I am about to graduate from culinary school at the end of November and am trying to decide where I would like to work after. Do any of you have any cruise ship experiences or do you know of people who have worked them? Just wondering what the scope is on the long voyages, work, space, etc.

The word from my friends who have worked cruise ships is: do it for the money, but don't expect much else. That is, the money is good because you have no way to spend it (ie. you work all the time) and no living expenses.
You have little leave at the ports of call, and when on the water-you work. Labor laws can be funny because most ships are registered under foreign domains and thus no subject to US labor laws regarding compensation, working conditions, etc. Regarding space, have you ever gone on a cruise? Except for the most expensive staterooms, space is hard won. Do you think these floating businesses will spend an extra nickle to make their employees comfortable?

[Mezzaluna]

My brother worked on a ship of a major line. He jumped ship after lots of bad experiences (hired as sous chef, wound up mopping floors and not cooking; sexual harassment from other males on board; poor general living and working conditions).

That's also what I heard. One of my teachers at cooking school did it for a while. He hated it. He wasn't allowed to be anywhere near the passengers. The hours were so ridiculous that when he did have time off he was too tired to do anything. They had cramped living conditions and never saw daylight.

[Chef David Simpson]

I did this for a while,about three months through the NMU in San francisco to get a car. foodnfoto right about the money. But I would never make a full time job of it. It was good experience though.

Thanks for sending replys to my post. The thought of working cruise ships entered my mind because of the money aspect. I just wondered what else was involved and how people handled it. Thanks for the info.