Story of My Ship life (Unfold)
- Ivy M.
- Oct 28, 2017
- 6 min read
Not long ago, about 9 months when my ship life ended. It's been 6 months since I came here in United States, the so called country of dreams. I thought I'm just here for a vacation when a wonderful thing happened. Now, I'm married to the most wonderful person I can ever ask for. I left my home country, move to america so we can build and start a new life. I think all women wants or even dream to have their own family, I've always dream and prayed of mine someday. After 28 years God answered my prayers. However, it is a roller coaster ride for me, God moves and works in a way we don't know, but He answered not knowing when or how, or maybe God say no because He has something better beyond what we actually want. I trust Him all my life, even I know sometimes I disappoint Him. But that story will be in another post.
I decided not to pursue jobs that I have to leave and work to another country. My husband says I don't have to, since he is making enough money for us. I can still find a job here in the US and go after for what I really want. There's a lot of endless possibilities. Right now, everything is in process, I believe at the saying good things come for those who patiently wait and work on it. It is been tested through time. This is a blog about my experience in the ship. No hate! I was working in Room Service at a certain cruise line before, but there are events that get out of hand. Giving up ship life is not an easy thing to do. There's a lot of things I can say and miss about it and just by doing this blog, I guess words are not enough. I work 7 days a week in a 6 or 8 months contract. I visited different countries. Whenever I have time (nick of time) I go out and do some little shopping, buy souvenirs and find a neat restaurants as a reward for myself. These are just one of the things that it is great about it. But the Ship dock only for a day so if there's a chance and have an amount of free time I tried to get off and enjoy that. Other factors, there are positions that get paid to a not-so-fair salary (we actually tried to compute that despite free accommodation, food, flight back and fort, percentage for any products you want to buy in the ship, salary for a certain position is not really that much). Sometimes and if it is necessary we work 14 hours in a day (and cut that off, we all know most company doesn't want to pay overtime. shhh!) However, it helps all seafarer's family to have a good life for a cost. When I was on the ship all I can think of is my family, over due bills, have to save money for vacation and how excited I want to end my contract and go home. Ship life is a very demanding job, you work with different people with different culture and beliefs, aside from that you serve the guest who seems to want everything for free. You barely sleep, sometimes it is a not so environment friendly work place, the pressure, everything makes you go crazy.
4 years working in ship is enough for me. I've had enough of it, I saw a lot of things already and as of the technology today people share good things about working on a ship, but not whats behind it. I cried million of tears just so you know in all different emotions. I miss my family a lot, I don't share what I go through the ship (my dad knows, because he is also a seafarer) I learned to curse, hated people, think bad things about people, party and drink. I got hurt and hurt other people. A lot of rejects, parties, booze, work and repeat. I was a mess! However, I won't deny the fact that I also enjoyed being there, I met a lot of friends who lives in different country. Thinking about it I have bunch of friends and people I know around the world. I enjoyed the places I went to and take a lot of photos and memories as much as I can (magnets!) It is like a fulfillment to see most part of the world and I check that on my bucket list. Probably to other people working on a Ship is a dream job. I suppose it is. I gave up a lot to chase that dream, but I realize it is not my dream at all, it is a temporary fulfillment; it took a lot from me, I lost a friend because of that, got a massive heart break, and work make me sick, lack of sleep, fatigue you can get, being home sick are just the things you can experience, but my Dad says that cruise ship is a floating sin. I cannot agree more, learn to trust yourself and that's it! I've witnessed a lot of family got broken because of this, husband or wife cheated. They say once you're on the ship married or not you're always single. You can change one from another when someone leave. The easy way to make your contract go faster is find a companionship. Aside from work you have to give your free time to someone to avoid loneliness. The truth is people lie as much as they could to have someone. Other use people for their benefits, things people can do for a better life. I witness it all and it is something I cannot fully grasp on. A lifestyle I cannot embrace. Some are lucky enough to find true love and ended up being together, some are not.
It is just different when you're working in land. You can cut some slack off have a 2 days off, you can escape as much as you want. In the ship you can't! Your world revolves around the ship and one factor being sick is not an option. I guess that's the reason why some of the people I met especially new crew didn't last long and by the time they finished their contract you'll never see them again. Some make up lies to go home and never return, some jump ship meaning they enter the country and eventually didn't intend to join the ship in the first place. Company pays everything and that is a good deal instead use it as a way to run away somewhere and stay there to find a job on land. The hard truth and reality. Not all people are born to be a seafarer. I mean I cannot speak for the rest of the seafarer this is just my opinion and experience working in a Cruise Line industry, maybe people who work in tanker ship might undergo the same way, but it is just different! I'm sharing this in my own point of view, so I really don't mind if people disagree with what I'm saying. This is all base on my experience and I'm willing to share it, it is up to people to still pursue what they want if working in the ship will make them happy I am not the one to say DON'T! I shared this before to a friend of mine on what she may face once she work on the ship and eventually it didn't end quite well, though I believe she is happy so I don't have any against that. I am not the one to share it, people have their own lives and mind and so am I. I can be just a warning or probably a reference.
Ship life has it's disadvantages and advantages, I would love to go back if there's an opportunity but I love myself, my family and I love my husband, so no turning back. I'm glad for the people who are chasing their dream, who left their family so they can give good life for them and I salute them for that. Ship life can give you all the material things you can have, help your family for a good future, see the world and be happy for a period of time, but it is something that it is not for a lifetime. I met a lot of people who regret working in the ship some are almost 25 years, yet lost affection of their family and children, some who left their wife or husband or boyfriend for another. But not all are bad, not all do bad things in the ship. I always appreciate my Dad who works almost 22 years away from us and I understand why. I won't be here if it weren't for the hard works of my parents.
Do I have any regrets? No, I am thankful for the experience though. I manage to help my family for those years. My husband told me that we will go cruising in the future so I can enjoy it at least once or I can experience being a passenger and not the crew.
I've been to 3 ship; Norwegian Sky, Radiance of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas. I pretty much manage to see different places except Europe and that's okay, meaning it's a goal and I would love to see it with my husband, part of my bucket list. Hope you enjoy reading this! XOXO
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