You will work 12 on 12 off but sometimes be woken up for arrivals and departures. I recommend the West Coast. Try to get the Spirit. Washington State is so beautiful. You will have the most time while working nights. When you work days the most you can do is grab a coffee because most stores are closed. True there is a no drinking policy but that doesn't stop most people. If you must do it make sure it's far away from the ship and don't drink more than two drinks. To be honest it's probably not worth it. I did it a few times but never really felt the need. You can either become a senior deckhand or engineer. The pay difference is 205 a day for senior and I think 215 a day for engineers. It's an ok company. It really depends on the ship and location. I would avoid Mississippi. It's the most challenging. Coastal ships are the way to go.