During my first contract, I spent my birthday alone. Sure I was surrounded by people but not the ones that I wanted there – my parents, my sister, and my best friends. That moment was very difficult. I was less and less happy near the end of my contract. One of the worst moments was Orthodox Christmas (January 7th) that we celebrate at home. 

After a few years on the ship, you really start to wonder what is the purpose of life there? Is it really all about the money? Is it really possible that people can be treated like cheap motor parts? The answer is yes. Yes, it is, it`s like that. No matter how rich the company is or how good you are at your job, you will always be replaceable.

The floor in the Crew Mess was slippery that day because the cleaning crew did a deep washing. I slipped and fell down to the floor, and had a feeling that the whole ship turned with me. My right leg slipped and my hands were holding the tray firmly. Because of this I fell and hit the floor hard with my left elbow.

My duties while working for Princess Cruises were very clear. As a bar waitress, I need to carry a tray, serve drinks, collect empty glasses and follow USPH procedures (cleaning before inspections). That included wiping the shelves where the bottles are kept, wiping the tables and bar with greater detail, changing the tray for the one with the fruit for cocktails. I would also assist in the cocktail making if the bar was very crowded and wipe the bar one more time before closing.

The first time I got sick was during the fifth month of my contract. I got the infamous Norovirus which spreads so easily and if you don’t report symptoms right away you get a formal penalty. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain. 

It was the end of September 2013. This is the period when I got really scared on the ship Royal Princess for the first time. We were still on the Mediterranean cruises and the ship was on its’ way from Marseille to Barcelona. The sea was so still and I was working the first shift, a little before midday.

During my first contract, I had one lady giving me the biggest shock in 8 years of Hospitality, so what happened. 

We passed through many cities on our way to Alaska. I went to Cabo Saint Lucas with Aleksandra my roommate, although we only had an hour and a half to be there. But no matter, it was just enough time for us to take some photos, buy hats and scarfs, have a Corona and go for a little dip in the water. We also met with a few people and had a chat with them.

The positive side of the job is the travel, of course. We visited lots of cities because the ship is always ported somewhere else. 

The bar manager Janice was English and was very fair during my contract on Island Princess. She would make Bar waiter rotations so that everyone would get a chance to work in different bars. If there were four-bar waiters in one bar, then you would spend four weeks working in that bar and after that, the crew would rotate places. I thought that was really fair.