Our very own SA superstar cruise ship stylist Mervin Arthur Naidoo is from Pietermaritzburg, KZN and at 47 years old, has been a qualified hairstylist for 28 years, working in South Africa. He is currently working onboard the magnificent cruise ship Majestic Princess, on a shipboard spa contract. He has taken time to share his exciting experiences and photos with us about the onboard life!
A Lifestyle of Awesome Work, Adventure and Friends with the Cruise Ship Spa Experience
I have had such an exciting onboard adventure with my travels from Africa to Alaska to Australia. All of this in a spa contract, working at what you love most in the world!
I have made so many friends here already from all over the world, with 52 different nationalities working on board the Majestic Princess. The spa itself represents 6 different countries. We have hairstylists, nail technicians, massage therapist, fitness instructor, facialists, and ionithermie, along with doctors for acupuncture and medispa. We have first time contract and experienced therapists, all working together 52 different nationalities working together, all from different walks of life.
Different jobs. Different religions. We all come together as one big happy family!
I am so pleased to introduce my Majestic friends!
Life Onboard – Joy, Friendship, and an Onboard Family
Many, like myself, have families back home that we have to support. It's not easy to leave our kids, husbands and wives at home for many months at a time, to work far away. We miss out on so many important days, birthdays and anniversaries, Christmas, New Year’s, graduations, and more.
Thankfully, contact and closeness is easy to maintain as we have Wi-Fi and free Whatsapp, so we are able to message and call on a regular basis. Video calling has helped me get through the worst times, and being able to see them makes it all the better - I was able to show my family all of the amazing places we stop at, from Mexico to California golden coast, Alaska to Hawaii and Tahiti and all the way to Australia and New Zealand!
The best part of the cruise ship experience is that my co-workers become my friends.
We are more than teammates. We become family. It’s not easy to leave the comforts of home and travel halfway across the world. Our living space is a huge ship, a whole world of its own! It’s a brand new adventure of new people, new routines, new rules. It’s easy to feel lost and alone, and we must immediately adapt to our new environment and be ready to work. Our team is there to guide and nurture everyone, especially the first contractors.
What is amazing is the teamwork, helping each other to reach our goals and to learn new skills and empowering our careers.
Most wonderful are the times when we get to create memories that will last forever. It’s an unimaginably uplifting experience with the friends with whom you work so closely that you become a shipboard family, lifting each other up during difficult times and showing support and love when we need it the most. Without the team, it will be a long and difficult contract.
Instead, it’s a marvellous adventure together, exploring a world of sun and sea and exotic global paradises. I treasure the time I get to go exploring with my teammates to all the ports of call.
Is the Experience Valuable?
The experience of working and travelling at the same time is amazing. Dealing with all the different personalities and different hair types, plus learning all the extra jobs as well as safety training for all types of fires and hazards….all will help you to run a very successful business on land as a salon owner, manager and as a stylist!
An onboard contract looks really impressive on your C.V. and can guarantee employment in any prestigious salon in the world. London Wellness Academy trains you to be successful with the biggest recruiting agency of spa staff in the world for cruise ships and land-based spas. There are hundreds of ships sailing all over the world, which means you can work on any ship, anywhere in the world and see the world as you work, and make friends who become your family!
Sign up today for your confidential interview and a recruitment consultant will be in touch to answer any of your questions and take this forward!
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