Working on a cruise ship means working seven days a week for months at a time. One of the biggest drawbacks of cruise ship jobs is thought to be spending holidays working. Indeed, this could be said of any hospitality job. However, on a cruise ship you might actually have a better time than you would at a similar land-based hotel job. Reputed cruise line companies make it their business to ensure the crew are fairly well looked after. This…
Many negative articles have been written about life for cruise ship crew, chief among them relating to pay scales and living conditions. However, it must be noted that these are mostly written from the perspective of a Western world where costs of living, job expectations and benefits are much higher. The hospitality industry is largely the same on land as well as on a cruise ship as far as professional demands is concerned. However, the perks and benefits received by…
Much is talked about regarding the kind of food served to guests on board cruise ships. After all, it is a big part of the cruising experience. But what do cruise ship crew eat? Food is free, for the most part, on board all cruise lines for crew, staff and officers. Their hierarchy determines the extent of service and options which these categories of employees are allowed. Cruise ship crew are often restricted to the crew messes – a self-service…
It’s often said that money makes the world go round. For employees on cruise ships, this could not be more true. Top level management such as the captain and executives are full-time staff, but those on the bottom rung such as line cooks and waiters are contract staff whose salary vary depending on the cruise line they work for and the position they are at. For crew – those at the bottom of the hierarchy – gratuities are a lifeline….
The world of today is officially far more liberal with differences than it was even 10 years ago. However, while this is the official line, ground reality can be a little more conservative. This attitude is particularly seen regarding tattoos on cruise ship crew. A large percentage of cruise passengers, especially in the US, are older people. They grew up during a time when having a tattoo was considered rebellious, and could have meant that you had been to jail…
Cruise ship jobs are known to be one of the most stressful jobs out there. They often include long work hours, new team members every day or week, and high standards of quality. Combined with this, crew members have personal responsibilities, perhaps paying off a loan, supporting a family back home, and even simple things such as doing their weekly laundry or studying for a qualification upgrade. All together, these factors can present a very trying time for cruise ship…
There is no escaping the fact that with cruise ship jobs in high demand, the incidence of related scams increases. Many unfortunate victims have paid hard-earned money to criminals masquerading as overseas recruitment companies in the hope of landing a job on board. Cruise ship companies themselves are being impersonated by these unscrupulous elements in a bid to hook job hopefuls with a renowned name. As soon as they become aware of this, the cruise line companies add these fraudsters’…
At the recent Seatrade Europe meet in Hamburg, the European cruise and river trade industry threw the spotlight on a booming potential market for cruising, thereby inviting new job opportunities for cruise ship chefs and other employees on board. Since the beginning of civilisation, habitation proliferated on banks of rivers, so towns and villages with history are almost always connected with river cruises, offering a look into quaint settings and interior areas most often off the tourist map. River cruising…
No industry is without its dark underbelly and no workspace without its grievances. As the industry expands exponentially, there is a huge demand for people to fill cruise ship jobs. And with it comes the undeniable existence of friction between staff and managers, company and guest. Cruise ship jobs involve a great deal of compromise, particularly on the family front and on work hours. Many low-rated and untrustworthy companies have been known to take advantage of their staff. In other…
Working on a cruise line offers many benefits. It is no wonder that dozens of people from developing countries make their way on board to take advantage of these. A recent report suggested that Indians make up as much as 30 per cent of global recruitment for the international cruise sector, with workforce from Goa taking up 40 per cent of the Indian representation. So many people opting for jobs on board cannot be wrong. It is true that shipboard…