Getting a job as crew?

[taffy12]

Is anybody on this board a former or current cruise ship crew member? If so, perhaps you can help me out a little. I'm currently 20 and, when I graduate in about a year and a half, would absolutely love to get a job on a cruise ship. I think being a part of the crew would be a phenomenal experience that I don't want to miss out on. The only problem is, I don't know where to start and I don't know how to better my chances. Right now, I figure the odds of landing employment are slim-to-none because I'm American (cruise lines hire very few Americans, and most seem to be entertainers or cruise staff...) and extremely underqualified (I've never had a job before other than babysitting my sisters a lot). I'm considering something like the shore excursions desk, but would be willing to take employment almost anywhere. What would the best bet be for an American with a duel degree in journalism and French with minimal work experience? Where do I start? Who do I go to to look for jobs? Thank you so much if you can help, or at least if you can direct me somewhere where I can find some answers!

[Lolipop]

Hi Taffy, Take a look at the site www.crewbar.net, there´s lot of good advice, all from previous or existing crew members and plenty addresses of cruiselines and job opportunities.

Hope this is of some help to you:)

[iggi1]

My suggestion is try the Cruise line's websites they post Job offering all the time especially Ship Board jobs.

[caviargal]

A lot of the onboard concessions employ and hire their own people, outside of the cruise line.

 

Do you have special skills or training? Speak a foreign language? Have a degree in IT? Sing, dance?

 

I hired folks for a private concession on NCL for a year or two. I always had a very hard time as what appears to be glamorous is not so much when you are onboard sharing a very small cabin with a stranger. Then again, when I was your age, that is exactly what I wish I had done! It is the perfect to have this type of position and I still keep in touch with some of my ex-employees.

 

If you have a realistic outlook on what life will be like, I say go for it.

[wyatt earp]

I worked as a bar stewardess for princess, basically i went through all the cruise line address's and wrote to them all. Not like aircraft staff, dont need languages. I had worked for p&o ferries for 5 years before i decided to go further afield, one of the best things i ever did with my life as i have now been round the world 4 times:)