fast in just one video. Can you do a video quick about enquires about working like shops,galleries etc also how mucn money you earn because its not only about seeing the worls,its also about to safe something at the end haha. I know it depends where u work what section,but aproximately if its possible. thanks

[@rayfreeman2305]

I find your videos very interesting and informative.

[@yelizsichkar4680]

Thank you for your videos!

[@jota600]

Lucy you are the best!! Love your videos!

[@CruisingAsCrew]

JUAN! Thanks neigbour 😉

[@SterianAlinaNicoleta]

Thank you for this information!

[@jinxheath2868]

Yup.. Crew Member from NORWEGIAN right here 🙌🏽.. We sleep 💤 And if we’ve already been to a certain port over and over then we either stay in or just hit the Gym 💪🏽

[@ericabelcher8760]

Do you mind sharing a few mire details for me please? Like I was curious, did they put you with 1 person in you cabin or 3 more ppl? I'm just asking..

[@jinxheath2868]

@@ericabelcher8760 well I work in concession department (like in the shops on board) so we have to share cabins as 2 crew members, sea days work hours 9am - 11pm. Of course breaks are included - on port days shop close until the evening once are sailing again

[@ericabelcher8760]

I meantto type *more*...sorry

[@ericabelcher8760]

@@jinxheath2868 thank you for sharing that info. Appreciate it

[@roberttchirinda2094]

This is so helpful

[@broviking7985]

Very good explanation !!!

[@lucysmum1895]

Lucy, as a domiciliary care worker, I go home for lunch after my midday call. I opt out teatime calls so that I can rest from early morning start. Though my agency makes me cover mid or late pm to cover absent colleagues occasionally, I make sure I have early supper before I return to my evening calls which can be a later finish. But when I cruise, I have no time for a nap because I don’t want to miss out anything such as a dance class or afternoon tea. June of London

[@my_duolingo_routine]

Yep so true. Just one thing, delivery days for shops can be almost every second or third cruise and take all day. then u ran for a shower and then stand the drill after running to the crew mess as the only chance to eat for the rest of the day and then open a store with a smile and the counting things like alcohol sigs or cosmetics after 11pm if it was busy at the shop till last minute what happens and then you need to arrange promos for the next day. so it happens often we finished midnight and u start sea day 9... it was really challenging. Naps are just really what u have to have if u are on a break in the long sea day cause u physically need them to survive. But how the hell important to be with a great team! Absolutely it is all about good teamwork. and the half of them is your second family u just miss a lot for years and years and good our days u can stay in touch a while on the social network but u just keep missing them all... Thank you Lucy for so nice videos. U put me in so many memories!

[@rickarchibald1369]

Eye brow one fleek!!!

[@jasonstark6780]

I give them credit. the staff was working like 10 or 12 hour days every day for six months. The ones I talked to said basically they dont leave the ship.

[@arabecoin604]

thank you for your effort

[@Fjiolla.DaenerysYT]

New hire here of Carnival Cruise Lines. Be joining this year💯♥️

[@Hauptstufe]

LMK how it goes. I am interested just because it is seasonal / short-term contract and I want to backpack the AT next year.

[@designdoctor247]

can u make a video about the cutest cruise wear u have seen w links for us to buy...hope u get a sponsor out of it😀

[@scottparrington650]

I spent 20yrs working split shifts,I know what you mean!!

[@EricEric-ne2ix]

curious about officers (3 stripes +)? Thank you for the great videos.

[@Nurse_Lucy]

Hey! My name is Lucy too. Nice to meet another. I'm interested in cruise nursing. Have you ever done a video about that?

[@josephlashley3166]

We were in Miami and one of the gust got sick before sailing. We were three hours late leaving after dark. All the employees were coming out to take pictures of the Miami background.

