Cruise Ship Lackey

by Christy
(Walnut Creek, California, USA)

On my 21st birthday I joined the MS Maasdam as a youth counselor during summer break from University. I spent the next six weeks running youth activities and dances, riding horses in the Puerto Rican rain forest, swimming with Stingrays in Grand Cayman, hiking a waterfall in Jamaica and getting the best tan of my life!

Not to mention enjoying an ultra exciting life onboard a Cruise liner. Dances and parties every night; cute, foreign sailors to have international romances with, and close friendships to be made. It was fantastic!

Over the course of the next five years, I worked ten more contracts on ten different ships. I traveled the world, met loads of like-minded people and sparked an undying bit of wanderlust in myself.

It had it's ups and downs, of course. It was a working-living environment. Had I not been stone-cold-sober by choice, I would have definitely developed into an alcoholic! Beer was cheaper than water.

Eventually I had to get out of ship life - five years had passed and sure I had fantastic travel photos and adventures, but life was moving on without me and I needed a new challenge. I cherish those cruise years but I doubt I'd go back. I will, however, continue to travel. My ongoing travelogue can be found at: cmewander.blogspot.com

Cheers to my fellow wanderers!