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Do you love dream about sailing the high seas and checking out the world’s most glamorous ports of call? Do you like people? If you answered yes to these questions, you may really enjoy working aboard a cruise ship! Cruise ships and huge, and they employ every kind of worker, skilled or unskilled: you could be a doctor, a showgirl, a waiter, or a chef. There are certain things you should know if you are thinking about applying to cruise ship companies: we’ve compiled some fast facts that will help you get started.
- Pros and Cons: You will love traveling and meeting all sorts of people as you perform your duties onboard a cruise ship: you can expect to experience your fair share of adventure and pleasure when you are sailing on a luxury liner with every possible amenity. However, there can be a real downside to working onboard: you will be housed in very tight quarters, and your pay may not be very high (depending on your position, of course). As well, you will not be eating from a five-star buffet! Food for staff is not the same quality as the meals provided for paying guests. These may be small inconveniences to you, or huge drawbacks: you must decide if a little discomfort is worth the benefits you will realize from visiting exotic places and meeting people from all over the world. Being a people person will really help you in this job. The ship is like a small city, and there is not getting away from the masses!
- Agencies: You can apply to cruise ship companies directly, or through popular job boards on the Internet Here is one for you to try: http://www.cruisejobfinder.com/fm/cruises/ . If you prefer, you can work through a cruise ship hiring agency, which will provide you with great job opportunities right away. The advantage of an agency is that they have a bulk amount of jobs at all times, cutting down on the amount of effort you’ll have to put into job-hunting: they’ll do the work for you. Try these agencies to get started: http://www.cast-a-way.com/
- Your Resume: You should have experience serving the public in some capacity, if you are looking for onboard work that is not technical in nature: such as mechanic or captain. You will need to show your employer that you enjoy working with people, and that you have the skills to perform your duties successfully. If you could demonstrate some familiarity with world travel and other languages, it would be helpful. Any volunteer work you’ve performed in your community will make your resume shine as well: showing you are a compassionate, friendly person who will be cheery and helpful to guests is important. The over-arching goal of cruise ship lines is to make a profit by providing guests with everything they need to enjoy their time on the ship. You will be expected to be on your best behavior at all time, in order to help them achieve their goals. Here is a great site that shows you how to tweak you resume for a cruise ship application: http://cruises.about.com/cs/cruisejobs/a/cruisejobresume.htm
