Cruiser Q&A

Or: I have the nosiest mother in the world. <3

Hey Folks! So I've completed Day 3 of my time aboard my lovely ship, and I've got to say that I've learned a lot. I've also gotten both homesick and seasick (and I'm not sure which is the easier of the two to manage) A lovely anonymous reader of mine (coughmomcough) asked me some questions about my life onboard, and I will endeavor to answer them as best I can while still respecting the privacy of our guests and my fellow crew members.

Q: What is your cabin like?

Small. Really. Really small. It’s even smaller than my dorm room was at college (and that’s saying something!) There’s two tiny closets, two beds, and a miniscule desk with some shelves. And a bathroom/shower that wouldn’t be out of place in a travel trailer. It’s a space designed for efficiency, not comfort.

Q: What is the food like?

Delicious! While it’s not quite as high quality as what is served to the guests, the food we crew get to eat is really good, with a lot of variety. It’s a buffet style, but I don’t eat a lot because I have a small stomach (which is really annoying when there’s a lot of food and my eyes get bigger than my stomach.) I usually try to get some bread and fresh veggies along with whatever entrées are being served. Breakfast in particular is delicious. I’ve yet to find a good dessert though…

Q: What is your average day like?

I Don’t know yet! I’m still in the process of training, which involves classes in the morning for general ship rules, policies, etc.…. In the evening I’m shadowing my co-workers on events to find out how things are run, how the equipment operates and so on. The first two weeks are going to be different than my normal schedule, but most of my work takes place in the afternoon and evenings, meaning I’m up late but I can sleep in a bit if I feel like it.

Q: What is the primary language spoken on the ship? Do they use more than one?

English is the primary language spoken by the crew on the ship-it’s required. I’ve heard a lot of the crew speak in their native language though, mostly between themselves when they’re more fluent in it. We have a very diverse crew from all over the world, and naturally a lot of different languages! The main language spoken by the guests is Chinese as they are currently our primary demographic-which creates an interesting challenge when Chinese who don’t speak English try to ask for help from staff and crew who don’t speak Chinese (like me)

Q: How are you adjusting to the time change?

Slowly. The first couple of days when I flew over and joined the ship were really rough because of jet lag and anxiety. Now that I’m starting to even out into a more consistent schedule my sleep cycle is starting to regulate. I get about six hours a night, but it’s my own body waking me up and not my alarm so I can’t really complain. Plus, I take a nap in the afternoon between training and work.

Q: Are you seasick much?

I wouldn’t say it’s full-on Seasickness-I can still work, I just get a bit off-balance and wobbly, but it is taking me a bit to get my sea legs. Right now I just have to realize when I’m hungry or haven’t eaten in a while, and try not to read or work on the computer during rougher sea days. It’s mostly been when we’re on the open ocean.

Q: Is there anything that you miss?

Oooooooh, yes. Now that I’m halfway across the world I’ve come to realize just how much I love my family and miss them. (and appreciate their ability to help with stuff, like things I forgot to pack and getting paperwork that I forgot I already had. :P) I also really miss talking with my online Friends-I really took Discord (an online communication program like skype but for a lot of people) for granted back in the states, and now that I get about an hour of internet every day (if I care to pay for it) I’ve come to realize I really miss the connectivity it gave me. As much as I love my new job, I really look forward to the day I get home and get to see everyone again. <3

And that's it! If you have any questions about my job, what I've seen or want to pester me about other stuff, feel free to shoot me an e-mail leave your question in the comments below!

Until Next time, Travelers!