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The Truth About Cruise Ships - A Cruise Ship Officer Survives the Work, Adventure, Alcohol, and Sex of Ship Life
 
 

The Truth About Cruise Ships - A Cruise Ship Officer Survives the Work, Adventure, Alcohol, and Sex of Ship Life [Kindle Edition]

Jay Herring
3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Author’s hurricane and flooding video aired on national television by ABC’s Nightline to 3.9 million people.

A finalist in the Global eBook Awards, this is a behind-the-scenes look at cruise ships in a way that's never been done before. Some of the stories are shocking, some are enlightening, but most are just laugh-out-loud entertaining. This tour behind those "Crew Only" doors will reveal:

- How romance on a cruise ship is unlike anywhere else
- The insane things passengers do
- Why alcohol is mandatory at sea
- How nude cruises compare to Christian cruises
- A first hand account of damage from getting caught in a hurricane

Jay Herring was an American senior officer and one of the few who had physical access to the entire ship. He worked with every department and every senior officer, including the captain. His wife worked in the casino, and combined they worked for Carnival Cruise Lines for 10 years and sailed on over 503 cruises.

If you've ever wondered what happens below deck on a cruise ship, then get ready to laugh through an experience unlike any other!

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Chapter 1

How Easy Is Romance on a Cruise Ship?

I had been onboard my first ship for five days when I went to the crew bar and met a woman from Trinidad and Tobago. She was a black woman and she was overweight, maybe even a little flabby, but such a sweetheart. I saw her the next night in the crew bar and she looked upset so I went over and sat down.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I just had an argument with the chief purser,” she said with her Caribbean accent.

“That’s too bad.”

“Yes, I do not get along with the pursers on this ship very well,” she said, starting to tear up a little. “I do not have many friends onboard.”

Although I liked her, I could understand why others might shy away. She had slow, almost voodoo-like mannerisms that bordered on creepy. But she was so easy to talk to and, like me, perfectly content to sit and talk one on one.

“So do you have a girlfriend?” she asked, changing the subject.

“No.”

“Have you been with anyone on the ship yet?”

“Nope. It’s actually been twelve years since I slept with someone.”

“Come on now.”

“It’s true.” I said, and then told her why (more on that later).

“Hmm. That’s fascinating. You know, I used to sleep with a skinny white guy from England on my last ship. You remind me of him.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“He and I had lots of fun, and I never left him unsatisfied. I may not look it, but I’m actually a really good lover.”

“You don’t say.”

“I’ve been with lots of men in my day. I’m forty-one, after all. And in my years, I’ve learned exactly what men like and how to please them. And now”—she took a sip of her drink—“and now all the men I sleep with are extremely satisfied.”

I had always imagined athletic girls—especially flexible athletic girls—to be the best lovers. But this lady from Trinidad had me rethinking that assumption. Maybe it was just another one of the after effects of abstinence, but those voodoo mannerisms were now bordering on sensual.

“Would you like to have sex with me?” she asked, taking another sip of her drink. “We could go to my cabin right now.”

Woodrow.

I couldn’t believe how quickly the opportunity had presented itself. “I might be interested in that.”

“Might?”

“Yeah.”

“But not right now?”

“Yeah, not just yet.”

“Okay, well, you think about it and I’ll call you later this week.” She got up and left me at the table, alone with my thoughts.

My cabin phone rang at 8:00 p.m. two days later.

“Hi, it’s me,” she said. “How are you?”

“I’m good. How are you?” I responded.

“Good, good. Are you ready to do what we talked about the other night?” she asked, wasting no time on idle chit-chat...

Product Details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 457 KB
  • Print Length: 291 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0981843611
  • Publisher: SaltLog Press; 1 edition (February 12, 2010)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B0038BRIR6
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Lending: Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,232 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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Customer Reviews

38 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
3.6 out of 5 stars (38 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating but sad, too, September 12, 2011
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I really enjoyed this book, because the author's personal experience brought a great deal of authenticity to the story. On the other hand, it was really disturbing to learn just how seriously cruise line employees are exploited and even mistreated. I absolutely love to cruise, and I don't think I will ever feel the same about it after reading this book. I knew that crew members work 12 to 14 hour days for up to 8 months without a real day off, but it was truly eye-opening to learn about the horrendous conditions endured by those who live below the public decks. Things like windowless rooms, continuous vibration from engines and thrusters, bleak living spaces that sound more like shared closets than rooms, serious overcrowding, and a complete lack of personal space or privacy are the norm in this former Officer's experience. Much of the book is about sexual liaisons, however temporary, and a mind-boggling amount of excessive drinking. It's as if the ship's employees swing desperately between trying to make meaningful human connections by hooking up sexually with willing shipmates, yet on the other hand, trying to block out the realities of their situation by becoming blotto with alcohol every non-working hour. As someone who works in the Human Resources field in real life, I found these working conditions truly disturbing.

For those who love to cruise, though, or even for those who have never been on a cruise but are thinking of trying it, this book is an excellent resource. The author meets his goal of providing an excellent insider's guide to all aspects of shipboard life. Embedded in the paragraphs are dozens of insider tips on how to get the most from your cruise and how not to be the jerk of a passenger that the crew loves to hate. It's a good read, and very informative as well. The author also offers the bonus of a free on-line tip sheet that is well worth looking up for those who are new to cruising. I recommend this book for the cruise crowd.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for anyone entering this industry., June 27, 2010
I have just been hired to work for a cruise company and I wanted to find some good reference material and I can say without a doubt that this book makes for the perfect reference for anyone entering the cruise industry or even passengers who are interested in the other side of the spectrum. Herring gives the good with a constant reminder of the bad that comes from working on a cruise ship. He even peppers in the crazy on top of it all! This book is an absolute must read and has motivated me to get ready for my new job!
I can't wait to start!
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars LOVED IT, June 4, 2010
I am not much of a reader but I could not put this book down. The author is an interesting and hilarious character. When you put that interesting character in absurd situations, you get the kind of stories you cannot make up. I actually laughed until I cried at certain points. In between all that, you actually learn about cruising and I am a much better cruise consumer now.
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