Thousands of Kenyans are looking for jobs overseas every day. In a globalised economy, some have realised that international jobs benefit their careers.
Among those who have found jobs abroad are those working in cruise ships sailing through the high seas. Each day and night, they work with the backdrop of the sounds of gentle ocean waves and sights of endless horizons, in the bars, kitchens, restaurants, cabins and even in the clubs floating at sea. Others work as hairdressers or masseuses in the spas, gym trainers, photographers or shop attendants.
James Thuci, a 34-year-old, is one of the Kenyans who works on a cruise ship. Before he got the job, James was running a successful events and entertainment business, renting out sound, lighting and screens in Kenya. Unfortunately, he lost it all during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Wondering how he would survive after the business loss, one day he stumbled upon an online advert by a cruise line. They were looking for an entertainment technician.
“I applied online and got the first familiarisation interview and afterwards I was called for the technical knowledge interview. I waited for six months before receiving the news that I had been accepted,” he says.
James says the cruise ship job was a lifesaver. He started as an entertainment technician and was soon promoted to the theatre onboard, to handle the Broadway-style theatre shows as an assistant stage manager. In these theatres, which seat about 1,700 people, vacationers get to watch live performances.
Afterwards, he got another promotion as a stage manager within the nine-month contract.
On a busy day, James works a maximum of 10 hours a day and seven hours on a regular day.
“I wake up at 9 am to have breakfast and then have lunch at 1 pm and wait for my shift to begin from 5 pm to midnight. I sleep during the day and then work at night. We are also allowed to go off the ship whenever we are at port so I take the time to explore,” he says.
Usually, the cruise ship workers have their own sleeping and entertainment quarters and can get out of the ship once it stops at different destinations.
Barbra Janvier Ogutu also works on a cruise ship. She used to be an entertainer and animator at the Sarova White Sand Beach Resort and Spa in Mombasa and also worked at the Voyager Beach Resort. She quit her 10-year career and became a Youth Staff at MSC Cruises instead. At the MSC ships, she works with youth. She says her ability to communicate fluently in English has helped a lot.
“I’d always wondered what it would be like to work on a cruise ship and travel the world for work, so I applied. I got the invitation for an interview and was allocated to a ship with MSC Cruises. The experience has been great and I’m learning more and more every day, enhancing my skills and sharing my ideas with the team,” she tells Lifestyle.
Another Kenyan working on the cruise is Cyrus Kifana. He says his work experience in customer service while working at Qatar Airways and as a desk agent at Crown Plaza Hotel boosted his chances of being selected for a senior role as a guest service officer with Princess Cruise, an American cruise line owned by Carnival Corporation & Plc, that cruises in over 330 destinations.
At first, he was wary of what the job entails having watched lots of YouTube clips on flights of Kenyans on Board and noticed that those who worked as waiters and in housekeeping had many complaints.
“But when you enter in the superior role you enjoy privileges and enjoy the cruise,” says the 34-year-old.
As a guest services officer, he handles forex exchange, assists in all queries on cruise amenities, explains discrepancies in folios and also ushers in guests during embarkation.
“The busiest day is the embarkation day because we face complaints from guests and have to attend to issues like when the travel agencies information doesn’t match what the clients have on the ground. At that point, we can do nothing but advise the guest to reach out to their travel agent for clarification to ensure that the information matches,” he says.
Exploring the cities during his shifts and breaks, he says.
“I have explored Halifax in Canada, Jamaica, Boston and New Port in the US. I have a favourite joint in Mexico for the best tacos (a traditional Mexican dish). The other advantages of my work are the free delicious meals, free accommodation, free tickets, exploring the world and expanding your mindset, and free gym. For those in senior roles, there is free laundry and a special diet and I can use the guest gym and restaurants. The best part is that my CV grows,” he says.
Most of the big ships house over 4,000 passengers, including children. In addition to about 10 bars and restaurants, they have amusement parks to keep the children busy while at sea.
Rashid Mohamed Alinahdi is the Head of Amusement at MSC Cruises, a job that he has done for nearly three years. Before joining the MSC Cruises, a Swiss-Italian global cruise line, he worked in Dubai for almost nine years in a five-star hotel. This experience, he says, prepared him well for the cruise ship position.
“I had already developed extensive skills working with customers. I knew how to handle customers even in stressful situations. In addition, I learnt to be excellent at de-escalating situations and always finding a way to make the customer happy,” he says.
