Last updated on July 26th, 2023 at 01:17 pm

Filipino seafarers make up one-fourth of all the seafarers around the world.  They are out to sea 8 to 11 months out of the year with very little time to spend with their loved ones in the Philippines. But what do they do with the little spare time they may have while sailing around the world?

Are you curious what your seafarer loved ones do in their free time then they are not busy working at sea? We asked a few seafarers and children of seafarers to find out.

Here are 5 things seafarers do in their spare time on the sea:

• Videoke – Karaoke is a favorite past time of Filipinos, it makes sense that being on the sea can’t stop them from belting out “My Way” songs. The singing is contagious often persuading other crew members to sing with their colleagues. With a couple of libations and shyness gone, everyone gets into singing mode.

• Communicating with loved ones – Before social media and smartphones, back in the day, recording your voice on a tape was the go-to way of communicating with your loved ones at sea. When the tape arrives the whole family gathers around the cassette player to listen to their dad’s voice. But now with the availability of internet at sea, Skype call or Facebook messages are the new ways to communicate with their loved ones and family members gather around the monitor to hear and see each other face to face.

• Fishing – Sometimes when the ship is stationed at the port or at sea, seafarers get the chance to fish. They catch various kinds of fish – tuna, mackerel, barracuda. Depending on what area of the world they are in. They eat together and share the catch afterward.

• Watch movies – A favorite past time by every seafarer. Whether it is in the ship lounge or in their personal cabin, seafarers always take time to watch movies. Even if you are not a fan of movies, you will learn to love watching. It’s the most preferred entertainment, Netflix and chill at sea.

• Sightseeing – Occasionally when they are lucky, seafarers get to leave the ship for a couple of hours and see the local attractions of the places they are anchored in for a chance to get a selfie on a famous landmark. They also get a chance to shop around and replenish their personal supplies like toiletries or buy souvenirs for their families.

The rest of the activities depend on the company they work with, some company sponsors events like parties, raffles, and sports tournaments. Some ships also have a basketball court or a book or movie collection available for seafarers to enjoy.

Do you have a favorite past time either you or your loved ones do to pass the time while at sea that isn’t on this list? Let us know in the comments below! And don’t forget if you need to send money from a cruise ship, do it the easy way using a computer or your phone with Remitly.