Royal Caribbean crew member takes you beyond crew cabins

Every crew member onboard a ship has their own story. The entertainers on cruise ships, alternatively, have often followed an exceedingly different path to their jobs.

Kind of a lot of the musicians, as an illustration, have appeared in land-based productions including some who have performed on Broadway. The identical is true of the figure skaters who work on cruise ships. Various of them have Olympic pedigrees while others have worked with national touring productions.

Related: Royal Caribbean crew member shows off tiny crew cabin

It truly is now tough to earn a contract as an entertainer on a main line. There are in general months of auditions followed by a prolonged period training and rehearsing on land within the event you'd like which may perform at sea.

Now not every individual that passes the tryout makes it through the educational and essentially becomes an onboard performer. Jordan Bauth has now not simplest made it through tryouts and rehearsals, she has worked as an onboard ice skater for five years.

She currently works on Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas, the cruise line's most fresh cruise ship. In a video she made earlier this year (earlier than Utopia had set sail) she shared most of the secrets that cruise lines may now not tell crew members about life at sea.

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Bauth did make it clear that entertainers are living different lives onboard than most crew members. When she works for Royal Caribbean, Bauth has passenger-like privileges and does now not should wear any sort of uniform when in a public area. She also has free reign to be anyplace on the ship excluding in passenger cabins.

Transcript:

Chances are high within the event you ended up on this video you're a frequent cruiser otherwise you're just excited in regards to the cruise industry as a complete. So in the meanwhile I are looking to share with you what it truly is essentially are looking to be a crew member engaged on a cruise ship.

Hi, my name is Jordan and I'm a professional figure skater who has been engaged on cruise ships for close to five years now, so I in general have a superior idea of what the day-to-day life looks as if on board as a crew member.

That being said, I'm an entertainer on board so my life and my work agenda is a little bit different than the overwhelming majority of the people that work on board, but I go to share as tons information as possible for you so you get a true understanding of what it truly is are looking to work on a cruise ship, whether you're someone who enjoys cruising as a guest otherwise you're looking to take part a cruise ship as a crew member yourself.

Living and engaged on board a cruise ship is unlike anything else. It truly is that this form of novel experience that I don't think anything can compare to. It definitely is a not easy environment to are living in and it truly is indubitably now not for everyone. I in general in point of fact revel in it, but, of course, it does have its pros and cons. Everytime you're a crew member on board, chances are the professionals significantly outweigh the cons.

There are negatives to any work environment, alternatively, I absolutely love my job on board. It truly is something that has been a large a component to my life goodbye as I will bear in mind. I get to skate for a living and perform in front of hundreds of thousands of people every week, so I could perchance now not be more grateful for this job and yeah, it truly is indubitably an experience of a lifetime.

Crew members have small, shared cabins

As you most definitely already know, the life of a crew member engaged on board is likely to be very very different than that of a guest coming to cruise on board.

This goes without saying since the guests are paying for a vacation, so that they're here to quiet down, revel in, and easily just now not work. But the accommodations are significantly different, which you're in a position to most definitely already assume in line with where I'm filming this video. I'm currently sitting within the bottom bunk of a bunk bed in a double cabin.

The rooms on board for the crew members are very very minimal and likewise you most definitely assume that they aren't these huge extravagant rooms, alternatively, I don't think people bear in mind just how small these crew cabins are.

The room that we are living in on board for months at a time may be no bigger than 10 by 15 feet and that also incorporates a bathroom that we share with every other person. In my personal situation, I'm living with my boyfriend, so it truly is a ways the very best for a roommate situation, however really is now not in general the case for most crew members on board.

Of course, it truly is now not always the case, but the overwhelming majority of crew members do share a cabin with every other person and that person is most often from their department. If now not their department, then their division. So I do are living here with my boyfriend, but if he changed into now not on board, in general the ice skaters are living with other ice cast members.

And if we don't are living with ice skaters, then we traditionally are living with dancers or somebody else from the cruise division. And of course, now not every person on board shares a cabin. Depending to your ranking and your position, you may perhaps likely be in a position to have your personal room.

For example, officers have an improved room than us. They're tons bigger, they even have like a living room infrequently, and they definitely have a porthole, which is every other thing that we do not need in these teeny tiny rooms. We have not got any sort of natural light at any given point within the day.

It's possible you may in general perchance possibly now not know what time it truly is a ways unless you learn about a clock. But for me, environment is that this form of big thing, so I in point of fact are trying and make the cabin as cozy as possible and make it feel very homey. So it truly is a place that I revel in spending time in and coming back to every day.

The rooms are very bare and they're very basic while you do first move in, so this would likely be significant to make it a space that you in actuality revel in. That being said, it truly is very small so you're in a position to't do an excessive amount of with the place, but I did buy a shelving unit for some more storage and it just made the room look a little more lively, as well as to like a fun blanket, hanging pictures on the walls, stringing lights, things of that sort.

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Crew members have their own restaurants

Every other misconception on board is that we eat almost the identical food because the guests, with the intention to now not be as well as from the reality.

