A woman who spends half the year travelling on cruises for free thanks to her husband’s job has shared her top tip for bagging a better cabin.
Mollie is able to tick off bucket-list destinations while paying “almost zero expenses”.
The 38-year-old sails the seas with her other half, a maritime engineer, with perks including food, accommodation and bills covered for both of them as part of his role.
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But she also works on the water herself as a guest presenter on high-end cruise liners for three to four months out of the year.
Her husband joins her before returning to his own contracts – benefiting from the perks in the same way.
“We [spend the year going] from his ship to my ship to his ship to The Netherlands [where we spend the summer months and then follow on to] Curacao or Thailand,” Mollie told What’s The Jam.
“Then [we] do it all over again!
“We will join the ship together and I will sail as a wife onboard until his contract ends.
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“Each day you’re in a new place or have new location to explore.
“There’s always something to do and you meet new people from all over the world.
“[That being said], when me or my husband work, there are no days off – it’s an everyday job while onboard.
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“You may also have to miss big events like weddings, funerals or births due to being away at sea.
Mollie, who is originally from Seattle, Washington, has worked in a string of cruise ship roles since 2011, after deciding a traditional nine-to-five life was not for her.
Thanks to her experience, she knows the tricks of the trade including how to get better deals.
She said: “If you book onboard with a future cruise consultant they can give you great info and better cabins.
“Talk directly to a person face-to-face.
“They are a wealth of knowledge and they are the best way to ensure you have a cabin that is best suited for your cruise.
“But also I would advise people to research on their own.
“Every cruise line is different, so watching YouTube, reading articles, looking on social media – these are the best ways to see what fits to an individual’s liking.
“Many people just book a cruise and don’t know anything about the company they book on.”
During her 14 years working onboard ships, Mollie has visited 103 countries.
Tonight, she’ll be enjoying a huge party on the deck.
She added: “We have a live band, a countdown and fun hats.
“New Years crowns are passed out to guests and crew.
“There is great music and dancing, and everyone dresses up.”
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