Jobs & Wages

How to Get a Cruise Ship Job

Before you apply for a cruise line job, you need to think about what kind of job you would like to have and what the real chances of getting it are. The chances of getting hired depend a lot upon when you apply your qualifications and current openings.

Do your research and try to find out as much information about the cruise lines as possible. Search the Internet and have a look in the library. Perhaps you will be asked about the cruise company at the interview.

Write a resume (curriculum vitae). See our instructions about how to write a good resume/CV. Send your resume with a cover letter to a recruitment agent or a cruise line company. Highlight the most important points in the covering letter, briefly stating what makes you a great candidate for the position.

You will be given/sent application forms if the recruitment agent or personnel department of the cruise line company assess your resume positively. Read the forms carefully. Fill them in, express yourself concisely and clearly. Attach the resume and the covering letter with the form, even if you have sent the resume earlier.

If the cruise lines are looking for a person with your qualities, education and experience, you will be invited for interview. The interviewer will try to find out about your experience, abilities, education and motivation for the job.

If you are successful, you will get a "Letter of Employment" a few weeks after the interview. The letter of employment includes information about the cruise ship, the date and place of embarkation, your job position and other instructions.

You will need to go for a medical examination and get the internationally recognized medical certificate.

If your cruise ship is calling at a US port/ports and you are a non-US citizen, you will have to apply for the US visa type C1 (transit visa) and D (for the seamen), since most cruise ships depart from the USA. If you have been hired through the recruitment agent, they will apply for the US visas on your behalf. Read more about the visas and work permits.

You will sign a contract, usually for 6 months, which you may prolong for up to 10 months upon agreement with your cruise line. A compulsory break [from 6 to 8 weeks] follows upon completion of your duties. If your work has been satisfactory, you will be offered another contract after the break.

Wages on Cruise Ships

The cruise ship staff is divided into two main groups:
- Tipping personnel.
- Non-tipping personnel.

Tipping personnel

Tipping personnel are the staff with direct contact with the guests who pay them "tips". There are specified amounts of tips per particular positions which are advised to guests prior to embarkation and which vary from one cruise line to another. Such personnel are waiters, busboys /assistant waiters, bar waiters/waitresses, bartenders, cocktail waitresses, etc. Tipping personnel have a small base salary. Most of their earnings are tips.

Approximate sample earnings in this group are (in U.S. Dollars per month):

*Waiter & Cabin Steward from $2000 to $4000 USD
*Busboy [Assistant Waiter] from $1500 to $3000 USD
*Bar Waiter / Waitress from $1000 to $2500 USD
*Bartender from $1500 to $3000 USD

The applicant must have a good command of English, good work experience and appropriate education to qualify for this group [the latter is not obligatory if the applicant has enough experience].

Non-tipping personnel

Applicants who do not have enough experience or do not have a very good command of English tend to be hired as non-tipping staff. They have a good chance of being promoted to tipping personnel later.
The non-tipping personnel on cruise ships are those who serve the crew, i.e. the lower positions in the passenger area - Staff Waiter/Waitress, Snack Steward, cleaner, Laundryman etc. They have fixed salaries without tips and their earnings are from $350 USD to $600 USD per month.