[@vajiransari8723]

Nice video

[@Ericavolio]

Hello! Just found your channel and already loved it! I'll start my first contract in a month as a Media Manager and couldn't find much about on KZbin...😢 I have a question: can you tell me how apply to work in shops? Many thanks!

[@ichwilleinboot3921]

Princess has art as well😃

[@alexanderlapp5048]

Being on a cruise ship sounds a lot easier than being on an aircraft carrier. My daughter signed a 6year contract with the U.S. Navy and she gets to come home once a year.

[@StephenHeckler]

Best way I've ever heard carrier life described, is like living directly under a roller coaster, that doesn't stop running. The whole ship is moving, from the ocean waves and the planes launching and recovering. It is louder then any civilian could ever understand, and even though its a huge ship, privacy is virtually nonexistent. So I have to chuckle when I watch cruise ship stories, because even being a staff member on a cruise ship is luxurious compared to Navy life!

[@redengineer4380]

@@StephenHeckler Even so, shipboard life of any sort, civilian OR military, takes enormous discipline and sacrifice.

[@batboy555]

And if the carrier is moving like that in high seas. Think about us destroyermen. Saw 40 degree rolls a few times.

[@harryraphiel6316]

She volunteered. Nobody forced her to join the navy.

[@monetarnie3841]

This is not a competition who doesn't see their parents for longer. She volunteered. I didn't see my mum for 10 years and I wasn't even in the army or anything like that bahahahaah Army pays for Your food and accomodation. You should tell her to find the job abroad and live in a different country, learn a new language and pay the rent and all the bills plus the education herself bahahahahahaha Being home once a year is nothing special.

[@vanessastein9986]

Hi - found your channel a few days ago - love your videos. Such good insight. I worked in a club hotel before ( entertainment department) which seems to be pretty similar- like a stationary cruise ship 😅 Do you know anything about people’s times and salaries in the fitness/ gym department? Doing personal training or group classes and such things. Is it similar/ the same as spa?

[@mikestead3804]

Think about the Deck officers and Engineers in the old days 4 on 8 off period in port maintenance

[@ridinwithjake]

I admire you guys. Maybe I could do that job in my 20s. I could never do it in my 30s or 40s.

[@evivonsichartshofen3641]

I am 60 and worked in tourism my whole life , but just now accepted a job in a 6 month contract. I have spent 10 years as a flight attendant, 20 years as a tour manager and now starting an exciting new chapter in my life

[@rachelr3230]

@@evivonsichartshofen3641 awesome I'm 40 thinking bout it!

[@Al-Xelrio]

@@evivonsichartshofen3641how are you finding it?

[@captrajeshchelat5276]

All the best

[@washboardjim]

I Love your eye's.

[@josephkent6250]

Just read part B of my Chef contract I am entitled to 30days payed annual leave

[@AMiah-jz8uu]

You have interesting decor... Is it all collected from your adventures around the world 🤔🌍🗺️🛳️

[@junfelizardo3565]

Worked as a shopee for harding bros here mostly meditt cruises yey

[@soniacortez4135]

What about being housekeeping? Somehow they always get overlooked

[@lefelin.homecafe]

hi, do you have any idea you could share about baristas and what their schedule is like? •

[@maryabigailabellada8513]

Curious about the time off for Food and Beverages staff?

[@josephlashley3166]

There is a port that I hate! It’s the one I got on because I can’t afford to stay on.

[@rayfreeman2305]

Can you give an example of what the pay is like and does it vary much with the different jobs.

[@seekit9768]

British merchant navy in the 50s was work every dath day ship is at sea

[@seekit9768]

I hah one day a week when I got back home port on e day for each week sserved

[@jakecalder8270]

I’m 27 and 12-16 hr days do not sound fun to me. I would go crazy.

[@gwerkcules2752]

What is it like for health staff like paramedics?

[@steventwiddy3402]

My god I soooooo love your accent !

[@wg1281]

If you work everyday then is fair to say if you're a newbie that you won't be able to see any destination in the beginning until you accumulated those free hours/days?

