Rising Above – Katsiaryna Shents

Katsiaryna Shents

Assistant Casino Manager

My name is Katsiaryna Shents and I am from Belarus. Before joining GCO, I received my degree in History and World Art at Belarusian State University. I started to work in the casino while I was studying, as the only option was to work at night and to attend classes during the day. That time a friend of mine recommended that I try working onboard ships so I could make money and see the world. I passed my interview in Lithuania and joined Carnival Triumph in April 2007. I was expecting long working hours, difficult living conditions, and lots of side duties. Instead, my first contract was a blast. Lots of wonderful people from all over the world, beautiful ship, great working environment and amazing ports of call. Erick Zschaeck was my first manager. He was a great leader and motivator. Eight months had passed fast, and it was like a dream came true. I was able to travel the world, visit new places, and also visit museums on my way and develop my career.

In 2012, I took a three-year break from ship life just to realize that I was addicted to ship life. I failed to adjust to the office routine from Monday to Friday from 9 am till 6 pm with 2 days off. It was too boring for me. I missed meeting lots of new people, seeing new places, and having nice, long vacations as the money that I was making during my contracts gave me freedom and independence.

After the pandemic, there was no doubt for me. I was coming back.

I am truly grateful for the valuable experience I have gained while working with GCO and I am thankful for the opportunity to grow and develop. I am proud to be a part of our company and I will continue to do my best to make a positive impact on our team and the organization as a whole. The people who surround me: my teammates, my managers, they inspire me every day to move forward and look at a brighter future. I also love our guests. I feel complete while bringing joy in their lives. I smile every time I hear: “I remember you dealing at my table years ago”. That means to me that we are a company and team that are moving in a right direction.