Cruise ships are a good form of entertainment whilst travelling and it contributes significantly to regional, national and local economies. Each trip supports thousands of jobs and employees are valued, energised and enriched.
It’s easy to see why living and working in one is a dream job for people from all over the world. There are many jobs available on a cruise ship including housekeeping, technical, entertainment and retail positions.
Housekeeping positions require that you know English to a good degree and some require previous cruise ship experience. If you’ve got a knack for cleanliness and you’re not a people person, then housekeeping could be the role for you. Another sell point of cruise ships is the comedy shows and dance extravaganzas. Auditions to be a dancer, actor, singer and entertainer are held in various cities.
Read more: Luxury cruise ship with 'films under the stars', casino and nightclub to dock in Liverpool
Food is one of the most important aspects of a cruise ship experience. Maybe you’re a chef looking to try out something new, it might be worth exploring the opportunities out there. Probably the most important role on a cruise ship is management, nothing would get complete or organised without the support of a manager. If you’re considering becoming a manager, you’re definitely going to need experience to prove you could help run a cruise ship.
How much do cruise jobs pay and what are the best cruise lines to work for? Here’s everything that we know.
How much do cruise ship jobs pay?
The average cruise ship worker in the UK makes around £23,000 annually, but this depends on the type of role and many other factors, with more senior staff making higher salaries. The living cost of an employee is generally less than someone employed on land, as you get plenty of additional benefits.
Some of those benefits include: food, laundry, accommodation, training, free flights, medical care and retirement plan. You wouldn’t get most of these benefits in other workplaces.
The one thing applicants have to keep in mind is the work schedule can be random and long. More often than not you will have to work extra hours, depending on the department you’re in. You can’t take breaks and you might have a long gap between each job.
What qualifications do you need?
Specific requirements will change depending on the role you’re applying for but there are some other essential requirements. The most important one is you have to be at least 21 years of age, these however might vary depending on the cruise line.
You will need a valid passport and relevant work permit. English is required by most cruise lines but you should be fine if you’re able to read this article with no problems. Other requirements include passing a medical examination and holding a valid basic safety training certificate. Qualifications which may help your application is anything that specialises in hospitality, languages and business.
What are the best cruise lines?
Some of the best cruise lines to work for include Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America line, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line and P&O Cruises.
Applications vary from cruise line to cruise line, some require you to apply via their head office and some require you to apply via their preferred agency or hiring partner. Each cruise line will have instructions listed in the careers section of their website.
With any job application you will need to submit your CV and a covering letter, along with anything else that may be specified in the job advertisement.
Current vacancies in Liverpool:
Ships Nurse - Cruise (Worldwide)
Navis Consulting are currently looking for nurses to join Cruise Vessels on a permanent basis. The nurse will provide medical nursing services to all guests and crew members who need it. They will also assist the Staff Captain, Senior Doctor, Doctor and Chief Nurse in all shipboard health-related matters. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of three years experience in the fields of Emergency Room.
Cruise Staff
Stanley Staff Recruitment are looking for customer service focused staff providing baggage handling and van driving services to the busy Cruise ship visits to the city during the summer months. It will be based at the Cruise Terminal, Pier Head. Training will be required where needed as well as free parking.
Liverpool Event Crew
Showforce are looking for event crews who will be working across different venues and events, some of these jobs will be on a cruise ship. Some of the things you will be doing are setting up and breaking down events, loading and unloading truck, building and breaking down temporary stages and seating structure and carrying/lifting furniture and equipment.
