Working on a cruise ship seems like an adventure, and in many ways it is. But there are sacrifices: Crew members work long hours and get little time off. Their ships may take them to exotic locations,

This was during Hurricane Ernesto, and Carnival Magic needed to leave the dock before the storm arrived. Such situations are rare but they do happen, and the cruise line pulled out all the stops to let passengers know what was happening,

A lack of preparation can be costly, so passengers are encouraged to look ahead and leave room in the pre-trip budget for on-board extras.

Carnival cruise ships offer countless opportunities to eat. Every ship offers a main dining room that serves breakfast and lunch on sea days and dinner every night. These dinners aren't modest: They're multicourse affairs where you can have all the soup,