We do have a crew mess and a group of workers mess, which may well be two different places where we can eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and it truly is a ways incredible since it truly is a ways free. That being said, the quality of the food is now not nearly the identical as what it truly is a ways within the buffet for the guests, and it truly is indubitably now not the identical variety. So we tend to see the exact same foods every day for lunch and dinner.

It never in point of fact changes up and it truly is a ways in a position to get very, very repetitive. Of course, I'm so grateful that we don't should pay for food since it's a giant expense that I would be paying for if I used to be on land. Alternatively, when the food is the identical thing every day and likewise you wish something specific, we're in a position to go to the Windjammer, which is the buffet for guests.

As an entertainer on board, we do have that privilege. We just will should pay three dollars to enter, and that in point of fact, in point of fact helps. Granted, infrequently our agenda doesn't allow it.

We do not need enough time because we should go at a certain window, and as a consequence of the that, it does in point of fact break it up for us better, and I'm super grateful we can go there. We may go to the specialty restaurants, which is an added charge, so I are trying now to not have a have a look at this too often. Which is more of a distinct basis sort of thing, but Windjammer, I are trying and get to more on a typical basis than now not simply since it gives us a bigger variety and food is likely to be essential to me.

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WiFi is an added cost for crew members

Let's talk about WiFi. In the event it's possible you may need cruised, you know that WiFi may perhaps be a little bit spotty on board and now not the strongest. It truly is now not as strong because the online access you're used to if you are home, and likewise you do should pay for it as a guest, but you do also should pay for it as a crew member.

I do know other cruise lines offer free WiFi for the crew members on board, and I so wish that Royal would put into effect that. It truly is indubitably wishful thinking, however indubitably may perhaps be a game changer if they did, and unfortunately, we do should pay for the WiFi, which rounds out at about four dollars for 60 minutes of web. It might probably perhaps be likely to be very expensive, and a complete lot of us just needn't pay that money, so I do work a little side job, and I work WiFi, within the event you may be in a position to.

Which is how I provide an explanation for it, but on the total, I just lend a hand people that come on board arrange their WiFi account and purchase packages if it's something they should do. For that little side job, I get paid in minutes, so I'm given minutes in exchange for my time, and that goes a ways since it truly is saving me a complete lot of money that I would have had to spend on purchasing the identical amount of minutes.

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Crew members are the last priority in port

Every other thing that you're in a position to now not realize is that crew members are essentially now not allowed off the ship without delay.

There's additionally priority for the guests, and we can in general get off the ship pretty quickly after we dock, but of course, there shall be a little little bit of a waiting period, particularly on turnaround day once we're disembarking every of the guests, so in general there shall be a collection time of once we can start getting off of the ship.

For Miami, meaning 9 a.m. for the crew members, so while it's possible you may need got work at 10, you in actuality do not need time to get off, and this goes for other ports to boot. If it truly is a ways a tender port, you're getting off per chance two to three hours after we essentially arrive to that port.

Same thing goes with the tender coming back to the ship. You may be susceptible to pray to have a have a look at and get that tender back to the ship most definitely around two hours earlier than all aboard. Possibly an hour is pushing it.

Related: Royal Caribbean explains its news strict multi-plug device ban

Something that I found in point of fact challenging to accept once I first became a crew member on board is that the company essentially holds your passport. For me, I felt uneasy about this because there shall be no one I believe as tons as myself, and I are looking to know where it truly is a ways at any given moment, however really is solely a component to the job.

After we do sign on, we're handing over our passports to the HR center, and they're safely storing it, so it truly is all organized and put away very safely, but you do not need access to your passport for the total contract.

Here's how crew members get snacks

You are most definitely wondering how we can go buying snacks and toiletries and things like that. Probably probably the most rational way is to get off on turnaround day in whatever port you're and just go to the grocery store. Alternatively, we do in general have a little mini market, within the event you may be in a position to, on board for the crew, and it truly is is termed The Slop Chest.

It offers an assortment of snacks like chips, chocolates, crackers, candies, sodas, juices, all that sort of stuff, and they do also offer things similar to razors, hand soap, bar soap, shaving gel, loofahs, deodorant, hairspray, you name it. There's a bunch of different stuff that you're in a position to purchase there.

I are trying and stay far from Slop Chest as tons as possible since the prices are marked up a significant amount, so it truly is a ways better to just buy it off the ship and produce it on board, but infrequently you're in a pinch and likewise you just should swing by in point of fact fast and get whatever it truly is a ways, and with the intention to possibly be very useful to have for us.

Every other thing we're in a position to do on board is receive packages, so we're in a position to order stuff online and have it dropped on the ship, which is incredible. It truly is one of my favorite things. It looks like Christmas every turnaround that a package arrives.

So we now have got got a pair options for this. We can send it to a ministry, which delivers it to the ship. There's likewise every other address that we can send to, and we should pay five dollars per package, which may well be a little bit annoying within the event you're buying a bunch of things online since it adds up very fast, but as an illustration with Amazon, you're in a position to order them all within the identical package, so you're just paying one time.

