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.
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.
“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.
“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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