Why do you want to be a seafarer? These are some of the reasons people choose this path, from travel and money to a deeper connection with the sea.

What is life at sea like? I don’t know how to answer without contradicting myself. It’s freeing and confining. Beautiful and exhausting. Peaceful and unsettling.

Working at sea meant limited wifi, and time away from social media. Here’s how that digital detox taught me about connection, screen time, and being present.

Here’s what’s helped me make the most of shore leave. While I write from a cruise ship perspective, much of it applies to seafarers across the board.

I forget I have scoliosis – until a photo or a medical exam reminds me. Life as a seafarer aboard cruise ships means proving I’m fit for duty, again and again.

A reflective look at night shifts on a cruise ship, where stillness, solitude, and the sea create a rhythm far from the 9-to-6 life on land.

Ask any crew member about cruise ship safety, and they’ll probably say the same thing: safety isn’t just a checklist – it’s part of everyday life onboard.

A step-by-step orientation guide for new cruise ship crew members covering ship familiarisation, safety briefings, and essential onboarding tasks.

What do seafarers do in their free time? How do we stay entertained or connected? These are the most common recreational activities onboard.

Assigned to a new cruise ship, I joined its maiden voyage and inaugural sailing from the Netherlands to Hong Kong – a journey of long hours and sea-bound days.

What do you do when a difficult crew member is always there – sharing your cabin, working your shift, or making life onboard feel heavier than it should?

Why are cruise ships staffed by people of so many nationalities? It’s about economics, culture, and logistics – and the beauty of global collaboration.

How crew cabin assignments work on cruise ships, why sharing a room is almost always the norm at sea, and what to expect from your roommate situation.

You don’t need fancy software to manage your money onboard – just a simple system that works for shore leave, snacks, and those (un)predictable crew bar nights.

I started investing too late, but I’m doing it anyway. Working at sea made me realise saving isn’t enough. It's time for seafarers to build financial security.

And then there it is – the ship. A short walk across the gangway, and suddenly you’re not just a person anymore, you’ve signed on as cruise ship crew.

In this post, I’ll share the real pros and cons of working on a cruise ship – the things that made it worthwhile, and the moments that nearly made me quit.