Want to save money? Work on a cruise ship: I live 24/7 aboard a massive boat and spend barely anything

A woman who works on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship has revealed how much she spends on board every day, and it’s a lot cheaper than you might think.

Alley Kerr, who goes by “Wanderlust Alley” on TikTok and YouTube, works as a dance captain and general manager on the Liberty of the Seas ship and often makes videos about her daily life.

Her roles involve performing in shows and being the liaison between management and production members. She ensures that each show runs smoothly and also keeps track of administrative tasks such as cabin inspections and exercises.

Speaking to MailOnline, Alley said: ‘It’s pretty incredible. As an artist, I know I can get a paycheck, and when the paycheck comes in, I know I’m going to make money.

‘Whereas if you do this on the land, you have no idea what opportunities may or may not be around the corner, and I find this a lot more sustainable because I don’t pay for the rent and I don’t pay for food.

A woman who works on a cruise ship has revealed how much she spends on board every day, and it’s a lot cheaper than you might think

‘In theory, I could just pocket all the money I get.

“Anyone who has ever been in the entertainment industry can tell you that it really isn’t easy.

‘Professional dancers are usually also baristas. They work in a sportswear store. They work in another restaurant in the evenings and then also have a part-time job where they babysit

“Everyone has like ten jobs at the same time, because it’s not sustainable to be an artist like that.”

She added: ‘I think this is a great way for me to save and invest in my future, because it’s very difficult to save money when you’re barely making it in London, or wherever you are. the pursuit of entertainment.”

The dance captain previously worked at Disneyland, both in California and Japan, where she moved at the age of 19.

Working on a cruise ship had been on her ‘bucket list’ for a long time: ‘It was one of the very first things I auditioned for a few years ago, maybe four or five years ago. But it just wasn’t the right time and it was a lot more competitive.”

She landed her first cruise contract in 2020 and has since progressed to the role of dance captain and business manager on Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas.

She landed her first cruise contract in 2020 and has since progressed to the role of dance captain and business manager on Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas.

The TikToker cabin with en-suite bathroom is completely free

She explained that she only has to pay if she wants to go to a specialty restaurant, and even then she gets an employee discount.

In a recent videothe American took stock of her finances and explained: ‘One question I am constantly asked is: how much do I spend on accommodation and food.

“Well, today is a sea day, so let’s find out. When it comes to my cabin, you might be surprised to find out that it is 100% free.”

She pans the camera around her room, which has a single bed, wardrobe, mirror, desk and storage space.

There is also an en-suite bathroom – the dance captain doesn’t have to pay a cent for her accommodation and no expenses are deducted from her paycheque.

The only fee she mentions in the video is $5 for the cleaning service.

She continues: ‘This also applies to most of the food. All meals in the dining room are free and I personally enjoy them very much.”

The cruise ship has a buffet-style dining room and in the clip the content creator has three plates of food.

She explained that she only has to pay if she wants to go to a specialty restaurant, and even then she gets an employee discount.

The ship Alley works on is Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas and before getting this job she worked on the Rhapsody of the Seas.

So if she decides to stay in the dining room, she won’t be able to pay a single dollar for months.

Alley told MailOnline: ‘I have a slightly different accommodation than most because I am in a managerial position.

“So I have a single cabin and I have a porthole. It is a slightly larger space. In general, most cruise ship accommodations are very cramped and not a large space to live in.

“If I wasn’t a company manager and dance captain, I’d want a normal cabin like everyone else.”

She showed the viewers a Japanese restaurant on board called Izumi, one of the specialties.

Addition ‘Many people are surprised when they find out that I have been living in Japan for three years, so I certainly know my way around Japanese food.

“While I wouldn’t call this authentic, the options are so delicious and flavorful that it definitely reminds me of my home in Japan while at sea.”

The meal cost $40, for which she only paid $32 due to her employee discount – including the cleaning service, her total expenses for the day were less than $40.

The 26-year-old said she gets ‘the most satisfaction from travelling’ and said: ‘I think it’s a really nice experience to be able to see so many places in a way that I could never see.

For example, this summer we went to Bermuda almost twenty times. Maybe that sounds like an exaggeration to some, but I think it’s a really great opportunity to really familiarize yourself with a place.

Liberty of the Seas has a large passenger capacity of 3,634 and offers weekly cruises from Miami to the Western Caribbean

Pictured: Alley in action during the cruise, where she works as dance captain and general manager

It’s home to giant water slides, twelve restaurants and even an ice skating rink

‘Last year we did a Mediterranean cruise, so I was in a different port on the Mediterranean every day, in Italy and France, Greece, Montenegro, Croatia, Israel, Spain – it was a new place every day. ‘

People in the comment section were quick to ask questions about the unique lifestyle.

A viewer asked: ‘Which cruise line do you work for? I’ve really thought about working on it when I’m older.’

Someone else asked if the YouTuber could do a room tour, since they previously worked on a cruise ship and “all the workers had bunk beds and had to share them.”

Others were inspired to get started themselves and wrote: ‘This looks like so much fun! I’ve always wanted to do this for a year or two when my kids grow up!’ and ‘How do you get started on a cruise ship?’

The ship Alley works on is Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas and before getting this job she worked on the Rhapsody of the Seas.

Liberty of the Seas has a large passenger capacity of 3,634 and offers weekly cruises from Miami to the Western Caribbean.

It’s home to giant water slides, twelve restaurants and even an ice skating rink.

The ship has been voted the best cruise line by Travel Weekly for 20 years.