Finding Friends

Ships life is very different from being on land. While living on land you might find new friends in your work place - but you can always decide to make new friends in other areas of your life.

Not so onboard. You all work together and this is the pool in which you will/can find friends. Sometimes this can be challenging, since you basically cannot get away from the same people.

The bigger the ship, the less interaction there is between departments. But I suggest to you to hang out with people from other departments as well. They have other stories to tell, a different experience than you, see other things.

In talking with people outside from your department, you will gain a better understanding on how the separate departments work and how the different departments work together to make it that unique experience for the guests onboard. If you are planning on making a career onboard a cruise ship, this is valuable information you can gain.

While onboard, friendships will be established, which seem everlasting at that time. Yet, when people go on vacation, go on another ship they meet other people, live a different life, and it could be that you never hear from them again.

This seems surprising at first and maybe painful. But with time, one learns who really wants one's email address and who will never even reply to a message.

And some friendships can last a life-time. These are rare – but it happens.

Protect your privacy

With all the people being so close and sharing work, living quarters, shore leave and basically every minute of the day, try to protect your little privacy you have left.

Like when living on land, best is not to share all you know, all you feel, all you've heard, all you think about other people - and if than only with those who you truly consider your friends.

Having people of 50 and more different nationalities onboard, you could try to learn another language, learn about other nationalities, their customs and cultures.

This is an opportunity of a life-time: to meet so many different people from so many different countries with so many different backgrounds.