Things you need to know before applying for the job

- Negative aspects

- General requirements

- Life on ship

Every year the cruise industry continues to construct larger ships that can meet the increasing demand for this popular type of vacation choice and , of course, this creates higher demand for the cruise staff, marine staff and crew!

However, it must be emphasized that working on cruise lines can be very hard job , but on the other hand is very rewarding too. You should always bear in mind that the sole reason for your being on a cruise ship is to provide best possible service for the passengers.

Negative aspects;

Before you apply we strongly recommend paying attention to some aspects that not everybody may like.

Regardless of how attractive and rewarding these jobs are, the fact is that it's NOT for everyone.

- Long working hours; This doesn't apply for all positions, but all future waiters, bus-boys and utility cleaners will have the longest working hours: 10-16 hours of effective work every day during the contract. Can you do it? It's only you who know the answer.

- Sleeping in the cabin without windows- approximately 2.5m x 3m, with 1-3 roommates. These conditions may sometimes lead to personality conflicts.

- You cannot choose your room-mates!

- You are not allowed to use any of passengers assigned facilities like pools, sun decks, public areas, lounges, bars, theaters or Jacuzzis!

- Military style regulations and discipline for most of the crew

- Seasickness is sometimes a problem.

Moreover:

You are on the way to be fired if:

- Socialize with the passengers.

- Fighting, possessing firearms, taking drugs.

- Showing bad attitude or bad performance at work

All this is also explained in:

10 REASONS WHY AND WHY NOT WORK ON CRUISE SHIPS

Requirements for job:

- Minimum age usually between 18 and 23

- Perfect health, which will be determined during medical examination

- Good command of the English language

- Team player, outgoing and friendly personality, open minded and flexible

- Professional appearance and excellent social skills

- Ability to perform duties under pressure

- Qualifications and experience must meet the requirements for the desired position

Life on ship;

A ship today is regarded as a 5 star hotel and therefore staff and crew have to be adequate.

All personnel working on cruise ship are divided into three categories: officers, staff and crew.

Officers hold the most traditional and basic positions like managing ships navigation, engineering, safety, etc. To get any of these positions you need to meet some very strong requirements like to be one of a very few nationalities (like Greek or Norwegian), have degree of nautical academy and, of course, appropriate experience. Considering all these facts, not many of you people who are reading this is really qualified for these positions.

The Staff, this is the category of employment where most Americans,
British and Canadians will find their job opportunities (but this is not always the case).
These jobs typically include cruise staff (activities directors), children counselors , entertainers, musicians, shore excursion staff, casino personnel, stage staff, sound/light technicians, photographers,
pursers (similar to hotel front desk staff), masseuses, hairdressers,
and gift shop attendants. Staff members often live in upgraded crew cabins (usually two employees per cabin)
and are allowed to enjoy at least some of the passenger amenities on the ship.
Many ships allow staff to enter public lounges, but prohibit staff from dancing, sitting on barstools, etc..

The Crew positions include waiters and busboys, bar staff, cooks, cleaners, cabin stewards (housekeepers), carpenters, plumbers, deck-hands, and able-bodied seamen (often called "A.B's").
They usually live in small ( ,) shared cabins on the lowest decks of the ship.
They are exclusively forbidden to mingle with passengers and are barred out from most of the passenger areas on the ship except when on duty. Most ships offer a crew bar for after-hours crew recreation.
These positions, more than others, mean long working hours, lower wages and very restricted living conditions.

Crew is often recruited from the third world countries.
Cruise ship crew jobs are highly popular among people from Latin America, the Caribbean, the Philippines, Indonesia and Eastern Europe.