Cruise Line CM's?

[TowerO]

I was wondering if there were any cruise line CM's on here . . . I used to work Tower at WDW and have been thinking about taking a role with DCL next fall. Has anybody heard anything about what life is REALLY like on the ships or Castaway Cay?

[Fantasmic_Freak]

Bet its like Disney, 16 hour days, or 22 hour days, on a ship, parites and no secrets or privacy, fun times, work and parties. :D: I'd do it!

[Karnever]

Yup you work on a 6 month contract no Days off 12- 16 hour days then you get 2 months off. If you work in stores you get the chance of having time off when you are at the ports except for Castaway cay... Most the CMs are from other countries so the pay is pretty good for them the one US CM I talked to said the pay isnt that great and she had to share a small room with 2 other people. But what ever floats your boat.....

[Panther007]

the people at the ship only have a few minutes to check their e-mail

but they check it once a week (for my friend it is wednesday)

but being a CM on the ship would be cool, just make sure if your a CM on the medetterian cruise (to spain) make sure to give me some cool free stuff :p: :p: :p: :p:

[BRWombat]

Syndrome can probably tell you better than anyone -- at least any other non-CM, since she's taken almost 50 (!) Disney cruises and has befriended many of the crew members (and runs her own Disney cruise website, castawayclub.com). But from my 2-cruise conversations with CM's there, what other people have said so far is spot on -- long hours, little time off, no privacy, low pay (at least compared to many US jobs) and a lot of hard work.

If you "survive" just one month on the ship you "earn your ears" and are awarded a set of Mickey ears. When I heard that from my Croatian server on my first cruise, I thought one month seemed awfully short, so I half-jokingly ask, "Do some not survive that long?" He got very serious and replied, "Lots. At home, you get up when you want, eat when you want... Here, sixteen hours work a day. And cheerful, always cheerful." So, it's not the life for everyone, but some seem to find it very rewarding. And, as with all things Disney, it is the CMs who make things so wonderful for us guests!

Incidentally, you may know this already, but Disney Cruise Line has a website for people interested in working for them, at www.dcljobs.com.

[TowerO]

Thanks for the input everybody! I've actually already been offered a role as a lifeguard and was looking for some testimonials; I think I may have gotten what I need. If anyone's planning a cruise for next fall, keep your eyes peeled for me! :D:

[BRWombat]

[quote="TowerO"]Thanks for the input everybody! I've actually already been offered a role as a lifeguard and was looking for some testimonials]Congrats, TowerO!!!! Which ship?

[Alyssa3467]

If there was a ship homeported out of Long Beach, I would sign up in a heartbeat. I used to be in the Navy, and well... I kinda miss being out on the open ocean. It can't be that difficult... the Disney Look guidelines are almost exactly like military regs. :D:

[Fantasmic_Freak]

If there was a ship homeported out of Long Beach, I would sign up in a heartbeat. I used to be in the Navy, and well... I kinda miss being out on the open ocean. It can't be that difficult... the Disney Look guidelines are almost exactly like military regs. :D:

There is a new port that ships out of in Long Beach at the Queen Mary, check out the website above, In The Navy, where the... is stuck in my head, thanks!

[TowerO]

Congrats, TowerO!!!! Which ship?

Not sure yet, they said they'd be happy to give me a position but since it was so far out they wouldn't know the specifics (I'm on contract on a job here in southern cali until april). On a related note, some friends of mine are visiting LA and are spending a day at DLR on monday or tuesday - can anyone suggest any good, cheap hotels?