Salary: 900+ commission.
Agency: Safe Cruise (Belgrade)
Ship: Sun Princess 1995
Department: Gift Shop
Hi all fellow sailors.
So, first of all, my name is Stefan, I am 27 years old, and I had the good fortune or misfortune to work for both Princess and Carnival (Shop Department).
Well, my story begins back in 2019. One morning while wandering on Facebook and drinking coffee, scrolling through Facebook, I came across an ad that reads “Do you want to make your dreams come true? To work and travel the world?”. Signed by Safe Cruise Agency. I clicked on it, more out of curiosity than actually thinking something concrete would happen. Little did I know that I would end up in Japan boarding the ship only 2 weeks later.
It is important to mention that while studying I participated two times in Work & Travel in America, so I didn’t even have to undergo Marlins language test etc, since I have IELTS AND TOEFL.
After applying through Safe Cruise, they responded very quickly, and I started collecting documentation and scheduling another interview with the main recruiter from Italy. Following that, I gathered all the documentation. I got the date of the “Main Interview” when you have to visit the Agency and there they explain everything from start to finish. Successfully completing that part. I initially got one ship as my destination, then the 2nd and finally the 3rd and the main “Sun Princess”.
My ship at the time was in Japan, its home port was Okinawa and it just began the popular “Asian Season”. I knew nothing about, let alone what hell awaits me. After more than 20 hours of travel from Belgrade via Zurich to Hong Kong, I arrived to Okinawa.
The island, which is located in Japan, is quite Americanized, and it’s no wonder, because that’s where the American military base is. Like everyone, delighted, excited, I didn’t know what awaits me, in Okinawa we had an overnight stay at the Hotel, so the next day we boarded the ship.
I got there, and all hell breaks loose, firstly because they lost my suitcases. Secondly when we arrived to the ship, no one even waited for us, and I sat for over 2 hours at the gangway with colleagues, waiting for someone to pick us up. After 2 hours, the deputy manager (Macedonian) came to pick us up and take us directly to the Gift Shop.
We climbed to the 7th deck, Inhouse Shop, all in wood, open space style – there are no walls between the shops. To my right was a jewelry store, bags and Liquor and Tobacco store. Effy on the left which is between our Perfume & Watch Shop. We arrived upstairs, entered directly into the office of the manager where the manager (Filipino) and the deputy (Romanian) welcomed us. They ask us if we have ever worked on a ship, 2 colleagues (Chinese) and me. He handed us the crew safety assignments for Crew Drill and told us to go change and get to work. Since they lost my suitcases, I had nothing to wear but what I was already in. Of course the uniform they provided me with was 2 numbers smaller than the one I actually needed.
After that I went to the cabin to take a shower and rest, I got 2 days off until my suitcases arrive in the Port where we would dock. The first port, we dock, Taiwan – Keelung, my suitcases arrived. I got dressed, all excited I went to the Atrium, entered the Shop and then got shocked. How was I to work with 10 Chinese?
I spoke to everyone in English while they speak Chinese to each other (of course). The first working day, I a Romanian woman showed me the ship. She explained to me where she was from and how she met her husband who also works onboard in Horizon Court as the Chief of something.
Then the real HELL began. Why do I say that? Guests are boarding, of course all Asians, a mixture of Japanese and Taiwanese. My position was Promo Tables. First setup in the morning, second in the afternoon and third in the evening. We disembarked the previous guests, sailed away, and the first sea day, in the morning from 8 am started the most popular thing ever invented which is called “$ 10 Sale” or in a better way called – garbage for $ 10.
At 7:00 we were all in the warehouse to actually pull out all that junk from the warehouse and make a setup in the Main Dining Room. I have never seen such a rush of people in my life. They would buy whatever if it was just $ 10. As time went on, we switched and removed that garbage to make a new Setup for Promo Tables from 3-6, and from 6-9 when we mostly had watches and jewelry. Day after day sea day after sea day, port day after port day, nothing was changing. Since the Asians were in question, of course the Commission was like balls in the Lottery, 56,33,21, 24,44,31,20 etc.
The first port I went out to was Okinawa. I went out with my colleagues and they took me to a restaurant to do what? Just eat and eat and eat and yes, drank Bubble Tea.
Then we got the information that we would be doing the Asian Season for another month or so when Turnaround starts and when we leave for Australia. What does that mean? This means that everything in the Shop and Warehouse must go from USD to AUD, ie Australian Dollars. And so the price marking starts day after day, and it took about 2 weeks. When the Asian Season was officially over – everyone was celebrating on the open deck, while we were in the dungeon called the Warehouse, marking the prices. Hong Kong was the port where the passengers boarded and where we left for Australia. Crossing 18 days with stops in Hai Long Bay Vietnam, Nha Trang Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, Bali and destination AUSTRALIA DARWIN.
It is important to note that while I was at PRINCESS, I received an offer to start working for Heinemann at Carnival, which I accepted immediately and ran away from Princess as quickly as I could.
And so one saga ended and another began.
About that later in another post.
Until then, thanks for reading, all the best and I wish you a peaceful sea.
Link to the original article here: Princess shop