We're also in a position to receive cards to boot to the identical address, so I may perhaps be in a position to have that link less than for you within the event you guys ever feel like sending me a little card. I absolutely love receiving your notes and I in point of fact appreciate it.

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Crew members pay for their uniforms

Every other fact you're in a position to now not learn about engaged on board is that we do should pay for our own uniforms.

I'm now not 100% certain if this goes for every department on board, alternatively, as an ice cast within the cruise division, we do should pay for our uniforms, which may well be is termed our blues.

So it truly is a ways a pair of shorts, we now have got got pants, we now have got got shirts, and we even have jackets. So it truly is a ways a little bit pricey, and I believe every fourth contract we get a new uniform without cost, but within the event you wish an extra T-shirt or a pair of shorts, you may be in a position to should pay for that.

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Kind of a lot of crew members have side gigs

Living on board as a crew member is indubitably a novel experience, and we do build a little bit of a community because we do all have that common ground of loving to travel, and on the end of the day we're all crew members.

So something that I in finding in point of fact interesting to notice is that a complete lot of people on board even have side gigs and, you know, passion projects that they're still pursuing while engaged on board. So there are a complete lot of people on board who cut hair, so that they will arrange their little barber shop literally off of the I-ninety five or in a crew corridor, and folks will show as much as get their hair cut.

There's likewise people doing nails freelance, so you're in a position to make an appointment with them and they will do your nails. Somebody in my cast is a rub down therapist. He has his license, so he does have about a clients on board that he works with.

So I just think it's in point of fact cool that all of us may be doing a collection job here on the ship, but after hours you're in a position to in point of fact see those crew members do something that they in point of fact in point of fact love. I in general have shown the I-ninety five about a thousand million times in my videos, but the I-ninety five is essentially a pathway that leads from the front of the ship all one way to the aft of the ship, and it truly is within the crew area.

So within the event you're ever getting off on the gangway, you may perhaps likely be in a position to get a tiny glimpse of the I-ninety five, and on the total, it truly is solely worthwhile way for the crew members to get from the front to the back of the ship without going through guest areas.

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Crew contracts vary in length

As a ways because the contract goes, the duration of the contract can vary significantly reckoning on where you're employed, but contracts may be anyplace from four months long to even 10 or eleven months long. My contracts on average are about seven to eight months long. My longest contract changed into 10 months long, and my shortest one changed into four months long.

So it in point of fact just depends upon what ship you're on and when the handover is for the duration of the casts. Again, I'm a component to the ice cast, so it does differ for me in comparison with people that work on the ship. To construct on top of that, with these contracts being goodbye and everyone being far from home for many months at a time, it truly is a ways very rare for most crew members to get a single day off within their contract.

I'm very very blessed that I get day off from my job and I get time to improve and rest and in point of fact revel within the port days, but unfortunately, it truly is now not the case for a complete lot of the crew members on board.

They work very long hours every day, and they're honestly so impressive to me because I could perchance now not imagine working the amount of hours that they do. But again, everyone's contract is different, so it truly is different for everyone, but as a rule, most individuals will work every day.

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The cruise lines are trying and make it fun

Like I mentioned, because we're far from home for many months at a time, it truly is a ways in a position to get a little bit exhausting and likewise you in actuality need that improve or friendship group to rely on. So something that HR does for us is they do offer a range of activities for the crew members on board, which is in point of fact fun.

Infrequently they will do movie nights within the theater, they are able to have basketball tournaments, they will do all-crew parties, infrequently they will even close off guest venues for us to make use of for a crew celebration, which is in point of fact a complete lot of fun.

Those happen most definitely once a month or once every other month. We do also offer open skate for the crew, so it's a fun activity that we run and lend a hand out with. They open the slides and the FlowRider for us infrequently, so that they simply do a bunch of different stuff for us.

So Crew Alpha in point of fact does are trying their best to make use of the money that they make from the slop chest and from other sales from the crew to position it into in point of fact fun activities for us to revel in.

ALSO READ: Top travel agents share one way to get the best price to your cruise

Cruise ship crew members are infrequently by myself

Last bullet point is kind of ironic taking into account I'm within the cabin on my own without delay, however indubitably's a ways very rare for crew members to ever be by myself. So we in point of fact do not need a ton of by myself time because you're always surrounded by people, which is incredible.

As an extrovert, I absolutely prefer it. I love being around people. It gives me more energy in place of drains my energy.

But despite the undeniable proven fact that I love being around people, I also in point of fact value time on my own and I believe it truly is so important for everyone to have that time by myself. So this would likely be significant to prioritize that and are trying your best to have those moments by yourself.

And since most individuals will share a room together, chances are you're both within the room on the identical time, unless it's possible you may need got opposite schedules.

But still, you're sharing the space. So it truly is a ways in a position to be tricky, but again, you're in a position to either learn about it as a bonus or a drawback and I always am the entirety 1/2-class full, so I love being around people. But you do should also prioritize you, primary.

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