Working on a cruise ship can be both exciting and challenging, particularly when it comes to being away from family for extended periods. Carnival Cruise Line celebrates two exceptional mothers and their children on Mother’s Day. They face challenges and share a unique bond as they work together on the shipboard team.
Carnival Cruise Line provides an insight into their experiences while working onboard and how they maintain connections with their loved ones while making cruises special for families every day.
Mother-Daughter Duo Working on Carnival Ships
Madelein Marais and her daughter Charnรจ hail from South Africa. Madelein is part of the guest services team, where she assists the 2,968 guests on Carnival Valor sailing from New Orleans.
Charnรจ works in human resources on the 128,048 gross tons Dream-class Carnival Magic, which will begin operating from Norfolk, Virginia, on Mother’s Day, May 14.
When asked about the experience of having her daughter work with Carnival, Madelein expressed her gratitude, saying, “Itโs a privilege, and Iโm thankful every time I hear nice compliments about her and how well she is doing. I had the amazing opportunity to work with Charnรจ on Carnival Dream and could see first-hand how she adapted to ship life and blossomed as a person.โ
Their time together on Carnival Dream allowed Madelein to witness her daughter’s growth and adaptation to ship life. Charnรจ, on the other hand, was inspired to join Carnival by her mother’s stories of the amazing places she visited and the close-knit community onboard.ย
Charnรจ: โEvery time we spoke, she would talk about how happy she is and how amazing the places sheโs visiting are; she also spoke about how great Carnival is and that it truly feels like a family on board. I was finishing my degree and knew I wanted to travel the world and start building a new career, so Carnival seemed like the perfect place for me.โ
Mother-Son Pair Working on Carnival Dream
Working onboard comes not just with challenges but also provides opportunities. Loreta and Psalm are from the Philippines.
Loreta is a guest services team member onboard the 180,000 gross tons Mardi Gras, sailing out of Port Canaveral, while Psalm serves as a healthcare assistant on the 128,250 gross tons Carnival Dream, sailing out of Galveston, Texas.
Psalm decided to follow in his mother’s footsteps and work at Carnival, citing the company’s significant impact on their lives.
Psalm: “Carnival made a great impact on our lives. With the help of Carnival, I was able to graduate with my bachelorโs degree, and now I am a registered medical technologist. I saw and felt how the company has taken care of my mom and treated her not just as an employee but as part of the family as well.โ
Despite working on different ships, Loreta and Psalm maintain a strong connection. They frequently chat and call each other and try to meet once a month when their ships are in the same port.
Carnival’s support for families on Mother’s Day
These families have found ways to celebrate Mother’s Day even when they are apart. Carnival Cruise Line recognizes the importance of celebrating special occasions like Mother’s Day, especially for crew members who are away from their families.
Working on a cruise ship can be an incredibly rewarding experience, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges, especially for crew members who are parents.
During the long months at sea, crew member contracts can range anywhere between three and nine months, can be challenging for those who have to leave their children behind.ย
The physical distance and the emotional strain of missing important milestones can be taxing for these dedicated crew members. Despite the challenges of being away from family for extended periods, these mothers and their children have found ways to support each other, both professionally and personally.
Carnival Cruise Line has long been recognized as being a great place to work, and it’s showing this dedication towards it crew again this Mother’s Day. This year, Carnivalโs onboard teams are hosting appreciation events fleetwide, with guests able to participate in various Mother’s Day-themed activities such as Famous Mom’s Trivia games and special craft-making sessions.