I live on a cruise ship, rent and food are free even though I'm not crew – but there are 3 things I cannot do

The Sun

2 days ago

IMAGINE if you could travel the world without having to worry about finding and covering accommodation and food.
This is exactly what one woman, only known as the American Girl on TikTok, gets to experience thanks to her hubby who's a crew member.
2
2
As her husband works on the epic cruise ship as a ''staff chief engineer'', the woman gets to sail for free ''as wife on board''.
This, she recently listed, comes with a number of perks, such as free accommodation, food and drinks.
However, whilst she lives there both as ''crew'' and a ''guest'' at the same time, there are a few things that are off-limit for the TikToker.
One of these, she said in the video, is gambling.
''I am not allowed to sit by a slot machine and play my heart out until I win.
''Because it would look a little weird if I as a wife of the staff chief engineer won a big jackpot.''
While she is allowed to enter the crew and the guest areas, the lucky woman is forced to wear a name badge in staff areas.
''So that they know that I am one of them and I am allowed down there because we don't want any guests down in the crew area.''
There are also a couple of other things she needs to abide by, such as leaving the ship after the guests have disembarked - this is usually an hour afterwards.
As a guest, the TikToker - who posts under the username @ dutchworld_americangirl - also gets access to the pool, the lavish spa area and gym.
I 'live' on a cruise ship with my son & fiancé - the food's amazing, there's childcare & our laundry's done for free too
''I can use all those guest amenities. But I always play it with the rule of thumb.
''If the pool is packed then I make sure to get up and give the guests the seat - it's just the right thing to do.
''I used to be a cruise director, so I totally understand how to give the guests the best time they possibly can - and I don't think a crew member taking up their seat is the right thing to do.''
When travelling on the cruise with her partner, the woman also needs to have her international travel insurance ''at all times'' in case something was to happen.
Pros and cons of going on a cruise ship
Whether you're considering a long holiday, working remotely or even living on board a cruise ship for a few months or years, here are the pros and cons from a former cruise shipper.
Pros
Travel the world, learn and experience new cultures
Meet new people
Don't have to think or worry about room cleaning, or food
Cons
Internet connection can be painfully slow and expensive
Limited luggage allowance so have to wear the same clothes on rotation
Having no control of where the ship would go next and the possibility of visiting the same ports
Having the same onboard entertainment, on-demand movies, and little choice of TV channels
No fresh newspapers or new books unless someone adds them to the library
Relatively the same food week after week unless major menu changes occur seasonally.
Occasional rough seas, bad weather and viral outbreaks while inboard.
'Soooo....I'm not seeing any negatives'
The informative clip, which has racked up more than 5million views, has clearly sparked interest in this lifestyle for many.
One singleton chuckled: ''Note to self: marry someone who works on a cruise ship.''
Another begged: ''please refer me to a man on board.''
Someone else chimed in: ''I see no negatives here!
''Soooo....I'm not seeing any negatives,'' a fourth agreed.