One of the most ideal ways to see the world and get paid a salary at the same time is to work on a cruise ship within today’s booming hospitality industry. As a valuable member of the cruise ship team, you will be given the unique opportunity to accompany guests throughout their travels to the best ports of call across the globe including Venice, Barcelona, Istanbul, Maui, Montreal, Bangkok, Marseille, Santorini, St. Petersburg, Fort Lauderdale, Cancun, Sydney, San Juan, Capetown, Bora Bora and much more. If you are considering getting your sea legs and trying your hand at working in this dynamic vacation-land setting, read on to learn everything you should know about working on a cruise ship.
Truth about Working on a Cruise Ship
Famous movies like “Titanic” and “An Affair to Remember” often depict a very glamorous life that comes with finding a cruise position, but it is important to understand exactly what working on a cruise ship is like. Many people think that crew members either work 24 hours a day for six months straight or simply party all the time without working at all, but both of these misconceptions are false. Working on a cruise ship does involve long hours with real responsibilities, so anyone who simply wants to use these jobs to travel and have fun will find themselves unemployed before long. That being said, on-board jobs are best suited for individuals who are free spirited, adventurous, social butterflies, and not bogged down with life’s responsibilities on the mainland.
Benefits of Finding Work on a Cruise Ship
Beyond the obvious benefit of partaking in world travel, working on a cruise ship comes with a large quantity of advantages. Depending on your position, you will have the chance to earn anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000 each month with virtually no added living expenses to save up to 95% of every paycheck. While you may be required to work long hours seven days a week, you will build an amazing social life with access to bars, lounges, dining areas, swimming pools, fitness centers, and crew parties. Working closely with hundreds of other international crew members will also guarantee long-lasting friendships with people from various cultures and tons of global networking opportunities. With two to four months of vacation each year, you will actually work less and save more money than if you worked on land too.
Cruise Ship Career Options Available
In general, any job that you can imagine fulfilling on land will typically have its equivalent on board a cruise ship. The hardest career options that require the most significant amount of hours of daily duties include housekeeping, restaurant serving, and cooking. On the other hand, the better jobs that require less work for higher pay include shore excursions sales, fine jewelry sales, casino staff, IT professionals, boating professionals, customer service officials, tour managers, and cruise directors. Many new artists fresh out of school also get their start by fulfilling cruise ship jobs as performers, guest entertainers, dancers, musicians, or even magicians for keeping all guests properly entertained.
If you are convinced that finding a job on a cruise ship is the ultimate method for you to both see the world and start building an exciting career, then you should begin applying for jobs available at major cruise lines. Although experience tends to help, anyone can find some type of work on a cruise ship with the right skill set and a positive attitude.