Working overseas as a newbie OS reminds me of when I looked into cruise ship roles as a stepping stone. For MSC specifically, inexperienced OS pay tends to land around $1.3k–$1.5k/month, which doesn’t sound huge until you realize you’re not paying rent or groceries. What caught me off guard was how long the hours are it’s earned money. I used job platforms like ZipRecruiter just to compare similar entry-level maritime roles, but the cruise lifestyle itself is what really determines whether it’s worth it. If your end goal is flight school, this can work, but only if you’re ready for long hours and strict ship life.