How to Get a Job on a Cruise Ship
A large ship can have thousands of crew members, and on luxury ships, the staff ratio can be as high as one crew member for every one or two passengers. If you’re a dancer or singer, be sure to have your CV up to date, as well as a video of your work. Permanent crew members are paid a wage (often quite low by Western standards), but they get free lodging, food, and cruising. Short-term appointees are not usually rehired.
How much money do cruise ship employees make?
Salary on a Cruise Ship
| Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|
| Top Earners | $96,000 | $46 |
| 75th Percentile | $55,000 | $26 |
| Average | $48,404 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $26,500 | $13 |
What qualifications do you need to work on a cruise ship?
While specific job requirements vary depending on the position, there are some basic requirements that all crew must meet in order to work onboard:
- You must be 21 years old or older, and you must be able to pass a criminal background check. You must also have a valid passport and a US C1/D visa (if you are not a Canadian or US citizen/resident).
Is it hard to get a job on a cruise ship?
It’s always been difficult to find work on a cruise ship, but the global halt in cruising has made it even more difficult, as thousands of experienced cruise ship crew members are now unemployed.
How do I get a job on a ship?
How to get a cruise ship job:
- Determine whether a career at sea is right for you.
- Determine which cruise line you’d like to work for and which onboard position would be best for you.
- Write your personalized cover letter and resume.
- Apply.
- Interview.
- Receive your first contract offer, celebrate, and board your first ship!
Do cruise ship employees sleep with guests?
If crew are caught sleeping with guests (they made us call them “guests,” but when you can’t hear us, we call you “cones”), they are escorted to the next port and given a ticket home.
Do cruise ship employees get days off?
It’s a common misconception that working on a cruise ship is like taking a vacation. Regardless of the role, crew members can expect to work hard every day of their contract, taking time off in hours rather than full days.
What is the best job on a cruise ship?
The 9 Best Cruise Ship Jobs
- Entertainer.
- Shore Excursions Manager.
- Youth Counselor.
- Social Hosts and Hostess.
- Cruise Director.
- Bartender.
- Cruise Ship Captain.
- Gentleman Host. A gentleman host is one of the best jobs on a cruise ship for guys who love to dance.
Is Tattoo allowed in cruise ship?
Shoreside makes and enforces policies with little regard for shipboard personnel and the impact they have on crew members. For example, no visible tattoos are allowed, but some people, including those in senior management positions, have visible tattoos. Shoreside makes and enforces policies with little regard for shipboard personnel and the impact they have on crew members.
What is the age limit to work on a cruise ship?
Although there is no upper age limit for working on cruise ships, the unfortunate reality is that cruise lines do not hire many applicants over the age of 35. However, there are crewmembers over the age of 35, many of whom have made a career out of it.
Do cruise ship employees get free food?
Onboard cruise ships, all cruise ship employees are entitled to free food, as stipulated by maritime law, which requires that adequate and nutritious food be provided for the crew at no additional cost.
Do cruise ships have jails?
Although brigs are standard on cruise ships, we’re told that they’re rarely used, and that instead, passengers are often confined to their rooms, with a security guard stationed just outside the door.
How many hours do cruise ship employees work?
Instead of working traditional five-day weeks, cruise-ship crew members frequently work seven days a week for the duration of their contracts, which can last anywhere from two to eleven months, and the hours can be long, ranging from eight to nearly twenty.
What jobs are on a ship?
Positions on cruise ships that are commonly available include:
- Deck Crew.
- Cruise Directors.
- Disc Jockeys.
- Expedition Leaders.
- Hosts and Hostesses.
- Naturalists.
- Shore Excursion Managers.
- Water Sports Instructors.
What jobs did Pirates do on a ship?
Jobs on a Pirate Ship
- Captain.
- Quartermaster.
- Sailingmaster.
- Boatswain.
- Surgeon/ Carpenter.
- Master Gunner.
- Mates.
- Mates.
What jobs are there on a ship?
Deck officers are licensed mariners who are in charge of the ship’s navigation and safe passage.
- Deck cadet.
- Boatswain.
- Able seaman.
- Ordinary seaman.
- First engineer.
- Chief mate.
- Second mate.
- Third mate.
- Deck cadet