Most Commonly Asked Questions About Working on a Cruise Ship!

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I had so many questions before I started working on a cruise ship. Cruise Ship jobs are very different from a job on land due to the fact that you live where you work and you work where you live. The coolest part about it is that your home moves away with you to different exciting destinations where people pay to go. How exciting is that?

I have compiled some frequently asked questions about working on a cruise ship. This list is an ever-growing list and new questions will be added frequently.

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What’s the Minimum Age Limit to Work on a Cruise Ship?

In order to work on a cruise ship, you need to be at least 18 years of age.  It’s important to keep in mind that most cruise lines based in the US will limit the drinking age to 21 years old. You won’t be able to have drinks onboard and there will be a red line across your crew card, so the bartender or server cannot serve you a drink while are you are under 21. 

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Drinking Age Onboard

If you’re caught drinking underage you will be immediately dismissed from the ship as well as the server, bartender, or friend that gave you drinks. So if you are under 21 or if you have a friend under 21, don’t be tempted to buy them a drink because both can get in trouble and be immediately fired.

Do I Need a Passport to Work on a Cruise Ship?

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Yes, you do need to have your passport to work on a cruise ship, unless you are a US Citizen or permanent resident that will be working on the NCL Pride of America, which is based in Hawaii year-round and does not leave US territory.

If you are not going to be working on the Pride of America, you will be traveling to different countries while onboard. Now you won’t get a stamp from every single country that you visit ( and that’s a bummer) but the ship’s HR department will retain your passport for inspection if needed by immigration and customs when the ship arrives in each international port of call.

Have All Documents in Order

Normally the cruise line will submit a manifest containing all the passengers and crew before arrival in the port of call, and it’s up to the immigration officer to decide if they want to have a secondary inspection, and if they do, they might need to see your passport, and in rare cases you in person for additional screening.

 If you have previously visited a country, overstayed your visa or had issues with immigration, there’s a great chance that you will go through a secondary inspection when you arrive at the country via the cruise ship. If you fall into one of those categories, make sure you have everything in order and any supporting documents you might need.

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Can I Bring my Child/Family Member on a Cruise Ship While Working?

There are some positions on the cruise ship where you can bring your child or family member with you. If you are a captain or a high-level officer that have this entitlement, you may be able to bring a family member with you.

 There are some restrictions on the length of stay for certain situations. It could be only for a few weeks while some can be for the entire duration of the contract. This will all depend on your position on board and the rules set by the company you will be working for,

 When I was onboard on one of the ships, Norwegian Jade, the captain would have his wife and two daughters on board, and they usually would stay for about a month, sometimes two months on the ship. They had access to both crew and passenger areas, living onboard and homeschooling the kids. The kids came often to the kids club and everyone knew them.

If you are a guest entertainer, have a child or family member, and want to bring them along for a visit,  you might be able to have that arranged before you signed a contract with the cruise line. There was an acrobat couple and they had a six-year-old son, and he also used to come to the kids club frequently. The acrobats had a four-month contract and they had their son with them the whole time.

 Depending on your position onboard, you might have this privilege but the majority of positions do not. 

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Some of the positions with this privilege:

• Captain
• High-Rank officers (Staff Captain, 1st officer, etc)
• Doctor
• Chief Engineer
• Cruise Director
• Guest Entertainer
• Hotel Director

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How Much Money Do Cruise Ship Employees Make?

The answer depends on what position you’re working for. For example, Captains can make as much as $15,000 a month while some dishwashers can make as low as $600. The salary onboard will vary from company to company.  Always keep in mind that you have almost no expenses while working on a cruise ship, leaving room for savings or treating yourself!

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Do Crew Members Get Free Internet on a Cruise Ship?

A Crew internet café is offered onboard the ship so the crew can be connected even while at sea. Internet is not free in the majority of cruise lines, Viking Cruises and Crystal Cruises are the only two I know that offer free, limited internet to crew members. Internet onboard costs significantly more than on land, without land speeds. Expect to pay approximately $20 for 220 minutes of internet ($0.10 a minute). You can connect via Wi-Fi on your personal device or use one of the computers at the internet café. Simply create an account and choose an internet package. Packages vary from $5, $10 to $20, although the price per minute is the same, around $0.10 a minute.

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Tip: give yourself a budget monthly for internet usage as costs can add considerably. I have friends that have spent over $500 a month on internet alone, a not very smart way to use your hard-earned money.

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How Can I Stay Connected While Working on a Cruise Ship?

