Do many Americans work on cruise ships?

Crew members come from all over the world, and I've always found a very small percentage of Americans working on board.



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Number of employees in the U.S. cruise industry 2007-2019 The number of employees in the cruise industry in the United States rose overall between 2007 and 2019. This industry employed approximately 178 thousand people in 2019, an increase over the previous year.

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There's a reason why ships don't have many US citizens as staff. It's because staff (Waiters, housekeeping, kitchen staff, boiler folks, etc) are work many hours a week so salary is far below the US minimum wage.

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The Cons of Working on Cruise Ships
  • There are no days off. On ships, weekends and holidays don't exist. ...
  • You work long hours. ...
  • Contracts are 4-9 months long. ...
  • You're on call 24/7. ...
  • Small living quarters. ...
  • No privacy. ...
  • It's like college all over again. ...
  • The food is not the same for crew and guests.


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Cruise ship crew life can be intense: long hours, no days off for months, lots of rules, demanding guests, small living quarters and little to no privacy. But working on ships also allows you to travel to places some only dream of while making some amazing connections with fellow seafarers from all over the world.

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There are no holiday entitlements, but crew members can choose when they take the six- to eight-week break that automatically comes with longer contracts.

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What are the requirements to work onboard Royal Caribbean ships? Regardless of the position for which you are applying, to qualify for shipboard employment you must have a valid passport, and the ability to: Obtain a C1-D visa (unless you are Canadian or a US citizen or resident).

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A majority of cruise ship lines offer their employees free food throughout the duration of their contracts. There's typically a special kitchen on the boat that prepares food for staff members. Employees may eat in separate dining areas, depending on their classifications.

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Good news for the young at heart, there is no maximum age to work on cruise ships. Unfortunately, the truth is that there are some jobs on board for which applicants over the age of 35 would not be considered. The main concern for the employer is that the job-seeker is fit, both physically and medically.

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The most common age range of American Cruise Lines employees is 20-30 years. 56% of American Cruise Lines employees are between the ages of 20-30 years.

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A particularly large number of employees come from developing countries in Asia and South America. People from the Philippines account for almost 30% of all employees in the global shipping industry.

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Can I bring a family member or friend onboard? Crew members who meet specific length-of-service criteria have the option of requesting relatives travel, a benefit that allows family members to sail onboard for a limited period of time. Some restrictions may apply.

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The average RCL salary in the United States is $47,500 per year. RCL salaries range between $24,000 a year in the bottom 10th percentile to $90,000 in the top 90th percentile. RCL pays $22.84 an hour on average.

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Employee Benefits at our Headquarter Offices Additionally, some other benefits include paid parental leave, employee discounts on cruises, and a complimentary cruise for employees upon starting with the company.

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The average Carnival Cruise Line salary in the United States is $44,168 per year. Carnival Cruise Line salaries range between $23,000 a year in the bottom 10th percentile to $81,000 in the top 90th percentile. Carnival Cruise Line pays $21.23 an hour on average. Carnival Cruise Line salaries vary by department as well.

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While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $102,500 and as low as $14,500, the majority of Cruise Ship Worker salaries currently range between $30,000 (25th percentile) to $58,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $90,000 annually across the United States.

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Many have complained about inadequate pay and long hours with little chance for change. Contracts can require workers to put in more than 70 hours a week and go without any days off for six to eight months. Due to the nature of cruise ships, workers are often exploited and unfairly compensated without much recourse.

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Among many difficult jobs on cruise ships, handpicking the toughest one is tricky. Still, one job will stand out in terms of horrific working conditions and cruel working hours-the galley steward.

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