(May 23, 2026) For over a decade, Tauseef Shaikh has built his career aboard international cruise liners, helping manage food safety, hygiene systems, and hospitality operations for thousands of passengers travelling across the United States, Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Panama Canal route. Originally from Uttar Pradesh with family in Mumbai, Tauseef spent years working with Princess Cruises, where multicultural teams and global exposure became part of everyday life.
What has stayed with him most is the satisfaction of knowing his work contributed to the experience of travellers from around the world. “When passengers appreciate what we serve, that gives me happiness,” he said while reflecting on his years at sea.
Today, after years of international cruise hospitality experience, he is looking toward the next phase of his career with a focus on land-based opportunities abroad. His journey reflects discipline and continuous growth through global exposure and hands-on hospitality experience.
From Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai
Tauseef grew up in Uttar Pradesh before moving to Mumbai nearly 20 years ago. Coming from a small-town background, he wanted to build a stable career that could also offer international exposure. Hospitality eventually became that path.
He studied at Anjuman-I-Islam’s Institute of Hotel Management, where he formally entered the hospitality field and learned the practical side of hotel operations and kitchen management.
His early years as a student came with communication challenges. “I was from Hindi medium until 10th,” he recalled. “Even in hotel management college, I was not so confident in English.”
But the hospitality industry itself became his classroom. Through regular interaction with colleagues, guests, and international crews, he gradually improved his communication skills and professional confidence.
“When I started talking with different people on the workplace and cruise line, then only I gained confidence in speaking English,” he says. These experiences also helped him understand different cultures, work ethics, and styles of communication.
Entering the world of cruise hospitality
In 2015, Tauseef joined Princess Cruises and entered a fast-paced international work environment. Cruise ships function like floating hotels and require every department to operate smoothly around the clock.
Tauseef worked as a Chef de Partie in the hot kitchen, where he handled food storage systems, hygiene standards, cleanliness, safety procedures, and equipment management alongside his team.
“I was taking care of hygiene, proper use of equipment, storage, safety and everything related to my section,” he explained.
One of the ships he worked on, Emerald Princess, carried nearly 3,000 passengers during a single itinerary. Larger ships in the fleet could accommodate even more guests along with thousands of crew members onboard.
Passengers usually travelled for around 14 days through destinations across the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean, while crew members remained onboard for contracts lasting nearly six months.
Managing hospitality standards at sea
Behind the luxury experience enjoyed by passengers is a large operational system that depends heavily on hygiene and coordination. For Shaikh, maintaining international standards onboard became one of the most important parts of his role.
Cruise ships docking at American ports such as Miami or Los Angeles could face surprise public health inspections at any time. This meant every kitchen section had to remain inspection-ready every day.
“We have to be ready all the time because inspections can happen anytime,” he said. “Maintaining the system properly together with my colleagues was a very important responsibility.”
The inspections covered sanitation practices, food storage systems, cleanliness, and operational safety standards. Working in such an environment strengthened Shaikh’s attention to detail and ability to manage responsibilities under pressure.
It also taught him the importance of teamwork in hospitality operations, where staff members from different countries worked together closely while following strict systems and timelines.
Learning through passengers and global exposure
Although much of his work happened behind the scenes, interaction with passengers remained one of the most rewarding aspects of cruise hospitality for Shaikh.
Senior chefs often encouraged staff members to directly speak with guests and understand their feedback regarding food quality and service. “Until we talk to passengers, we will not know whether they are happy or not,” he said.
For Shaikh, those conversations became valuable learning experiences. “The satisfaction of passengers gives me personal happiness,” he said. “When they appreciate the food and service, you feel proud of your work.”
International travel also changed his outlook on life. Repeated journeys between India, the United States, and other destinations exposed him to different systems, civic discipline, and workplace cultures.
“When a person goes abroad, especially to the US or Europe, you start seeing many differences in the way people work and live,” he explained.
Whenever he returns home to Uttar Pradesh after his contracts, people in his village are eager to hear about his experiences abroad and life on international cruise ships.
Looking ahead to a new chapter
After spending nearly ten years managing hospitality operations in one of the world’s most demanding work environments, Shaikh believes his experience has prepared him for broader international roles. From improving his communication skills through real-world interactions to handling large-scale hospitality systems onboard cruise liners, his journey reflects how dedication and adaptability can steadily shape a global career.
- Follow Tauseef Shaikh on LinkedIn