I got the night off because I was nominated as an employee of the month. You know, that is a big deal because for the crew members every night on the cruise ship is Friday night and every morning is a Monday morning. 

Here is an attempt to explain one average working day onboard. 

Most of the time, after a few hours of sleep, I would wake up with only one question: Why am I still stuck here? Tired of unrealistically long working hours, I dragged myself out of bed. 

Have you ever wondered what it takes to make a guest happy? The key is to understand the needs of others and always take pride in your job on a cruise ship. Indeed, we live in a society where time is money. Most people work around the clock to ensure their family needs are met. Sometimes, a lucky percentage of people can go on a cruise, capture unforgettable memories with their friends and family, and create a lifetime experience.

There is an enormous amount of pressure that crew members deal with every single day at sea. It is essential to maintain sanity and a clear mindset when working on cruise ships, regardless of the daily difficulties and high-stress levels that life on board the ship inevitably brings.

The key is to stay positive

An interesting story comes from New Zealand, as the country is facing nationwide fresh egg shortages leading suppliers and supermarkets to introduce a temporary limit on the purchase of eggs. Yes, you heard it right. New Zealand is facing egg shortages in the past month as a result of the ban on battery-caged hens which started a week ago. 

Carnival Corporation’s German brand AIDA Cruises announced that the company will implement several benefits for the crew this year, including an increase of the salaries to all shipboard employees by 5%. The pay rise will be carried out in two steps, with the first increase of 2.5% in February 2023, and 2.5% in July 2023. In a letter sent to its crew members, Aida Cruises said that the company employs about 15.000 shipboard personnel, which will see a pay rise in the coming months.

The following story is a guest post from Mladen Jakovljevic - former crew member and author of the book "Modern Age Slavery"

The following article is a guest post from Mladen Jakovljevic - former crew member and author of the book "Modern Age Slavery"

Norwegian Cruise Lines is undertaking changes related to staff benefits on board its cruise ships that will be affecting greatly on decision making moving forward to many staff, the company and guests in retrospect. The recent changes will affect most staff members and officers who carry less than 2 stripes on their uniform, while some reduction of benefits will affect all staff across the board.

Crew Center received the following letter from a Ukrainian crew member asking the community to spread the word an help Ukrainian seafarers.