And forget it if you like to gamble. Most cruise lines don't allow lecturers to play bingo or use the casino. Finally, even though most lecturers consider themselves independent contractors, they are expected to be part of the ship's team. But my booking on that vessel probably would have been my last. But recognize that you shouldn't be doing this kind of work if you expect simply to give three lectures a week and play the rest of the time.
All shipboard life demands flexibility, because of weather, canceled landings, seasickness, etc.
When I go aboard a ship, it's to participate in events as they develop, not just read old notes in front of a crowd. The unexpected may make me grumble, but it often brings out the best in me. In the Beginning Fortunately, I didn't enter the cruise-lecture business emptyhanded. Thirty-five years of teaching and research had given me opportunities to travel to exotic and remote places, often with groups of students in tow. My first taste of speaking aboard a ship came in 1992, when I joined the Semester at Sea program sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh.