Has anyone here worked on a major cruise ship?

Question

I am contemplating applying to work for the Royal Carribean and wondered has anyone worked for them or any major cruise liner and could you tell me a bit about your experience please?

Thank you xx

Answer 1

I want to but never had.

I hear it's not so easy yet not so hard to get in.

http://www.cruiselinesjobs.com/

This is a website about it

Answer 2

My friend has; YOu can make some good money but now they most likely hire bilingual people; Also its only for 6 Months; You cant quit but they can fire you in that 6 month period, If you leave job they can sue you.

My friend said stay away,

Answer 3

I am in the midst of applying to Royal Caribbean and hopefully in the next few weeks I will find out something.

Here is what I can tell you.  Be prepared to work.  You will work 7 days a week, 8-10 hours a day on average.  On embarkation day expect to work 12-14 hours that day.  

Pay isn't great, you can make more on land.  But, people don't  work on ships for the pay.  The nice thing is, with cruise ships, you don't have a lot of expenses.  Your room is taken care of, and they feed you.  So a lot of people are able to save a lot of money when they work on cruise ships.

Despite the long hours, and low pay, people who I have talked to who have worked for Royal Caribbean, absolutely love it.  For most of them, it is the hardest they have ever worked, but the most fun they have ever had.  

I don't know what position you want to apply for, but the average contract length is 6 months.  Also, expect to share a cabin with at least one other person.  Cruise staff, generally share with one other person.  Crew share a cabin up to 4 people.

Crew would be classified as those who work below deck, the Room Stewards, Waiters, and Assistant Waiters.

Staff would be just about everyone else, with the exception of the Officers.

Answer 4

Sorry, I never have.

Answer 5

13 years at sea for the biggest cruise line company.

It depends what you want to do and how much money you want to make. What are your skills, do you have a trade? Like alot of these other people have said there are some long hours involved and for US citizens it is not great pay but you get to see some amazing places for free, the social life on board a ship is the best. You will meet hundreds of really interesting, diverse people and develop great life skills and get loads experience. Lots of stories to tell your friends when you get home. It is a wonderful life for young, ambitious and very hard working people.

I love it and can't see myself giving it up any time soon.

Answer 6

Norwegian Cruise Lines customer service, boarding and accepting passports etc.  Then at the office in Human Resources.  Ex Flight Attendant.

The application process is long and intense. Background searches, every job . every gap filled, references, police records, passports required, all Id's... Very thorough. First you must get by those. On board there is a code of ethics you sign off to. One violation, Aloha. Drink, drug tests random, no second chances. You share rooms in tight quarters. Your time on is long!!! Shifts are not 8 hrs more like 12. You work like a dog for 9 mos and get 3 free off.

I have heard it is brutal and rewarding. Depends on your patience mode. Best have alot and customer service is key. So bum kissin too because you have senior longer time in service bossing u around too.

Good luck. I loved travelling and that is the best part. Hang tuff on the rest.

PS beware when it rains it is your fault!

Answer 7

I have spoken with many employees on Carnival ships, and they told me they work long (12-16 hour) days most of the time, get very little time off.  Very few of the employees are American.  Most were from Romania or the Phillipines.  They made good money conisdering where they were from.  They were required to be bilingual, and had to sign a 6 month contract.