Everything You Need to Know About Working on a Cruise Ship

There is a lot to know when it comes to living and working on a cruise ship that you don’t know about until you get a job working on ships. After spending a year working for two different cruise companies, I experienced a lot while working onboard many different cruise ships. To provide some insight about what shiplife is really like, I complied a long list of answer to the questions I am usually asked about my time onboard. This post includes everything you need to know about getting a job on a cruise ship, what it’s like working onboard, and what the ship lifestyle is like.

What it’s Like Working an a Cruise Ship

How long is a crew member contract?

Your contract can be anywhere from 6, 9, or even 12 months. It all depends on your specific job. At the end of your contract, you might have the option to extend. This means you had planned for 6 months but would like to stay on for 2 or 3 more. Once you complete your contract, you have two months off, then you will head out to your next contract.

I was super lucky to be a seasonal worker with the second company I worked for. This meant I worked the high seasons, or the weeks when the ship had a lot of kids on board. So, I could be on a ship for 3 weeks or 3 months. This way I got to travel a lot more.

Do crew get days off?

When you work on a ship, you do not get days off. You work 7 days a week, but you do get blocks of time off. Your hours/schedule all depend on your job.

About twice a week I would work a full day, 8:00am-9:00pm, and the rest of the week my work day would not start until about 3:00pm. However, I have friends in other departments that worked a lot more. My friends who worked in the casino got daytime hours off because they worked nights. I also had friends who worked dining and they worked all day, every day, and only got 1 full day off every 3 or 4 weeks.

What is it like working a sea day?

A sea day is when the ship does not dock a port, but instead spends the full day out at sea. Thus, the guests spend all their time onboard, taking advantage of the shipboard entertainment. (Fun fact: Most times you are not “in route to your destination” during these days, but just floating around at sea so the guests stay onboard.)

During a sea day it’s all hands on deck, and crew are working the full day. As a youth staff, we would be working in the kids center from 7/8:00am-9:00pm. During this time we would close for an hour around 12:00pm and 5:00pm so that staff could eat lunch and dinner. This usually meant we would lock the door and race to the other end of the ship to scarf down food in the crew mess before heading back to work. Sea days can feel a bit endless.

How much time do cruise ship workers get in port?

This answer really depends on what your job is. As a youth staff, I was able to have a lot of time off at port. Basically, two or three times out of the week I would work the full day, and the rest of the time my day would not start until 3:00pm. So I could get off at port in the morning and head to work for the evening. The time you have off at port will depend on your job, but a staff or nighttime position will offer more time off at port.

How much money do you make working on a cruise ship?

Payment depends on the specific job you have, but it is not just the job that determines your paycheck. On my first contract, I was making $1500/month for a 6 month contract. If I remained with that company, my pay would have increased to $2000/month for the next 6 month contract, and then would have possibly increased again several years later.

Pay also depends on what country you are from. Cruise companies tend to pay in USD, and what they basically do is adjust that pay amount to what you would make in your home currency. My friends who were from Mexico and doing the same job as me, had a lower paycheck. But, when they went back home and converted their pay to their home currency, it was a lot more money than they could have made at many jobs back in their home country.

Do crew get the same perks that the guests do?

Heck yes we do! Well… kind of. Again, it depends on your job and the ship you are on. If you are staff you have privileges such as attending the evening shows or eating in the guest buffet/restaurants during set times. However, there is still a lot you may not be able to do, such as gamble at the casinos or (on most ships) lounge by the guest pool(s).

I also loved working on the ships where any staff or crew member could sign up for any of the guest tours for free! As long as you did not miss work and did not mind helping the tour guide during the tour, you got to do some really cool things. I had the chance to join many tours, such as; a canal boat tour in Saint Petersburg, Russia, swimming with sea turtles in the Grand Cayman Islands, and chocolate tasting in Mexico.

What’s the worst part of working on a cruise ship?

