I live on a cruise ship – inside the tiny shared staff cabins where we sleep away from guests that have no windows
MANY people dream of setting sail on a luxury cruise ship – but some individuals call it their full-time home.
Cruise ship worker Kristine Kugler, who works as a professional dancer on Royal Caribbean‘s Odyssey of the Seas, lifted the lid on her life on the high seas.
And if you’ve ever wondered where the staff sleep when you are on board a cruise ship, Kristine uploaded a video giving a sneaky peek at her tiny bedroom.
On her YouTube channel, she said: “When I taught about living on a ship, one of the most asked questions is what does your cabin look like, how much space do you have?
“Ships are different, different roles have different rooms.”
Unfortunately for Kristine, she doesn’t get her own private bedroom, but shares with a fellow worker.
However, the two women maximise their small, window-less space with a number of storage hacks.
First off, they have a shoe rack on the back of the door which is “super helpful”, along with hooks for hanging bags.
And their clothes are stories in some Amazon storage units with drawers, including tops, bottoms and bikinis.
Kristine said the hardest part to come to terms with was the very small bathroom.
She explained: “It was definitely a culture shock because it’s a lot tinier than anything we are used to, and we have to share with another person.”
Thankfully, the room has magnetic shelves for their cosmetics on the wall, along with a cabinet above the sink – and magnetic razor holders to save space.
They also added a shower filter as they’ll be on the cruise show for a “long period of time.”
The cruise ship worker said they get their own mini fridge, which she said was “essential” for storing their salad dressing.
And they also have a “beloved snack drawer” for supplies, such as crisps, popcorn, chocolate and Vegemite.
Kristine said they are “spoiled” with their large TV, and they get the same movie package that guests get.
There is also a tiny table in the room if they need it, but she said they rarely use it.
Long dresses and jumpers are stored in the tiny wardrobe and shelves, and one key item that she bought from Walmart is a hanger that holds multiple garments on one hanger.
Her favourite part of the room is her “mini library”, which is a small shelf of books.
Kristine stays in a bunk bed and she said it’s “important to make it feel like home”, and she had added photos and fairy lights.
Her video has racked up half a million views, and people were quick to comment.
One impressed viewer said: “Your room is lovely and so clean and tidy. Actually an impressive amount of storage for such a small space. Very nice.”
Another added: “Feels like a cozy dorm room, surprisingly lot of storage, it seems like you have organized everything really well and it still feels open and clean!”