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Is it hard to captain a cruise ship?

The road to how to become a cruise ship captain is not easy. It requires many years of education, good grades, and experience before you take your final testing for your license. You must work your way up after graduation, and you spend a great deal of time at sea.



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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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The amount of experience, the level of education, the grades they received, location, and company all can determine the year's salary. In general, a cruise ship captain salary ranges between $54,000 and more than $100,000. This may seem like a low pay scale considering the responsibilities that come with the job.

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A cruise ship captain salary will vary depending on several factors. The amount of experience, the level of education, the grades they received, location, and company all can determine the year's salary. In general, a cruise ship captain salary ranges between $54,000 and more than $100,000.

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In conclusion, being a Captain of the Ship is an exciting and challenging career that offers high salaries, travel opportunities, and a chance to work in a unique and essential field. However, it also requires long hours, high stress, and long periods away from home.

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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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A captain's license obtained by a federal maritime authority is required for the position. Obtaining this license may take 10 years. To put it in perspective, it takes longer to become a cruise ship captain than a brain surgeon. Most captains earn their bars in 18 to 22 years.

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There are crew cabins on several floors, from deck 00 — below sea level — to deck three, though the captain and bridge officers typically live adjacent to the bridge higher up. The main crew corridor that runs up and down the entire ship is nicknamed the I-95, after the popular US highway.

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There are two captains on any cruise ship at all times. One is the Ship's Captain, and the second captain in command is called the Staff Captain. The Staff Captain will be on duty when the Captain is sleeping or needs to do an inspection, for example. The main authority will, however, always rest with the Captain.

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The first step of becoming a cruise ship captain is obtaining your high school diploma. After that, it is required that candidates possess either a bachelor's or master's degree of marine science or marine engineering.

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


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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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After each contract you will receive approximately 60 days of vacation before your next assignment. Your daily work schedule while onboard will depend on your particular position, but you can expect to work seven days a week and anywhere between 10-13 hours per day.

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But sometimes, chatting with family online isn't enough – so one of the best perks captains enjoy is having their family onboard the ship. Individual cruise lines will set their own policies on this but they may allow families to be onboard for extended periods of time, or to make occasional visits.

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Oceania Cruises are known to use “Code Mike” instead of Alpha to signify a medical emergency. Celebrity Cruises use “Star Code, Star Code, Star Code”. Code alpha is a medical emergency.

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In addition to salary cruise captains receive a number of other perks:
  • Accommodation on the ship free of charge.
  • Family staying onboard.
  • Meals onboard.
  • Laundry and Housekeeping.
  • Discounts, often on cruises and/or shops onboard.


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The captain is not obligated to drown on principle. There are, certainly, examples where a captain has elected to remain on a boat while it sank into the sea (E. J. Smith, captain of the Titanic, is perhaps the individual best known for doing so). This, however, is not a reasonable job expectation.

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Ship captains earn an average yearly salary of $81,640. Wages typically start from $37,240 and go up to $159,690.

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How much does a Captain make at The Walt Disney Company in the United States? The estimated average pay for Captain at this company in the United States is $24.13 per hour, which meets the national average.

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