Has anyone ever worked on a cruise ship?

Has anyone ever worked on a Cruise ship as a Photographer?

• If so, what was it like? Did you enjoy it? What kind of hours did you work, and what was required of you? I am think about trying to get a job as photographer on a cruise ship and I ...show more

• Answer:

  Based on my own experience 2013-2014. A typical day working in a cruise ship as a photographer for Ocean Images recruiter (and I am pretty sure it will be similar with other agencies) lasts between 9-14 hours. You get paid ONLY on COMMISSION, you will work LONG HARD HOURS, WITH NOT A SINGLE DAY OFF THROUGH THE 8 MONTHS CONTRACT. You will NOT GET PAID MORE THAN 800-900$ MONTHLY. some times IT CAN EASY GET AS LOW PAID AS 400 $ FOR A MONTH. And I am NOT TALKING ABOUT SMALL SHIPS. KEEP READING... It begins early in the morning around 7-8 am many times and it ends late 11-12 and in some occasions it has been ending even later. Like I said it begins early in the morning because you have to be gone to gangway before the passengers do to take -or force them- to take their photograph. When that is finished you have to take your card to the lab, then maybe you have a short break of 15-30 minutes to have your breakfast and then go and batch the printed photos you took the day before and take them to the photo gallery, open the panels and display one by one the photographs, then you are ready to give customer service to any one who walks by and asks the 'every 2 minutes same question" --where is the restaurant? or - Which way is it to the restroom? or- do you sell batteries/ SD cards... or can you charge my camera, I left mine at home. Also another part of the job which is the biggest part, its selling your product, photos and photo packages prices start at 99$ and go up to 449$. Not only you are responsible for selling your own product but you also you have to sell and book shooting for the Black Label Artist how can not possible do that herself because is too busy resting after last nights hungover, so you must get bookings for her considering half of the money you make comes from Black Label, as just for one photo you would be paying a minimum of around 350$ and that if you are "lucky" enough to been able to buy just one, normally you can only get packages ranging from 800-5000$ or as much as you wish to expend really!! Well, and after spending 3 hours in the gallery you may have a half an hour break go have lunch and then you gotta set up the studios as they are all portable and there's as much as 5 set ups to do on formal nights and 2 on normal days. This part is very tiring as usually team work... (Lets say everyone tries to do as little as possible whenever there is no authority watching, some times you cant blame it because every one its always so exhausted, but other times is just being very much inconsiderably !) isn't really there and the equipment that you got to carry around the ship and set up can be bulky and heavy to carry... After you are done with setting up -which it can last from 30 minutes (with help) to 1 hour with no help.- you got to take studio shots or at least try as you are all alone in the middle of a pass-way were passengers come and go from the Casino, or from watching a performance to the Restaurant or vice-versa. So you got to be loud and concise saying things like "Have your Casual/Formal picture taking!! (with a smile) this is what your manager will tell you to say, but the reality is, the passengers very possible already have your words stuck in their brains since they see you every day all through the day for two weeks, so you better be innovative and better have a quick mind to come up with different things to say and to whom !! So facing the reality... you are left all by your own and you got to do most of the work. from CREATING the photos, SORTING them up, SELLING them, and MAKING SURE IT KEEPS GOING ON OVER AND OVER, and THAT MEANS HAVING OR MAKING OF YOURSELF A GREAT PEOPLE PERSON ALL THEY LONG.. EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T EATING IN 7 HOURS OR HAVEN'T SLEPT MORE THAN 5 HOURS IN ONE WEEK! ! So the days go on an on doing that over and over, and I am not counting the normal ship life that includes taking part in security and safety activities that happen every 2 days! This is the PURE REALITY, not trying to troll anyone here, I was so much excited for this job before I had finally tried it out, of course I did not have any references from any ships photographer and had no idea of all that on it, it isn't just the long hours work and being far from home, there's way more to it that I can even get to write in here, I am missing so much more! It is something that you have to experience to really understand. I am sure I am missing may important things here as I can already think of a few, but will write more some other time if any of you reading this wants to know more about something in particular. Feel free to ask!