People tend to think a job on a cruise ship is a 24/7 vacation just annoyingly interrupted by work - The brutal truth is: it's 100 percent the other way around -it's a 24/7 job - every now and then interrupted by some hours off. And it's a job hard to escape. There is no going home after a long day.

A job on a cruise ship is a job with greater impact then most people think. Not just because of the long hours and hard work. It's a job that is hard to get away from. How many people sleep in the office or the factory after a hard days work? That's exactly what cruise ship employees do. Home is work, work is home. There is no 9 to 5. There even aren't any weekends. But there are always passengers. It takes a special kind of people who are able to cope with that.

Don't get me wrong: for those special people who can deal with the fact that their office is home and their home is the office, working on a cruise ship may be a perfect career choice. Let's face it. How many people wake up in a different country every morning? How many people can tell the difference between a sunset in Aruba and and a sunset in Antigua by personal experience? When you are up to the challenges, a career on a cruise ship is a dream come true.

Let's put your dreams into perspective and find out whether you are ready for life and career on board. This is what it takes:

EXPERIENCE

A modern cruise ship is a small town on its own. There are carpenters, hair dressers, mechanics, nurses, managers and... well, you name it. But remember this: you will never ever be a nurse (or what ever) on a cruise ship without experience back on land. It's that simple. Well, actually, it's even worse. Most cruise liners hire only the best nurses, the best carpenters, the best... well, I guess you get the picture. There is a very good reason their policy on hiring people is as strict as it is. Once at sea you are on your own. Both co-workers and passengers rely on your know-how and experience.

FIVE, no: SIX STAR SERVICE

Working on a cruise ship, makes you part of a team that has just one goal: five star service to the passengers. Six stars were ever possible. If your attitude is different, you'd better take an anonymous on shore job, where you can hide from the customer.

PROFESSIONALISM

Wile it's not always easy to maintain it through long hours of work, the management will expect you not only to take pride in your work but also to excel in your service every day.

RELIABILITY

Reliability is of the greatest concern to cruise owners who have to usually deal with dozens of employees who get attracted to cruise based jobs mostly as a fad quotient. Your credibility needs to convince them that you will not desert the ship in some exotic locale once the initial novelty is lost, and will last at least the tenure of your contract (usually six months) with them. Most cruise owners get cold feet at the thought of replacing staff at some unknown port and hence are cynical about recruiting individuals who give the impression of giving the job at a cruise ship a go just for the heck of it.

PRESENTATION

You don't mind a loose button? You like to shave once every three days? Get a job somewhere else. Like the rest of the hospitality industry, presentation is of utmost significance to your employers. You will be expected as an employee of the ship to be well turned out every single day of the tenure of your contract. Especially if you are to be in contact with the passengers.

HARD WORK and ENTHUSIASM

Maybe you don't wane hear this, but old school qualities like hard work and enthusiasm fetches you points everywhere but especially on a cruise ship. Working on a cruise ship is NOT a 9 to 5 sort of job.

SMILE (and keep smiling)

Long hours and back breaking jobs not withstanding, you will be required to provide service with a smile. A BIG smile. Your duty as a staff member on board includes making the passengers feel welcome and a cheerful face and pleasant attitude are its basic ingredients.

DEVELOP A THICK SKIN

Believe me: not every passenger seems to enjoy its cruise. Don't ask why - accept it. And keep smiling.

HOMELESS

I always felt living on a cruise ship is quit adventurous. But be prepared for feeling lost every once and a while. You can't be there when a relative celebrates a birthday. You won't be at your sisters graduation. You might even be thousands miles away when your firstborn makes its first steps. The cruise ship is your home and the crew is your family as long as the voyage lasts. For some people that's not enough.

GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER

The biggest mistake you can make, is to get a job on a cruise ship trying to escape on shore problems. You will get away the moment the ship sets sail, but the problems wont. They will haunt you. All the way to the Caribbean or where ever the ship takes you - making it almost impossible to live up to your on board duties. Even on the biggest of all cruise ships, on shore problems will make you feel trapped. So get your act together before you apply for a job on a cruise ship.

If I didn't scare you enough, you probably have what it takes to work on a cruise ship. That's cool! Go for it. Call every cruise company you can think of and see what openings they have. Proof them you are the kind of employee they are looking for and get ready for the time of your life.

Captain Jack Storms is a retired cruise ship captain. He runs a website called www.CaptainJacksCruise.info and a blog where he provides information on cruises, cruise destinations and how to prepare for a memorable cruise.