Life on a Cruise Ship
|
| |
| |
Editors Note: Micha Berman wrote Permanent Passenger, his engaging story about working on a cruise ship after graduating from college. Micha participated in the following online interview. If you are interested about cruise ship travel, read more of his interview at Work on a Cruise Ship.
Who did you write this book for?
My book appeals to cruise fans who have always been curious about life behind the scenes, and below the decks. I am getting fantastic response also from crew who work on ships and believe I have captured that secret world that people never see.
What do you want the reader to get from reading the book?
On the simplest level I want to reader to laugh and connect with me and the story. I want them to get a feel for what it is like to live on a cruise ship, not only the fantasy but the reality of day to day living.
You were pretty young and inexperienced. What surprised you the most about working on cruise ships?
It's funny I put so much energy into the job search that when I finally got the call from the Entertainment Director at Carnival Cruise Lines offering me the job, I was really nervous. I had not thought through all the basic questions, how would I bank my money, where would I do my laundry. I went on the ship pretty much only knowing what I learned from growing up on the Love Boat with Captain Stubin. The surprise was this whole world below the passenger decks, with dining halls for crew, crew bars, swimming pools. Also, the way I was treated was quite different from most crewmembers. I had my own cabin and could roam freely around the ship, but as you went deeper into the ship, conditions got worse and I was surprised how tough life could be on a cruise ship for most crewmembers.
Some of your descriptions of live downstairs were fairly provocative. Were you concerned about a backlash from Carnival?
Truly, I really wrote a pretty upbeat book, there was much more I could have said about regulations being violated or unfair ways employees were treated, but I felt that would be a boring book. What I have described in Permanent Passenger is not much different from most cruise lines and most people in the industry recognize that. I have not heard anything negative and I always tease that I was afraid to write anything too provocative or Carnival, the billion dollar corporation that they are might send their secret police after me.
Were there any secrets of things you saw that you didn’t share in the book?
As I said, my security is at risk, just kidding. Well I saw trash thrown off the ship sometimes. I had some things stolen but again this is not very interesting but I do talk at the back of the book in my Ten Commandments that anyone going on a cruise ship has to be careful and not let your guard down thinking that bad things don't happen. Overall, it was a dream come true.
Do you have any suggestions on how to make the most of a cruise?
First, take risks and don't be afraid to explore at the ports of destinations. Second, really research the cruise lines and make sure you are going with the right line. Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, offer a very different product than Windstar, Seabourn, or Crystal. Finally, be careful and don't assume you can go on cruise ships and be totally safe, it is still an environment where you have to watch your belongings and use common sense.
Is there anything else I didn’t ask that you¹d like to share with readers?
Just the wonderful dream coming true of writing this book and getting to share the story makes me laugh out loud. More and more people are writing me and sharing the roars of laughter they experienced reading Permanent Passenger but also how it inspired them to hear about how I would not take no for an answer. Take a cruise!
Micha Berman’s website for the book is www.permanentpassenger.com and his personal website is michathemouth.com which has a section on "my book" with articles, interviews, etc.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
