Hi, I’m Rob Lilley and I’ve had the amazing privilege of working on cruise ships for 5 years.
I worked for two different cruise lines (P&O and Silversea) and enjoyed 11 contracts on 7 different cruise ships. The ships ranged from a 129 passenger “Expedition” ship, to mid-sized 800 passenger ships, to the huge 2500+ ships.
I was fortunate enough to sail the seven seas and set foot on all seven continents, including Antarctica. Two world cruises took me to almost every country, and with every contract I was taken back to many of the same amazing ports again and again.
I began as an Internet Cafe Manager for two years. As the saying goes, I was at the right place at the right time, and was given the opportunity to become an IT/Communications Officer with Silversea for the next three years.
Both these positions gave me a unique look at crew life, both as a staff member and as an officer.
In particular, my IT/Comms Officer position gave me a fresh understanding of what crew life was really like. This job took me all over the ship, helping with internet and computer issues in every department. It was here where I worked alongside people in every job position on board, from captains to senior officers, managers and staff, entertainers, spa, the shops, casino, the bars, dining rooms, laundry, and more.
I was able to see the pros and the cons of each job position, and walked away with an amazing education of what it’s really like to work on cruise ships.
It goes without saying, but I also made some fantastic friends – many of whom still work on cruise ships today. We’re always catching up, and they love to keep me informed with what’s going on in the cruise ship world at all times. My “eyes and ears.”
It’s through this experience that workingoncruiseships.com has come to be.
The purpose of this website is to share what I’ve learned, pull back the curtain on cruise ship life, and help people understand if working on cruise ships is right for them – it’s an amazing life if you know what to expect.
You’ll find many of my posts have tips and short stories about my every day experiences… from the practical to the just plain crazy!
If you have any questions, I’d love to hear from you by contacting me.
Enjoy!
Rob Lilley
p.s. I’ve been a passenger on the Carnival Inspiration, and a guest of entertainers on the Seven Seas Mariner. It’s so different being on the passenger side!