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How much do cruise ship staff make?

FAQ on Cruise Staff Salary A cruise ship crew member for Carnival, Royal Caribbean, or Norwegian Cruise Line can earn an annual average between $16,000 to $20,000. For leadership staff onboard cruise ships, the annual salary can be much higher from $30,000 to $100,000.



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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. RCL salaries vary by department as well.

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It comes as no surprise that the ship's captain has the biggest salary from working on a cruise ship. The master of the vessel has a huge responsibility for ship safety for crew and passengers along with navigation. The captain can earn almost $100,000 manually depending on the cruise line and experience.

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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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As of Sep 27, 2023, the average annual pay for a Cruise Ship Worker in the United States is $49,005 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $23.56 an hour. This is the equivalent of $942/week or $4,083/month.

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How much does a Cruise Waiter make in the United States? The salary range for a Cruise Waiter job is from $26,240 to $34,205 per year in the United States. Click on the filter to check out Cruise Waiter job salaries by hourly, weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, monthly, and yearly.

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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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Do all cruise crew members receive tips? As mentioned above, not all members of the ship staff receive a share of the gratuities paid by passengers. Bartenders, main show entertainers and third-party shop employees are some of the more obvious ones, but they're not the only ones.

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Virgin Voyages, one of Carnival Cruise Line's top competitors, pays its employees an average salary of $112,803 per year or $54.23 per hour. This is about $68,635 more than Carnival Cruise Line's average salary, and $33.00 more per hour than Carnival Cruise Line's average hourly pay.

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Most cruise ship workers work long hours—eight- to 14-hour days, seven days a week are not uncommon. Many employees spend a number of weeks, usually five or more, working at sea, followed by an extended leave ashore. Being a people person is important in this industry. Cruise ship workers not only are expe...

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The salary range for a Cruise Waiter job is from $26,240 to $34,205 per year in the United States. Click on the filter to check out Cruise Waiter job salaries by hourly, weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, monthly, and yearly.

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Crew members are responsible for any taxes due to their country of origin. Only United States citizens or employees that reside in the USA will have US federal taxes deducted from their pay. Depending on your employment contract and the country where you are a citizen will determine how you are paid onboard also.

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To complete their responsibilities, cruise ships require their employees to live on the boat. Most cruise lines offer their staff free room and board throughout the duration of their contracts. They often cover the costs of basic living expenses, such as water and electricity bills.

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Typical extra tips may be $15-20 per passenger for a seven-day cruise paid to the cabin steward for exceptional work, or an extra $10-20 per passenger to a waiter who offered spectacular dining service. Similarly, it is often acceptable to tip $1-3 when room service is delivered depending on the size of the order.

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5 entry-level jobs on a cruise ship
  • Cabin steward.
  • Deckhand.
  • Bartender.
  • Activity coordinator.
  • Bellperson.


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There is an enormous amount of pressure that crew members deal with every single day at sea. It is essential to maintain sanity and a clear mindset when working on cruise ships, regardless of the daily difficulties and high-stress levels that life on board the ship inevitably brings.

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Ordinary seaman The lowest ranking personnel in the deck department. An ordinary seaman (OS) generally helps out with work that able seamen do. Other tasks include standing lookout, and generally cleaning duties.

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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 salaries of Cruise Ship Captains in the US range from $18,053 to $476,518 , with a median salary of $86,503 . The middle 57% of Cruise Ship Captains makes between $86,503 and $216,093, with the top 86% making $476,518.

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