Services

In general cruise lines require a minimum 21 years of age for shipboard employment except for photographers, entertainers, dancers and musicians (18 years of age) and Beauty Salon/Spa personnel (19). Candidates for employment aboard U.S. flagged ships must be minimum 18 years of age and be able to legally work in the United States (U.S. citizens and permanent residents only)us leo.

Yes, all the major cruise lines hire crew members from all over the world. Although these cruise lines are based in the United States, their ships are registered in Panama, Liberia, Marshall Islands or the Bahamas and the employment regulations are slightly different.

U.S. and Canadian citizens need just a passport, valid for at least three months after the end of the contract. All other nationalities need a C1-D U.S. Seaman’s visa, which is easy to obtain (it takes about several business days) from any U.S. consulate abroad.

Cruise lines will often give serious consideration to hiring pairs of people that are interested in working together at the same location because the companionship will often result in both employees staying longer with the company. Nevertheless, each cruise line reserves the right to send each crew member to a ship where he or she is needed the most at a specific time. leo.

Once offered a contract by a cruise line, all applicants must pass a medical examination designated by the particular cruise line physicians (cruise lines have their own list of physicians for every country). Applicants will be responsible for the cost of the examination (about 60-70 $US), some cruise lines might reimburse crew members for that cost after joining the vessel. Immunization generally is not required, sometimes it is offered onboard the vessel.

There is a full health coverage onboard the ship, U.S. citizens are covered ashore, as well (in the USA only). It is recommended to buy travel medical insurance before joining a ship, which sails outside the U.S. ( as most of the ships do). Cruise lines do not provide dental coverage except in cases of extreme emergencies. They could provide assistance in finding a dentist ashore, but in most cases the crew member is responsible for the cost of treatment.designated by the particular cruise line physicians (cruise lines have their own list of physicians for every country). Applicants will be responsible for the cost of the examination (about 60-70 $US), some cruise lines might reimburse crew members for that cost after joining the vessel. Immunization generally is not required, sometimes it is offered onboard the vessel.

Once offered a contract by a cruise line, all applicants must pass a medical examination designated by the particular cruise line physicians (cruise lines have their own list of physicians for every country). Applicants will be responsible for the cost of the examination (about 60-70 $US), some cruise lines might reimburse crew members for that cost after joining the vessel. Immunization generally is not required, sometimes it is offered onboard the vessel.

No, in case you are offered a contract by a cruise line, they will be responsible for the return air transportation between the nearest international airport to your home and the port of embarkation, wherever in the world that port will be. Since cruise lines are flying thousands of people every day (passengers and crew), they get tickets from the airlines at a very low price.

U.S. citizens get taxes deducted directly from their paychecks, any other nationality crew members have their own responsibility to declare the income earned on a cruise ship.

No, cruise lines do not provide paid vacation or pension plans.

Yes, there are uniforms required, provided by the cruise line with a very few exceptions (Guest Entertainers, Guest Musicians). There is a dress code for every evening onboard a cruise ship i.e. formal night, semi-formal night or casual night. Crew members, working in passenger areas of the vessel are expected to follow the dress code.

Yes, crew members are free to visit the ports of call when they are not on duty. Leisure time varies between shipboard positions (Guest Entertainers could perform once or a few times a week, other positions require six to eight hours work a day), after all applicants get paid by cruise lines to work on the ship.

Yes, every modern cruise vessel is equipped with a crew fitness center, a crew recreation room (simply crew bar) and a crew deck with a swimming pool and Jacuzzi. In general cruise lines are taking a very good care of the well being of the crew members, since it could affect the quality of work and passenger service.

Yes, crew members enjoy duty free prices onboard cruise ships, they also get up to 25% discount on goods purchased in the onboard boutique shops.

Zero tolerance, crew members get fired, disembarked and submitted to local authorities immediately with no exceptions, regardless of the ship’s location. There are also frequent drug tests performed onboard, any applicant thinking of drug use while on a ship, should simply forget about cruise lines employment. There is no way around!!!

Most cruise lines offer minimum four to six months contracts, depending on the cruise line or/and position, contracts could be extended or employees could take time off and then go back for another contract.

The contract with a cruise line will be automatically terminated at the date stated on the contract as an end date. It could be renewed by mutual agreement between employee (contractor) and the cruise line. In case the employee (contractor) wishes to terminate the contract earlier than the end date, the employee (contractor) will be responsible for the cost of transportation going back home. In case a crew member gets fired from the job, the cruise line will be responsible for the return transportation, but in this case the crew member can not return to the same cruise line for employment.

Cruise Ships Employment is not suitable just for every person. There is a great amount of discipline and hard work required. Applicants should be “team players” and enjoy working with people, to be able to live and share relatively limited space with fellow crew members, to work away from home for a long period of time (a few months) and before everything else to be very much service orientated. There is nothing more important than the quality of service onboard of a cruise ship. Passengers are always right, even when they are wrong.