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Joanne Tai
the blog
seafaring
travel
minimalism
freedom
self-discovery
Notes for Seafarers
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Salary estimator (crew)
About
Subscribe
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Getting My STCW Basic Training Certificate to Work at Sea
seafaring Joanne Tai 21/08/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 21/08/2025

Getting My STCW Basic Training Certificate to Work at Sea

Before working at sea, every seafarer must complete SOLAS training, or STCW Basic Training, learning survival, first aid, and fire safety.

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Fjällräven Kånken Classic Backpack – Minimalist & Timeless
travel Joanne Tai 16/08/2025 travel Joanne Tai 16/08/2025

Fjällräven Kånken Classic Backpack – Minimalist & Timeless

The classic Kånken backpack doesn’t come cheap, but every time I’ve reached for it, I’m reminded why it’s managed to earn its reputation.

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How to Navigate a Cruise Ship Layout When You’re New Onboard
seafaring Joanne Tai 14/08/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 14/08/2025

How to Navigate a Cruise Ship Layout When You’re New Onboard

I’ve felt lost onboard every ship I’ve worked on. If you’re curious about cruise ship layouts and how to get your bearings, this guide is for you.

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What happens if you quit your cruise ship job early?
seafaring Joanne Tai 11/08/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 11/08/2025

What happens if you quit your cruise ship job early?

What happens if you quit your job on a cruise ship before the contract ends? Here’s how resigning on board works, and the consequences to consider.

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8 Things Cruise Ship Crew Members Might Be Running Away From
seafaring Joanne Tai 11/08/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 11/08/2025

8 Things Cruise Ship Crew Members Might Be Running Away From

The personal, often unspoken reasons people who work on cruise ships might be running away from life on land to discover something different at sea.

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Inside the Mess: Where Cruise Ship Crew Eat Every Day
seafaring Joanne Tai 09/08/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 09/08/2025

Inside the Mess: Where Cruise Ship Crew Eat Every Day

On cruise ships, the mess is a key shared space where crew members eat and socialise. There are usually two types: the crew mess and the officer mess.

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How Much Time Off Do You Get Working on Cruise Ships?
seafaring Joanne Tai 08/08/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 08/08/2025

How Much Time Off Do You Get Working on Cruise Ships?

Time off on cruise ships often comes in windows. Not full days, but breaks between shifts, long pauses, or early finishes that offer a moment to breathe.

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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

Before signing on for a new contract at sea, I top up what I know will run out or wear down. Here’s what usually makes it onto my restock list.

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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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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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Digital Detox at Sea – on Drifting into Offline Life
seafaring Joanne Tai 19/06/2025 seafaring Joanne Tai 19/06/2025

Digital Detox at Sea – on Drifting into Offline Life

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.

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24 Singapore Captions for Instagram: Travel Quotes & Puns
travel Joanne Tai 18/06/2025 travel Joanne Tai 18/06/2025

24 Singapore Captions for Instagram: Travel Quotes & Puns

If you’re searching for Singapore travel captions for Instagram, this witty list blends local landmarks, wordplay, and that uniquely Singaporean humour.

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52 Instagram captions for South Korea
travel Joanne Tai 17/06/2025 travel Joanne Tai 17/06/2025

52 Instagram captions for South Korea

Looking for South Korea captions for Instagram? This list has puns, food references, and South Korea travel captions for every shot from your trip.

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30 Netherlands Captions for Instagram: Travel Quotes & Puns
travel Joanne Tai 12/06/2025 travel Joanne Tai 12/06/2025

30 Netherlands Captions for Instagram: Travel Quotes & Puns

If you're looking for Netherlands captions for Instagram that go beyond the usual canal views and tulip clichés, this list might just do the trick.

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90 Instagram captions for Japan
travel Joanne Tai 10/06/2025 travel Joanne Tai 10/06/2025

90 Instagram captions for Japan

If you're looking for Japan captions for Instagram, here's a list of one-liners, puns, quotes, and a few things to caption that photo from your Japan trip.

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