If you have a relevant skill merchant vessels can be a better option, mate started as a baker for White Star and got sick of the demanding numpties on cruise ships (Yanks in particular) then went on to be chief purser on some huge freighters and tankers. The commercial vessels took him to see some stuff he never would have on a cruise ship.
One of his best stories was about dodging mortars while carrying several thousand gallons of avgas in Korea!