[@sanjaysadavarte3505]

How is the plumber/ pipe fitters works and there hole day please explain if possible?

[@lennyj3300]

Mmhmmm I love me some Lucy!! ❤

[@SkywalkerBlackjack]

Hi.im in the casino department.we work not at evening-we work when ship is IN THE INTERNATIONAL WATERS!!and working hours are not how young people are-its how much they are betting!! We had 1 old guy playing until 5 am just because his bets were high steak 😉

[@2910Eline]

Hi! I am considering to apply as a dealer on a cruise. And trying to find out how it works. So working hours on sea are full days till late in te evening and when ship is at port, you are free? For how many days/hours is this mostly?

[@kirkrasmussen2601]

@@2910Eline how is your search going? I'm considering going & dealing. But pretty happy where I am

[@howardwsims]

What are duty hours and off times for laundry workers?

[@zekejohnson2022]

Anyone know people in the IT department for a cruise ship and what their time on board is like?

[@Nosi.Mo_ZAR]

Please share the sites for shops job site😊

[@MinerlisAbreu9710]

Curious about the time off for housekeeping staff

[@nikkitagomez3061]

I'm curious myself

[@EvellynLoyse]

Only when you work in night shift, if not, almost never time off for you.

[@nicolaicarius9001]

How working hours works? For a bartender for example, how many hours of work daily? 8 hours? 12 hours? More?

[@jpayne316]

If your spouse books a cruise day are they allowed in your cabin (with cabin mates approval) or you in their cabin?

[@ellenschneider2558]

Just to point out that Shore Excursions DO NOT have that life in all companies. I barely had time to sleep and 11h/7d was the usual.

[@cande8607]

On which company?

[@ellenschneider2558]

@@cande8607 Costa

[@sarahharrington3401]

Hey how did you change from being a Spa member to a shop member

[@varundumbre497]

Can you help me to understand the HR day routine

[@Mrpacoute]

Hey ! What about the culinary department ?

[@laurap.5956]

Hi do parents of a person working on a ship any discount for the cruise! Thanks:)

[@nancyporvaznik3847]

I just encountered your channel. You don’t mention the stateroom attendants. I feel like they hardly have any time off. Also, you’re a little confusing when you say that jobs like shops and the casino always have the daytime off. That only happens on port days. On sea days they work longer hours.

[@adambray9049]

What shops are available to work in?

[@dipendrabishowkarma5693]

Hi luicy ,how can I apply job for crusie ship.do you help me ?

[@liliasilva4467]

Hi Lucy! Do you need to have sales experience to work in the shops in a cruise? Thanks 😊

[@danwake4431]

I talked to some people on Royal. I was told that as far as Royal goes, you must have experience in the field you are going into. For example, if you are going to work in the dining room, you need dining experience. Housekeeping, shops, same thing. They don't take people that need to be trained from scratch like someone just out of high school.

[@savannahhaas]

what if you’re sick? can you call out?

[@americleanmaidservices9188]

I’ll be in housekeeping… any tips?

[@ivethramirez8285]

What about translators and Admin assistant?

[@candaceolliviere5040]

What about housekeepers in cabins

[@makolankgapenicholas8410]

How about those working in medical centre?

[@vilmabryan4159]

Can bring food from your home drinks from home?

[@analycuba5673]

Hi, what about "bar server"?

[@arjunsingh6011]

If we are selectd for Any cruise and we are not went for that cruise ..and we will go on land there so is it possible

[@ahmedkakhdar7030]

I'm interested work on the ship i dont have experience wat i need to do

[@belrcl2586]

What a out time off gor sport staff

[@americleanmaidservices9188]

Hi… what if someone have a family emergency on land?

[@luqmanidris5990]

Lucy is that you from rhapsody of the sea in 2013-2014?

