The hardest job on a cruise ship can lead to blindness and burned skin from dangerous chemicals, according to a lawyer who represents cruise ship workers (2023)

• Utility galley workers have the most difficult job on a cruise ship, the maritime lawyer Michael Guilford told Business Insider.
• Utility galley workers are responsible for a number of tasks related to food service, including handling heavy trash bags, washing cooking equipment with scalding-hot water, and using dangerous cleaning chemicals without proper protective clothing.
• Some clients have come to Guilford after being blinded by cleaning chemicals that have splashed in their eyes or having skin burned off their hands, he said.
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There are many difficult jobs on a cruise ship, but the hardest, most physically demanding position requires working up to 14 hours a day for less than $700 a month, according to a lawyer who represents cruise-ship employees.

That job belongs to a utility galley worker, the maritime lawyer Michael Guilford told Business Insider. Utility galley workers are responsible for a number of tasks related to food service, including handling heavy trash bags, washing cooking equipment with scalding-hot water, and using dangerous cleaning chemicals without proper protective clothing. Some clients have come to Guilford after being blinded by cleaning chemicals that have splashed in their eyes or having skin burned off their hands, he said.

"This is not your average Mr. Clean that you're using around the house," he said. "This is serious stuff."

Utility galley workers often work 12 to 14 hours a day, seven days a week, for just $500 to $700 a month, Guilford said. In some cases, they're not able to take scheduled breaks but are later required by their supervisors to change their time sheets to make it appear as if they took the breaks. Guilford said time-sheet manipulation was a common issue he heard from clients.

"The wage fraud that goes on on these boats is unbelievable," he said.

While the difficulty of the utility galley job exceeds all others on a cruise ship, waiters and room stewards, who clean passenger cabins, also have some of the most difficult jobs, Guilford said. Waiters have to carry heavy trays that can lead to back and shoulder injuries, while room stewards have to clean at a rapid pace, especially before or after passengers board their ship. Sometimes, they'll have to clean as many as 20 cabins in just three hours, Guilford said.

Each position makes $1,200 to $1,500 a month, Guilford said. While waiters work 10 to 12 hours a day, room stewards are on call for 24 hours.

"The conditions are harsh," Guilford said.

A representative for the Cruise Lines International Association, a trade association for the cruise industry, told Business Insider that all member cruise lines must follow regulations set by the International Maritime Organization and the International Labour Organization that govern the treatment of cruise-ship employees.

"The cruise industry strives to provide a high-quality work environment for its seafarers by offering ongoing training, career advancement and the opportunity to travel the world," the representative said.

"The cruise industry also fully supports the International Maritime Labour Convention, also known as the 'Seafarers' Bill of Rights,' which sets international standards addressing hours of work and rest, health and safety, and living conditions for seafarers and requires governments to ensure ships are in compliance," the representative added.

Among the CLIA's members are Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean International.

Have you worked on a cruise ship? Do you have a story to share? Email this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com.

• Read more about cruise ships:
• A lawyer who represents cruise passengers reveals the one thing you need to know before getting on a cruise ship
• Working on a cruise ship can be brutal — but 2 lawyers who rep cruise-line workers explain why even terrible cruise-ship jobs can be attractive
• A lawyer who reps cruise-ship workers reveals the most shocking thing he's heard about their job
• 10 cruise ship horror stories that will make you want to stay on land

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