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Joanne Tai
Joanne Tai
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Joanne Tai
Joanne Tai
Blog
the blog
seafaring
travel
minimalism
freedom
self-discovery
Freebie
What Makes You Happy? [Workbook]
About
Contact
Subscribe
⌕
Folder: Blog
Back
the blog
seafaring
travel
minimalism
freedom
self-discovery
Folder: Freebie
Back
What Makes You Happy? [Workbook]
About
Contact
Subscribe
⌕
What Seafarer Burnout Feels Like When You're Still Working at Sea
seafaring Joanne Tai 04/08/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 04/08/2025

What Seafarer Burnout Feels Like When You're Still Working at Sea

This post explores what seafarer burnout feels like when you're still onboard – still working, still tired, and just trying to hold it together.

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Why Working on a Cruise Ship Is Tougher Than You Think
seafaring Joanne Tai 30/07/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 30/07/2025

Why Working on a Cruise Ship Is Tougher Than You Think

Working on a cruise ship isn’t all sunsets and sea views. Cruise ship life is tougher than most people realise, even for those who’ve done it more than once.

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Packing List for Cruise Ship Crew on 5+ Month Contracts
seafaring Joanne Tai 29/07/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 29/07/2025

Packing List for Cruise Ship Crew on 5+ Month Contracts

Here’s my cruise ship crew packing list for a five-month contract – shaped by trial and error, crew wisdom, and figuring out what I really need.

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What to Restock Before Signing on for a New Contract at Sea
seafaring Joanne Tai 22/07/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 22/07/2025

What to Restock Before Signing on for a New Contract at Sea

What to restock before signing on or starting a new contract at sea – essential items for cruise ship crew and seafarers who pack smart.

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How Much Money Do You Need to Quit Cruise Ship Life?
seafaring, freedom Joanne Tai 12/07/2025 seafaring, freedom Joanne Tai 12/07/2025

How Much Money Do You Need to Quit Cruise Ship Life?

Many cruise ship crew earn well but still feel stuck financially. This post explores what financial freedom means, and how to know when it’s enough to stop sailing.

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Why Cruise Ship Crew Struggle to Leave the Contract Cycle
seafaring Joanne Tai 11/07/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 11/07/2025

Why Cruise Ship Crew Struggle to Leave the Contract Cycle

Why do so many cruise ship crew keep going back? We say it’s our last contract. But somehow, we’re still packing our bags again.

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10 Side Hustles for Crew Members on Cruise Ships
seafaring, freedom Joanne Tai 10/07/2025 seafaring, freedom Joanne Tai 10/07/2025

10 Side Hustles for Crew Members on Cruise Ships

So, you're working full time on a cruise ship and wondering if there's a way to make a little extra on the side. Here are some side hustles for crew members.

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How to Cope with Stress while Working on Ships
seafaring Joanne Tai 09/07/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 09/07/2025

How to Cope with Stress while Working on Ships

There’s plenty of advice on how to cope with stress. But when you're living and working on ships, most of it doesn’t apply. Here’s what actually helps at sea.

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How Cruise Ship Crew Get Paid & Send Money Home
seafaring Joanne Tai 07/07/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 07/07/2025

How Cruise Ship Crew Get Paid & Send Money Home

How do cruise ship crew get paid, and how do we send money home while working at sea? Here’s what to expect, plus real options and tips from experience.

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The Crew Bar Is Where Ship Life Comes Alive
seafaring Joanne Tai 06/07/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 06/07/2025

The Crew Bar Is Where Ship Life Comes Alive

More than just a place to drink, the crew bar is where cruise ship crew unwind, connect, and feel human again. After long shifts and before the next one begins.

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8 Money & Wealth Lessons I Learned Through Travel
travel, freedom Joanne Tai 30/06/2025 travel, freedom Joanne Tai 30/06/2025

8 Money & Wealth Lessons I Learned Through Travel

In the years I’ve spent travelling, here are the money and wealth lessons that have stayed with me – lessons I wouldn’t have learnt if I’d stayed in one place.

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Opening Up About Mental Health When You Work on a Cruise Ship
seafaring Joanne Tai 30/06/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 30/06/2025

Opening Up About Mental Health When You Work on a Cruise Ship

Talking about mental health while working on cruise ships isn’t easy. Not because we don’t feel it, but because we do – deeply, silently, and often in isolation.

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7 Essential Skills Needed to Work on a Cruise Ship (+ 3 Bonus Ones)
seafaring Joanne Tai 29/06/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 29/06/2025

7 Essential Skills Needed to Work on a Cruise Ship (+ 3 Bonus Ones)

In this post, I’ll walk you through the essential and bonus skills needed to work on a cruise ship – the ones that actually help you thrive, not just survive.

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Demanding Cruise Ship Working Conditions
seafaring Joanne Tai 28/06/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 28/06/2025

Demanding Cruise Ship Working Conditions

Cruise ship working conditions are shaped by long hours, shifting schedules, and the pressure to always be ready, even during so-called rest time.

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Working Through Rough Seas on Cruise Ships
seafaring Joanne Tai 27/06/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 27/06/2025

Working Through Rough Seas on Cruise Ships

Rough seas on cruise ships aren’t usually dangerous, but for crew, they’re exhausting. Things slide, sleep gets shallow – and you just keep working.

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Cruise Ship Life: 6 Lessons I’ve Learnt about Balance from Living and Working at Sea
seafaring Joanne Tai 24/06/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 24/06/2025

Cruise Ship Life: 6 Lessons I’ve Learnt about Balance from Living and Working at Sea

As cruise ship crew, I joined to travel and earn. But I gained something more: lessons from life at sea, especially the kind of balance it demands.

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Why Do You Want to Be a Seafarer? 7 Reasons People Choose This Life
seafaring Joanne Tai 23/06/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 23/06/2025

Why Do You Want to Be a Seafarer? 7 Reasons People Choose This Life

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.

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Living Life at Sea on Ships Far from Shore
seafaring Joanne Tai 22/06/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 22/06/2025

Living Life at Sea on Ships Far from Shore

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.

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