Becoming stir-crazy! Cabin fever is a real thing when you work on ships. Especially when you are working an itinerary with a lot of sea days. Cruise ships may look big but they can start to feel small very fast. There are days where you just need to get off the ship, even if it is just to go for a coffee run. And the days where you can’t do that because it is a sea day, you are stuck on IPM, or have to work…. it can take a lot out of you.

What is IPM?

IPM stands for “In Port Manning”. When a ship is docked at port there needs to be a certain number of crew that remain on the ship in case of an emergency. Crew are assigned certain days when they are on IPM. This means that even if you are not working you can not get off the ship during these days.

What’s the best part of working on a cruise ship?

The free travel! You are essentially traveling for free! They fly you to and from the ship, provide room and board and all your meals… really you are only paying for any souvenirs or excursions you want to buy when you are at port.

Second best is that you are working, living, and making friends with people from around the world. You get to learn so much about different cultures, social norms, languages, and more. It is pretty amazing!

What’s the difference between staff and crew?

I am going to try to make this simple: All cruise ship workers are crew members. However, all shipboard positions are divided into staff or crew. The staff are the people who have “guest facing positions” such as; youth staff, cruise staff, entertainers, officers, etc… The crew are those who take care of things behind the scenes such as; galley, waitstaff, engineers, housekeeping, etc…

Staff positions have better onboard perks. As long as you stay in uniform you can go into all the guest areas when you are and are not on the clock. You are able to dine at the buffets and restaurants during certain times and can go watch the shows and concerts. As a crew member you can visit the restaurants and see the shows in your off time, but with some limitations.

Why don’t many Americans work on cruise ships?

I have worked on many ships and it was pretty rare to find an American working onboard. If they were working, it would almost always be in a staff position with many perks and shorter contracts like DJs, cruise staff, or musicians.

Compared to USA land based jobs, you work a lot of hours on ships and receive very little pay to compensate for those hours. (To be fair, you have to take into account that your room and board and food are all provided.) However, this is not the norm in American culture when it comes to work. To work a ton of “overtime” and not receive a higher wage for it is not something Americans tend to prefer. The majority also do not enjoy the realities of the “shiplife” lifestyle.

Do you have to work holidays?

If your contract includes months that have a holiday, then you will be working those holidays. Odds are your contract will be during the holiday season as this is high season for ships. Holiday times are super busy and and are “all hands on deck”. Usually there are special events that go on, decorations to be strung up, and every department is super busy.

Is it dangerous to work on a cruise ship?

I get this question a lot and while I understand the fear behind it, everything in life has risk to it. I personally felt very prepared if anything were to happen because I was well trained and took safety seriously. The scary things you see on the news can happen, but that is the only side you are really ever shown. Hundreds of cruise ships sail across the ocean every day and nothing happens. If this is something you are worried about, I suggest that you do some research on the statistics of cruise ships to help ease your mind a bit.

What it’s Like Living Onboard a Cruise Ship

Do cruise ships workers live onboard the ship full time?

The main question I always got asked from guests was, do we live on the ship. Since all the crew cabins and amenities are in the section(s) of the ship that the guests do not see, it can be hard for them to picture where we actually live. Rest assured, we don’t row out to the ship for work everyday, we do live onboard.

How do crew get around the ship?

There are crew only passageways, decks, and locations on the ship that crew use to get around without having to interact with guests. On big ships it can feel like a maze but you get use to it sooner than you think. On some ships, crew even have their own gangway to get on and off the vessel.

What are crew accommodations like?

Compared to a guest cabin, the crew cabins are much smaller. Your job and rank will factor into what deck you live on and how many roommates you will have. Unless you are a manager or have a high status job, you will most likely have at least one roommate. The beds are bunk beds, and you can usually tell who has been onboard longer by who has the bottom bunk. You will have a tiny bathroom with a toilet, shower, and sink. The room will have a small desk and chair, a closet to hang your clothes, a mini fridge, and (sometimes) a TV. It will definitely be small and if you ever get a room with a porthole you are either a manager or super lucky!

