Have you been to a cruise ship private island before and wondered “Where do all these workers come from?” If you ever wondered what’s like to live and work on a cruise ship private island you’re not alone. I have been to both NCL’s private Island in Belize, Harvest Cay, and in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay, as well as Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. Whenever the ship arrives in port or anchors, the island is ready to receive the guests but who makes sure the islands are ready to receive the guests? We’ll be exploring that in this post.
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Island Life from the staff perspective
Working on a cruise line’s private island can be a dream job for those who love travel, adventure, and hospitality. Many major cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Disney operate their own private islands, providing guests with an exclusive tropical experience. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in this unique environment, here’s everything you need to know about securing a position and what to expect from working on a private island.
What Positions Can You Apply For?
Cruise line private islands operate much like resorts, and they require a wide range of staff to keep things running smoothly. Here are some common job categories you might find:
- Hospitality and Guest Services: Bartenders, servers, food preparation, and housekeeping positions help ensure guests have an excellent stay.
- Recreational and Activity Staff: Many islands offer excursions like snorkeling, kayaking, or zip-lining. These roles require staff to guide and assist guests in these activities.
- Retail: There are often small shops on the islands selling souvenirs, local goods, or essentials.
- Maintenance and Groundskeeping: Islands need staff to keep the property clean, well-maintained, and safe for guests.
- Emergency and Safety Personnel: Lifeguards, medical personnel, and security staff are critical for ensuring the safety and well-being of all guests.
- Management Roles: Managers oversee the island’s operations, ensuring everything runs smoothly across departments.
Each island is different, and the available roles will depend on the cruise line and the services offered.
Top Cruise Line Private Islands
Cruise lines own several private islands, which are popular destinations for their passengers. Here are some of the most well-known:
Cruise lines own several private islands, which are popular destinations for their passengers. Here are some of the most well-known:
- CocoCay (Royal Caribbean) – Bahamas
- Half Moon Cay (Holland America Line) – Bahamas
- Castaway Cay (Disney Cruise Line) – Bahamas
- Princess Cays (Princess Cruises) – Bahamas
- Great Stirrup Cay (Norwegian Cruise Line) – Bahamas
- Labadee (Royal Caribbean) – Haiti
- Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve (MSC Cruises) – Bahamas
- Bimini Beach Club (Virgin Voyages) – Bahamas
These islands are designed to offer guests exclusive access to beautiful beaches, water sports, entertainment, shopping, and dining as an extension of the ship itself. Each island has a unique atmosphere and set of activities for crew members to support.
What Qualifications Do You Need?
The qualifications for working on a private island vary depending on the role. Besides the general qualifications you need for your specific job on land, here are the additional qualities one needs to be able to work on a private island. Some of these also applies to someone looking to work on a cruise ship:
- Language Skills: Multilingual candidates, especially those who speak Spanish, Portuguese, German, Japanese or French, are often in demand due to the diversity of guests.Although not a requirement, if you speak one of these languages chances of getting hired increase.
- Ability to Work in Tropical Conditions: Working on a private island often means spending long hours outdoors in a tropical climate. You must enjoy being out in the sun! Physical stamina and a love for nature and the sun are essential.
- Team-Oriented Mindset: Cruise line island operations rely heavily on teamwork. You’ll work closely with other staff members to ensure the smooth functioning of guest experiences and island operations.
- Ability to share a room with strangers: Working and living on an island means limited privacy. Your coworkers will also be your roommates and the people you will hang out with. You can’t get away from them. Getting along with others is essential for this job, and being able to share a room and stay organized is a key asset.
- Valid Passport and Work Visa: You will need to have a valid passport and potentially a work visa, depending on your citizenship and the location of the island. These will be provided by the cruise line once hired.
What’s Housing Like on a Private Island?
