MANY people dream of cruising around the world and exploring new places.
But one woman has shared how she gets to live on one full-time and doesn’t pay a penny in rent.
Instead Abby McKinlay is paid to live on board as a cruise ship singer and gets her own cabin onboard.
In a clip on her @abbymmckinlay account, she gave a tour around her living space and surprised many viewers with how large it was.
Abby gets her own double bed and ensuite bathroom, with a kitchenette and dressing room area.
She wrote on her video, which has racked up 23,000 views: “Home for the next six months – singing & travelling the world & putting my trust in the universe.”
People were amazed at her living quarters, with one saying: “You hit the cabin JACKPOT omg.”
Another added: “Never seen such a good cruise cabin room omg.”
A third wrote: “This is the nicest cabin I’ve ever seen.”
Abby said she was loving her new life at sea so far, and it was better than she “ever imagined.”
She added: “I’m absolutely loving it, and follow along for more ship life.”
Abby explained how before boarding the cruise ship, she had flown from Glasgow to Tampa, Florida for rehearsals.
While she raved about “living her Below Deck dream”, she admitted life on board does have some drawbacks.
She candidly explained: “As much as I love working on board, you do actually have to sacrifice a lot, missing out on weddings, birthdays, sometimes funerals.
“And yes, sometimes you get time off for these, but sometimes you’re halfway across the world and it’s impossible to get back.”
She shared how she hoped her parents would be able to fly out and see her during her six-month contract.
‘Good life’
Previously Abigail Hill who performs as an acrobat on Oasis of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean vessel, told The Sun what it is like working on board.
In her nine years working on board cruise ships, Abigail has gotten to grips with the lifestyle and knows what it takes to live and work on deck.
She said: “I get up in the morning and if we’re at port my friends and I go to the beach or into the city.
“After a few hours, we get back on the ship and prepare for the show in the evening – it’s a good life.”
If the ship isn’t docked at a port, Abigail and her friends will go for a walk and have a coffee on the ship.
In addition to meeting people from across the globe, Abigail’s job has taken her to some far-flung destinations.
She added: “Every place I’ve been to is amazing. While I enjoy going to all of the beaches, my favourite place I’ve visited was Alaska.
“I was surprised by how warm it was and the views were breathtaking – I never imagined seeing something like that before.
“It’s just another reminder that there’s so much more to see in the world.”
Pros and cons of going on a cruise ship
Whether you’re considering a long holiday, working remotely or even living on board a cruise ship for a few months or years, here are the pros and cons from a former cruise shipper.
Pros
- Travel the world, learn and experience new cultures
- Meet new people
- Don’t have to think or worry about room cleaning, or food
Cons
- Internet connection can be painfully slow and expensive
- Limited luggage allowance so have to wear the same clothes on rotation
- Having no control of where the ship would go next and the possibility of visiting the same ports
- Having the same onboard entertainment, on-demand movies, and little choice of TV channels
- No fresh newspapers or new books unless someone adds them to the library
- Relatively the same food week after week unless major menu changes occur seasonally.
- Occasional rough seas, bad weather and viral outbreaks while inboard.