What other amenities do crew have access to?

Every ship is a bit different, but generally the crew have access to; the crew mess, crew bar (which will have room to socialize and probably a pool table and dance floor), a small workout room, laundry room, and a computer room. You will have access to medical, HR, and an ATM to take out cash (in the local currency). Depending on your ship there may be a crew deck, crew pool, and crew convenience store. And yes, these things are restricted to crew only, so you don’t have to worry about running into guests.

Do crew have access to wifi?  

There is now wifi accessible on virtually every cruise ship… for the guests. But does that extend to the crew? Well, it depends on the ship you are on. I have worked on two ships where crew had access to wifi completely free. I also worked on ships where crew had to pay for their internet access and one ship where there was no internet access for crew at all. I usually waited till I was off at port to connect to wifi and find a coffee shop or restaurant that had free wifi in order to update my social media or chat with friends and family.

Where do the crew eat and what is the food like?

Every ship has a crew mess where the crew eat. If I am being honest, the food is not amazing… There is always lots of rice, pasta, pizza, and soup-like options. Many times I would grab an orange and call that breakfast because not everything felt super edible. You also end up tossing health out the window and going for what won’t make you queasy the majority of the time. (We all usually hit the guest buffet as much as possible.) It can be hard because you don’t have microwave access in you room, so no microwaveable meals. I did have a friend that brought ramen with her everyday to the crew mess, which I always though was funny and smart at the same time.

Can crew have food in their room? How do you get snacks?

You can have food in your room, but there are no microwaves or coffee makers. However, you probably will have a mini fridge. Crew are not suppose to take food from the crew mess. Did that stop anyone from sneaking out fruit every day? No, but it’s good to know. Most ships don’t let crew bring certain food items onboard with them. I constantly saw fruits and veggies get confiscated from crew at the gangway while boarding.

However, there is usually a crew convenience store that has a bunch of snacks crew can buy and charge it to their crew card/account. You can usually find chips, cookies, crackers, sodas, and other munchies. They also tend to sell necessities such as; body wash, contact solution, tampons, etc…

How do crew members do laundry?

Crew members have access to crew laundry machines that take quarters. Some laundry rooms might have quarter machines and you do need to buy your own detergent. If you are on a busy ship, it can be hard to find a free machine when you are not working as there seems to always be someone doing their laundry.

Do cruise ship workers get sea sick?

Yes! You can get super sea sick on cruise ships and there is no getting used to it. The smaller the ship the easier it is to get sea sick. This is probably because the ocean has an easier time rocking the smaller boats. During the winter months, when the sea is rough, is usually prime time to get sea sick.

On super rough trips, my coworkers and I would take breaks to go vomit in the bathroom, or spend time calling parents to come pick up their poor child who just spilled their lunch all over the kids club floor. To remedy this, many people take pills or use patches. The only thing that worked for me was walking out on the lido deck in the fresh air.

Is it really a party lifestyle?

Yes. Of course, you do not have to partake if you don’t want to. However, most people socialize after work, which means late at night in the crew bar, as there really isn’t much else to do. This type of socializing is usually drinking and/or dancing. And crew party hard.

How do you pay at the crew bar?

All the ships I worked on provided their crew members with a crew identification card. This card also worked as a charge card so you could use it to pay for your drinks at the crew bar and items from the crew convenience store.

How do cruise ship workers spend their free time onboard?

Aside from spending time socializing at the crew bar, there are other things to do while at sea. If you have access, you can spend time working out in the crew gym or walking laps out on the lido deck. On some ships you will be able to hang out by the crew pool, play a game of pool with friends, or have movie nights (via pre downloaded movies that you will need to download while in port). You may also have access to a crew “library” where you can borrow books or movies. Personally, I spent a LOT of free time taking naps. I napped more while working on ships than I did in college and all my friends and coworkers did too.

Do you ever get bored of getting off at port?

