A Cruise ship career offers a wide range of employment opportunities, is financially attractive and you get to visit exotic ports around the world.
Cruise ship operators employ large numbers of staff. Virtually every occupation that you find ashore can be found on modern cruise ships from photographers, waiters, bar staff and electricians to cooks, engineers, fitness instructors and hairdressers.
There are numerous advantages to working on cruise ships – saving a substantial amount of money for a short period of time, travelling around the world, meeting people from many different nationalities and cultures, developing professional skills and gaining work experience.
Working on a cruise ship gives you the opportunity to travel the world. Cruise ships cover and visit any imaginable location ; there are over 520 different ports and locations regularly included in various cruise Ships’ itineraries. Although you are going to be working everyday, there will be opportunities to go ashore and see the sites.
Cruiselines offer destinations worldwide, but the biggest markets for the cruise industry are the Caribbean (all seasons), Alaska and Europe (in the summer). Most of the cruiselines do not offer a choice for first time employees, they hire wherever they have openings.
After one or two contracts however employees get some choice of ships and destinations. Crew members can generally, after a period of service, transfer to other ships in the company’s fleet, cruising in different regions and visiting other exotic ports!
The pay varies among different cruise lines, but may not seem like much given the long hours you’re expected to work. However crew members don’t have any expenses such as food and board while onboard a vessel.
This is what makes a cruise ship career financially attractive and compensates for the lack of employment benefits. In addition, because you are working so much you don’t get an opportunity to spend your salary so it is a great way of saving.
Most cruiselines offer minimum four to six months contracts, depending on the cruiseline or/and position, contracts could be extended or employees could take time off and then go back for another contract.
Normally you would be expected to pay your way to meet the ship at the time of employment, but many ships will give you an airline ticket back home at the end of your contract. And if your work has been satisfactory, you will be offered another contract, along with a plane ticket, back to the ship after being at home for six to eight weeks.
Living arrangements vary by cruiseline, but mostly by shipboard position. Senior officers enjoy single cabins, but in general two employees share a cabin with a shower, WC and a TV set.
Cruise Ship Employment is not suitable for everyone. There is a great amount of discipline and hard work required. Applicants should be “team players” and enjoy working with people, able to live and share relatively limited space with fellow crew members, to work away from home for a long period of time and before everything else to be very much service orientated.
The personnel departments of Cruiselines are always looking for new employees in the ever expanding cruise industry – whether they be hotel personnel, food & beverage personnel, entertainers, administrative staff or trainees for entry-level positions.
Even without any particular skills, this industry offers a wide range of employment opportunities around the world. Cruiselines hire people from all over the world and you can work on cruise ships regardless of your nationality or citizenship.
Whether your professional background is in Hospitality, Retail, Customer related or any other Service Industry, you will find that there is a great amount of employment opportunities in your related field of experience or interest.
You can check out a range of jobs with International Cruise Services by clicking here.
Debbie O’Halloran
