I once wanted to work on a cruise ship; part of me still does. What’s not to like about working on board a ship; to get paid to see the world, with accommodation, food and drinks thrown in?
Well, there are quite a few things to think about if you are considering taking the leap into the world of hospitality and entertainment on the high seas.
I’ve a lot more to say about my cruise on Vision of the Seas, and on cruises in general, and I’ll be posting it over the next few days.
In the meantime, here are some images from the Abu Dhabi to Dubai leg of the cruise.
One of my favourite activities onboard a cruise ship is the question-and-answer session with the captain and senior officers. Not every cruise line does it, but Royal Caribbean does on at least some of its ships, and it’s called Captain’s Corner.
On my cruise aboard Vision of the Seas, I learned — or was reminded of — quite a few “fun facts” about that particular ship and cruising in general in a session hosted by Captain Marek Slaby.
I broke one of my own rules. I decided this time that I would not spend money while at sea when I’m cruising.
The idea was to pay for everything in advance — and get the applicable discouts — then pretend to be having a free holiday (Hey, it works for me. I certainly got a good deal on the internet, paying about $5 a day less than I would had I bought it on board).
But I found one thing I couldn’t resist. Well, two actually.
Updated: March 1, 2017
Still light on words, but big on pictures. Here are some photos taken on board Vision of the Seas during my cruise.
Updated
I’ve just boarded the Vision of the Seas. I’ll be blogging the trip and posting on Twitter and Instagram. Links are on this page.
Boarding was a dream. I barely waited to do the formalities and then walked right on to the ship.
It’s 10 days until I board the Vision of the Seas in Dubai for my week-long Arabian Gulf adventure.
As I write, I have completed all the formalities I need to rock up to Port Rashid and board the vessel. As long as I remember a few things …
My next holiday adventure is a cruise on the Vision of the Seas from Dubai, up and down the Arabian Gulf, and back to Dubai for a week beginning February 20.
I paid the “all-inclusive” price more than a month ago, but today I’ve bought some extras — a drinks package and internet access (which comes at a discount if you buy it before you sail).
I’ve just booked another cruise — a seven-day trip up and down the Arabian Gulf from Dubai in February — and it’s given me the opportunity to revisit the booking process and offer some, hopefully useful, tips.
As I’ve written before, it’s often more expensive for solo travellers to take cruises because a single supplement — let’s not call it a “no-friends tax” — often applies.