For the cruise ship job, his employer only required him to have a high school graduation certificate. His previous experience working on various cruise lines was an added advantage. The company also required someone who was computer literate, with strong communication and negotiation skills.
“They also needed someone who had great sales orientation, attention to detail, an energetic attitude, an outgoing personality, and the ability to connect to the guests. Great public speaking skills were a plus. And before starting work on board, you need a medical certification,” he adds.
Having worked on a cruise ship for three years, he confesses that the best part of his job is exploring the world and the sea and the perks that come with it.
“It’s a great way to travel, explore the world, and make amazing connections with fellow seafarers while you are working. You also get some free time to have fun onboard with crew activities. In addition, food, accommodation and medical expenses are all covered,” says Rashid.
A traveller at the Royal Palm Casino inside cruise ship MSC Splendida.
Photo credit: Clara Orina | Nation
Despite it being a dream job, working on a cruise ship has its own set of challenges. One of them is adapting to the cruise lifestyle and homesickness, because most times one is away for six months or more.
“At first, it is a bit difficult especially when you just embarked, and didn’t know anything about the ship. You get homesick, but some of us have learnt how to beat homesickness. I keep myself busy with onboard crew activities or go the gym in my free time,” Rashid says.
On board, the crew, who could reach up to 1,300 in number, have their own gym and bar.
James too experienced homesickness, but says that sightseeing became the cure.
“I miss home sometimes but I have to remind myself that we are here just for five months plus I get excited thinking about sightseeing at every stopover. I also attend crew activities, which keeps me busy, and I always call home every day because we have free Wi-Fi onboard. The work can sometimes be draining, and when I miss home, I just sleep or watch movies,” he says.
When he got the job, one of James’ fears was racial discrimination, because cruise ships are mostly frequented by Whites.
Having read about racial discrimination and culture shocks that one experiences on some cruise lines online, James was afraid that it would be his experience. However, he says, he is fortunate that the company he works for has great working conditions.
“We have all nationalities onboard as crew, so it feels diverse. I learned to make new friends, and when I get off the ship, it’s exciting to explore new ports as often as I can,” he says.
Cyrus Kifana, a Kenyan who works in the cruise industry.
Photo credit: Pool
With a growing number of unemployed Kenyan youths, the search for jobs overseas is relentless. Cyrus advises those who desire to find work on cruise lines to build their LinkedIn profiles and also network with those already in the same field.
“That’s what I did. I e-mailed a cruise recruiter from the UK Cruise Academy and was advised to e-mail my CV. The interview process was easy as it was basically to ascertain that I was familiar with the field and to test the level of experience that I had. I had extensive experience in customer service, and explaining my skills won the recruiter’s hearts,” he says.
James advises those looking for cruise ship jobs not only to take a step of faith and apply for opportunities, but to also take time to research about the company that they desire to work for. He says the advantage that comes with working at sea is you do not get to spend your earnings. You can easily save. The cruise ship industry is estimated to support over 1.17 million jobs globally, and pay more than Sh6.6 trillion ($50 billion) in salaries and wages globally according to CLIA Economic Impact Report 2022.
A Kenyan working for a cruise ship who sought anonymity told Lifestyle, that when the dollar rate was high (at an exchange rate of Sh160), he managed to save about Sh1.8 million in six months, money he plans to use to build his family home in Kilifi County. Another who ran a salon business in Nairobi's Westlands before he took up a job as a hairdresser and Head of Spa on a cruise ship said, "I earn enough money to sustain my family back home and my business in Kenya."
“Cruise ships are a good place to kick-start your savings goals. You spend less here since you pay no rent, and you pay for no food, you travel the world for free, you get to make international contacts, and you grow yourself in terms of exposure! The pay is good in some positions but can be low in others. Let them not be afraid, we are doing it here, so can they,” he says.
Barbra advises those looking to work on a cruise ship to learn a foreign language. The foreign language gives you a competitive edge.
“Be friendly and passionate, ready to learn and adapt to any situation. Those are all good qualities to have. You can read more about what each job onboard entails online. The MSC Cruises career website is a great place for people to see what roles are out there,” she says.
However, Rashid adds that the cruise ship life is not for everyone, but if you do not mind being away from home, it is a great job.
“I’d recommend, before you even apply, do your research about the cruise ship and the job that you’re looking for and also make sure you have the experience and knowledge for the job,” he says.
