I'm raising my two-year-old on a cruise ship… These are the harsh realities of life at sea
A dad who is raising his two-year-old daughter on a cruise ship has shared the highs and lows of life at sea with a toddler.
When Ben Featherstone, 29, from London, was offered a job as a performer on a cruise ship in April 2025, he had mixed feelings.
While he was ecstatic over the opportunity, he also dreaded leaving his wife, Sophie, and their young daughter, Piper, behind for months at a time.
But then it hit him: why couldn't he have both his dream job and his family by his side?
Featherstone ultimately decided to take the gig and he now lives on the boat for most of the year while his wife and toddler divide their time between their home base in London and the ship.
And while he admitted to the Daily Mail that calling a cruise ship home certainly comes with its glamorous perks, he also confessed that there are a slew of downsides too.
He explained that being away from home, particularly when his wife and daughter head back to land, is extremely difficult.
In addition, he said the hours are long and the work is extremely 'demanding.'
Ben Featherstone, 29, from London, is raising his two-year-old daughter on a cruise ship and has shared the highs and lows of life at sea with a toddler
He started working as a performer on a cruise ship in April 2025 and moved on board with his wife, Sophie, and their daughter, Piper. He's seen on stage during one of his shows
When it comes to their sleeping quarters, Featherstone explained that they got 'very lucky' as far as 'cruise ship cabins go.'
'We have a porthole so we get natural daylight which is a massive bonus,' he explained.
'We basically have a double ensuite room with enough floor space to fit a cot bed in for Piper. It’s cosy but it’s workable! And we don’t mind so much because we’re barely in it.'
As for the benefits, he explained that they have free food available 24/7, an on-board nursery when they need it, a selection of pools and water slides in their backyard and access to lots of 'parties.'
'Going to the beach whenever you like and getting paid to see the world whilst doing a job you love [makes it all worth it],' he added.
But the absolute best part? All the 'different people' he has gotten to meet from 'around the world.'
'You get to experience so many different cultures and ways of living,' he gushed, adding that the other crew members on board become like 'family.'
'The hardest part is definitely the goodbyes to the people you meet on board. The current cast I'm working with have been a part of Piper's life for the past 11 months, we literally call them her "Ship Aunties,"' he joked.
And while he admitted to the Daily Mail that calling a cruise ship home certainly comes with its glamorous perks, he also confessed that there's a slew of downsides too
He insisted that despite not growing up in a traditional setting, Piper is not falling behind developmentally
'You really become a family when working on a cruise ship, you go through all the highs and lows together and a lot of the time, you're from total different parts of the world.'
He insisted that despite not growing up in a traditional setting, Piper is not falling behind developmentally.
'She is so active and social, it is definitely helping her development,' he insisted.
'At first, we were worried about [her not having any structure]. But if anything, she is more advanced for her age than most, and I think a lot of that has come from the cruise ship lifestyle.
'The one thing we were worried about was her interaction with other babies, but we send her to the baby club on board and she loves it.'
Featherstone concluded: 'We personally love [this lifestyle]. We appreciate it might not be for everyone, but for us it works perfectly.'