[@mmmat5475]

Hi. Do hair stylist on a cruise ship have a basic salary? Or it is per commission only? Like no commission, no salary? I hope someone can answer my question here. Thank you!

[@arfriedman4577]

Ask steiner.

[@sam-wr9rt]

What about the sport staff

[@juansandoval4129]

What about the bar department??

[@junioremmanuel8490]

Security?

[@marvelboi3416]

How much time off do the youth staff get off? I was planning to work for Royal Caribbean Cruise ship!!!!

[@xitoroman]

At norwegian they work around 5 hours per day on port days and I would say 10 on sea days. So it was a really good life

[@arkomukherjee5358]

Can a married couple go in a same cruise and same destination??

[@danielamoreno1162]

What about youth staff that work with kids?

[@simonmannjoro2314]

How much does a storekeeper assistant get paid? I am scheduled for an interview tomorrow evening

[@melaniemercy7295]

Did you find out the salary and also the schedule?

[@malayjia1023]

I’m an aesthetician and I was really looking into working on a cruise ship But Do you feel like you get paid more working at the shop or at the spa?

[@sidgupta426]

Always the shops!

[@HJain-in5gv]

Can you please advice do u have beautician and hairdresser for staff?

[@emmib1388]

yes, cruise ships have hairdressers on board ship

[@McRuffin]

What’s it like being a server or bartender? Thanks for the video :)

[@Busha69]

It sucks:) I worked for a different company but basically you start at 6:30am for breakfast, then you have maybe one hour break before the lunch. After lunch you can get maybe 4 hours break (but often there are special events you get assigned to, so you can forget this break as well), then you work dinner and often make it to the cabin around 11pm. People usually manage to go sleep after 12 and then rise again before 6 and this repeats every day (you may get one day off a month depending on where you work). Of course, you just sleep during the 4 hours break because it's impossible to get enough sleep at night. I think nobody works more on the cruise ships than servers. It's absolutely exhausting mentally and physically and no pay in the world is worth it.

[@nicolaicarius9001]

@@Busha69 pretty neat compared to my on-shore job lol. Two weeks ago I made 19h straight with 20 minutes brakes for lunch and dinner. Left the restaurant 3am just to be back at 10am living 3+ hours away from work. Got home, took a bath and headed back to work. Would be nice to have 6h of sleep.

[@simeonhaha]

@@nicolaicarius9001 Dude, that's slavery. I wouldn't be able to keep this up for a week even.

[@nicolaicarius9001]

@@simeonhaha that 19h shift was a single event, but I was working 12h+ hours almost everyday. I quitted that job tho, the pay just wasn't enough for what I had to do. Now I'm getting ready to get aboard at MSC.

[@GeorgeHutchins]

When do sleep?

[@beautifuldreamer3991]

How about medical staff? Nurses,Drs?

[@jummyjello9326]

What is excursion

[@jdcourtney8299]

Ma’am can you tell me please if the cruise ship on which you work has a minister/chaplain who holds religious services for passengers and crew?

[@TrackerRoo]

Pretty sure modern cruise ships don't have chapels on them

[@jckerdrama9435]

Minimum salary for a waiter on a cruise ship. Thank you

[@tafadzwamudyariwa7528]

What of Chefs

[@Hashiiii__theBaker]

Can you tell me how can I get into cruise ship crew 😭?

[@RedEyeJase]

How about sports or Recreational staff?

[@lostintraveling9334]

I would love to find out more information as well about lifeguards and Fitness instructors

[@saifdesai3759]

And what about gym?

[@sarahnolan6985]

I was considering applying for Guest Services for Royal Caribbean, but now I'm thinking they may get extra long hours and barely any time at port. Is that true?

[@hemantvora1693]

You're not the only one working there don't be afraid. 😁

[@LM-uu8hy]

Maybe you should say more precisely how many hours off per day rather than say, work in the morning or work in the day or sleep after shift, etc.

[@tsverukaimutsago]

I want to work in cruise ship