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What is the day in the life of a cruise ship employee?

Staff members often expect to work around 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Some employees may work early in the morning, like those who prepare food, while others work late into the night, like bartenders and entertainers. Your work schedule might depend on the specific cruise line and your position.



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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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Crew Off Hours Onboard a Cruise Ship Additionally, special events are routinely scheduled for crew to enjoy their time onboard. There are crew parties, BBQs, bingos, talent shows, and movie nights. Officers can enjoy additional facilities of the ship such as the pool deck, spa, gym, restaurants and bars.

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Full-time contracts are usually 6 months in duration. At the end you will have a break of around 6-8 weeks before returning to ship. Full-time staff are generally expected to work on ship for more than one contract so if you want to do a one off cruise, a seasonal contract may be more suitable.

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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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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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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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This presents a unique opportunity for exploration that most people can only dream of. The policies regarding time spent ashore vary from one cruise line to another. However, all cruise companies provide their crew members with the chance to disembark when they're not on duty.

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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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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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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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A Cruise Ship Crew in your area makes on average $20 per hour, or $0.30 (15.724%) more than the national average hourly salary of $19.39. ranks number 1 out of 50 states nationwide for Cruise Ship Crew salaries.

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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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It's a common misconception that life on a cruise ship is just one big holiday for staff. Regardless of the role employees take, they can expect to work hard throughout their contract. Crew members work every day of their contract, taking time off in hours rather than in full days.

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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 $26,377 to $34,390 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. per Year in the United States.

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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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Retail and Guest Services Jobs Retail and guest services offer some of the best jobs on cruise ships without experience. This is because you get to interact with guests every day, helping them with their needs and solving problems.

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Some of the most common entry-level cruise ship jobs include cabin steward, bell staff, galley cleaner, and dishwasher. With all of these positions, there is an opportunity for advancement!

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