Travel around the world and get paid for it

The Merchant Navy is for tough-minded and physically fit individuals. Both are tested right at the beginning. You need to clear both written and oral examinations and medical tests. 

Travel being your passion, you have chosen a right career path. I assume you have done a preliminary query on this. Merchant Navy is centred on commerce and is the backbone of a country. Physics does not give you an automatic eligibility advantage. You have to take one of the courses related to this job after completing your degree. 

You start as a qualified deck or engineering officer and move up with further experience and training to be qualified as Chief Engineer or Captain. A Sea Captain is the highest rank you can dream of. He is ultimately responsible for the vessel. 

One can pitch his/her tent anywhere in the world in any of the following: in ferries in the English Channel, cruise ships like ‘Allure of the Seas’ in the Caribbean or ‘Carnival Celebrity’ of the Mediterranean, cargo carriers or specialised support and rescue vessels.

You will have multiple responsibilities depending on your rank and vessel type. It includes: navigating with the help of satellite and radar systems, safe loading, storage and unloading of cargo, passenger care and safety, deck machinery operations, communication system, safety management, maintaining legal records, equipment maintenance and inspections, etc. 

Though your onboard working and living conditions are of a high standard, weather conditions could be very unpredictable and could make you uncomfortable. You might move in and out of sweltering heat to blistering cold. This is one job that enjoys long, paid holiday allowances. But the longer period away in the sea could have an impact on the family. The economic benefits are rather high, including getting an NRI status that exempts one from taxes but in the case of emergency in the ship there is no way out. Your external help is hard to come by, and you need to fight it out with your team. 

Cruise ships accommodate graduates in catering, hospitality and other backgrounds. If you are thinking of Masters, you can also think of engineering. An engineering degree provides excellent opportunities in the sector. Degree in Nautical Science, Marine Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Harbour & Ocean Engineering, Electrical and Electronics, Civil should all be fine.