This will sound crazy but, yes! If you have an itinerary that only brings you to two or three main ports several times a week, and you are going to these places for 6 months straight, you can become super bored with getting off at port. I did not think it would happen to me, but there were days when we were docked at port and instead of getting off to explore the same things I had seen a million times, I took a nap instead.

How to Get Job on Cruise Ship

How do you get a job on a cruise ship?

You can get a job on a cruise ship three ways. First, by applying for a job via a cruise company’s job portal on their website. Just like any job you will upload your resume and go through an interview process. Second, you can connect with a cruise ship recruitment agency. Third, you can attend a cruise ship job fair in person where you will bring your resume along and visit the different cruise company booth/stations to talk about available jobs.

When do cruise ship companies hire?

Cruise ship companies hire all year round because cruises run all year round. However, the peak hiring season happens just before the high seasons, (i.e. the summer and Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday season). This is because their high season means more guest, thus they need more staff to operate the ship.

What are the requirements to work on a cruise ship?

Aside from a minimum age of 18 (sometimes 21), there are no specific requirements to work an entry level position on a cruise ship. Any certifications you need to be a crew member, your company will train and certify you for once you are hired. Other requirements needed will depend on the certain job you are applying for.

What is the best job to have on a cruise ship?

This answer is super bias of course, but I personally think that the singers/entertainers have the best jobs. They definitely have the best cabins, the most time off at port because they work in the evening, and the guest treat them like royalty. For a close second, I would say youth staff because it is such a fun job, we also get a ton off time at port, and have a lot of guest privileges. Notice I did not say officer or captain? Maybe the pay and perks are better in those jobs, but I would say a big no thank you to the responsibilities they have.

Are there land based jobs with cruise ship companies?

Yes! You can work for a cruise company without having to work on the ship. They do have land based jobs, which are obviously very different than working and living on a ship. You could sell cruises or work in hiring, etc… You can apply to these jobs via the cruise ship company’s website under “land based jobs”.

Can you work a second job while working on a cruise ship?

No. You are living at sea. You can not just head off the vessel and go where you would like whenever you want. If you work on a ship, there are no “part time” jobs offered.

If you have a remote job it may feel possible to juggle both. However, remember you work long hours and in your free time you will still want to rest and to get off at port. There are also no promises of service or wifi. Unless you are a blogger/YouTuber and make your own time, or have someone running your business for you at home, then shiplife is a full time job.

Can you choose your location or the ship you work on?

Unfortunately, you can not choose your ship or itinerary because the company assigns you where they need you. The exceptions to this is if you are high up in the ranks or you are married and want to be placed on the same ship as your spouse. However, you can request a specific ship and if they need you there, then that may become your assignment. In general, the company chooses for you.

How does the company assign your ship?

The company assigns you where they need workers. Something that your company may consider when assigning you a ship is the languages you can speak compared with the itinerary of the ship. For example, if you can speak Mandarin and they need someone to work on a ship with an itinerary mainly Chinese ports, and the majority of guests onboard speak Mandarin, it would make sense to consider you for that contract.

What do cruise companies provided their crew?

You contract includes your compensation, meals, and accommodation. It also includes travel to and from your ship, including; roundtrip airfare, a hotel if you need to stay overnight to meet the ship the next day, meals during that time, and a taxi/shuttle to the ship. They provide your uniform, bedding, and will train/certify you in any maritime certifications needed.

What is the best cruise ship company to work for?

The best cruise company to work for depends on what you specifically want to get out of the job/contract and what job you are working. Therefore, you need to do your research on the size of the fleet, company policies, your job requirements, type of guests you will have, etc… to decide what one is best for you.

Conclusion

There are tons of details about working on a cruise ship that you don’t find out until you’ve started your first contract at sea. Hopefully this post was able to tell you everything you need to know about working on a cruise ship. Do you have more questions about what it’s like to work on cruise ship? Have you had a different experience while working on ships? Please ask questions or share your thoughts in the comments below.