8 Things Cruise Ship Crew Members Might Be Running Away From

seafaring

11 Aug

You can work on land, or you can work at sea. They can both be good choices. Only you can decide which one is right for you.

There’s nothing wrong with a land-based job. There’s a lot to be said for them, but I know they don’t suit everyone, including myself. If you also find that 9–6 (does anyone actually leave at 6?) really isn’t for you, it might be time to do something about it.

Maybe you work on cruise ships because you love to travel, or because the money is good. Those were my main reasons. But if I’m honest, I was also running away from something.

People decide to work on ships for all sorts of practical reasons. But here’s what might push them towards cruise ship life – the more personal, unspoken reasons people don’t always say out loud when they hand over their passport and sign their contract.

1. Financial strain

Money worries can make you desperate for change. Sometimes it’s easier to run away from debt than face it head-on. Not that the debt disappears, it just follows you to sea. But at least you’re earning in dollars while you deal with it.

Escaping low wages, high living costs, or scarce job opportunities at home can make cruise ship work seem like the perfect solution: free accommodation, free meals, and a salary you can actually save.

Almost everything you earn can go towards paying off what’s hanging over you. No rent, no utilities, no daily transport costs. My only “bills” were whatever I decided to spend in port.

2. Ordinary life

Some people crave stability. Others feel trapped by it.

Back in university, I knew the routine too well: crammed trains, inching traffic, the same streets sliding past the window. My first day at sea, my commute was just a short walk to my work station, with open water stretching beyond the deck rail and colleagues from dozens of countries beside me.

The work itself could be repetitive, but the backdrop of different ports and countries kept things fresh. Days still blurred together, but in a way that felt alive, not stagnant.

Ship life isn’t ordinary. That’s part of its pull.

3. Commitment

Ship life has an unspoken rule: everything is temporary. Contracts end, people leave, and relationships almost always have an expiry date. For some, that’s exactly the appeal. You can get close, but not too close.

It’s also a convenient shield against pressure. When someone asks where things are going, you can point to your contract: “I’m away for months” is an easy, unarguable out. Emotional detachment becomes easier when time and distance are built into the job.

4. Family tensions

When home life feels heavy, a long contract at sea can feel like a relief. Ships offer the ultimate step back – thousands of miles, no quick trips home, and a built-in excuse to skip awkward dinners or endless “talks”.

Onboard, you have your own small cabin and your own rules. You still have your family, but with the sea in between, you get to breathe.

Distance doesn’t fix everything, but it can make difficult relationships a lot easier to live with.

5. Career rut

Sometimes you don’t leave because you hate your job. You leave because it’s going nowhere. Same title. Same salary. Same conversations over the office kettle.

I’d watch people around me on land – alarm at 6am, commute through traffic, a full day gone before they even had time for themselves. I couldn’t see myself doing that for the next 30 years.

Ship life wasn’t career glory, but it was a change. I was learning new things, working with people from everywhere, and earning more than I could save on land.

6. The past

We all have things we’d rather leave behind. A ship won’t erase them, but it can put an ocean between you and whatever’s chasing you. It buys you time to heal, to forget, or to figure out your next move.

When I stepped onboard my first ship, nobody knew I’d failed classes in university or that, by career milestones, I was “falling behind”. Unless I told them, there was no way for anyone to know.

There were no whispered comparisons, no familiar faces to remind me of what I hadn’t done. Onboard, I could simply be me, without my past trailing behind like a shadow.

7. Judgment & restrictions

For some, the escape isn’t from a place. It’s from how they’re treated there. In certain countries, being yourself can mean facing discrimination, harassment, or even danger, especially for LGBTQ+ crew.

Ships can feel like a refuge. You work in a floating community where diversity is the norm, and people are more likely to judge you for your karaoke skills than for who you are or who you love.

8. The weather

It sounds trivial, but weather can push some people to leave. Endless grey skies can flatten your mood, while relentless heat and humidity can make every step feel heavy.

On ships, you don’t get to choose the route, but you do get change. One contract might have you following the sun in Japan; another could bring crisp autumn evenings in Northwestern Europe. The shift can be a welcome break from the climate you grew up with, whether you’re escaping the drizzle or the dry season.

The change in seasons won’t fix everything, but it can make the days feel lighter.

So what is it you’re running from, and what are you running towards? Would a cruise ship give you the break you need, or just a different view while you figure it out?