There are many ways you can save money on internet and not have to rely on the ship’s slow internet access. One easy way is to have a plan from your country that allows roaming internationally. We currently use T-Mobile Simple Choice Plan—where we can have a data package valid in 160 countries, together with free texts and $0.20 a minute in international calls. All of this for $50 plus taxes a month or $96 for two lines. This plan has been invaluable for us while on the cruise ship and during our travels.

If you don’t live in the US, you should definitely get an unlocked GSM phone. You can purchase a local SIM card in the ports that your ship calls and they are usually much cheaper than paying roaming charges. One such example is in Italy, where you can get a TIM Sim card with 5 GB of internet for $20 Euros.

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What Kind of Jobs Are Available on a Cruise Ship?

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There are a lot of different jobs available on a cruise ship. Think of a cruise ship as a moving hotel.  Any job that you find in a typical hotel you will be able to find on a cruise ship.

Some examples of jobs on cruise ships:

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How do You Get a Job on a Cruise Ship?

 

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With so many cruise lines gathered around the world and so many options of jobs you could apply for, it can be a challenge to decide where to apply and to which company to apply. After all, salary and benefits can vary dramatically within companies. We have some information on our Cruise Lines page about some cruise lines and how to apply for each one.

Once you decide where to apply, there are essentially three ways you can apply for a cruise ship job:

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Through Job Fairs

Some cruise lines, especially Norwegian Cruise Line, will host some job fairs for certain positions. Job fairs are rare occasions and cruise lines will focus mainly on using social media, their website and hiring agencies. 

If you are interested in learning more about the job fair for Norwegian Cruise line please see the Norwegian Cruise Line page.

Do Cruise Ship Workers Get Days Off?

Most cruise ship workers will not get a day off. As part of your contract when you sign it, it states that you are to work seven days a week for approximately 70 hours a week, although you might not work all 70 hours. Keep in mind that some cruise lines may have different terms regarding working hours, depending on which position you will be working, so read your contract carefully.

 Some positions might have some days off like guest entertainers, some musicians, and some high-ranking officers. For the majority of the crew, you will not have a single day off as part of your contract but you will have some time to explore the ports of call, just not a full day off.

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How long is a cruise ship contract for crew members?

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Cruise ship contracts for crew members generally range from around 4 to 10 months in duration. The exact length of the contract can vary depending on several factors, including the position, the cruise line, and the ship’s itinerary.

For entry-level positions or departments like housekeeping, food, and beverage, or guest services, contracts are typically around 6 to 10 months long. These contracts often cover a full cruising season or multiple voyages, allowing crew members to gain experience and contribute to the ship’s operations for an extended period.

Higher-ranking positions, such as officers or department heads, may have shorter contracts that can span 4 to 6 months. These contracts often require a higher level of commitment due to the increased responsibilities and leadership roles onboard.

It’s worth noting that contracts are usually renewable, and many crew members opt to extend their contracts for subsequent periods if they enjoy their work and the ship’s environment.

While these durations are common, it’s essential to check the specific terms and conditions outlined in the contract before signing, as they may vary depending on the cruise line and the particular ship.

Can I Leave the Ship If I Have a Family Emergency?

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Being away from home is one of the hardest aspects of working on a cruise ship. Spending holidays and important dates away from loved ones is without a doubt one of the major cons of working onboard. The thing is that you cannot just hop in your car, train, or plane to go visit family on the weekend. Once you are onboard you are committed to the full length of your contract.

In the event of an emergency situation, most companies will give you a work break, which can be up to one week but all the transportations costs associated with your work break, meaning flights, transportation to and from the port, hotel accommodations, and meals—are part of the crew member’s expenses.

For a company to approve a work break, management needs to be able to justify that the normal operations for the duration of your leave would not affect the ship operations for your department.

You Pay For All The Costs!

Due to such short notice during an emergency, most crew members choose not to request a work break, mainly for financial reasons or even timing. If a loved one passes away and they are in the Philippines (typically the majority of the crew onboard are from the Philippines) it would take approximately two days just to arrive in the country from the US, where many of the Cruise Ships are.

If the company grants you a work break, you will be given a new letter of employment for your return when you go through customs in the country you will be joining the ship. Remember that all the costs of flights, hotels, and transportation to the ship are out of your own pocket.

Do Cruise Ship Workers Get Free Food?

One of the great things about working on a cruise ship is the minimum expenses that you have while working onboard. Food is definitely free on cruise ships and you don’t have to pay for it. You will have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and some snacks included, all served at the crew messes, which are restaurants designated only for crew members.