So the main question is where am I going to sleep? The good news is that housing is provided by the cruise lines for those who live and work on the island full-time. Depending on the island, it can have between 100 to about 200 members living on the island, with housing, food, laundry facilities, and internet access included as part of the employment package. Although rent is not explicitly deducted from the paycheck, the arrangement allows you to live rent-free, giving you more disposable income, as you don’t need to worry about typical living expenses such as food, utilities, car insurance, and accommodation.
For those working on the cruise ships, however, the situation is slightly different. The crew members disembark the ship during guest visits to the island, work their shifts on the island, and then return to the ship at the end of the day. You get to stay on the island and prepare it for the next ship’s arrival.
Work-Life Balance and Daily Routines
Life on a private island is far from a typical 9-to-5 job. You will work long hours, especially on guest days, when ships dock on the island. Lifeguards, for example, begin their shifts early in the morning and work well into the evening, as long as there are guests in the island.
Breaks are provided, but the intensity of the workload can vary depending on the season and the number of guests on the island. You can expect sometimes to work 10-15 hour days, which could be taxing over a contract period that lasts several months without a single day off. For some, the lack of breaks over long contract periods can be exhausting, while others adapt to the rhythm of island life and find ways to make it work.
The Community on the Island
The community on the island is close-knit, consisting of both full-time island staff and locals from nearby islands. While many islanders commute daily by boat to work, a core group of cruise line employees, including lifeguards, maintenance workers, and recreation staff, live on the island full-time. You’ll become part of a unique community, bonded by shared experiences of working in such a remote location. Similar to living on a college campus or working at a summer camp, the experiences and friendships formed here last a lifetime due to the isolated environment, often leading to long-lasting friendships that extend beyond the work contract. For many, the friendships made on the island are a highlight of the experience.
Pay and Expenses
In terms of salary, you tend to earn slightly more than those on the cruise ships due to longer hours, but the pay is still relatively modest. However, since housing and meals are provided, there are few personal expenses. Lifeguards, for example, earn a slightly higher wage when compared to those working on other cruise lines. Without rent or food costs, you can save more during your time on the island. Special snacks, drinks, or personal items need to be purchased separately, and there is even a crew store for convenience.
Perfect, Where Can I Apply for These Jobs?
That’s awesome that you are now more interested in an exciting job working on a cruise ship private island. You can apply directly with the cruise line websites or through recruitment agencies specialized in this niche. Here’s a list of five resources where you can explore job openings and apply:
CTI Group is a well-known recruitment agency that partners with major cruise lines like Carnival and Norwegian. They often list jobs for private island positions in hospitality, recreation, and maintenance(CTI Group) .
One of the leading websites for cruise-related careers, including positions on private islands. You can find openings from Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line, and MSC Cruises. Positions listed range from food service to lifeguards and retail assistants(All Cruise Jobs).
Royal Caribbean posts frequent job openings for their private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay. Positions include island operations, retail, water sports, and lifeguard roles. The cruise line directly advertises these opportunities on its website.
Disney Cruise Line operates Castaway Cay, a private island in the Bahamas, and regularly hires for various roles. Positions include lifeguards, retail assistants, and entertainment staff. You can apply directly through their official careers website.
Specializing in hospitality and cruise industry recruitment, Goodwin Recruiting partners with multiple cruise lines to staff their private islands. They often look for candidates in roles like guest services, operations management, and food and beverage.
Viking Recruitment focuses on sourcing personnel for maritime and cruise companies, including private island roles. Positions available through Viking include engineering, guest services, and safety positions, among others.
Final Words
Working on a cruise ship private island offers a one-of-a-kind experience for those in the hospitality, retail, and water sports industries. The opportunity to live and work in paradise, interact with guests, and be part of a diverse team makes it an attractive job option. While there are challenges, such as long contracts and isolation, the benefits and experience gained are often worth the commitment.
If you’re interested in applying, take the time to research the cruise line and island that fits your skills and lifestyle. Whether you’re looking to work in customer service, security, or as an entertainer, there’s a wide variety of positions to explore that can make island life a career adventure like no other.
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”
Hellen Keller
