A job on a cruise ship is enticing. It gives one a sense of adventure and of freedom. The opportunity to travel from one place to another is there, and you get the chance to meet a lot of people from all over the world. With the high cost associated with going on a regular cruise nowadays, getting a job in a cruise ship lets you do just that, but for free.
Before you decide to take the plunge, you have to know that there are different job opportunities in a cruise ship. You just need to determine which specific job description best suit your personality and your qualifications. Here’s an overview, though I recommend if you want more info check out the detailed guide to working on a cruise ship, by current & former crewmates.
What is it Like to Work on a Cruise Ship?
Because of too much excitement when doing a research on how to get a job on a cruise ship, people may usually forget to find out what it’s like to work on a cruise ship, in the first place.
For a glimpse of what to expect once you’re on board: Working on a cruise ship can be very physically and mentally exhausting in the same way that it can also be very rewarding. To better familiarize yourself with what it’s like to work on a cruise ship, it is best to know the different kinds of jobs offered there. Each type of jobs yields different experiences and expectations.
The high ranking levels are reserved for the cruise ship captain and cruise ship officers. The captain holds highest authority, while the officers oversee security procedures, and operations. If you want to know how to get a job on a cruise ship, you need to know what kind of job you’re looking for. The detailed guide to working on a cruise ship.
The following are the job opportunities that you may find in a cruise ship:
- Social Staff is composed of hosts and hostesses, cruise directors and other similar positions
- Stewards are usually room workers in charge of hands-on chores, including cleaners, butlers and maids
- Spa and Fitness Staff is composed of those who man the spas and fitness centers
- Group Coordinators are those in charge of organizing large activities and event planning
- Youth Staff are usually teachers and counsellors who assist in children-related activities
- Entertainers include various performers such as singers, dancers, and the likes
- Dining Staff includes the cooks and chefs, waiters and waitresses, bartenders and other servers
- Miscellaneous Staff attend to other facilities such as gift shops, art auctions and photography. Many of these are concessionaires—the company they work for have a contract with the cruise line. Other staffs may also include teachers, librarians, pursers such as bank tellers and account minders. Specialized tasks also require the services of engineers, carpenters, electricians, and many more
These jobs have different privileges and demands. While the criteria may differ from one cruise ship to another, many of these staff workers have long and hard working hours that entail limited time to go down from the ship and visit a nearby tourist area. Many of them are also not allowed in passenger areas and are mostly stationed to keep to their respective work areas and living quarters.
Essentially, the higher jobs such as social staffs and those with managerial duties have more privileges, including access to public areas, and possibly dining with customers when invited. On the down side, these people are always on-call. Chances of going ashore depend on each job’s demands and levels. Still, night-outs may be allowed, and fun-filled crew bars compensate those who are not allowed to go to public areas.
If you really want to enjoy the unbelievable and endless benefits of ‘ship life’, it doesn’t get any easier than having experienced crew members guide you step-by-step through that process. And here they are:
Click here get the awesome insider tips on how to get a job on a cruise ship.
How much money do you get paid to work on a cruise ship?
Learning how to get a job on a cruise ship goes along with researching on how much you will likely get paid. Salaries vary depending on the shipping line you will work with, and also on the kind of job you will get. Usually, the more established the shipping line, the higher you will be paid. The following are general approximates:
Non-tipped workers with lower positions such as snack stewards and staff waiters and waitresses that serve other crew members may earn around $350 weekly, or as low as $400 monthly as a starting salary.
For tipped staff such as casino workers, waiters and waitresses, busboys, and bartenders, the fixed monthly salary is much lower but they usually earn a lot through tips. The usual range of earnings including tips falls within $2000-$4000 a month.
Entry-level positions in larger shipping lines for pursers, hosts, aerobic instructors and similar jobs are around $1,200-$1,500 monthly.
Cruise directors and other cruise ship employees may earn around $4,500 monthly.
Why work on a cruise ship?
It is advisable to ask this basic question especially as you learn how to get a job on a cruise ship. You will find various holistic and realistic answers that may reinforce your decision to pursue the job.
Working on a cruise ship is very demanding both physically and mentally because of the long, hard hours and days of work, the physical distance from your beloved people and homeland, and strict regulations as to how privileged you are depending on your job type.
However, if you are the kind of person who is up for the challenging tasks, then this job can be very, very rewarding. Imagine having to travel while working, and not having to pay for the usual living expenses so you have a big potential to save money. You become exposed to different people and cultures. You will see beautiful destinations.
With hard work, the right attitude, good level of mental toughness, and a huge passion for adventure, travelling, and people— working on a cruise ship can be a life-changing experience you will never forget.
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Pros and cons of working on a cruise ship
Many people idolize life on a cruise ship. However, there’s a clear, distinct line between going on a vacation, and boarding the cruise ship to work. This is not to say that working on a cruise ship is not worthy of the praises and ideals associated with it; rather, people must be aware of the reality of the jobs. Working on a cruise ship, like any other jobs, has its upsides and downsides. If you are really interested to know how to get a job on a cruise ship, you will have to consider its advantages and disadvantages, and consider these for further self-assessment.
There are several downsides. For one, the work demands can be very rigid and exhausting. Many of the staffs and crew workers work up to 10 hours or more per day, 7 days a week. There are no days-off. Strict rules and regulations must be followed regarding conduct and the allowable places to go to. The privileges are relatively limited, depending on the kind of job. You may also have a role dealing with demanding, unfriendly guests – your skills in customer service may be crucial to success as a cruise ship employee.
Regarding living conditions, the quality of sleeping quarters may not be good for privacy and space. Usually, two or more crew workers share a small-spaced room. Food may also be of poor quality, or certain crew workers and staffs may not be used to the type of food available. Furthermore, homesickness and loneliness can sometimes be too much – working on a cruise ship is not good for those in a relationship or who have children.
On the other hand, there are also many favourable advantages. The most obvious factor is being able to travel to far, beautiful, and dreamy places for free. For many people, travelling while working is a lifelong dream— a dream that also pays you.
People working on a cruise ship will not have to worry about monthly bills to pay and daily sustenance. The money can go directly to savings accounts, can be sent to family back home, or can be used primarily for personal use. Other benefits include air travel, free medical insurance, and discounts on cruise vacations for family and friends.
Most importantly, the experience of meeting so many different people from different countries is rewarding. Friendship ensues as daily cultural exchanges take place. You are bound to learn from experiences and other people every day.
Truly, working on a cruise ship has its pros and cons. It’s a matter of assessing disadvantages and seeing beyond them— what will you gain, then educate yourself on how to get a job on a cruise ship and make it happen!
Cruise Ship Work Quotes
“The hotel industry is very similar to the cruise industry. Basically, we’re a hotel floating on water. The difference is, you don’t go home at the end of the day, you live in the hotel. And you travel, too.” – Bernard Stolberg
“I have practically no expenses all the money goes straight into savings. I get four cooked meals a day, no rent/utility bills, maid service in my cabin, travel paid for, full medical coverage, and ten weeks of paid vacation a year. Not bad gig for a single 24 year old if you ask me.” – from bestbet33 on an online forum
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If you really want to enjoy the unbelievable and endless benefits of ‘ship life’, it doesn’t get any easier than having experienced crew members guide you step-by-step through that process. And here they are:
Click here get the awesome insider tips on how to get a job on a cruise ship.
Hi, I'm Andy Hayes, your host at Dream Travel Jobs. Once, I was in a job I hated, and I left it all behind for a dream job in the travel industry.