Sorry, I just happened to see this post, so I will respond.

I worked on a cruise ship for a 6 month contract. I did not like it at all. There are a lot of restrictions for crew members, a lot of off limits areas on the ship. I was lucky to have a cabin of my own, but I was a nurse and my cabin was in the infirmary. My best friends on the ship were the photographers and they shared a cabin with 3 other crew members. They didn't like working on a ship either. To be fair my cruise ship job was 20 years ago and things may have changed, but I really can't think of a single positive experience that happened to me during that time. Unlike Finkface, I had a home on land, so my pay was spent to support that home. The infirmary staff were paid from the amount of money charged per cruise - all in cash, so there was no taxation. I was taking a break between "real" jobs and thought it would be a great way to cruise the Mexican Riviera, but the shifts were grueling for the nurses. There were only 2 of us, and we rotated 12 hour shifts alternating 7 day cruises.

Unless things have changed at lot, I wouldn't recommend working on a cruise ship.