You also might be able to eat at the cruise ship’s restaurants that the guests eat, and as long as a guest doesn’t have to pay for it, you also don’t have to. 

There are some specialty restaurants on every cruise ship that charge either a flat fee or à la carte items, and if you want to eat at one of those restaurants you have to pay just like the guests do unless you win a free meal voucher by winning a bingo game, raffle or by being awesome.

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What’s the Crew Food Like on a Cruise Ship?

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The meals for crew members are served buffet-style in the crew mess—that’s what they call the crew cafeteria. Usually, each ship has either two or three messes. Smaller ships might have only two. One for crew and staff and one dedicated only to officers.

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• Crew Mess— Catered more towards Asian food since the majority of the crew are from Asian countries.
• Staff Mess – A more Western-style food.
• Officer’s Mess – For high-ranked officers. Typically with waiter service and a menu to choose from. The menu is sometimes similar to the main dining rooms onboard.

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You Are on the Clock!

Your position onboard will dictate what type of access you have throughout the ship. If allowed, on your time off, you are free to eat at the guest’s restaurants, space permitting. Cruise ships usually have more than one main dining room (free), a buffet-style restaurant, and some specialty restaurants (for a fee). You are welcome to eat at these restaurants if your position allows it. Some companies offer crew discounts on beverages but not on food.

There are specific times for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some ships also offer a late-night snack. Outside of these times, there will be no food available. You cannot just come later to grab a snack to bring to your cabin. If you miss a meal, you better have some snacks in your cabin to keep you going on your shift, which can be up to 12 hours a day.

You Will Get Tired of Ship Food!

After a few months working onboard the ship, you WILL get tired of the food. You will be craving home-cooked food, fast food, and the simplest of foods you can imagine from back home. You will also have the chance to eat the local food at the ports of call. Indulge yourself in the delicious pizzas and gelatos in Italy, Tapas, and paellas while in Spain, the fresh and cheap seafood in the islands of the Caribbean, or authentic Mexican food while in Cozumel. Go ahead, enjoy all these perks while working on a cruise ship. Make it count!

Can the Crew Drink Around the Ship?

Alcohol at the crew bar is very inexpensive. You often can get beers for about one dollar and wine by the glass or by the bottle at very low prices. If you have access to guest areas (not all crew do) and if you decide to drink at the bars that the passengers drink, you will pay the premium price that guests pay. 

Some cruise lines might give you a discount but still going to cost more than you would pay at the crew bar, but sometimes it’s nice to be in a bar outside, catching a nice breeze, looking at the waves, sipping a beer, cocktails, margarita or whatever your beverage of choice may.  

 

Can You Work on a Cruise Ship For The Summer?

Yes, you can work on a cruise ship for the summer but the only position that hires for the summer that I’m aware of is for seasonal youth staff. Cruise Lines hire not only during summer months but most major holiday breaks like spring break, Easter, Thanksgiving week, and Christmas season. 

During these breaks, cruise lines will hire additional staff to help with the peak of families that will be on board. Some seasonal contracts can last for a couple of months, while some can last only for a few weeks, as low as one week.  The position is ideal for college students, teachers, or anyone that enjoys working with kids and can commit to a seasonal contract.

My wife was once a seasonal youth staff for Celebrity Cruise Lines and they needed a seasonal youth staff only for one cruise, a 14-day cruise sailing out of Southampton, UK, and ending in Barcelona. They paid for all the flights and she got a nice two week-break to see the Mediterranean. 

What is the Maximum Age Limit to Work on a Cruise Ship?

There is no age limit to work on a cruise ship written anywhere, however, I haven’t seen many senior people in general working on ships as their first contract. Sure I have seen people around their 50s and 60s working onboard, one of my previous coworkers had just celebrated his 69th birthday onboard and he seems like not stopping anytime soon, but he has been working for a few years before I started. 

Depending on what position you’re applying for that won’t be a problem, but for positions that require a lot of energy or physical endurance, like cruise staff, waitstaff, Pool Attendant, deck crew, and laundry personnel just to name a few, you might want to think twice before applying to make sure you can handle the physical aspects of the job. You will have to complete a full medical exam to make sure you are ship shape and ready to go.

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Want to Learn More About Cruise Ship life?

We have many more posts about ship life in general. Visit our Latest Posts page to learn more about what’s like working on a cruise ship.

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David Cooperrider